Volume 2, Issue 14
MEDINA – On May 23, 1898, the A. L. Swett Electric Light & Power Company was incorporated by Albert Swett with a capital stock of $50,000.

Swett, a prominent and respected entrepreneur in Medina, was quick to notice the local need for electricity. That need would be satisfied through a power plant constructed along the Oak Orchard Creek in the vicinity of the falls. Purchasing a parcel of land where an old mill had previously burned, Swett cleared the debris and constructed a plant to take advantage of the water power.

That plant was quickly overtaxed by the high demand for electricity and a steam plant was constructed to supplement the output of the first plant. Swett was an intelligent businessman with the foresight to purchase as much land along the creek as possible. Over the course of twenty years, he amassed a large holding of property to the north of Medina that would be used to expand his electric company.

Swett increased his capital stock to $300,000 and in 1903 started construction on a storage dam to increase the company’s electricity output. The 60-foot high dam spanned the width of the Oak Orchard Creek, and along with a 1,600 foot dike built of earth and concrete, provided for the development of a reservoir. Now known as Glenwood Lake, the nearly 50-foot deep and over one-mile long inland lake provided over 150 acres of surface water.

The construction of a second powerhouse, Station No. 2, allowed for increased electricity output from the same water source providing energy through the original power station at the falls. Swett estimated the cost of the second power station at just over $297,000 and it was believed that much of the electricity that was to be generated from that station was sold to area businessmen and residents prior to its completion. Such an extensive endeavor would cost nearly $8 million today.

The A. L. Swett Electric Light & Power Company adopted the motto, “to serve the public promptly, efficiently and at reasonable rates,” a slogan that drove the business to expand once again in 1917. At that time, Swett would begin construction on a dam at Waterport that would create another inland waterway he named Lake Alice.

A far more complex project, nearly 50 parcels of land were purchased, houses and structures moved, and roads rerouted to accommodate the higher water level. A new bridge was constructed at a cost of $70,000 and the bridge at Kenyonville was raised seven feet to adjust to the creek depth.

This image from 1903 shows the construction of the dike at Glenwood Lake; the photograph is simply marked “the Swett Power Project, Medina.” At the top of the hill a machine feeds crushed stone down a chute constructed on the embankment.

Albert Swett was actively engaged in supervising the project and suffered a broken thigh after falling from scaffolding at the worksite. He was bedridden for over a month due to the injuries.

Ambitious in his endeavors, Swett controlled the majority of water power in the vicinity of Medina. He constructed the dams at Medina and Waterport to reduce the strains forced upon the Oak Orchard Creek and area streams caused by the power plants.

Volume 2, Issue 13

GAINES – Situated on Ridge Road in Gaines, this structure served multiple organizations during its lifetime and is regarded as the first church constructed west of the Genesee River.

As the pioneer settlers arrived in Gaines, cleared land and established farms along the historic route, they sought to establish their community with meeting halls and churches. Roughly 17 years after Elizabeth Gilbert settled her parcel along the Ridge Road near Brown Road, the Congregationalists and Baptists constructed this building to serve as a union meeting house. Each group agreed to share the edifice, holding services on alternating Sundays.

In 1834 the Congregationalists purchased a site on the north side of the Ridge, just east of the Gaines Road intersection. It was at this time that the congregation sold their interest in the building to two men, who later sold their interest to John Proctor.

The Baptists, meanwhile, remained active in the building despite losing a portion of their congregation following the establishment of the Baptist congregation at Albion in 1830. It was not long after this that 13 of the Baptists at Gaines petitioned to start a church at Carlton, an incident that would greatly weaken the original congregation.

The Baptists continued to hold services until approximately 1860 when the building was vacated, remaining inactive until a Free Methodist congregation was established at Gaines in 1868.

Just eight years after the first church in the denomination was constructed at Albion under the pastorate of Rev. Loren Stiles and nearly 10 years after the expulsion of Benjamin Titus Roberts from the Methodist Church, followers of Free Methodism in Gaines purchased the old union meeting house from the Free Congregationalists. The population of Gaines was first served by Rev. George Marcellus who not only oversaw the purchase of the building, but led the repainting of the structure and addition of stained glass windows.

The Gaines Free Methodist Church was served for a number of years by pastors from the church at Kenyonville, until that congregation disbanded. At that time, the Gaines congregation purchased a house located along a north-running lane behind the church for use as a parsonage. During the nearly 50 years that the church was active, those in attendance received the word of God from a prestigious lineage of preachers in the denomination.

Samuel K. J. Chesbrough, regarded as the co-founder of Free Methodism, served two terms as pastor of the church. The congregation was also led by Joseph Goodwin Terrill, a contemporary of John Wesley Redfield, as well as the future first president of Greenville College, Wilson T. Hogg. Alanson Kimball Bacon, a local resident who lived in the cobblestone home constructed by his father on Brown Road, stepped in to fill the vacant pulpits of the local Free Methodist churches at Albion and Gaines.

According to Helen Allen, the last service held in this building was probably July 6, 1917. Around 1921 one of the last surviving trustees of the church, Robert Woolston of Carlton, sold the building to John Bauer. The building was later converted for use as the Gaines Town Hall and Highway Department.

Volume 2, Issue 12

The stunning view provided by Lake Ontario led to the formation of hamlets and cottage communities along the lakeshore and eventually caused the establishment of numerous hotels and summer resorts in Orleans County.

The wealthiest members of society used these locations as an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life, resulting in the growth of lakefront property serving as a seasonal destination for the out-of-towners.

In 1860, land originally purchased by Asa Lee at Troutburg in Kendall was transferred to his daughter-in-law, Sarah J. Lee, who oversaw the construction of what would later become the Ontario House. This large, luxurious hotel was “first class in every respect” and catered to locals and visitors alike.

Situated on the west side of the Orleans/Monroe county line, the complex consisted of a house, dance hall, and barn. Standing just to the west of the main house, the dance hall served as a “picnic house” for excursionists who were visiting the area by way of boat.

The hall contained 13 large tables attached at one end to the wall with hinges, allowing the tables to be folded out of the way when not in use. This provided a large open floor for parties, dances, and other events. The hall had one kitchen with two large cook stoves to provide nourishment for the guests.

Nearby was a barn that housed stables for nearly 60 horses. Guests could stable their horse for $.25 per day or $.35 per day if the owner preferred to feed their horse grain in addition to hay. Two small sailboats and a number of rowboats were available for the pleasure of the visitors, allowing for short trips out onto the lake.

Mrs. Lee operated the Ontario House for nearly 27 years when she finally sold the property to William Sturges in 1887. At the time of the sale, the resort was regarded as the only successful temperance hotel in Western New York; the Ontario House remained successful despite the decision of the owner to refrain from selling alcohol. It remained a dry location even after the property changed hands.

A bowling alley was added to the property in the 1880s, at which time a guest could stay overnight at the house for $2.00 and special rates were offered for week-long stays at $5.00-$8.00 depending on the room.

As a seasonal resort, the ownership held large opening events in May to start the year and usually concluded in October with a large dance party. Hundreds of couples attended these events, paying $.25 for admission to the dance hall. The parties of course were dry events with no alcohol for guests.

In 1880, the Ontario House saw the rise of its first competitor when Charles T. Bush constructed the Bush House on the east side of the county line. This property later became known as the Cady House and still stands on that parcel as a decrepit structure along the lake.

The Ontario House continued its successful run under the ownership of Sturges until 1895 when it was transferred to Menzo Storer, then to J. Staub in 1917 before it was sold to an owner from Buffalo around 1921.

Although the buildings are no longer standing, this image taken sometime in the 1880s shows a crowd gathered along the porch of the Ontario House. The story of the Ontario House and other lakeside resorts are a testament to the splendor and beauty of Lake Ontario as a destination for residents and visitors alike.

Volume 2, Issue 11

WATERPORT – Constructed in 1876, the Rome, Watertown, and Ogdensburg trestle over Oak Orchard Creek provided a crossing point for the rail system in its earliest years. This particular image shows the first trestle constructed on that site in Waterport using lightweight iron trusses and planks. As the railroad grew, a new bridge was constructed in 1892 to facilitate increased traffic.

The RW&O Railroad was first established in 1842 with the purpose of linking Watertown and Rome. As the years progressed, the rail system merged with various lines throughout New York to produce a somewhat successful system of transportation along the southern shore of Lake Ontario. Although the line was popular amongst excursionists, the railroad developed a reputation as a poorly maintained rail system, earning the eloquent nickname “Rotten Wood & Old Rusty Rails.” The railroad later earned the nickname “Hojack.”

The source of the name “Hojack” is unknown, but the most common origin story describes a farmer riding in a buckboard drawn by a stubborn, bulky mule. While crossing the tracks of the RW&O, the mule decided he would rest much to the dismay of the farmer. As a train barreled full speed towards the wagon, the farmer flew into a frenzy shouting, “Ho-Jack, Ho-Jack!” The train operators found such humor in the incident that they began calling the line the “Ho-Jack”; perhaps more folklore than truth.

Another story associated with the RW&O involved the construction of the trestle at Waterport. It is said that the first train to cross the newly constructed bridge was operated by Eunice Ross. Mrs. Ross lived near the construction site with her husband John, who was a miller at the nearby flour mill. Eunice agreed to board the construction crew in exchange for a small favor; the opportunity to pilot the train across the trestle, once completed.

On a small side-note, John and Eunice Ross cared for William Lake who was abandoned by his mother as a young child. Lake was later convicted in the heinous murder of Emma Louise Hunt in 1894.

Sunday, March 13th at 7 p.m., the county historian will provide a program for the Orleans County Genealogical Society on Zachariah Spencer and the early history of the Cobblestone Inn on Ridge Road in Ridgeway. The program at the Hoag Library in Albion is free and open to the public.

Volume 2, Issue 10

In the earliest years of settlement in Orleans County, the establishment of religious and educational institutions was of the upmost importance. Pioneers cleared their land of trees, constructed cabins, planted crops, and once all other necessities were met, established rural schools to educate their children.

In Albion, Caroline Phipps Achilles became a driving force behind the creation of female-only institutions for education when she constructed her seminary in 1840. It was soon after that other academies developed throughout the region including the Albion Academy and Yates Academy, which would produce highly successful and industrious graduates.

These tuition-driven institutes provided a valuable service to the community, although limited to those families who could afford it. The concept of using taxation to support the common school system allowed for the creation of the union school, providing education beyond the rural one-room schoolhouse.

Freeman Abram Greene was a product of the early academy system. Born on Sept. 23, 1844, Greene was educated in the rural school districts of Yates before attending the famed Yates Academy. It was upon the completion of his studies there that he entered the University of Rochester, graduating in 1869.

His absence from Orleans County was short-lived and he returned to Yates to teach in the same school that provided him with his outstanding education. From there he taught several years in Wilson but was called to Albion soon after. Having established quite the reputation as an educator, Greene was asked to serve as the first principal of the Albion Union Free School.

Greene remained in that capacity for approximately seven years when the school board provided him with the opportunity to serve as school superintendent. Starting in 1887 he was paid $800 annually to act in that capacity. During his tenure, the reputation of the school grew and enrollment increased.

With the loss of Albion’s earliest library in a fire around 1881, Greene worked diligently to establish a replacement. He studied the methodology and standards associated with libraries at the time and pushed for its continued growth. Later, he would approach Lillian Achilles to oversee the collection until she left that position upon the establishment of the Swan Library in 1900.

Freeman Greene’s commitment to education extended far beyond the Albion Union Free School. Working with other prominent men from Albion including Isaac Signor, Greene assisted in the creation of a university extension center, which offered advanced classes to students in his school. Signor would enlist Greene to write the history of schools in Orleans County for publication in Landmarks of Orleans County.

His second wife, Susan Price Greene, was believed to be a descendant of Quakers and was acquainted with Susan B. Anthony. During her visit to Albion in January of 1894, Anthony wrote that she immediately traveled to the home of Prof. Greene, superintendent of the school at Albion. The couple led Anthony to the courthouse where she delivered an address to a sizeable audience.

Freeman continued as the superintendent of the Union Free School until 1899 when he resigned the position due to poor health. He died at Albion on August 25, 1900.

Volume 2, Issue 9

ALBION – Located just east of the Village of Albion, St. Joseph’s Cemetery was established in 1920 under the pastorate and direction of Msgr. Francis Sullivan. Notice the paving stones covering East Avenue and the extensive landscaping of the property along the road.

The center driveway runs north towards a circle containing four statues depicting the crucifixion of Christ and the chapel behind it. A larger pathway surrounded the chapel creating a section for burials within that loop.

St. Joseph’s Church celebrated its first Mass as a parish in 1852. For over twelve years prior, the Irish Catholic community relied on itinerant priests from Lockport to provide the sacraments throughout the year. This often meant that baptisms, marriages, and the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist would occur in bunches as a priest was made available by the Diocese of Buffalo.

The earliest Irish Catholics engaged in manual labor often in the sandstone quarries scattered along the Erie Canal, which led to accidental deaths and the contraction of tuberculosis. Even though the congregation established itself in the 1850s, there was still a matter of burials for parishioners. The lack of a dedicated cemetery was cause for concern among the early Catholics, but Mt. Albion was undoubtedly a sufficient alternative as there was little room for choice.

In 1873 under the direction of Rev. John Marius Castaldi the Catholics purchased a tract of land on Brown Road in the Town of Gaines for use as a parish cemetery. Upon its opening, many families elected to remove their loved ones to the newly established cemetery. Commonly referred to as “Holy Cross” or the “Old St. Joseph’s Cemetery,” the official cemetery ledger refers to the cemetery as “Holy Sepulchre” and served the congregation for nearly 50 years.

When property was purchased for the new cemetery, a new chapel was to be erected on site. Under the direction of parishioner Pasquale DiLaura, the Romanesque Revival chapel was constructed of Medina Sandstone at a cost of $10,000. The roof was covered with terra cotta tiles and the vault inside could hold approximately 15 bodies during the winter months.

The beautiful stained glass windows were manufactured by the Frohe Art Glass Company of Buffalo under the direction of Leo P. Frohe. The windows were some of the last created under his supervision before his death in 1919.

The opening of the new location provided Catholics with a cemetery along one of the main thoroughfares into Albion, rivaling the location of Mt. Albion Cemetery.

Established families were encouraged to purchase new lots in the new cemetery and provided with credits and buy-backs for unfilled lots at the old cemetery. The parish sold off adjacent land at the old location and reinterred numerous bodies between 1920 and 1925, essentially ending the sale of any new plots on Brown Road.

Families who wished for the old cemetery to serve as their final resting place were offered vacated or unfilled plots at resale.

This photograph, taken June 15, 1923, shows the cemetery at an early stage of development. Many of the gravestones shown in the image are from families who elected to have their loved ones reinterred at the new location. A large granite stone, front right, marks the gravesite of John Cunneen, local attorney and one-term New York State Attorney General.

B. L. & R. Railway operated in Orleans from 1905 to 1931

Volume 2, Issue 8

This image shows the construction of the Buffalo, Lockport & Rochester Railway through Medina in 1908. Looking north, workers are in the process of laying tracks on Main Street towards Commercial Street where the rail line would turn west and run to Salt Works Road.

The iconic clock tower of White’s Hotel can be seen in the background as well as a large advertisement for Daniel D. Holdredge’s crockery and undertaking business.

The earliest efforts to construct an electric interurban railway through this area started around the turn of the century. Discussion of forming a railway that ran from Batavia to Olcott through Medina were amongst the very first plans for a trolley system. However, the 1.7-mile Albion Electric Railway was the only successful line in these early years.

Chartered in 1905, the Buffalo, Lockport & Rochester Railway was a combination of the Albion & Lockport Railway, the Albion & Rochester Railway, and the Albion Electric Railway. The company was organized by Woods and Nicholls of Toronto and there was talk that the formulation of such a railway would lead to a connection between Canada and Western New York.

By Sept. 3, 1908 the section spanning from Rochester to a point west of Albion was in full operation and two months later, on Nov. 17, tracks were finished to Lockport. Based on that timeline, we can surmise that this photograph was taken sometime between Sept. 3 and Nov. 17, 1908.

With stations located at Medina, Knowlesville, Albion, Hulberton, and Holley, the trolley tracks ran down East Center Street, turned north on Main Street to Commercial Street and ran north of Medina’s residential neighborhoods.

While the company was in the initial stages of planning the railway’s route, Medina residents were vocal in their opposition to tracks running in front of their homes. Despite this opposition and the eventual rerouting of the rail line, Medina residents could enjoy a trip to Buffalo and back for $1.14 or travel to and from Rochester for $1.60.

The original operators of the rail line sold their interests in the B. L. & R. Railway to Clifford Beebe and operated under an electric railway group based out of Syracuse known as the “Beebe Syndicate.” During the era of the First World War, Beebe was experiencing financial difficulties and the company was sold to a Rochester based interest that reorganized the line as the Buffalo, Lockport & Rochester Railroad in 1919.

Despite the early successes of the B. L. & R., the advent of the Great Depression led to the eventual collapse of the railway in 1931. The tracks remained unused until they were dismantled and removed in 1936.

As an interesting sidenote, a railcar used on this trolley line and stored at Knowlesville for a number of years. The wood car number 206 was eventually relocated to the New York Museum of Transportation at Rochester in 2010 where it is awaiting evaluation for future restoration.

Volume 2, Issue 7

This picture, taken sometime around 1920, shows Weston Wetherbee standing with his homemade telescope behind his home on Ingersoll Street in Albion. Also pictured is Wilbur Phillips (left) and John Gilmore (center).

Weston Wetherbee was born January 24, 1857 at Barre, to Weston and Mary Ann Wetherbee. In his earliest years, Weston was employed as a carpenter and became proficient in the construction of windmills. During the later portion of the 19th century, Wetherbee continued his work as a windmill salesman and mechanic.

It was during this period of time that he served as a Justice of the Peace and Barre Town Supervisor. During his time in Barre politics he served as Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors. He was elected to the position of Orleans County Sheriff in 1904, a position which he held for three terms. It was around this time that Weston and his wife, Julia Goff, moved to the Village of Albion to their home on Ingersoll Street.

Wetherbee was particularly fond of astronomy, a hobby that he was heavily engaged in. Starting in 1897 he became a frequent contributor to the magazine Popular Astronomy where he took an initial interest in fireballs. The following year, Weston began charting Leonid meteors eventually leading to his efforts in 1905 to chart the path of August’s Perseid meteors with assistance from his wife.

To accomplish these feats of amateur astronomy, Wetherbee relied on his 8.5 inch reflecting telescope manufactured by Brashear. It was later in his career that he constructed a custom telescope using a 5 inch refracting lens, which he placed in a homemade observatory in his back yard. The small shed was constructed so that a rope could retract the ceiling, giving the telescope full range of view across the horizon.

When the Society for Practical Astronomy was formed, Wetherbee volunteered to lead the section dedicated to comets. It was this interest that led him to independently discover two comets previously unnamed. Unfortunately, before he could receive proper credit, other astronomers had submitted notice of the discoveries and received the recognition.

Weston Wetherbee was a rather eccentric individual at times. After the passing of his faithful horse, he dug a grave and held a funeral in honor of the animal. Delivering a beautiful oration on behalf of his dearly departed friend, he concluded the service by covering the grave with flowers. Whether he carried through with purchasing a monument for the horse, no one knows. He was also known locally for fitting light trucks with tables, folding chairs, cots, and other devices for camping trips.

Volume 2, Issue 6

ALBION – I received a few calls and inquiries about Thomas A. Kirby following the recent news article highlighting newly established scholarships through the Albion Central School District – who was he and why a scholarship in his name?

Albion Council #1330 Knights of Columbus developed an annual memorial award for a deserving graduating senior who showed commitment and service to the community. This image shows Thomas A. Kirby as a young man, a freshly minted lawyer eager to establish a local partnership in Albion. The photograph is paired in the collection with that of Thomas L. Hughes.

Thomas Kirby was born on March 22, 1869 in Albion to John and Catherine Hayes Kirby. As a young man, he was no stranger to patriotic duty and service to the community.

Undoubtedly a young Thomas would have heard the stories told by his father, who served with the 8th New York Cavalry during the Civil War, was taken prisoner at Gettysburg, and sent to Andersonville Prison Camp. He received his earliest education in the common schools of Albion and took an interest in law at a young age, studying with John Cunneen who would later serve one term as New York State Attorney General.

A flourishing partnership developed between Kirby and Thomas L. Hughes and the two practiced law together until Hughes decided to move to New York City. The relocation forced Kirby to practice on his own, maintaining an office on East Bank Street.

As an Irish Catholic, Kirby was dedicated to the church committee serving as a trustee of St. Joseph’s Church for a number of years. He was active in the local branch of the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association in its earliest years during the 1880s, an organization largely responsible for supporting working Catholic men with life insurance during times of economic hardship, personal injury, and death.

For reasons unknown, the C.M.B.A. branch eventually developed into the Knights of Columbus Albion Council #1330 which focused its efforts on similar endeavors. The respected community member was selected as the organization’s first Grand Knight (president) when the council formed in 1908.

As a prominent member of the Republican Party and members of the New York State Bar Association, Kirby was elected for one term as Orleans County District Attorney from 1899-1901. During the famed trial of Charles Stielow, Kirby assisted the District Attorney with the prosecution of Stielow for the murder of Charles Phelps of Shelby, a role that created a heavy criticism of local officials involved in the case.

Kirby was instrumental in establishing the Albion Chapter of the American Red Cross during the First World War, acting as the organization’s first Vice Chairman. He was the attorney for the Village of Albion and President of the Board of Education at the time of his death on Jan. 29, 1922.

As an exceptional trial lawyer, Kirby developed a reputation throughout Orleans County and across Western New York as an outstanding and prominent orator. In Carl Carmer’s book, “Dark Trees to the Wind” published in 1949, Carmer recalls a Fourth of July celebration in Albion where “the Town’s lawyer-orator, corpulent and elegant in his best blue suit and white waistcoat, stood on the platform and with calculated deliberation began his patriotic oration. Twenty minutes later his rich deep voice was pouring out his devotion to his country and his flag with all the poetry and rhetoric born in his Irish soul. His audience was spellbound” It is without a doubt that Carmer was writing of Thomas Kirby.

His obituary concluded, “Thomas A. Kirby always stood for the right as he saw it and was fearless in his denunciation of wrongFaithful in every trust reposed in him” The Knights of Columbus chose to honor a man who was well respected within their organization and a man who was held in high regard throughout the community for his commitment to service and patriotism.