By C. Kihm Richardson Walking from Strykersville ... - Fulton History

PAGE 92 APRIL 1978
Memories of Java and Strykersville (continued)
each hand. He recalls that Watson who had a store
at the corner of Route 78 and Mill Rd., also had
an early car, maybe as early as 1910. "He would
get some people in for a ride to Java Village.
They would get about as far as Shearings and it
would quit so they had to push it back. Sim Petz
had a blacksmith shop across Route 78 from
Mill Rd., Brass had one about in the center of town
(those I remember), but he also remembers
another further north. He expanded on the ice
house information, hotels, the creamery, the
brewery and some individuals who had ice houses.
There would be work for a couple of months during
the winter filling them. They might get as
many as three cuttings on the ponds that they
used for ice.
He believes that the dam on Mill Rd. was rebuilt
with concrete about 1921. When that went
out, or even before, about 1929, the sawmill was
abandoned. Electric power was installed in the
feed mill when electricity came to the area in
approximately 1926.
The horse thief mentioned earlier was remembered
as being Bubby Roe who had previously
stolen 2 or 3 teams. In the case of the army worms
that I remember occuring at Java Village in 1914
also occured up on Perry Hill as late as 1963. He
recalls that they would hear the whistle of the Java
Village Mill up there on Perry Hill. When the mill
was abandoned, my father saved the brass whistle
and an injector for the steam boiler. When I was
in my teens I foolishly gave or loaned the whistle
to a friend for a fountain. I wish I had it now to
give to the museum.
This was not intended to be and isn't a complete
history of the area but more of the things that
were of interest to me and that I thought I could
weave into something of interest to others.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR - C. KIHM RICHARDSON
Mr. C. Kihm Richardson is a retired engineer
who spent much of his early childhood in the Java
Village-Strykersville area.
Although he moved away in later years, he and
his wife still maintain a summer residence in
Java Village.
Mr. Richardson is a member of the Java Historical
Society and enjoys writing articles on local
history.
He was a contributor to the Town of Java History
published in 1976.
NECROLOGY
J. Earl Blakeley, 83, of Arcade, died in Batavia
on February 14, 1978. An Arcade native and a Navy
veteran of World War I, he was employed for 27
years by Arcade Central School in several capacities.
Calvin (Tap) Haggerty, 44, of Curriers, died at
Warsaw on January 9, 1978. He was self-employed
as a carpenter and was a member of the Curriers
Community Church. In recent years at Easter
time, he directed an ecumenical choir made up of
singers from many choirs in the southwest part
of the county.
Hayden H. Dadd, of Attica, chairman of Wyoming
County Board of Supervisors, 1961-68, died February
28, 1978, at Wyoming County Community
Hospital. He was 69 and served as County Attorney
from 1961-1977, and received the New York State
Bar Association award for outstanding contributions
in the field of civil rights in 1962. Active in
Wyoming County politics for many years, he will
be rememberd among other accomplishments, for
creating the current weighted voting systems
adopted in 1976 by the County Board of Supervisors.
His son, Mark, is Wyoming County District
Attorney.
Thomas E. Hess, 79, Bliss Fire Chief for twenty
years, died February 8, 1978. He was honored at
Wyoming County Fair in 1977, for his fifty-eight
years are volunteer fire fighter of Eagle Hose
Company, the oldest active member.
Roland G. Wise, 69, Attica Publisher, died February
8, 1978. He founded the Attica Penny Saver and
operated the Wise Press and Stationery Store.
George W. Blodgett, 86, Perry Civic leader, died
January 28, 1978. He was mayor of the village
1941-1942; past president of the Board of Education
and Rotary Club; former chairman of Wyoming
County Republican Committee and operated the
George W. Blodgett Bean Company of Perry Center
for fifty years.
CORRECTIONS FOR ST. JOSEPH CEMETERY
PUBLISHED JANUARY 1978 ISSUE
ALLEN
Margaret M. Roche, 1900-1971
CONAWAY,
Blake S., 1903-1960 (instead of CONWAY)
FAY
Catherine, 1853-1907 (omitted)
ROCHE
William G. 1868-1932
TWOHIG
Jeremiah A., 1888-1976 (omitted)
Pebble R., wife, 1890-1977, mother of Marion L.