The Family of Christopher Ford and Laura Willis Ford

The Parents of Christopher Ford

Mother and Father Ford

The Parents of Laura Willis

Mother and Father Willis

Ford Family Tree

Chris’s Maternal Family Tree

Willis Family Tree

Laura’s Maternal Family Tree

Marriages of Christopher Ford

Marriage to Laura Willis in 1816

Marriages of Laura Willis

Marriage to Christopher Ford in 1816

A Conversation with Christopher Ford of Springwater

From the Naples Record, 8 September 1882

We passed a pleasant hour on Wednesday with an old gentleman nearly 90, who claims to be the first showman of any pretensions that ever visited Naples.

His name is Christopher Ford and for the last fifty-four years he has resided in Springwater. In 1810, seventy-two years ago, when he was but 16 years old, Mr. Ford exhibited his wax figures in the shed attached to the old tavern on the square, then kept by Joseph Clark, father of J. W. Clark. He is able to repeat now, word for word, the entire description of these figures, just as he rattled it off in the dim past, and it compares well with the lingo of modern showmen.

His principal figures were: Jane Shore, Madam Kathalina, the famous singer, Charlotte Temple, Madam Munroe, little May Thomas, Othello and Desdemona, and a Jaguar, or Asiatic tiger.

He was in the employ of Brown & Hetcher, proprietors of the museum at Albany and after travelling with the wax works for a year or two, he went about the country with “Old Bet,” the first elephant that ever came to Naples, well remembered by some here now. Mr. Ford told us of his untimely death.

A man in Pennsylvania gave him some tobacco. Old Bet tasted it, then hastily spitting it out, he turned suddenly and ran one of his tusks into the man’s abdomen, killing him instantly. The friends of the man swore vengeance, and shot him several times as he was travelling through the country, without effect, until at last a bullet struck him just behind the ear and killed him.

Mr. Ford also repeated a poem composed by himself on the death of his wife, which occurred but four years ago.

He also sang several songs, the words of his own composition, and proved very entertaining, indeed, for so old a man.

We hope to print his poem and also his wax works’ lingo next week.

The Obituary of Christopher Ford

31 October 1794 - 1 January 1889

From the Canisteo Times, 17 January 1889.

Springwater - A marriage and a death took place in the same house, and only three hours apart, in Springwater New Year’s night.

Miss Sarah West’s marriage to Mr. Armstrong took place about seven o’clock in the evening, while her grandfather, Christopher Ford, died about three hours later at the ripe old age of 94.

He was the oldest man in town with the exception of Squire Hudson, who is twelve days older than Mr. Ford was.

Mr. Ford fought in the war of 1812, and was carried to the polls in a chair November 6th, saying he wanted to vote for Benjamin Harrison, and then he was ready to die.

Veteran of War of 1812

The Obituary of Laura Willis Ford

20 July 1793 - 3 March 1879

From the Springwater Enterprise, 6 March 1879

Springwater - Mrs. Christopher Ford, of this place, departed her life on the morning of the 3rd inst., and was buried at the Christian church, on Wednesday of this week: Rev. W. J. Hobbs preached the funeral service.

Mrs. Ford was born in Northumberland, Saratoga county, N. Y., on the 20th day of July, 1793, therefore she would have been 84 years old next July.

She was married to Mr. Ford January 7th, 1816 in the town of Sciplo, Cayuga county, and removed to this town in Jan. 1822. They have had seven children born to them, two sons and five daughters, all of which are living with the exception of one daughter, Lavina, who died when about 18 years old; the remaining children being present at the funeral.

Mrs. Ford has been nearly blind for about eight years, only on the brightest days could she see a shade of light; she has left six children, fifteen grand-children and six great-grand-children besides numerous friends to mourn her lose.

The Burial of Christopher Ford

Ford Cemetery in Springwater NY

3

Gravestone of Christopher Ford (1794 - 1889).

Located in the Christian Ford Cemetery in Springwater NY.

The Burial of Laura Willis Ford

Ford Cemetery in Springwater NY

Newspaper articles from FultonHistory.com