Historical Wyoming County Jan 1980 - Old Fulton History

PAGE 72 JANUARY 1980
(Village In The Valley Cont.)
was the home of the merchant W.H. Ainsworth
and his heirs sold the home in 1900 to J.M.
Bryson. On the vacant lot next to this once
stately home, once stood the house of Dr.
Samuel Kennedy. On the knoll where the new
home of the Hogle family was built was the
site of the Thomas Bryson homestead when
his family settled in the village.
The present home of George Laird occupies
the site of the first log school. The house was
built during the late 1850's by William Service
for Dr. J.W. Watson but the doctor never
lived in this home. It became known as the
Kittle place throughout the years for various
members of this family occupied the residence.
The site upon which the late Millard F. Embt
built his new home was the original site of the
structure that housed the Yellow Dog Saloon.
At the time it was moved it was known as the
Wilcox place. In earlier history it was the home
of James H. Potter who operated a tannery
near the site during the 1840's and 1850's.
During the exacavating of Mr. Embt's home a
pipe which supplied the water to the tannery
was unearthed. The house presently occupied
by Miss Norma Donnelly and her brother Louis
was built in 1883 for Avery Thomas who was
the village undertaker. His hearse building
stood to the southeast of his home. Only two
families have occupied this home,the Thomas'
and in 1924 Edward and Mary Donnelly, parents
of the present occupants purchased it. The
next stately home was built by Frank Godfrey
in 1889 for his family. Today the house is
occupied by his grandson Roger West. As we
come to the intersection of School and Attica
Street I would like to note that School Street,
formerly called Cobblehill Road, was the original
road laid out in 1803 running directly
east and west across the valley. The grade
out of the valley both ways were so steep
that the section from a point above Varysburg
to the top of Cobble Hill was abandoned
and the easier grade through the village was
used. Colonel Vary was the first to propose
the new route and it has been recorded that
the Colonel with his cane in hand laid out the
line of the proposed highway.
THE CHEESE FACTORY
It once was located on the northeast corner
of School and Attica Streets. Originally it had
been a two story frame building 125 x 35 feet.
Hewn logs put together with huge wooden spiles
had formed the interior as well as the exterior
walls. The long battened board siding transgressed
by two uniform rows of eight each
small twelve paned sash windows, and unpainted
had weathered to a silvery grey on
the west side while the back exposure was of
pale gold to brown hues. There was no base-
ment but was erected upon a low wall of
loosely constructed field stone selected from
the Tonawanda creek's deserted bed. During
the summer of 1863 Wyman H. Ainsworth,
Charles Richards and John Coughran engaged
Thomas Crawford, a carpenter from Ireland
to erect the structure. On May 1,1864 according
to agreement the Varysburg cheese factory
with living quarters in the north end for the
cheesemaker and his family was completed.
The first cheesemaker was John Coughran
assisted by his sister Mary and Miss Ella
Lewis. Soon woman villagers and local farm
women were employed in the new dairy manufacturing
business: LenaGrover, GertieGrover;
Emma J. Wilcox, Adelaide Burbank, and Eva
Lincoln. The first sale of cheese from this
new factory brought 14? per pound, but it
would be 10 years before it brought that price
again. One year the cheese was stored in the
old Nick Conrad place until it was sold the
following spring when the price rose. Upon
the return of Erotas H. Wilder from the Civil
War, he became the resident cheesemaker until
1870 when he joined with a Mr. Hutchinson
and built his own factory in Orangeville. The
succession of owners have been the original
three men to John Coughran and Marshall
Cowden, to Erotas H. Wilder to George Hoy
to C. Decoate Winchester in 1892, to John
L. Gibbey to George E. Hogue in 1903. Mr.
Hogue sold the factory to the corporation
Merrill - Soule Co. who in turn sold the
building to George A. Scott. The manufacturing
of cheese ceased in 1918 and during the fall
of 1924 the building was sold to George J.
Smith who had it dismantled during April 1925
using the lumber to construct his home on the
west hill.
Once a residence stood just north of the
factory and in 1902 was owned by M.G. Maxon
but shortly after this date was torn down. Approximately
where the church grounds of St.
Joseph's R.C. Church lie today was the home
of John J. Spink which burned during Feb. 1928.
This house was the one moved in 1882 from
the Persons lot by George Jones.
ST. JOSEPH'S R.C. CHURCH
The lot for this church was purchased from
Frank Godfrey and John B. Spink upon which
was erected a 32 x 65 foot edifice. Upon the
completion of the plastering within the church.
Rev. Edmund F. Gibbons celebrated the first
Mass in the church on Feb. 11, 1912 before
the building was entirely completed. The dedication
of the church was held Sept. 22, 1912.
The total cost of the building, including furnishings
was about $8700. Members of the
original society which was incorporated Aug.
(continued on page 73)