Chronology of property ownership on Lake Road by Ellen Sullivan
Most of the deeds and maps referred to below are available from the online database service of the Tompkins County Clerk by clicking the link below, logging in as guest, and searching by Instrument (Document) Number, for example: BF167437-001.
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BF167437-001 DEED Deed Book 160, page 480 (of 600), dated 9 November 1903. Lydia Van Dyne sold property to Ellen Sullivan -- "situate in the Town of Ithaca, County of Tompkins and State of New York and designated on a map of the Robert J. Renwick property as Lot No. 4. on lot No. 88 in the Town of Ulysses (now Ithaca), commencing at the south-east corner of said lot and running northerly seventy-nine and one half (79½) feet thence westerly to the lands of the Lehigh Valley R.R. Company; thence southerly along the lands of the Lehigh Valley R.R. Company to the south line of said lot; thence easterly along the south line of said lot to the place of beginning. Being the remainder of said lot No. 88 not sold to Johnathan Francis on March 8, 1823. Being the same premises purchased by William Van Derhoof on Aug. 22nd, 1863 and being the same premises on which the party of the 1st part has been in the continuous and undisputed possession since Aug. 22, 1863."
- Two hand-drawn maps that show Lot No. 4 of the Renwick Tract are not in the online database service of the Tompkins County Clerk, but can be accessed by appointment in the archives at the History Center at Tompkins County. The maps are in a folder labeled Renwick Tract-Lot 88 Town of Ulysses, Montgomery County. Both maps show a group of lots that were laid out by Major Robert J. Renwick (1793 - 1875) near the southeast corner of Lake Cayuga. Some of the lots were assigned to children with his first wife. Mary Hobart Rhinelander Renwick (1797-1846). Other lots were inherited by his second wife Eleanor Bird Renwick (1815-1902) and her son, James Jeffrey Renwick (1849-1928). Both maps identify Lot No. 4 on the west side of the road that has been known as the Owego Turnpike and as Lake Road. Circa 1953 the road became East Shore Drive, and the house on Lot 4 was given the house number 910.
- Hand drawn ink “Map Of Lot No. 88, Ulysses”-- no date -- shows numbered parcels within Lot 88 with measurements given in chains and some descriptions, i.e. “Low Ground” or “Fertile but much cut”-- illegible ink notation on back -- very poor condition with many losses, tears, and creases; heavy staining caused by use of tape for repairs -- 21”X17”
- Hand drawn map, no title but a penciled notation indicates it is a map lands owned by the “Widow Renwick” -- ink, with extensive pencil notations -- no date -- shows parcel numbers and names of some property owners as well as street names, etc. -- fair condition with slight small losses and tears and deep creases -- 28”x23”
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BF044057-001 DEED Recorded 05/12/1921, George F and Stelle Hammond sold Ellen Sullivan a small additional piece of land "Being a triangular piece of land west of the house of the second party herein. The purpose of this conveyance being to straighten the line between the properties of the parties hereto in accordance with the line fence heretofore existing between the said properties and which fence was partially upon the land of the said George F. Hammond."
- BF024293-001 MAP (recorded 11/24/1923) No legible title for map. Identifies lots and ownership of properties on Lake Road near Stewart Park, between various railroad lines. On the west side of Lake Road, identified as neighbors from south to north are Oren Inman, Ellen Sullivan, Fred A. Stevens.
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BF046946-001 DEED 4/13/1921 Ellen Sullivan formally shared ownership with husband Frank; BF046979-001 DEED 4/23/1921 Correction to the transaction in BF046946-001
- Ithaca City Directory (ICD) for 1921 lists Oren Inman and Frank Sullivan, with homes described as "h Renwick" or "res Renwick." Also listed is Agnes E. Sullivan (1897-1922), a daughter of Frank and Ellen Sullivan.
- In 1936 ICD, the Sullivans and Fred A. Stevens and his wife Agnes are listed on Lake Rd without numbers, with Stevens north of the Sullivans.
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BF139759-001 DEED Recorded 03/20/1951 Ellen Sullivan deeded property to the Tompkins County Welfare District, described as "Commencing at a point in the center line of the Lake Road at the southeast corner of property now or formerly owned by Charles B. Stanion, said point being approximately 220 feet northerly from the center of the intersection of North Cayuga Street Extension and the Lake Road; thence westerly along the south line of the Stanion property 59.7 feet to a pipe at the northwest corner of the house owned and occupied by the party of the first part; thence westerly along the south boundary of the Stanion property 243 feet to an iron pipe at the southwest corner of the Stanion property; thence westerly on a line parallel with the center line of the Lake Road 10 feet more or less to the north boundary of lands conveyed by the party of the first part to Oren I. Inman by deed dated November 11, 1918, and recorded in the Tompkins County Clerk's Office in Book 190 of Deeds at page 537; thence easterly along the north boundary of the Inman property 264 feet more or less to the center line of the Lake Road; thence northerly along the center line of the Lake Road 79.5 feet to the place of beginning. Being the same premises conveyed to the party of the first part by deed of Lydia Van Dyne, dated November 9, 1903, and recorded in Book 160 of Deeds at page 480.
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On May 13, 1952, Frank Sullivan died. [https://tompkins.historyforge.net/people/30915] The address given was "Lake Rd., Ithaca RD 1."
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On 1/15/1955, Ellen Sullivan died. [https://tompkins.historyforge.net/people/30916] Her obituary in the Ithaca Journal gave her address as "810 E. Shore Rd.", but the address 810 East Shore Drive did not appear in any ICD. It is probable that "810" should have been "910". [Aside: In the early 1960s, when NY 13 was re-routed, all houses with 8xx East Shore Drive addresses were demolished or given new addresses on neighboring streets. The last ICD with any 8xx addresses was 1962, in which 2 of the 3 residences were vacant.]
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Map BF017995-001 (recorded 7/25/1988) Boundary & Topographic Map No. 904-910-912 East Shore Drive. Also shows 906. These four houses were demolished before the construction of new Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce building.