Elbert Johnson, 30, was married with 2 young children

Elbert Johnston married Pauline Skinner on June 4, 1913

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Vol. 4, No. 6

HOLLEY – Elbert Johnston, Part 2. In our previous column (click here), we read about Elbert’s move to Holley in 1907 from a journal that he wrote at that time.

Elbert settled in to life in Holley and continued to work at Hudson Canning, the fruit and vegetable processing plant owned by his uncle, Joseph B. Hudson.

When Hudson Canning acquired the Batavia Canning Company plant in Brockport in 1910, Elbert was appointed superintendent. Elbert also managed the Holley plant when his uncle went to Long Island to attend to the original Hudson Canning plant in Mattituck in Suffolk County.

Elbert married Pauline Skinner on June 4, 1913. Born in Rochester on July 6, 1889, Pauline was the daughter of DeWitt and Stella Skinner. Pauline worked in the office of the Shinola Company, a Rochester based company which produced boot and shoe polish.

The couple was engaged on New Year’s Eve, 1912, following a courtship of six months. The wedding took place at Pauline’s home, 209 Flower City Park, in Rochester, on June 4, 1913, with about sixty guests in attendance. Elbert was then aged 26 and Pauline was 24.

“The bride wore a gown of white voile trimmed with ratine lace, made over white silk and carried a shower Bouquet of Bride roses and lilies of the valley….The groom’s gift to the bride was a gold monogram watch and pin.”

A wedding supper was served following the ceremony. According to a family story, an ice-cream maker set up on the front porch was snatched by  young boy, but the bride’s father chased him down the street and retrieved it.

Elbert Johnston photographed on Sept.1, 1918, with his daughter, Arietta Jean, born March 9, 1917.

The couple honeymooned in New York City and lived in Brockport at first, but later moved to Holley, to a house across the tracks from Elbert’s uncle’s home.

Pauline assisted with office work at the canning factory.

Their daughter, Arietta Jean, was born on March 9, 1917, at Park Ave. Hospital in Rochester. Pauline had stayed with her parents for two weeks before the birth, to be close to the hospital. Elbert visited frequently. Arietta was named for Elbert’s mother, Arietta Hudson Johnston.

Pregnant with their second child, Pauline went to stay with her parents in Rochester again, in September 1918. Arrietta accompanied her.

A letter, which Elbert wrote to Pauline on Wednesday, September 25, 1918, survives. It is full of the details of their everyday lives. Elbert wrote that he brought some wood home and set a fire in the kitchen as the house was damp, gathered dandelions for the rabbit’s breakfast and cleaned the hutch. Lad, their Irish setter dog, spent a lot of time at the office, sleeping at the back of the stove. He included a snippet of gossip: “Chet and his wife are separating.” Elbert enquired after Arietta Jean and wrote that he would see them on the coming Sunday.

Their son, Robert Walter, who was named for Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott, was born on Saturday, September 28, 1918. But when Elbert went to visit on Sunday, as promised, he was denied entry. Visitors were not allowed at the hospital on account of the Spanish flu epidemic.

Within a week, a quarantine was declared in Holley where the flu was rampant. Elbert contracted it. His Aunt Allie cared for him, but he died on October 18, 1918, just shy of his thirty-first birthday, having been ill for just one week. He was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Rochester.

His son, Robert Walter, was two weeks old. Elbert had not had an opportunity to see him because of the quarantine. Arietta Jean was nineteen months old.

Following Elbert’s death, Pauline remained in Rochester with her parents. She never returned to their home in Holley, which was sold. Later, since she needed to earn a living, and was an accomplished seamstress, she took a correspondence course in dressmaking and started a business.

This poignant tale is sourced from items graciously donated to the Orleans County Dept. of History by Gail Wadsworth, daughter of Arietta Jean. Considering the domestic upheaval surrounding Elbert’s death and the fact that Pauline moved house several times, it is quite remarkable that these items survived.

True, this material just provides details on the life and death of one individual. But from a local history point of view, its significance is that it helps us understand the great events of the time. It also points to the role of the local history entity in the preservation of such unique and irreplaceable documents.

In our previous column, we mentioned that Elbert and some friends attended a Political Suffrage program in Holley in 1907. It is apparent from Elbert’s comments following the event that he was not in favor of women’s suffrage, which is surprising, given that he was a modern young man from New York City who enjoyed the company of young ladies. His stance starkly indicates the daunting negativity and prejudice that faced the suffragists.

We can read that 65,000 people in the United States died from the Spanish flu, but when we read about a relatable individual, a healthy young man from Holley who succumbed having been ill for a week, we realize how virulent it was and the long-lasting impact it had on so many families.

Incidentally, at one point, Pauline and her family were neighbors of the Reverend Randall Kenyon family, whose housemaid was May Howard, a young English girl, one of the survivors of the Titanic, who is buried at Boxwood Cemetery, Medina…but that’s another story.

Free solar-viewing glasses also will be available

Provided photo: Hoag Library will be distributing solar-viewing glasses on Saturday for free. The cost is covered by the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Space Science Institute, through its Solar Eclipse Activities for Libraries (SEAL) program. The program is providing 5 million solar-viewing glasses to 10,000 libraries.

Dr. Michael Richmond

ALBION – Hoag Library will welcome a speaker at noon on Saturday about the upcoming solar eclipse. Orleans County is in the path of totality on April 8, when the moon will fully block out the sun from about 3:18 to 3:22 p.m.

In Western New York partial eclipse begins at 2:04 p.m. with the partial eclipse over at 4:32 p.m., according to NASA. Just before the near darkness approaches, the shade of the moon yields a sliver of light.

Dr. Michael Richmond, a professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, will discuss the significance and rarity of the total eclipse during a presentation at Hoag. Richmond teaches both physics and astronomy courses and runs the RIT Observatory.

Map courtesy of I Love NY and shows a path of totality for the solar eclipse on April 8. A map of the contiguous U.S. shows the path of the 2024 total solar eclipse stretching on a narrow band from Texas to Maine.

ALBION – The Albion Police Department today is announcing four people have been charged after a fight at about 9:20 p.m. on Jan. 21.

Police officers responded to a reported fight in the area of Caroline Street and Ingersoll Street. Upon arrival, officers found a victim with non-life-threatening stab wounds to her head, arm and back, said Police Chief David Mogle.

The victim was transported to the Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester for treatment and has since been released.

Throughout the investigation, the Albion Police Department arrested a 16-year-old female for assault in the 2nd degree (Class D felony) and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree with intent to use (Class A misdemeanor).

Additionally, the Albion Police arrested two other 17-year-old females and a 21-year-old male named Tyzion Henry for endangering the welfare of a child (Class A misdemeanors).

The 16-year-old female suspect was transported to Orleans County Court for arraignment in the Criminal Court for youth. The two 17-year-old juveniles arrested were released with appearance tickets referrable to probation. Henry was released on an appearance ticket returnable to the Town of Albion Court.

The Albion Police Department was assisted by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office and the New York State Police.

ALBION – An Albion man was charged with third-degree robbery, a Class D felony, this morning.

Donovan J. Conner

Donovan J. Conner, 36, of Beechwood Apartments in Albion was at the McDonald’s on East Avenue this morning at about 8:30. Conner allegedly became upset because he believed he had been shorted on his change, Albion Police Chief David Mogle said.

Conner then argued with a manager, who advised Conner several times to leave the site.

“During the argument the customer pushed the manager of McDonald’s and entered the area behind the counter,” Mogle said. “The customer then took money from the cash register and left.”

Conner, in addition to robbery, also was charged with two counts of harassment, a violation; aggravated unlicensed operation in the second degree, unlicensed operator and trespass.

Conner was transported to the Albion Police Department for processing and then taken to the Orleans County Jail awaiting to be seen by a judge for an order of protection. Conner was issued appearance tickets for all the charges.

The Albion Police Department was assisted by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, and the Orleans County Major Felony Crime Task Force.

MEDINA – The Iroquois Job Corps Center is teaming with the Medina Rotary Club in a project adding Buddy Benches to village parks.

Job Corps students are building four of the benches, with the cost of the materials covered by the Rotary Club. John Thomas, operations director at the Job Corps, is a member of the local service group.

Rotary also is paying for the materials for Adirondack chairs that students will build, with the chairs then sold to community members in a fundraiser for Rotary. Seven of the chairs are complete. The Rotary is finalizing the cost for the chairs.

“The chairs and benches are beautiful and very well constructed,” said Peter Bartula, Medina Rotary president. “It works out great for everybody. They learn a skill and the community benefits with new benches for the parks.”

(Left) Iroquois Job Corps’ carpentry student Jeremiah Caldwell works on one of the buddy benches which will be placed in four local Medina parks as a way to spread goodwill. (Right) Students in the carpentry program at Iroquois Job Corps Center work on Adirondack chairs, which the Medina Rotary Club will sell to raise money for the community.

Photo by Ginny Kropf: John Betts and Laura Scarantine from Medina Memorial Hospital’s Respiratory Services Department will be able to perform pulmonary function testing with the addition of that benefit to the hospital.

MEDINA – Orleans Community Health has announced the latest addition to its comprehensive healthcare services at Medina Memorial Hospital, with the introduction of pulmonary function testing.

This service is now available through the hospital’s Respiratory Therapy Department, continuing their efforts to offer important services all in one location, according to Scott Robinson, director marketing, communications and outreach.

Pulmonary function testing is a crucial diagnostic tool that measures how well the lungs take in and exhale air. This advanced testing allows health professionals to access respiratory function, diagnose lung conditions and develop personalized treatment plans for patients with respiratory issues.

Key features of Orleans Community Health/Medina Memorial Hospital’s pulmonary function testing service are:

• State-of-the Art Technology. The Respiratory Department at Medina Memorial Hospital is equipped with the latest in pulmonary function technology. This ensures accurate and reliable results for healthcare providers to make informed decisions about patient care.
• Comprehensive Respiratory Care: With the addition of PFT, Medina Memorial Hospital expands on its comprehensive range of respiratory care services. The hospital’s experienced respiratory therapy team is dedicated to delivering high-quality care to individuals with a variety of respiratory conditions.
• Patient-Centered Approach: The addition of PFT services aligns with the goal of Orleans Community Health to make healthcare services more accessible and convenient for the community.

“The addition of pulmonary function testing to Medina Memorial Hospital brings a need to the community that previously was not accessible or convenient for the average individual,” said Kimberly Gray, chief nursing officer of Orleans Community Health. “Patients may come in for testing who have asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, shortness of breath, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), constant coughing or other respiratory concerns their doctors might have.”

Orleans Community Health invites the community to learn more about the pulmonary function testing service and other healthcare offerings at Medina Memorial Hospital by contacting the Respiratory Therapy Department at (585) 798-8044.

Jeff Lewis served many years as a VP with PathStone

Photo by Ginny Kropf: Medina native Jeff Lewis talks about his vision for the future of the Medina Railroad Museum. He was named its executive director in January.

MEDINA – The new director of the Medina Railroad Museum is no stranger to Medina.

Jeff Lewis, now a resident of Carlton, was born in Lockport and grew up on Elm Street in Medina. After graduating from Medina High School, he spent 1969 to 1974 in the Navy, where he served on a submarine.

His career led him to PathStone in Rochester in 1976, where he was vice president of direct service operations, retiring in 2022. During his years there, Lewis led a group of more than 200 people in the Northeast, Midwest and Puerto Rico to provide job training, job development and placement and specialized training. He was also the IT director.

He was enjoying retirement buying and selling old bottles, coins and stamps, when he got a call from Nyla Gaylord, director of United Way of Orleans County, who told him the Medina Railroad Museum was looking for a director. In December he met with the museum’s board president, George Bidleman, and started in his new position after the holidays.

“What I hope to bring to this museum is professionalism to the staff, consistent policies and procedures and a level of excellence,” Lewis said. “I am also experienced in grant writing.”

He has already developed a work plan for employees and presented it to the board. Among all the employees and board members, they represent more than 200 years of experience in trains and model railroading, Lewis said.

“With their help, we will move this museum to a place where we are the best museum in New York, and certainly the best train museum.”

His goal is to create interactive displays so visitors get to do more than just look at static displays.

“The role of a museum is not only to protect and preserve the history of a community, but to share it,” Lewis said.

He plans to create relationships with area merchants to benefit them and the museum.

“If we can find partners in the community, we will be good neighbors,” Lewis said. “I lived in this community. I love this community. This is home.”

Staff are already busy archiving and cataloging everything in the museum.

Lewis will work alongside Dawn Winkler, who started at the museum in 2005, working with museum founder Marty Phelps and his fiancée, Linda Klein. Winkler eventually moved into the director position, until leaving in 2018, only to be brought back in late 2022. She has assumed the position of operations director/events coordinator.

“I look at Dawn as a partner in operating the museum,” Lewis said. “Not only do we need to focus on our collection and interactive displays, but to expand rail events.”

Currently the museum hosts an Easter train, Day Out with Thomas, fall foliage trains and Polar Express. With the recent purchase of a third dining car, dinner/murder mystery trains are a possibility.

Winkler said their combined events bring 32,000 people a year to Medina.

The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Press Release, State Senate Republican Leader Robert Ortt

LOCKPORT – New York State Republican leaders Senator Rob Ortt and Assemblyman Will Barclay penned a letter to Governor Hochul requesting that she use her Executive Authority to deploy the New York State National Guard to the State of Texas and New York Canadian Border to assist in efforts to stop the illegal flow of migrants into the country.

The letter was sent in response to continuing illegal border crossings that have shown no signs of slowing down. Rather than ending the migrant crisis, Governor Hochul’s unacceptable responses have had the effect of fueling the crisis with a continued influx of taxpayer dollars.

“More than 8 million border encounters have occurred since President Biden took office. In 2023, over 2.5 million migrants entered the country through the southern border. In December alone, 302,034 encounters were reported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.  On New York’s Northern Border, 91,640 illegal crossings were reported in the past year,” stated the letter by Leaders Ortt and Barclay.

The letter continued, “Immigration reform is a matter that must be dealt with on the Federal level. However, we hope you agree that the states’ sovereign right to protect its citizens and its communities must be valued above the actions of federal authorities. For this reason, we urge you to deploy the National Guard immediately to assist the State of Texas and New York Canadian border in efforts to stop the flow of migrants coming into our country illegally.”

“In 2006 and 2007, Army National Guard troops were sent to assist US Border Patrol in four states along the southern border as part of Operation Jump Start. In fact, I, Senator Ortt, was stationed and served in Nogales, Arizona during this time, demonstrating a clear precedent for this action.”

In her recently proposed Executive Budget, Governor Hochul has earmarked $2.4 billion in taxpayer dollars for migrants, bringing the total to $4.3 billion over the last two years. Meanwhile, schools throughout New York State are taking cuts to their budgets and students have been kicked out of their schools because of the need to house migrants in school buildings. And the latest announcement from Governor Hochul charged the Department of Civil Service to roll out a taxpayer state run program that will provide training and state government jobs specifically for migrants. The Governor and her Administration have proved they prefer to provide services for migrants at the expense of taxpayers.

“Our constituents and colleagues are demanding action, leadership and results in response to the migrant crisis. An effective response is long overdue. We encourage you to use your authority to deploy the National Guard at the Texas and New York Canadian borders and help advance legislative measures that directly address concerns brought on by the migrant crisis. We must urge President Biden to finally secure America’s borders,” closed Leaders Ortt and Barclay.

Press Release, Arc GLOW

BATAVIA — It’s time for high school seniors to get a jump-start on applying for scholarships.

Arc GLOW is accepting applications for the Mary Anne Graney Memorial Scholarship for eligible high school students in Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties. A total of four $1,000 awards will be presented to recipients at their spring school scholarship ceremonies.

To qualify for consideration, applicants must be planning to attend college in the fall to pursue a degree in human services, special education or other disability-related field, including: psychology, social work, nursing, therapeutic recreation and physical, speech and occupational therapies.

Applications have been mailed to 28 GLOW area high schools and it’s also available on the Arc GLOW website at www.arcglow.org/news/arc-glow-scholarship.  The due date for completed applications is April 23, and must include two letters of recommendation, a resume or personal biography and a copy of high school transcripts. Recipients will be asked to provide a college acceptance letter.

Now in its 19th year, the scholarships are presented in memory of Mary Anne Graney, a special education teacher and disability advocate who died in 2004.

This program began in 2006 with the presentation of the first scholarship recipient. To date, $59,000 in scholarships have been awarded to area high school students.

For questions or more information, please contact scholarship coordinator Sandy Konfederath at (585) 343-1123 ext. 1715.

David J. Fladie

A Wyoming County man is accused of accepting payments for work as a contractor and then not starting or finishing the jobs.

David J. Fladie of Varysburg was charged last week on three counts of grand larceny in the 3rd degree and three counts of scheme to defraud in the 1st degree, Sheriff Chris Bourke said today.

The charges involve three separate cases. The amount of funds taken from the victims totaled $63,700. Fladie surrendered to Investigator Brian Marsceill on Jan. 25 at the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office, where he was processed and released. Later that same day, Fladie surrendered himself at the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, where he also was processed and released, according to a news release from Sheriff Bourke.

Fladie is to appear in the Town of Murray, Town of Clarendon, and Town of Clarkson Courts.

The arrests are the result of a several month-long cooperative investigation led by the Orleans County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Sheriff Bourke, and the New York State Department of Financial Services – Criminal Investigation Bureau, under the direction of Superintendent Adrienne A. Harris.

Press Release, Assemblyman Steve Hawley

Provided photo: The Assembly Republican conference spoke against possible prisons closures on Wednesday in the state capitol.

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C-Batavia) recently joined his colleagues in the Assembly to oppose Gov. Hochul’s proposed plan to close up to five New York state prisons within the next year.

Yesterday, members of the Assembly Republican Conference held a press conference to discuss the dangers this initiative would present for correctional facilities, their staff and inmate populations. Correction officers across the state have been speaking out in recent weeks about the poor working conditions due to understaffing and low pay.

Over the last year, New York’s prison population has grown by roughly 1,400, making these issues all the more apparent. Hawley has multiple prisons within his district including Albion and Orleans Correctional Facility and nearby Attica & Wyoming Correctional Facility. Hawley is frustrated the governor is moving forward with this proposal and is calling on his colleagues in the Legislature to push back against this policy.

“This decision by the governor is unnecessary and unreasonable,” said Hawley. “Correction officers should not have to worry about being out of a job and unable to provide for their families. Closing prisons like this will only make the current staffing crisis worse and push prospective officers out of the field. Inmates will be crowded into smaller prisons, making it a more dangerous environment for staff members. We’ve already seen numerous officers sustain injuries due to overcrowding and increased violence. I hope the governor will recognize these problems and give our correction officers the tools they need to do their jobs.”

Press Release, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), member of the Ways and Means Committee, on Wednesday voted in favor of H.R. 7024, Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024.

This bill passed the House by a vote of 357-70.

“The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024 is a pro-growth, pro-worker bill which ensures that hardworking Americans, family-owned farms, and small businesses that have suffered for far too long under Biden’s disastrous policies receive much-needed economic relief,” said Congresswoman Tenney. “This comprehensive bill was shaped by critical feedback from Main Street Americans across the country and New York’s 24th District.

“This package, focused on renewing President Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, will boost our economy and give manufacturers the tools they need to bolster our global competitiveness. Not only does passing this bill work to preserve over 7,300 jobs in New York, but it would also retain $622 million per year in R&D-related wages for our state. I am thrilled that this bill, which will increase desperately needed economic growth, passed the House today. By voting in favor of this bill, I reiterated my commitment to supporting fiscally conservative economic policies implemented by President Trump that deliver much-needed relief for the hardworking taxpayers of NY-24.”

Press Release, Congress Joe Morelle

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Joe Morelle announced on Wednesday the passage of legislation he authored to support America’s manufacturing industry.

The provisions of Congressman Morelle’s American Investment in Manufacturing (AIM) Act were included as part of the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, enacting a technical change to the U.S. Tax Code allowing businesses to continue deducting interest expenses.

“I’m proud to have delivered on my promise to uplift our local manufacturers and end a harmful tax hike,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “My legislation will permanently preserve the previous earnings before interest and taxes formula, allowing for a greater investment in manufacturing firms across the country and strengthening the backbone of our economy. I’m grateful these important provisions were included in the bipartisan Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act, and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues across the aisle to enact solutions like this that support our manufacturing sector.”

Interest on business expenses is generally tax deductible but capped. At the end of 2021, the formula for calculating this deduction became more restrictive. Known as the Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization standard (EBITDA), depreciation and amortization were removed from the calculation, limiting the ability to deduct interest expenses.

This change has had a disproportionate impact on the manufacturing sector of our economy, as manufacturing firms are often required to take out loans to finance large capital investments in their facilities and equipment.

AIM—as a part of the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024—will now restore the full EBITDA standard for deductions for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2023, and before January 1, 2026. Taxpayers may use the EBITDA standard for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2021, and before January 1, 2024 – effectively making the changes retroactive. After December 31, 2025, the standard returns to EBIT.

Press Release, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is inviting New Yorkers to take part in the free “FEBRUARY 15 Canalway Challenge.”

Participants pledge to complete 15 miles walking, running, hiking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing anywhere within the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor by the end of February.

Participants can log miles at national, state and local parks, on the Canalway Trail, or even in their own neighborhoods. Finishers receive a 15-mile recognition sticker, magnet, and set of commemorative postcards. Registration is open to individuals, teams, and organizations. Sign up at: www.canalwaychallenge.org.

“The FEBRUARY 15 Challenge provides great incentive for people of all abilities to embrace winter and enjoy the outdoors, while working toward a fitness goal,” said Bob Radliff, executive director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. “The Canalway Corridor, including the many state and national parks located within it, have much to offer in every season, and we hope this challenge motivates New Yorkers to get outside in winter.”

FEBRUARY 15 is part of the Canalway Challenge, which is open to people of all fitness levels and offers a range of mileage options, including 1 mile for people with mobility challenges, 15 miles, 90 miles, 180 miles, and 360 miles.