Tally-Ho 2006

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December 2006

Table of Contents
December Program
Old Age
McLean's Grist Mill
1888 Speech by James Harris
Transportation
Welcome New Members
Open House Report
Utica Patriot
Condolences
Anyone recognize this house?
New Hartford Point School
Seneca Turnpike Swimming Pool

Thursday, December 7, 2006   6:00 PM

Adult Dining and Recreation Center—1 Sherman Street, NH

Pot Luck supper and Holiday Party

Come and help us celebrate the holidays.  This is always a fun time.  Bring your own place setting.  Desert and beverages will be provided. There will be decorations and entertainment will be provided by Bob and Jeanne Jones.  We’ll sing some carols and play some games and go home feeling a little more in the spirit of the season.  It is a good time to bring a guest, eat, relax and be happy!  Put the date  on your calendar now.

Found in the walls of a room at the Fehr farm (formerly the Sherman farm) on Tibbitts Road, these  words of Mary F. Sherman were written by the young girl who was to become the wife of Richard Updike Sherman.  The essays  were written in 1838, ten years before Mary became his wife.  Her maiden name was Sherman, which is a little confusing.  Her family was not  related to this Sherman family.  Her father was a well-known steamboat captain on Lake Champlain, Richard W. Sherman.

These writings may have been part of a diary that young Mary Sherman kept and brought with her to this farm when she married Richard Updike Sherman.  Richard and Mary had six children, one was James Schoolcraft Sherman who was vice president of the United States during the Taft administration.

OLD AGE

Old age is a period that seems universally dreaded.  We find that persons in all ranks of life cling with the greatest tenacity to youth; and why is this?  We know that as we advance in years, we shall progress in the paths of knowledge, yet even this consideration seems not sufficient to balance the objection made by our vanity to the great change which is wrought in our personal appearance by the rude finger of Time.  Of what consequence is it that the once brilliant eye looses its luster, the fair skin becomes shallow and wrinkled, the long dark hair is silvered, the pearly teeth are gone, and the graceful gait is broken by age; then, when no longer admired by the giddy  throng of fashion’s vanities, we see our aged friends turning with disgust from the follies of the world, and lifting their thoughts to higher and purer objects.  They reflect with regret upon the misspent years of their youth, and the many advantages allowed to pass unimproved and forgetting their temporal concerns, resolve that the few remaining years allowed them upon the Earth, shall be devoted to the service of their Creator, that they may when their spirits shall be called to leave this frail tenement of clay, be prepared to join him in mansions above. It is at this advanced age of life that they are able, by their counsel and experience,  to assist the young in avoiding and resisting temptations, and are amply repaid by our gratitude for all the interest felt in us.  The aged are enabled to tell us of the many discoveries made in the arts and sciences since the days of their youth, and of the great and essential improvements in the system of education made during the last half century, endeavoring by these means to impress our minds with a sense of gratitude to the giver of all those benefits, and persuade us to endeavor to spend our lives so, that when we shall have numbered their years, out retrospections may be pleasing, and we may enjoy the bright hope of a blessed immortality.

Mary F. Sherman

Oct. 12, 1838

MCLEAN'S GRIST MILL

This picture of the McLean’s Grist Mill, taken in May 1897, appeared in the New Hartford Centennial 1870-1970 booklet printed for the celebration of that event in 1970.  It is a rare picture and one we are not aware of having at the Society Rooms.

We believe this mill was the original Sanger grist mill which was built in 1790.  He had built a saw mill a year earlier in 1789.  On September 13, 1806 he sold the grist mill to Jacob Sterling and Timothy Soper, who together ran the business for about a year, when Mr. Soper transferred his interests to Mr. Sterling.  The mill ran under this management until December 1, 1818 when it was sold to Jacob and Lewis Sherrill on May 10, 1826.  The Sherrill's sold the property to Samuel Lyon and Mr. Lyon, on March 14,1851 sold the property to Charles McLean who ran the business for many years.

 During  Samuel Lyon’s occupancy , his daughter , Persia Lyon, was married to Hiram Shays, a grandson of Gen. Daniel Shays of Connecticut, the famous leader of Shay’s Rebellion.

 1888 SPEECH BY JAMES HARRIS

The following is from a speech delivered by James Harris of New Hartford on the occasion of the 1888 Centennial Celebration

                 The origin of the knit goods business in the village of New Hartford was instituted in May, 1864, by James Armstrong of New Hartford and Henry Hurlburt of Utica, who commenced the business of manufacturing shirts and drawers in a brick building owned by James Armstrong, and known as the Half Century factory, it having been used for many years by James Reed for the manufacture of bed tick yarn.  This business was conducted by Armstrong & Hurlburt on a very small scale, they running but one set of machinery.  At the end of the first year Armstrong bought out the interest of Hurlburt, and continued this business until April 1, 1870, when the mill was wholly destroyed by fire.  The business was then transferred to its present location on the opposite side of the pond, and A. E. Baker became associated with Mr. Armstrong.  The business was enlarged at that time, and was run by Armstrong & Baker until December, 1873, when George H. Armstrong became a member of the firm, which from that time has been known by the firm name of Armstrong, Baker & Co., having increased from one set of machinery to five sets of cards and spinning and eleven sets of knitting machinery, producing over 200 dozen of shirts and drawers daily, and employing over 100 hands.  On the site of this mill was the tannery owned and operated by Stephen Childs for several years.

 Below this factory was  a brick building owned by Charles McLean and operated by him as a coloring factory.  This building was burned down and on its site a frame building was erected by John. W. McLean, now occupied by the New Hartford Scotch cap factory, which was incorporated in 1887, by John W. McLean, Frank S. Lowery and Alfred J. Wainman. 

Next along the creek  Jacob Lewis Sherrill’s carding mill which was destroyed by fire, and on its site was erected a building in which Lane and McLean carried on a calendar and coloring factory, and still below this was a paper and saw mill.  Next is the Utica cotton company’s mill, erected in 1814 by the “Capron Cotton Manufacturing company”.  The heaviest stockholders were Seth Capron of Whitesboro, Jeremiah Van Rensselaaer and Ashbel Seward of Utica.  It was later owned by E. B. Sherman & Co., and since has been owned by C. C. & H. M. Taber of New York City. Their agent  and manager is William H. Cloher, Jr.  It presently has 11,544 spindles or 250 looms.

Next below was a saw mill, then below is one of the three cotton mills constituting the New York mills.  Its origin under the present owners was in the year 1840, but was the outgrowth  of a grinding or grist mill built in 1794 by General George Doolittle of Whitesboro.  The name of this mill was the “Burrstone” from the circumstance of the French Burrstones being used in it for grinding purposes.  About the year 1815 General Doolittle, the owner, desired Benjamin Stuart Walcott, his son-in-law, and who was reared a cotton manufacturer in Rhode Island, to change the mill to a cotton mill, which task was undertaken and accomplished in a credible manner.  In the year 1824 a proposition was received from Benjamin Marshall of New York City inviting Mr. Walcott to join him in the erection  of the New York mills and the manufacture of fine shirtings, the first attempt made in the country at producing yarns of the finest grades.

TRANSPORTATION

The following is taken from “Scattered Leaves Along the Sauquoit”, a history paper written by Judge John Walsh

  In the early days   of New Hartford, there was no public transportation except by stage coach, and the residents were required to travel by horse or carriage to come to Utica to visit friends or shop.  A favorite place to stop to rest was Pegg’s tavern on Oneida square.  When it was built is obscure, but the city directory of 1847-48 lists Henry Pegg as the proprietor of the Oneida Street House.  The humorous Utica Evening Telegraph of August 8, 1865 mentioned the well there, and said,

“We have know for several years that during the dry season in summer the well in front of Pegg’s tavern gave forth good sulfur  water.  We suppose that by proper tubing the spring could be made to flow pure sulfur water the year round, but then the idea of going ‘up to Pegg’s to take a drink of water’ would seem rather strange, especially in cold weather.”

  The Oneida Morning Herald in 1853 announced: “The new line of omnibuses between this city and New Hartford commence running today.  They will run every hour during the day.  Fare 6 1/4 cents each way.  Cheap enough certainly.  We are rejoiced that a line communication between our city and that enterprising town has at length been established.”

  John Butterfield was the prime mover in the plan to construct and operate a regular “horse car” street railway system in Utica.  He organized a company in 1862 and by September 14, 1863 drove the first horse car up Genesee street to the end of the line, about where the Uptown Shopping Center is located today.  In December 1863, the tracks extended to New Hartford.  The cars ran every hour with 45 minutes running time.  The fare was 12 cents.  Later tracks were laid to Whitesboro.  Francis Laird, an old time conductor once recalled:  “I can remember how in stormy weather, when those old horses used to plug up Genesee street, that they used to get into a pile of snow drifts on the way up.  Then the passengers would get out, and help the horses around the snow drift, and then help drag the car back again on the other side of it.  Then the car would go on”

In 1890,  the Utica Belt Line Railway was electrified.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

OPEN HOUSE REPORT

The New Hartford Historical Society Open House held Saturday, October 28th provided a number of people with the opportunity to visit the rooms, view displays, partake of refreshments and enter contests. Although a very rainy day, inside the Society rooms was warm and cheerful.

We celebrated 30 years of being a viable organization for the town of New Hartford and a keeper of its history. 

Winner of  the 70/30 raffle was Earl Cunningham. 

Winner of the Tony D’Apice outhouse was Rosemary Sears

Winning the New Hartford Town coverlet was our own president, Barbara Couture.  A little ironic, but Barb was delighted.

We want to thank all of the people who took the time to come and help us  celebrate.

UTICA PATRIOT

In the Society Rooms is an old trunk that was on the Sherman farm.  It is a small trunk lined with an old newspaper called the Utica Patriot dated January 19, 1808.

The following items are reprinted from that paper.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

A rumor was circulating yesterday, founded as was on letters from Washington, that in a caucus held for the purpose of determining on the characters proper to be supported for President and Vice President of the United State at the approaching election—James Madison, Esq. the present Secretary of State for President; and DeWitt Clinton, Esq. of New York, for Vice Presidency.

SLAVES

There were imported into Charleston, S.C. from the 1st of January, 1807 to the first of November following, nine thousand seven hundred and sixty-six African slaves.

Congress has refused to hear the petition of sundry of the merchants of Charleston, stating that many vessels had cleared out from thence, for Importing Slaves, both before and immediately after the passing of the prohibition law, and had been detained by accidents beyond the time limited by the said law, praying relief.

  Mr. Masters said, the petitioners were not entitled to relief by the laws of God or man.

SHIPS IN NY HARBOR

On the first day of the present month were lying in the harbor of New York, 135 ships, 94 brigs, 92 schooners, and 81 pettigaugers; making altogether the establistical number of 666.

DETROIT, NOVEMBER 30, 1807

We concluded a treaty with the Indians on the 13th inst. Probably the most advantageous which has yet been made.  They have, for the sum of 50,000 pounds, ceded to the United States about 5 million of acres of land, of excellent quality, and well situated for improvement, extending from Fr. Defiance on the Miami, to about 260 miles on that river, lake Erie, the river Detroit, lake and river St. Claire and lake Huron, comprehending all rivers falling into these waters, and all the islands.  Every Chief has signed who has been requested, and all appear perfectly satisfied.  We had many difficulties to combat, but fortunately surmounted them all.

CONDOLENCES

On October 27, 2006 Dr. Robert V. Anderson passed away at the Presbyterian Home.

Bob was a charter member of the New Hartford Historical Society, serving on the board for many years and also was our archivist.  He was truly interested in history. All who knew him admired him, especially for the care that he took to research the many inquiries that the society receives.

Our condolences to  his family.

Does anyone recognize this house?  We found it among some photographs of homes in New Hartford.  Someone had  penciled on the back 1943 with a question mark.

Call us at 724-7258 if you think you know where it is.

This picture of what was the New Hartford Point School was in the Utica newspaper on August 20, 1963.  The building is now the Point Apartments and the home of the New Hartford Historical Society museum rooms.

Pictured above is the Seneca Turnpike swimming pool.  This was where the J K Lumber store is today.  Do any of you remember  it?  Your editor remembers swimming there with her brothers and sisters.

Do any of you remember it?

November 2006

Table of Contents

November Program
Follow-Up To Rip The Dog
Welcome New Member
Gift Ideas
How Tisdale Ave Came To Be
Huber Tractor
Morgan Butler
Oops!
Watchtower
A Letter To Richard Updike Sherman
Books for Sale
How Some New York State Counties Got Their Name

Thursday, November 2, 2006   7:00 PM

United Methodist Church, Genesee St., New Hartford

Speaker:  Terry Kehoe  “The American Tragedy”

    This will be a combined meeting with the Clinton Historical Society at the United Methodist Church in New Hartford at 7:00 PM. 

Terry Kehoe, adjunct professor of math at SUNYIT and retired teacher of mathematics at New Hartford Central School will be the speaker. He also teaches a course on the tragedy and one on Abraham Lincoln at MVILR (Mohawk Valley Institute for Learning in Retirement) .

Terry has a very interesting program about Chester Gillett and Grace Brown and the tragic drowning in the Adirondacks 100 years ago. The meeting  is free and open to the public.

FOLLOW-UP TO STORY ABOUT RIP THE DOG

Thomas Schafer, of Washington Mills, sent  the following article that appeared in the Observer Dispatch in 1946 to Burke Muller. Burke sent it us. We thank both of them.

 POISON FOOD KILLS RIP IN NEW HARTFORD

Rip, the seven-year-old St. Bernard, which was as well-known in New Hartford as any village resident, died yesterday afternoon in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Tracy Humphrey, 24 Oxford Road., after being ill for four days with food poisoning.

 A page series of pictures showing Rip making his daily visits through the neighborhood was printed April 14 in the Observer Dispatch. (Ed. Note: Some of these pictures were reproduced in the October issue of the “Tally-Ho!”.)

 Rip formerly was owned by Ralph Owens, who moved away several years ago, and left Rip behind.  The dog became a village pet and had always depended on the village residents to feed and shelter him.

The genial canine giant had every medical aid and care but failed rapidly, with the heat a contributory factor.  He was buried by his friends yesterday afternoon in the rear of St. Stephen’s Church.

Ed. Note: What a sad ending for such a loveable dog.  Many of us remember Rip and your editor received several phone calls about the story from people who remembered him with affection.

WELCOME NEW MEMBER

Rev. Janet Hoover,  New Hartford

GIFT IDEAS

We have enclosed a list of books that are for sale in our book store.  If you know someone interested in history these are a good gift idea.

We also have New Hartford coverlets for $40.00.

And a year’s membership in the New Hartford Historical Society is another Christmas idea.  Some of your children might like reading about New Hartford if they grew up here.

The Society rooms are open Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm and Mondays from 1 to 3 pm.

HOW TISDALE AVE CAME TO BE

Have you ever wondered why some of the streets and roads in New Hartford were so named?  The following essay will tell you how Tisdale Avenue came to be.  The information was found in various articles of the Utica newspapers by Janice Reilly.

In 1923 a deed was given to the village board that conveyed a strip of land about fifty-one feet in width to be used as a public street connecting Hartford Terrace and Pearl Street.  “The street will be a great convenience and open up one of the largest blocks of building lots in the central  part of the village.  Arrangements are being made for putting in a sanitary sewer, gas and water mains, as soon as weather conditions permit”, said A. D. Eldred, a local real estate agent who had charge of the disposition.

The property was willed to the village by Frank S. Tisdale, son of the  Rev. William and Mrs. Tisdale who had lived on this parcel for nearly sixty years.  William Tisdale was born in Ontario in 1828 and came to this state at age 14, settling near Buffalo.  After graduating from the Biblical Institute in New Hampshire in 1855, he served several communities in New York State—Carthage, Phoenix, Camden, Madison, Sauquoit,  Rensselaer Falls and Little Falls to name a few.  He built a new church in Frankfort.  In Sauquoit he held a revival in which over one hundred were added to the church.  Rev. Tisdale was a member of the Northern New York Conference of the Methodist Church.

When Civil War broke out, Mr. Tisdale joined the United States Christian Commission and went to the front.  “It was called the Christian Commission because it was along Christian lines, but it knew no denominational distinction and cared for Jew as well as Gentile”.  The United States Christian Commission was a volunteer organization founded in 1861.  The volunteers served, without rifles or bayonets or uniforms, ministering to the spiritual needs of soldiers.  Sometimes they distributed medical supplies to field hospitals and assisted surgeons.  The group distributed bibles and bandages.  They wrote letters home for the wounded.  At times, the minister’s duty may have been to inform the family of the death of their loved one.  The work  Rev. Tisdale did was ‘most sacrificing, yet beneficent work and was highly appreciated by the boys in blue.’  He was in the prime of life and very energetic, and had charge of most of the work along the Atlantic Coast.

In 1907 he moved to New Hartford where he lived until his death in 1918.  He had married Fannie Davidson, and left three sons, William, Frank, and Wesley; and two daughter, Mrs. Henry Dexter and Amy Tisdale.

Mrs. Tisdale lived until the early 1930’s and was around the age of 90 when she died.  Mrs. Fannie Davidson Tisdale came from strong stock.  Her father was an ardent Methodist layman in the Frankfort Church.  “He gave the first $500 toward the removal of Genesee College at Lima, New York, to Syracuse, to make it Syracuse University.”  She was valedictorian of her 1861 class at Fairfield Seminary and was a teacher prior to her marriage.  Her sister Mary Norris was also a resident of New Hartford.  The two widowed sisters lived together on Sherman Street.

This pictured Huber tractor was an exciting find on the Thomas farm on Mallory Road on Saturday, October 14, 2006.  According to Ken Thomas, there were only 10 of this type gas engine tractor made by the Huber Mfg. Corp. in Marion, Ohio in 1930 and it is believed there are only four in existence now.  The tractor was purchased by Charles Wakefield who owned a sawmill on Elm Street in Chadwicks, approximately 8 miles from the Thomas farm.  It cost $3,000 in 1933 and it was used to power the sawmill.  William Thomas, the uncle of Ken, drove the tractor from Elm St.  over Mohawk Street to the Mallory Road farm.  It was used to plow and drag the fields and to power the corn chopper for silo filling.  That is William Thomas on the tractor.

 Ken Thomas, who is now 85 years old, decided that his prize possession needed to be in the hands of a man that would restore it and take care of it.  Don Odin is that man and he is very excited about his new find. Don invited Barbara Couture to witness the transfer and take pictures.  Ken Thomas, Lewis Smith and Marge Prescott were there, also.  Attempts to fire it up that day were unsuccessful but it was up and running by the next day

MORGAN BUTLER

  1807—1892

Morgan Butler was born on the family farm on South Street, (Oxford Road) in New Hartford on July 7, 1807 to Eli Jr. and Rachel Kellogg .   As a young man he was active in the affairs of the days.  At age 18 he was the bugler in his company of the militia and escorted General LaFayette to Oriskany when the General made his distinguished visit to this county in 1825.

When Morgan’s father died in 1832,  he  purchased the interests of the other heirs and became sole proprietor of the property.    Mr. Butler lived on the farm until he was 85 years old, and was widely known for his progressiveness as a farmer, and his public spirit as a citizen.

In 1841 he married Marianne Howard of  Frankfort, New York.  She was the sister of General Rufus Howard.  They were married for 51 years.  There were no children.

As a farmer, he  was noted for his progressive spirit.  He owned the first mowing machine in Oneida County and , as  agent for the Howard & Ketcham firm, sold 1500 mowers.  He also sold hayracks, field loaders and barn forks. He grew corn for the canning factory and provided milk for the cheese factory and dairy.  At one time he raised a 4,200 pound ox which was the wonder of the neighborhood.   He took a deep interest in all that pertained to agriculture in Oneida and surrounding counties.  He was President of the Central New York Farmers Club and a member of the State Agricultural Society.

In politics he was an Independent and generally voted the Republican Ticket. He was a  prominent member of Stephen’s Episcopal church and, for a time,  an assessor of the town of New Hartford.

In 1889 he built for the village of  New Hartford, at the cost of $15,000,  a public hall which stands today  as a monument to his memory.  The building, when it was erected,  contained a large hall for general meetings,  offices for  the village and town trustees, a post office, reading room, library, and bowling alley.  Mr. Morgan’s sisters furnished the books for the library.

On August 3, 1892, after a succession of illnesses from the previous winter months, he died.  He had a long and useful life.  His leadership among the farmers of Central New York was widely noted.  He was an honorable, warm hearted man and worthy of recognition by the Oneida County Historical Society.

 This information was taken  from the book “Morgan Butler; Obituary Notices and Testimonials of Respect in Memory of Morgan Butler.  New Hartford, NY 1892”.  The New Hartford Historical Society, through Robert Dicker,  submitted Morgan Butler’s name to be considered for the OCHS Hall of Fame.

TO BE INDUCTED

Morgan Butler will be inducted into the Oneida County  Historical Society’s Hall of Fame on Wednesday, November 1, 2007.

OOPS!

How many of you caught the mistake in the September 2006 newsletter.   We ran a picture of the Sears Gas station that was located on Genesee Street with a caption that the man pictured in front of the station was John Margolis.  However, we have been told by reliable sources that the man is Bart Rasmus.  We stand corrected.

Pictured is the watchtower of the D L & W train station in Chadwicks, New York.   The man pictured is Henry  Heidel. The tower is no longer there but the station still stands and is used as a community building.  It is dedicated to James Donovan, former New York State senator who lived in Chadwicks almost across from the station

A LETTER TO RICHARD UPDIKE SHERMAN

The following is a letter  from Washington D.C. sent by his brother F.M. Sherman, when Richard was 20 years old..

Monday, December 23, 1839

Dear Richard,

I have been here now just long enough to get my ideas settled and have about got over the novelty of witnessing for the first time the Congress of the U.S.  In the looks of many things I am disappointed.  The House of Rep. has been since I have witnessed it a perfect bedlam.  Such is the noise and confusion that reigns there triumphant, that nothing scarcely can be heard of the business transactions that are going on.  I am perfectly astonished at the utter confusion that exist in the House.  There is, however, now a little prospect of better things.  The House is now nearly organized.  The clerk and doorkeepers and Speaker have all been elected and at this point the House is discussing the point of whether the public printing shall not be given out be contract.  A Chaplain is then to be elected and the House will be organized.  Tomorrow at 11 the message will be delivered to both houses

I see by some of the Whig papers that the Speaker of the House is claimed by the Whigs.  He is a SubTreasury man and but a few days before his election declared himself anti-Harrison.

I have met Mr. Clay several times and like him very much.  His manner is very agreeable, his conversation not less so.  Pity it is that he is not the Whig candidate.  The finest looking man I have seen is Thos. N. Benton of Missouri.  Mr. Calhoun I have not yet seen.  The Senate has merely met and adjourned from day to day so I have no opportunity to witness the Senators in deliberation .  Mr. Webster is expected in a few weeks.

Some time during the present week Mr. Crary, Senator Norrell and myself deign to call upon the President.    I have not time this afternoon to send you a decent letter but will do so soon.

In haste, 

Your brother, FMS

The President referred to is Martin Van Buren who served from 1837 to 1841. We were not  able to find out the name of this brother that wrote to Richard. 

Richard, in 1860, was appointed assistant clerk of the house of representatives, so he interested himself in politics all his life.  He was President of New Hartford for three terms.

He was the father of James Schoolcraft Sherman, Vice President of the United States during the Taft administration.

 

Books for Sale at the New Hartford Historical Society
Malio  Cardarelli   Jim Parker  
I’ll See You In Heaven:  Utica’s Mother Lavender 

$16.00

 Mist Fairies & Leprechauns of the Adirondacks $10.50
McConnell Field via East Utica  $12.95 Lou Langone  
Cornerstone of Pride – History of UFA $ 13.95 The Star in the Window  $20.50
Classical Music in Utica $ 17.50 J.A. Mowris  
John F. Hughes School   $  5.95 History  117th Regiment NY Volunteers $15.00
Early Utica Preserved in Oil & Water $15.00 Norman Ritchie  
Utica Portrait Artist Leon Cardarelli $13.95 4 Years in the 1st NY Light Artillery $15.00
Downtown Utica; Looking Forward to the Past $15.95 Norton Sheppard  
East Utica  $14.95 Out of the Wilderness  $ 5.00
 Allan Foote $ 6.95 Hill-Hughes  
The Defiant Dozen $ 6.95 Ice Harvesting in America  $ 7.00
Gateway to Freedom $ 6.95 Soc. of the  Cincinnati
In Search of My Grandfather  $ 9.95 Why America Is Free $15.00
 The Young Liberators  $14.95 Steuben –The Baron & the Town           Hard cover $25.00
Liberty March  $20.00 Steuben –The Baron & the Town         Paper back $16.00
Valley of Liberty $12.95 Flying to Marcy $24.95
 Barbara Couture   History  Papers  
Farmlands of New Hartford  $15.00 No Mans Land $ 1.00
Raymond Ball   Rambling Tales of a Rambling Town $ 3.00
Cast In Metal Historic Markers of O.C.  $15.00 Romantic History of Old New Hartford  $ 3.00
Nelli Perri   Scattered Leaves Along the Sauquoit  $ 3.00
A Renaissance Woman in the 20th Century $18.50 Churches of New Hartford $ 3.00
Robert Gurley   And the Band Played On –Citizen’s Band $ 3.00
Here Comes the Trolley  $ 7.00 1970 New Hartford Centennial booklet $ 5.00

HOW SOME NEW YORK STATE COUNTIES GOT THEIR NAME

Albany: In honor of  the Duke of  York and Albany, who later became James II of England.

Genesee: A Seneca Indian word meaning “good valley”

Rensselaer:  In honor of Killiaen Van Rensselaer, the original Dutch patron.

October 2006

Table of Contents

October Program
Open House On Saturday, October 28th
Welcome New Members
A Letter About Paving
Reminder Letter For Dues
Rip
A Letter Written By Chloe Higby
First Court In This Area Was Held In Barn Belonging To Judge Sanger.
Annual Dinner
Funny

Thursday, October 5, 2006

 Community Building—Washington Mills   7:00 PM

Program:  “Memoirs of World War II”  by Lou Longone

Our  speaker is Lou Langone  who has written the book “The Star In the Window”,  a unique collection of memoirs from World War II veterans who lived in Central New York.  He personally interviewed 100 men and women  who told their wartime stories from bombing missions over Europe to the “island-hopping” campaigns of the Pacific, or the suffering of prisoners of war. 

Mr. Langone is a graduate of Syracuse University with a Master of Arts degree in social studies.  He has been a high school history teacher for over 30 years.  He served in the Navy during the Korean War.  He was recalled into the Navy for almost five months during the Persian Gulf Conflict and retired from the Naval Reserve in January, 1991.  We invite you to come and hear his very interesting lecture.

OPEN HOUSE ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28TH

10:00 AM TO 2:00 PM

          Come and help us celebrate our thirtieth anniversary on Saturday, October 28th, 2006.  We will have a 70/30 raffle (winner gets 70%, we keep 30% to honor our anniversary). Tickets are $1.00 or six for $5.00.  There will be a drawing for a FREE New Hartford Coverlet at 2:00 PM.  Sign up and you do not have to be present to win.

            Also, win a Tony D’Apice one-of-a-kind outhouse by guessing the number of sunflower seeds in a jar.

            Refreshments of  pumpkin doughnuts as well as other flavors will be served with cider and punch.

            Visit  the Society Rooms during our Open House.    You will be surprised to see all the things we have on display.  And, of course, there is the Elliott R. Hughes Room with tools from the colonial period and early 19th century to look at, all labeled .  There will be an old fashion dress display, also, as well as milk bottles from New Hartford dairies to name a few more things to see.  We hope you will save the date and come and see us.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

“A Letter About Paving”

(The following are excerpts from a  letter sent to the taxpayers on May 10, 1929.  It was given to the Society by Mayor Don Ryan.)

To the Taxpayers interested on Sanger avenue, Hartford Terrace, Tisdale avenue and Sherman St.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

            We are pleased to announce that we signed last evening the contract for paving your streets with Mr. James H. Corbett, Jr., 306 S.A.& K. Building, Syracuse, N.Y. at prices, which, upon the Engineer’s estimate of the amount of work to be done, give a total of $45,089.45.  We received nine bids from firms competent to do this work, and Mr. Corbett was $2,911 below the next lowest bidder.  The highest bidder asked $67,633.20.  From the Corbett bid is to be deducted $1,726, because we have chosen vitrified instead of cement pipe on Hartford Terrace, so that his net figure is $43, 363.45.  The village of New Hartford usually gets more bids for its work than its neighbors, and we are confident this bid is a favorable one.  We congratulate you upon the substantial reduction it gives you from the original estimate of our Engineer.  His figure was intentionally high, to avoid disappointments.

            Mr. Corbett will begin work at once, and contracts to finish in sixty working days, weather permitting.  He wants to take the streets in this order:—Sanger avenue, Tisdale avenue, Sherman St., and Hartford Terrace, but under the terms of his contract will be given possession of them as he requires.  The work will probably be done as follows; house connections, storm water sewers and rough grading, including manholes, curbs, fine grading,  paving.  The contract permits us to offer you the following rates for house connections:  $1.25 per food for sewers, and for tapping water main, including the fee of the Consolidated Water Co., furnishing one curb box, one curb cock, one gooseneck, all materials, for use with copper pipe, including labor $14; for lead $12.50.  Copper pipe guaranteed for maximum pressure of 125 lbs. 40 cents per foot; same for installing and furnishing lead pipe, AA quality, 34 cents per foot.  These prices have been obtained by us from Hesse & Scharff, who agree to give prompt attention to services, when notified that the trench is open.

            We, the trustees of the village, to avoid breaking into hard pavements later on, have previously taken action that all house connections for gas, water an   sewer must be made before paving.  If the property owners do not attend to this in time, and that means at once, we shall order it done by the contractor, and connections by Hess & Scharff of Utica, and shall assess the cost to the lots benefited.

            The contractor promises that he will keep people from the use of their driveways and garages just as brief a period as possible.  He does not expect it will even be for more than thirty days, unless the weather should cancel all plans and limits.  He will be prepared to lay driveways for house or lot owners desiring it, and will quote prices upon application.  We must know within ten days where curbs are to be dipped for driveways.

REMINDER LETTER FOR DUES

This October we are sending out a letter to all members who have not renewed their membership.  We hope, if you receive the reminder, that you will take the time to send in your renewal.

Again, we need your support!

RIP, THE ST. BERNARD OWNED BY RALPH OWENS OF OXFORD ROAD, WAS THE TOWN PET IN 1946.

Town Guardians– Harold Shepardson, mounted, and Rip, on foot, keep things in order in New Hartford

Larry Gibbons, Dick Hamilton, John Baird and Rip spend much time together

 

PICTURES AND CAPTIONS FROM APRIL 14, 1946 EDITION OF THE UTICA OBSERVER DISPATCH

Rip wants—and gets—service at the ice cream bar.  Dorothy Roberts even holds the cone for him.

 

Nosing in for a bite to eat, Rip reports regularly to Mrs. W. H. Kirtland, 28 Oxford Road.

First adventure in friendship for Susan Williams, 20-month-old daughter of the Rev.  Roswell B. Williams, rector of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, and Mrs. Williams, results in a petting party.

A LETTER WRITTEN BY CHLOE HIGBY  -- JUNE 9,1840

The letter was sent to Mr. Chester Higby at Hopewell, Ontario, Canada.  Spellings and punctuations have been changed to make the letter more readable.  A note in pencil at the end of the letter says, “My great grand mother’s letter,  Name Chloe Higby— A.C. Divine”

 Dear children,

            I take pen in hand to let you know how we are.  Your father is not so strong as he was before he was hurt.  But he is so he can walk to the village and back.  The rest of our family are as well as can be.  Only myself was taken about the first of April with my lame limb swelling.  It got just below my knee and  the doctor thought it was the best to blister it.  And when the blister drew it seemed to go  all over the system.  I had quite a fever.  I got down weak and don’t get so as I can work much.  It has got into my back and I can’t lift so much as the teakettle without being in great pain.  If I sit about and do almost nothing, I am quite uncomfortable.  If I don’t get better than I am now your father and I shall hardly visit you this summer.

            Chloe has left home and gone to live with Nancy.  She says she will never come home any more to live on account of Joseph being so bad.  She has made complaint to the church against him.  Don’t know whether they are going to take it up or not.  Nancy is unwell.  She has the palpitations of the heart. 

            It has been hard times for the doctor for the factory hasn’t gone  from December to April.  He had enough if he could collect it.  He could not get enough to get his medicines with.  And since the factory has got to going there has been not much to begot for.  Mr. Wolcut found folks their victuals through the winter and now they have got to pay for it before they can pay any other debts.  Your father has had to sign with the doctor to borrow money or his things would have been sold to pay for medicine and other debts.  There never was such a time for money.  We can’t sell all our butter for money.  Today we could not sell it to the store.

            I thought I would never write again.  We have wrote since we had your letter dated February and I wrote a letter before.  And I thought I should never write again, but I want to hear from you so much and I want to see you all but I think it doubtful whether I do if you can’t come and see us.  My head is confused.  I can’t  think of  anything to say.

            We have preaching in our society half the time.  I must tell you about the neighbors.  Mrs. N. Richardson is quite unwell with the dropsy.  Her sister Almira died in March with it.  Corneta Starling died yesterday and Mr. Starling and his wife aren’t expected to live from one day to another.  Richard Will died in April.  Elizabeth Richardson was married in May to a gentleman from Ilion and they have gone their to live.

            If I could but see you I could tell more than I can write in two days.  I have scribbled more than you will find out.  Now I want you should write your own situation for I think of you a great deal.  If it was in my power to help you, it would be done.

            Give love to all yours and tell them to write to me.  Father and Orra send their love to you all.  Please give our love to brother Elisha and  family.

At the turn of the century this meat market, owned by John M. Law, was located on the corner of Oxford Road and Genesee Street, the spot that has been  occupied by Blimpy’s and ,earlier , a gas station.  Shown with Mr. Law, who is on the right, is.Frank Lonsdale.  The block was destroyed by fire early in 1900.  In 1899 J. M. Law lived at 2 Pearl St., New Hartford.

FIRST COURT IN THIS AREA WAS HELD IN BARN BELONGING TO JUDGE SANGER.

From Pomroy Jones’ “Annals of Oneida County”. Published in 1851.

            The first court record held within the present limits of the county was a term of the Herkimer Common Pleas and General Sessions at the “Meeting House in the town of Whitestown,” on the third Tuesday in January 1794.  Eight men were convicted of assault and battery, and fined from 16 shillings to three pounds each.

            Mr. Tracy in his lectures states that this term of the Herkimer Common Pleas was held in Judge Sanger’s barn. A half-burned record in the Herkimer County Clerk’s Office shows that the above statement, as to time, is correct; and as there was no meeting house at that time in the town of Whitestown other than the one in New Hartford (and that in quite an unfinished state).   This, with other evidence obtained, is conclusive that the term was held in the New Hartford meeting house.  The law authorizing the term to be held provided that the Herkimer County Courts should be held alternately in Herkimer and Whitestown.

            New Hartford was then in Whitestown, and as Judge Sanger was never “found napping” when any thing for the benefit of his village was at stake, he exerted himself successfully with Judge Staring and a majority of the bench,  and the court was appointed at New Hartford. This term, however, was the only one held in this village, for Whitesboro ever afterwards succeeded in getting it at that place.  An anecdote of this first court is thus told by Mr. Tracy.

            “A gentleman who attended the court as a spectator, informed me that the day was one of those cold January days frequent in our climate, and that in the afternoon and when it was nearly night, in order to comfort themselves and keep the blood circulating at a temperatures at which it would continue to circulate, some of the gentlemen of the bar had induced the Sheriff to procure, from a neighboring inn, a jug of spirits.  This, it must be remembered, was before the invention of temperance societies.  Upon the jug appearing in court, it was passed around the bar table and each of the learned counselors in his turn upraised the elegant vessel, and decanted into his mouth, by the simplest process imaginable, so much as he deemed a sufficient dose of the delicious fluid.  While the operation was going on, the dignitaries of the bench, who were no doubt suffering quite as much as their brethren of the bar, had a little consultation, when the first judge announced to the audience that the court saw no reason why they should continue to stay open any longer, and freeze to death, and desired the crier forthwith adjourn the court.

            Before, however, this functionary could commence with a single  ‘Hear ye,’ Colonel Colbrath jumped up, catching as he rose the jug from the lawyer who was complimenting its contents, and holding it up towards the bench, hastily ejaculated: “Oh, no, no, no, Judge—-do not adjourn yet; take a little gin, Judge;  that will keep you warm; ‘taint time to adjourn yet;” and suiting the action to the word, handed his Honor the jug.  It appeared there was force in the Sheriff’s advice, for the order to adjourn was revoked and the business went on.”

            Like terms of the court were doubtless held in the town of Whitesboro on the third Tuesday in January, 1795-6 and 7.

            The records of the Clerk’s Office of Herkimer County were destroyed in fire by 1804 and it is impossible now to learn particulars of other terms of the courts affecting the inhabitants of Whitestown.  From a scrap discovered in our Clerk’s Office, it seems that at a term of the General Sessions held at the church in Herkimer on the Third Tuesday in January, 1792, Hugh White, Jedediah Sanger, and Moses Foot, were fined one pound, 14 shillings each for non attendance as Justices; and John Alden, Lemuel Bradley, and Smith Miller, were fined one pound, four shillings each, for like default as petit jurors.

            It is also interesting to note the results of voting for governor held in the town of New Hartford since the year 1828 to 1850.  The victor in the state elections should be evident from history, and it is equally evident that area voters did not always support the winner

            The first census in which the actual population of New Hartford was shown was that of 1830, when the town’s population was 3,599.  By 1840, the town had grown to 3,819 and in 1850 it had 4,847 inhabitants.  By 1850 the county population had soared to 99,543.  In 1800, even with a much larger area, including some of Lewis and Jefferson counties, the population was only 22,837.

ANNUAL DINNER

82 people came to eat and enjoy the program  on September 7th at the United Methodist Church.  A delicious pork dinner was served by the ladies of the church.

Our speaker, John Taibi, gave a very interesting slide show and lecture on the third rail and the Utica trolley. 

The mum plants, donated by Carlton and Shelly Corey of the Mum Farm were decorative and were presented to the person at each table who had a birth date closest to July 7th, Morgan Butler’s birthday.

We thank those people who worked on the dinner arrangements and reservations.

FUNNY

September 2006

Table of Contents

September Program
Village of New Hartford General Ordinances
Welcome New Members
Report Of Principal
Additions to the Archives
WGAT Drive-In
Sears Gas Station, Genesee Street, NH
New Hartford Historical Society Dinner
A Few Truths

Thursday, September 7, 2007

 Dinner Meeting—First United Methodist Church  105 Genesee St, New Hartford

6:00 PM Social Hour—6:45 Roast Pork Dinner—Cost  $10.00 per person

Program-"New York’s Third Railroad and Utica Trolley"

John Taibi

John Taibi and his family purchased the railroad station in Munnsville, N.Y. and have made it their home.  He has written several books about railroads in New York State.  A native of Long Island, he acquired his interest in railroading from his father and his research on the subject began in 1963.  His books can be obtained from Mid York Library through the New Hartford Library.

This will be an excellent program for guests to hear.  It may inspire them to become interested in history and join our society.  Remember, reservations for the dinner must be in by  August 30th. A form is enclosed with this newsletter.

Also there will be an opportunity to pay your dues at the dinner.  Renewals were due July 1st.  After the October meeting anyone who has not renewed will no longer be considered a member, and  we don’t want that to happen.  Check your mailing label.  If it reads June 30, 2007 you are current

Village of New Hartford General Ordinances

July 19, 1938

Article III  Section 13  Animals and Vehicles in Streets

No person shall immoderately lead or drive any horse or other animal, whether attached to a public or private conveyance or other vehicle, in any avenue, street or lane in the Village, or lead or drive any horse or ride a bicycle or motorcycle on any sidewalk, or permit any horse and carriage or other vehicle designed to be horse-drawn or motor-propelled, to be on any sidewalk or stand on any crosswalk in the Village; or leave any horse or horses or other animals, except dogs and cats, in the street without being securely tied or attached, or fasten any horse or other animal to any tree, shrub or fixture of any kind in any street or public place within the Village limits or permit any such horse or animal to injure any tree, shrub or fixture.

There shall be a penalty of not to exceed $10.00 for each violation of the provisions of this section.

Section 15  Droppings in Streets

No person while transporting through any public street or avenue any manure, gravel, dirt, stones, garbage, ashes, refuse, and other substance shall permit the same or any portion thereof to escape from the load or bulk transported and to fall and remain upon the surface of any public street or avenue in the village of New Hartford.

There shall be a penalty of not to exceed $10.00 for each violation of the provisions of this section.

In case of the accidental dropping of any such substance upon any public street or avenue in the manner aforesaid, the offending party may relieve himself of the above penalty by immediately removing the substance so falling upon the public street or avenue, provided the same is done before such party has been arrested or summoned for violation of this section.

(Other sections in this pamphlet of ordinances cover Traffic Regulations, Public Health, Public Safety, Provisions Relating to Licenses For Certain Trades and Occupations, Provisions Relating to the Construction, Alteration, Repair, Removal and Inspection of Buildings, etc.  Interesting reading.  A copy is at the Society Rooms.)

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

From papers concerning the schools in early New Hartford that have recently been returned to the New Hartford Historical Society from the Oneida County Historical Society comes the following report

REPORT OF PRINCIPAL

New Hartford Union School

June,  1885

With regard to the amount accomplished and kind of work, the school is now in the best condition it has been since graded work was undertaken.  The same may be said of general discipline.  This is due not only to having the work thoroughly systematized, but to the faithful work of the assistants.

The outgoing 3rd grade is the grade which best shows the results of the system.  Many of the third grade, who have been in a special preparatory class, will pass to the 5th grade, having tried the same examinations as the 4th grade.  This extra work was undertaken because of a difference in ages, not only, but because the coming 5th grade would be small and the 4th grade large.  It is a part of grading.  There will be three promotions from the 4th to the 6th grade.

Nearly 11 pupils tried the Regents Examination in various subjects at the Advanced School, this time, in Utica.  The result as yet has not been ascertained but, whatever it is, it is safe to judge that, because of the newness of the test, place and teachers, it is not what it may be in future when the pupils become more familiar with the idea of preparing for and trying these examinations.

The advantage to be derived from passing regents examinations is not of present value to the school.  But when the conditions necessary to having the advantages of Regents examinations are complied with, the Board of Regents will distribute money from the literature fund of the state, according to the number of pupils who have passed certain examinations.

In a year or two, with the present rate of advancement, you may be receiving money from that fund for your academic grades.  The way seems to be open now for an additional grade.  There are ten or twelve scholars who have finished Grammar School work and are ready for higher work.

The total number registered in the school for this term compares favorably with that of last year at this time.

The average attendance, however, has been affected by the number who have moved away from the village.

There are nine pupils now whom I would recommend to be advanced from the 8th grade.  Miss Fannie Benton has not entirely completed the work, as she has been doing parts of two years work in one and has Philosophy yet to make up.  She is not consequently expecting  to receive a certificate.  Frank Cole and Jerome Miller have failed to do the required work of the year, and although’ faithful  should not, of course, be awarded certificates of completed work.  However, it would not be advisable to require them to repeat the years work.  Time may give them the ability they now lack, but they have not done the work that is entitled to reward.

These three will take part in the exercises, and a statement that their work is as yet incomplete but that they will be advanced to the 9th grade, will relieve them of embarrassment.

     Respectfully submitted,

            Mr. L. White, Principal

ADDITIONS TO THE ARCHIVES

From Eloise Slife we received the following:  a small butter churn, a wooden bowl and paddle, a bamboo cane, a black derby and a black woman’s hat, two handmade baby dresses and a bonnet, a handmade nightgown and a black bathing suit.  These are wonderful examples of turn of the century and early 1900’s life.

Sister Mary Burns gave us a scrapbook that has many pictures of homes on Wilbur Road and family pictures in the 40’s & 50’s.

Jerome Donovan presented us with a picture of Albert Moretti from Chadwick who was killed in action in Germany in 1944.  He was the brother of Senator James Donovan’s wife, Esther. This donation came about as a result of our display in the New Hartford Public Library in June.        

How many of you remember this drive-in?  The ad was in the October 7, 1949 edition of the Utica newspaper.  They had double features plus newsreels and cartoons. The movies playing were “Riff-Raff” starring Pat O’Brien and Anne Jeffreys, and “Sunbonnet Sue” with Gale Storm and Phil Regan

SEARS GAS STATION, GENESEE STREET, NH

A LANDMARK IN New Hartford this building was involved in a controversy in   1987-88. It was located on 17 Genesee St. where  Clifford  Fuel Co. Citgo  is now .  The following information is from an article that ran in the New York Times on January 10, 1988.  

To some it was a dilapidated commercial artifact of the 1930’s; to others, including John Margolies pictured in front of the building, it was a architectural gem, a compact well-preserved example of the modern style.

It was in vogue throughout the 1930’s and early 1940’s.  Characteristic are rounded corners, flat roof, flat wall panels with minimal surface decoration, and curved window glass.  It was a style inspired by America’s love affair with the machine.

Some felt it should be razed,   Others saw it as an architectural style that is almost extinct.  Kevin Kelly, when he was chairman of the Village Planning Board  wanted to have the building landmarked.  Thousands of examples of early roadside heritage had disappeared.  But the majority felt it had little attraction.

The Sears Oil Company  was a family owned business.  They wanted to tear down the station and replace it with a large canopy covering several gasoline pumps. The station was eventually dismantled and taken to Albany where it was to be reconstructed as a museum attraction.

Note cards , replicas of the station, are on sale at the Society rooms for $1.00 each.

NEW HARTFORD HISTORICAL SOCIETY DINNER

 FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

105 GENESEE STREET, NEW HARTFORD, NY

  Thursday, September 7, 2006

$10.00 per person

  6:00 P.M. SOCIAL HOUR   6:45 P.M. ROAST PORK DINNER

  PROGRAM

“New York’s Third Railroad and Utica Trolley”

SPEAKER

John Taibi

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DINNER RESERVATION FORM

 Please reserve _____ dinner(s) at the September 7, 2006   meeting at $10.00 per person.  Reservations are due by Thursday,  Aug. 30, 2006

 Name_____________________________________________Telephone_____________

  Address_________________________________________________________________

  ________________________________________________________________________

Check the label on this  Tally-Ho! to see if your dues are current.  It should read June 30, 2007.  If not up-to-date, it is time now to renew your membership.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MEMBERSHIP FORM

 Renewal_____________________                                              New Member__________________

Individual $10.00__________Family $15.00_____

       Contributing $25.00 _______  Student $1.00 ____  Corporate $50.00

 Name_____________________________________________Tel.__________________

 Address________________________________________________________________

 You can send one check made out to the New Hartford Historical Society to cover both the dinner and membership. Send check to the New Hartford Historical Society, P.O. Box 238, New Hartford, NY 13413

A FEW TRUTHS

June 2006

Table of Contents

June Program
New Hartford Sketchbook
Thank You
Welcome New Member
Condolences
Another Gentle Reminder
Elections Will Be Held At The June Meeting
NH Public Library Display this Month
NH School Choir Is Featured On Magazine Cover
We Need Jedediac Yearbooks
New Hartford High School Class Of 1923
Chadwicks
Beautiful Brochure
New Hartford class of 1931
Judge Jedediah Sanger’s Great Grandson Speech

Program—“The Great Chicago Fire of 1871”   Cherly Pula

Thursday, June 1, 2006  7:00 PM

 Community Building, Kellogg Road, Washington Mills

Cheryl Pula is a lady of many interests.  She is a reference librarian at the Dunham Library in Whitesboro and also heads the History Club which meets every month.  She wrote an article on the Irish immigrants that was included in the Utica area book, “Ethnic Utica” published by Utica College in 1994.  And she provides slide and lecture programs for MVILR at SUNYIT for the Elderhostel program on “Histories Mysteries”.   Previous programs presented to the New Hartford Historical Society have been in April, 1996 when she did a lecture on coincidences in the lives of Lincoln and Kennedy ; May, 1997, a program on  Gettysburg; and in April 2003,  a very interesting talk about Amelia Earhart.  Each and every program has been entertaining and educational and this one will prove to be the same.  There is a New Hartford connection to the “Great Fire”  Come and find out what it is.

NEW HARTFORD SKETCHBOOK

Account of  the NH Centennial Celebration of 1888.

(From a Thursday, July 23, 1959 O.D.)

Sunrise of June 27, 1888 was announced to the inhabitants of New Hartford by the firing of artillery and the ringing of  bells.  The principal streets of the beautiful village were already in holiday dress.  Among the more prominent of the dwellings beautified with flags and portraits were those of Francis Butler, Gen. R. U. Sherman, Hon. James Armstrong, Samuel Patterson, Grove Penny, Charles McLean, George W. Rice, Dr. William J. Langworthy, L. W. McFarland, J. E. Groves, Rev. B. S. Sanderson, Mr. Ainsworth, Jerome Seaman, Morgan Butler, Joseph Richardson, C. Lansing Jones, George D. Babcock and Lynott B. Roots.  The old Eames house and the public school building (the former residence of Judge Sanger) also were very tastefully adorned.

Crowds poured into the village from neighboring towns by the local railroad trains, by the street cars, and by vehicles of all kinds upon every road leading into New Hartford, until it was estimated that the number of strangers in town was from 5,000 to 8,000. 

An attractive feature of the Centennial was the collection of relics arranged in a vacant store.  Among the interesting contents were: a fan used for separating the wheat from the chaff 100 years ago, exhibited by Mrs. S. M. Foster; spinning wheel by Albert Tibbits; two pieces of carpet, the yarn for which was spun and colored by Mrs. Jesse Thomson and woven in New Hartford in 1822; a 200 year old chair was sold by Hiram Merrill; a large lacquered tray 250 years old; a table, part of a chamber set of 200 years of age by Mrs. H. Merrill; a sword in actual service when Burgoyne surrendered to the American army in 1777, used by Jacob Merrill; chair brought back from England in 1786 by Mr. Wilcox.

A cradle in which twins were born in 1791; platter over 250 years old; workboard bought by Mrs. Samuel Lyon in 1812; spear over 150 years old used in Revolutionary War.  Warming pans, flax hetchels, a gourd bottle stopped with a corn cob, and a crane and andirons which belonged to Jedediah Sanger, by Mrs. McFarland, also were in the collection.

THANK YOU

In response to our “Wish List” in the April issue we now have not one, but two VCR’s,   thanks  to Mel and Evelyn Edwards and Burke Galer.

We can now play some tapes we have in the archives.  One very interesting one was made on a 16 mm camera in the late 1930’s by Bob Gurley.  It shows trolley cars in Utica on Genesee Street and also trolleys in New Hartford.  Stop by and we will run it for you.

WELCOME NEW MEMBER

Paul H. Clement   North Chili, NY

CONDOLENCES

to the  family of Betty Cook.  Betty passed away on April 25th at the age of 92.  She was a member of the Society and did a program for us in May 2001 on the history of the Baptist Church.  She donated all the slides and material she used for that presentation to the Society. Betty will be missed by many of us.

ANOTHER GENTLE REMINDER

Dues are due by the end of June.    Send renewals to New Hartford Historical Society, PO Box 238, New Hartford, NY 13413

ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD AT THE JUNE   MEETING

The treasurer is elected for three years so that office is not up for reelection this year.

Remaining board members are; Henry McCann, Jim Spellman, and Barbara Munde

NH PUBLIC LIBRARY DISPLAY THIS MONTH

Featured this month in the lobby showcases will be a military display put together by Judy Wenner and Jerry Cunningham for the New Hartford Historical Society. Jerry has worked on making six scrapbooks out of old newspaper article from the 1940’s and 1950’s of local men and women who served in the military.   We have very little material about Viet Nam veterans and would like copies of articles, obit’s, etc. to make our project more complete.

Posters and some military uniforms will be displayed.

We hope you will take the time to visit this display in June.

NH SCHOOL CHOIR IS FEATURED ON MAGAZINE COVER

(This article is taken from the February 17, 1955 edition of the New Hartford News newspaper)

On the front cover of the school magazine School Music News, published by the New York State School Music Association, appears a picture of the New Hartford Elementary School choir directed by Edna Rawson.

Organized four years ago, this choir how has 124 members selected from the intermediate grades after extensive individual auditions.

Factors considered in selecting choir members are as follow: (1) ability to be able to sing independently, and (2) high vocal marks in class.  Once a pupil becomes a member of this organization, he must continue to maintain high grades in his scholastic endeavors or he will be dropped from the choir.’  During the past three years, the choir has participated in the New York State School Music Association festivals, and has received an “A” ratting.  In 1954, the choir sang selections of
Alleluia” by Mozart for which they received  special acclaim.  For the past six years Miss Rawson has stressed the reading of music in her class.  And the fruits of her labors are shown in the fine vocal renditions of these elementary children.

WE NEED JEDEDIAC YEARBOOKS

We have very few 1970 yearbooks.  Also the 2000 are scare but we know people don’t want to part with them for quite a few years. We will accept any books, even if we already have a copy. They are great reference sources.

NEW HARTFORD HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1923

Circle, clockwise, Albert Lewis, President, Doris Sinnott, Secretary, Sheldon Merritt, Doris Medbury, Kenneth Fuller, Lois Bab (?), Kenneth Reusswig, Elizabeth Lloyd,  William Slauson, Florence Clark, Treasurer.

Bottom circles—Gladys Matty, Walter Hurlburt, Gladys Sitterly, and Warren Ford

Kenneth Fuller, one of the charter members of the Historical Society when it reorganized in 1976, graduated in this class.  He  edited the first newsletters of NH Historical Society when it reorganized in 1978 and wrote many articles about his boyhood memories of New Hartford that were printed in them.     Copies are available to see at the Society Rooms.

Do any of you remember any of the other people?  I knew Kenneth Reusswig.  His father and my mother were brother and sister.  Kenny used to have a garden on Oxford Road where the Hillside Garden Apartments are  now located.  He sold flowers to local flower shops.  He also played the banjo and the musical saw at many of the shows that used to be produced at the old Methodist  Church, Baptist Church and at Butler Hall.

CHADWICKS ,  April 9, 1888

(From an old newspaper)

The audience  which gathered to listen to the program presented by the Union Sunday school filled the hall to its utmost capacity.  The entertainment consisted of vocal and instrumental music, recitations and dialogs.  Each number of the lengthy program was well rendered.  The decided features of the evening were songs by the “boy quintet,” “Gypsy chorus,” and the dialog, “The Way to Windham.”  The song, “Sailing,” in which the boys  appeared in sailor costume, with Miss Jessie Groff as accompanist, was received with the most enthusiastic applause.

“The song that reached my heart,” by Mrs. G. W. Chadwick, and the “banjo duet,” by George A. and Miss Myrtle Groff, received hearty encores.

The dialogs were received with well merited applause, especially “Billy, the Bootblack," in which George Shephard and Miss Mamie Stratton were the principal characters.  The “Aunt Polly’s Lesson,” caused much merriment.  Especial mention is due the fine recitations given, also the cornet solo by George A. Groff.  Upon the whole, the entertainment was one of the most enjoyable ever given here, and reflects credit upon each participant.  

This beautiful brochure is now available for anyone wishing to have a copy.  The tour would be  a great way to entertain out-of-town guests this summer.  There are 11 points of interest, each one documented: Village Point Apts, NY State Historical marker,  Presbyterian Church, fire station, Hicks House (18 Oxford Rd.) Old burial grounds, St. Stephen’s church, Baptist church,  another NY State marker, site of Sanger farmhouse and Butler Memorial Hall.

A big thank-you to Judy Wenner who did all the work on this brochure

New Hartford class of 1931

40 members made up this class. 

1st row: Janet Orton, Lillian Steele, Virginia Balch, Betty Jones, Frank LeRoy, Felice Chardon, Stella Bogdan, Hughes Jones, Estelle Rathbun, Elizabeth Kelly

2nd row: Thelma Potter,  Vivalore Dealing, Doris Vandenburgh, Ruth Finney, Freida Bowen, Grace Morgan, Helen Ritzel, Marjorie Teller, Betty Gurley, Dorothy Foster, Marjorie Groves, Mary Kelly, Gertrude Rand, Lorene Knudsen

3rd row:  Dan Crotty, Wm Linder, Rob’t Marks, Russell Dunmore, Worth Fenner, Erwin Thompson, Roger Pratt,   Robert Troute, Walter Palmer, Thomas Clark, Kenneth Denton, Henry Randall

Top row:  Roscoe Edgett, Terrence Kehoe, Robert Brown, Thomas Kelly

JUDGE JEDEDIAH SANGER’S GREAT GRANDSON SPEECH

Given on Wednesday morning, June 28, 1888 at the New Hartford Centennial Anniversary Celebration

(Chairman Butler introduced Spencer H. Stafford of Oneida, great grandson of Judge Jedediah  Sanger.)

   Mr. Stafford said: “The portrait which you see, I had the pleasure after the death of my mother of sending to the Oneida Historical Society for preservation.  Prevented by ill health from making a pilgrimage to New Hartford and seeking out, from the older inhabitants, information as to the settlement of the place, and the advent of him who has been deemed its founder, I am afraid I can do but little, if anything better than to recapitulate what has been heretofore written and printed.

   Jedediah Sanger, born in Sherburne, Middlesex county, Mass., after his arrival at manhood, established  himself at Jaffrey, New Hampshire, where, in addition to the cultivation of a large farm, he engage in merchandise, at the same time serving the public as a tavern keeper.  While thus engaged,  as was then the need and custom of the day, he accustomed to load the teams of his neighbors and customers with the products he had accumulated and proceed to Boston—to sell and purchase such supplies as he required for his business.  On the occasion of the last of these trips and while on his return journey he found himself, at night, a few miles from his home, and stopped at a roadside inn to await the morning.  Quite early and before anyone had arisen, he was  awakened by a loud knocking at the door of the hotel, and soon heard the landlord and the new comer in conversation, the latter stating that he stopped for the night at Colonel Sanger’s house and had just come from its ashes.

   After arising and inquiring into the particulars of the startling tidings he mounted his horse and hastened to the scene of the disaster.  With out delay he sent a message to meet the coming teams and give orders to turnabout and return the goods they were bringing, with information of the event which prevented his using or paying for them.  So soon as he could arrange his affairs and come to a proper understanding with his creditors, having decided that it was useless to seek successful restoration of his fortunes in his then location he sought a new field of labor and enterprise and found it here. His purchase of the land which formed the site of this village was fortunate for him and for you, and in 1788 he commenced the work set before him.  The following year he brought his family.  From thence onward he was actively engaged in building mills and opening up and bringing into use the resources of the country; and as  the agent for the Coxes and other landed proprietors, inviting and expediting the settlement about him.

   With these labors and enterprises he continued service for  the town as it leading official, for the county or district as its representative  in the assembly and the senate, for eleven years upon the commission of the peace as justice, and when the county of Oneida was organized was placed upon the bench as first judge of the court of common pleas, serving there respected and honored until constitutional limitations to age disqualified  him for further service.

   That he was mainly instrumental in the establishment and location of the Seneca turnpike, which, by its traffic, largely aided in the growth of New Hartford and Utica, and which continued to be a great thoro’fare until the completion of the Erie canal, is fully understood and acknowledge.  His contributions in aid of educational and religious enterprises and structures, and in their subsequent support, were generous and ample, and as I used gladly and proudly to hear in my boyhood from the lips of his sole surviving child, my grandmother, his private benefactions and helpfulness were cheerful and unstinted.  It ought not, and can not, be pretended that he, and he alone, wrought the great work, the beginning and the results of which are being rejoiced today.  Very soon there gathered here and the immediate vicinity ready, willing and effective helpers, comprising a galaxy of men whose industry, learning and public service for county, state and nation, shed a luster of fame and glory upon Oneida county in its earliest existence, and whose names still shine with undiminished luster.

   I speak, not of the descendents of this ancestor, save to say, that the first and second generation have all passed into the rest of the grave.  Of the third, none who saw him in life survive, but I and my cousin, Mr. Adams, now of Newark in this state and Mrs. Charles Hamilton of Utica, who remains a resident of the county.  My personal recollections of him is but slight, the little petting of childhood only — although   I see now as my mind reverts to it, that long line of men and women who followed his body as it was borne from this home to the place of burial.

Judge Jedediah Sanger

May 2006

Table of Contents
May Program
The Players
Thank You
Welcome New Member
Dues Reminder
Elections Will Be Held At The June Annual Meeting
1894 Invitation—Butler Hall?
An Item from “Town Topics of the Mohawk Valley
New Hartford Bank Takes Over Adjoining Property
Announcing
Utica-Willowvale Bleachery
Don’t Forget
The Old Weaving Mill
An article  from the “Town Topics of the Mohawk Valley”, April 1934 
An item from a Jan. 1933 issue
Things You Didn’t Know

Program—Thursday,  May 4, 2006   7:00 PM

Community Building, Kellogg Road, Washington Mills

“The Defiant Dozen: New Yorkers At The Alamo”

Allan D. Foote.

 We have been fortunate to have Allan as a speaker several times.  In 2000 he  did a program on Sir William Johnson and in 2003 he did two programs, one on Major General Baron de Steuben and one  on a soldier of Word War II.                                                         

Allan is a man of many talents.  He  is president of the Mohawk Valley History Project and author of several books of historic interest including" Liberty March: The Battle of Oriskany”.  He also is vice-president of Fine Jewelry & Marketing for the Harris Brothers Jewelers in the New Hartford Shopping Center.  The Oneida County Historian’s Association named him “Historian of the Year” in 2002.  This just names a few of his accomplishments.

“New Yorkers At the Alamo” tells the story of twelve residents of New York State who shared a final destination along with James Bowie, William Barret Travis and David Crockett.   They were  martyred sentinels of the shrine of the Alamo who died on the sixth of March, 1836, so that all Texans could live free.  Here is a chance to learn more about these defenders.

THE PLAYERS

Reprinted from an April, 1934 issue of “Town Topics of the Mohawk Valley”

The Players production of “Daddy Long Legs” on Friday and Saturday evenings, April 13 an 14, with a special “children's matinee” on Saturday afternoon will mark not only the organization’s third and final “intermediate play” for the current season, but will be of special interest in the fact that it is a combination of an “intermediate play” and a “Junior’s Play” production due to the fact that a number of the younger members of the club are cast in the company, and other Junior members, while not actually taking parts, will be in charge of tickets, properties, etc.

  For the three previous seasons, that is, since the Club has been in its own theatre in New Hartford the Players had maintained a policy of giving thee bills of one-act plays during each season, which programs have served a double purpose in the activities of the Club.  First, they have filled in the periods between “major productions” thereby keeping the theatre in use between September first and June first, and secondly they have served admirably as a training school for new talent, and for beginners who wanted to acquire dramatic experience before attempting a part in one of the more difficult plays. Some previous “intermediate play” and “Junior Play” productions  have been “The Family Upstairs”, “Wedding Bells” and the “Donovan Affair”, all received with great enthusiasm.

  Prior to the Players occupancy of the building in New Hartford these “intermediate” bills were open only to the “active members” for the reason that they were given in the small “Workshop” which the club formerly  occupied on Manderville Street.  With the increased seating capacity of their own building the management decided to open the plays to the entire membership at a nominal admission fee.

 The policy of using these plays as a training school for new talent is continued and in cases where new talent is found suitable for a part such talent is used.

(The Players occupied the theater on Genesee Street in New Hartford from 1931 until January, 1963 when they purchased the old Methodist church on Oxford Road. The church burned to the ground on May 5, 1999, at which time the Players lost most of their costumes and props, and valuable historical memorabilia.  The Players are in the process of erecting a new building on State Street in Utica.)

THANK YOU

In response to our “Wish List” in the April issue we now have not one, but two VCR’s,   thanks  to Mel and Evelyn Edwards and Burke Galer.

Now we are looking for a small (13”) T.V. to show our tapes. Call Barbara Couture 793-3206 if you have one to donate.

WELCOME NEW MEMBER

Geo. Dunwoody—Newtown Square, PA

DUES REMINDER

It’s not too soon to be thinking of renewing your membership in the New Hartford Historical Society.  The membership year is from July 1st to June 30th.  Take a look at your current newsletter address label.  To be current it should read June 30, 2007. A membership coupon is in each issue of the “Tally-Ho!.

ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD AT THE JUNE ANNUAL MEETING

On June 1, 2006 at our annual meeting the following officers and trustees will be voted upon.

President– Barbara Couture

Vice-Pres. –Burke Muller

Secretary—Nancy Murphy

Trustees for three years 2007-2010

Mary Anne Buteux

Lee Gurley

The treasurer is elected for three years so that office is not up for reelection this year.

Remaining board members are;

John McCann, Jim Spellman, and Barbara Munde

1894 INVITATION—Butler Hall?

 

An Item from “Town Topics of the Mohawk Valley

January 1933

  E. Wanamaker and Son manufacture living room furniture in their workshops at 8 Oxford Road, New Hartford. It is built under American production methods gained from over forty years experience.  Theirs is a medium-priced line of living room suites, chairs, sofas, divans, occasional chair, settees, and other pieces made to order.  They specialize in using the new Sengweb Sagless Tackless underconstruction for seats.  They employ all Utica area workmen and use local timber in the construction of their pieces.  Wanamaker furniture is shown by all progressive local dealers.

NEW HARTFORD BANK TAKES OVER ADJOINING PROPERTY WITH VIEW TO ENLARGEMENT

(from an old 1935 Utica Daily Press)

 New Hartford, Feb. 3-  With a view to prepare for enlarging facilities of a business progressing and increasing with astonishing rapidity, the First National Bank of New Hartford has acquired a perpetual lease on the adjoining block housing Miller’s Restaurant and a strip of land east of the building, thereby adding to its present holdings a frontage of 31 feet in Genesee Street.

  The transfer from the MacLean estate makes possible a total Genesee Street frontage of 56 feet directly opposite Butler Hall, one of the most desirable locations in the village, and provides ample space for the erection of a new or enlarging the present building

  The property now occupied by the bank was acquired in 1921 from Manuel Ackler, who had conducted a store therein for 24 years.  Both parcels are a portion of the block of two acres and 14 rods formerly owned by Jedediah Sanger, one of the first settlers of this section, and an interesting account of their transfer is set forth in papers executed under his direction.

  January 13, 1805, Mr. Sanger gave the First Religious Society of Whitestown, now the New Hartford Presbyterian Church, a perpetual lease on the block above mentioned, in consideration for the payment of one grain of wheat annually, to be paid by the clerk of the board of trustees of the religious society, if demanded, on September 8th of each  year thereby forever.  He also reserved right to several pews in the church.  So far as can be learned the payment of one gain of wheat has never been demanded.  Mr. Sanger also retained the lot where the bank now stands for his own use, later disposing of it.

  The religious society, then in need of funds to meet its expenses, leased various lots fronting on Genesee Street for commercial purposes and has received therefore since an annual nominal ground rental.  Eventually the church gave perpetual leases to various occupants, who reconveyed the property to other owners, a large part of it going into what in later years had become known as the MacLean estate with the exception of the parcel lately occupied by Mr. Ackler, and transferred to the bank in 1921.  In 1842 Lot No. 6 (the one now purchased)  was sold to John Ferrill and was once occupied by the New Hartford Manufacturing Society, makers of cotton cloth.

  The vacant lot east of Miller’s Restaurant with a frontage in Genesee Street of 18 feet  and 11 inches, was leased in 1848 to Jeremiah Prescott by the religious society, which demanded a small amount for ground rental.  The bank gets half of this parcel.

  Cross & Cross were attorneys for the MacLean estate in the deal and E. C. Baker of Colegrove & Baker and J. D. Judson of Miller and Hubbell acted for the bank.

  Need for acquisition of additional property by the bank is evidenced by the phenomenal growth of its business since it was organized in 1921 with a capital of $50,000 and a surplus of $10,000.  The last statement sets forth resources of more than $1,000,000, showing the institution is filling a long-felt need in the community and is fast gaining prestige.

  The bank has all the facilities of a modern banking institution and offers it patrons every advantage from a safe deposit box to a Christmas Club membership.  Less than a year ago a huge new door of the latest type was installed on the safety deposit vault, which guards the entrance to more than 500 boxes and is the best safety appliance known to banks.

  The directors attribute the work of Cashier Clinton K. Clark responsible in large measure for the success of the institution.  He was, for 17 connected  with the First National Bank of Oriskany Falls, which attained marked success through his efforts and later was called to a position in the Madison Trust Company at Oneida.  He came from the latter post to New Hartford.

  The directors of the bank are Richard R. Davis, John A. Ganey, Dr. C. R. Hart, William Humphreys, Hugh R. Jones, Lee G. Martin, J. P. Mulhall, H. P. Osborn and S. F. Sherman.

  The officers are: President, S. F. Sherman; Vice-President, Hugh R. Jones and J. P. Mulhull; cashier, Clinton K. Clark; assistant cashier, George W. Healey, who are assisted by Mrs. Grace A. Bigelow, Miss Rosemary Sheldon, Kernan A. Ganey and Mrs. Lois R. Green.

ANNOUNCING

the arrival of new miniature buildings made by Tony D’Apice;  the old Grist Mill and One Room School  House.  These are now on display at the Society Museum.  Coming soon the miniature replica of old St. John’s Church.  Look forward to pictures in the June issue of the “Tally-Ho!”

This picture was in the February 5, 1950 edition of the Observer Dispatch. 

The group comprised the employees of the Utica-Willowvale Bleachery in Chadwick in 1888.  In 1950 when this picture appeared 550 people were still employed at the Bleachery.

Some of you may know relatives of the people pictured.  They are:

From the left, front row—George Butler, Charles Jenkins, Byron Shackelton, Charles Mallory, Annie Dunn, Margaret Kuhn, Margaret Thomas, Frank Green, Henry Groff, Bert Savage.

Second row:  Robert Mitchell, James Hall, George Kuhn, Albert Hendricks, Melvin Brown, Harry Painter, Larry Simons, Albert Richards.

Third row: George Smith, Paul Kuhn, Mathew Uertz, John Groff, Daniel Cavanaugh, Anthony Uertz, Jacob Uertz, John Porter.

Top Row:  John Uertz, James Thompson, Harry Jones, William Chadwicks, Edward Moore, John Lauder and William Millbower.

DON’T FORGET

Open house and ribbon cutting ceremony for the Elliott R. Hughes “Colonial Collection” room

Sunday, April 30, 2006

2:00 to 4:00 P.M.

Refreshments will be served.

THE OLD WEAVING MILL

By Grey Gurley

  At the then lower end of Sanger Avenue and close to the Sauquoit Creek was a large red brick building that in the mid 1930’s was slowly abandoned.  Competition from the Carolinas had become too much.

  I remember the old mill for several reasons.  My Sunday School teacher, Ken Brooks, was the mill bookkeeper, and when he moved to South Utica, he built a narrow suspension bridge across the creek so that he could walk to work.

  I had suffered with eczema and my father would buy boxes of bandage rolls at the mill to wrap my hands.  My personal satisfaction came when I sailed a large toy sailboat in the pond behind the mill.  I had built the boat in Lewis McKee’s manual training class at the school on the point. (ed. An article about Lewis McKee was in the April 2006 “Tally-Ho!”)

  It was a thrill when some of us kids were invited into the rear of the mill to see the huge steam engine which had powered the mill machinery through heavy rope belts.

  In winter the mill pond became our ice skating rink and I experienced the joy of recovering from chill blains when I finished the long, cold walk home.

  The mill is gone, but I know many of you remember it at the foot of Sanger Ave.

—————————————-

A note about Grey Gurley.  He was born in New Hartford in 1919 and lived  here until his twenties when he went on to other pursuits.  This March he died   in Kissimmee, Florida.  He always loved his home town

An article  from the “Town Topics of the Mohawk Valley”, April 1934 

Rachmaninoff who will appear in concert at the Avon Theater on February fifteenth.

   Rachmaninoff, the great Russian composer, pianist and conductor will appear in concert as pianist at the Avon Theatre, under the auspices of Mr. Roland Chesley on Thursday evening, February fifteenth. 

   Living down success is sometimes as difficult as living down failure.  Living down the C-sharp Minor Prelude has been one of the problems of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s career.  It isn’t that he has no regard for the Prelude.  He even plays it himself.  Sometimes with a sly humor, he will autograph a photograph with the opening notes of it.  But there are times, he confesses, when being so labeled with this world-popular piece irks him a little.  Apropos of this, they tell the story of how Rachmaninoff and Paderewski once entered together a café on the Rivera.  Immediately upon the arrival of the two great pianists, the orchestra ceased playing.  The leader rapped brightly and swung his men into the chords of the Rachmaninoff C-sharp Minor Prelude.  Paderewski grinned with delight at his partner’s discomfiture, and at the close applauded the embarrassed composer across the table long and loudly, so that anyone who had not noticed his presence before, became aware of it.  When the applause at last died down, the enterprising leader obliged with an encore—an encore, which automatically removed the glee from Paderewski’s face and transferred it magically to Rachmaninoff’s.  They had struck up Paderewski’s Minuet—and now it was Rachmaninoff's chance to lead the applause—which he proceeded to do until every head in the restaurant had pivoted about and stared at Paderewski.

An item from a Jan. 1933 issue

For fifty years  Divine rods have been made by the Fred D. divine Company, known and appreciated by anglers all over the world.  It takes about three months to make one from the first splitting of the bamboo to the final touches.  They are painstakingly put together, glued, wound with silk so delicate that about 4,800 yards of it weighs one ounce, fitted and varnished, most of the operations being done by hand.

  The rods are absolutely modern in design and fittings; there is one special type called the traveling man’s friend, as it dismantles and fits in a suitcase.  The Divine company knows of one of these rods that went all around the world, its owner once having caught a 104-lb. sea ass with it.  Over one half of these fine fishing rods go west of the Rockies, California being the best state.  They are not handled by any shop in the city but may be bought at the factory, 505 Roberts Street, off State Street.

THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW

April 2006

Table of Contents
April Program
A Letter from a Member of the Class of 1931
From Your President
Open House April 23, 2006
War Bonds
Additions To The Archives
Wish List
Welcome New Members
She Knits For Love
Industrial Arts Department Nearly Two Decades Old
Skating
High School
A Look At Upcoming Programs
Class Night And Commencement Exercises
Advertisements
Ever Wonder

Program—Sunday, April 2, 2006   2:00 PM

Community Building, Kellogg Road, Washington Mills

Our speaker this month is Ed Slusarczyk, President of AG Radio Network.

 

“Local Farm Radio History” by Ed Slusarczyk

 

Ed was born and raised on a dairy farm in Prospect, NY.  He attended Holland Patent High School.  In 1942 he enlisted in the army.  He landed on Normandy Beach on D-Day and was wounded in the Battle of St. Lo.

After the army he attended and graduated from Cornell University in 1949, majoring in Agricultural Economics.  He started broadcasting farm programs over WIBX.  After 7 years he built WREM in Remsen, NY.  Ten years later he sold that station and formed the Ag Radio Network.  This year he is celebrating 58 years of Farm Broadcasting. 

This promises to be an interesting and educational presentation.  It starts at 2:00 PM  and it is  free and open to the public. Why not bring a friend or neighbor?.

A LETTER FROM A MEMBER OF THE CLASS OF 1931

(In response to our plea in the March, 2006  issue for memories of New Hartford we received the following letter from a 1931 New Hartford High School class member who wishes to remain anonymous..  And I said we would not mention Gurleys for a while but he started his letter as follows:

The latest issue of the “Tally-Ho!” was great.  I especially enjoyed the article about the Gurleys’ and I’ll tell you why.

Betty Gurley was one of my favorite classmates.  In Miss Lewis’ first grade, Betty sat at the top of the first row, opposite Tommy Clark and I clearly remember them knocking knees together.  She was the power in class reunions.  High school reunions  give me more happy memories than college reunions, probably because I had 12, not 4 years with classmates.  (We knew whose mother made the best cookies, who was naughty and had to stay after school and clean the blackboards, etc.) Our 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Ransbury, allowed a couple of us to go cut a Christmas tree.  We usually found one up Paris Road near “Rock City”.

I had a horse (“Major”) and kept him in Dr. Clark’s stable.  In some winters we who lived on Pippin Hill could coast all the way to the DL&W railroad tracks on our Flexible Flyers.  Skis were $8.50 and boots were $6.50.  Our basketball team, in 1930, had the first area team of six footers (Addison White, Walt Townsend, Hugh Jones, Worth Fenner plus two more.  Also on the team were Tom Kelly and “Unz” Milburn.

Mrs. Fitzgerald supervised study hall (freshmen through seniors).  Miss Daly was our favorite teacher.  One day someone broke wind so loud it seemed to echo from the walls.  Everyone tried to suppress snickers.  “Fitzy” ordered Winfield Capron to report to her after school but it was Bob Brown who later admitted to the blast.

Hanging out in front of D. I. Townsend’s store was a favorite place for boys.   He had penny candy and he would patiently wait on us as we pointed out our selections.  Putting a penny on the trolley tracks was wicked fun.

Shepardson (Shep) was the cop (after Officer Sears with the jackrabbit ears).  He arrested very few but took many home to their parents.  He often held up traffic on Oxford Road so our bobsleds with six happy kids could come roaring down Sanger Ave and coast all the way to the mill.

When we played football, Mohawk and Frankfort beat us in 1929.  We blamed it on their whole team smelling of garlic.  So we tried it ourselves and beat them in 1930.

We thank this writer and hope some more of you will think about sharing memories with us.

FROM YOUR PRESIDENT

The Hughes Collection was delivered in August of 2005 and members of the society have been working on it ever since.  This was a labor of love and commitment for the society but also to the man,  Elliott Hughes.  Everyone willingly volunteered to help see this project completed so that it could be shared with the community for many years.  Those responsible for the tasks are: Hank McCann for setting up each of the items on display; Mary Anne Buteau and Janice Reilly for archiving the 200 pieces; Judy Wenner for making laminated labels for each piece; cleaning of each item was the done by Bob Dicker,   Bob Jones and Barb Munde;  writing the biography of Elliott Hughes, Rita Sator.  We appreciate all the help and cooperation we’ve received since the collection came into out rooms.

OPEN HOUSE  APRIL 23, 2006

We are having an open house on Sunday afternoon, April 30th from 2:00 to 4:00 PM to formally “cut the ribbon” for the Hughes collection.  This addition to our Society Rooms is full of tools and articles relating to the “age of homespun”  in upstate New York.  Farm tools, home utensils, ice harvesting tools, etc.  are all displayed and labeled.  This is the collection of Elliott R. Hughes’ that was formerly  housed in the Hughes Elementary School.  It has been moved to the our  Society Rooms on a permanent loan basis.  The collection is very interesting and   worth seeing.  There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony and refreshments served.    Parking is off  Paris Road in the rear of the parking lot for the Village Point Apartments. 

WAR BONDS

(from a 1945 newspaper)

Since the beginning of the school year, New Hartford junior and senior high students have invested $17,422.50 in War Bonds.

Many earned the money or saved it out of their allowances.  Some worked at odd jobs after school and on Saturdays.  One boy got up early every morning to deliver The Press.  Another boy caddied at a golf club.  A girl in junior high bought a bond by taking care of children and by saving half of her allowance.  Still another boy ran a radio repair shop and another helped to repair engines for the New York Central Railroad.

Jack Burns, a member of the jayvee basketball squad, has bought three bonds since September.  He works after school and on Saturdays at a store.

ADDITIONS TO THE ARCHIVES

WISH LIST

We are looking for wooden bookshelves for out library room.  We also need a VCR.  We have the tape of Joe Corr’s funeral as well as a tape of Elliott Hughes talking about his collection, and we have a small TV. But we need a VCR so we can run the tapes.

If you can help us out call Barb Couture at 793-3206 or any of the Board members.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

SHE KNITS FOR LOVE

The following article is from  a Utica paper dated January 30, 1918.

Mrs. H. T. Austin of New Hartford Knit for the Civil War Boys

At her home on Oxford road sits a pleasant faced woman, and not unlike the woman Thomas Hood has written of, her fingers are plying the needles and yarn.  They are not weary and worn as those of the woman of the “Song of the Shirt,” are said to be, for this woman’s work is a labor of love, for she is knitting for the Red Cross.

The woman is Mrs. H. T. Austin, one of the oldest of those, who for months have been knitting, knitting for the boys in camps and the boys over “across.”  As she knits she goes back in memory to another day when she knit for other boys, the boys of the Union, for Mrs. Austin did her “bit” in the days of the Civil War and at that time she remembers knitting gloves of yarn in two colors.  She inherits her patriotism for her grandfather and great grandfather were soldiers in the war of the Revolution.  Her grandson Hobart Austin, is now “somewhere” in France.

Mrs. Austin is 74 years of age, not old, but young, for she is young in heart and spirit and enthusiastic over her ability to keep on knitting the warm garments that, perhaps, her boy might wear in the far off war torn land.

INDUSTRIAL ARTS DEPARTMENT NEARLY TWO DECADES OLD

This article is from a Utica paper dated 1945.

Most of the seniors in New Hartford High School were listening to lullabies when the Industrial Arts Department was organized in September, 1927.

There were no power-driven machines, no power tools in the room where the cafeteria of the Grade School now stands, (ed. Note: Point School)  and which was then the “manual training” room.  The course was taught to the grade pupils.

When the high school building on Oxford Rd. was completed in 1932, the department was moved there.  Woodworking only was taught until Dr. Leon Westfall became principal.  From then on, an extended program enabled pupils to major in industrial arts.  General shop plus any combination of general electricity, general woodworking and general metal work constitute a major.  Mechanical drawing is an elective.

The courses are pre-vocational and general rather than vocational.  Their purpose is to prepare for more specialized training.  Now the department is hampered by the war.  New machines are not available.  New machine parts, and materials like copper and brass, are difficult to secure.  Then, too, there are fewer boys to take the advanced training.  However, the department has adjusted itself to the times.

 From that first day until now, Lewis McKee has been the industrial arts teacher.  During this time he has endeared himself to almost two decades of children and to the school.  Outside of his department he is indispensable in building sets for plays, in repair work around the building, and in whatever school project needs his skill.

Lewis McKee was born in Buffalo.  His mother was a British subject of French parents; his grandfather came from Germany; but Lewis is a thorough American.  He boasts:  “The United States is the best country in the world;  New York State, the best state; New Hartford, the best town, and Hillside Ave., (where he lives), the best street.”

He attained his high school education at Genesee Wesleyan Seminary at Lyman.  This school is no longer in existence.  It was a boarding school of 150 boys and 150 girls.  At that time, there were no high schools in the smaller communities.

After graduation in 1915, Mr. McKee became a clerk in an office of a Rochester manufacturing concern.  During Work War I he was a combat pilot stationed in Texas and California.  He was commissioned  a second lieutenant in the Air Service Reserve Corps.  When his army life was over, he studied professional teaching at the Buffalo Normal School, and received a B.S. in Education from the Oswego Teachers’ College.  In addition, he attended the University of California, Carnegie Institute of Technology, and the Rochester Business Institute.’

In 1919 he married Erma Jane Hotchkiss.  Their daughter, Jan Rae,  graduated from New Hartford High School last year.

How many of you remember when the fire department flooded the village park for skating?   This picture was taken in 1954.  In the background is the Baptist Church at Oxford Road and Mill Street and the “Gingerbread House” that was on the corner of Park Street and Oxford.  This house was moved to Reservoir Road in Sauquoit when the present fire station was built.  Facing the camera is Doreen (Luker) Reynolds.

The School looks very different today.  Perhaps this picture will bring back some memories for some of you.  It was taken soon after the school was built in 1932.  Where have all the trees gone?

A LOOK AT UPCOMING PROGRAMS

May 4, 2006 Speaker: Allan Foote   “New York Defenders of the Alamo”

June 1, 2006 Speaker: Cheryl Pula  “Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow; the Story of the Chicago Fire”.  Annual meeting and election of officers.

September 7, 2006 Speaker:   Jim Miller “Fort Stanwix”   dinner meeting at the United Methodist Church

October 5, 2006  Speaker:  John Taibi   topic TBA

November 2, 2006  Joint meeting with Clinton—New Hartford hosting     Speaker:  Terry Kehoe “The American Tragedy”

December 7, 2006  Christmas Party—Adult Center

CLASS NIGHT AND COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES

From the Commencement Issue of the Red and Blue “Tatler “of New Hartford High School, 1931.

The class night exercises of the Senior Class will be held Monday evening, June 22, at the Players’ Club.  Green and white have been chosen as the class colors, and at a recent meeting of the Senior girls it was decided that they should carry bouquets of pink roses, larkspur and baby’s breath.  Extensive plans have been made for both nights.

 

March 2006

Table of Contents
March Program
Our Town Crier
10 Oxford Road
New Hartford Census
Utica Directories
St. John The Evangelist Church, New Hartford 1951
Winter In The 20’s
News From The Society Rooms
From Your Editor
Harry C. Benton
Gaelic Tales

Program—Sunday, March 5, 2006   2:00 PM
Community Building, Kellogg Road, Washington Mills
“The History of New York Automobile License Plates and the Fascinating Hobby of Collecting Them”

Our speaker is Burke Muller who will talk about the hobby of collecting New York State automobile license plates.  Burke and his wife, Dorothy are members of the New Hartford Historical Society, Burke serving  on the Board of Directors as Vice President. Both are from the Long Island area. Burke attended the Mohawk Valley Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences, forerunner to MVCC, and went on to a career in department store management with various firms (Gimbles being one of the stores).  Upon retirement, he and his wife moved to New Hartford, an area they knew and loved. Burke is also involved with the  Sons of the American Revolution , the Antique Automobile Club of American, Automobile License Plate Collectors Association, to name a few.

This program is interesting and educational.  Save the date!

OUR TOWN CRIER

By Edwin Gurley

(This article was found in the archives at the Society Rooms.  It was written while Edwin (Ted) Gurley was attending Syracuse University in the early ‘40’s.

We all like to lay the foundation for our careers as early as possible. Ed and I must have been career-conscious in the journalistic field, for we assumed the co-editorship  of our town paper at the ripe ages of 18.

No, we didn’t want to put the Hearst or Gannett papers out of business by competing with them.  We merely wanted to publish a paper that would give our home town “all the news that was fit to print”.

Ed, whose full name is Edward J. Juergensen, was a natural born artist and cartoonist.  I enjoyed writing, so we collaborated on our interests, and became sole owners and editors of the “Town Crier”.

It was a cold, wintry night of March 10, 1938 that the first issue of the “Town Crier” was in the process of being edited.

Our press was a small mimeograph, which cost us $50.00.   The art department was managed by Ed.  He did the art work.  The news writing and editorial department was managed by myself.  I did the writing.

Our eight page paper was running smoothly that night.  We had made up the front page, written our editorial, completed “Fizby McNoodle”, the weekly cartoon, and had only the back page to finish.

But that back page was a headache to compose.  We had enough news to fill all but two inches on the lower right hand corner of that page.  But, what could we put in those last two lines?  Didn’t someone have a baby that day, or was anyone expecting one?  Maybe a couple was going to get married soon.

Anyway, we racked our brains for two hours, trying to dig up just one news item.  We finally put in the filler, “Thanks is extended to Bill Byrd and Harrison Cline  who assisted us in printing this issue.”  The first issue of the “Town Crier” came off the press at 2 a.m.

With the help of two neighborhood boys, Ed and I delivered our great contribution to American journalism to the town people—-free of charge.  We had to get the people to read the paper before we could attempt to sell it.

Our financial report for the first few weeks was rather embarrassing.  We figured that our newsboys were making more than we were. In a couple of months, though, we had realized a fairly good profit. The success of the “Town Crier” surprised us more than anyone.  Ed and I were in doubt as to the future of such a small paper in such a small town.

The merchants of New Hartford supported the paper wholeheartedly, as well as 450 regular customers.

Our first problem in planning the publication was that of getting advertisers to run weekly ads, thus giving us our greatest source of income.  To our amazement, only two stores turned us down—-the proprietors believing that their business would not increase by a weekly ad. The other advertisers supported the paper each week 100%, and most of the merchants actually claimed that they were benefited.

Our circulation remained high each week, probably because of the fact that the rate of subscription was ten cents a month.

Since the paper went to press Thursday night and delivered Friday afternoon, three days of the week were devoted to the gathering of news and ideas for editorials, etc.  Each issue was published on a different color paper each week. Important news such as school activities and village events were printed on the front page, with less important events included on the last page.  In other words, most of the paper  consisted of features, cartoon, church bulletins, and personals.

One of our methods to increase circulation was to run a column titled “Hartford Hobbies”.  Each week a description of a hobby of a local person was run at the top of page two with the lower half of the page devoted to “Historical Highlights” about New Hartford.  Occasionally a column about outstanding colleges or universities was run instead of the historical article.

Page three  was generally made up of personal items and church bulletins.  Occasionally a news story would run at the top of the page.

Ed’s favorite cartoon, titled “Brainwavy Heroes” was printed on page four, along with a “Kolumn of Knowledge” and the masthead.  The first few issues of our paper contained a full page of a cartoon titled “Fizby McNoodle”, but Ed got his comic characters up on the planet Mars one week and didn’t know how to get him back.  So he discontinued that comic strip.  News of sporting events in New Hartford covered most of page five, with news jottings on page six. One of our most worthwhile columns was “Aunt Tillies’ Culinary Quips” published on page seven.  Each week we ran a recipe submitted by a local housewife.  Leaving an ingredient out of a cake recipe one week brought a complaint from a housewife whose cake failed to turn out right.

A  supplement to the “Town Crier” was published in the latter part of May, as Ed and I issued a two-color historical paper. It contained all of the important historical events that have happened in New Hartford since its founding.  This issue was especially successful, as each copy netted us 10 cents.

A Soap Box derby, sponsored by our publication, was scheduled to be held in the middle of June.  This enterprise was a failure, as the village board would not allow us to use a steep road for the contest.  We did have the support of most of the enthusiastic children.

This experience as a co-editor was one of the most interesting experiences that I’ve ever had.  In fact, it enabled me to earn an education at Syracuse University. Because of my interest in journalism work, a woman in a nearby town gave me a full-tuition scholarship to Syracuse.  I sent her several copies of the Town Crier, and told her of my desire to follow-up journalism.

It wasn’t especially the experience I gained in printing the paper and writing the stories that I enjoyed.  It was the experience of making so many personal contacts. While in the act of gathering news and gathering facts for our weekly columns, I was able to become acquainted with literally hundreds of people.

Yes it was a small town enterprise.  But to me, it was worth ten years of experience on a big newspaper.

(Note: We have copies on file at NHHS )

10 Oxford Road

by Barbara Munde

Take a good look at this house.  It no longer stands on Oxford Road. It was demolished to make room for expansion of the fire house.

I was born in this house on a wintry Sunday morning in January in 1927.  My family bought the house around 1917 and moved in with three of the six children that were to make up their family.  On the upper floor at that time were dormer bedrooms that could not hold many beds because of the sloping roof.  My folks had the roof raised and added an attic. Now they had room for their expanding family. I was born there in the upstairs front bedroom, as well as my sister Charlotte and brother Jack. Dr. Donahue came to the house to deliver my mother’s babies.

We lost the house during the depression and moved in 1938 to Allport Place so I only lived there for 8 years, but I have fond memories of those years.

I remember waiting for my father’s car  to arrive home.  I would meet it at  the end of the driveway and Dad would put me on his lap and let me “steer” the car down to the barn.

There were cherry trees in the back yard and we used to pick the fruit and sell it to the neighbors for 2 cents a quart.  Jack climbed high in the trees while Charlotte and I picked up the cherries that fell.

We gave plays in the barn at the rear of the house (you can just see a part of it in the picture) and sang and danced and were very corny, I’m sure, but it was a lot of fun.

There were three other houses between number 10 and Park Street.

Right next door was Wanamaker's Furniture Factory.  You can also see part of that in the picture.  The Wanamaker boys were good friends with my brothers and were in our house more than they were in their own.  The factory was a long building that went almost back to Pearl Street and had an apartment attached to it where the family lived.

Next to the factory was a house that at one time was the manse for the Presbyterian Church.  A family by the name of Huntzucker lived there when I was young. I remember a wedding one summer afternoon of one of the girls, Esther, I think.  I had a handful of rice to throw at the bride.

Then on the corner of Park Street and Oxford was the Brennan House, only a family by the name of Young lived in it at that time and I played with the boy, Billy.  He used to show me a hidden space behind the downstairs closet that he said at one time  held  slaves from the underground railroad.  I have no idea if that was true, but it was an exciting idea. This house was moved to Reservoir Road in Sauquoit when the fire station was built.

With the help of Earl Cunningham, my nephew, Lee Gurley, and I were able to go through the house a few weeks before it was razed.  I hadn't been in it since I was 8 years old, but it hadn’t changed very much. I especially remembered the attic where we played on rainy afternoons.

Oxford Road has changed greatly since I lived at number 10 and I miss seeing the house.  My memories are sweet and stay with me, however, and when I close my eyes that house is still there.

NEW HARTFORD CENSUS

From the “Annals of Oneida County” by Pomeroy Jones published in 1851.

The first census in which the actual population of New Hartford was shown was that of 1830 when the town’s population was 3,599.  By 1840, the town had grown to 3,819 and in 1850 it had 4,847 inhabitants.  By 1850, the county population had soared to 99,543.  In 1800, even with a much larger area, including some of Lewis and Jefferson counties, the population was only 22,837.

UTICA DIRECTORIES

In the fall of 2004, Shirley Darrigrand Perry donated 42 Utica City Directories, dating from 1853, to our Society.  We have many gaps in dates and are looking for the following years:

From 1817 to 1852

1854, 55, 56, 57, 58

1868

1873 to 1892

1894, 95, 96, 97, 98

1890 to 1906

1908 to 1913

1915, 16, 17,18

1920 1923 1930 1934

1937 to 1943

1945  1953  1954 1956  1957 1958

1960 to 1964  1966  1968

1971 to 1977

1980 1981 1984 1985 1987

1988 to 2000

If you have any of these and would be willing to part with them, the Society will be glad to accept them.  Contact any of the officers or directors.

ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST CHURCH, NEW HARTFORD 1951

Exterior

The beautiful altar and interior of the church

WINTER IN THE 20’S

By Grey Gurley

            Memories of “Eagle” driving his Hathaway bread sleigh past our house (55 Oxford Road) and Max Jones delivering milk from his Martin’s Dairy sleigh bring back many memories of January and February in New Hartford.  Because of these sleighs and the farmers hauling mash from the Utica Club brewery on sleighs, the roads were seldom plowed.  Most automobiles were up on blocks and Mr. Clark would break out his caterpillar-tracked flivver to deliver his rural mail.

            The hills became bobsled runs and bushels of ashes had to be hauled to the curb each week.

            The town highway department had a couple of caterpillar-tracked dump trucks, one of which was destroyed by a train at a Washington Mills crossing.

            My fun came as spring approached and the ice that had solidified on the road began to melt and undercut the ice that had built up along the curb.  Jumping on this and hearing the ice break off took my mind off the fact that I was on my way to school.

            Then the days when the ice had all melted away and I mined the gutter for nuts, bolts, tire chain links, and other fascinating collectibles for my junk box.

            I must not forget the horse-drawn wooden plow that kept our sidewalks clear of the foot-deep snowfalls that often befell us.

NEWS FROM THE SOCIETY ROOMS

Much work has been done on the Elliott R. Hughes Colonial Room.  All of the artifacts have been hung and new tags made.  Several show cases have been installed to hold smaller items of interest. Hank McCann is working on the presentation that he will use when the room is open for tours.

Judy Wenner has been working very diligently on a mini walking tour brochure that is being printed.  These will be distributed to the New Comers group and placed in locations such as the police station, Butler Hall, etc.  As well as being available to members.

FROM YOUR EDITOR      

This issue of the “Tally-Ho” has a lot of Gurleys in it; my cousins, Ted and  Grey and my article on 10 Oxford Road. Most of you are aware that my maiden name was Gurley and that I was born and brought up in New Hartford.  You might say that  enough is enough; no more from the Gurleys! However, I  found Ted and Grey’s articles  in the archives and my article is from memories of my childhood. I know many of you must have similar things in your home—old photographs of what the town looked like  years ago, memorabilia from school such as play programs, school year books, etc., advertising give-a-ways from businesses long gone. How about writing a short article of a special memory you have from your growing up years? We would welcome anything that is about New Hartford. These are  the kind of things we are looking for to share with you.  Won’t you help us out and look around the house and see what you can find? Even if you live out of town you may still possess something we could use.  Think about it.  We’ll be waiting to hear from you, our members. And I promise—no more Gurleys for a while!

HARRY C. BENTON

The following are excerpts from an obituary (date unkown) of Harry C. Benton

Harry C. Benton, 91, of 203 Higby Road, died today in Eden Park Nursing Home.

For 20 years Mr. Benton owned and operated the Maple Hill Dairy.  The Benton farm, which later became known as Benton Hills, was developed by the Benton Hills Corp. of which he served as vice president.

Mr. Benton was the last of 8 brothers who owned Benton Hills.  The land was originally purchased by their father at the turn of the (20th) century.

Mr. Benton owned several horses which he used for plowing his own farm and gardens for others. During World War II he rented and plowed several acres of his land for Victory Gardens.  His horses were also used for sleigh rides  which he drove from 1926 until 1956.

He was born in New Hartford and attended New Hartford schools.  He married Lena Wagner in 1905.  He was a life member of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church.

GAELIC TALES

Q. What do you call an Irishman who knows how to control a wife?         A.  A bachelor

Murphy told Quinn that his wife was driving him to drink.  Quinn thinks he’s very lucky because his own wife makes him walk.

An American lawyer asked, “Paddy, why is it that whenever you ask an Irishman a question, he answers with another question?”  “Who told you that?” asked Paddy.

Did you hear about the Irish newlyweds who sat up all night on their honeymoon waiting for their sexual relations to arrive?

February 2006

Table of Contents
February Program
An Historical Social
Sliding Down Sanger Ave
The Sanger Bible
Welcome New Members
Zion Presbyterian Church
Flood Of 1922 In Chadwicks
New Hartford School Dedicated
A Couple Of Laughs

PROGRAM—SUNDAY , FEBRUARY 5, 2006 –2:00 PM.
COMMUNITY BUILDING, KELLOGG ROAD, WASHINGTON MILLS
“ERIE CANAL: HISTORIC OPENING OF OUR EMPIRE STATE TO THE WEST”

DON WHITE

Don White, President of the Oneida County Historical Society will be our speaker.  He was born in Utica and grew up spending summers in Barneveld and winters in Pittsburgh, PA.  He is a graduate of New York State Maritime College and the Cornell University Livestock program in the College of Agriculture.  His career has been spent in industrial marketing and advertising,  retiring from General Signal Inc., in 1991.  Don is a presenter at the Mohawk Valley  Learning in Retirement at SUNY IT, doing programs on the Erie Canal and the War of 1812.  .

Note day (Sunday), Date (Feb. 5) and  time (2:00 pm).   

AN HISTORICAL SOCIAL

(continued from the December “Tally-Ho!” from an article written in 1908 in a Utica newspaper about the Presbyterian Church in New Hartford.)

  The story of the foot stoves which were used in the early days was told, and it needed no imagination or memory to reproduce them, for some of them were exhibited.  The church originally had four birds eye maple chairs, but they were stolen, and the people attributed the theft to some people in another town who were not active in church work.  The various communion sets used, from pewter to plated ware,  were described.  The present set is a memorial to Jacob and Jerusha Sherrill from their daughters. The first collection plate was pewter, lined with green baize.  The next one was a gift from the old sexton, Jacob Harper.  Recent gifts were two chairs by Mrs. Terry, two tables, one by Miss Helen Palmer and the other by Miss Cecilia Sherrill.  Then there was a bookcase by Mrs. Terry and a sofa from Mrs. Butler.  The Bible was given by Mrs. Hannah Brown, a sister of Morgan Butler.  You would not think that a church contained much furniture, but Mrs. Ogden found every piece and gave it ‘s history.  She also described many pieces of which the history is now the only thing that remains, but the older people could see them with the eye of memory.

  Miss Fanny Case gave a most interesting outline of the music of the church.  She said in part:  The record shows that June 6, 1796, the church chose Bildad Merrill to lead in singing.  In 1798 Mr. Johnson was requested to invite the singers to meet and sing, and to make choice of one or more suitable persons to lead in singing.  In 1802 it was voted that Samuel Hecox, Richard Sanger and John Kirkland with B. Merrill be leaders of singing.  In 1803 there were four chosen to lead and conduct the singing, and they were authorized to employ a teacher ...provided they can procure a subscription as shall be sufficient to pay him.  In 1806 there were chosen six choristers to lead the singing.

  There were three doors to the north, the middle one entering the belfry, which projected from the main building.  Here the choir entered, going up one flight to a landing and then up another short flight to the gallery which extended across the front of the church.  This gallery was supported by several fluted columns.  Across the front of the gallery were red damask curtains. 

  When musical instruments were introduced, Mr. Whiteacre played the bass viol, Daniel Teal the double bass, John Kellogg the flute, and occasionally Henry Butler played the violin.

  In 1858 the Women’s  Society voted to work for a melodeon to cost $100.  After they had raised $70 by knitting and sewing, they decided to work for a harmonium costing $350.  But by that time they thought a pipe organ would be the best thing.  They spoke to Judge Root, who said he would see Mr. Marklove of Utica about it.  He had two new organs and agreed to let the ladies have one for $650.  The first Sunday the new organ was used it was played by Dr. Joseph Sieboth of Utica.  At noon the ladies met and discussed the music.  They thought it too loud and that it disturbed their worship.  But at the afternoon service Dr. Sieboth played so much softer and sweeter that they were perfectly satisfied.  Mr. Marklove bought the old fluted pillars which had supported the gallery to use in organ building.  Mrs. Judge Root offered to furnish an organist free of charge till they got the instrument paid for, and her daughter Ruth was taught by Dr. Sieboth and played for some time.

  Mortimer T. Canfield gave a very interesting sketch of the church property and additions.  This showed that Jedediah Sanger had deeded or leased to the society much of the land now in the park, under lease dated January 13, 1805.  By the terms of this the clerk of the society is to pay annually to the donor, if requested, on September 8, one grain of wheat, forever.   This plot contains two acres and 14 rods of land.  There is also a provision that when it shall no longer be used for church purposes, it shall revert to the donor.  The grantor reserves to himself and his heirs the use of No. 1 pew and of another pew.  Another deed was read by which Mr. Sanger quit claimed to the society certain property on easy conditions. 

  Dr. I. N. Terry, a former pastor, was then introduced.  He said this was his first pastorate and he loved it dearly.  He came to this church in 1876 and he gave many interesting facts within the memory of many present.  The curtain back of the pulpit, which had been put up at a cost of $59, was sold to Mrs. Higby after many years for $20.  He exhibited a large section of this curtain, which is bright and well preserved.  Dr. Terry was one of the most interesting speakers of the evening, and he was heard with close attention.  The pastor, Rev. Mr. Kingsbury, in conclusion, showed some portraits of former pastors and thanked Mrs. Terry for having them framed.  Between the several papers there were selections of a religious character on the phonograph presented by the president of the village, Charles O. Jones.  The evening  was much enjoyed by young and old.

SLIDING DOWN SANGER AVE

By Grey Gurley

  Just a block from 55 Oxford Road in New Hartford where I grew up is a long hill.  When I say long, I mean it seemed like a mile long—probably a half mile would be closer to the truth.  Below Pearl Street it was fairly flat but from there on up it got steeper and steeper.  When winter swept in about the only way to get around was to walk or go by sleigh because the roads were seldom plowed.  There was really no need to plow away the snow because those who owned autos put them in their barns and jacked them up on block s until Spring.

  With  few vehicles to worry about and a sympathetic cop on  duty (there was only one) the fellows turned Sanger Avenue into a race track, especially when the snow melted a bit and then froze.  Those of us who had only a small measure of courage, or should I say faith, pulled our Flexible Flyers up to Hartford Terrace, but those with greater courage started a block higher at Hillside Avenue.  It seemed like you had either Hartford Terrace courage or Hillside Ave courage.  Whatever degree of fearlessness you mustered, it was a wild ride down Sanger Avenue.

  Those who started above Hillside were heroes in our eyes.  These were usually the older boys who could afford a 6 or 8 man bobsled.  A bobsled, if you don’t remember, was a long narrow sleigh with fixed runners at the rear and steerable runners at the front.  The driver, up front , steered with a big steering wheel, and the boy at the rear had  the brake, a bar with points that dug into the ice.

  I must be honest enough to say that I don’t remember even inquiring about taking a ride on one of those bob-sleds because more than one leg or arm was broken each year as these sleds rocketed down Sanger Avenue.

  Those of my caliber became extra brave when they “belly-whacked” down the hill.  They did this to cut down wind resistance, but I felt that they really stuck their heads out front like battering rams.  I, using my head in a more intellectual manner, took a more leisurely position, that of sitting bolt upright and steering with my feet, Olympic style.

            Most of the fellows were very disappointed when Spring came and the ice melted away, but I guess I sighed a big sigh of relief because for another year I wouldn’t be required to display what courage I had by sliding down Sanger Avenue.

THE SANGER BIBLE

  Many of you read about the swearing-in ceremony of our town officials at Butler Hall in the January newspaper.    They took their oath while placing their hands on the Sanger Bible.  The town borrows the Bible each year for this ceremony.

  Some of you may not know the history of how this  Bible came into our possession. 

  In 1982 Kevin Miller, who lived on College Street in Clinton, contacted the Society to say he had purchased the bible of Jedediah Sanger at an auction in Deansboro.  He was planning to move out of the area and,  wanting  a permanent place for the Bible,  he donated it  on permanent loan with the proviso that the Bible be kept in a fireproof safe and handled only when necessary.

  We have kept to that agreement and are very fortunate that Mr. Miller decided to leave the Bible with us.

  In the November issue of the Tally-HO we mentioned that Jedediah Sanger’s original will was found in a landfill in Moravia,  NY.  Mr. Howard Breese contacted us and sent us the will.

  One wonders how these articles ended up where they did and the extraordinary probability that they would find a resting place in the New Hartford Historical Society.  We are indeed fortunate that this happened

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Scott & Paula Healey—New Hartford

This was the Zion Presbyterian Church of New Hartford, located on Pearl Street at the foot of Allport Place.  It was organized in 1888 and grew to a maximum of some 54 members by 1909.  This picture is dated April 1, 1897.  In 1940 the property was sold to Amicable Lodge F&AM, 644 with the agreement that the congregation be allowed to continue to use the church for worship. On July 31, 1956 the church was dissolved and members transferred to a church of their choice.  It is now the home of the Amicable Lodge.

 

FLOOD OF 1922 IN CHADWICKS

This shows the depth of the water. It is assumed it was taken on Bleachery Place.  Person unknown.

The homes face Oneida St. and backs face the creek.  The houses were built in 1912  as homes for the Bleachery workers. In 1957 they became private homes. A few homes were privately owned before that time.

The location is not known.  It could be Oneida Street in Chadwicks.

The photos on this page belonged  to Bill Welty of Bleachery Place in Chadwicks who recently passed away.  Bob Mundrik generously donated the photos, with captions, to the Society. 

NEW HARTFORD SCHOOL DEDICATED

  More than 1,200 persons attended dedication ceremonies at the New Hartford School last night in the gymnasium.

  Speakers referred to the sprawling, ranch-style building as “a symbol,” “a sacrifice” and “a hope.”

  The building, which a $1,635,000 bond issue paid, for, is  modern throughout and, according to the school architect, J. Kenneth Baird, it embraces the latest in practical architecture with the most modern school facilities.

  Combined with the old school building, the new structure will give the school a total of 27 home rooms.  The old building, which is next to that dedicated last night, will be used for elementary pupils with junior and high school pupils using the new building.

  The new lines and materials used in erecting  the school were mentioned by guest speaker Dr. Robert W. McEwen, president of Hamilton college, who said the most modern buildings in even the drabbest of hamlets are schools and explained this as an expression of faith.

  “The school seems always to face the future,”  Dr. McEwen said, “Nothing is too good for our school.”

  Ralph W. Perry, principal, welcomed the speakers and introduced an added guest, Mrs. Adelbert Wadsworth, who attended the dedication of the Pearl St. school in 1884.

  H. Russell Johnson, president of the PTA, acted as master of ceremonies.  He was introduced by Elliott R. Hughes, elementary school principal.

  Edward B. Corrigan, president of the Board of Education, announced that the school would hold summer classes and that in the fall adult education classes would be held. 

  Other speakers:  Elwin S. Shoemaker, district superintendent of schools; J. Kenneth Baird, architect; Miss Mary Gunter, president of the New Hartford Teachers Association; Frank H. Wenner, former president of the Board of Education, and undergraduates Miss Jean Hurd and Grant Johnson.

  The invocation was given by Rev. Ewart Turner, pastor of the New Hartford Methodist Church.  The Rev. John O’Brien, who gave the benediction, asked that the building be considered “not of concrete and brick, but a symbol of sacrifice and hope.”

  Music was provided by the New Hartford High School band under the direction of Ernest Ortone and the school a cappella choir under the leadership of Edna Mae Rawson.   Soloist was  Donna Dealing.   Mrs. Margaret Johnson was the accompanist.

  After the ceremonies, the 1,200 persons were guided by pupils on a tour of the building and to refreshments which were served in the cafeteria.

A COUPLE OF LAUGHS

                An elderly woman decided to prepare her will and told her preacher she had two final requests.  First, she wanted to be cremated, and second, she wanted her ashes scattered over Wal-Mart.  “Wal-Mart?” the preacher exclaimed.  “Why Mal-Mart?”  “Then I’ll be sure my daughters visit me twice a week,” she said.

                I  feel like my body has gotten totally out of shape, so I got my doctor’s permission to join a fitness club and start exercising.  I decided to take an aerobics class for seniors.  I bent, twisted, gyrated, jumped up and down, and perspired for an hour.  But, by the time I got my leotards on, the class was over.