Continuation of tree (3rd child of Frank Peets/Elizabeth Hammill); all known surname descendants:
8 Ernest Franklin Peets b: 12 September 1909 Massena, St. Lawrence, NY; d: 11 April 1939 Massena, St. Lawrence, NY (died in house fire)
+Evelyn F. LaBarge b: 25 July 1911 Norfolk, St. Lawrence, NY; m: 22 August 1929 Church of the Sacred Heart, Massena, St. Lawrence, NY [Frank/Margaret Jesmer]; d: 19 July 2007 Massena, St. Lawrence, NY
9 Betty A. Peets b: 9 January 1931 Massena, St. Lawrence, NY; d: 10 June 2022 Massena, St. Lawrence, NY
+Archie Leon Gilbert b: 19 January 1926 Raymondville, St. Lawrence, NY; m: 10 February 1948 Sacred Heart, Massena, St. Lawrence, NY [Archie F./Exilda Sochia]; d: 28 February 2011 Saranac Lake, Franklin, NY
9 Robert 'Bobby' Peets b: Abt. 1933 Massena, St. Lawrence, NY; d: 11 April 1939 Massena, St. Lawrence, NY (died in house fire)
9 Lyle Peets b: 23 August 1935 Massena, St. Lawrence, NY; d: 11 April 1939 Massena, St. Lawrence, NY (died in house fire)
9 Hugh Peets b: Abt. 1937 Massena, St. Lawrence, NY; d: 11 April 1939 Massena, St. Lawrence, NY (died in house fire)
Notes for Ernest Franklin Peets:
Census
- 1930 Massena, St. Lawrence, New York: Ernest F. Peets 20 (farmer), wife Evelyn F. 18; living with his brother Lawrence & his family.
- 1940 Massena, St. Lawrence, NY: R. Frank La Barge 51 laborer/aluminum co., wife M. Margaret 50, B. Everett 24 mica plant, M. Verna 17 laborer/aluminum co., widowed daughter F. Evelyn Peets 28, M. Betty Peets 9 [1 Water Street]
- 1950 Louisville, St. Lawrence, NY: Stewart Riley 33 trucker & farmer/aluminum plant & farm, wife Evelyn 38, Linda Lee 7, Bonnie Jean 6, Stewart J. 1
Obituary: Massena Observer (NY), Tuesday, 11 April 1939: Ernest Peets and his Three Small Children Perish When Flames Destroy their Home this Morning; Worst Fire Tragedy in Years in Town of Massena: A father and his three small children were burned to death when fire destroyed their home on the South Racket River Road early this morning. The dead are: Ernest Peets, 29, an employee at the Massena plant of Aluminum Company of America. He is the son of Frank Peets, town superintendent of highways. Bobby 5, Lyle 3 and Hugh 1 ˝ all children of Mr. And Mrs. Ernest Peets. Bodies Recovered: The charred bodies of the two older children were found in the arms of their father, who, burned beyond all recognition, was crouched in the smoldering ruins in a corner of the cement foundation. The body of the younger child lay on the ground. He may have fallen there when the two-story frame structure collapsed. Another theory is that the father might have carried the youngest child to a place he thought safe, then returned for the other two. The four persons were sleeping in the upstairs rooms. The house had two bedrooms on the second floor. The father slept in the rear room, the three boys in the frontroom. Mother Discovers Flames: Mrs. Peets discovered the flames and heard the frantic cries of her husband and children. She spent last night at the home of Mrs. Howard Malone, a neighbor, who is ill. She rose early this morning and was enroute to her home to get breakfast for her husband and children. It was about 6 o’clock. When she was only a few rods from the house she saw it was on fire. She dashed to the house. Throwing open the door, she found the inside all on fire. She screamed for help. Unable to Help: James Malone, living almost directly across the road, rushed over and his brother, Roy, went to the home of Howard Malone, next door to them. They heard the screams of Mr. Peets and the children but the flames were so intense it was impossible to rescue the victims. Howard Malone, looking through the window in the front door, said he thought he saw Mr. Peets on the stairway with flames shooting up on all sides. He saw him for only a few seconds, he said, and could not tell whether he was holding the children in his arms. Firemen Summoned: Realizing that they could do nothing to save the people in the house, Roy Malone rushed to the neighboring house of Roy Dignean and called the Massena fire department. The local firemen rushed to the scene and while it was impossible to rescue the victims they assisted troopers in recovering the bodies. Howard Malone took Mrs. Peets to the home of Lawrence Peets, brother of her late husband. She was overcome with grief and shock. She also suffered minor burns on her hands and face. Daughter Not at Home: A daughter, Betty, 8, fortunately was not at home. It just so happened that she stayed at the home of Mr. And Mrs. Lawrence Peets for the night. Aluminum Plant Employee: Mr. Peets returned home last night at about midnight after working on the 4 o’clock shift at the aluminum plant. He was informed by a neighbor who had been taking care of the children while he was at work that his wife had gone to the Malones to care for Mrs. Malone. As the children were accustomed to rising early, Mrs. Peets left the Malone home at about 6 o’clock. New Home: Mr. Peets built the house three years ago. It contained six rooms. One of the neighbors said that he worked past midnight Saturday laying a hardwood floor in the living room. A quantity of hardwood flooring was in the garage near the house. He had started to lay a hardwood floor in a downstairs bedroom. He was spending his spare time in completing the home. Cause of Fire Unknown: Although cause of the fire is unknown, many thought it might have been an explosion of the heating plant in the basement. An oil burner had been installed in a small stove in the cellar which appeared to be the type used in the living rooms of homes that have no furnaces. An oil drum had been placed about the stove. Troopers Investigate: Sergt. Edward Skowyra and Trooper R.R. Caffney, Massena Patrol, State Police, investigated the tragedy. They paid high praise to the work of the Massena fire department in recovering the bodies. R.H. Gelder, Winthrop, coroner, was summoned to the scene.
- Ernest Peets, Fire Victim, Born Here: Ernest Peets, 29, who, with his three children, was found burned to death when fire destroyed his home at Racket River today, was born in Massena. His parents were Frank and Elizabeth Hammill Peets. His mother died several years ago. His father is superintendent of highways for the Town of Massena. He attended Massena schools. Ten years ago, he took as his bride Miss Evelyn LaBarge of Massena. The couple conducted a farm at Racket River during the first few years of their married life. For the past four years, Mr. Peets has been employed at the aluminum plant. The couple moved to the home on the South Racket River Road three years ago. The deceased leaves his wife and daughter, Betty, age 8, besides his father, Frank Peets, 104 East Orvis St., Massena, and brother, Lawrence Peets, Racket River. The three children who burned to death in the fire were Bobby 5, Lyle 3 and Hugh, age one and one half years.
- Fire Victims’ Rites Set for Tomorrow: Funeral for Ernest Peets, 29, and his three children who died in the fire at Racket River this morning will be held tomorrow at 10 a.m. The funeral procession will begin at the home of Lawrence Peets at Racket River. Services will be held at 10 o’clock at Sacred Heart Church in Massena. The remains of all four who died in the fire will be in one casket which will be placed in the vault at Calvary Cemetery.
No Insurance Carried on House: Neighbors report that Mr. Peets carried no insurance but had intended taking it out today. One neighbor reported that Mr. Peets said he was not going to do any more work on the house until he had it covered by insurance. His father gave him the lot several years ago.
Notes for Evelyn F. Labarge:
Obituary: Ogdensburg Advance (NY), Sunday, 22 July 2007: Brasher Falls - Funeral services for Evelyn F. Riley, 95, formerly of LBSH Housing, Brasher Falls, will be held Monday at 10 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, Massena, with Rev. Bernard D. Menard officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Massena. Calling hours will be held today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Phillips Memorial Home, Massena. Mrs. Riley died Thursday (July 19, 2007) at St. Regis Nursing Home, Massena, where she had been a resident since 1996. She is survived by three daughters and two sons-in- law, Betty and Archie Gilbert, Brasher Falls, Linda Martin, Raymondville, Bonnie and Paul Moussow, Massena; 12 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; 10 great-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Mrs. Riley was predeceased by four sons, Robert, Lyle, and Hugh Peets, who died in 1939, and Stuart J. Riley, who died when he was 7 years old; a brother, Everett LaBarge; and three sisters, Anna McElheran, Ruth Wood and Verna Jesmur. She was born in Norfolk on July 25, 1911, the daughter of Frank and Margaret (Jesmer) LaBarge. She married Ernest Peets on Aug. 22, 1929, at the Church of the Sacred Heart. Mr. Peets along with three sons, were killed in a fire in 1939. She later married Stuart J. Riley on Aug. 19, 1940, at the Church of the Sacred Heart, with Rev. John M. Kennedy officiating. Mr. Riley died on Feb. 7, 1996. Mrs. Riley was a past member of the Massena Grange and past member of Women of the Moose. She enjoyed music, playing the piano, playing cards, flowers, gardening and doing crafts. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice & Palliative Care of St. Lawrence Valley or a charity of one's choice.
Obituary for the daughter:
Betty A. Peets: Hammill Funeral Home (Winthrop, NY): Brasher Falls - Betty A. Gilbert, 91, passed away Friday, June 10, 2022, at the Massena Rehabilitation Center with her family at her bedside. Betty was born on January 9, 1931, in Massena, daughter of the late Ernest F. and Evelyn F. (LaBarge) Peets. She graduated from Massena High School in 1947. She married Archie L Gilbert on February 10, 1948, at Sacred Heart Church in Massena. They shared a blessed marriage for 63 years until his passing on February 28, 2011. Betty's life was dedicated to being a wife, mother, and grandmother. She sewed clothes for her children and made many wedding dresses. She took time to do crossword puzzles, oil painting, ceramics and take care of animals. She practiced her faith at St. Patrick Church in Brasher Falls and taught church school for many years. She is survived by her children, a son and wife of Odessa, a son and wife of Brasher Falls, a daughter of St. Regis Falls, a son and wife of Hannawa Falls, and a daughter of Massena, one sister of Chase Mills, 17 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and soon to be one great-great-grandchild in August. She was predeceased by her husband, one daughter and son in law, Brenda and Larry Kirk, and one sister, Linda Martin. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in her memory to St. Patrick Church in Brasher Falls. Graveside service at St. Ann Cemetery in St. Regis Falls.
Tombstone Inscription, St. Ann's Cemetery, St. Regis Falls, NY: GILBERT / Archie L. Gilbert / S1 US Navy / World War II / Jan 19, 1926 - Feb 28, 2011 / Betty A. / Jan 9, 1931 / (blank)
Back one generation to parents of Ernest Franklin Peets
Items in RED have been verified against parish register entries.
- New York birth/marriage/death items in RED have come from newspaper obituaries, some marriage announcements, and occasional birth announcements.
Last updated: 6 May 2024.