Folks, I am desperately trying to track down genealogical information on a branch of my family whose records were apparently victim to a fire in New Jersey at some point. Other family members who have sought this information in the past have been completely stonewalled...

Family records (I believe there's a newspaper clipping that my mother has) do indicate that my great-grandmother Emma Florence Collings was baptized on 17 May 1891 in Oswego, NY at the Church of the Evangelist. Her parents William & Eliza were apparently present at this time. She would've been about 11 years old at this point. Emma later went on to marry Charles Edward Knoeppel, a reknowned time and motion study expert. He was considered to be brilliant and was very highly regarded. He wrote many books on scientific management and ran in the same circle as Frank & Lillian Gilbreth of "Cheaper by the Dozen" fame.

1880 US Census records indicate a William & "Lizzie" Collings living in Oswego, NY in that year with their children Claude (7 years old) , Harry (6 years old) & Emma (2 mos. old). This may be the same family...

I have run a web search for the Church of the Evangelist in Oswego & for an Historical Society in Oswego - neither of which seem to exist. Can anyone out there suggest any other method of tracking down more information on these long-lost family members or add any additional information?!? More information on the family is available on my posting at the "Collings" surname message board on this website.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.