Allegany Area Historical Association

Transcription

1 Allegany Area Historical Association March Issue XXXI Vol. 1 PRESIDENT S REPORT I don t want to say I have a messy desk but this picture of the Mason & Hamlin pump organ that was donated to us by Mac and Sandy MacFarland was supposed to be in the October newsletter but it got lost on my desk, so we are including it now so you can see how lovely it is. (picture, page 5) The speaker at our November meeting was Major Kathy Oliver (Ret.) of the New York State National Guard, who told us of her year in Afghanistan. She and her son, Connor, showed us the many great artifacts she collected while she was there. A great meeting but we only had 13 people there to hear her marvelous presentation. I know it s a busy time of year but I hope we can have more members at future meetings as we try to have interesting speakers on a wide variety of topics. We have lost two of our charter members this past winter. Marion Conrad Hall Zink died November 3. Marion was a bundle of energy who did many things for AAHA over the years. She worked very hard on our cookie sale each year. At one time during Heritage Days we had a rummage sale and that was Marion s baby. She gathered everything together, cleaned it, made sure it was saleable, and then worked the whole time at the sale. It was hard work but she always smiled and laughed the entire time, and we always made a lot of money on it. Emma Lou Wiedman died December 3. Emma Lou always came to our meetings, regardless of the weather, and was usually the first one in the door. Her specialty cookies were always the first to be sold at our cookie sale. She had a booming voice and I will miss her Frannie, how are you? whenever she saw me. These ladies always put a lot of effort into whatever they did, and AAHA is much richer because they were part of us. Speaking of our cookie sale, it was another success. We had some trouble with the Olean paper regarding publicity, but we still netted $924. Thanks to all our bakers and those who made donations of money it is all deeply appreciated. This is another short reminder to be sure your dues are up to date. A single membership is $10, family is $15 and a patron membership is $20 or more. Send your check to AAHA at P.O. Box 162, Allegany, NY AAHA has received a lovely studio photograph of Gus Rogers, taken probably early in the 20 th century. We are looking for information about Mr. Rogers. I ve talked to several people locally but have not learned much. I do know that he lived on the Back (West) Five Mile Road, was very friendly with many of the Franciscans at St. Bonaventure and that he had a Buddhist shrine on the hill in back of his house. If any of our members can fill in some of the blanks we would really appreciate it. We want to display the picture at our Center and it would be great if we could have a lot of information to go with it. I m sad to report that Bill Bonhoff died on January 22 in Florida. He served in WW II in the Pacific as a combat and public relations photographer. I know that our members have enjoyed the tongue-in-cheek articles he had written for us in the past several years. Bill was a very accomplished photographer who took many pictures for us during Heritage Days and also photographically documented many of the older buildings in the area. We will miss his wry sense of humor and his photographic ability. FRANCIE POTTER, PRESIDENT

2 Page 2 The following article is from the January 9, 1915 Allegany Citizen. We hope you enjoy it. FIREMEN S BANQUET BRILLIANT AFFAIR The Allegany Fire Department s banquet and ball held last Thursday evening in our beautiful town hall was a most brilliant affair. One hundred fifty covers were laid in the spacious banquet hall to the soul inspiring music of Fitzgerald s orchestra at 8:30 o clock. J. Ray McAuliffe was toastmaster who set forth the object of the occasion in his usual happy way. Fire Chief Roy Blessing in a pleasing collection of well chosen words, in behalf of the fire department, responded to the welcome of the guests. Dr. Hicks, the village president, made a nice little speech from the standpoint of The Mayor. Mrs. John Sweeney gave a very interesting talk on The Firemen s Wives. The Editor of the Citizen [Joseph Mutschlechner] gave a reminiscence as follows: The events in the history of Allegany, leading up to the establishment and development of our present well regulated and efficient Fire Department being so fresh in my memory, I was prompted during the day to note down for the purpose of reading them to you this evening some of the main incidents with which I was personally connected. In 1896 when the Citizen was launched, the aim uppermost in our mind was the inauguration of public improvements. At that time the Willard Hook and Ladder Co. was in a most flourishing condition. They had a nice little fire house, a hook and ladder truck and their building was well equipped for social pastime. The old hooks had gone through and done good work at a period of Allegany s worst conflagrations, but in the absece of water and fire hose they were helpless to combat the progress of the roaring flames of a fire. On February 20 th, 1903 its entire property and apparatus was wiped out by another fire which also destroyed the properties of John Shelling, W. F. McCabe, Fred Martin and M. J. Colligan. It was now a propitious time to strike hard and the Citizen kept up an incessant agitation for the incorporation of the village, and on Nov. 11, 1905, the proposition was brought to a vote and carried two-to-one, only 43 votes being cast against it. In less than a year, nearly 10 miles of cement walks were built and many other village improvements were inaugurated and soon after this handsome building, our beautiful town hall, was built. The next move was for a system of water works, and after a vigorous hammering for many months, the water works proposition was also brought to a vote and on Sept. 9 th, 1908, like the first proposition, was also carried two-to-one, bringing with it an appropriation of $30,000. The water system ws immediately constructed, and finished by the first of April, On Feb. 11, 1909, a meeting was called to organize a volunteer hose company, and on Feb. 26, 1909, a permanent Volunteer Fire Department and a hose company were perfected, and fire hose and apparatus purchased by the Village Fathers. In July, 1910, a Hook and Ladder company was organized which, since, together with Hose Co. No. 1, was merged under one head, and is now called the Allegany Engine Company. On Sept. 26, 1910, ground was broken for the new fire house, corner Harmon Avenue [Fifth Street] and Main Street, and completed the following spring. The Department now has a fire house, elegant parlors, pool table, two hose carts, hook and ladder truck, 1500 feet of hose, an elegant parade cart, a drying rack, bath rooms and all sanitary conveniences. Its membership is made up mostly of sturdy young Allegany blood and it has already saved thousands of dollars worth of Allegany property and is ready and equipped to save many thousands more. Since the installation of our water system and the organization of our fire department our fire insurance rates have been reduced to such an extent, that we are saving our property owners approximately $1,500 each and every year on insurance premiums. This money remains in your pockets instead of passing over to the insurance companies. Or at least if taxes are a little higher you ve got the money to pay it. Then fire protection is worth $1,000 a year to any community. The revenue from water rents is $2,500 a year, which foots up to $5,000. It doesn t cost anywhere near $5,000 to run the water department and pay off the bonds and interest. Thus it is plain that all the improvements leading up to the establishment of our

3 Page 3 fire department were simply good business propositions. Billy Abrams of Olean made a few pleasing humorous remarks. Miss Beatrice O Meara responded to very difficult role, The Young Firemen s Sweethearts, but backed up by her well known elocutionary powers was more than equal to the task, and her masterly talk will no doubt bring some of the young men to their senses and come forward. Town Clerk Chas. L. Norton, representing the Town Board, made a short but very appropriate speech, but it was plain that he felt hard hit by the pointed words of Miss O Meara. The menu consisted of roast beef, brown gravy, mashed potatoes, cabbage salad, olives, celery, coffee, ice cream and cake. Mrs. Anthony Gerringer was the cateress. After the banquet many repaired to the hall to trip the light fantastic. Fire Hall No Now home to Catalano Plumbing. WE GET MAIL Ruth Lowe of Olean writes to say that she enjoys the newsletter. Bill Bonhoff s articles are clever. We appreciate some humor. Rita Nicklas Derx of Olean says that she is looking forward to reading what Mary, Eileen and Ellen Barr write about growing up in Allegany s East end. (Ed. Note Ellen Barr Peck had this article in our November 2011 newsletter.) Their sisters Maureen (Reenie) and Pat Carapelletti were best friends of me and my sister Mary Nicklas Petro ( who lives in Syracuse). We also got a note from Rita s sister Mary who says that she and Rita grew up with them (the Barr girls) as our playmates! We were only 4 houses apart on Allegany Street. Pat was my best friend and I ve missed her for years. As a reference, my Mom s family were the Warters and Bockmiers. My Dad s grandfather was a much younger brother of the Theodore Nicklas who was mentioned in the summer issue story of the local murder! Thanks to William Wing of Dewitt, Michigan for once again sending us a 2012 Erie-Lackawana calendar featuring trains past and present. It is always commented on by our visitors. We got a nice note from the people at Genesis House, the homeless shelter in Olean. We take up a collection of canned goods and paper products at our annual Community Christmas Service for their benefit, as well as cash donations. This year we also gave them the cookies that were left from our Cookie Sale. They said the cookies were a big hit with the children they entertained during the holiday season. We had a nice note from Margaret Nutt Sutherland who lives in Yuma, Arizona. If anyone from Olean or Allegany spends the winter in that area, she would like them to get in touch with her.

4 Page 4 DECORATION DAY AT ST. BONAVENTURE CEMETERY By GERTRUDE SCHNELL In the 1940 s and 1950 s Decoration Day or Memorial Day began for my family at St. Bonaventure Cemetery. Days before, plants or flowers had been put on the family graves, but this day started with a Latin Mass at the stone altar just below the first road across the top of the hill. It was said by a Franciscan Priest and the grass on the slope was covered with people taking part in the Mass. If you were a girl or a woman you wore a hat at that time. It was also the first day to wear your new white shoes and you probably had a new white dress. Summer had begun! After the Mass you visited all the family graves to say prayers for the deceased. In our family there were many to visit Rehler, Nenno, Forness, etc. At this time my Grandmother Schnell repeatedly warned us to not walk over the parts of the graves where the people were buried, but to walk around the edges. Next was viewing the parade from my Aunt Irene s apartment on Main Street next to the Town Hall. Like most small town parades, it didn t take long to pass. Children were given small flags to march in the parade and when turning in the flags after the parade, they received ice cream. Some flags were lost along the way and children not in the parade would pick them up and receive ice cream also. By this time, chores on the farm were done and Uncles came for the picnic lunch, and other Aunts, Uncles and Cousins also appeared. Decoration Day was observed to honor the deceased, and to welcome family members to a joyful occasion. MORE OF ALLEGANY S MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATIONS In the 1940 s, Allegany had two or three Decoration Day or Memorial Day celebrations. The first parade was in the morning to St. Bonaventure Cemetery. In the middle of the day, a ceremony was held at the Five Mile Cemetery. Then in the afternoon, a parade was held to the Allegany Cemetery on Maple Avenue. The Potter family participated in both parades in town. They owned a retired race horse named Boots. Bob Potter rode Boots in the morning and his brother, Ted, got to ride Boots in the afternoon parade. At one Memorial Day celebration, Bob and Boots were at St. Bonaventure Cemetery when the American Legion fired the volley. Boots instantly reverted to his racing days. Bob and Boots came down the hill from the cemetery at a very fast gallop, with Bob yelling Whoa, Whoa at the top of his lungs but Boots wasn t listening. The policeman at the bottom of the hill thought the parade had started and he stopped the traffic, which was good because Boots had no intention of stopping until he found home. They tore down Main Street and Boots took the corner onto First Street as if it were the final turn at Saratoga! Fortunately Bob ducked his head as Boots entered the barn so he survived to tell the tale. And Ted had a terrible time getting Boots out of his stall to go to the afternoon parade!

5 Page 5 Margaret Warren Mardie and Perry Butler Louella Keim Mardie and Perry Butler Ruth Simms Marion Zink Bob & Francie Potter Kathleen Karl Marjorie Geise Orin & Margaret Parker Alice Altenburg Marion Elling Rosemary Ryan In Memory of Pete & Dorothy Fortuna Children & Families In Memory of Francis Hirt Joseph & Helen Stayer Circa 1850 s Mason & Hamlin Pump Organ Donated by Dr. & Mrs. Wm. MacFarland Memorials Marion Zink Margaret Green Michael and Rosanne Capra Bettie J. Silvis Bucky and Ellen Peck James Smith Marilyn and Robert Frisina Marion McCabe Marion Elling Emma Lou Wiedman Margaret Green Bob and Nickie Bergreen Alice Altenburg Patsy and Marlene Collins Debbie and Bob Phillips Raymond Jonak Family Bernard Scanlon David and Beth Deitz John and Jillian Walsh Bucky and Ellen Peck Donald and Annette Smith Thomas Faulkner Dick and Shirley Russell Bill Bonhoff Marion Elling To Honor Don Benson

6 Allegany Area Historical Association P.O. BOX 162 Allegany, NY RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 32 OLEAN, NY INSIDE SPECIAL ISSUE: Presidents Report Brilliant Banquet Affair Decoration Day NEXT MEETING Dr. Richard Frederick has taught all areas of United States history at University of Pittsburgh at Bradford since He has published books on Warren G. Harding, William Howard Taft and Ellis Island. He is going to talk to us about William Howard Taft. Dr. Frederick says that William Howard Taft is the only person to have served as President of the United States and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The latter was something he aspired to all his life; The former was something he took on quite reluctantly. (That seems odd to say in this particular year, with so many aspirants for the job.) There have been very few individuals in our history who have rendered such great service to the country, though his rather tumultuous presidency sometimes obscures this and diminishes his reputation. What I hope to do in giving this talk is to remind listeners that there was a whole lot more to Taft than just the fact that he was a fat man who didn t fit into the White House tub. DR. FREDERICK WILL SPEAK TO US ON SUNDAY, MARCH 25 AT 2 P.M. AT THE HERITAGE CENTER, 25 NORTH SECOND STREET. w w w. allegany.o r g