This image of a newly built Opera House is from the 1879 Illustrated History of Orleans County. Note there originally were three balconies: two on the front of the building and one over the West Center Street stairway entrance.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 21

This portrait of Don C. Bent also is from the Illustrated Historical Album of Orleans County in 1879.

MEDINA – In the late nineteenth century, the construction of opera houses proliferated in small towns throughout the country. Generally located in prime downtown locations, these buildings were mixed-use with commercial or retail premises on the ground floor, performance or meeting space above. Few, if any, of these opera houses ever hosted classical opera performances but were so named to claim culture and sophistication.

Bent’s Opera House in Medina was opened to the public on Feb. 28, 1865. Named for its builder, Don Carlos Bent, it has seen many incarnations over the years and still retains its imposing presence as a Main Street anchor. Though Bent died in 1875, his name and legacy endure. Purchased in 2016 by Roger Hungerford and his wife, Heather, the building has since been fully restored.

Don Carlos Bent was born on December 2, 1815, the youngest son of Elijah and Susanah Bent. Some sources cite his birthplace as Orleans, Jefferson County, NY, while others list Shelby, Orleans County. At any rate, the Bents were early settlers in Shelby. Elijah was present at the first town meeting held at Ellicott’s Mill in Shelby on April 7, 1818.

In 1833, he purchased property located on the curve on the approach to Shelby Center. The family built a distinctive home there which still stands at 4536 South Gravel Rd. According to information provided by Miss Edith Colman, whose family later owned the property, the current gambrel roofed barn was constructed in 1928-29 and “was paid for just before the banks closed.”

Don C. Bent inherited the house and 100-acre farm in 1847. He and his wife Hannah Drew had one daughter, Frances M., who predeceased him. Mr. Bent bequeathed the farm of 100 acres to his two granddaughters, Julia M. Gates and Anna B. Gates, “share and share alike.”

He bequeathed the remainder of his estate to his wife Hannah. At the time of his death in 1875, his granddaughters were aged 14 and 13. Julia married Dr. DeWitt Green of Buffalo  on June 10, 1885. Walter Colman purchased the property from Julia in 1908 for $6,438. (E. Colman).

Mr. Bent had other business interests besides farming. He had acquired the strategic Main Street corner property in 1854 following a fire which had demolished the previous structure. Opened to the public on Feb. 28, 1865, Medina’s opera house was “larger than Ringuberg Hall in Lockport, Boardwell’s in Albion and slightly larger than the Corinthian Hall in Rochester.” A history of the Opera House prepared by Orleans Renaissance Group in 2013 chronicles the range and variety of shows, performances and meetings hosted in the dramatic third floor public hall.

The first floor has been home to a variety of businesses over the years: Fred A. Sheeley’s Opera House Pharmacy in the 1890’s, Theodorakos Brothers candy, confectionary and ice cream establishment in the 1900’s and subsequent Olympia Lunch operated by the Calafates Brothers.  The W. T. Grant variety store occupied the space from 1945 to the early 1970’s when it relocated to the new Maple Ridge Plaza.

Liberty National Bank opened a branch on the first floor in 1972. The location survived several corporate takeovers and name changes: Liberty National Bank, Norstar Bank, Fleet Bank and finally Bank of America which closed in 2009.

Our photographs chronicle some of these changes:

Bedecked in bunting for Old Home Week, August 19-26, 1906

All quiet on Main St., this photo must have been taken on a Sunday. Heritage Men’s Shop, to the north of Bent’s helped date this photo to the late 1970s – early 1980s.

Don C. Bent is buried in Boxwood Cemetery, along with his wife, Hannah, and his parents Elijah and Susanna.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Tim Archer speaks on May 16 at Pierce-Smith Pioneer Cemetery on Hulberton Road which includes the burials of a Revolutionary War soldier, Civil War vets and many early residents. Two historical markers were unveiled that day at the cemetery. Albion student Caleb Wolfe stands by Archer. In the back are regiment flags from the Revolutionary War. They were brought by the Rochester chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Press Release, Orleans County Historical Association

GAINES – As we continue to celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, we hope you can join us for a special program on July 29 about Revolutionary War veterans buried in Orleans County.

Tim Archer will be our guest speaker for the Orleans County Historical Association. He will share stories and information he learned from his extensive research. He had help from two Albion Middle School students, Luci Borello and Sutton Sanders.

Archer said it wasn’t easy tracking some of these soldiers down – many cemeteries from that time have since closed, but the team was able to confirm 65 proven burials.

The July 29 program begins at 7 p.m. at the Gaines Basin Cobblestone Schoolhouse, 3286 Gaines Basin Road, Albion. There is no cost but donations are gratefully accepted.

2026 HISTORY TALKS REMAINING

August 26th – Songs and Stories of the Erie Canal, with Don Dwyer

September 30th – The Burned Over District Part II – The Fire Was Not Easily Extinguished, with Doug Miller

October 28th – Neat Stuff from the Hoag Library, with Dee Robinson

AUGUST CEMETERY TOURS

August 2 – Maple Ridge Cemetery with Catherine Cooper

August 9 – Boxwood Cemetery with Todd Bensley

August 16 – Beechwood Cemetery with Lydia Richardson, Dave Gaudioso and Bill Lattin

August 23 – Otter Creek Cemetery with Adrienne Kirby

August 30 – Mt. Albion Cemetery with Sue Starkweather Miller and Bill Lattin (The four American Revolution soldiers buried in the cemetery will be highlighted.)

Softball games, dancing contests and egg-throwing competition among the events

These husbands at right appear to relish throwing raw eggs to their spouses who appear to be a little more apprehensive.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

Illuminating Orleans – Volume 6, No. 20

MEDINA – On Wednesday, July 28, 1948, just before 9 a.m., some 1,300 Heinz employees and family members boarded buses at the Heinz plant on Park Ave. in Medina and travelled to Olcott Beach for the company’s summer family outing.

The H.J. Heinz Company first opened a cider mill in Medina in 1899 and later expanded to vegetable and tomato processing. It was the largest employer in the area and regularly hosted “employee appreciation” events.

That sunny day in 1948 was perfect for swimming and boating on the lake. A variety of games, races and sporting events entertained participants and spectators alike. Softball teams captained by George Maryjanowski and John Brennan played a hotly contested softball game which ended with a 3-2 score in favor of Maryjanowski’s team. Helen Levanduski and Mary Stawicki captained the ladies’ teams, with Levanduski’s team winning 16-2.

Dance contests were held in the afternoon. Josephine Grabowski and Julian Kwiatkowski were deemed the best waltzers, Mary Mondo and Douglas Kilbourn, the best jitterbugs.

Hattie Budzizewski and Rose Chandler were best in the polka competition. Attendees were provided with free tickets for rides, concessions and refreshments.

Many brought picnic lunches. Cash attendance prizes were given away throughout the day. Members of the organizing committee served free coffee and lemonade.

Robert M. Stack was general chairman of the event and was assisted by George Becker, Charles Ingersoll, William Hickey, Louis Gillmeister and others.

One of the more unusual contests was the raw egg throwing contest for couples. Participants were encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to “get even.” Remarkably, there were no “direct hits.”

(Left) Robert M. Stack, event organizer presents a prize to Mary Vahoviak, winner of the Mystery Person contest. (Right) Theresa Mondo and Anna Mae Beyer hold the dolls they won in the rope-skipping contest.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

 “Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 19

Invitation to an Independence Ball held in Gaines, July 4, 1848.

GAINES – In 1848, residents of Gaines celebrated the July 4th holiday at an Independence Ball, held at the Assembly Rooms. Hamilton’s Cotillion Band provided the music.

In 1849, residents of Medina celebrated the holiday “with the usual ceremonies of the day: the ringing of bells, the firing of canons, processions, music, readings, orations, toasts and fine words.” In Carlton, boat excursions were available at the Oak Orchard Harbor while landlubbers enjoyed “dancing on the green.”

In 1850, activities at Oak Orchard harbor began with a national salute at sunrise, excursions on the lake and a display of fireworks in the evening.

In 2026, Orleans County residents continued the tradition of celebrating Independence Day with processions, music, and activities, ending with a display of fireworks in the evening.

This year, we had the added element of marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The document was read aloud at some venues.

If you were unable to attend a reading, you may access the text at https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript.

File photo: Terry C. Abrams, a resident of the Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is shown speaking in may 2024 at the Cobblestone schoolhouse in Gaines. He was one of the presenters during the Leadership Orleans program. Abrams will speak today at 7 p.m. at the Gaines Basin Cobblestone Schoolhouse – 3286 Gaines Basin Rd. in Albion.

Press Release, Orleans County Historical Association

GAINES – The signing of the Declaration of Independence, the subsequent Revolutionary War and the politics of the post-war years had a profound impact on the Native American population.

The Orleans County Historical Association has invited Terry C. Abrams, a resident of the Tonawanda Indian reservation, to speak on the topic ”The Haudenosaunee Perspective of NY 250” today at 7 p.m. in the Gaines Basin Cobblestone Schoolhouse (3286 Gaines Basin Road, Albion).

Abrams is the Curator and Collections Manager for the Niagara County Historical Society and a member of the Council on Iroquois Research. He lectures frequently on issues pertaining to Native American history.

This free event is open to the public. All are invited to attend.

Future History Talks

• July 1 – “Revolutionary War Veterans: Sharing their Stories.” The program will be at 6:30 p.m. at Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Hall and will be presented by Deborah Wood, the Murray Town Historian.

The following programs will begin at 7 p.m. at the Gaines Basin Cobblestone Schoolhouse:

• July 29: “Soldiers Who Served in the Revolution from Orleans County” with Tim Archer

• Aug. 26: “Songs and Stories of the Erie Canal” with Don Dwyer

• Sept. 30: “The Burned Over District Part II-The Fire Was Not Easily Distinguished” with Doug Miller

• Oct. 28:  “Neat Stuff from the Hoag Library History Collections” with Dee Robinson

Bruce Burch (sporting dahlias on his lapel), Harry Hillman (center) and Norma Wheeler photographed in 1928 with the West Lyndonville Dahlia Gardens sign.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 18

LYNDONVILLE – It never ceases to amaze us how random photographs can survive and surface after many years to give us a tantalizing glimpse into a moment in time.  Naturally this happy photograph caught our attention. And, wonder of wonders, it was dated and the and the subjects were identified.

But Dahlia Gardens? West Lyndonville??

West Lyndonville was at one time recognized as a distinct area.

For some years, a local correspondent contributed news of area milestones and social activities to the Lyndonville Advertiser.

The 1920s has been referred to as the “golden age” of dahlia breeding as the variety and intensity of colors and forms appealed to the Art Deco Jazz Age aesthetic.

We traced the history of the West Lyndonville Dahlia Gardens through advertisements and news articles. Appropriately, the enterprise dates from that time. The first reference appeared in the Times-Union, Sept. 13, 1924:

“Perhaps the most beautiful colors of dahlias in this vicinity can be seen in Mrs. H. P. Wheeler’s garden in West Lyndonville. Every conceivable color is there, from the lighter shades to blossoms that are almost black. The flowers are large and the double-quilled ones, one variety of which is called the “Country Girl” is especially beautiful.”

Sue Starkweather Miller, Village of Albion Historian, is a dahlia enthusiast. Shown here are some of the dahlias she has grown. The varied forms include semi-cactus, ball, and water-lily.

An ad in The Buffalo News, September 26, 1931, mentioned 400 varieties of dahlia in full bloom at the gardens. What a sight that must have been! Dahlia blossoms are intensely vibrant in the fall.

Pinpointing the actual location of this idyllic garden was a puzzle. To those of us now accustomed to precise directions, the instructions given in the ads were delightfully vague: “One and one fourth miles south-east of Lyndonville” or “Take the first three left-hand turns after passing north through Lyndonville and crossing the railroad.”

Finally, we located the Wheeler property in the 1913 New Century Atlas of Orleans County at the intersection of Angling Road and Marshall Road.

The lady responsible for the dahlia gardens was Mrs. H.P. Wheeler (Lena Boughton). She was listed as a florist in the 1930 Census. Tubers, bulbs and fresh-cut flowers could be purchased at the gardens. Gladioli were added in later years. The business continued until 1943.

Lena died in 1963. She and her husband, Harry Wheeler, are buried in Hartland Central Cemetery, Gasport.

Early appeal of site: ‘No beer or liquors may be sold on any part of this property’

In 2004, the Oak Orchard Harbor Light Committee reprinted the marketing booklet originally produced by the Oak Orchard-on-the-Lake Committee.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 17

CARLTON – “Here we escape the Summer’s heat

And gain new life and strength”

Around the turn of the last century, the lucrative potential of Orleans County’s assets attracted a variety of speculators. In 1911, a group of New York city investors who had incorporated as the Western New York Farm Company, acquired a large swath of swamp land in the southern end of the county and developed it for agricultural purposes.

Prior to that, in 1891, a group of Buffalo area businessmen incorporated as the Oak Orchard-on -the-Lake Company and purchased four hundred acres of land located on the west bank of Oak Orchard Harbor and along the south shore of Lake Ontario.

With a General Office at 39 Chapin Block in Buffalo, the Officers and Directors of the company were: Edwards D. Emerson, President; George T. Wardwell, Vice-President; Frank E. Sickels, Secretary and Charles H. Robinson, Treasurer. Emerson was a Standard Oil manager in Buffalo, Wardwell and Sickels were Buffalo attorneys, while Robinson was chairman of the J.L. Hudson Company, Buffalo clothiers.

As they described it “the land gently slopes toward the lake and for nearly a mile is bounded by a beautiful unbroken sandy beach that allows unobstructed access to the water of the lake.” The property also included water frontage of three quarters of a mile on Oak Orchard Creek “one of the most picturesque streams in Western New York.”

 “The lake and creek fronts of this property will be offered for summer homes, while the remaining land will be so worked as to be a never-failing source from which cottagers can draw those necessities which are required for the refreshing of ‘the inner man.’”

The promotional booklet’s flowery prose extols the joys of cottage life, “the unexcelled advantages which it offers for sports, boating and bathing; of the pure air and cool breezes which it furnishes its cottagers; of its healthfulness, freedom from dangers for children; of the social life, refined and yet jolly, which characterizes the place…”

The company had a local office at 2 Swan’s Block in Albion. Dwight C. Beckwith, a wholesale apple shipper and lumber merchant was the local General Manger.

The lake and creek frontage was subdivided into building lots, each with a minimum of fifty feet of frontage. Lot prices ranged from $100 upwards. Generous terms were offered: “We shall be content with a small cash payment and the balance in small weekly or monthly installments.”

Recognizing the desirability of a water view, the company produced a layout which set the streets at right angles from the shoreline. This, combined with a gradual rise from the water’s edge, assured each cottage an unobstructed view.

A promotional article in the Times-Union, May 23, 1892, claimed that “the special feature which will render this a most desirable summer resort is that no beer or liquors may be sold on any part of this property.” In the summer of 1897, the Buffalo News reported that the cottages at Oak Orchard-on-the-Lake are filled to overflowing.”

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Vol. 6, No. 15

HOLLEY – Previous columns have highlighted Orleans County ladies who braved the conditions of war to serve as teachers or nurses:

Civil War nurse Lydia S. Johnson of Lyndonville, Minnie Goodnow of Albion, a surgical nurse in France during World War I and Irene Gibson of Holley whose fluency in French qualified her to instruct French cadets in navigation during World War II.

Yet another candidate may be added to that list: Sara Shaw of Holley who served as a nurse in two wars and later had a distinguished career in the efforts to eliminate tuberculosis. Born on April 30, 1871, Sara was the daughter of Dennis and Ella (White) Shaw. She trained as a nurse at Bellevue Hospital in New York, a program established in 1873 which adhered to the principles of Florence Nightingale’s and emphasized strict hygienic standards.

In 1898, Sara joined the American Red Cross and was one of early volunteers for service in the Spanish-American War. She was one of nine nurses dispatched to a US Army camp in Tampa, Fla. to treat an outbreak of typhoid fever.

During the Spanish-American War, Nurse Shaw was stationed in Puerto Rico and Cuba. Conditions were far from ideal. Nurses worked 14-hour shifts and diligently tried to maintain sanitary conditions. They operated in makeshift tents, overcrowded buildings and finally, on board the S.S. Lampasas which became a hospital ship. She recalled the many deaths.

Sara Shaw of Holley responded to the American Red Cross appeal for nurses.

“It was necessary to bury the soldiers at sea, and one of our young  doctors read the burial service, and the sisters held the Flag over the bodies.”

None of the nurses in that campaign were killed in combat, but 153 died of disease. Sara contracted typhoid fever and returned home to Holley to recuperate. While on leave, she was presented with a diamond ring by the Red Cross for her service in Puerto Rico and Cuba.

The American Red Cross was not officially recognized by the U.S. Army before the Spanish-American War, but the organization’s efficiency during that campaign made it clear to the Army that trained nurses were a necessity in war. Accordingly, each of the nurses who had served were recognized as members of the Army.

In March 1899, Nurse Shaw was one of a contingent of nurses serving officially with the U.S. 7th Army Corps who left for Manila in the Philippines, a journey of over forty days through the Suez Canal. Arriving in the middle of the Insurrection, the nurses set up a hospital in a convent in Manila where they dealt with epidemics of typhoid fever and malaria.

Following her return to the U.S., Sara worked as a private nurse for several years, then later accepted a position  at Bellevue Hospital in 1909. Active again in World War I, she was appointed Chief Nurse of the Italian Commission of the American Red Cross in 1917. Shaw established a nursing center in Milan and supervised nurses in six Red Cross hospitals that served American servicemen in Italy and Sicily.

Sara returned to work at Bellevue in June 1919 and was Director of Nursing in the Tuberculosis Clinic until her retirement in June 1940. Over the years, she maintained her connection with Holley and frequently returned to holiday with family members. Her death on Feb. 5, 1948  was the subject of a New York Times obituary. She is buried in Hillside Cemetery, Holley.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 14

Gary E. Bullock, who died in the Vietnam War at age 24, is shown as a schoolboy in Holley.

HOLLEY – Memorial Day, the national holiday which honors American military personnel who died in service, was celebrated annually on May 30 from its inception in 1868 until 1971 when federal legislation changed its  observance to the last Monday in May.

This year, Memorial Day was celebrated on May 25, the earliest date possible for this calendar occurrence. The next time the holiday will be as early as this will be 2037.

Originally referred to as Decoration Day, the first official observance took place at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. The first nationwide observance of Decoration Day was in 1870.

On that year in Albion, a sizeable Military Procession convened at the Courthouse Square under the direction of the Chief Marshal, Col. E. M. Spaulding. Preceded by Hadley’s military band, it processed to Mt. Albion Cemetery.

Following prayers, the grave of each Civil War casualty was decorated while Captain Thomas Bell gave a brief military history of each of the deceased. The procession then reformed formally and marched back to the Courthouse Square where it was dismissed. Flowers for the decoration of the graves had been contributed and assembled at  the Grand Jury Room in the Courthouse on the morning of the parade.

Recently, the paper records of Spec. 4 Gary E. Bullock were donated to the Holley Depot Museum. A slim file, it poignantly illustrates the human cost of war.  The file contains records of his birth and education, photographs, military records, death, burial and insurance records, as well as carefully clipped newspaper articles, now yellowing.

The only son of Mr. & Mrs. Dayton C. (Lolita) Bullock of 85 S. Main St. in Holley, Gary E. Bullock, aged 24, was killed in  action in South Vietnam on Tuesday, January 31, 1967, when a bunker collapsed on him. His enlistment was almost over. He had been looking forward to leaving Vietnam on February 27. He was the fourth of the nine casualties of the war from Holley.

The “Statement of Casualty” announces that Gary Bullock died on Jan. 31, 1967 in Vietnam “as the result of injuries received while in a bunker which collapsed on him.”

The “Final Disposition” telegram. Spec. 4 Gary E. Bullock is buried in Hillside Cemetery, Holley.  (Material courtesy of Kim Dalheim)

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 13

RIDGEWAY – Our photo at top shows Fred Grey’s white horse and surrey standing south of the Universalist Church, at 3064 North Gravel Rd. in Ridgeway.

Mr. Grey was the husband of Mary Pells, a granddaughter of Seymour Murdock, an early settler and one of the founding members of this church. A sandstone stepping-stone was conveniently placed by the corner at the front of the church. Drive barns, which would have provided shelter for horses and buggies, can be seen at the rear of the church.

“We, the inhabitants of the towns of Ridgeway and Yates, at a meeting at the house of Jasper Murdock on the 14th day of December 1833, organized as the First Universalist Society of the Towns of Ridgeway and Yates.”

Seymour B. Murdock, Philo Elmer, Daniel Hunt, Samuel Bidleman and Nathan Sawyer were the trustees of this newly incorporated church. At this first organizational meeting they also voted to raise $1,000 to build a church by January 1, 1835.

Julia Perry, wife of the entrepreneurial Joseph Perry who was a postmaster, shipping agent, and owner of the hotel and tavern at Ridgeway Corners, donated the site for the new church. The site was on the west side of what is now North Gravel Road, just south of the intersection with Route 104.

Contributions were solicited and pews were auctioned to raise money for the construction. Pew prices ranged from $10 to $65, while contributions ranged from $5 to $100.

The Universalist Church at Ridgeway was dedicated in June 1835 by Rev. L.L. Sadler. Rev. Charles Hammond was the first Universalist preacher at Ridgeway. He divided his time between Ridgeway and the Universalist Church in Middleport.

Ridgeway Universalist Church in the early 1950s

This small but active congregation celebrated its centennial on December 14, 1933. But as time went by it became more difficult to find pastors. Services were discontinued in 1961 following a period of decline. The New York State Convention of Universalists took over the building in 1961 and sold it to Faith Bible Baptist Church in September 1973.

Firefighters from Ridgeway, Lyndonville and Medina battled the early morning fire at the Faith Bible Baptist Church, with assistance from East Shelby and Middleport.

On October 11, 1993, a fire of unknown origin destroyed the 160-year-old structure. In June 1994, the Middleport construction company of Barden and Robeson started construction at the site of the original church. The new 7,400 square foot Faith Bible Baptist Church was dedicated on Sunday, January 8, 1995.

‘He subsisted for 15 days on a pint of flour and a dog’s liver’

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 12

MURRAY – This bronze marker set on a millstone is located at the northeast corner of the junction of Routes 104 and 237 in the Town of Murray.

It was dedicated on October 12, 1932, by members of the Orleans Chapter DAR and the Jewell Buckman American Legion Post in Holley. It commemorates “the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of George Washington and the Men Who Fought in the American Revolution and Sleep in the Town of Murray.”

Many of the early settlers of Orleans County were Revolutionary War veterans or the sons of veterans. In other instances, aging parents later came to live with their families. An estimated 65 Revolutionary War soldiers are buried in Orleans County.

The Orleans Chapter of the DAR and the Rochester Chapter of the SAR have maintained records of these burials. In addition, Luci Borello and Sutton Sanders, two students from the Albion Middle School, have researched and presented a list of the Revolutionary War veterans buried in Orleans County with the guidance of their teacher, Tim Archer. They also obtained graveside markers for unmarked graves and replaced a damaged headstone.

They will present their findings on Saturday, May 16, at 10:30 am at the Pierce-Smith Pioneer Cemetery at 3960 Hulberton Road in Holley. This event is open to the public.

During this current year-long recognition of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, there has been a renewed interest in the wartime experiences of the Continental Army soldiers.

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the National Park Service have created a Citizen Archivist Mission project to assist in the transcription of the 80,000 pension application records on file. Perhaps you may be interested? https://www.archives.gov/citizen-archivist/missions

Adam Tabelski, a former mayor of Medina who now lives in Batavia, has contributed several transcriptions of the experiences of these veterans buried in Orleans County to the Orleans County Department of History records:

John Percival (1754-1837)

According to his pension deposition in 1833, Percival saw much action during the war. He enlisted on May 16, 1775, with a Massachusetts company under General Heath and was involved in the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775. He volunteered for the ill-fated Continental Army expedition to Quebec under Col. Benedict Arnold later in 1775. He testified that:

“They were supplied with Boats to carry their Baggage and provisions (at Fort Winslow) and they went up the river through a dreary wilderness. The river was very rapid, and the soldiers were obliged to wade and push the boats upstream. In many cases, the boats were taken out of the River and carried upon their shoulders…..At this time they were in the greatest distress for the want of provisions. He himself subsisted 15 days on a pint of flour and a dog’s liver.”

He was part of the group that retreated following the unsuccessful attack on Quebec. In 1777, he was involved in the burning of two British schooners and the fortifications at Fort George as well as the destruction of bridges and felling of trees tin an effort to  deter the advance of General Burgoyne’s troops. Later he was “out on one or two short alarums after Tories and Indians”. He testified that he never received any of his monthly wages except for the Quebec Expedition. Apparently, the Continental paper money soldiers occasionally received as pay for service was often worthless.

Two of Percival’s sons resided in Orleans County: Montgomery in the Town of Carlton and Samuel in the Town of Gaines. In 1824, Samuel built the hotel/tavern which is still in operation currently as  the Tavern on the Ridge, formerly the Village Inn.

John Percival is buried in Gaines Cemetery.

Robinson Smith (1761-1828)

Smith enlisted in the Continental Army in 1782 and served in General Washington’s Life Guard, a unit of the Continental Army, about 180 strong, which protected Washinton as well as the money and papers of the Continental Army. Smith was discharged in 1784. He applied for a pension in 1818 and was awarded $8 per month. Eligible to reapply in 1820, he had to cite financial need. His testimony gives a vivid description of the difficulties of the times.

By 1820, he was a farmer with a wife and four children. He could do little labor as he was “badly ruptured.” His debt amounted to $30. His itemized possessions were indeed meagre  and included 3 old axes and 3 old hoes, 1 sickle, 1 barrel and 3 old common chairs.

Robinson Smith is buried in Pierce-Smith Cemetery, Hulburton. In July 1939, the Lemuel Cook Chapter Sons of the American Revolution unveiled an official marker at his grave in recognition of his services for the Life Guard.

Please note that Patrice Birner of the Orleans County DAR will speak about the DAR and the NY250 Centennial Celebration at the Gaines-Basin Cobblestone Schoolhouse, 3286 Gaines-Basin Road, Albion, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 28. This is an Orleans County Historical Association program.

492 bottles of beer seized from Kendall Hotel in 1914

Photo from Orleans County Department of History: This photo of the Kendall Hotel is dated 1935. Opened in 1901, the building escaped several destructive village fires. Later known as the Kendall Inn, it is now a restaurant named The Grove 1848.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 11

KENDALL – The Kendall Agricultural Club, which assembled at the Kendall Hotel in 1913-1914, played a role in the Temperance campaign leading up to Prohibition.

As early as 1912, six of the ten towns of Orleans County were “dry” or “no-license” to use the parlance of the day, meaning that the sale of alcohol was prohibited in these jurisdictions. The energetic lobbying efforts of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (W.C.T.U.) had secured these local victories.

However, not all residents were in favor of these restrictions. Taking advantage of a loophole in the 1896 NYS Liquor License Law, Farmers or Agricultural Clubs were organized in dry towns. One such was the Kendall Agricultural Club.

Incorporated in the summer of 1913, it had the stated goal of “the scientific study of agriculture and horticulture, the effect of insectivorous pests” and other farming questions. Club members were allowed access to the two hotel rooms rented at the Kendall Hotel. Members who paid $1 were given a ticket which allowed them 20 bottles of beer. They could also fill out continuous order vouchers directing the Bartholomew Brewing Company to deliver them one case of beer weekly.

Soon there were four other flourishing Farmer’s Agricultural Clubs in the county, three in the town of Gaines and one in Lyndonville.

However, the Temperance League was a force to be reckoned with. An article in the Buffalo Sunday Morning News of Feb. 8, 1914, mentions that the Orleans County Temperance League held their meeting with church temperance organizations to discuss lobbying plans for upcoming local elections at the Court House in Albion.

The article also mentions that several detectives had been employed by temperance leaders of the Town of Kendall to conduct investigations. Shortly after their departure, on January 16, 1914, Constable Louis J. Cady of the Town of Kendall filed a petition with the Supreme Court Justice, Cuthbert W. Pound, alleging that Warren C. Miller, Ida C. Miller, Ray Miller and Garret Rocque had liquor at the Kendall Hotel for the purpose of unlawful sale and distribution.

The following day, Constable William C. Singleton of the Town of Ridgeway seized 492 bottles of beer and one bottle containing whiskey from the Kendall Hotel.

In response, Norman Lindaler, Oscar Lind, William Scheplar, John H. Scheplar, Atley Stevens,  John J. Norton, Ray R. Miller, Thomas Jeffrey, William Scheik, Garret Recqua, Henry Scheik, Otto Greinke, Henry Scheplar, Charles Backus and Cornelius Fenner, each filed a claim that they were part owners of the seized beer.

They said that they were members of the Kendall Agricultural Club, a duly incorporated club, and that they each had their own beer at the hotel lawfully, that it was for their personal consumption, and not for sale or distribution.

Medina Daily Journal headline, Feb. 3, 1914

At a hearing at the Court House in Albion on February 16, 1914, Supreme Court Justice Cuthbert W. Pound of Lockport presided over the case of the State Commissioner of Excise against the 492 seized bottles of beer. An unusual case, it had no precedent in the district. At issue was whether “Agricultural Clubs” were operating as a pretext for the unlawful sale of alcohol and avoiding the excise tax law.

The four members of the club who testified confirmed the social aspects of their activities, though none could remember any occasion on which they actually discussed any aspect of agriculture.

Judge Pound heard the evidence of Raymond Miller, who conducted the Club, and of four members of the club whose testimony confirmed the social aspects of their activities. He then took the case from the jury and directed that “it appears without dispute that this alcohol was kept within the state for unlawful distribution and that the jury is directed to take proper judgement for seizure of the same and its turning over to the State Excise Dept. to be auctioned off according to the new law by that department.”

He also stated that he did not think that there was any evidence to show that Raymond Miller was guilty of unlawful selling of beer. He directed that the Kendall Agricultural Club and similar organizations were “illegal and had been perfected for the purpose of trafficking in liquors and the evasion of liquor tax law” (Buf. Enq., 2-17-14)

New York State Excise Commissioner Farley hailed the verdict as a severe blow to the evasion of the law by these so called “clubs” and in the enforcement of excise laws in dry towns.

More than 5,000 residents in Orleans have Irish descent

A postcard view of the port of Queenstown, later Cobh (cove), on the south coast of Ireland, the disembarkation point for many emigrants to the US from 1815 through the early 1930s.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 10

At one minute past midnight on April 18, 2026, the long-awaited digitized version of the 1926 Irish Census was made available by the National Archives of Ireland, to the delight of family researchers and genealogists worldwide.

One hundred years prior, on the night of April 18, 1926, householders in each home in the 26 counties of Ireland filled out a detailed census form. These handwritten forms are now available for view. In combination, they provide a detailed view of life at the time.

Orleans County is within the 8th percentile of New York State counties for Irish population density, with 5,369 residents or 13.5% of the total county population of Irish descent, according to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey data, so the availability of this census will be of interest.

The 1926 Census is significant because it was the first census conducted by the newly established Irish Free State. A prior census had been conducted in 1911 by the British government. There had been great upheaval in the intervening years – World War I, the Irish War of Independence, the Irish Civil War.

Though we now take it for granted, digital access to census records is phenomenal and nothing short of miraculous to those of us who served time in those ante-diluvian pre-computer days.

The online version of the 1926 Irish Census comes complete with “bells and whistles.” The forms recorded twenty-one pieces of information: name, age, occupation, religion, housing, ability to speak or read Irish. One can search by last name, first name, town, townland or electoral division.

If you click on “View Household Record,” you will see details of all of those who resided in that house on the night of April 18, 1926.

Click on “Household Form A1” to view an original view of the form, complete with the signature of the head of the household.

The data provided is linked to the 1924 Ordnance Survey map. Just toggle to “View Map” to zoom in and see with increasing detail the counties, townlands, and even outlines of fields.

You can see how many O’ Brien’s there were in Cork (5,537), or how many men in the country were named Patrick (182,070), whether your Aunt Julia was older or younger than your Aunt Molly, or find out that your cousin Bud’s name was actually Kevin, or view the residents of a street or village.

If your ancestors left Ireland in the 1920s (as many of those who fought on the side of the Anti-Treaty during the Civil War were obliged to do, finding themselves boycotted from employment), then you will see your family members, grandparents, siblings and cousins listed.

If your ancestors left Ireland prior to the 1920s, chances are, you will still find relatives. If you only know a family name and a county, you can view the occurrences of that surname on the map.

Dive in, search “1926 Irish census”. Have fun!

Oak Orchard on a serene day, 1900

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 9

CARLTON – You may have heard of bass jumping out of the water.

But have you heard about bass jumping out of water and into a boat?

A recent Orleans Hub article about restocking fish at Oak Orchard reminded us of this true tale recorded by Helen Allen in the 1940’s. Allen was a Town of Carlton historian and a 50-year local correspondent for the Orleans Republican.

She interviewed many older residents and chronicled their recollections. John Podgers, a blacksmith, was one of her sources. At one time, he had a steamboat which he used to take passengers up and down the Oak Orchard Creek and out on Lake Ontario, charging ten cents a person. He told tales of sudden onset storms out on the lake and close calls coming into the harbor. Helen recorded and later published Podger’s absolutely true tale of the jumping bass:

JOHN PODGER’S JUMPING BASS

“One lovely summer evening, two couples from the Inn had engaged John to take them for a ride up and down the creek. They were very tired and had come to the Inn for a quiet rest. They brought banjos and mandolins with them and played and sang as they rode along. John said the music there on the water sounded beautiful and he was enjoying it immensely.

Suddenly the nocturnal harmony was shattered by a woman’s scream and the clatter of mandolins dropped to the bottom of the boat! He looked around to see what had happened. The two ladies had dropped their instruments and were crouched up on the seat. A big black bass was flopping about on the bottom of the boat. The ladies were still moaning in terror, but the men were too excited to notice.

“Will that fish jump out?” asked one.

“Well,” John said, “he jumped in so I guess he’ll jump out if he wants to.”

At that, the man made a lunge and grabbed the fish with both hands.

“I brought out fifty dollars’ worth of fishing tackles and have been fishing for a week without getting a bite,” he said, “and this fish is not getting away.”

The ladies wanted to go in but the men insisted John go up the creek again. The bass kept jumping and soon there were six big ones in the boat. By this time their wives were in hysterics and the men had to take them ashore.

One of the men found a pail to carry the fish in and he said to John, “Come up to the hotel with me for no one will believe me when I tell this story.”

At the Inn everyone admired the bass. They weighed them and found the six totaled eighteen pounds, but no one would believe that they had jumped into the boat. So, John was engaged to take all the men from the hotel on a fishing expedition the next evening. The two musical ladies were in such a state they had to be sent home but their husbands stayed to prove the truthfulness of their story.

The next evening, a jeering crowd of men rode up and down the creek for a time without anything happening, but when it became dark enough for the steamer’s headlight to shine clearly over the water, the bass started jumping again and several landed in the boat.

After that, John and his boat were in great demand. Guests from the hotels, cottages, neighbors and people from Albion and farther away went out nearly every night. Usually, the black bass were accommodating but sometimes there was disappointment as some friend or relative was brought from a distance to see the jumping fish and nary a one showed up.

One evening, Elder Brown, the Presbyterian minister was in the boat when a bass landed on the canopy on top of the boat, flopped about for a minute and then slid off the other side. When they went ashore that night, Elder Brown told his friends that the fish had now taken to jumping right over the boat.

Charles Hart hired a fishing boat and followed the steamer. Quite a crowd of men were in the two boats and John said that the black bass were in great jumping form that night. Every time one landed in either boat, the men would yell and there was great excitement to see which one would get the bigger catch.

The steamer won out but together they caught 52 fish, and a bushel basket would not hold them all. Of course, only a small proportion of the bass that jumped landed in the boats and John said that from his position in the bow looking down the beam of the light, the fish were breaking water so fast that it looked as if the whole creek was boiling.

It was a fantastic sight, the bubbling water, the many fish jumping just above the surface and many more that leaped high and then came horizontally for a few feet, straight toward the headlight, with wiggling fins and tails and wet glistening bodies as if swimming through the air, and then dropped back into the water or into the boat.

The jumping bass of Oak Orchard Creek was the chief topic of conversation in a wide area of western New York and even in more distant places for a time.

The nest year the black bass appeared to be more sophisticated and scarcely noticed the steamboat’s headlight.”

Incidentally, the Oak Orchard River Bass Anglers Club is still active; it was started in 1975 by Jack Ainslie and Mike Elam.

The April 20, 1865 issue of the Medina Tribune included coverage of the Lincoln assassination on pages 2 and 3.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 8

MEDINA – When print newspapers were part of daily life, it was not uncommon for people to clip significant articles – births, marriages, obituaries etc. as tangible records of significant events.

Historic events with loud headlines such as “WAR DECLARED” or “MAN WALKS ON MOON” somehow compelled people to save entire issues, as though the whole paper was imbued with the importance of the event. These papers still have the power to stop us in our tracks.

A well-preserved edition of the Medina Tribune was rediscovered recently at a home in Shelby. At first glance, it appears to be a run-of-the-mill issue. “Courtship Among the Zulus” and “The Oldest Man in the World” are two of the front-page articles, along with advertisements for items ranging from silk hats to oysters and the standard elixir advertisement in this case Pineapple Cider.

But the reason why this newspaper issue was saved becomes apparent on pages two and three. For it is an historic issue after all: it deals with the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. A closer look at the date provides an explanation. The assassination occurred on April 14, 1865, which was a Friday, Good Friday, in fact.

At that time local papers were weekly and were published on Thursdays. Thus, this issue, dated April 20, 1865, is the first local newspaper to cover the event and hence the reason it was saved.

On Sunday, April 16th, the churches in Medina were draped in mourning, emblematic of the deep sorrow felt for the death of the President. A Union meeting of the various churches was held at the Methodist Episcopal Church in the evening. “The house was crowded and a most intensely solemn feeling prevailed throughout the entire service.”

The discourse delivered by the Baptist minister, Rev. D. VanAlstyne was apparently particularly impressive and was included in this issue of the Tribune by popular request. It is powerful indeed; one can well imagine the impact it would have had when delivered from the pulpit, just two days after the event, by a minister who, most likely, was well-schooled in the art of oratory.

“Let the Nation in her wrath and just indignation trample the system of slavery into utter extinction. This is an uncommon occasion; a great calamity is ours; the nation is in mourning over an unparalleled crime, and I shall offer no apologies for speaking plain and honest words”

Scheduling details for President Lincoln’s funeral train were announced. Citizens who wished to take a last look at the remains were encouraged to take the morning train from Medina to Buffalo on Thursday, April 27th as the train was scheduled to stop in Buffalo from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Also included in this issue: Governor Fenton’s announcement of the National Calamity, the text of President Andrew Jackson’s Inaugural Address delivered on April 15th as well as details of the $100,000 reward offered: $50,000 for information that would lead to the arrest of John Wilkes Booth, and $25,000 each for the apprehension of conspirators George Atzerodt or David Herold.

We never cease to be amazed at the items that survive through the years, resurfacing out of time and space to give us a glimpse of another era. We thank the Zelazny family for this treasure.