Search Results for: the famed taxidermist

Historic Childs: The Akeley Fox, early work of famed taxidermist from Clarendon

Posted 20 December 2021 at 7:00 am

By Doug Farley, Cobblestone Museum Director – Vol. 2. No. 45

GAINES – The Hamlet of Childs is the current home for an outstanding artifact of the mid-19th century. The name settled upon for this object is “The Akeley Fox,” in homage to the taxidermy artist, Carl Akeley, who created the diorama in 1879.

Pictured at top in 1979 is Mr. John Seager, along with the fox his great grandfather Francis Harling shot over 140 years ago. In 1979, Mr. Seager gave his family heirloom to the Cobblestone Museum for its permanent collection in memory of his parents Agnes Harling Seager and John Seager.

Young Carl Akeley – Photo courtesy the Field Museum

The story goes that sometime in 1879m Francis Harling lay near a fox run in a Barre Swamp almost a full day before this specimen came along. At the time, a young Carl Akeley of Clarendon (shown above) was in his late teens or early twenties and was learning the techniques of taxidermy under the tutelage of David Bruce from Brockport. Knowing Akeley, Francis Harling purposely procured the fox for him to mount. The fox is depicted in a large gold-framed shadow box just as she had killed a partridge.

The Akeley Fox is one of his early works. It is signed on the reverse side of the glass, “C .E. Akeley, Clarendon”

In the late 19th Century Akeley went on to become the great world renowned African explorer and established the African Hall in the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. He was noted as being one of the first taxidermists to place specimens in their natural surroundings and traveled with Theodore Roosevelt and George Eastman on several safaris. One of his staunchest supporters was none other than J. Pierpont Morgan. The image above depicts Akeley surviving a leopard attack on one of his many safaris in Africa. He captured the leopard using only his bare hands.

Unfortunately, Akeley died in his early sixties before he had a chance to complete his life’s work. The Akeley Fox however is testimony to a great man’s artistic genius. For many years it hung in the parlor of the Harling residence on East County House Road near Albion. It was then inherited by Walker Harling, son of Francis and passed on to his daughter Agnes Harling Seager who kept it in the attic for over forty years. Once arriving in the Hamlet of Childs, the fox was displayed along with the Hon. E. K. Hart Bird Collection at the Cobblestone Museum. Ironically, the Hart Bird Collection was prepared by Akeley’s teacher, David Bruce.

Considering the legacy left by Carl Akeley and the significance of his contributions to the field of history, the little red fox is held in the highest regard and treated as one of the crowning artifacts within the collection of the Museum. Accepting the unique artifact into the collection as a rare representation of the earliest works of a world renowned taxidermist, the Museum retained a distinct piece of history that museums today would fight over.

With thanks to the efforts of the Clarendon Historical Society, a spectacular tribute to the life and legacy of Carl Akeley was arranged to celebrate the passing of Akeley’s 150th birthday. Museum co-coordinators Matthew Ballard and Sarah Karas both attended a celebration in Akeley’s honor where they met John Janelli, chairman of the National Taxidermy Association’s Conservation Committee. After showing him photographs of the fox, the true significance of the piece was finally understood.

(L-R) Sarah Karas, Cobblestone Museum co-coordinator, John Janelli, and Matt Ballard, co-coordinator

Members of the Committee visited the Museum to see the fox firsthand on May 23, 2014 (shown above) when it was decided that the restoration of this artifact was not simply a possibility but a necessity. Heat from being stored in an attic for decades, along with freezing in the winter, had led to severe deterioration. One eye had fallen out, the tail had “melted,” the paws were void of hair and bugs had found their way inside. Melissa Ierlan, Town of Clarendon Historian, said, “It was in bad shape. We thought we would have to replace it, but we didn’t.”

The fox is depicted eating a bird it had caught. The paper mache work on the bird included newspaper from the Holley Standard, dated December 4, 1879. As an important symbol of modern taxidermy’s founding father, the fox needed to be restored and preserved.

On June 5, 2014, the Museum coordinators, Ballard and Karas, presented the proposal to the board of trustees. With a unanimous yes, the board offered their support in the effort to preserve Akeley’s little red fox. Fundraising begin immediately to procure funding for the evaluation and proper restoration of this important piece of history.

The fundraising to enable the restoration was a major project in itself. Ierlan said the restoration resulted from an “amazing grass-roots effort to secure funding” for the project. Private donors, a grant from the Elizabeth Dye Curtis Foundation and donations from the Orleans County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Orleans County Historical Association (OCHA) and the Clarendon Historical Society made the project possible.

With funding in place, Melissa Ierlan personally bubble wrapped and transported the fox in her car to the restoration offices of George Dante in New Jersey.

Photo courtesy of Melissa Ierlan: John Janelli, left, is past president of the National Taxidermy Association. He is pictured with George Dante of Wildlife Preservations, LLC, and the refurbished fox at Dante’s studio. Dante has provided taxidermy exhibition services to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, and Harvard University’s Museum of Comparative Zoology.

Bill Lattin, retired Orleans County Historian and former Cobblestone Museum Director, has a family connection to the fox. He explained that his great-grandfather, Francis Harling of Albion, procured the fox for Akeley. Lattin explained that the fox, enclosed in a framed diorama, is a precious artifact. “In the world of taxidermy, it’s like owning a Rafael,” Lattin said. “It’s very, very special.”

Akeley (1864-1926), is known as the Father of Modern Taxidermy. He devised a method for fitting an animal’s skin over a meticulously prepared and sculpted form of the animal’s body. The process included the animal’s musculature and details such as wrinkles and veins and produced a very realistic result.

Lattin said his great-grandfather wanted the fox diorama to display in the family’s home on East County House Road in Albion. Harling was a middle-class dirt farmer and blacksmith, Lattin explained, but noted it is interesting that, “common ordinary people (of that time) had a sensitivity for aesthetics.” Harling had gone out of his way to procure the fox, Lattin said, so that something beautiful could be made to decorate the family’s home, “that’s remarkable,” he observed.

Akeley’s African Elephant Exhibit, courtesy of the Field Museum, Chicago

Akeley made many trips to Africa to collect specimens and created the African Hall at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Akeley also liked to place the mounted animals in settings that reflected their native habitat. Lattin also explained that during the Akeley Fox restoration, it was discovered that what was thought to be a “tod” (male fox) was found to be a “vixen” (female fox).

In 2017, Melissa Ierlan made a return trek to New Jersey to pick up the fully restored vixen fox. A “welcome home” celebration was held in September 2017 at the Museum’s Cobblestone Church. At the celebration, shown above, Matthew Ballard (Orleans County Historian), Bill Lattin and Melissa Ierlan pose with Carl Akeley’s restored fox diorama.

Jay Kirk, the author of the book, “Kingdom Under Glass” (shown above), a book about Carl Akeley and his work, attended the celebration as did Akeley expert, John Janelli. County Historian Matt Ballard said, “We wanted to bring (the fox) to the attention of people who would appreciate Akeley’s work.” The fox is part of a transitional phase for Akeley. Ballard noted the legwork done by Ierlan, the Clarendon historian, to have the fox restored as well as the importance of the local fundraising effort. “It’s surreal to see it come to fruition,” Ballard said of the restoration project. “It’s a piece of national significance.”

At the celebration, Ierlan discussed Carl Akeley’s life and work from his humble beginnings on Hinds Road in Clarendon to the jungles of Africa. “He was the original Indiana Jones,” Ierlan said. She noted his early work preserving the pet canary of his aunt, his training in taxidermy by David Bruce in Brockport and his apprenticeship at Ward’s Natural Science Establishment in Rochester. She explained that the taxidermy work done before Carl Akeley arrived on the scene, often made animals look like stuffed toys. Akeley wanted “to make them look as real as possible,” Ierlan said.

Melissa Ierlan brought copies of photographs of Akeley’s work including diorama’s from the American Museum of Natural History and the entourage that accompanied Akeley on his African trips to collect specimens (far left), as well as the condition of the fox diorama prior to restoration.

The Cobblestone Museum has prepared a short video to provide additional information for those who missed out attending the Akeley celebration. It can be viewed by clicking here along with a collection of other videos on local history.

In addition to his taxidermy work, Akeley was an accomplished sculptor, biologist, conservationist and inventor with over 29 patents. Akeley improved the motion picture camera for filming animal movement. Ierlan said, “He had a remarkable life. He was one of America’s greatest men.”

Fox from famed taxidermist in Clarendon refurbished and back on display

Photos by Tom Rivers: Carl Akeley was only 16 when he preserved this fox in Clarendon. Akeley would go on to become one of the world's most acclaimed taxidermists. The fox is on display at the Cobblestone Museum after a $6,000 refurbishment.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 25 May 2017 at 3:51 pm

Cobblestone Museum has fox from Carl Akeley

Provided photo: Carl Akeley is pictured with a leopard in Africa that he killed with his bare hands after it attacked him.

GAINES – Two years ago, a fox in a display case at the Cobblestone Museum was missing an eye, with its fur matted. The animal, then about 135 years old, was in rough shape and wasn’t given a prominent spot at the Cobblestone Museum.

But it was an early example of Carl Akeley’s taxidermy work. Akeley, who grew up in Clarendon, stuffed the fox when he was 16. It was an ambitious effort after he started with birds. Akeley would become one of the world’s most renown taxidermists and remains an industry legend 153 years after his birth.

He earned acclaim after stuffing the giant elephant Jumbo, and made several trips to Africa, hunting animals and displaying them in New York City at Akeley’s Hall of Mammals in the American Museum of Natural History.

Locally, he gained renewed prominence three years ago when the Clarendon Historical Society celebrated his 150th birthday.

Jay Kirk, author of the Carl Akeley biography “Kingdom Under Glass,” was the featured speaker during a program about Akeley on May 21, 2014. Kirk chronicled Akeley’s life during the golden age of safaris in the early 20th Century.

Akeley’s adventures connected him with Theodore Roosevelt, P.T. Barnum and George Eastman. Akeley died in 1926 and is buried in Africa.

The taxidermist community worked with the Clarendon Historical Society last year to put a monument at Hillside Cemetery in honor of Akeley. Donors, many of them taxidermists around the world, contributed to have the $8,000 monument in Akeley’s honor. The monument is in the shape of the African continent and the stone is black African granite.

The memorial includes a quote from Akeley, who survived being mauled by an elephant and vicious bites on his arm from a leopard. “Death Wins! Bravo! But I Laugh In His Face As He Noses Me Out At The Wire.” The stone will note Akeley’s birth, May 19, 1864, and his death, Nov. 17, 1926.

When Clarendon made a big push to recognize Akeley, retired Orleans County Historian Bill Lattin told Clarendon Historian Mellisa Ierlan the Cobblestone Museum had an early example of Akeley’s work.

Provided photo: The Akeley fox had lost a lot of color and had deteriorated after more than a century. But the Clarendon Historical Society, Cobblestone Museum and other community members were determined to have the animal refurbished by a professional taxidermist.

The community was able to raise abut $6,000 to give the fox some needed attention. In July 2015, Ierlan took the fox to George Dante, a professional taxidermist in New Jersey. Dante, owner of Wildlife Preservations, gave the fox new life. When the case with the fox was opened, the fox’s missing eye was found. Dante put the eye back where it belonged.

He gave the fox a new tail, which had to be dyed to match the fox’s body. Dante also had to replace the fox’s feet and fill in some gaps by the ears.

He vacuumed the body and the fur popped back up. He also replaced the bird as part of the display. Akeley had the fox with feathers in its mouth. Dante kept the scene created originally by Akeley nearly 140 years ago.

Photo courtesy of Melissa Ierlan: John Janelli, left, is past president of the National Taxidermy Association. He is pictured with George Dante and the refurbished fox at Dante’s studio in New Jersey.

Irelan, the Clarendon historian, brought the fox back to Clarendon on May 10. The fox was on display in Clarendon for over a week during the kickoff of the Clarendon Historical Society’s season. On Monday, the fox returned to the Cobblestone Museum in the Proctor Room in the basement of the Cobblestone Universalist Church.

“It was in rough shape,” Ierlan said about the fox’s condition two years ago. “I knew George would do a good job but he exceeded our expectations. Carl would be proud.”

Doug Farley, the museum director, said there will likely be a reception and program about the fox in September as part of the Orleans County Heritage Festival in September.

This fox was stuffed by Carl Akeley nearly 140 years ago. It is back on display at the Cobblestone Museum after getting some needed attention. The fox used to be in Farmer’s Hall at the museum, but now is displayed inside the Cobblestone Universalist Church, the most prominent building at the museum on Route 104 in Gaines.

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Famed outdoorsman will highlight Christian Bowhunters annual meeting

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 22 January 2019 at 9:36 am

Provided photo: Hank Parker is a popular host of an outdoor show and is a member of three halls of fame for fishing, hunting and the outdoors.

MEDINA – Merle Fredericks has two passions in his life – bowhunting and sharing his love of Jesus Christ.

In 1992 he found a way to combine those passions when he joined Christian Bowhunters of America.

In 2003, he founded a local chapter of Christian Bowhunters of America, called the Bow Bending Believers. He is currently executive director of CBA on the national level and serves as chairman of the CBA board of directors.

In addition, he has chaired the local chapter since its inception. John Curtin of Medina is vice chairman, Fredericks’ wife Mitzi (who is also a bow hunter) is chapter secretary and Jeff Robinson of Lyndonville is treasurer.

It has become customary for several years for the local group to sponsor a dinner with a noted speaker. This year, the 15th annual dinner and seminar will take place Feb. 1 at Oak Orchard Assembly of God, 12111 Ridge Rd., and will feature Hank Parker, host of Hank Parker’s Outdoor Magazine and co-host of Hank Parker’s Flesh and Blood.

There are 400 tickets available. Fredericks anticipates the event will be a sellout. For more information, call Fredericks at (585) 765-2839.

Parker is well-known in the hunting and fishing world. He has a love for bow hunting and has completed the wild turkey Royal Slam and has harvested many Pope and Young whitetail deer and elk. In 2005, Parker and his two sons began televising their hunts. Both his shows are currently airing on the Outdoor Channel.

Over the years, he has been honored by being inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame, the Legends of the Outdoors Hall of Fame and the International Game Fish Association Hall of Fame. Parker also loves sharing his testimony of what the Lord has done in his life, Fredericks said.

Parker joins a long list of speakers from all over the country, who present an outdoor-themed program and then conclude with a gospel message. These have included Dan Fitzgerald, Charles Alsheimer, Jimmy Sites, Russell Thornberry and the very popular Phil Robertson from Duck Dynasty.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the seminar will begin at 7 p.m.

The evening will feature free door prizes, a free ladder tree stand giveaway, free venison smoked sausages and jerky, a taxidermist, Pope and Young scoring booth and raffles.

In addition to the annual dinner, the Bow Bending Believers hosts a youth event in the summer (last year at the YMCA in Medina) to teach kids how to shoot archery equipment; and an annual 3D shoot in late September at the Yates Carlton Sportsmen’s Club in Lyndonville.

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Legacy of Carl Akeley, famed naturalist from Clarendon, threatened by oil drilling in Congo

By Matthew Ballard, Orleans County Historian Posted 7 July 2018 at 8:42 am

“Overlooked Orleans” – Vol. 4, No. 27

Carl E. Akeley, circa 1914, The American Museum Journal

The story of Carl Ethan Akeley is one of my favorite tales of a local boy who traveled beyond the boundaries of Orleans County to leave a lasting impact on the world. This prolific naturalist, taxidermist, artist, and inventor was born May 19, 1864 to Daniel Webster Akeley and Julia Glidden.

He grew up as a child in the family home on Hinds Road where he took an early interest in the preservation of animal specimens. To his family, this “morbid curiosity” earned him the reputation of being “odd,” that was until he mounted his aunt’s beloved yellow canary that died one cold evening.

He entered the tutelage of David Bruce of Sweden, New York, an artist and taxidermist known locally for his mounting of bird specimens for E. Kirke Hart (now on display at the Cobblestone Museum). Akeley’s time with Bruce was short, the latter recognizing his pupil’s unusual proficiency and skill in the art of taxidermy. At the age of 19, Akeley found employment with Ward’s Natural Science Establishment in Rochester, officially launching his professional career in mounting animal specimens.

It was during his tenure at Ward’s that he became attuned to the disconnection between taxidermy as an art and taxidermy as a science. To Akeley, these mounted specimens lacked the context that came from showing animals in their natural habitats. Although he held strong feelings on the direction of the profession, it was not until his work on the mounting of Jumbo, P.T. Barnum’s East African circus elephant in September of 1885, that he developed an expert’s voice.

Two years after his first major project, he left Ward’s for a part-time position with the Milwaukee Public Museum where he developed his trademark of setting animals against painted backgrounds. These backgrounds mimicked the natural habitat of the focal specimen, adding the necessary context to the piece. It was this particular type of work that earned Akeley his reputation as a premier taxidermist and eventually led to his appointment as chief of the department of taxidermy at the Field Columbian Museum (now the Field Museum) in Chicago. During his tenure in Chicago, Akeley experienced his first of five African expeditions. It was on this trip that he first stared death in the face, killing a leopard with his bare hands.

Over the course of his life, Akeley was responsible for the invention of a “cement gun” used for spraying plaster under newly mounted animal skins. The device was used in the repair of the exterior walls of the Field Museum and earned him the John Scott Legacy Medal of the Franklin Institute in 1916. It was thanks to Akeley’s work that we have motion picture footage of the First World War. His 1916 patent of the Akeley Motion Picture Camera, dubbed the “pancake camera,” was developed out of his efforts to capture moving images of animals in the wild. The U.S. War Department adopted the camera for capturing war footage, which later received the John Price Wetherill Medal of the Franklin Institute in 1926.

Much more can be said of Akeley’s life; his commitment to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, his insistence on shooting animals for the sake of preservation instead of sport, his friendship with Theodore Roosevelt, or his numerous encounters with death while on expeditions in Africa. His lasting legacy, however, is defined by the establishment of the Albert National Park in Africa. In 1921, he visited Mt. Mikeno on his fourth expedition to collect gorilla specimens. It was during this visit that his ideas on the collection and preservation of animal specimens fundamentally changed. Thanks in part to Akeley’s work, King Albert I of Belgium set aside land for the first national park in Africa in 1925. That park remains intact today as the Virunga National Park.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to the bush elephant, the endangered bonobo, and Akeley’s endangered mountain gorilla. News media announced recently that the Democratic Republic of Congo is now exploring the possibility of opening this important refuge to oil drilling. With this news comes the possibility that Akeley’s legacy could come to an end in our lifetime. It was thanks to his foresight that we can view these beautiful animals in a recreation of their natural habitat. It was his lifelong vision that we should never lose the ability to view these living species in the wild, if we should so choose.

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Historical Association planning 4 cemetery tours on Sundays in August

Posted 5 August 2023 at 7:41 pm

Photo by Tom Rivers: This memorial stone in the shape of Africa was dedicated on May 19, 2016 on the 152nd birthday for Carl Akeley, the famed taxidermist from Clarendon who made several expeditions to Africa. Many taxidermists from around the country donated to the memorial for Akeley at Hillside Cemetery in Holley.

Press Release, Orleans County Historical Association

The Orleans County Historical Association has scheduled its annual August series of cemetery tours.

The tours begin at 6 pm. While attendance is free of charge, donations are gratefully accepted.

The schedule includes:

• August 6: Hillside Cemetery and Chapel, Rt. 237, Holley – Presented by Melissa Ierlan, Town of Clarendon Historian.

• August 13: Mount Albion Cemetery, Rt. 31, Albion – Presented by Bill Lattin, retired Orleans County Historian and Sue Starkweather-Miller, Village of Albion Historian.

• August 20: Old St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Brown Road, Gaines – Presented by Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian.

• August 27: Boxwood Cemetery, North Gravel Road, Medina – Presented by Todd Bensley, Village of Medina Historian.

Cobblestone Museum will celebrate restored Akeley fox as part of Heritage Fest

Photo by Tom Rivers: The restored fox, a work of taxidermy by famed Clarendon native Carl Akeley, is back on display at the Cobblestone Museum after a restoration effort.

Staff Reports Posted 7 September 2017 at 8:32 am

GAINES – A fox that is the work of Carl Akeley, the famed taxidermist from Clarendon, will be highlighted at the Cobblestone Museum as one of the event’s during the upcoming Orleans County Heritage Festival.

Provided photo: Carl Akeley is pictured with a leopard in Africa that he killed with his bare hands after it attacked him.

The museum is holding a “welcome home” celebration for the restored red fox that was originally mounted by Akeley when he was a teen-ager about 140 years ago. A native of Clarendon, Akeley established himself as one of the most influential taxidermists in the history of the United States. His major works exist in museums throughout the country including the Akeley Hall of African Mammals in the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

The red fox was mounted by Akeley at the age of 16 and was procured for him by Francis Harling of Albion. The mounted fox diorama represents one of Akeley’s earliest works still existing in Orleans County. This amazing diorama was donated to the museum in 1979 by John Seager, great-grandson of Francis Harling, in memory of his parents Agnes Harling Seager and John Seager.

The Museum worked with taxidermist and conservator George Dante of Wildlife Preservations in New Jersey alongside two conservators from the American Museum of Natural History to have the piece fully restored to its original beauty.

A reception with the Clarendon Historical Society will take place at the 1834 Cobblestone Church on Saturday, September 16, at 5 p.m.

Two years ago, the fox was in a display case at the Cobblestone Museum and was missing an eye, with its fur matted. The animal was in rough shape and wasn’t given a prominent spot at the Cobblestone Museum.

But it was an early example of Carl Akeley’s taxidermy work. The fox was an ambitious effort after Akeley started with birds. Akeley would become one of the world’s most renown taxidermists and remains an industry legend 153 years after his birth.

This fox was mounted by Carl Akeley nearly 140 years ago. It is back on display at the Cobblestone Museum after getting some needed attention. The fox used to be in Farmer’s Hall at the museum, but now is displayed inside the Cobblestone Universalist Church, the most prominent building at the museum on Route 104 in Gaines.

Locally, he gained renewed prominence three years ago when the Clarendon Historical Society celebrated his 150th birthday.

Akeley’s adventures connected him with Theodore Roosevelt, P.T. Barnum and George Eastman. Akeley died in 1926 and is buried in Africa.

Photo by Kristina Gabalski: This monument for Carl Akeley was dedicated at Hillside Cemetery in May 2016. Taxidermy historian and Carl Akeley expert John Janelli (back left), Ken Edwards of Taxidermy.net, and Clarendon Historian Melissa Ierlan pose behind the Carl E. Akeley Memorial Stone. Edwards designed the memorial stone and was instrumental in rallying the support of taxidermy professionals behind the project to honor Akeley, who was born in Clarendon in 1864.

He gave the fox a new tail, which had to be dyed to match the fox’s body. Dante also had to replace the fox’s feet and fill in some gaps by the ears.

To see the schedule for the Heritage Festival, click here.

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Frost advisory issued for tonight in Orleans, WNY

Photos by Tom Rivers: This photo shows a farm field by the Holley water tank on Route 237 near Hillside Cemetery. It was taken on Saturday evening from the cemetery.

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 October 2016 at 8:35 am

The National Weather Service has issued a frost advisory from 11 p.m. tonight through 9 a.m. Tuesday. The frost advisory is in effect for Orleans County and the following: Niagara, Monroe, Wayne, northern Cayuga, Oswego, Erie, Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston, Ontario and Chautauqua counties.

Temperatures will be in the mid-30s and could damage sensitive vegetation, the National Weather Service in Buffalo advised. Tender vegetation should be protected and potted plants should either be covered or brought inside, the Weather Service said.

The cross at the Cook grave at Hillside Cemetery is pictured at sunset on Saturday.

Today is forecast for a high of 54, but the temperatures will drop overnight to a low of 34. Tuesday is forecast to be sunny with a high of 64, followed 72 and sunshine on Wednesday. Thursday will be cloudy with a high of 61 followed by a high of 58 on Friday.

The new memorial stone in the shape of Africa is pictured on Saturday. The stone was dedicated on May 19, on the 152nd birthday for Carl Akeley, the famed taxidermist from Clarendon who made several expeditions to Africa. Many taxidermists from around the country donated to the memorial for Akeley. (Orleans Hub editor Tom Rivers portrayed Akeley during a Ghost Walk on Saturday at Hillside.)

Ghost Walk highlighted prominent Hillside Cemetery residents

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 September 2016 at 1:42 pm

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Photos by Tom Rivers

CLARENDON – Sheena Hamiter, a high school social studies teacher at Holley, portrayed her great-grandmother Jessie Moore during Saturday’s Ghost Walk at Hillside Cemetery. Jessie had 13 kids, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren total about 250. She lived to be 100.

Hillside Cemetery highlighted prominent people in this historic cemetery with the Ghost Walk, an event that was part of the Orleans County Heritage Festival. About 50 people attended the Ghost Walk before it was called off due to a lightning storm.

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Allen Smeltzer, a Genesee Community College student, portrayed Jewell Buckman, the first soldier from Orleans County to be killed in World War I about a century ago. The American Legion Post in Holley is named in Buckman’s honor. Several GCC students volunteered to serve as ghosts and guides during the Ghost Walk.

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Cindy Davis, Clarendon’s town assessor, portrayed Irene Gibson, a lieutenant in the Women’s Army Corps during World War II. Gibson was also a teacher. “She was a rather remarkable woman,” Davis said.

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This is the backside of a monument dedicated on May 19 to Carl Akeley, the famed taxidermist who grew up in Clarendon. Akeley was portrayed at the Ghost Walk by Tom Rivers, the Orleans Hub editor. Akeley is buried in the Congo. He died there in 1926 after getting the fever. The memorial stone is carved from black African granite and bears the shape of the continent that Akeley worked tirelessly to preserve and protect.

Heritage Festival puts spotlight on ‘outdoor museums’ – local historic cemeteries

Staff Reports Posted 29 August 2016 at 12:21 pm

Photos by Tom Rivers: Orleans County Historian Matt Ballard leads a tour of Mount Albion Cemetery on Sunday evening. Ballard is pictured at the grave of Lorenzo Burrows, who established a bank in Albion, served as the county treasurer and was the state’s comptroller from 1856 to 1857. He also ran unsuccessfully for governor. About 40 people attended the tour on Sunday.

ALBION – The first-ever Orleans County Heritage Festival is less than two weeks away – Sept. 9-11. The festival will focus on four themes – Agriculture, Transportation, Historic Gems and Historic Cemeteries.

One of the four themes emphasized this year is Historic Cemeteries. Participating cemeteries include: Beechwood and Greenwood in Kendall, Boxwood in Medina, Hillside in Holley, Mt. Albion and Union Cemetery at Watt Farms – both in Albion.

Beechwood Cemetery on Woodchuck Alley in Kendall was established in 1828.

Cemeteries are a rich source of local history and culture, if people take the time to appreciate them, said Derek Maxfield, a history professor at Genesee Community College and one of the chief organizers of the Heritage Festival. The cemetery art contained on the many grave stones contain information about families, military service and values. The symbols and iconography give us a window into the culture of the time, he said.

Several of the participating cemeteries this year will give people the opportunity to learn more about these wonderful outdoor museums, Maxfield.

At Boxwood Cemetery in Medina, Village Historian Todd Bensley will lead tours on Saturday (Sept. 10) and Sunday (Sept. 11) beginning at noon and 2 p.m. There is no admission charge.

Mt. Albion will also feature cemetery tours led by former Orleans County Historian Bill Lattin. Tours will be led on Saturday (Sept. 10) from 3 to 5 p.m. and will begin every half hour from the chapel. There is no admission charge.

The chapel at Hillside Cemetery in Holley/Clarendon will be open for tours on Sept. 10. The cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

At Hillside Cemetery in Holley visitors can take a self-guided tour on Sept. 10 of the remarkable Gothic Revival chapel built in 1894 and cemetery from 9 to 11 a.m. – beginning from the chapel, and/or go on a “Ghost Walk” in the evening.

Established in 1866, the cemetery has a split personality. The older section of the cemetery reflects the romantic era of antebellum America and Guilded Age of the late 19th century. The newer section reflects the Lawn Cemetery style of the twentieth century.

The Clarendon Historical Society began raising money a few years ago in an effort to preserve the beautiful chapel at Hillside Cemetery.

The “Ghost Walk” on Saturday (Sept. 10) will benefit the restoration fund. Walks will begin from the chapel at 7 and 8 p.m. Admission is $10 per person. Among the fascinating “ghosts” will be Carl Akeley, the famed taxidermist, who will be portrayed by Tom Rivers, editor of the Orleans Hub. Also featured will be Francis Cole, who was a POW for 29 months during World War II, and Jewell Buckman who had the distinction of being the first local soldier killed in World War I.

The cemeteries in Kendall, Beechwood and Greenwood will feature self-guided tours from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday (Sept. 10) as will Union Cemetery at Watt Farms in Albion. A brochure will be available at the Watt Farms Market which will highlight the graves of veterans of the War of 1812 and the Civil War.

Folks interested in American death ways will want to check out events and exhibits at Genesee Community College’s Albion campus center. “Death, Mourning and Justice in Orleans County” will feature a recreated wake in a Victorian parlor. A beautiful glass casket from the late 19th century will be on display.

Matt Bullard stops at the Pullman family grave at Mount Albion on Sunday. James Lewis Pullman, father of sleeping car magnate George Pullman, is buried at Albion's historic cemetery.

Matt Ballard stops at the Pullman family grave at Mount Albion on Sunday. James Lewis Pullman, father of sleeping car magnate George Pullman, is buried at Albion’s historic cemetery.

There will also be two public lectures at the Albion campus: at 11 a.m. Orleans County District Attorney Joe Cardone will speak on famous crimes and murders. Lattin, the retired historian, at noon will talk about Victorian memorials featuring human hair. There is no admission charge for any GCC events or exhibits.

Visitors who wish to take advantage of the great opportunities afforded by the Heritage Festival should begin by procuring a festival brochure, which is available at all participating organizations and from GCC campus centers in Albion and Medina. A list of participating organizations is available at the festival website (click here).

Once the brochure is in hand, participants are encouraged to visit at least three locations to be eligible for prizes. As guests visit each location, they will be provided with a colored ribbon. Once they collect three ribbons of any color, they are eligible for a collectable button featuring artwork that reflects the four themes.

They also become eligible for a drawing for prizes. For more information about the Orleans County Heritage Festival go to orleansnyheritage.com or contact Derek Maxfield at ddmaxfield@genesee.edu.

Akeley Fox gets big welcome home

Photos by Kristina Gabalski: Melissa Ierlan, Clarendon town historian, holds a photo of a fox mounted by Carl Akeley taken before its restoration. Heat from being stored in an attic had led to severe deterioration. One eye had fallen out, the tail had "melted," the paws were void of hair and bugs had found their way inside. "It was in bad shape," Ierlan said. "We thought we would have to replace it, but we didn't." The fox is depicted eating a bird it has caught. The paper mache work on the bird included newspaper from the Holley Standard, dated Dec. 4, 1879. Ierlan brought a copy of the original pages to the reception on Saturday.

By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 17 September 2017 at 6:13 pm

Cobblestone Museum, Clarendon Historical Society celebrate ‘world-class restoration effort’

CHILDS – Calling it a “world-class restoration effort,” Cobblestone Museum Director Doug Farley opened a reception at the Cobblestone Church on Ridge Road Saturday afternoon to officially welcome home an early example of the work of famed Clarendon taxidermist Carl Akeley. The reception was held in conjunction with members of the Clarendon Historical Society.

The work – a red fox mounted by Akeley in 1879 at the age of 16 – was recently restored by George Dante, a taxidermist and conservator of Wildlife Preservation in New Jersey.

Farley said the restoration resulted from an “amazing grass-roots effort to secure funding” for the project. Private donors, a grant from the Elizabeth Dye Curtis Foundation and a donations from the Orleans County Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Clarendon Historical Society made the project possible, Farley said.

Bill Lattin, retired Orleans County Historian and Cobblestone Museum Director, has a family connection to the fox. He spoke during the reception and explained that his great-grandfather, Francis Harling of Albion, procured the fox for Akeley. Lattin explained that the fox, enclosed in a framed diorama, is a precious artifact.

“In the world of taxidermy, it’s like owning a Rafael,” Lattin said. “It’s very, very special.”

Akeley, (1864-1926), is known as the Father of Modern Taxidermy. He devised a method for fitting an animal’s skin over a meticulously prepared and sculpted form of the animal’s body. The process included the animal’s musculature and details such as wrinkles and veins and produced a very realistic result.

Lattin said his great-grandfather wanted the fox diorama to display in the family’s home on East County House Road in Albion.

Harling was a middle-class dirt farmer and blacksmith, Lattin explained, but noted it is interesting that, “common ordinary people (of that time) had a sensitivity for aesthetics.” Harling had gone out of his way to procure the fox, Lattin said, so that something beautiful could be made to decorate the family’s home, “that’s remarkable,” he observed.

Now that the fox – which Lattin said was found to be a vixen during the restoration work – can help people today to, “appreciate what our ancestors saw as beautiful.”

Matthew Ballard (Orleans County Historian), Bill Lattin and Melissa Ierlan (Clarendon town historian) pose with Carl Akeley’s fox diorama. Cobblestone Museum officials said those visiting the Cobblestone Church will be able to see the diorama on the lower level where the Museum gift shop is located.

Ballard, the county historian and former Cobblestone Museum director, explained that the effort to have the fox diorama restored was fueled by a celebration held in 2014 by the Clarendon Historical Society for the 150th anniversary of Akeley’s birth.

Jay Kirk, the author of Kingdom Under Glass about Carl Akeley and his work, attended the celebration as did Akeley expert John Janelli.

“We wanted to bring (the fox) to the attention of people who would appreciate Akeley’s work,” Ballard said. “The fox is part of a transitional phase for Akeley.”

Ballard noted the legwork done by Ierlan, the Clarendon historian, to have the fox restored as well as the local fundraising effort.

“It’s surreal to see it come to fruition,” Ballard said of the restoration project. “It’s a piece of national significance.”

Carl Akeley wrote his name and Clarendon in the bottom left corner of the diorama.

Ierlan discussed Akeley’s life and work from his humble beginnings on Hinds Road in Clarendon to the jungles of Africa.

“He was the original Indiana Jones,” Ierlan said. She noted his early work preserving the pet canary of his aunt, his training in taxidermy by David Bruce in Brockport and his apprenticeship at Ward’s Natural Science Establishment in Rochester.

She explained that the taxidermy work done before Akeley often made animals look like stuffed toys – “freakish and scary…. (Akeley) wanted to make them look as real as possible,” Ierlan said.

“He had a remarkable life….. he was one of America’s greatest men,” she said.

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Cobblestone Museum director resigns for full-time position at college

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 10 August 2015 at 12:00 am

File photos by Tom Rivers – Matt Ballard, pictured in 2014 outside the Cobblestone Church, is taking a full-time job with Roberts Wesleyan College. He will continue to work as the Orleans County historian.

GAINES – The director of the Cobblestone Museum worked his last day on Sunday at the museum. Matthew Ballard is starting a full-time position as collections services librarian at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester.

Ballard, 27, has been a director at the museum since February 2014. He spearheaded many projects at the museum complex, including new exhibits, building repair efforts, a revamped Web site, and strengthened partnerships with other historical associations and organizations. He also cultivated potential donors towards the only National Historic Landmark in Orleans County.

“He has helped to move the museum towards the goal of expansion and enrichment for every visitor,” said Mary Anne Braunbach, president of the Cobblestone Society board of directors.

The museum’s season continues until Oct. 11. Conner Wolfe will serve as interim director until the season ends on Oct. 11. Wolfe is in his final semester at Brockport State College as a history major. He has been interning with Ballard.

Matt Ballard is pictured with an exhibit about doctors and medical care in Orleans County from the 19th Century.

The museum also has a part-time volunteer coordinator, Sue Bonafini. She will work more hours the last two months of the museum’s season.

Ballard also works as Orleans County historian. He will keep that part-time job. He also wants to stay connected with the Cobblestone Museum. He was appointed to a volunteer position to the Board of Directors for the museum on Thursday.

“I’ve grown attached to the place,” Ballard said about the museum.

He has a master’s degree in library science. He will use that degree in his new job, which also offers full-time pay and benefits.

The museum put new roofs on the Cobblestone Church and a neighboring brickhouse last year, projects that Ballard said were in the works before he arrived.

The Cobblestone Museum has two exhibits this season about the war, including a display of 20 to 25 World War I posters that were discovered while cleaning out the Swan Library. Some of the propaganda posters ask, “Are you 100 percent American?”

He developed an exhibit and lecture series in 2014 – “Medicine at the Museum” – about medical care in the 1800s. The museum showed an extensive collection of artifacts, and many were also donated from community members for the exhibit.

“Medicine at the Museum” features photos and write-ups on many of the pioneer physicians and pharmacists in the county.

The museum also hosted a lecture series with four speakers discussing Orleans and WNY medical history.

Ballard developed an exhibit this year about World War I. “The Great War” has been overshadowed by the second World War that followed about two decades later. The service and sacrifice in the first World War isn’t fully appreciated locally or nationally, Ballard said.

Provided photo – The Cobblestone Society Museum owns this fox that was stuffed by Akeley when he was 16 and living in Clarendon.

Ballard also is excited about a joint restoration effort with the Clarendon Historical Society. They are working together to have a fox restored that was originally stuffed by famed taxidermist Carl Akeley.

When he was 16 and living in Clarendon, he stuffed a fox, which later was donated to the Cobblestone Society Museum. The fox spent years in a glass case inside Farmers’ Hall.

The museum and the Clarendon Historical Society are working to have the 135-year-old fox cleaned and put in an air-tight display.

5 historic sites on 98 join for ‘Museum Crawl’ on Saturday

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 30 September 2014 at 12:00 am

Provided photo – Three of the five museum leaders are pictured for the Museum Crawl from Batavia to Point Breeze on Saturday. Pictured, from left, include Amy Vlack from the Elba Historical Society Museum, Jeff Donahue from the Holland Land Office Museum in Batavia, and Sarah Karas from The Cobblestone Museum.

Five historic sites along Route 98, from Batavia to Point Breeze, are joining for their first “Museum Crawl” on Saturday. Participants can buy one ticket for $5 and get access to all five sites.

The museums all tell an American story, from the birthplace of Western New York at the Holland Land Office Museum in Batavia to sites that showcase architecture, home life, agriculture, a schoolhouse and even outhouses from more than a century ago.

“I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to partner with some of the local historical organizations in our community,” said Sarah Karas, co-director of the Cobblestone Museum. “It is a great way to support each other.”

The Cobblestone Museum includes several historic structures. The museum has been declared a National Historic Landmark. The Holland Land Office Museum also has that lofty designation.

The DAR House in Albion is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. That site will be included on the Museum Crawl, and so will the Elba Historical Society Museum and Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum.

Karas highlighted some of the features from each site:

The Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum, completed in 2010, is the first lighthouse built on the Great Lakes in 100 years.

The Cobblestone Museum preserves the unique cobblestone masonry style and life during the 1800s.

The Orleans County Chapter DAR House is a Greek revival building with period furnishings and contains early Orleans County artifacts.

The Elba Historical Society Museum is full of local artifacts and information, including the designation as the location of the first rural mail route in the country.

The Holland Land Office Museum, which occupies the historic Holland Land Office Company Building, contains a rich history of how Western New York was settled.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The Cobblestone Museum is a National Historic Landmark, the only site in Orleans County with that status from the U.S. Departent of the Interior.

“Each museum brings their own unique charm to the tour,” Karas said. “None of them are the same, so you will be learning something new at each one.”

The crawl runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, with the exception of the DAR House, which will be open from 12:30 to 5 p.m. for the event. (The DAR House will be open at 11:30 a.m. for a presentation on the Clarendon Historical Society and Cobblestone Museum’s efforts to restore a red fox that was stuffed 134 years ago by famed taxidermist Carl Akeley when he was only 16. The Cobblestone Museum owns the Akeley fox.)

“This will be a great opportunity to learn about local history,” said Diane Palmer, vice regent for the DAR and also a board member for the Cobblestone Museum. “People can stop by places they may have intended to visit but haven’t taken the time.”

The Cobblestone Museum is also hosting children’s author Cynthia Cotten for a book signing. Her book “Window Across Time” will be available for purchase at the museum. Cotton lives along the canal in Lockport. Her book spans almost two centuries, and consists of eight stories linked together by a cobblestone house in a fictional small town on the Erie Canal. Through the eyes of the young people who live there, readers get a look inside (or a window to) both large and small moments in the history of the house, Western New York and the United States.

Photo by Tom Rivers – The DAR House, at the corner of Route 98 and Linwood Avenue, will be open to the public from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the Museum Crawl.

Passbooks for the Crawl are $5 per person or $10 per family. They can be purchased pre-sale or day of the event at each museum and two local participating businesses: Bindings Bookstore in Albion and Chap’s Diner in Elba.

Participants will have their passbook stamped at each museum. Once all five stamps are collected, a certificate will be given that can be redeemed at one of the five local restaurants offering special promotions for Crawl participants. The restaurants participating this year include Oliver’s Candies, Chap’s Diner, The Crooked Door, Tillman’s Village Inn and the Black North. Crawl finishers will also be entered to win a souvenir basket from each museum.

The museums can be visited in any order at any time throughout the day. However, organizers suggest starting at either the Oak Orchard Lighthouse Museum or the Holland Land Office Museum and working your way through the museums in a linear fashion.

“It is a great way to get out and support your local museums, culture, and history while also having a good time.,” Karas said. “We hope to expand it out next year to make it even bigger and better.”

Clarendon will celebrate famous son

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 May 2014 at 12:00 am

Program will highlight Carl Akeley, famed taxidermist, on his 150^th birthday

Provided photos – Carl Akeley is pictured with a leopard in Africa that he killed with his bare hands after it attacked him.

CLARENDON – The Clarendon Historical Society is planning one of its biggest events ever in honor of the 150^th birthday of the town’s most famous son.

Carl Akeley, a world renown taxidermist and inventor, will be the focus of a May 21 event at the Clarendon Recreation Hall. The event starts at 7 p.m. and will include Jay Kirk, author of a book about Akeley called “Kingdom Under Glass.” Copies of the book will be for sale.

The cover of Kirk’s book: “Kingdom Under Glass.” The Clarendon Historical Society will be selling copies of the book on May 21.

Akeley grew up on Hinds Road. He made many safaris to Africa and became an advocate for preserving Africa’s wildlife.

“He is considered the Father of Taxidermy,” said Historical Society member Erin Anheier. “He made it an artform.”

The Cobblestone Society Museum has a fox stuffed by a young Carl Akeley, which will be displayed as part of the May 21 event.

Jay Kirk, author of the Carl Akeley biography “Kingdom Under Glass,” will be the featured speaker on May 21st during a program about Akeley, a Clarendon native.

Kirk, the author, chronicles Akeley’s life during the golden age of safaris in the early 20^th Century. Akeley created the famed African Hall at New York’s Museum of Natural History.

“He was concerned about saving animals, especially the giant gorillas in Africa,” Anheier said. “He collected and stuffed the animals for scientific purposes.”

Akeley’s adventures connected him with Theodore Roosevelt, P.T. Barnum and George Eastman. Akeley died in 1926 and is buried in Africa.

“We were talking about programs for the year at the Historical Society, looking at what’s unique about Clarendon,” Anheier said. “Carl Akeley is the most famous person ever from Clarendon.”