Albion’s Graduating Class, 1923

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

Illuminating Orleans, Vol. 3, No. 21

“Impossible is Un-American” was the class motto of the 1923 Lyndonville High School Class.

Commencement exercises for this class were held on Tuesday, June 26, 1923, at Lyndonville’s Lyndon Theater.

Attendance at the Class Day Exercise held on the previous evening was greatly reduced because of a power outage caused by severe electric and windstorms.

Mr. Richard F. Morgan of the University of Buffalo delivered the commencement speech. Donald F. Fraser, President of the Board of Education, presented diplomas to: Mable Marie Devonshire, Muriel Alene Fraser, Thelma Lillian Langdon, Kathryn Belle Peters, Donald G. Stroyan (Valedictorian), Claude F. Ticknor and Florence Emily Wheeler.

The Class of 1923 entered Albion High School in 1918. While Sophomores, they held a weiner roast at Rock Springs and a picnic at Point Breeze. In their Junior year, they hosted the Junior Prom which was “a howling success.” As Seniors, they sold candy and held dances in the halls, were involved in athletic activities and school plays, and hosted a party for the teachers at the Country Club. Several of the students joined the trip to Washington D.C. organized by the Medina Senior Class.

The June 1923 issue of the Chevron lists the following forty-five Senior students:

Alice Anderson, Iona Axtell, Edith Brignall, Alethe Clapp, Lewellyn Clark, John Cleary, William Curtis, Carolyn Cole, Geraldine Collins, Rosabel Colony, Alice Dingle, Archibald Dorrance, Henry Daum, Howard Dunham, Geraldine Ferris, Maybelle Ferris, Neva Joslyn, Thelma Keitel, Julius Kuck, Eldredge Lamont, Stanley Landauer, Virginia Lattin, Marion Finn, Ellen Forder, Theresa Forbes, Verna Gage, Kenneth Howlett, Patricia Hunt, John Larwood, Edmund Lasher, Lemuel Levinson, Belle Levinson, Daniel McGuire, Lucy McNall, Teresa Pasturkowski, Arda Persing, Mildred Sayers, Marion Sheret, Donald Smith, Madalyn Smith, Gladys Thompson, Winifred Tripp, Clayton Walters, Ethelyn Williams, Morris Wright.

Holley High School graduated the following sixteen students:

Ruth Bartlett, Mabel Brockway, Maurice Chadwick, Lucille Cole, Helen Hincher, John Moore, Catherine Murphy, Frederick Palmer, Antoinette Rago, Stanley Reid, Dorothy Seybold, Gertrude Tillman, Gladson Trimble, Lilah Turner, Lillian Vincella, John Young.

Medina’s Class of 1923

In their Senior Year, the Medina Class of 1923 organized a trip to Washington D.C. which necessitated some ambitious fundraising. They sold holly wreaths, candy, subscriptions to Ladies’ Home Journal and McCall’s Magazine, held bake sales and hosted a Senior Dance. This Class had the distinction of being the last to graduate from the old High School building.

Graduation Exercises were held at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26, 1923, at the Baptist Church in Medina. The commencement address was given by W. Howard Pillsbury, Deputy Supt. of Schools, Buffalo, NY. Diplomas were presented to the following thirty-four students by Dr. Howard A. Maynard, Pres. of the Board of Education:

Glenn A. Armiger, Lavern E. Beeton, Marion L. Boyle, Lester F. Brewer (Salutatorian), Helen L. Brown, Vincent Campana, Arthur Eugene Carrel, Daniel J. Cleary, Jr., Francis E. Conley, Loraine I. Croach, Harold C. Daniels, Kathryn E. Dockery, Julia A. Fay (Valedictorian), Earl B. Goldman, Stanley M. Hill, John D. Horan, J. Lucille Howe, Dorothy Barry Hunt, Clayton J. Ives, Francis J. LeBar, Florence M. McElwee, Cleona L. Oderkirk, Mildred Esther Pettit, Elroy W. Powley, Margaret C. Pringle, Mark A. Pringle, Maude A. Rands, Elsie M. Rook, Raymond F. Rowe, M. Geraldine Ryan, Edward Soucie, Wellington Stork, Eva L. Taylor, Margaret E. Willett.

The good wishes expressed in “Toast to the Seniors” by Eleanor Hill, published in the 1923 Medina High School yearbook, The Mirror, are still relevant for our 2023 graduates:

“O Seniors, happy Seniors, as you leave the High School shore,

Starting out upon life’s voyage, you will treasure more and more

Memories of your happy school days, of your teachers’ love and care,

May their teachings give you courage, so that you may do and dare.

“May your lives be great and useful, may you reach the heights of fame,

On Life’s honor roll at Sunset, we must find each Senior name.

We wish you health and happiness, true strength for every need,

And from our hearts, dear loyal friends, we wish to you, God-Speed.”

Primary goal of 10,828-acre refuge was to protect migratory fowl

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Vol. 3, No. 20

June 1973 – Lawrence S. Smith, shown branding a Canada goose, was the first manager at the Iroquois Wildlife Refuge. Appointed in 1958, he worked there until 1973.

Rushing south or north, we tend to drive through the Swamp area without due consideration of its uniqueness. Some 19,000 acres of natural wetland habitat on our doorstep. An important habitat for migratory birds. Home to a variety of native birds and wildlife. Trails and overlook areas which attract thousands of nature-loving visitors each year.

We referenced the 1947 purchase of the first area refuge, the Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area, in the previous column. Efforts to conserve the swamp habitat continued through the 1950s.

In 1957, the NYS Dept. of Conservation purchased a 5,600-acre tract of land located primarily in Genesee and Niagara counties, with a small portion in Orleans County. This refuge was named the Tonawanda Wildlife Management Area.

Meanwhile, the Northeast division of the Fish and Wildlife Service indicated that they wished to purchase a large tract of land in the area also. Robert F. Perry, head of the regional NYS Conservation Dept. promoted the already well-established Oak Orchard site and highlighted the potential of the Alabama Swamp area to the west. His efforts bore fruit.

In December 1957 the Wildlife Service announced the authorization of a major wildlife refuge project straddling southern Orleans and northern Genesee counties. Bounded on the west by Dunlap, Oak Orchard Ridge and Tibbetts Roads, on the east by Knowlesville Rd, on the south by Roberts, Casey and Lewiston Roads and on the west by Salt Works Rd., the 10,828 acre Oak Orchard National Wildlife Refuge was intended primarily to provide protection for migratory fowl. Part of the swampland would also be open to hunters at designated times.

The announcement initially generated mixed responses. Since the purchase involved some 20 percent of the Town of Shelby land, there was concern over loss of property tax revenue. An opposition group of Shelby landowners protested the “land grab” of valuable farmland by the Federal government.

Originally named the Oak Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, the site was renamed the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge in 1964, since the similarity of the names of the two refuges caused confusion.

Several people were instrumental in the promotion and development of this unique resource, including Lawrence S. Smith in the top photo:

October 1970 – Robert F. Perry (left), regional director of the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, principal force behind the development of the Wildlife Refuge. Stephen Champlin (right), representing the Orleans County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, which advocated for the creation of the site.

June 1973 – Oliver D. Meddaugh, principal waterfowl technician, worked at the Wildlife Management Areas for 31 years.

April 1980 – Thomas “Dan” Carroll, who succeeded Oliver Meddaugh, compiled a thorough history of the Wildlife Areas.

October 1988 – Don Cook, sportsman, wildlife enthusiast, photographer, and columnist who chronicled and promoted the Wildlife Refuge.

The Great Blue Heron, one of the many birds who benefited from the establishment of wildlife management areas locally. (Photo courtesy of Doug Domedion)

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

Illuminating Orleans, Vol. 3, No. 19

TOWN OF ALABAMA – One does not readily associate fur coats or a firearms tax with the Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area, but both were, in fact, factors in the development of this resting refuge for migrating waterfowl.

The Oak Orchard Watershed, locally referred to as the “Alabama Swamp” or “The Swamp” is part of a chain of lowlands that extends across the state. Attempts to drain the area were attempted periodically, the most ambitious was carried out by the Western New York Farm Company in 1914 when they installed canals and lateral ditches convert the swamp to arable muckland for growing onions and potatoes.

In his “History of the Wildlife Areas”, Thomas “Dan” Carroll explains that the Elba muck drainage had a secondary effect on the ecology of the swamp.

“Rapid dumping of flood waters from the mucklands through the dredged section of the Oak Orchard Creek resulted in increased flooding of the lands downstream. Conditions were improved for waterfowl and furbearers generally west of the Oakfield-Albion Road.”

This came to the attention of Martin A. Schmitt, a Buffalo furrier of German descent, who recognized that this tract of open land covered with shallow water would be ideal for the growth of cattails, the staple food of muskrats. In 1927, he purchased 1,000 acres “lying westerly from the Oakfield-Albion Road to Knowlesville Road and another 500 acres west of the Knowlesville Road” to raise muskrats for his fur shop. The enterprise was named the Martin A. Schmitt Fur Farm and was later the Oak Orchard Fur Farm Inc.

Martin A. Schmitt advertised primarily in Dziennik Dla Wszystkich, Everybody’s Daily, a Polish language newspaper published in Buffalo. This ad highlights the Hudson Seal coat, no doubt made from locally sourced Oak Orchard muskrats. There must be one surviving in a closet or attic?

Fur coats were at that time a status symbol, associated with wealth, glamour, and luxury. Mink coats were the most luxurious and the most expensive. However, a large market existed for affordable alternatives – such as muskrat.

To enhance the habitat for muskrats, he installed a system of low dikes to catch the spring floods. He enclosed the resulting ponds with low muskrat-proof fences to contain his stock and employed a game warden to keep hunters and trappers off his farm. He issued trapping privileges to thirty muskrat hunters who worked on a commission basis, keeping one of each three animals taken. In 1929, Mr. Smith noted that 10,000 muskrats had been taken off the property in the previous hunting season.

The skins were stretched on wire frames to dry and cure, and then bought by the Martin A. Schmitt & Co. Inc., furriers of 208 Watson St. Buffalo, which was owned by the same stockholders. The skins were tanned and dyed to resemble sealskin and made into Hudson Seal coats, a term which was more appealing than “Muskrat Coats”. About 55 skins were used in the production of one coat. Having been trimmed and squared, the skins were pieced using a zig-zag line so that the joining would not show from the outside. A skilled workman could finish a coat in a day. The coats had good color and texture, offered medium warmth and best of all, were affordable.

During this time, Orleans County Sportsmen, concerned at the decline of wildlife in the area, advocated for the establishment of a refuge in the southwestern part of Orleans County. H. Everett Hart produced a report on the Oak Orchard Swamp in 1935. He noted that increasing numbers of wild fowl were congregating throughout the year on the land inundated by Mr. Schmitt for his fur farm. Muskrats, being mainly vegetarian, feed on aquatic plants and in doing so, they create open water which attracts wading birds, ducks and songbirds.

The Pittman-Robertson Act of 1937, now known as Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration, included an excise tax on the sale of firearms and ammunition to generate revenue for wildlife conservation. A portion was made available to the New York State Conservation Department for land acquisition.

Martin A. Schmitt died in 1939. Wildlife manager, Robert F. Perry, later regional director of the Region 8 Office of the Dept. of Environmental Conservation, encouraged the purchase of the Schmitt property. It was acquired for $10 (currently $212) per acre in 1941 and formed the basis for the Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Area. Several adjoining properties were purchased in due course until the site totaled 2,500 acres. This was the first step in the creation of the wildlife habitat complex we are familiar with today.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian 

Illuminating Orleans, Vol. 3, No. 18

ALBION – This photo shows Orleans County Civil War veterans assembled on the County Courthouse steps, Albion in the 1890s. The observance of decorating the graves of the war dead with flowers on Memorial Day (originally Decoration Day) was initiated by the Grand Army of the Republic in 1868.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, the men of Orleans County quickly responded to President Lincoln’s April 15, 1861, request for 75,000 volunteers. Committees were formed to organize companies of men: three companies were soon enrolled. Two set out for Albany on May 18th, 1861, and were incorporated into the 28th Regiment.

Town Clerks were authorized to maintain Enrollment of Persons Liable to Military Duty, records of resident able-bodied men between the ages of 18-45 years, with the exception of “idiots” and “lunatics”. Three copies of these enrollment records were required, one to be retained locally, one sent to the Sheriff’s Office, and the third directed to the State Office of the Adjutant General.

Enrollment Record for the Town of Clarendon, 1862.

Supervisor: M.D. Milliken.

Assessors: Thomas Glidden, Loran Hill, Martin Evarts.

Commissioners: Benj. G. Pettingill, Albert J. Potter.

The Enrollment List recorded the person’s name, age and occupation. Reasons for exemption were entered under the column “Remarks”.

The Clarendon list includes such reasons as:

• Downs, William Jr., 20, Farmer, Has one leg cut off below the knee

• Harmon, Austin, 42, Farmer, Lost one eye

Enlistment information was also listed under “Remarks”:

• Curtis, Levi, 20, Farmer, Enlisted Aug. 30. In Capt. Pratts Co., 129th Reg.

A total of 1,928 Orleans County men served in the Civil War:

Albion: 105

Barre: 120

Carlton: 178

Clarendon: 147

Gaines: 268

Kendall: 113

Medina: 133

Murray: 147

Ridgeway: 296

Shelby: 222

Yates: 199

A total of 463, or approximately 25 percent were killed, or died from injuries or illness.

Inside the tower at Mount Albion Cemetery there are nine marble slabs with the names of 463 soldiers from Orleans County who were killed in the Civil War.

The imposing sandstone Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument in Mount Albion Cemetery, Albion, which was dedicated on July 4, 1876, is a somber memorial to the fallen, whose names are carved on the nine marble slabs that hang on the walls. A list is also accessible online (click here).

The Orleans County Genweb site also includes information on Orleans County’s Civil War involvement.

Interest in Civil War topics continues. Greg Kinal will present a program on The Battle of Gettysburg at Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina on Tuesday, May 30, at 7 p.m.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian 

Illuminating Orleans, Vol. 3, No. 17

SHELBY – Composition notebooks are a familiar sight, especially at “back-to-school” time. The notebook pictured, which was donated by Don Cook to the Medina Historical Society, dates from 1928-1931.

It contains a series of entries regarding the bird population of “The Swamp”, as the wildlife area in the Town of Shelby is commonly known. The author, Hugh Everett Hart, was a keen young ornithologist and oologist who graduated from Medina High School in 1922.

1928, June 4

“Just a notation here as to the weather. It has been very cold so far this year. I have a furnace fire going at present in order to keep warm. Rain. Frosts at night last week.”

1928, June 7

“To Swamp. Found nothing in 1 hr ramble. Looked for Ceruleans and Marsh Wren.

Set 21 eggs, Ring-necked Pheasant, young Red wings, Swamp Sparrow, Barn Swallow. Mosquitos very big and hungry.”

1928, June 10

“Roy Hill and I went out to the Swamp south of John Bannister’s today to look principally for Ceruleans. I had been to this piece of woods last week and heard the birds but could not locate any nests and then had Roy go today as he can find them when others cannot.

We entered the swamp and searched faithfully for over one hour in the oak grove but could not find anything. The birds were not heard or seen. Roy found a Yellow Warbler nest with one egg, a Yellow Warbler nest with 4 eggs, one Cowbird egg. Cowbird egg was broken.

Next, we located a nest of Redstart, 3 eggs. Found nest of Song Sparrow containing five fresh eggs. Flushed a Woodcock, a very large bird and somewhat slow in arising from the ground. The weather has provided much food for them lately and they are very fat at this time of year.

The season has been very backward this year for the birds as you can see by the late sets as told above.

There does not seem to be one half the birds nesting in the Swamp now as there was last year. This fact seems to be the same every year, as it gets harder and harder to locate a number of nests in an afternoon ramble when a few years back, one could find hundreds in a few hours.

There are no Marsh Wrens this year in the swale near Bedine’s, no Rails or Gallinules, no Ceruleans. The Redstarts are not nearly as numerous as before. I would not be surprised to have them all leave us in a few more years if this keeps up. Temp 60 degrees. Very cold breeze.”

1929, Feb.

“I sent two write-ups to The Oologist this month, one on Brown Creeper in Tonawanda Swamp, the other on the late nesting date for American Woodcock in New York State.

Also, Feb. 21, went to the Museum of Natural History in Buffalo to see Dr. Fish in regards to signing my application for a permit.

Came back with an impression of a very fine fellow, even if he did not help me. Had numerous excuses (Mostly Brackett, Game Warden in Buffalo).”

1929, May 19

“Warbler migration at its’ height.”

1929, May 24

“Date of first arrival of Cerulean Warbler in Orleans County.”

1931, March 21

“Killdeer seen and numbers of them heard.

During March I had my collection of eggs on display for 3 weeks at the Masonic Temple {Medina}. They created much interest, during this time I gave a talk to 35 Boy Scouts of the Presbyterian Church, Troop #31. They seemed very interested and asked many questions.

Published a list of the breeding birds of Orleans County in the Medina Daily Journal.

There is much talk here on making the Swamp into a Federal Bird Sanctuary.

Attended a dinner at Fairview Manor for the Sportsmen of Western New York (about 125).

Have been asked to speak at the Buffalo Museum of Natural History.

Have been asked to speak on bird life before the Social Culture Club of Orleans County.

Accepted both.”

In addition to those observations, the Notebook contains lists of Mr. Hart’s collection of bird eggs. Oology, the study of or collecting of birds’ eggs, was popular at the turn of the century. Museums amassed huge collections of exotic eggs; amateur collectors collected local specimens. However, it became apparent that this hobby had a detrimental effect on bird populations. The Migratory Bird Act of 1918 prohibited the collecting of birds’ eggs, except for scientific research.

In its time, oology was well represented in Orleans County. Dr. Frank H. Lattin published a magazine, The Oologist, from 1894 to 1905 while the egg collection acquired by Stuart Flintham in the early 1900’s is on display at the Hoag Library in Albion.

Canada Geese, a protected species at the Oak Orchard and Tonawanda Wildlife Areas. Courtesy of Doug Domedion.

Hugh Hart was involved in the designation of the Swamp as a federal migratory bird sanctuary. An electrical engineer by profession, he left Medina in 1935 to work with the Bell Aircraft Company in Buffalo and was later associated with General Motors in Detroit. He died in 1967.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

Illuminating Orleans, Vol. 3, No. 15

MEDINA – It is unusual to find a photograph which documents the construction start of a now 100-year-old building. In this accompanying image, George A. Newell looks on as the sod is turned for the construction of the Masonic Temple at 414 West Ave. in Medina.

According to the Medina Daily Journal of April 30, 1923, he had just delivered a stirring address to the Masons assembled at the rear of the property, while standing on the stump of a tree which he and his father had set sixty years previously – in 1863. He had the honor of turning over the first spade of sod for the project.

Chartered in 1854, the Medina Lodge No. 336, Free & Accepted Masons occupied several buildings in Medina. Their first meeting place was in the Fairman Building (345 N. Main, formerly NAPA Auto Parts). A fire in 1861 destroyed this building, their records and furnishings. Following several moves, the lodge relocated to Kearney’s Hall in the Proctor Building in 1877 (418 Main St., Knights of Columbus building).

The lodge purchased the Italianate building at 414 West Ave. in 1921. Built in 1858, this had been the home of Arthur W. Newell, a dry goods merchant. Following the death of Mr. Newell and his wife Cornelia, in 1866, ownership of the home passed to their two sons, Myron and George.

They sold it to the Hon. Edward L. Pitts in 1877. Pitts was a lawyer and a member of the New York State Assembly from 1864 – 1868. At the age of 27, he was elected as Speaker of the Assembly, the youngest person to have held this office. A noted orator and parliamentarian, he was elected State Senator from 1881-83 and again from 1886-87. Hon. Pitts passed away in 1898, and his wife, Una (Stokes) died in 1920.

414 West Ave., Medina, showing the large addition to the rear of the building.

The Medina Lodge purchased the home in 1921. Desiring a space that suited their needs, they soon made plans to add a Masonic Temple. It was designed and constructed by Fred Mallison of Medina, who was also responsible for the construction of many of the local heritage buildings including the S.A. Cook Building on Main Street, City Hall, the Railroad Depot (currently Senior Citizen’s Center) and Medina Memorial Hospital.

The Temple featured a large lodge room with a pipe organ. Four distinctive stained-glass windows depicted Faith, Hope, Charity, and Music. A large dining hall in the basement accommodated 450 Masons at a celebratory dinner prepared “in a most able manner” by the Ladies of the Eastern Star. The dedication ceremony was conducted on April 30, 1925, by Most Worshipful Arthur S. Tompkins of Nyack, past Grand Master of the State of New York, under dispensation of Most Worshipful William A. Rowen, Grand Master.

Construction of the new Temple cost $136,000 ($2.4 million approximately today), which exceeded the $100,000 anticipated. Each of the 283 members had pledged in support of the project, in amounts ranging from $50 to $1,000. Contributions fell short which necessitated a loan of $60,000 ($1 million approximately today) from the Marine Trust Co. of Buffalo. Final payment on the mortgage was made in November 1960.

Citing declining membership and increasing costs, the Masons sold the building in 1982. It operated as the Islamic Center of Medina for some time and has been owned by the World Sufi Foundation since 2011.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

Illuminating Orleans, Vol. 3, No. 14

This unique document chronicles the local “Call to Arms” at the beginning of the Civil War.

ALBION – On April 23rd, 1861, at 10 a.m., “an immense gathering of citizens” responded to the impassioned entreaty of this broadside and met at the Court House in Albion.

The text reads:

“The Blood of your Brethren has been shed in the Streets of Baltimore! Peaceful troops, bearing a white flag, on a mission of Patriotism to defend your National Capital, to protect the Ark of the Covenant of your Liberties, have been assaulted by a Mob!

“They have nobly defended themselves, and give a glorious account of their work. But your friends, your Brothers, your gallant fellow-soldiers have been shot down! Their blood cries out of the ground for vengeance! Will you turn a deaf ear to that appealing note? Is there no courage, no manhood, no love of liberty in your breasts? “Is life so sweet or peace so dear as to be purchased at the price of Chains and Slavery.

“There is no longer a question of duty. What is home, what the peaceful pleasures of a stagnant life, what the ties of blood, or love, or friendship that will longer withhold you. To Arms! To Arms! To Arms!

“Come all Young Men who wish to enroll themselves in the service of their Country” – H.L. Achilles, O.F. Burns, H.J. Van Dusen, Committee Appointed April 18^th

After years of mounting tension and fevered speculation, the spark that ignited the Civil War had been ignited on April 12, 1861, when Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter.

On April 15, President Lincoln issued a proclamation calling on the states for 75,000 militia to serve for ninety days.

On April 19, a mob of southern sympathizers in Baltimore opened fire on troops from the 6th Massachusetts. Four soldiers were killed and seventeen wounded. Twelve civilians were killed.

Orleans County quickly responded to these events. A committee was formed on April 18 to organize volunteers and a public meeting was quickly scheduled for April 23.

The poster captures the fervor and excitement of those early days. It called for vengeance, challenged masculinity, appealed to duty and patriotism. The lofty reference to the Ark of the Covenant assumed a religious righteousness for the cause.

The following is taken from the Third Annual Report of the Bureau of Military Statistics of the State of New York, Albany: [The Bureau], (C. Wendell), 1866.:

“On receipt of the President’s proclamation, calling for 75,000 men, a meeting was called at the Court House, in Albion, for the evening of the 18th of April. The meeting was largely attended by citizens, irrespective of party. A committee was appointed to organize companies of volunteers, and steps were taken to call a county meeting at Albion, on the 23d of April.

On the 23d, an immense gathering of the citizens of the county assembled at the Court House Park. The meeting was addressed by several gentlemen, of all parties, and was unanimous and enthusiastic in its patriotic spirit. Resolutions were adopted to stand by the Government and the Union, at all hazards and at whatever cost of blood and treasure. More than $20,000 was subscribed to a fund for the aid of volunteers and their families, and committees were appointed to collect and distribute the subscriptions, and to aid in organizing companies of volunteers for the service of the United States.”

The men of Orleans County answered the “Call to Arms” 162 years ago on this date.

Family found century-old bottles in 1967 while exploring disused cider mill on Wilkins Road

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian 

Illuminating Orleans, Vol. 3, No. 12

BARRE – This photograph which is attributed to Don Cook appeared in the Journal-Register on May 15, 1968. Sharlene, Darlene, Donna and Fonda Wilkins show the unusual bottles they found on their farm on the Wilkins Road in the Town of Barre.

A previous column referenced the sulphur water found in Barre which was promoted for its alleged curative properties during the mid to late 1800s. It transpires that champagne – a much more palatable brew – was also produced in Barre around the same time.

This discovery came to light in 1967 when the Wilkins sisters were exploring a disused cider mill on their family farm on the Wilkins Road and discovered unusually shaped bottles. Using reference books from the then newly built Lee-Whedon Memorial Library in Medina, they determined that these were champagne bottles. Helen Mathes, Town of Barre Historian at the time, confirmed that a John Remele had produced cider and champagne at his cider mill on their property.

This “champagne” was a fermented cider that had been matured in vats and then bottled to produce effervescence. While the French claimed to have developed champagne in the 1600s, the English asserted their claim to the beverage as they developed the thicker glass necessary for bottling it. Regular glass cannot be used for champagne as the build-up of carbon-dioxide causes it to explode. The distinctive indent at the base of champagne bottles which allows for a more even distribution of pressure can be attributed to German ingenuity.

This map from 1875 shows that apples, peaches, plums and quince trees were cultivated in the vicinity of the Remele farm.

John Remele (also Remley/Remelee) was born in Tyringham, MA on November 25, 1827. In 1850, by the age of 23, John had established residence in Barre. He married Martha A Page, also from Massachusetts, in 1854. The majority of those who settled Orleans County were from New England.

The 1869 Directory lists John Remele of Millville in the Town of Barre as living on R.2, Lot 54, a farmer with 50 acres of land, proprietor of a cider mill and a dealer in small fruits.

John was a member of the Fruit Growers Association of Orleans County and in 1876 was a member of a committee which advocated the adoption of the 100-quart barrel as the standard barrel for apple storage.

The Remeles had four daughters, two of whom died when young: Kittie, aged 6 on Jan 3, 1869, and Nannie, aged 3, on Jan. 18, 1869. Many families at that time experienced the loss of one or more children to infectious diseases.

John died in 1901 and Martha, his wife, in 1904. They are buried in Millville Cemetery. The Remele plot and headstone also includes Jonathan L. Root and his wife Nancy, who was a half-sister of Martha’s. They both hailed from Massachusetts also and had farmed nearby in Barre.

The next owner of the Remele property was part of a new wave of farming settlers. In the early 1900s, many English people – particularly from the Norfolk area – came to settle and farm in Orleans County. John Wilkins immigrated in 1909 at the age of 24. His wife, Jessie Slater, was also from Norfolk. They are first listed at the Wilkins Road property in 1915. Ownership of the farm continued to their son, Arthur, father of the young explorers who discovered the champagne bottles.

The history of the Remele/Wilkins farm and of the Wilkins Road area reflects patterns of change in agriculture in Orleans County. Settlers first from New England and later from England quietly worked the land which is still owned by their descendants. Fruit farming predominated at first. Cabbage, pumpkins, string beans, soybeans, wheat, and corn have been produced there over the years. Farm operations have increased in size.

The Town of Barre proudly celebrated its agricultural heritage at the Sesquicentennial in 1968. The Wilkins sisters, wearing early American style dresses hand made by their mother, Mrs. Dawn Wilkins, displayed the champagne bottles used by the enterprising John Remele. Both the farm and the bottle collection are still owned by Wilkins family members.

Photographs of the South Barre Water Cure are rare. This image appeared in the Orleans Republican, Jan. 13, 1966

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian 

Illuminating Orleans, Vol. 3, No. 11

BARRE – The curative powers of drinking and soaking in mineral waters were acknowledged by the ancient Greek and Romans. In 18th century England, visitors flocked to the city of Bath to partake of its hot spring mineral waters.

Vincenz Priessnitz (1799-1851), an Austrian who is considered the founder of modern hydrotherapy, popularized the concept of water-cure establishments which combined various forms of water treatment with rest, exercise and clean air.

This concept of hydrotherapy as an alternative medicine became popular in the United States during the 1840s and 1850s. At a time when public water was often contaminated and the source of disease – when mortality was high and antibiotics yet unknown – this was quickly accepted as a viable treatment for a variety of acute conditions: gout, liver ailments, stomach inflammation, rheumatism, and skin disorders.

The treatment regimen usually involved drinking copious amounts of special or “pure” water, taking cold showers, cold baths and being wrapped in cold sheets.

Soon most communities in New York State could boast a “water cure”. In Western New York, mineral spring resorts opened at Alden, Avon, Castile, Chautauqua, Clifton Springs, Cold Springs, Cuba, Dansville, and Wyoming. By 1900, sixty-four such resorts had been opened in New York State.

Two water cure locations operated in Orleans County. The Alabama Sour Springs also known as the Oak Orchard Sour Springs is familiar to many. The Water Cure which operated in South Barre is less well known. Located in the Town of Barre, on the south side of Oak Orchard Road where the road runs east and west, and just north of the mucklands, it was short-lived and seemingly only established by default.

As befitting its location on the edge of the mysterious Tonawanda Swamp, the circumstances surrounding the establishment of the Water Cure are murky. Visions, mediums, spiritualists, petroleum wells, large sums of money and exaggerated claims were involved.

In some accounts, Mrs. Sarah Collins, a wealthy widow from Genesee County whose married daughter lived in Barre, claimed to have received communications from the spirits who instructed her to drill for oil at a specific location out in the swamp. In 1868, she hired an experienced team of men who drilled to a depth of 1,400 feet with no success.

The spirits then advised her to drill at another location at the edge of the swamp. Having drilled to a depth of 1,200 feet, the drill team did not find oil but discovered “a flowing stream of water which had a strong and unpleasant odor”, which, according to the spirits, possessed medicinal properties.

However, a lawsuit outlined in the Democrat and Chronicle of Friday, June 17, 1877, indicates that it was Jeremiah Eighmie, a wealthy spiritualist from Dutchess County, who financed the drilling, having purchased the 1,500 acres of swampland from Ezra B. Booth on the recommendation of Mrs. Collins and her spiritual advisors. He claimed that the “valuable deposits” of coal and oil promised were falsely represented and he sued to recover damages for his investment of $20,000.

The construction of the “Water Cure”, as it was locally known, is attributed to the ever resourceful Mrs. Collins. It was an imposing three-story structure, about 200 feet wide and 300 feet long, located close to the wells where the curative water had been discovered. A first-class sanitarium facility was located on the first floor. Parlors, reception rooms, dining halls and sleeping quarters were also outfitted.

The building boasted a central heating system: heat produced by a large pipe-less furnace in the basement rose through a large floor register in the first-floor main entry area and then through floor and ceiling registers to the upper floors.

Three windmills were erected at the wells, iron pipes were laid underground to carry the water to the hotel. The acidic spring water or “sulphur water” prevalent throughout the Tonawanda Swamp area is the product of geochemical processes involving the oxidation of organic carbon and pyrite. It smells rank, tastes foul, and is so acidic it can curdle milk. Its curative properties are dubious at best. But at that time, it was convincingly presented and advertised with ringing testimonials. It is likely that any improvement experienced by clients was due to the change of scene, clean air, and rest.

The Water Cure enterprise at South Barre was short lived due in large part to the untimely death of Mrs. Collins, its principal investor. Regardless of its purported curative properties, its location, eight miles from the nearest railroad station in Albion, was a deterrent for prospective clients since many other such establishments were more easily accessible.

The cost – $1 per couple for supper and dance – would approximate to $30 today.

In later years, the building hosted local dinners, dances, and social events. Local young men: Henry Seager, 21, George Kerrison, 17 and Walter Mattison, 18, organized this November 3, 1882 “Social Hop”. George Gibbs owned the property from about 1890 to 1915, it later burned.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian 

Illuminating Orleans, Vol. 3, No. 10

This letter from 1836 shows an agreement for Holley businessmen to buy fire engine for $250.

HOLLEY – The elegantly penned document at right is part of the Orleans County Department of History collection. Written in 1836, it pertains to the Village of Holley, but curiously is linked to Central Hall, the building on East Park Street in Albion that houses the Department of History.

The document is an agreement between Hiram Frisbie* and Darwin Hill for the purchase of a fire engine:

Articles of Agreement made and Entered into this 30th day of September 1836 between the American Hydraulic Company of Windsor, Vermont and Darwin Hill & Hiram Frisbie of the Village of Holley, County of Orleans & State of New York.

That the American Hydraulic Company of Windsor, Vermont have agreed to furnish and deliver to the said Hiram Frisbie and Darwin Hill, a fire engine Number 3 Cooper’s patent with the hoses and with all the necessary appendages and appurtenances for the consideration of the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars to be paid them by the said Darwin and Hiram in thirteen months from the date hereof with the interest.

And the said American Hydraulic Company do hereby further undertake promise and agree to and with the said Darwin & Hiram that the said fire engine  so agreed to be delivered shall be equal in all respects to the fire engine now in said village of Holley (and so continue for the space of one year with ordinary usage and care) and shown them by the Agent of said Company and that if the said engine to be delivered should be deficient in any respect, either in size, power, force or finish, the said American Hydraulic Company will allow the said Darwin & Hiram the fair reasonable and just difference together with all damages, costs and expenses sustained or suffered on account of breach of this Agreement and of the failure of said engine to be deducted from the said sum of two hundred & fifty dollars and interest herein agreed to be paid.

And the said Darwin Hill & Hiram Frisbie in consideration of the Agreement on the ? of the said the American  Hydraulic Company agree to pay them the sum of Two Hundred and fifty dollars with the interest in thirteen months from the date hereof, subject nevertheless to the performance of the Agreement above mentioned by the American  Hydraulic Company.

The American Hydraulic Company hereby agree to deliver said fire engine in the Village of Holley at their own proper cost, charge and expense within a reasonable time from the date hereof and forty days

In witness whereof the parties have set their hands the day and year first above written.

American Hydraulic Co.  By William Barrett Agent

Hiram Frisbie

Darwin Hill

Fires were a scourge in those early years. Members of the community were the earliest fire-fighters; they could only respond by forming bucket brigades. Hand-cranked pumpers were the first improvement on the bucket brigades. The Village of Medina purchased one such machine in 1829 for $270.

In 1828, John M. Cooper, an inventive Vermonter, patented a “Rotative Piston” thought to be suitable for fire pumps which were soon being produced in Windsor, Vt. by the American Hydraulic Company (later the National Hydraulic Company). Convict laborers from the Vermont State Prison at Windsor were employed in the production of the pumps. They were paid .25 cents a day for twelve-hour days and worked six days a week. Agencies were established throughout the country to promote the company’s products.

Hiram Frisbie and Darren Hill, both prominent Holley businessmen, organized the purchase of the fire engine and undertook to pay $250. Residents and merchants contributed to the cost by donation or subscription. The new machine was, no doubt, transported by horse-drawn wagons over the Green Mountains to Albany and then on the Erie Canal to Holley. It was basically a hand-drawn, hand-cranked water pump but it exceeded the capabilities of the bucket brigade.

The doorway at Central Hall in Albion was rescued from a mansion in Holley that was demolished in the 1930s.

The Frisbie Mansion, home of Hiram Frisbie, was an impressive Greek-Revival mansion built c.1832. Situated on a knoll, it featured a two-story wrap-around colonnade of six 20-foot Doric pillars. The pillars were constructed from whole whitewood trees, the tallest of the eastern hardwoods, also known as tulip trees.

This Holley mansion was demolished in the 1930s but remarkably the stately front entrance was saved by some discerning members of the American Legion who were then renovating their building at 34 East Park Street in Albion, Sheret Post #35.

This red-brick building, which has since been renamed Central Hall, is now owned by Orleans County and houses the Treasurer’s Dept. and the Orleans County Dept. of History.

(*Frisbie/Frisbee – spelling varies)