ALBION – Irish Catholic immigrants flocked to Orleans County as early as the 1820s and 1830s, well in advance of the Great Famine of 1845-1852.

The Irish in Albion and Medina quickly found work within the newly established sandstone quarries located throughout the region, yet no house of worship existed to meet their weekly sacramental requirements.

Around 1840 Rev. Patrick Costello of Lockport visited Albion to celebrate Mass in the home of John Walsh, an early Irish settler in the village. The earliest Irish population was small, consisting of the families of Samuel McCaffrey, Denis Sullivan, Patrick McMahon, Bernard Flaherty, Thomas Crean, and Felix McCann, the latter a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo.

The community rented space in the Burrows Block on Main Street and priests held monthly services from Lockport or Rochester. These priests were also called upon to administer the sacraments of baptism and matrimony.

In June of 1849 Bishop John Timon visited Albion with Rev. Harmon of Medina in order to secure the site on North Main Street. Work began soon after and the edifice was completed in 1852 under the direction of Rev. O’Conner; the first Mass was celebrated on Palm Sunday of that year.

Over the next 10 years, the congregation saw numerous priests come and go until Rev. John M. Castaldi arrived in 1862. His tenure with the parish would be one of the longest in the history of the congregation.

Castaldi ensured the continued growth of the parish with the erection of a parochial school located behind the church, opening in 1869 under the direction of the Sisters of Mercy. He also secured 26 acres of land located on Brown Street for use as a Catholic cemetery, then called “Holy Sepulchre.” Two years later, the parish purchased the property of Mrs. English for use as a convent for the Sisters.

This growth and the size of the congregation elevated the parish to the rank of “Irremovable Rectorship,” meaning the priest left only by retirement or death. It was the death of Rev. Castaldi in 1895 that led to the erection of the new sandstone church on Park Street; another story for another time.

This image shows the original site of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, located between Erie Street and Caroline Street. Unlike the current edifice, this church was constructed of wood and was likely meant to serve as a temporary house of worship.

Those familiar with St. Mary’s Assumption Parish in Albion will notice some similarities between this structure and the Polish parish building. Both the interior and exterior of the Polish church resemble the original St. Joseph edifice.

The Department of History is now seeking submissions for the inaugural edition of “The Pioneer Record.” Check out www.orleanscountyhistorian.org for more information.

SHELBY – This photograph taken in June of 1907 shows the interior of Nelson N. King’s Blacksmith Shop located at Shelby Center. A native of Newfane, King started his blacksmithing career in Orleans County working with Maxim “Peter” Pilon at Carlton Station.

In July of 1900, Pilon sold his shop and all of the associated tools to King who assumed control of the business shortly after. On June 27, 1903 King married Lillian Ryan at Shelby and started to rent the Bailey Blacksmith Shop at Shelby Center in late October of 1904.

Nelson King is bent over with the horse’s hind leg positioned between his own legs preparing the hoof for shoeing. On the left, Pierson “Syke” Neal is shown working a horseshoe on the anvil while Adra Wormuth, a local farmer, observes.

Blacksmiths wore aprons to cover their clothing, protecting them from sparks created by the pounding of heated metal. The only man in the photograph not wearing an apron is Wormuth, which suggests that he brought the horse to the shop for shoeing.

This shop is particularly unusual given the amount of light inside of the room. Blacksmith shops were often dark, allowing the smith to observe the changing colors of the metal. Different colors represented different temperatures and depending on the intended final product, a combination of specific temperatures and tools were required.

Scattered across the floor are a number of this tools including tongs and sledgehammers. Hanging on the wall next to the door is a rake used for working the fire in the forge, which was likely off to the left of Neal’s anvil.

ALBION – Operated by Mathew Ciszek, an Austrian-Polish immigrant, the old “Club 469” served as a saloon and bottling works for the community of East State Street during the first quarter of the 20th century.

A 1910 Orleans County Business Directory entry indicates that the business had expanded considerably and the Ciszeks were dealing in coal and wood in addition to the saloon and bottling business. After Mathew’s untimely death in 1910, his son Frank took control of the business.

This image, taken sometime between 1910 and 1915, depicts the interior of the bar room of Ciszek’s Saloon located at 113 East State Street. The original bar rested along the west wall, was moved to the east wall later on, and finally returned to the west wall with the opening of the Crooked Door Tavern.

Along the foot of the bar rests several spittoons as well as a luggage bag balancing on the foot rail. Near the ceiling are two large boxes that appear to contain taxidermy mounts. Two pints of beer on the bar indicate that several men ducked out of the way for this photograph. The man in the image is believed to be Frank S. Ciszek.

A day to remember those soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice over the last 239 years, Memorial Day serves as an occasion for each and every citizen to reflect on the freedoms that we enjoy.

“Decoration Day,” as it was called, has its roots in the Civil War when loved ones decorated the graves of their dearly departed soldiers. Today, we continue that tradition by adorning the graves of our veterans with flowers and flags.

Over the next four years we will commemorate the passing of the centennial of the First World War. A horrific and deadly conflict that was said to be “the war to end all wars,” took the lives of several dozen Orleans County citizens over the course of 19 months. Our families sent over 1,000 young men to face the horrors of war and upon their return, the physical and emotional scars would remain for the rest of their lives.

This photograph depicts Company F of the 108th Infantry. Originally believed to be a 1917 image showing men preparing for their departure from the Medina railroad station.

Instead, the image appears to show the men of Company F upon their return to Orleans County at the conclusion of the war. With medals pinned to their chests, the soldiers paraded along the streets of Medina amidst a crowd of teary-eyed onlookers lining the roads adorned with flags and patriotic bunting.

The Battle of St. Quentin Canal was still fresh in their minds – the day Medina’s own Company F broke the Hindenburg Line. Orleans County lost 12 men that day, September 29, 1918, including James Clark, William Collins, Frank Bloom, Walter Gaylord, Cecil Green, Albert Coon, Walter Lindke, Fred Hellert, Leon Clark, Alex Wilson, Egbert Sheret, and James Sheret.

Capt. John S. Thompson recalled the bravery each man from Company F exhibited as they went over the top at 5:50 a.m. that Sunday morning. They sang cheerful melodies as they advanced to the front line and continued to carry their tune as they advanced on the German line. Such heroism should forever be remembered.

The Orleans County Department of History continues to accept contributions of photographs, both originals and duplicates, as well as documents, records, and other items relating to the history of the area.

If you have materials you would like to share, please contact Matthew Ballard at Matt.Ballard@orleanscountyny.gov or 585-589-4174. In conjunction with “The Lost Generation” exhibition set to open at the Cobblestone Museum in early July, the Department of History is working towards assembling a detailed record of Orleans County’s 20th century military history and needs help from the community.

This image shows the storefront of F. H. Lattin & Company in Chicago, Ill. Although this is not an image of a building in Orleans County, Frank Haak Lattin of Gaines operated this store as one of several specializing in the sale of natural specimens, instruments and supplies.

Graduating from the Albion High School in 1882, Lattin would spend several years teaching in Gaines. Lattin recognized the rich geological nature of the Orleans County region and collected a number of specimens from neighboring sandstone and limestone quarries.

In his earliest years as a collector he focused his attention strictly on birds’ eggs and started a publication called the “Oologist” in 1884. That collection of eggs became so extensive that it occupied two warehouses and at one time pieces of the collection were placed on exhibit at the Field Museum in Chicago.

By the time of his retirement in 1896, he was regarded as one of the most well known dealers of his kind in the United States. He would later attend the University of Buffalo, graduating from the medical department in 1899.

Lattin also became a well-respected fruit grower throughout New York State with over 200 acres of land dedicated to the growing of pears, cherries, peaches, plums and apples in both Orleans and Oswego counties.

At the time of this photograph, Lattin was heavily engaged in the wholesale and retail business, selling specimens, instruments, supplies and publications for the naturalist. The careful eye can catch a glimpse of the variety of specimens within the storefront.

In the window to the left is the nose extension of a sawfish. In the window to the right you can see an alligator lying across the length of the window and the mounted head of a red fox. Frank Lattin is standing on the left.

GAINES – On June 1, 1980 the Cobblestone Society formally dedicated the newly relocated Farmer’s Hall situated on Route 98 just south of Route 104.

The occasion was marked by a farmers’ parade from Gaines to Childs, which ended at Tillman’s Village Inn. Following the dedication ceremony in front of the Hall, attendees enjoyed a little fun and fellowship at the museum.

This picture shows Charlie and Jean Shervin “cuttin’ the rug” at the festivities following the dedication. The photo was taken in front of Radzinski’s H&A located where Crosby’s gas station currently sits.

The brick building in the background was part of the brick house that now serves as the Cobblestone Museum’s resource center. This portion of the building and the old liquor store attached to the front of the house were both removed after the museum purchased the building in 1998.

In its 55th year, the Cobblestone Museum will open this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., a fantastic opportunity to tour seven historic buildings, including the Farmer’s Hall, which celebrates its 160th birthday this year!

File photo by Tom Rivers – The Farmer’s Hall (the yellow building) is pictured with other historic buildings – the harness and print shops – this past February.

MURRAY – This image taken in the late 1920s shows the interior of a classroom at the Murray District No. 6 School located on the corner of West Brockville and Fancher roads. Unlike other rural schoolhouses in the area, this building had four classrooms used to teach over 100 students enrolled in the district.

This particular school was constructed in 1911 and was likely built to accommodate the Italian families living in the area. Guy D’Amico served as the first teacher and instructed all eight grades in three of the classrooms. Mabel Brockway and Ella Clark were the last two teachers to serve the district.

The school was closed in 1947 and in 1955 the district allowed the Fancher Legion Post to use the building following a devastating fire that burned their former post building the previous year. When the Fancher Post disbanded in 1971, a heated debate over ownership ensued.

Per terms of the original use agreement, ownership would revert to District No. 6 should the Fancher Post cease to use the building. Instead, Jewell Buckman Post of Holley claimed ownership and razed the building in 1972, claiming the building was dilapidated and a safety hazard to the community.

Row 1 (near door): Kathryn Vendetta, Roger Valentine, Nello Seusoli and Laurence Passarell.

Row 2: Billy Bower, Henry Paduano, Edwin Bower, Camille Monacelli, Antonette Colucci, Fern Napoleon and Arthur Monacelli.

Row 3: Louis Monacelli, Lena Mele, Gordon Valentine, James Bell, Clara DePalma, Richard Vendetta and Myron Converse.

Row 4: Floyd Valentine, Seymour Clark, Ronald Hilfiker, Verna Presutti, Iola Valentine and Otta Nenni.

Three students – Norma DiLaura, Ettore D’Amico and Lorraine Monacelli – were absent from class the day this photograph was taken.