Jennifer Wells-Dickerson, center, answers questions following her presentation Wednesday evening during the meeting of the Clarendon Historical Society. On the screen in the background is a photo of Wells-Dickerson’ great-grandfather Pasquale DiLaura (right) and his son Ellis DiLaura.The DiLaura Stone Co. ran the O’Brien Quarry in Clarendon long after many local quarries had closed.

CLARENDON – Local residents had an opportunity to learn more about the O’Brien/DiLaura Stone Co. Medina sandstone quarry on Howard Road in Clarendon.

Jennifer Wells-Dickerson gave a presentation Wednesday on her great-grandfather, Pasquale DiLaura, who was a stone cutter, business owner and promoter of Medina sandstone. He kept the Clarendon quarry running after other local quarries closed in the 1920’s and 1930’s.

Wells-Dickerson, who lives in Hamlin, has been amassing information, photographs, ledgers and other materials from the DiLaura Stone Co. She started gathering the information when she wrote a research report on her great-grandfather and local quarries for a high school English class at Albion High School.

A photograph on the screen of Wells-Dickerson’s great -grandfather Pasquale DiLaura with blocks of Medina sandstone from the Clarendon quarry.

She noted that sandstone from the DiLaura quarry in Clarendon was used to construct shelters and other structures in Hamlin Beach State Park, bridges and culverts on the Lake Ontario State Parkway, and numerous homes and municipal projects.

“During the Great Depression, he kept his men working, even though there were few orders” Wells-Dickerson said.

Tools used in the Clarendon quarries were also on display at the Historical Society Barn during Wednesday’s presentation.

Having a stockpile of stone available was a major factor in DiLaura Stone being chosen to build bridges and culverts along the Lake Ontario State Parkway, she explained during her presentation that was hosted by the Clarendon Historical Society.

Wells-Dickerson said she hopes someday to write a book on the subject to share information she has gathered with more people.

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ALBION – Orleans County Historian Matt Ballard, center, leads a tour of Mount Albion Cemetery this evening. The tour started at the chapel at the cemetery, which was built in 1875 in a Gothic architecture style, similar to the First Presbyterian Church in Albion.

Ballard and Bill Lattin, the retired county historian, are leading cemetery tours every Sunday in August beginning at 6 p.m. There were about 35 people on today’s tour.

Bill Lattin discusses the monument for members of the Whitmore family. The monument, which Lattin said was in a “soul house” style, is one of his favorites to talk about at Mount Albion. Lattin likes of the symbols and details on the monument, including oak leaves, which represent endurance.

There are several epithets on the monument expressing themes of love.

Matt Ballard talks about James Randall, a local doctor who lived to be 60. Randall died on Feb. 14, 1884.

The tour participants walk in the historic cemetery along Route 31. Mount Albion was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, the first site in Orleans County to make the list.

The tour was near the veterans’ section.

Ballard and Lattin discussed several prominent residents from the mid-to-late 1800s, as well as some from the early 1900s, including Alice Weston.

They also highlighted a tragic accident in 1905 where four children died after being hit by a train.

Lattin discusses the chapel at Mount Albion, which was built symmetrical fashion, including a fake chimney on the west side to match the one on the east side.

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Olmsted was consultant on project in Albion

Volume 2, Issue 33

ALBION – This image taken in 1905 shows a gathering of local officials and community members at the opening of the hospital wing at the Orleans County Alms House.

The estimated $20,000 extension of the Poor House was designed by architect Fred Harvey Loverin of Buffalo and completed with much anticipation from local officials.

The main building, pictured right, consisted of an administration building, a men’s ward, and a women’s ward all constructed in 1878 by Frank Downing. The building replaced the badly deteriorated County House, which was deemed obsolete by a committee consisting of John Hull White, Burton Keys, and Julius Harris.

The committee reported that “…the roof leaks badly…” and that “…the walls appear to be infested with vermin, and there is no way to exterminate them except by building the walls anew.” It is shown in the papers of Frederick Law Olmsted that he was consulted in the planning of the new Alms House building.

In 1903, prior to starting construction of the hospital wing, inmate John Hurley committed suicide by cutting his throat. Varnum Ludington remarked that Hurley’s death was the second of its kind in two weeks; the need for a hospital to treat the “mentally ill and deranged” was growing significantly.

Construction on the 40- by 60-foot wing built from fire-spot Buffalo brick was started that same year. The building was finished with white sandstone trimmings quarried from Orleans County and consisted of a basement, two stories, and an attic. A veranda was added on the south side for patients to sit outside and “take their sun baths.”

Over the next few years, the Alms House was met with several unfortunate occurrences. During construction of the hospital wing in 1904, George Dibble of Byron fell 15 feet from the scaffolding he was working on. The accident resulted in a serious spinal injury that left Dibble paralyzed; he died shortly after.

The following year there was a dangerous diphtheria outbreak that left Frank Seifert, an employee of the Alms House, bedridden. His fiancée Violet Rowley visited the home to care for him but contracted the illness herself. Her death after four short days left Seifert in a distraught state of mind and after accusations of falsifying audited records the following year, Frank committed suicide by drinking carbolic acid at his father’s home in Kendall.

It was during this time that a scathing criticism of Varnum Ludington’s administration appeared in the local papers. Reports showed that the cost of caring for the inmates at the Orleans County Alms House was nearly double that of Niagara County’s institution.

The average cost for providing clothing for inmates in Albion was recorded as $21.07, while Niagara County recorded a modest $3.49 per inmate and $4.00 per inmate in Genesee County. Records showed that expenses grew from $10,914.25 under the administration of George Mathes in 1896 to $18,846.19 in 1903 under Ludington.

These buildings remained in operation until 1960 when the new nursing home was constructed on Route 31. The farm land was sold in 1955 to John Wilkins, Jr. of County House Road for $20,600 and the buildings razed in 1962.

The Department of History is hosting free tours of the cemetery on Sundays in August starting at 6 p.m. (no reservations needed). Tours will be led by Matthew Ballard and Bill Lattin, retired Orleans County historian. The group will depart from the cemetery chapel. Wear comfortable shoes, dress for the weather, and be sure to arrive early to find a parking spot – this week’s tour is a little easier on the legs and features the murder of Alice Wilson.

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Charles Royce Sawyer pushed for local fire department to have first mechanized fire truck in NY outside of NYC

Charles Royce

Volume 2, Issue 32

This image taken by Francis Burnette of Albion shows a young Charles Royce Sawyer, probably around 1890. The son of George Sawyer and Elizabeth Royce, Charles was one of two children born to the prominent Albion couple; unfortunately, his younger sister Lucilla died just over a month after birth. Sawyer received his early education at Albion and eventually entered employment with the Citizen’s National Bank as an assistant cashier.

Charles was prominent in local political, social, and business affairs and was said to have a “genial hearty manner that made him friends with everyone.” After joining the fire department in Albion he progressed through the organization, first as treasurer for the Dye Hose Company and then serving as Chief Engineer. It was the goal of his tenure as Chief to mechanize the entire department and it was his work that secured the first mechanized fire truck in New York outside of New York City.

Courtesy Albion Fire Department – The Albion Fire Department was the first in Western New York with motorized fire apparatus. The Dye Hose Company in 1913 purchased this Thomas Flyer truck.

Sawyer was respected for his business and financial acumen, which was reflected through his participation as a director with the Grower’s Cold Storage at Waterport and as a director at the Citizen’s National Bank.

During his 6-year tenure as Orleans County Treasurer, an investigation by New York State Comptroller Martin Glynn revealed that Sawyer had conducted business in a manner which “constitutes malfeasance in office, [for] which he might be removed.” He was responsible for expending nearly $9,000 in claims that went unaudited by the Board of Supervisors. In addition to this he was accused of taking out $69,888.90 in loans for the county, none of which were properly contracted.

Sawyer and his wife Fannie had a son, Charles Royce, Jr., who on one particular occasion was sent to school a distance away from Albion. As the story goes, the family packed up the car, dropped young Charles off, and took a lengthy scenic trip back to Albion. When the couple returned home, they found their son seated on the front steps. He had decided very shortly after his arrival that his new home was not to his liking and caught a bus home.

In 1924, Sawyer was involved in a minor car accident. After a few days in bed, it was the general impression that he was making a full recovery from his injuries. Ten days later, he died unexpectedly from a massive heart attack – some thought the injuries he sustained in the accident were worse than first thought. His funeral was held at Christ Church in Albion with over 2,000 in attendance. After the home service concluded, the fire department tolled the bell in his honor. The funeral procession to Mt. Albion Cemetery consisted of nearly 100 automobiles and businesses throughout the village were closed during the services.

Sawyer’s grandfather, Origen Royce, will be one of several prominent citizens featured during Sunday’s tour at Mt. Albion Cemetery. The Department of History is hosting tours of the cemetery on Sundays in August starting at 6 p.m. Tours will be led by Matthew Ballard and Bill Lattin and the group will depart from the cemetery chapel. Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather – this week’s tour involves hiking up a few hills!

Volume 2, Issue 31

“It has been playfully said that you may place a Yankee in the woods with an ax, an auger and a knife, his only tools, and with the trees his only material for use, and he will build a palace…” – Arad Thomas, 1859

We are fortunate to retain the images of our pioneer ancestors, showing the faces of hardship and tribulation. This studio portrait taken in Rochester shows Seymour B. Murdock of Ridgeway in his advanced age, likely in his late 70’s. Over 200 years ago, Murdock was brought to the frontier of Western New York by his father and namesake, Seymour Murdock, arriving on June 1, 1810.

The Murdock clan, consisting of twelve family members, packed into wagons drawn by a team of oxen for the nearly 300-mile journey. Upon reaching the Genesee River, the family was met by dense forests and difficult travel the entire distance to their next stop at Clarkson. There they lodged in a roughly constructed log tavern before starting the journey westward to the family lot in Ridgeway.

The next stretch of the expedition was far more treacherous. Between Clarkson and Ridgeway, the family encountered three poorly constructed log cabins during the two-day trek. Upon their arrival at Otter Creek, the family was met by embankments lined with logs to form a “dugway.”

The path was so steep as to form a nearly perpendicular trail up the west bank. To drag the wagons up the precipice, the oxen were maneuvered to the top of the hill and the wagons pulled from the creek. The oxen struggled under the heavy load and at one point were pulled backwards by the weight of the wagons; one ox buckled under the weight, caught his horn under a root, and tore it clean off.

Traveling further westward, the family encountered another challenge upon reaching the banks of Oak Orchard Creek. A similar dugway was constructed at this site for use by the “Yankee Wagons” used by earlier pioneer groups. The pathway proved too narrow for the long axles of the Conestoga wagons used by Murdock’s group and nearly rolled the wagons and oxen down the embankment.

The arrival at the family’s new homestead was welcomed with great celebration and provisions were immediately spread out in preparation for a “first meal” on the new land. One can only imagine how frightful those early years were for families with young children. Roughly 30 miles south was Batavia, the location of the closest store, post office, and church; Niagara Falls was the closest grist mill. The closest neighbors in any direction were approximately 5-7 miles away.

As the War of 1812 raged on the Niagara Frontier, focus shifted from raising crops to protecting pioneer homes. This created a lack of provisions and forced families to abandon their homes in search of safety and security. When the British captured Ft. Niagara, local men took up arms in preparation for the potential eastward path of the enemy. A band of Tuscarora Indians passing along the Ridge gave the locals quite a scare before they realized the group was friendly.

During this same time, Gen. George Izard was traveling along the Ridge Road towards Ft. Niagara when he encountered the elder Seymour Murdock attempting to raise a barn. With a lack of able-bodied men in the area, the General directed his troops to assist in the construction of the barn. A bronze historic marker sits on the site, calling attention to this barn situated approximately 100 feet southeast of the road. It was in this barn that Betsey Murdock conducted the first school in Ridgeway.

William Coniber, Jr.

Volume 2, Issue 30

The history of Orleans County is littered with the stories of cold-blooded murder, perhaps some cases more infamous than others.

Of course, capturing wanted criminals connected to these cases was a far more difficult process over a century ago, but local officials did the best they could in apprehending suspects. In one particular case occurring at the turn of the 20th century, several years would pass before a suspect was arrested in one of the most grievous murder cases in local history.

One Thursday morning, September 14th to be exact, back in 1899 Horace Halpin left the family homestead at Rich’s Corners. John Halpin, Horace’s father, was a local grocer and had sent his son to make the daily deliveries at approximately 11 a.m.

While traveling towards the “Lattin Swamp,” Horace encountered a tramp walking north. The man told Horace he was seeking employment with Oscar Brown’s merry-go-round outfit in Albion and that he had walked some distance from Batavia to do so.

Halpin’s last stop for the day was at the home of William Thorpe, just south of the swamp. The tramp watched the young deliveryman make change and the pair continued north towards Albion. It was nearing 1 o’clock in the afternoon and Thorpe decided to take a trip into town. As he traveled through the swamp, he encountered Halpin’s wagon along the side of the road. As he approached the wagon, he gazed upon Halpin’s body lurched over on his side as if he were sick; his new travelling companion was nowhere to be found.

Thorpe led the cart back to Rich’s Corners where John Halpin discovered a bullet wound in his son’s chest. Dr. Cochrane and Coroner John Sutton were summoned and the .32 caliber bullet wound was confirmed; the bullet entered Halpin’s chest and lodged in his heart, causing death instantly. It was understood that Halpin traveled unarmed, assuming that he would rather surrender his money rather than fight in the case of robbery. The $12.00 he was carrying at the start of the day was missing.

Sheriff Richardson and District Attorney Thomas Kirby set plans to catch the unknown man, releasing a detailed description gathered from Thorpe. He was described as a male, 5 feet, 6 or 7 inches tall, stout with light to medium dark hair, light complexion, blue eyes, not sunburned with a mole or pimple on his face, a prominent Roman nose, smooth face, and not having the appearance of having performed hard labor.

As information circulated and interviews were conducted, it was determined that William Coniber, Jr. of Genesee County was the killer. He was regarded as a problem child, spending time in a Rochester reformatory before he was accused of robbing a farmer at Elba in 1893. When Sheriff Rice was elected, he intensified the search for Coniber in 1902; nearly 3 years after the murder took place. Posters were circulated and a $500 reward was offered which, in turn, resulted in Coniber’s capture at Meadville, Pennsylvania in July of 1902.

In preparation for the trial, 147 jurors were examined before the final 12 were selected. During the trial, Coniber changed his plea of not guilty on a charge of first degree murder to guilty of murder in the second degree. This came as a surprise to all but likely saved Coniber’s life as he most assuredly would have went to the electric chair for his crime. November 12, 1902, Coniber was transferred to Auburn Prison to live out the remainder of his natural life and Thomas Sherry, the man who provided the information leading to his arrest, was provided with his $500 reward.

Coniber was eventually transferred from Auburn to Great Meadow Prison at Comstock, NY. While working on the prison farm outside of the confines of the penitentiary walls, he escaped on October 3, 1916. This unfortunate occurrence led the Superintendent of Prisons at Albany to enact a policy preventing all “lifers” from performing duty outside of the prison walls.