Historical Wyoming County April 1976 - Fulton History

VOL. XXII 

NO. 4 

This paper was written in 1972 to commemorate 

the 100 years during which the streets of Warsaw 

have been lighted and to compile the story of the gas 

and electric facilities of the community. 

Harwood Dudley, editor of the Wyoming County 

Mirror, ran a series of three articles in his paper 

in 1859 urging the erection of a plant to supply the 

village with illuminating gas for dwellings and business 

places. That summer Joshua Darling had a 

small artificial gas plant built to light his house on 

the south side of Buffalo Street at the bend of the 

street. It was less than five years since such plants 

had been available for dwellings and villages as 

small as Warsaw and few villages this size had 

them. Warsaw had 1300 inhabitants in 1860. Mr. 

Dudley believed such a gas plant would be feasible 

here. 

*E 

F a g i m t i e 

yamutg 

APRIL 1976 

WARSAW, NEW YORK 

... By Lewis Bishop 

on the west side of Main Street and laid a mile of 

mains on Main and Buffalo Streets (there was no 

East Buffalo Street then). Gas was supplied to light 

houses, stores, and the county buildings for about 

three years. Resin, a material used in the manufacture 

of gas, was in New York in 1859 less than 

two dollars a barrel. Being a product of the South, 

the price advanced during the Civil War to sixty 

dollars. Before the price of this material had 

reached that point, consumers of the gas in Warsaw 

were indisposed to pay compensatory prices for it 

and the owners shut up their works. At the time of 

the installation of the gas plant the New York 

Tribune wrote, "Very well done little Wyoming." 

The Nunda News stated, "Wyoming is a good one." 

STREET LIGHTS SUGGESTED 

ARTIFICIAL GAS WORKS 

In January 1860, Matson Otis set two gas lamps 

on posts on the west side of Main Street, one in 

The History of Warsaw, published in 1869, relates front of his store, the fifth business place north of 

how late in 1859 Abram Lawrence and Horace Met- Buffalo Street, and the other near his home next to 

calf, under the firm name of Warsaw Gaslight Com- the Methodist Church. He paid to keep them lighted, 

pany, built an artificial gas works back of the stores 

(continued on page 78) 

• * • • * • * * * * • • • • • * * * * * * * * * * * * 

1975 

it A n.' J- T7 

"America's Bicentennial Years 1983

PAGE 78 APRIL 1976 

HISTORICAL WYOMING is publ ished quarterly by 

the Wyoming County Historian's Office, 143 North 

Main Street, Warsaw, N.Y. 14569. Editor: JohnG. 

Wilson, County Historian; Assistant Editor: 

Mitchell R. Alegre. Annual subscription rate is 

$3.00. Subscription year runs from July 1 toJuly 

1 and those subscribing during that periodwillbe 

sent all back issues for that year. Cost for extra 

back i'ssues is $1.00 per copy. Checks should be 

made payable to "Historical Wyoming" and sent 

to County Historian's Office. Application to mail 

at second-class postage rates is pending at 

Warsaw, N.Y. 14569. Postmaster send forms 

3579 to County Historian's Office, 143 North Main 

Street, Warsaw, N.Y. 14569. 

Warsaw's Gas and Electric Facilities (continued) 

Immediately after the Civil War, JohnH. Jeffers 

and James S. Gar lock of Rochester bought the gas 

works for $3,000. They had acquired the right to 

make petroleum gas, which was a new discovery. 

By the spring of 1867 the plant had been fitted up 

and gas was again sent through the mains. It operated 

successfully about three years with Colonel 

James O. McClure as superintendent. The Western 

New-Yorker in its March 28, 1867 edition stated 

that the experiment of making gas from petroleum 

and conveying it through mains proved a success 

here. The gas was superior in quality to that manufactured 

from coal and made a light equal in 

richness and purity to that obtained from the resin 

works. Customers were generally satisfied with 

the result. 

In September 1869 the village board for the first 

time considered installing street lights and ordered 

five gas lights put on Main and Buffalo Streets, but 

nothing came of it. 

GAS PLANT BURNS 

In the fall of 1870 the gas works was sold to 

Thaddeus G. Hulett and Stroughton Pettibone of 

Niagara Falls for $3,450. They changed the plant 

so as to make gas from naphtha. The works was 

completely destroyed by fire December 11th of that 

year. The fire was caused by the blowing of a 

temporary wooden plug placed in a pipe that conveyed 

vapor from the still to the retorts. The pipe 

was temporarily disconnected for the purpose of 

putting in a new bank of retorts and a delay had 

been occasioned by the nonarrival from Buffalo. 

The blowing of the plug instantly filled the retort 

room with vaporized gas. As soon as it reached 

the fire under the retorts there was an explosion 

which lifted the roof off and blew out the north side 

of the building. Immediately the plant was in flames. 

People in the building were the plant superintendent 

and his wife, the gas maker, and the mason who 

was rebuilding the bank of retorts. All were severely 

burned, mostly on their faces and hands. The 

gas maker's collarbone was broken at the time 

when the roof fell on him. The loss to the owners 

was said to be between five and six thousand dollars. 

There was no insurance. 

The Western New-Yorker remarked that now it 

would be necessary for gas users to return to their 

kerosene lamps (by the Civil War kerosene lamps 

had about replaced the earlier popular Kinnear 

Patent lard oil lamp), a poor substitute for illuminating 

gas. The loss of the plant was considered 

a public calamity. 

NEW GAS WORKS ERECTED 

The owners offered to rebuild the plant provided 

the citizens of Warsaw would take stock in the enterprise 

equal to half the cost of its construction. 

The owners also would extend the gas mains a mile 

and put everything in far better order than before 

the fire. Within a month the Citizens Gas Light 

Company was organized with a capital stock of 

$15,000 and the incorporation papers filed in the 

county clerk's office but it was June before the 

citizens had subscribed their half of the cost of the 

gas works. 

As the site back of the stores was considered too 

small, five acres of land were bought on the north 

side of West Court Street, back of the houses now 

owned by Arthur White and Dr. Cletus Regan. A 

return of seven and one half percent was promised 

on the investment. Consumption before the fire had 

risen some nights to 3,000 cubic feet, the capacity 

of the plant. It was planned to increase production 

to 5,000 cubic feet daily. A much larger gas works 

of brick was erected on the new site. Its base was 

solid concrete with Medina sandstone trimmings. 

There was a 10,000 cubic foot gas nolder. 

STREET LIGHTING STARTS 

October 10, 1871 is a red letter day in the history 

of Warsaw and one to be remembered as that was 

the day when the Citizens Gas Company turned the 

gas into its mains and lighting of the streets in 

Warsaw commenced. Two weeks before that the 

village ordered eight new gas lamps for the streets 

in addition to two already up. The Western New- 

Yorker in its issue of October 12th stated that the 

gas was in general use and was as fine a quality as 

they had ever seen giving a rich, pure, beautiful 

and steady light. The works ran perfectly. Nothing 

in the country was more admirable. The contractors 

Hulett and Pettibone were entitled to great credit 

for the manner in which the job had been done. On 

dark nights the gas lamps cast a shadow of twenty - 

rods, lighting up the streets so that the old inhabitants 

scarcely recognized them at night. The village 

board was admonished to trim up the trees so as to 

obtain the full benefit of the improvement. The public 

lamps were to be lighted according to the Gas 

Engineers Calendar but extinguished at the hour 

set by the village board. 

From a picture of a lamp in place on the post 

and men standing nearby it is estimated the overall 

(continued on page 79)

APRIL 1976- 


height of the post was ten feet. At any rate, the 

lamp lighter needed a ladder and it was a common 

sight to see him walking along with a ladder over 

his shoulder. It is said that it took him over two 

hours in 1880 to make the four mile circuit of 

lights and more than half that time to turn them 

off. In order to light the last lamp according to 

the gas light calendar he must have had to start 

two hours ahead of that. Nothing has been found 

about what hour the village board required them to 

be turned off. They were open flame burners. It 

was many, many decades before gas mantles were 

invented. What was used to light them is not known. 

December 1, 1872 the Citizens Gas Company reduced 

the price of 1,000 cubic feet of gas from five 

to four dollars retroactive to September 1st. In 

December the works were being enlarged at a cost 

of $1500 and permanent and substantial features 

were being made in addition to those already in use 

so that there would be an abundant supply of gas at 

any time. While coal gas of the best quality never 

exceeds fourteen candle power, the gas made in this 

village actually tested a full twenty-two. By burning 

the same number of cubic feet the consumer realized 

fifty percent more light. 

In the year ending April 1, 1873 the street lights 

cost the village $394.50 for gas and $115.10 to have 

them lighted. 

FIRE AT NEW GAS PLANT 

On November 6, 1873 fire damaged the gas plant. 

The prompt arrival of the Cataract Hose Company 

held the flames to the exterior of the building. A 

section of the cart enabled the firemen to barely 

reach the building with water. The entire southend 

of the building, where the still was located, was 

afire. The ground outside the works, saturated with 

naphtha and tar, was burning fiercely. The cornice 

was blazing like tinder. Yet a powerful stream of 

water skillfully directed lessened the fire perceptibly. 

When the extra section of hose arrived, the 

fire was well under control. When the extra hose 

was attached and a stream brought to bear inside, 

the last spark was speedily extinguished. Without 

the fire department the building would have burned 

to the ground. The fire caught on the outside from 

the lighting of a match by the superintendent to 

examine something about coal tar drips. The vapor 

from the naphtha which was escaping quickly 

caught fire and spread to the works. As the damage 

was largely to the exterior, it did not prevent the 

making of gas. The editor of the Western New- 

Yorker urged the village board to provide the fire 

department with a suitable cart or wagon for carrying 

hose. 

During 1873 $2,000 was expended in perfecting 

and enlarging the works, extending the mains, and 

placing a service meter. A new and larger engine 

was put in as well as an exhaust and new retort. 

The capital stock of the company was increased the 

Gas lamp on Main Street, Warsaw in 1900. 

PAGE 79 

next year and the offer was made to extend the 

mains to streets without them if enough households 

on those streets would agree to use gas to warrant 

the expense. 

The Western New-Yorker in September 1879 

stated that where the gas pipes ran, the streets 

were well lighted but that there were parts not 

reached by the main which should be lighted. It 

was suggested this could be done with little expense 

by neat and economical kerosene oil lamps. 

The year before the village board appointed a 

committee to investigate the kind of oil street 

lamps to be used and report the number needed 

and their costs. Three oil lamps were bought in 

1879. This meant extra work for the lamp lighter 

who had to fill the lamps and keep them trimmed. 

The History of Wyoming County published in 

1880 states that the number of customers of the 

gas company averaged 200. The price per thousand 

cubic feet was three dollars and the annual consumption 

about a 1,000,000 feet. 

The directors were Hon. Augustus Frank, Wolcott 

J. Humphrey, Byron Healy, Simeon Lewis, Lanson 

C. Woodruff, Thaddeus G. Hulett, Stoughton Pettibone, 

Benjamin F. Fargo and Norman D. Stedman. 

The president was Mr. Lewis, secretary and 

treasurer, Mr. Fargo, and superintendent, Spencer 

Cronkhite. 

INSTALL OIL STREET LAMPS 

From 1879, the time when the first oil street 

lamps were installed, up to and including 1890, the 

village board placed twenty-six kerosene burning 

street lamps. Among the reasons why so many 

lights were added were, first, because the area of 

the village in 1872 was increased from a little over 

(continued on page 80) 

m



one square mile to three and six-tenths miles and, 

secondly, on account of the construction of a large 

number of houses during the salt boom of the 

1880's. The gas company could not afford to extend 

its lines fast enough so that all the streets could 

have gas lights. 

In 1890 the boundaries of the village were extended 

west of the Erie Railroad 900 or more feet 

enlarging its area to four square miles. This extension 

included Gouinlock, Bishop, and Humphrey 

Streets, previously opened by the Town of Warsaw. 

The village board found it necessary to pass an 

ordinance forbidding anyone to tamper with the 

street lights and imposing a penalty for a violation 

of the same. 

ELECTRIC POWER 

The first suggestion for providing Warsaw with 

electric power came in 1886 at the time when the 

Fort Wayne Electric Company obtained permission 

from the village board to construct an electric 

light plant for the village at a cost of $7,000 to be 

paid for in seven installments. It was proposed to 

install twenty lights on poles and two on towers 

125 feet high. The annual cost of operation was 

estimated at $1,800. Nothing was done about the 

installation. 

In May 1889 Charles T. Watkins and Charles 

E. Fargo were granted a permit to erect a system 

of poles and wires for electric and power purposes.. 

Nothing was stated in the permit about how the 

current for the lights was to be obtained. 

The Western New-Yorker's issue of August 8, 

1889 said Warsaw was to light its streets with 

Edison Electric lights and that Mr. Nessmith who 

was putting in a plant at LeRoy was going to get 

things in shape for Warsaw. With Warsaw and 

LeRoy leading the way, the whole of Western New 

York would soon be lighted with electricity. 

BIDS FOR ERECTION OF ELECTRIC PLANT 

Later in August A.L. Kinsey of Batavia asked 

for a franchise for erecting a plant to produce 

electricity for lighting, heating, and power purposes. 

If thirty days after the franchise was 

granted sufficient progress toward its erection had 

not oeen made to insure its completion, the franchise 

would be void. In December the village notified 

Kinsey the time had expired. 

In addition to the foregoing applications for the 

right to construct an electric power plant in 

Warsaw, by the middle of February 1890 communications 

had been received from the Western Electric 

System of Chicago, from Charles E. Fargo, 

Augustus Cuthbert, and Frank H. Brown of Warsaw, 

and from the Central Electric Construction Company 

of Syracuse, George Young being their agent, 

in regard to obtaining a franchise. At a special 

meeting of the village board February 18, 1890 th. 

last named company was granted a franchise to 

introduce the Thomson-Houston System of electric 

arc and incandescent lights. Nothing came of it. 

The village board received no further requests 

for an electric franchise until October 1890 when 

George C. Otis and Elmer E. Rowe of Warsaw 

asked for one. The board gave them a franchise 

for that purpose. In December the village board 

signed a contract with the Warsaw Electric Light 

and Power Company (organized at the instance of 

Mr. Otis and Mr. Rowe) for twenty-five 2,000 

candle power arc lights to be run from sunset to 

midnight twenty-two nights a month at $65.00 each 

for a year. The other nights in the month the moon 

was supposed to shine bright enough so street 

lights would be unnecessary. The lights were to be 

located on Main Street to Purdy Avenue, west on 

Buffalo Street to the Vincent place, above the Erie 

depot, south on Main Street to Jefferson Street, 

and east on East Buffalo Street to Prospect Street. 

ELECTRIC POWER PLANT BUILT 

The electric company erected an electric plant 

on Murray Street in 1891 and current was turned 

on May 6, 1891. The building was 40 by 80 feet 

with a 150 horsepower Corliss engine, said to be 

the largest in Wyoming County. The Fort Wayne 

Electric Company furnished all the electric appliances. 

Two artesian wells were sunk to supply 

water for generating steam. Water for condensing 

was taken from Oatka Creek, on the banks of which 

the plant was located. The distribution lines took 

eleven miles of wire. The plant was supposed to 

be the best in Western New York. 

The Buffalo Evening News Almanac states that 

Buffalo was the first city in the United States to 

light its streets with electricity. That was in 1896, 

five years after Warsaw had its first electric 

street lights. 

In April 1892 the Citizens Gas Light Company 

wrote the village board asking for a franchise to 

generate electricity in connection with its gas 

plant and to maintain a separate line of poles and 

wires. After the letter was read at the next village 

board meeting, consideration of the request was 

laid on the table until the next meeting. 

E.M. Bartlett, the attorney representing the 

Warsaw Electric Light and Power Company, Limited, 

was present at the time of the reading of the 

letter. He served an injunction on the president 

of the board restraining him from any action upon 

such application. The matter was however amicably 

settled. The electric company withdrew its injunction 

and the gas and electric companies agreed 

on a merger under the name of the Warsaw Gas 

and Electric Company. 

In 1896 the village board bought a mocking bird 

steam whistle and had it installed at the electric 

light .plant to give alarms in case of fires. Its up 

and down screeching sound was ominous and ter - 


APRIL 1976- PAGE 81 


rifying, especially to children. Anyone whom it 

did not waken was a pretty sound sleeper. It was 

kept there until the time came when the electric 

plant did not have enough steam to blow it. It was 

then transferred to the knitting mill. 

The Federal Telephone Company was directed 

in 1914 to rebuild its lines through the gulf section 

of West Buffalo Street and place the electric 

wires above those of the telephone. The poles 

were ordered back of the sidewalk. Also in 1914 

boulevard lights were installed in the business 

sections of Main and West Buffalo Streets. 

Until a little before 1910 electricity in Warsaw 

was furnished only at night. The company employees 

worked on electric lines during the day. 

Late in the afternoon the whistle on the light plant 

was blown to warn the linemen that the current 

would soon be turned on for the night. After 

twenty-four hour service was started, there was 

no further need for the whistle. 

Electric street light of the 1920's or 1930's. 

An electric line carrying 13,200 volts was built 

from Perry to Warsaw via Silver Springs in 1914 to 

furnish current to the distribution system owned 

by the Village of Silver Springs and increase the 

amount of power here in Warsaw. With this installation, 

the Perry power plant took care of all the 

electric requirements here as well as in Perry. 

By 1917 so much current was being used, the Warsaw 

plant was started up each morning to meet the 

needs of this community during the day. The Perry 

plant continued to supply both communities at night. 

Eventually the Perry plant was enlarged to supply 

both places full time. The local plant was then 

put on a standby basis. 

In 1917 all the arc street lights were replaced 

with incandescent lamps and thereafter street 

lights were on all night every night instead of not 

being turned on during moon lit nights or kept on 

only until midnight. Some may remember when Dave 

Walker rode around on his bicycle after the street 

lights were turned on in the evening to report any 

of them which were out. 

The village board in 1921 had an estimate made 

of the cost of putting the telephone and electric 

wires back of the houses on the north side of West 

Buffalo Street as a public improvement. As the 

cost was figured at $7,000 and would be a village 

charge, the board felt the expense was too great 

for the benefit to be derived and the matter was 

dropped. The telephone company did put its wires 

in a conduit on the south side of the street that 

year as far west as Center Street. 

Four boulevard lights were put on the parapets 

of the Buffalo Street bridge at the time it was built 

in 1922 and in 1925 such lights were placed on 

Cottage Court. Now a lamp on a high pole some 

distance from Main Street lights the whole street. 

The Warsaw Gas and Electric Company was 

merged with the New York Central Electric Corporation 

in 1924. That year the electric corporation 

increased the horsepower available to Warsaw and 

other villages supplied by it to 12,000. At that time 

half of the 900 dwellings and all the industries in 

Warsaw except the button factory, which had its 

own power plant, used the company's electric current. 

From July to October 1924 the number of electric 

meters in Warsaw increased from 775 to 1104 and 

the monthly consumption of current grew from 

54,000 kilowatts to 91,500. The Warsaw generating 

plant ceased operation in 1925. 

Soon after John H. Moore, maintainer of the 

automatic signal system on the Baltimore and 

Ohio Railway in this area, became a member of the 

village board he got the Rochester Telephone Corporation 

and the New York Central Gas and Electric 

Corporation to place their wires and cables on one 

set of poles, eliminating many unnecessary ones, 

and to remove the wires of the Federal Telephone 

Corporation which had not been taken down after 

the merger with the Rochester Telephone Corporation. 

Now, with the exception Of two or three 

streets, there is no more than one line of poles 

on any street. 

In 1928 the New York Central El©«tfic Corporation 

installed a second power line between Warsaw 

and Perry, this time via Perry Center. Five boulevard 

lights of 100 candle power were placed on 

Perry Avenue. In 1929 or about that time such 

lights were installed on West Court Street. 

In the spring of 1931 the old electric light plant 

erected in 1891 was torn down except for part of 

the generating room. This space was utilized to 

install a distribution substation for Warsaw and 

Wyoming. That year the electric corporation was 

getting most of its power from the Ridge station 

of the Associated Gas and Electric system on the 

road between Mount Morris and Nunda. 

The New York Central Electric Corporation 

merged with the New York State Gas and Electric 




Corporation in 1937, the present power company 

serving Warsaw. 

DISTRIBUTION STATION BURNS 

November 13, 1939 the distribution station on 

Murray Street burned down. The fire cut off power 

to Warsaw and Wyoming, including to the hospital. 

The operating room, however, had an emergency 

generating plant. 

At the time the fire was discovered flames were 

pouring out of the roof. The firemen could do nothing 

as the fire was burning so fiercely it could not 

be put out. The building was quickly consumed. 

The power went off at 10:10 in the morning. 

With the combined effort of two employees and 

fourteen electric stations nearby, power was restored 

to part of the village by 2:10 in the afternoon 

and to all of the village and Wyoming by 

9:15 in the evening. 

The building contained automatic power breakers 

which would trip in case lightning struck causing a 

short circuit; meter and street lighting equipment; 

and current breakers which controlled house lighting, 

business lights, and the power line to Wyoming. 

The general transformer stood just outside the 

building. This is where the fire started. It was 

estimated that it would cost $15,000 to $20,000 to 

replace the machinery. 

MODERN SUBSTATION INSTALLED 

Following the fire a small building was erected 

on a platform to house a breaker. It was used until 

the modern substation was constructed in the summer 

of 1940 south of the Wyoming County Highway 

Building (now the town highway garage) on Industrial 

Street. Being near the Oatka Creek the site 

was raised three feet. Current is fed to it from 

the two power lines from Perry. It is operated by 

a current breaker. The Western New-Yorker 

stated it was as modern a substation as any in this 

vicinity and Warsaw was fortunate to have such an 

excellent one. 

The use of electricity here and in Wyoming increased 

so much between 1940 and 1972 that it has 

been necessary to enlarge the transformer four 

times. 

Cost of Street Lights 

Year ending April 1, 1873 

Lamp lighter 

Total 

Year ending January 1, 1890 

including lamp lighter 

Year ending March 1,1893 



Gas 

$ 394.50 

115.10 

$ 509.60 

$ 550.00 

Electricity 

$1907.00 

$2376.00 

$2580.00 


Year ending March 1, 1931 





$7504.00 

$8149.00 

$7595.00 

$9194.00 

$10607.00 

$13596.00 

The great increase in the cost of street lighting 

in the last decade has been occasioned by three 

factors: first, a rise in electric rates; second, 

lights were placed closer together; and third, lamps 

on Main and Buffalo and some "other principal 

streets have been increased in candle power. Increased 

costs were offset slightly when the boulevard 

lights on West Court Street were removed 

about the middle of the decade and overhead lights 

put in their place. The street received stronger 

lights at less cost. Underground conduit to boulevard 

lamps is expensive to maintain. The boulevard 

lights on Perry Avenue and Cottage Court were also 

superseded by overhead lights. 

In 1967 the electric corporation merged its 

Warsaw office with the one in Perry and sold the 

Warsaw office building. 

END OF ARTIFICIAL GAS PLANT 

After the formation of the Warsaw Gas and 

Electric Company in 1892, the plant making artificial 

gas continued in operation. In October 1892 

the street commissioner gathered up the oil and 

gas lamps belonging to the village and put them in 

the hose house. The old plant must have met with 

stiff competition with the introduction of natural 

gas in 1909 with its mantle gas lights and gas for 

cooking stoves and small heaters. The writer remembers 

the old gas plant or the ground outside 

catching fire many times and the clouds of black 

smoke rolling up from it. The fire department 

always put the fire out quickly with little or no 

damage to the works. Many of you may recall the 

artificial gas fixtures with their yellow gas flame 

in the chapel (study hall) of the high school. Coke 

i was used for heat at the works for many years. 

During a coal shortage some people went to the 

plant and got coke left over from its operation. 

The gas and electric company for many years 

used the gas plant lot to store poles for its electric 

lines. By 1927 the number of users of the 

artificial gas had dwindled until it no longer paid 

to run the plant and it was closed. The building was 

town down about 1930 and the land was sold to 

Howard Safford. 

WARSAW TELEGRAPH OFFICES 

For a great many years Warsaw had three telegraph 

offices. Samuel Morse, inventor of the telegraph, 

finished the perfection of his instrument in 

1844. The Attica and Hornellsville Railway, predecessor 

of the Erie, was opened through Warsaw 




in 1852 and had a telegraph line for communication. 

Likewise, the Rochester and State Line Railway, 

forerunner of the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh 

Railroad, now a branch of the Baltimore and Ohio, 

started business here in 1877 and, of course, had a 

telegraph line. Telephone phased out these railroad 

telegraphs many years ago. 

The Western Union Telegraph Company opened a 

commercial office in Warsaw between 1860 and 

1869. The definite date has not been ascertained. 

The Warsaw office closed in the spring of 1971. 

If one wants to send a telegram now, he must call 

the Syracuse office of the company. 

PAVILION NATURAL GAS COMPANY 

The Pavilion Natural Gas Company extended its 

lines to Warsaw in 1909. It provided sufficient 

gas for cooking and heaters but it was 1937 before 

enough gas was available for heating houses. It 

was superior for illuminating purposes with the 

gas mantle lamps instead of the open flame artificial 

gas lights. The piping installed in houses 

for the artificial gas could be used for the natural 

gas. By 1926 the supply of natural gas at Pavilion 

showed signs of becoming exhausted. 

Mr. E.G. Eager, chief engineer for the Pavilion 

Natural Gas Company, has supplied the writer 

with the following information: 

"Mixed gas (natural and manufactured) was 

supplied to our customers from 1926 to 1937. The 

manufactured gas was called Carburetted Blue 

Gas and was made from coke, oil, steam, and air. 

Coal was used to fire the steam boilers. 

"In 1937 Cabot Corp. built a 14" transmission 

line from Pennsylvania to Rochester and we obtained 

connections to this line at York and Perry 

Center. Our system then converted to straight 

natural gas and natural gas was then available for 

all purposes including house heating. However, 

during World War II some restrictions were imposed 

on the use of gas so it was after World 

War II that the house heating really increased. 

"In 1946, Cabot Corp. sold its transmission line 

to the New York State Natural Gas Corp., subsidiary 

to Consolidated Supply Corp. Consolidated 

has added two 20" lines parallel with the original 

14" line. 

"We supply gas to Pavilion, LeRoy, LaGrange, 

Pearl Creek, Warsaw, Perry, Perry Center, 

Leicester, Mt. Morris, Geneseo, York, Linwood, 

Fowlerville, Retsof, Griegsville, Wadsworth, Piffard, 

and Avon. 

"Total sales for the company in 1950: 

574,670,000 Cu. Ft. 

Total sales for the company in 1970: 

2,835,637,000 Cu. Ft. 

Number of customers in Warsaw in 1950: 1135 

Number of customers in Warsaw in 1970: 1363 

Sales in Warsaw in 1950: 88,427,100 Cu. Ft. 

Sales in Warsaw in 1970: 338,143,400 Cu. Ft." 

The artificial gas was manufactured in a plant 

which the company built at Pavilion. A million 

cubic foot gas storage tank was constructed 

adjacent to the plant in 1927. In 1880 the customers 

of the artificial gas company used about 1,000,000 

cubic feet a year. The customers of the Pavilion 

company consumed about 900,000 cubic feet daily 

in 1970. 

About the year 1924 the Pavilion Natural Gas 

Company raised its gas rates. The village board 

objected to the raise and started a court action 

to prevent the company from collecting the added 

amount of the charge. The village board advised 

the Warsaw users not to pay the amount of the 

increase. The village board failed in its court 

action to stop the company from putting the new 

rate into effect. Many of the gas users here followed 

the advice of the board. The gas company 

got a court order requiring the Village of Warsaw 

to pay the difference between what was collected 

on its gas bills and what should have been paid. 

This difference totaled $1,633, which the village 

paid by 1927. 

In this paper the writer has traced the history 

of the gas and electric facilities in Warsaw from 

1859 to 1972 and over a century of street lighting. 

When the first street lights were turned on in 

1871, the village had a population of about 1600 

and an area of a little over one square mile. In 

1972 the population was a little over 3600 and the 

territory within the corporate limits four square 

miles. Every house in the village is using electricity 

except the very few permanently vacant. 

Street lighting extends to five of the six entrances 

- North and South Main, East and West Buffalo 

and Liberty Streets. The lighting on Wyoming 

Street lacks nine-tenths of a mile of reaching the 

Old Buffalo Road which straddles the village line. 

Only about twenty houses in the village lack street 

lights and more than half of those are on Wyoming 

Street. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - LEWIS BISHOP 

Lewis H. Bishop has been a lifelong resident of 

Warsaw and is a graduate of the village high 

school. He worked for twelve years on the two 

local newspapers and served several decades as 

village clerk, retiring nearly twelve years ago. 

He is presently Warsaw Town and Village Historian 

and Curator for the Warsaw Historical Society. 

Mr. Bishop has been a long-time contributor of 

historical articles for Historical Wyoming. 

• PHOTO CREDITS • 

Page 77, 86, 91 - artwork by Richard L. Alegre; 

page 79 - Warsaw Historical Society; page 81,88-89 

- Wyoming County Historian's Office; page 84 - 

Frances Cromwell.

PAGE 84 

A PIONEER FAMILY OF 

COVINGTON 

... By Frances Cromwell 

Forbes - Isham - Cromwell Home, Peoria Road, 

Town of Covington, Wyoming County, New York. 

Left to right: Mary Frances Isham, Margaret 

Loudon, Charles Rogers Isham, Elizabeth Forbes 

Isham, Robert Forbes. Taken before 1894. 

John and Christine McBeath were born in Scotland 

and came to America about 1800, bringing 

with them Peter Forbes, then about ten years old. 

They settled in Perth, N.Y. There Peter Forbes 

married John McBeath's daughter, Christine. About 

1824 the two families started west again and 

stayed in Madison County about four years. According 

to the History of Wyoming County by 

Beers, Peter Forbes arrived in Peoria, Town of 

Covington, in 1827. The family, including John 

and Christine McBeath, then about 75 or 80 years 

of age, followed soon after because Peter and 

Christine's daughter Elizabeth was born at the 

new home in 1830. 

Peter Forbes bought 67 acres in the Ogden 

Tract for $675 according to a deed filed in Batavia 

November 20, 1835. It was believed that the deed 

was not filed until this time because it was a few 

years before Peter finished paying for the land. 

The McBeaths lived with Peter and Christine. 

They chose this particular location because the 

land reminded them of their home in the Highlands 

of Scotland. The land was fertile and gave promise 

of good crops, especially wheat, the "pay crop" 

for which these lands were opened up. The road in 

front of the house was known as Galway Street. 

It is now Peoria Road. 

Four generations of the family have owned the 

farm. Additional parcels have been purchased 

through the years until it contains 190 acres. This 

farm is part of 530 acres owned by John Cromwell 

and his son John Forbes Cromwell. Forbes leases 

his father's land and operates a dairy and ca, c h 

crop farm operation. 


The first house was small. One large room 

contained a very large fireplace with a bake oven 

and an iron cooking crane. There was a large bedroom 

and a "buttery" (pantry). The children slept 

in the attic in four-poster beds brought from 

Perth. The attic was reached by steep stairs built 

over the bake oven. Off this attic was a "dark 

attic" where household and family articles not in 

use were stored. It was a favorite place for children 

of later generations to explore with a lamp 

or lantern. 

As the family grew, more rooms were needed. 

A large kitchen was added to the south side and a 

bedroom and woodshed to the west. 

John and Charles Forbes, sons of Peter and 

Christine, were master builders. Some time before 

the Civil War, perhaps around 1854, they built a 

two story addition on the north side. The architecture 

was Greek Revival. On the outside a beautifully 

designed cornice and front door carried 

out the Greek Revival motif. This is in excellent 

condition today. Inside the new part contained a 

large parlor with a large fireplace built out into 

the room. It is paneled to mantle height with a 

hand carved Greek Revival design. The woodwork 

of the room carries out this same detailed design. 

The thick window sills have a scalloped edge. 

Elizabeth Isham said that it took her brothers 

one whole winter to complete the paneling and 

details of the parlor. 

To the west of the parlor were a small bedroom, 

a china closet, and a clothes closet. A wainscoted 

stairway led to the second floor and another 

stairway led to the cellar. On the second floor a 

large bedroom with a small fireplace was built 

the same size as the parlor below. To the west 

was the hallway and two small bedrooms. 

THE CARPENTERS GO TO WAR 

It was well that the new part was completed 

before the Civil War because both John and Charles 

enlisted. John came home after the war but Charles 

died as a prisoner of war in Libby prison in 

Virginia in 1865. 

In 1934 it was decided that part of the house 

should be torn down. John Cromwell, the present 

owner, erected on the site of part of the old house 

a living room, dining room, and two bedrooms. 

These rooms adjoin the Greek Revival section, 

where the small downstairs bedroom was remodeled 

into a kitchen and the china closet into a 

half-bath. In 1950 one of the small upstairs bedrooms 

was remodeled into a bathroom. The 

present house thus consists of the 1854 and 1934 

sections. 

A LOOK AT THE BARNS 

The early barns were on the site of the present 

barns which were built around 1910, when the 



A Pioneer Family of Covington (continued) 

present owner, John Cromwell, was 17 or 18 

years old. He helped haul the lumber to the site. 

The barns have been remodeled through the years 

as dairying became a part of the farm operation. 

Charles Isham was a beekeeper and built up an 

extensive business. He made his own beekeeping 

equipment. He built a 2 1/2 story building called 

"The Bee House" where he kept his machinery, 

hand tools, and stored lumber. Charles Isham had 

bee colonies on nearby farms. Often, as he went 

along the roads, he scattered white clover seed 

along the road sides. The clover plants would 

provide his bees with nectar for honey. 

He built another small barn at the end of the 

"home bee yard" south of the house. In it he 

stored hives, etc. In the early days of the automobile 

the family car was stored, up on blocks, in 

this building during the winter. The building isstill 

used for storage - including the snowmobiles 

in the summer. 

Charles Isham employed young ladies from the 

neighborhood to help in his "honey" work. At 

times his grandchildren helped, when they could 

be found. He was immune to bee stings although 

he usually wore a beekeeper's veil and used a 

smoke pot. 

A chicken house and a smoke house were essential 

on the farm. They were both torn down 

when the chickens and pigs were no longer kept. 

A carriage house still stands. It is now used to 

store a truck and the supplies for it. 

In the early days, although wheat was the 

"pay crop," farming was diversified. Oats, corn, 

and beans were essential crops. There was also 

a large garden, apple orchards, peach, cherry, 

pear, and plum trees, a variety of berries, rhubarb, 

horseradish, and a variety of medicinal herbs. 

People had their homemade medicines and cures - 

the spring tonic a good dose of sulphur and 

molasses. 

Among the many pets and fowl on the farm were 

peacocks. The Guthrie family who lived west of 

Peoria also had peacocks. On a still night their 

loud calls could be heard across the fields. 

FAMILY LIFE 

After the first early home was built, the land 

had to be cleared and planted. All the work was 

done with oxen and was slow and laborious. Sheep 

were important for food, wool, and tallow. Candles 

were made in a candlemold that held 24 candles. 

All the cooking was done over the fireplace or in 

the bake oven. 

As soon as the McBeaths and Forbes were 

settled here, they went by ox cart every Sabbath 

to the York United Presbyterian Church. Later 

they became members of the Covington U.P. 

Church because it was nearer home and a part of 

their growing community. Home family worship 

was a part of family life every morning and even- 

PAGE 85 

ing. The services were conducted in Gaelic. Until 

Peter Forbes' death, Gaelic was often spoken in 

the home. Whenever he became excited or angry, 

he would express himself in Gaelic. 

THE INDIANS 

Elizabeth Forbes Isham remembered that when 

she was a little girl, the Indians would come to the 

house selling baskets. Often they would stay for 

the night, sleeping on the floor in front of the 

fireplace. Some of the baskets made by the Indians 

are still in the family. 

MILITARY SERVICE 

Both John and Charles Forbes fought in the 

Civil War. John served in the 89th Regiment, N.Y. 

Volunteers and Charles in the 151st N.Y. S.V. 

Virginia. He died in Libby Prison in Virginia 

May 1865. They were brothers of Elizabeth Forbes 

Isham and lived at home on the farm. 

COMMUNITY SERVICE 

Charles Isham was an ardent Democrat. He and 

his friend, Judge Leonard Wood of Peoria, an 

equally ardent Republican, always went to vote 

together in Covington. It never seemed to matter 

to them that they canceled each other's vote. 

Charles Isham, Democrat, and Robert Forbes, 

Republican, lived together in the same house. 

Each served a term as Supervisor of the Town of 

Covington. John Isham Cromwell was Justice of 

the Peace, Supervisor, and Councilman of Covington 

over a period of about 30 years. 

This is the story, then, of a pioneer family of 

Covington. If we multiply this family many times 

over, we have a picture of the dynamism that, 

through these pioneers, brought civilization to a 

wilderness. These pioneers made a home for 

themselves and their descendants. The obstacles 

they encountered tested their courage and ingenuity. 

With an abiding faith in God and an acceptance 

of the principles of thrift and hard work, they 

bequeathed a legacy that will be cherished for years 

to come. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - FRANCES CROMWELL 

Frances Cromwell is a native of Covington and a 

member of Covington's Cromwell family. She received 

her education at Geneseo and Columbia University. 

Most of her life has been spent as an elementary 

teacher and nursery school supervisor in 

New York State and Virginia. She served as field 

representative in the nUrsery core for working 

mothers in World War I. Local history has long 

been one of her interests and she has contributed 

much to the work of the LeRoy Historical Society. 

Miss Cromwell is at present regent for the Deson-go-was 

Chapter of the D.A.R. at Batavia and 

is a member of the Covington Historical Society.

PAGE 86 

WAGONS ACROSS WYOMING 

... By Mitchell R. Alegre 

^W SHZ7 

On June 5 and 6 the hills and valleys of Wyoming 

County will once again resound with the creak of 

wagon wheels and the clatter of horses' hoofs as 

the Wyoming County Bicentennial Wagon Train 

Pilgrimage makes its way across the county. The 

wagon train is a bicentennial event sponsored by 

the county Cooperative Extension under its Community 

Resource Development program and is 

endorsed by the Wyoming County Bicentennial 

Committee. 

The idea of having a county wagon train was 

inspired by the Bicentennial Wagon Train Pilgrimage 

to Pennsylvania, a national event sponsored 

by the Bicentennial Commission of Pennsylvania. 

Each state in the Union will be represented 

by a wagon which will leave its state 

capital to join with the wagons from other states 

to form "a massive Pilgrimage to or Nation's 

birthplace...." The national wagon train will terminate 

July 4, 1976 at Valley Forge Park in Pennsylvania 

where it will encamp for two months and 

visitors will be invited to join in the daily activities 

of the wagoneers. 

As the wagon train travels across the country, 

outriders will collect scrolls, reaffirming our 

faith in America, from the nation's bicentennial 

communities. To make certain Wyoming County 

will be represented, the Cooperative Extension 

will distribute one scroll to each township in the 

county to be signed by the town board and bicentennial 

committee. These scrolls will be delivered 

to the county wagon train and then forwarded to the 

national train and included with the scrolls to be 

enshrined at Valley Forge. 

The Wyoming County wagon train is scheduled 

to begin the morning of June 5 at the Village of 

Wyoming and end the next evening in Arcade. A 

Saturday night encampment, which will include 

special activities, is planned to take place in or 

near Wethersfield. 

The mention of a wagon train evokes the picture 

of a long line of Conestoga wagons, or prairie 

schooners as they were sometimes called, making 

the trek across the vast western United States. 

Brought to mind are the names of such famous 

trails as the Santa Fe, Oregon, Oregon-California. 

This part of New York State was once considered 

"the west" but there were not the great organized 


wagon trains that later settled the western United 

States. The earliest settlers usually came on foot. 

The man of the household would start out alone to 

find a new home for his family. With a knapsack, 

rifle, and ax, he followed the trail of previous 

emigrants and eventually struck into the forest. 

He would find a site, stake his claim, make a 

clearing, build a rude log cabin, and then return 

for his wife and children. 

The family would load up its ox drawn, canvass 

covered wagon with a few essentials. A cow or 

two and a few sheep to furnish wool for clothing 

would be brought along. A few chickens or hogs 

might also be included. Only the very young, aged, 

or weak got to ride. All the others walked and 

shared the labors of the trek. Sometimes two or 

more pioneer families traveled together. 

At the last settlement the pioneers would leave 

their wagon and take their animals. They would 

clear a path to their new home as they went. 

They would later use this path to bring their 

wagon. 

The move to a frontier home was not an easy 

task. One had to struggle with bad weather, poor 

roads, predatory animals, and rustic wagons. 

Many a settlers wagon did not survive the trip. 

Amos Keeney and Lyman Morris, early settlers 

to Warsaw, had the unfortunate experience of 

having their wagon break down while transporting 

their families to Warsaw. It was October of 1804. 

There was only one wagon to transport the belongings 

of both families. They were ten miles from 

Warsaw when the wagon's kingbolt, which joins 

the body of the wagon to the front axle, broke. 

The small party camped in the woods for the 

night. The next day an attempt to repair the 

crippled wagon failed. The only alternative was to 

complete the trek on foot. The four adults carried 

the five young children and a few supplies the 

remaining distance to Warsaw. 

Though there were no great wagon trains that 

traveled across Western New York, there were 

pack horse trains. Pack horse companies were 

formed to travel into areas not accessible by 

water. The horses walked single file with the 

rider-horse in the lead and following horses each 

tied to the animal in front of it. In Pennsylvania 

some of these 'trains traveling west included 

hundreds of horses. 

It was by pack horse that the first honeymooners 

came to Niagara Falls. They came from Albany 

with nine pack horses over what is now Route 5. 

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Alston visited the Falls in 

1801. Mrs. Alston was the former Miss Theodosia 

Burr, daughter of Vice President Aaron Burr. 

After the first roads were opened into Western 

New York, Conestoga wagons began to appear. 

These wagons were built in the area of Lancaster, 

Pennsylvania and had bottoms slightly curved 

toward the center so, whether going up or down 

hill, the cargo pressed toward the center of the 

vehicle. These wagons were used by many Western 



Wagons Across Wyoming (continued) 

New Yorkers traveling further west in the 1840's 

and 1850's. 

The earliest roads into what is now Wyoming 

County were cut out by the Holland Land Company 

to allow prospective settlers access to Company 

lands. Roads were a rod wide and all trees under 

a foot in diameter within the rod limit were cut 

close to the ground. Detours would be taken 

around large trees, hills, and stream banks. 

Swamps were made passable by laying logs together, 

which was known as corduroying. 

These early roads were passable during daylight 

and good weather but were risky to travel 

by night and impassable in bad weather. Accounts 

by early travelers into Western New York tell us 

of wagons stuck in mud up to the wheels' hubs. 

The teeth chattering ride on springless vehicles 

over corduroy bridges helped break the monotony 

of early travel. Many found it easier and more 

comfortable to walk or ride horseback. In winter 

travelers took advantage of sleighing and ice 

covered streams. 

It was not long after settlement that stagecoaches 

began to appear. The first routes were established 

to transport mail but passenger service was soon 

included as well. As early as 1836 Warsaw had 

become the center of a network of stage lines. 

Perry and Arcade were also major terminals. A 

common sound in these communities was that of 

the stagecoach driver blowing his horn to announce 

the coach's arrival. 

Running a stage line between Perry andGeneseo 

was rough riding, loud talking Edwin Root. One of 

his handbills dated January 1, 1844 will give the 

reader some sense of what stagecoach travel was 

like "in the good old days:" 

Male and Female Stages from Perry to 

Geneseo and back in a flash. Baggage, 

persons and eyesight at the risk of the 

owners and no questions answered. Having 

bought the valuable rights of young Master 

James Howard in this line, the subscriber 

will streak it daily from Perry to Geneseo 

for the conveyance of Uncle Sam's mail 

and family, leaving Perry before the crows 

wake up in the morning and arriving at 

the first house this side of Geneseo about 

the same time. Returning, leave Geneseo 

after the crows have gone to roost and 

reach Perry in time tojointhem. Passengers 

will please keep their mouths shut, 

for fear they will lose their teeth. Fare 

to suit passengers. 

The Public's Much Obliged Servant, 

Edwin Root. 

Wagons, carriages, and coaches were once a 

major means of transportation. They were used to 

transport everything from beer to bodies (living 

and dead). Now they are but a memory of a past 

era. All will have an opportunity to take a glimpse 

into those bygone days during the Wyoming County 

PAGE 87 

Bicentennial Wagon Train Pilgrimage on June 5 

and 6. It will encourage us to reflect upon the 

struggles and accomplishments of past Americans. 

It will especially make us realize how far transportation 

has progressed since those first wagons 

crossed Wyoming. As for the future, we can only 

quote a statement made by Andrew W. Young in 

1869 in his History of Warsaw: "What improvement 

remains to be made in the speed and comfort 

of traveling awaits the disclosure of time." 

One wonders if the automobile will join the fate of 

the wagon by the time of America's tricentennial. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - MITCHELL R. ALEGRE 

Mitchell R. Alegre is Historical Research Assistant 

with the Wyoming County Historian's Office. 

Mr. Alegre received his B.A. in history from 

Hobart College, Geneva, N.Y. and his M.A. in 

American history from the State College at Geneseo. 

He is an active member of various historical 

and community organizations. 

AMONG OUR SOCIETIES 

According to its charter, "The purpose of 

Castile Historical Society, organized in 1953, is 

to collect, preserve and exhibit records, writings, 

pictures and other items connected with the history 

of Castile; to conduct or sponsor research in such 

history; to disseminate information pertaining to 

such history; and to promote interest therein." 

From a starting membership of about 30, the society 

has grown to over 300 members. Quarterly 

social and business meetings are held in Coleman 

Masonic Temple, Castile on the first Thursday of 

March, June, September, and December. These 

meetings consist of a dinner, business meeting, 

and a program of interest to all. Trustees meet 

each month, usually at Historical House on Park 

Road East, where the Curator, Mrs. Katherine 

Barnes lives. Historical House is open to the public 

from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. except on 

Mondays, when it is closed all day. A meeting for 

making bicentennial plans was held at the home of 

Calvin DeGolyer February 5. The year book for 

the society is being published and will be ready 

for the members at the March meeting. 

The Arcade Historical Society at its March 

meeting heard a program on "Preparing an Informal 

Family History" presented by Mrs. Lorna 

Spencer. County Historian John G. Wilson gave 

the program at the society's April meeting. 

Covington Historical Society held their first 

meeting of the year on April 3.


WAGONS ACR 

Driving past the Courthouse in Warsaw 1860 

No, not the wild West but looking east on Main 

Street, Bliss while wagons bring produce to market 

during the early 1900's. 

Hearse owned by Edward Wheeler (standing). James 

Deland is the driver.


OSS WYOMING 

Charles Hughlin and ox team 

Loading logs at Eagle railroad station 

Hauling beer for the Strykersville Brewerv in 

1880's.


WYOMING COUNTY'S LAST 

CIVIL WAR VETERAN 

... By Gordon McGuire 

On February 1, 1941 Wyoming County's last 

surviving Civil War veteran died. Adelbert Foster 

succumbed to complications following an earlier 

bout with pneumonia. His death occurred at the 

home of Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Buttles in Pike, 

who were distant relatives. 

The old soldier had moved to Pike three and 

a half years before his death from Perry, where 

he had spent most of his adult life. 

Foster was just 23 days past his 93rd birthday 

when he died and not far from the Town of Gainesville 

farm where he was born on January 8, 1848. 

He had been in Perry on his birthday anniversary 

and had been downtown to greet old friends and to 

accept congratulations. It was his last visit to his 

former home. 

From family records, Perry Herald files, and 

recollections of grandchildren still in the area, 

much of Foster's life has been pieced together. 

The Foster family came to the Lamont area 

from near Binghampton, settling on a farm. He 

was one of three children and like many another 

youngster dreamed of a more exciting life beyond 

the confines and horizon of his rural home. 

When he was fifteen years old he and a young 

friend from Castile by the name of Pennock left 

home. At Portageville they found work as bargemen 

on the Genesee Valley Canal. Not a large 

man, Foster was tough and wiry and not afraid 

of work. 

At the end of one trip to Rochester the two boys 

were caught up with the war fever that was sweeping 

the city. Becoming a soldier held promise of 

great excitement. On a dare from Pennock, Foster 

joined him in enlisting. 

Years later Foster recalled in an interview that 

he had to "lie like a thief to the recruiting officer. 

I told him I was an orphan and homeless." Foster 

and his friend became soldiers on August 8, 1863. 

"Basic training" took place at Troy, where the 

young recruits were sent. From there Foster went 

to Camp Collins, near Washington. He was assigned 

to Company G, 21st New York Cavalry. 

For more than two and a half years the youthful 

soldier fought in the Shenandoah Valley campaign 

under General Phil Sheridan. He engaged in 27 

battles and skirmishes and escaped being wounded. 

One of Foster's cherished memories of the war 

was shaking hands with Lincoln on one of the 

president's visits to a Union camp outside Washington. 

At the war's end Foster was not mustered out 

of service. Instead, he went west to help clear 

Indians from the Central Plains. He was finally 

discharged on July 7, 1886 in Denver. 

With $300 in pay, he headed home. In Buffalo 

he either lost the money or it was stolen. He 

managed to land a job on the Erie Canal and 

worked his way to Rochester, thence to Portageville 

on the canal and home. 

Foster became a carpenter and worked at this 

trade until age forced his retirement. He lived in 

Gainesville, Pavilion, and Perry. 

On July 4, 1871 he married Tryphena Streeter 

in Gainesville. They had four children. Her death 

occurred in Perry in 1938. 

Foster was a long-time member of John P. 

Robinson Post, Grand Army of the Republic in 

Perry. He seldom missed a Memorial Day parade. 

He and Edward Tallmadge of Perry were the last 

Civil War soldiers to answer the Post's roll call. 

A highlight of Foster's later years was a trip 

to Gettysburg in 1938 to attend a 75th reunion of 

Civil War veterans. 

One of two souvenirs brought home by the old 

soldier is in the hands of a Perry grandson. 

Wayne Beeman of 45 Dolbeer Street has a sword 

and also the carpenter tools used by his kin. 

Beeman said a bugle that was displayed for 

years in the GAR rooms vanished when the Post 

closed. 

At the time of Foster's death he left four 

daughters, Mrs. Cora Beeman, Mrs. Myrtle Hurlburt, 

both of Perry; Mrs. Mildred Rogers, Syracuse; 

and Mrs. Maude Fisher of Rochester. There 

were 23 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren 

and two great-great-grandchildren. 

Grandchildren now living in Wyoming County 

are Wayne Beeman, Leonard Hurlburt, Robert 

Beeman, Eva Wildey, Bertha Bennett, all of 

Perry; Mary Streamer and Kenneth Beeman, 

Warsaw. 

Foster's funeral was conducted with full military 

rites in charge of McKelton Post American 

Legion and the Sons of Union Veterans, both of 

Perry. He was buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, 

Gainesville. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - GORDON McGUIRE 

Gordon McGuire is a native of Perry. He is a 

graduate of the University of Michigan. He began 

working as a reporter for the Perry Herald and 

ultimately became the paper's editor. He served 

as Perry Town Justice for six years and town 

and village clerk from 1943 until his retirement 

in 1971. For forty years he has been a correspondent 

for Buffalo and Rochester newspapers. Mr. 

McGuire has held a number of high ranking positions 

with community organizations and is presently 

director of United Way of Perry and the 

Wyoming County Pioneer Historical Association.


fei^ A BARREL OF OATS 

mm 

tumim 

... By John G. Wilson 

In this day of fast, efficient transportation, it is 

hard to appreciate the difficulties that the first 

settlers encountered in their westward migration. 

Not only were there no roads, no post offices, no 

stores, no banks, but when the settler picked up 

and moved to a new home, he must find a way to 

take with him his furniture, his plow, plus whatever 

else was necessary for him to survive at a new 

location. If he had valuables or money to take 

along, it was not possible to forward a draft to 

the nearest bank. These items had to accompany 

the movers, notwithstanding the risk of thieves 

and foul play. 

Such was the situation faced by William Collins, 

pioneer of Middlebury, according to the story told 

by his great-great-granddaughter, the late Bertha 

Freeman Farr. 

William Collins and his family came from 

Chester, Massachusetts where he was an innkeeper, 

in 1815. He apparently was a man of means, as he 

had a team of horses, which he drove, and a team 

of oxen, which was driven by a hired man. One of 

his possessions which was carried on the oxendrawn 

wagon was a barrel of oats. Because it 

seemed the most unlikely place, he had hidden 

$5,000 in the barrel of oats. 

On the particular day of our story, he had driven 

ahead with the team of horses on the more lightly 

loaded wagon. When the hired man eventually caught 

up with Mr. Collins, the man reported that he had 

become stuck in the mud of a swamp and had had 

to unload some of his cargo, including the barrel 

of oats. Needless to say, Mr. Collins hurried back 

along the trail and happily found the barrel of oats 

and the money still hidden within. 

Mr. Collins died in 1833 and up to the time of 

his death, his Windsor desk - not a barrel of oats - 

was his bank. Even at that time, banks were not 

conveniently near. 

The writer feels a kinship with that long hard 

journey. One of our possessions given to us by 

Mrs. Farr is a Mammy bench brought along by the 

family from Massachusetts. Perhaps it rode side 

by side with that barrel of oats. Fortunately, it 

was not left in the swamp. It might not have been 

considered valuable enough to go back after. Today 

I'm not sure that the $5,000 could buy it. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - JOHN G. WILSON 

John G. Wilson has been a lifelong resident of 

the Town of Covington. He and his wife Mary have 

been associated with the Middlebury Historical 

Society in their reconstructing the Academy build- 

ing and equiping it as an historical museum. Mr. 

Wilson has served as County Historian since his 

appointment in 1974. The part he has played in 

reissuing Historical Wyoming he feels is the most 

significant contribution his office has made in the 

field of history. 

JAVA VIGILANCE SOCIETY 

... By Harry S. Douglass 

October 30, 1856, at the school house in Curriers, 

was founded the Java Vigilance Society organized 

"for mutual protection to its members against 

Burglars, Thieves, etc." Persons living within five 

miles of the place of holding the annual meeting 

might become members while the widow of any deceased 

member could enjoy the privileges of this 

society by paying all assessments. 

The society adopted the constitution of the China 

(Arcade) Vigilance Society except the Javans 

required two vice presidents instead of three. It 

was further decided to have a president, a secretary 

who would collect the dues, a treasurer, six 

directors, and ten riders. The time and place of 

the annual meeting was set for the first Saturday 

in January of each year at the school in Curriers. 

Among the original officers were Ephraim Fisk, 

Jr., president; D.D. Davis, Esq., secretary; and 

the first riders named were six in number: 

Gordon D. Fox, B.F. Nicholson, John Blood, D.D. 

Woolley, Lucius Thompson, and Harry Woodworth. 

Dues were set at one dollar annually. In the wording 

of the constitution a "reward of one dollar to any 

member of society who shall prosecute to conviction 

any person guilty of petit larceny within its 

bounds. "Membership was spread throughout the 

southwestern portion of Java and the northern part 

of Arcade from the present Curriers road to the 

Punkshire area of the two towns. 

Surviving records are those of the secretary who 

made regular accounts of the annual meetings and 

transfers of funds, often as small as 25£ to the 

treasurer. There is no record of special assessments. 

The membership, being very thrifty, demanded 

that the society's funds be safeguarded 

and increased through judicious investment. For 

instance, at the annual meeting in January 1869, 

the members "resolved that what specie there is 

in the hands of the treasurer be changed to greenbacks 

if the treasurer can get a premium to make 

it an object to the society." 

The work of the society supplemented efforts of 

the civil authority to seek out wrongdoers. Horse 

thieves were common and very clever in disguising 

a stolen animal and within hours could convey 

a horse great distances. The loss of other farm 

animals, vehicles, and tools called forth the facilities 

of vigilance groups in an attempt to apprehend 

the perpetrators. The riders were allowed remun- 

(continued on poge 92)


Java Vigilance Society (continued) 

eration for time spent and for expenses. For instance, 

in August 1875, John Blood was allowed 

$3.10 for expenses and $2.00 for services, and 

Adams Woodworth was given 85£ for expenses and 

$2.15 for services while trying to find a mare 

belonging to John Friend, supposedly stolen. 

These persons appear as members of the vigilante 

grbup between its formation in 1856 down 

to the year 1875 when the record ceases: 

Moses Twiss 

Sam'l Woodworth 

B.F. Nicholson 

Gordon D. Fox 

John Blood 

Lucius Thompson 

D.D. Woolley 

D.C. Woolley 

Lucius Peck 

Melvin Woodworth 

Denslow D. Davis 

Charles M. Jackson 

A.S. Davis 

Moses Blood 

Thomas Gillette 

Hiram Blood 

Henry Woolsey 

Harry Woodworth 

Moses Smith 

Ephraim Fisk, Jr. 

Rufus Woolsey 

Alonzo McClure 

Charles Wright 

Delias Childs 

Orlando Stevens 

Cyrenus Childs 

John B. Gillette 

Edwin Eddy 

Spencer Foote 

O.R. Cook 

Samuel Clark 

Arthur Clark 

Allen Twiss 

B.B. Lincoln 

Wells Cook 

Wallace Cheney 

Addison Twiss 

D. Smith 

Moses L. Twiss 

William H. Hicks 

Allen W. Twiss 

Nelson M. Twiss 

Leonard Twiss 

Horatio Twiss 

James Gillette 

Charles Hale 

Martin F. Buck 

James Crawford 

Sylvester Thompson 

Alden C. Burbank 

Benning Hale 

Augustus Lyford 

Rinaldo Stevens 

McMaster Bryant 

Peter Kingman 

Lucius S. Kibbee 

Joseph Westover 

Alvin Pigus 

Seth Burbank 

Joseph Silloway 

John Friend 

S.S. Smith 

Abram Thompson 

Lucius F. Horton 

Artemas Stevens 

Henry Burbank 

Legrand Nicholson 

Henry Woollsey, Jr. 

Adams Woodworth 

Adelbert Gillette 

Cornelius Crawford 

Norman D. Lyford 

Dr. S.S. Miller 

Thirty-eight of the above men were selected as 

"riders" during a ten-year period. In the absence 

of the treasurer's records it will never be known 

of the extent of their activities. The existence of 

such groups throughout western New York was a 

strong deterent to those who would profit at the 

expense of their neighbors. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - HARRY S. DOUGLASS 

Harry S. Douglass is a native of Arcade. He has 

been a teacher for many years until his retirement 

a few years ago. In addition to his teaching duties 

at Arcade, Mr. Douglass served as Wyoming 

County's first historian for nearly thirty years. 

He was the original publisher of Historical Wyoming 

and carried it on for twenty-one years. His contributions 

to the study of Wyoming County history 

have been many and varied. 

CELEBRATING THE BICENTENNIAL 

The following is a brief listing of the scheduled 

bicentennial events for 1976. The County Historian's 

Office, to help coordinate the bicentennial 

celebration in Wyoming County, would appreciate 

being informed of any other events being planned. 

The Bicentennial in Wyoming County 1976 

April 5-10 Attica Library Bicentennial Week 

April 5 Sue Hengelsberg, folk singer, 7:30 

P.M. Dedication of three Paul Smith 

pictures. 

April 7 Open House with refreshments, 

and 7-9 P.M. 

2-6 

April 9 Lecture & Demonstration on Country 

Painting & Stenciling, 8 P.M. 

April 10 Children's programs, 10 A.M. 

April 13 Raffle for Betsey Ross & Bennington 

(1776) flags, Bennington Bicentennial 

Committee. 

April 25 Bicentennial Community Flag & Scroll 

presentation; Liberty Pole dedication, 

Bennington Town Hall. 

May 1 Bicentennial Ball, St. Vincent's Auditorium, 

Attica, 9 P.M. Sponsored by 

Attica Historical Society. 

May 22 Play presented by Wyoming County 

Bicentennial Singers, Warsaw High 

May 28-30 

School Auditorium, 7:30 P.M. 

Perry Bicentennial Kickoff Celebration. 

May 29-31 Warsaw Memorial Day Weekend Celebration 

June 5-6 Wyoming County Bicentennial Wagon 

Train Pilgrimage, sponsored by Wyoming 

County Cooperative Extension. 

June 20 Old - Fashioned Sunday Picnic, Warsaw 

Village Park. 

June 25 Attica Volunteer Firemen Celebration. 

June 27-July 4 

July 4 

July 4-10 

July 9-17 

July 9 

July 10 

Wyoming 

County Bicentennial Cele- 

bration at Warsaw. 

Revolutionary period Community Wor - 

ship Service, Attica High School Auditorium, 

10-11 A.M., sponsored by 

Attica Historical Society. 

Perry Bicentennial & Sea Serpent 

Festivals. 

Bennington Bicentennial Festival 

Kickoff dinner at Bennington Lanes. 

Old-fashioned parade, fair, bazaar, & 

square dance. 



Celebrating the Bicentennial (continued) 

July 11 Church service honoring Revolutionary 

soldiers, fashion show, evening 

outdoor church service. 

July 14 Strawberry Social, Salem United 

Church. 

Week ends with Bennington Volunteer 

Fire Company's Field Days & Parade. 

July 10 Wyoming County Bicentennial Singers 

Concert, Wyoming Village Hall, 8P.M. 

July 11 Strykersville Picnic 

July 17-18 Mary Jemison Pageant & Craft Show, 

Pike Fair Grounds, sponsored by Arts 

Council of Wyoming County & Wyoming 

County Fair Association. 

July 18 North Java Picnic. 

July 24 Warsaw Sidewalk Sales & Bicentennial 

Festivities. 

August 8 Antique Auto Show, Warsaw Village 

Park, sponsored by Wyoming Valley 

Region AACA. 

August 8 Middlebury Founder's Day Picnic. 

August21-22Civil War Shooting Meet, North-South 

Skirmish Association, Folsom Downs, 

Bennington. 

August 22-28Wyoming County Fair with special 

bicentennial themes. 

Sept. 26 St. Michael's Church Fall Festival 

Warsaw. 

Sept. 27-Oct. 3 

Warsaw Autumn Festival. 

Due to space limitations, we are unable to report 

in this issue on the many bicentennial projects being 

sponsored throughout the county. We do plan to 

report on these in future issues. 

QUERIES 

A query has been received from Portland, Oregon 

concerning Bayley (or Bailey) Clough, who lived at 

Pike, N.Y. from before 1814 to 1833. He took original 

deed to land owned in 1956 by Henry Wells. 

Married 1st, Sarah Smith; 2d, Asenath Price. Seeking 

any information about his arrival in Allegany 

County, date of first marriage, children, death of 

first wife, parents of Bayley and Sarah, etc. Also 

like data on son-in-law Daniel Fairbanks (mar. 

Jane Clough) living near Eagle in 1836. 

Information wanted on parents of Franklin 

Rogers, born 1824 in New York. Appeared in 1850 

census of Shelby, Orleans County, N.Y. Parents 

were Elias Rogers and Ann Stryker. 

Descendants searching for date on Bissell 

Blakeslee. According to Attica town records, he 

was overseer of highways for District #25 as of 

March 7, 1843 and again appointed overseer of 

District #36 on February 24, 1846. Was father of 

Charles Erwin Blakeslee born in Attica July 24, 

1839. Bissell married Eliza Stone and in 1830 

had a daughter under 5 and another between 5-10. 

Believed these children grew up in Vernal, N.Y. 

Charles died in Kansas in 1911. 

Information wanted on Solomon Kingsley. Lived 

in Attica about 1813 to 1831. Wife was Esther 

Sprout, daughter of Nathaniel Sprout. Members 

Presbyterian Church. Solomon in War of 1812, 

Captain 12th Reg., Cavalry at Buffalo, N.Y. Had a 

son Aaron Kingsley. 

Information wanted about an 1809 or 1810 

Wyoming Village map of lots laid out by Eli Perry 

for Silas Newell. 

Birthplace wanted for Daniel Richards, born May 

28, 1757. Married Sibbel Paul. Also want parentage 

and birthplace for Daniel's parents. Proof needed 

that he served in Revolution. He was buried in 

Wyoming County but no record of his wife. Where 

and when was she buried? 

Information sought regarding Orin D. Fisk and 

Martha (Adams) Fisk, married 1835, Attica, N.Y., 

died Warsaw, N.Y., date unknown. Known son was 

William Henry Fisk, born, September 1, 1844, 

Warsaw, N.Y., married June 31, 1869 to Julia A. 

Stearns, born March 22, 1844. Their children born 

in New York State: Daniel Wait Fisk, February 28, 

1870; Alice Louise Fisk, April 8, 1873. WilliamH. 

Fisk family moved to Smith County, Kansas in 1875. 

A South Dakota correspondent is seeking information 

on the family of Joshua and Keziah (Munger) 

Fassett. Believed Keziah died 1850 in Wyoming 

County. Joshua and Keziah were parents of 4 

children: Joshua, Hiram, Ai, and Keziah. Ai 

Ranson Fassett and wife Betsey (Crandall, daughter 

of Nathan Crandall?) lived in Gainesville and 

Wethersfield 1843 to 1851. Believed Keziah married 

William Frayer and lived in Wyoming County 

at same time. Vertification of above needed. 

Appreciate any information on Keziah (Munger) 

Fassett and above named children and on children 

of above children. 

Information wanted on Samuel C. and Elizabeth 

M. (Hickox) Webb family. Frederick A. Webb born 

August 10, 1849 in Pavilion, N.Y. married Florence 

Augier of Mentor, Ohio March 3, 1875. Had one 

son, Percy, born 1876 injpavilion. Samuel C.Webb 

born Lunsenburgh, Essex County, Vermont, January 

17, 1816. Came to West Bloomfield, N.Y. in 

1834. Moved to Pavilion 1846. Elizabeth Hickox 

Webb born Salem, Ohio. 

A California correspondent is seeking information 

on parents of Mae M. Stedge, born Elmira, 

N.Y. September 10, 1873. Parents were Jacob and 

Mary (Theetge) Stedge. Mae married Mr. Richards 

and divorced or widowed. She then married Albert 

H. Johnson, Jr. July 4, 1895 in Morton, Orleans 

County, N.Y. Mae died in Perry May 2, 1957.

PAGE 94 

AT THE OFFICE 

The year 1975 was a busy one for the County 

Historian's Office. In March the services of 

Mitchell R. Alegre as Historical Research Assistant 

were obtained through the federally funded 

CETA program. More recently, part-time secretarial 

help has been received from Sandy Hurlburt 

through the CETA Title I In School Program. 

The County Historian's Office is responsible for 

coordinating bicentennial activities in the county 

and established a county bicentennial committee to 

aid in this area. The committee took an active part 

in the opening of the 1975 Wyoming County Fair, 

encouraged fair floats of historic interest, and 

maintained a booth at the fair. An art contest 

featuring historic subjects was introduced in county 

schools. The committee has continued to aid in the 

coordination and planning of 1976 bicentennial 

programs. Present members of the committee are: 

John Wilson, chairman, Wyoming; Aileen Byram, 

Attica; Calvin DeGolyer, Castile; Ray Barber, 

Java; Albert Harvey, Warsaw; Clark Rice, Perry; 

Henry Kelver, Strykersville. 

The republication of Historical Wyoming has 

proven a success with over 600 subscribers in 

its first year back. Thanks go to Willa Bishop for 

her assistance as treasurer and to the Penny 

Saver staff in Warsaw, especially Wendy Simpson, 

for their fine job in printing the magazine. 

In 1975 the County Historian's Office was also 

involved in the expansion of its historical holdings, 

overseeing the loan of bicentennial costumes, 

preparing materials for WBEN-TV and local radio 

interviews, answering numerous requests for genealogical 

data, conducting research on local history, 

and meeting with and presenting programs 

to various organizations. 

The year 1975 was an eventful one for our office 

and we look forward to 1976 and an exciting bicentennial 

era. 

The office has acquired many interesting source 

materials during the past months. From Lewis 

Bishop on behalf of the Warsaw Historical Society 

was received the 1888 to 1960 Visitors Register 

of the Wyoming County Alms House and Asylum. 

The Middlebury Historical Society donated a copy 

of the Evie Fancher scrapbook containing newspaper 

clippings with data on Middlebury vital 

statistics between 1878 and 1912. A name index to 

the scrapbook was prepared by James Cutler. 

Maude L. Hays donated a 209 page Ewell genealogy 

she had compiled in 1966. Given by Marian Akin 

was an early German Bible. Florence Zielinski 

presented the office with a photograph of the 

1905-6 Board of Supervisors. Mrs. Zielinski along 

with Betty Dominick, Mary Gentner, Bonnie Sheer, 

and Joanne Blizzard compiled a listing of vital 

statistics extracted from early copies of the 

Javan Eagle. Mrs. Florence Benedict Frette, 

registrar of the Mary Jemison Chapter of the 


D.A.R., donated papers of C.M. and F.C. Benedict, 

including the Benedict genealogy, 1840 Abstract of 

Genesee County, and materials on Perry Academy, 

Grange, and churches. Back issues of Historical 

Wyoming were also included. The Rochester Directory 

of 1884 was presented by Mrs. Olive Smith, 

Perry historian. The office also obtained the 1874 

to 1913 records of the Congregational Church at 

Gainesville. 

In future issues a series of articles with photographs 

on historical buildings in Wyoming County 

is planned. Several buildings are now being processed 

for the National Register of Historic 

Preservation. Due to personnel shortages and 

volume of material, it may be some time before 

these buildings in Wyoming County are officially 

designated for the National Register. In the meantime, 

we propose to begin our own Wyoming County 

historic survey and will publish information 

gathered in future issues of Historical Wyoming. 

We cordially invite the help of our readers in 

collecting materials that will represent all areas 

of the county. Anyone with information or old 

photographs of houses, business blocks, churches, 

etc. that would be historically significant, please 

contact our office. 

The Wyoming County Board of Supervisors have 

reappointed John G. Wilson as County Historian 

for a three year term. 

MILESTONES 

During November 4, 1975, ground was broken for 

a new Chiropractic Clinic by Dr. James Watkins 

of Castile near his home on Route 19A. The new 

facility, a 28 by 40 foot structure, will house three 

treatment rooms and a large reception area. Dr. 

Watkins hopes the new facility will be completed 

by April 1, 1976. He is married to the former 

Linda Stanton of Castile. 

Dr. James MacCallum of Warsaw, a leader of the 

drive to establish the newly founded Wyoming Foundation, 

was elected its first president during 

January 1976. The Foundation will seek contributions 

for Wyoming County Community Hospital, 

county playgrounds, environmental improvements, 

libraries, and arts and crafts projects. 

During January 1976, the Board of Supervisors 

reappointed the following county department heads: 

Robert Kingsley, Castile, veterans service officer; 

Philip McBride, Warsaw, public defender', George 

Somerhalder, Attica, fire coordinator; and our own 

John Wilson, Wyoming, historian. 

An old Varysburg landmark disappeared in Dec- 



Milestones (continued} 

ember of 1975. The former home and meat market 

of Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Glor was demolished. The 

site will now be used as a parking area for Agway. 

Miss Susan Diesfeld, 21, was named the new Miss 

Hope of Wyoming County for 1976. Miss Diesfeld, 

daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Gerald Diesfeld of 

Arcade, is a senior nursing student at Niagara 

University. 

The Arcade Lions Club during December 1975 

completed a year round hockey rink in that village's 

park. For about $12,000 the Lions have 

built a 155 by 80 foot rink complete with four foot 

high sidewalls, nets, and team and timekeeper 

boxes. The base is blacktop and the game is 

street hockey. The hockey sticks have plastic bottoms. 

Sneakers replace skates but all players 

are required to wear gloves and helmets. The puck 

is a ball - one for summer, one for winter. The 

Arcade rink, the first of its kind in New York State, 

was built after the Lions gave up on a regular ice 

hockey rink. 

As you walk into the County Court House you will 

notice a beautiful rug hanging on the lobby wall. The 

American Legend wall rug depicting the American 

eagle and the Liberty Bell was presented during 

December 1975 to the Wyoming County Board of 

Supervisors by Ed Northrup, owner of the Top's 

Carpet Shoppe of Warsaw. 

Alfred R. Ackerman was appointed as Chief of 

the Village of Arcade Police Department for one 

year. The appointment was made December 8 to 

fill the vacancy created by the death of Chief 

Lloyd R. Warner. 

The Arcade Area Chamber of Commerce honored 

two public servants with the annual Person of the 

Year Award at a dinner on January 20. Recipients 

were John F. Bailey, mayor 1959-63 and since 

1973, and Howard W. Payne, superintendent of 

public works since 1971. 

NECROLOGY 

A native of Warsaw, Mrs. Helen Glasier Bush, 

81, died January 26, 1976 at Wyoming County Community 

Hospital. She was executive secretary of 

Wyoming County Heart Association for several 

years and was a member of the Warsaw Historical 

Society, Mary Jemison Chapter of the D.A.R., 

Centennial Chapter of the Eastern Star, and the 

Monday Club. Mrs. Bush was a graduate of 

Cornell University. She and her husband Earl 

lived in Tennessee until his death in 1955, when 

Mrs. Bush returned to Warsaw. Surviving are a 

daughter, son, five grandchildren, three sisters, 

and a brother. 

Mrs. Jane R. Embury, 69, of Warsaw, recently 

died after a four month illness. She was active in 

the Red Cross, Girl Scouts, Monday Club, and 

Warsaw Garden Club. Born in Spokane, Washington, 

she graduated from the University of Utah in 

1927 and that same year married Philip Embury. 

Since then their home has been in Warsaw, where 

her husband was president of the former Embury 

Lantern Company. She is survived by her husband, 

two children, a brother, eight grandchildren, and 

two great-grandchildren. 

Town of Gainesville assessor, Arthur N. Shearing, 

63, died in Warsaw February 3, 1976. Mr. 

Shearing was a dairy farmer and is survived by 

his wife, the former Shirley Quackenbush; his 

mother, Mrs. Zadie Shearing; two sons, William 

and Arthur; a daughter, Mrs. Mildred Moulton; 

three stepsons, Brian, Bradley, and Bruce Frazier; 

and three stepdaughters, Mrs. Eleanor Torrey, 

Mrs. Elaine Briggs, and Miss Ellen Frazier. 

Henry C. Wolfe, 75, died February 16, 1976 in 

Wyoming County Community Hospital. Mr. Wolfe, 

a retired dairy farmer, served the Town of Pike 

as supervisor for eight years and was also acting 

postmaster of Pike. Also a former justice of the 

Town of Gainesville, he was a member of the 

Hermitage Baptist Church and the Triluminar 

Masonic Lodge of Pike. He is survived by his wife, 

the former Mildred El well; a son, Lyle; and two 

daughters, Mrs. Stuart Smith and Mrs. Robert 

Caid. 

Sister Mary Florence, OSF, 92, who in 1970 

ended a 60 year career as a teacher-administrator 

in the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo schools, died 

December 1, 1975 at St. Mary of the Angels 

Convent of Perpetual Adoration in Williamsville. 

A Buffalo native, the daughter of Louis and Mary 

Schilling Thum, Sister Mary Florence during her 

career was a teacher and principal-superior at the 

school in Strykersville. Burial in Gethsemane 

Cemetery. 

In Westfield Memorial Hospital, the Rev. Canon 

Charles C. Campbell, 91, of Wahmeda on Chautauqua 

Lake, died February 1, 1976. Rev. Campbell 

retired in 1964 after serving 28 years as chaplain 

of Batavia Veterans hospital and as rector of St. 

Luke's Episcopal Church in Attica. An honorary 

canon and member of St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral 

in Buffalo, he served many parishes throughout 

the Western New York Dioceses in a temporary 

capacity after his retirement. He was a member 

of the Cherry Creek Masonic Lodge, the New 

Castle Consistory, and was a former president of 

the Chautauqua-Mayville Lions Club. He is survived 

by his wife, the former Estelle M. Jurey, 

with whom he observed his 65th wedding anniversary 

April 3, 1975; two daughters, Mrs. Dorothy 


PAGE 96 

Necrology (continued) 

Ann Schiller and Mrs. M. Jeanne Irwin. Burial 

Chautauqua Cemetery. 

A Perry High School English teacher of 50 years, 

Miss Alice Dow, 89, died in Warsaw February 13, 

1976. 

A graduate of Gainesville High School and the 

Teachers Training Class of the Warsaw Schools, 

Mrs. Alice M. Burlingame, 90, died in Warsaw 

February 11, 1976. Mrs. Burlingame, the widow 

of Earl Burlingame who died in 1969, was a former 

rural teacher. She is survived by her daughter 

Mrs. Betty Carney. 

Owner and operator of the Thompson Heating 

Co., Harold M. Thompson, 65, died of a heart 

attack while fixing a furnace on January 18, 1976. 

Mr. Thompson had operated his business since 

1947 in Warsaw. A World War II veteran, Mr. 

Thompson is survived by his wife Lois and a daughter. 

Joseph T. (Jay) Sullivan, 89, died December 11, 

1975 in a Springville nursing home. He was town 

clerk of Arcade for over 20 years, served the 

Village of Arcade as a trustee, and was mayor 

1951-59. A lifelong Arcade resident, he was coowner 

of Lockwood and Sullivan, predecessor of 

the Arcade Men's Shop, until his retirement in 

1951. His long service to the Boy Scouts of Arcade 

earned him scoutings highest honors; the Silver 

Beaver award, the Vigil Honor, and the Order of 

the Arrow. Mr. Sullivan received the Lay Award 

of St. Joseph the Worker for his service as a 

trustee and member of the Holy Name Society of 

SS. Peter and Paul Church. A World War I army 

veteran, he was a life member of Hendershott- 

Manness Post 374, VFW, and past commander of 

Hugh Lynch Post 737, American Legion. He was a 

charter member of the Arcade Lions Club and 

received the Chamber of Commerce Citizen of 

the Year Award in 1971. The Scout building in 

Arcade was named for Mr. Sullivan several years 

ago. 

PLEASE NOTE: 

Information is continually being received revising 

previous data from cemetery inscriptions. To 

help keep inscriptions as accurate as possible, 

recent corrections to previous listings appear 

below: 

October 1975, page 51: Read Birdsall; Catharine 

Smith. 

January 1976, page 73: Under Mallory, omit 1861 

after Fannie. Phebe S. was second wife of Rev. 

James and she was previously married to a 

Beardsley. 


Page 74: Under Pratt, read Melodia A., nee 

Onley. 

Page 75: Under Strong - Row 6, Anna M., read 

Jerusha not Jerurha. 

RENEW NOW! 

This is the last issue of the subscription year. 

To continue receiving your copies of Historical 

Wyoming for another year (four issues), complete 

the enclosed renewal slip and send with your $3 

check made payable to Historical Wyoming to: 

County Historian's Office 

143 North Main Street 

Warsaw, New York 14569 

Now is an excellent time to give gift subscriptions 

to friends and relatives. Simply write on the 

back of the renewal slip the names and addresses 

where gift subscriptions are to be sent and include 

$3 for each subscription. A card in your name will 

be sent with each gift. 

LAGRANGE CEMETERY - COVINGTON 

(New Part) 

The following contains the records of the newer > 

(north side) part of the cemetery and completes 

the listings for LaGrange Cemetery. Previous 

installments appeared in the October 1975 and 

January 1976 issues. Information was compiled 

with the assistance of James Cutler and the earlier 

recording of Harry S. Douglass. Row #1 is 

nearest to the road side. 

ALLEN - Row 8 

Gertrude M (stone sunken) 

Sarah (Barber) - 1874-1907 

James, 1868-1933 

Anna (McDowell), 1866-1943 

Joseph, 1842-1923 

Jane Glover, 1846-1921 (wife of Joseph) 

William, 1873-1904 (son of Joseph & Jane) 

ALLEN - Row 6 

Louis G. 1881-1951 (married 12-1-1908), son of 

Joseph, (b Ireland) & Jane Glover, (bEngland) 

Flora Mary, 1879-1963, (dau. of Joel Cronkhite& 

Sophia (Birdsall) 

ALLEN - Row 15 

Emily Morrow, 1876-1938 (mother) 

Edward, 1866-1923 (father) 

ALLEN - Row 18 

Gordon M., N.Y.S.I. U.S.N.R. WWII b Mar. 10, 

1909; d Jan. 12, 1965 

ALTOFT - Row 4 

Robert, 1853-1919 

Harold L. 1882-1959 

Margaret, 1896- , (wife of Harold) 



LaGrange Cemetery (continued) 

Carol, 1924-1932, (dau of Harold & Margaret) 

ALTOFT - Row 8 

John F. 1847-1917, (b in Eng., son of Wm & 

Mary (Foster)) 

ANDREWS - Row 16 

Mabel E., b Mar. 4, 1878; d Nov. 4, 1953 (wife 

of Fred & dau. of Wm Seward Benedict) 

Fred R., b Dec. 4, 1873; dSept. 4, 1955 (married 

Nov 7, 1899) 

AVERY - Row 14 

George N. b Sept. 25, 1854; d 1943 (son of 

Merrill N. & Charlotte (Russell)) 

BATHRICK - Row 8 

Andrew R., 1876-1974 (son of Wm R & Mancelonia 

(Bradt)) 

Grace, 1875-1951, nee Altoft, wife of Andrew 

Francis J. 1900-1965 

BAUER - Row 14 

G.A. Bauer, Jr. 1886-1920 

BROWN - Row 15 

Joseph, 1866-1937 (father), son of Oliver & 

Delilah (Kelley) 

Leora S., 1868-1956 (mother) dau. of Romanzo 

S. & Josephine (Jenks) 


Alice (Smith) 1866-1931 (Mother) dau. of Romanzo 

S. & Josephine (Jenks) 

Stephen O. 1859-1936 (Father) son of Oliver & 

Delilah (Kelley) 


Esther M. 1903- , wife of Warren and dau. of 

Robt McMann & Mary (Wright) 

J. Warren, 1902-19- , son of Joseph & Leora E. 

(Smith) 


Ruby Ethel 1900-1970 (wife of Romanzo, dau. of 

Ray E. Sheldon & Rosa Taylor) 

Romanzo 1899- , son of Joseph & Leora E. 

(Smith) 

CALKINS - Row 13 

Kenneth E. b Dec. 15,1946; d Dec. 16, 1946 "For 

of such is the kingdom of Heaven'' 

O. Eugene, 1855-1937 

CLARK - Row 3 

Hollis H. 1897-1973 (son of Edward B. & Julia 

(Rude)) 

Frances L. (Withey) 1898-19- , wife of Hollis 

CLARK - Row 4 

L. Raymond 1892-1961 (son of Fred & Cora) 

Blanche S. (Zaraphonithes) 1895-1949 

CLARK - Row 5 

Fred W., 1863-1937 

Cora L., 1863-1942 

CLARK - Row 8 

C. Anna b Aug. 10, 1847; d 1924; (nee Bentley, 

born in Conn.) 

William, 1841-1930 (G.A.R. Co. D 1st N.Y. 

Dragoons) 

CLARK - Row 11 

Alice E. 1852-1930 (dau of Joseph & Esther 

(Harvey)) 

Joseph, b May 1815; d Mar. 6, 1899 (b Pittsfield, 

Mass., came to Burke Hill by ox cart, 

1830) 

Esther M. 1817-1908, wife of Joseph, (nee 

Harvey) 

Joel, 1849-1922 

Henry C., 1843-1914 

Florence E., 1849-1922 (wife of Henry) 

CLARK - Row 9 

Edward B., b July 30, 1870; d Dec. 14, 1941 

(son of Wm & C. Anna Beardsley) mar. June 

20, 1894 

Julia E. 1873-1935 (wife of Edward) 

Marion Clark Breene, 1901-1944 (dau. of Edward 

& Julia) 


Martha M. 1844-1931 (wife of Henry) 

Henry H., 1842-1912 (Co. H 6 Reg. N.Y. Vol. 

H Art.) 


Roberta M. 1928-1971 (nee Wright) wife of 

Howard 

Howard C. 1923- , son of Hollis & Frances 

(Withey) 

CONRAD - Row 6 

Peter, 1859-1929 

Mary F. (Miller), 1857-1939 wife of Peter 

CRANE - Row 14 

George,1882-1959 

Mamie, 1883-1930 

CRONKHITE - Row 6 

Joel, 1835(6)-1919, Co. D 1st N.Y. Dragoons 

Sophia (Birdsall) 1850-1916 wife of Joel 

DANIELS - Row 13 

Lucia A., 1846-1919 (nee Booth), wife of D. 

Clinton 

D. Clinton, 1837-1918 (Battery I 3rd Reg. N.Y. 

Light Artillery) 

Charley R. b Aug. 19, 1881; d Aug. 27, 1956 

DANIELS - Row 8 

Fred W., 1891-1906, (son of Harvey R.) 

Harvey R., 1862-1931 

Emma Knight, 1862-1948 (wife of Harvey) 

DECLERCK - Row 15 

Jerome B. 1907-1966 

Alice E. 1908- 

EVOY - Row 15 

Harry D. 1892-1963 

Winifred H. 1894- 

FIERO - Row 6 

John M. b. July 7, 1839, York; d 1925 son of 

John C. & Isabella (Gay) (Co. E 136 N.Y. Vol. 

Inf.) 

Marian, 1843-1926 wife of John M. 

FISHER - Row 6 

Homer E. 1877-1934, son of Thomas & Imogene 

(Avery) 

Carrie, 1882- wife of Homer 

FISHER - Row 14 

Charles A. 1879-1958 

Grace (nee Bauer), Cain, Harding, 1883-1960 


PAGE 98 


FULLINGTON - Row 9 

William - 

Cora (Smith) (Mother), wife of William 

GARDNER - Row 4 

Emily A., 1877-1959 

James Griffith, 1876-1936, (adopted son of 

Albert & Jeanette W. Gardner) 


George A. b Jan. 21, 1878; d Jan. 23, 1878, son 

of A & J Gardner 

Janette W., 1848-1913 

Albert, 1844-1909, (son of Lyman & Amy (Brown) 


Bert, 1873-1934 

Hattie (Lapham), 1870-1938, wife of Bert 

GAY - Row 16 

Leander P. 1871-1957, (son of Leander & Sarah 

L. Perkins) 

Sarah (Winter) 1881-1950 (wife of Leander P., 

dau. of Wm. Winter & Mary Ann Tiplady) 

GILMORE - Row 14 

John D. 1882-1975 (son of David & Margaret) 

Elizabeth K. 1889-19- wife of John D.; dau. of 

Robert & Elizabeth (Kniffin) Kershaw 

David, 1844-1915 

Margaret 1842-1918 - wife of David 

HAMILTON - Row 5 

Joseph A. d Feb. 3, 1905, age 2 mo. 

Emily J. 1876-1966 

Charles E. 1868-1937, son of Joseph E. & Harriet 

(Pollard) 

HAYS - Row 6 

Tena E. 1873-1945 

HERRING - Row 1 

William E. 1912-1962 

H. Jane, 1920-1965 

HERRING - Row 5 

- Bessie A. 1909-1965 

Morton A. 1871-1944 

Cora D. (Ensign) 1879-1950, wife of Morton 

Harry E. 1898-1961 

Ella Arlene, 1910-1931 

Susie Belle, 1906-1909 

HERRINGTON - Row 14 

Charles I., 1867-1953 (son of Erastus B. & 

Elizabeth (Dredge)) 

HOLBROOK - Row 11 

Mary E. 1849-1907 (Mother) 

Socrates J. 1848-1922 (Father) 

HOWARD - Row 10 

John E., 1886-1955 (son of Frank W. & Cora) 

Florence J. 1889-19- (dau. of Louis & Fanny 

(Clark) Jeffres) 

Cora J., 1856-1926 (nee Taylor) 

Frank W. 1852-1931 

JEFFRES - Row 9 

Milo A., 1875-1938 (son of Eugene F. & Mary 

(Chappel)) 

Lucia H., 1878-1965 

Eugene F., 1832-1916 

Mary (Chappel) 1834-1919 (wife of Eugene) 


JEFFRES - Row 10 

Lewis H. 1861-1951 (son of Eugene F. & Mary 

(Chappel)) 

Sadie (Avery), 1862-1920 (2nd wife of Lewis H.) 

KLUGH - Row 2 

Mabel E. (Clark) 1890-1963 (sister to Celia 

Van Allen) 

Clyde L. 1889-1973 

KNOWLTON - Row 7 

Daniel S., 1853-1931 

Nellie M. 1854-1936 

LAMB - Row 13 

M. Frances, 1844-1919, wife of J. Berlin & dau. 

John B. Jenkins & Sophia (Kendall) 

J. Berlin, 1836-1913, son of Hiram Lamb 

Melville Alverson, 1875-1935, son of J. Berlin 

& Mary Frances (Jenkins) 

Jennie M. (Gilmore), 1874-1946 

LAPHAM - Row 7 

Glen W. 1892-1928 (American Legion) 

Barton, 1872-1909 

Elizabeth, 1867-1943, dau. of John Morrow 

Roy C. 1833-1908 

Gertrude, 1884-1916 

LIVINGSTON - Row 18 

Alice I. 1916-1974 

William H., Sr., 1909- 

LOWERY - Row 8 

Permelia A. 1840-1925 

MAYHEW - Row 12 

Phebe C. 1836-1922, 2nd wife of Morgan L., 

widow of John Doan, dau. of S.P. Covert 

Morgan L., d Feb. 3, 1905 age 75 yrs. 5 mo. 

(Co. H 136 N.Y. Vol. Inf.) son of Gilbert B. 

& Phebe (Holmes) 

MCKEE - Row 9 

James, 1870-1905 

MCKEE - Row 14 

Robert, 1878-1937 

MCMANN - Row 15 

Robert D. 1863-1937 

Mary, 1865-1953 (nee Wright) 

MILLER - Row 6 

G.A. Miller, 1833-1913 

Christina E. 1838-1916, wife of G.A. 

MORROW - Row 11 

David, 1875-1959 

Stella (Holbrook) 1882-1959, wife of David; 

dau. of Socrates Holbrook 

MORROW - Row 15 

Charles, 1868-1950 

Ida (Pratt), 1868-1943, wife of Charles 

NESBITT - Row 15 

Fred A. 1863-1941 

Ella (Stamp), 1865-1946, wife of Fred A. 

OLSOWSKY - Row 18 

Elizabeth A. (Lapham), 1906-1973 

Carl A. 1909- 

PFEIFER - Row 4 

Jeanette L. 1903-1966 

Roy W. 1898-1957 




Elva Blanche, 1894-1953, wife of Roy W. 

Ralph B. 1924-1969 

PFEIFER - Row 6 

Florence M. 1881-1967, 2nd wife of Philip 

Philip, 1866-1947 

Flora D., b Nov. 9, 1872(7); d Mar. 23, 1910, 

1st wife of Philip 

PAGE 99 

small stone - Father 

Albert E. 1842-1906, son of John G. & Lois 

(Townsend) 

SMITH - Row 15 

Albert E. 1902-1903 

small stone (G.A.R. marker) 

TERRAFASKI - Row 15 

Kiteck, 1890-1947 born in Russia 

Elizabeth, 1892-1949, wife (1st husband Kot, 

PFORTER - ROW 3 born in Russia) 

Esther M. 1914-1936 THAYER - Row 12 

Mary E. 1884-1974, wife of George M. Rollin C. b Dec. 4, 1844, d Dec. 8, 1903 

George M. 1879-1936 Anna J. b Apr. 11, 1855, d Feb. 15, 1936, wife 

POND - Row 4 of R.C. Thayer 

John, 1865-19? THAYER - Row 14 

Mary A. (Barber), 1859-1927 Herman R. 1880-1930 

POTTER - Row 12 THAYER - Row 16 

Rev. W.T. 1824-1905 (Father) George W. 1887-1955 

Mary E. (Covert) 1838-1912 (Mother), wife of Stella A., 1887- d May 25, 1963 (nee Beckwith) 

Rev. W.T. THOMPSON - Row 17 

PRATT - Row 15 RoyE. 1885-1931 

Joel T. 1838-1915, son of Rudolphus W. & C. Artemise, 1893-19, wife of Roy E. 

Henrietta (Taylor) VAN ALLEN - Row 2 

Carrie (Smith), 1851-1926, 2nd wife of Joel T. Walter J. 1884-1943, son of John H. & Anna E. 

(Melodia (Olney), 1841-1876, 1st wife of (Blackman) 

Joel T., also buried at LaGrange) WEBSTER - Row 8 

RANDALL - Row 15 Viola R. (Gaige) 1875-1935, wife of Harvey 

Elbert G. 1886-1959 WELLMAN - Row 10 

Anna B. 1888-? Harriet E. 1854-1924 

Eleanor B. b Apr. 9, 1918, in Castile G. Victor 1851-1926 

ROBERTSON - Row 5 Elsina I., 1828-1914 (Mother) 

John A. 1878-1954 Harvey, 1827, d Oct. 30, 1904 

Edith M. 1897-1960, wife of John A. WELLMAN - Row 16 

ROTH - Row 1 

Esther R. 1918-1944, dau. of Walter & Celia 

Van Allen 

RUDE - Row 10 

Harrison, 1837-1917, son of Lester & Mary 

(Thomas) 

Isabelle A. 1848-1919, 2nd wife of Harrison 

Mary E., 1840-1903, 1st wife of Harrison 

Florence C., 1849-1915 

Edward H. 1864-1919, son of Harrison & Mary 

Flora A. 1865; d June 29, 1950 

RUDGERS - Row 11 

John M. 1845-1918, son of Daniel & Charlotte 

(Denton), Co. A, 9th Cavalry Civil War 

Anna (Meakin) 1850-1943 

SAFFORD - Row 13 

Frank E. 1872-1964, son of Sperry & Leonora 

(Lapham) 

Leon J. b Mar. 13, 1896; d Oct. 28, 1966, (Pvt 

U.S. Army - WWI P.H.) 

Florence M. 1899-19- 

Howard C. 1893-1954 

Helen A. 1850- 

WILSON - Row 2 

Gertrude B. (Dalrymple), 1888-19?, wife of 

Howard S. Wilson 

Edward, 1920-1947 

WILSON - Row 7 

Howard Wadsworth, 1904-1905 

Howard Sanford, 1874-1925 

Jennie Blanche 1878-1906 

(baby) Cora Elizabeth 

WINTER - Row 18 

Mildred V. 1933-1972 

Charles L. 1934- 

WITTER - Row 12 

Jessie E. 1872-1910, wife (dau. of Henry Clark) Mary McKee, 1869-1952, wife of Volney S. 

SAFFORD - Row 16 

Clark E. 1895-d. Apr. 26, 1950 

Volney S. 1842-1910 

WITTER - Row 12 

SAGE - Row 17 Mary (Potter) 1860-1911, wife of Dr. William 

Charles, b July 17, 1904; d June 27, 1967, son E. Witter 

of Wm. J. & Mary H. (Engert) WRIGHT - Row 3 

Mabel E. 1903-19- , wife (dau. of Charles Gilbert S. 1892-1973 

Hamilton) 

SIMARD - Row 9 

Ruth M. 1896-19- , wife of Gilbert S. 

YUNKER - Row 17 

Rose Edna 1880-1957 

SMITH - Row 9 

Robert L. 1928- 

Loralyn M. (Altoft), 1930 - wife 

Phoebe E. 1844-1903, wife of B.A. Brooks Dale Robert, 1959-1959 (our son)

PAGE 100 


SUBJECT INDEX Volume XXII 

Addisonian Club 29 

Arcade Crime Protection 91-92 

Arcade United Church of Christ Congregational. 10 

Arcade (China) Vigilance Society .....91 

Archeology, Wyoming County 57-60 

Bicentennial 2, 31, 43, 56, 86-87, 92-93 

Bridges (see Ellis-Chesbro, Cowlesville, Portage) 

Buffalo & N.Y. City Railroad 36 

Citizens Bank 2, 44 

Citizens Central Bank of Arcade 10 

Civil War Veterans 84-85, 90 

Cornplanter 62 

County Historian's Office 11, 31,94 

Covington 

Architecture 84 

Beekeeping 85 

Churches 85 

Civil War Veterans 84-85 

Dairying 84 

• Farming 84-85 

Indians 85 

Peoria 84-85 

Pioneer Family „ 84-85 

Cowlesville Bridge 23-24 

Curriers 91 

Dale Baptist Church 9 

Ellicott, Joseph 63 

Ellis-Chesbro Bridge 23-24 

Erie Railroad 6, 36, 38-39 

Fairs 31, 40-41 

Farming, Covington 84-85 

Fires 

Ellis-Chesbro (Cowlesville) Bridge 23-24 

Portageville Bridge 5, 36 

Portageville Hotel 4, 6 

Tavern 4 

Floods 

Genesee Falls Hotel 8 

Genesee River 18 

Portageville 8, 18 

Fort Hill 54, 61 

Gardeau 17, 53 

Gates House 29 

Genesee Falls 19 

Genesee Falls Hotel 3-9 

Genesee Falls Union School 7 

Genesee Valley 3-9, 17-19, 54 

Genesee Valley Canal 4 

Hiokatoo 68 

Historical Societies..2, 9-11, 36, 41-42, 43, 70, 87 

Historic District (1st in Wyoming County).... 12-13 

Indians, Wyoming County 

Arrowheads 64-65 

Artifacts 53, 57, 60, 64-65 

Early Inhabitants 53-56 

Hiokatoo 68 

Iroquois Culture 55, 58 

Mary Jemison 17, 67-69 

Red Jacket 62 

Sites 54 

Wyoming Names 61 

Java Vigilance Society 91-92 

LaGrange Cemetery 50-52, 73-76, 96-99 

Mary Jemison ....17, 54, 67-69 

Mary Jemison Chapter D.A.R 9 

Meteors 47-50 

Middlebury 

Barrel of Oats 91 

History of Middlebury 10,42 

Wyoming Village Historic Site 12-13 

Milestones 14-15, 71-72, 94-95 

Necrology 15, 45, 70-71, 95-96 

Oral History 32-35 

Perry, Agricultural Fair 40 

Pike (Meteors of 1913) 47-50 

Portage Bridge 5, 36-39 

Portageville 

Flood 8, 18 

Genesee Falls Hotel 3-9 

History 3-9, 18, 19-20 

Riot 36 

Tavern 4 

Quaker Settlement Cemetery 20-23 

Queries 14, 44-45, 69, 93 

Red Jacket 62-63, 66-67 

St. Helena 17 

Schools, Industrial 30 

Silver Lake Agricultural & Mechanical Assoc...40 

Strykersville Branch Bank 15 

Transportation 

Arcade 86, 87 

Geneseo 87 

Niagara Falls 86 

Perry 87 

Wagons 86-89 

Warsaw 86 

Warsaw 

Electric Facilities 77-83 

Fair 40, 41 

Fire 78, 79, 82 

Gas Facilities 77-83 

Gates House 29 

Schools 27, 30 

Society of Village Work 29 

Women of 19th Century 25-31 

Wyoming County 

Archeology 57-61 

Fair 31, 40-41 

First Woman Deputy 72 

Wyoming County Gazette 47, 48, 49 

Wyoming County Teachers Assoc 28 

Wyoming Village 12-13 

A complete name index to volume XXII will soon 

be available. Those wanting copies may order 

them from the County Historian's Office at $2.00 

per copy.

Historical Wyoming County April 1976 - Fulton History

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