History Stories

Overview

Animal Tails from Bicentennial Commemorative #3

by Susan L. Conklin, County Historian

This book is dedicated to all of the wild animals who silently witnessed the arrival of human beings and to our beloved pets who provide friendship.

When I was appointed the County Historian, one of the first files I added to the collection was labeled "Animals" because I could not find a folder in which to place a newspaper clipping about a dog. Often while doing research you discover unrelated but interesting information that you want to keep for another project. Over the years, the History Department staff has added local newspaper articles and stories from history books to the Animal File. Regular patrons of the History Department's Research Library and the Municipal Historians started to find animal stories and these were also added to the collection. As time went by the Animal File grew and so many stories had been collected that I could no longer answer the question "Hey, do you guys have the one about the...?" I decided it was time to take a serious look at what had been gathered.

I began to sort the stories alphabetically by the different animals, reptiles or birds. I rechecked each story and noted the source, including the date the newspaper article was printed or book title and page number where a story had been found. In order to assemble the stories into a "user-friendly" format the file folder was replaced with notebooks. After working on the collection I decided that there was enough material for a book and selected the best stories from the collection.

As we begin our Bicentennial year, it is difficult for us to imagine what it was like when the County was first formed. It must have been an adjustment for the wild animals who roamed freely through the woods as well as for the pioneers. From F. W. Beers' Gazetteer and Biographical Record of Genesee County, New York 1788-1890 appears the following description titled "game, etc." -

The country abounded in game. The deer were at their very doors. The more dreaded bear was a frequent but not so welcome visitor. It is related that on one occasion a bear with two cubs made an unceremonious call to a store on West Main Street (Batavia). A clerk grabbed a musket, pursued the intruders, and brought back with him a cub which he had shot down in the encounter. It is not recorded whether these grizzly customers returned for another charge.

More destructive and a greater enemy to the settler were the large number of wolves which abounded. Their hides were quite a source of income to the hunter. A bounty of $1.00 per hide was first offered, which was increased until it reached, in 1810, $10.00 per hide, such was the havoc of the wolves among the herds.

Among the deadly intruders, into even the cabins and cellars of the settlers, was the rattlesnake. An innocent instance is given of one of the intruders which shows that, as venomous as it is, it had a power to charm. It was in the family of a Mr. Douglas, whose little daughter, accustomed to going out in the field to play, was on one occasion forbidden by her mother, but who yielded to the persistent begging of the child, who said she had a kitten she wished to play with. The mother's curiosity induced her to watch the child, when to her alarm and horror she saw a 'rattler' partaking of milk from the same dish with the daughter. The little one was cautiously called away and the species of a 'pet kitten' quietly disposed of.

The bears, wolves, panthers and elk were hunted into extinction in this County. The smaller forest creatures found their homes being replaced with farms as trees were cut down and the land developed for cows, sheep, hogs and horses. As communities grew, pets became popular with dogs and cats being important members of our families. These stories capture the changes in our society and how we view animals. They are important because they reveal daily life, humorous moments and record history.

Blizzards in Genesee County

An occupational hazard of being a historian is hearing the phrase "Oh, the good old days" which is usually coupled with "I wish I could go back and live when times were better." Society tends to romanticize the past and we soon forget the difficulties of daily living. Or we become veterans of a great calamity and are filled with pride for being survivors. If you travel to other parts of the country Western New Yorkers are admired for their bravery and fortitude to withstand horrific winters. I decided to highlight storms of the past and to get you thinking about "the good old days" in terms of weather. Today we are able to predict weather patterns, have improved snow remove equipment, insulated homes and a past record of how we have dealt with storms. This wealth of knowledge helped to shape the Highway Department, Emergency Management Services and improved communications systems within the County.

If you thought the "Blizzard of 1999" was impressive I ask you to remember that only 22 years ago Western New York was hit with a four-day blizzard that began on January 29 and stranded an estimated 3,000 of us. The County Highway Superintendent, Joseph J. Amadick who also served as the Director of Civil Defense and Natural Disasters warned motorists to keep off the roads, except for emergencies. Drivers were threatened with arrest if they disobeyed and a State of Emergency was declared. Within four days 17.5 inches of snow fell and drifts as high as 20 feet were created by the 40 miles an hour winds. Temperatures decreased rapidly with a windchill factor of 30 to 40 degrees below zero. The 1977 Blizzard surpassed the famous storm of 1966 because of the high snow-banks that prevailed before the storm hit. Visibility was the biggest problem which prevented the highway crews from not being able to clean the roads until the 8th of February. As a result of the unique storm many of the County offices were closed and the legislators determined that no employee in any department would lose pay for the five days during the emergency.

Six days before the Blizzard of 1966 hit there was already two feet of snow on the ground. On January 30th this storm paralyzed the region closing businesses, schools, forcing industries to a grounding halt and there was a major accident on the Thruway. More than 100 cars were stranded and nearly 1,000 snowbound refugees filled local hotel/motels and shelters. The Civil Defense Headquarters was operated from the Sheriff's Office and all roads in the County were officially closed. Gusts of up to 50 miles an hour whipped drifts 10 to 15 feet high onto roads. The Highway Department ordered all trucks to return to the Mill Street Garage as visibility prohibited plowing. During this two-day storm the snow fell at a rate of an inch an hour and temperatures were only 10 degrees.

If you are a native of Genesee County, you might remember these two storms and have memories of struggling with snow removal, keeping warm, and entertaining snowed-in children. But imagine the two big storms of the 19th Century and how different your life would have been in the "good old days".

On December 7, 1898 there was quite a heavy snow and "it was the unanimous verdict that the skies never emptied so much whiteness within such a brief space of time." It was considered the greatest storm ever recorded in this region. "The snow was drifted by the wind into a form of great waves which were pretty to look upon, but anything but pleasant to wade through." There where places were the snow was piled higher than a man's head and drifts were 8 to 12 feet deep. The winds did not reach the proportions of a gale and the only redeeming feature of this one-day storm was the fact that it was not accompanied by severe cold.

The storm was localized and although there was quite a heavy snow fall in Buffalo, the storm missed Rochester. "While the elements were working overtime inour County a message was received from Albion which announced that the sun was shining brightly and the weather was very pleasant". Please remember that in 1898 the mode of transportation was by horse and cutter and the bulk of the snow removal was by hand. For the first time in its history the Empire State Express locomotive was forced to a standstill and a total of five trains were stalled for one day.

The most devastating winter weather ever to affect Genesee County occurred during the summer of 1816! On April 5, 1815, a volcanic eruption in Sumbawa (what is now Indonesia) created a 7-mile-wide crater and killed 12,000 people. This blast was 13 times stronger than the Mount St. Helens eruption. The massive volcanic cloud worked its way around the world and was suspended over the Northern Hemisphere. During that summer the farmers had to wear overcoats and mittens and the snow was three inches deep in June. A half an inch of ice formed during July and August and there was not a green thing to be seen anywhere. The local opinion as to the cause of this disaster was a sudden and rapid cooling of the sun by some violent disturbance. Some thought that the end of all things was at hand. One elderly gentleman was so full of despair that he killed his cattle and then committed suicide. He wanted to escape the terrible and gradual death by freezing and starvation which he believed was to be the common doom. There wasn't enough grain grown that year for seed for the next planting and whatever wheat was left from the previous year was sold for $5 per bushel. Immense bonfires were built around the corn-fields and farmhands took turns patrolling the fields to keep the fires going continuously. (The following summer was one of the hottest and driest that the state has ever known.) How the pioneer families and neighboring Senecas survived that summer was an incredible test of willpower and courage.

So the next time we have a blizzard keep in mind the ones from our past and be thankful you were not here during the summer of 1816.

The Century-in-Review Project - Step One

Historian's Note

Susan L. Conklin, County Historian

With the millennium approaching, the History Department wanted to create a project that would summarize the 20th century. This project would highlight the daily lives of the citizens of our county and note major events that occurred during the past 100 years. The Daily News began featuring a Year-In-Review in 1940, and the History Department decided to have the earlier decades summarized so that the County would have a "Century-In-Review."

To accomplish this task, I recruited GCC students from Paul Schulte's History and State/Local Government classes. Students were asked to select three to four months and write a brief description that highlighted one to three stories per day. This project began during the 1998 fall semester and, to date, more than 100 students have participated. Students were given the choice to write a detailed term paper or assist the History Department with this project.

The students who selected the "Century-In-Review" project thought that they were going to have an easy time with little or no work involved. What they discovered was a task that required at least 18 hours of research and that reading old newspapers was a challenge. The students would find days with very little local news or have a difficult time selecting only three stories. They enjoyed having an opportunity to handle archival records and experience history on a local level. Many times, the headlines paralleled what they were learning in class.

After they completed reading their selected months, the students typed their findings and were asked to write a summary. Their reports were collected by the History Department staff and arranged chronologically into notebooks. Once all the decades are completed, a department volunteer will create a topic index that will increase access to this project.

The following are some of the stories selected by the students:

• 1903, April 6 - County Clerk Carolos Hull died of heart failure. On April 10, Charles B. Pixley was appointed County Clerk.
• 1904, April 8 - Batavia and Le Roy bowlers played their second series of games at Burkhart's Alleys. The locals won by 155, the score being Batavia 4,210 and Le Roy 4,055.
• 1904, April 16 - A Leap Year party was held at the Frantz Hotel, in Darien. The ladies had to escort their partners, and any gentleman crossing the ballroom unescorted was subject to a fine.
• 1907, March 4 - The seniors of Batavia High School petitioned for caps and gowns for graduation. The Board of Education granted their wish.
• 1910, February 2 - Women's Suffrage Movement Equality Club held a meeting to encourage women to vote.
• 1910, February 8 - Alexander closed school due to a Scarlet Fever outbreak.
• 1910, March 18 - President Taft's train made a momentary stop in Batavia.
• 1911, September 23 - The Fair's attendance was 8,372, the largest crowd yet.
• 1912, March 10 - For Rent: Four furnished rooms for light housekeeping, soft water and gas; also a good garden; $2 per week. (12 Cedar Street, Batavia)
• 1913, July 7 - Batavia Trolley line was abandoned and would not be resumed. Cars stopped running at one o'clock p.m.
• 1915, February 4 - The Pavilion Town Board gave a gas franchise to Pavilion Natural Gas Company to lay a pipeline and furnish gas to local customers. The price for gas was not to exceed 35 cents per thousand.
• 1915, March 26 - Stop at the Sydney & Salway dealership, at 2 Exchange Place, to see the fastest motorcycle ever built. Seven new Harley Davidson models are on display with prices starting at $200.
• 1916, August 3 - "Regulation of the Care and Disposal of Garbage" was the title of the new local ordinance. Garbage may no longer be thrown about one's premises but must be placed in a suitable receptacle that is tightly closed.
• 1917, August 18 - New York State Mounted Troopers are coming to Batavia. The city was selected for the headquarters of the Western division and will be home for the regiment that protects this region.
• 1918, May 10 - A tornado hit Batavia and wrecked many buildings.
• 1918, June 6 - 240 register for war from Genesee County. The Government expected at least 300 and required an explanation.
• 1929, January 7 - Town of Batavia's tax rate was $14.59 and Pembroke's was the highest at $24.42 (per 1000).
• 1929, January 19 - The Tonawanda is flooding and is now the highest it has ever been at 889.60 feet above sea level.
• 1930, April 23 - Batavia Police and Buffalo Dry Agents raided 318 West Main Street and found brewery equipment.
• 1930, April 26 - The taxpayers have to vote on a new water plant for Batavia.
• 1930, October 17 - Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke at the city courthouse park.
• 1931, March 2 - The price for a quart of milk was 12 cents.
• 1931, March 31 - The Stafford Country Club (will) officially open on May 1. This is an eighteen-hole golf course.
• 1932, October 20 - Batavia's first welfare program started.
• 1932, October 27 - The largest number of registered voters to date in Genesee County at 24,683 (more than 13,000 are men).
• 1933, March 30 - Highways between Batavia and Rochester bristled today with State Troopers equipped for riot duty. Armed troopers were riding milk trucks through the area as aroused producers seeking to create a shortage in the Rochester market went so far as to dump milk consigned to New York dairies into the highway.
• 1936, March 15 - Pneumonia killed a record number of people in Batavia (51).
• 1936, May 16 - 20-mile-an-hour winds and frost destroyed nearly half the onion plantings on Elba's Muckland at a loss estimated at $30,000.
• 1938, June 9 - Genesee County Jail is in need of building more cells.
• 1939, January 31 - A big snowstorm dumps 36 ½ inches of snow in Batavia.
• 1939, July 12 - A meteor struck the earth just north of Batavia.

Anyone interested in seeing this project may do so at the History Department.

Genesee County Home/Poorhouse

By Susan L. Conklin, County Historian

An act to provide for the establishment of county poorhouses was passed in Albany in 1824. On December 4, 1826 the Genesee County Board of Supervisors met in Bethany for the purpose of establishing a County Poorhouse.  A brick building, originally a stagecoach tavern, located near the corner of the Bethany Center Road and Raymond Road was the site selected, as it represented the geographical center of the county. (Wyoming County wasn’t established until 1841.) The following official announcement, dated December 9, 1826, appeared in an issue of the Batavia Times newspaper:

“Notice is hereby given that the Genesee County Poorhouse will be ready for the reception of paupers on the first day of January 1827 … The Overseers of the Poor of the several towns of the County of Genesee are requested, in all cases of removal of paupers to the county poorhouse, to send with them their clothing, beds, bedding and such other articles belonging to the paupers as may be necessary and useful to them.”

The following were eligible for assistance: habitual drunkards, lunatics (one who by disease, grief or accident lost the use of reason or from old age, sickness or weakness was so weak of mind as to be incapable of governing or managing their affairs), paupers (a person with no means of income), state paupers (one who is blind, lame, old or disabled with no income source) or a vagrant.

Causes of pauperism are listed and in 1867 the Superintendent of the Poor reported that of the 1,018 poor, 706 had become paupers by intemperance (excessive drinking of alcoholic liquor).  Another document noted that a man had died leaving behind a widow and fatherless children and with no means of support the mother and children become residents of the County Home.

In 1828 the County constructed a stone building attached to the Poorhouse for the confinement of lunatics and a repository for paupers committed for misconduct.  The insane were also housed at the County Home until 1887 when the Board of Supervisors agreed to send “persons suffering with acute insanity to the Buffalo State Asylum and cases of violent, chronic insanity to Willard.

A list of those who died while living in the County Home was recently complied by the History Department staff.  Information was found in the Registration Books, the list of coffins purchased, mortuary listings and reports from the Superintendents of the Poor to the County Board of Supervisors.  Information on the cemetery located at the County Home is almost nonexistent.  The 1886 Proceedings stated “The burying ground we have improved by building a fence in front and grading and leveling the ground as much as could be done without injury to the graves.”  An actual cemetery register or plot map has yet to be discovered.  The County did bury those who had no family to care for the dead and the receipts provide us only with clues.

Occasionally an obituary will include information regarding an individual who once resided and died at the County Home.  Phebe White has the distinction of being an inmate for 58 years, having entered the County Home at the age of 9 in 1828, shortly after it opened.  She was listed as idiotic and at the age of 49 became blind.  Phebe was one of the first recipients of the care and protection provided by the County Home. The Superintendent of the Poor estimated her total care cost the county $7,000.  The 1871 Proceedings listed 146 persons had been provided for at a cost to keep each at $1.08 per week per resident.  The County Home included a working farm and woods which provided food and fuel, therefore the actual cost to care these individuals was low.

An act to provide for the establishment of county poorhouses was passed in Albany in 1824. On December 4, 1826 the Genesee County Board of Supervisors met in Bethany for the purpose of establishing a County Poorhouse.  A brick building, originally a stagecoach tavern, located near the corner of the Bethany Center Road and Raymond Road was the site selected, as it represented the geographical center of the county. (Wyoming County wasn’t established until 1841.) The following official announcement, dated December 9, 1826, appeared in an issue of the Batavia Times newspaper:

“Notice is hereby given that the Genesee County Poorhouse will be ready for the reception of paupers on the first day of January 1827 … The Overseers of the Poor of the several towns of the County of Genesee are requested, in all cases of removal of paupers to the county poorhouse, to send with them their clothing, beds, bedding and such other articles belonging to the paupers as may be necessary and useful to them.”

The following were eligible for assistance: habitual drunkards, lunatics (one who by disease, grief or accident lost the use of reason or from old age, sickness or weakness was so weak of mind as to be incapable of governing or managing their affairs), paupers (a person with no means of income), state paupers (one who is blind, lame, old or disabled with no income source) or a vagrant.

Causes of pauperism are listed and in 1867 the Superintendent of the Poor reported that of the 1,018 poor, 706 had become paupers by intemperance (excessive drinking of alcoholic liquor).  Another document noted that a man had died leaving behind a widow and fatherless children and with no means of support the mother and children become residents of the County Home.

In 1828 the County constructed a stone building attached to the Poorhouse for the confinement of lunatics and a repository for paupers committed for misconduct.  The insane were also housed at the County Home until 1887 when the Board of Supervisors agreed to send “persons suffering with acute insanity to the Buffalo State Asylum and cases of violent, chronic insanity to Willard.

A list of those who died while living in the County Home was recently complied by the History Department staff.  Information was found in the Registration Books, the list of coffins purchased, mortuary listings and reports from the Superintendents of the Poor to the County Board of Supervisors.  Information on the cemetery located at the County Home is almost nonexistent.  The 1886 Proceedings stated “The burying ground we have improved by building a fence in front and grading and leveling the ground as much as could be done without injury to the graves.”  An actual cemetery register or plot map has yet to be discovered.  The County did bury those who had no family to care for the dead and the receipts provide us only with clues.

Occasionally an obituary will include information regarding an individual who once resided and died at the County Home.  Phebe White has the distinction of being an inmate for 58 years, having entered the County Home at the age of 9 in 1828, shortly after it opened.  She was listed as idiotic and at the age of 49 became blind.  Phebe was one of the first recipients of the care and protection provided by the County Home. The Superintendent of the Poor estimated her total care cost the county $7,000.  The 1871 Proceedings listed 146 persons had been provided for at a cost to keep each at $1.08 per week per resident.  The County Home included a working farm and woods which provided food and fuel, therefore the actual cost to care these individuals was low.

Daylight Savings Time - Spring Forward...Fall Back...

HISTORIAN'S NOTE

by Susan L. Conklin, County Historian

For most of the United States and some 70 countries Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday of April and reverts to Standard Time at 2:00 a.m. on the last Sunday of October. The predominant reason we change our clocks is to save electricity. In the average household energy consumed by lights and small appliances, such as TVs and computers, occurs in the evening when families are home. By adjusting clocks we can cut the amount of electricity we consume each day in all seasons except for the darkest months of winter (November through February). DST has been around for about 83 years. In 1918, in order to conserve resources for the war effort, the U.S. Congress placed the country on DST for the remainder of WWI. The law, however was unpopular and was later repealed. During WWII, Congress reinstated DST from February 1942 until September 1945. From 1945 to 1966 there was no U.S. law so local communities were free to observe DST or not. This caused confusion for the broadcasting industry and transportation systems. Because of the different local laws, radio and TV stations and transportation companies had to publish new schedules every time a state or town began or ended DST.

Genesee County was not an exception. On May 13, 1930, the Batavia Common Council held a meeting to discuss DST. Local factory workers and other employed people wanted DST because it gave them another hour of daylight after work. They pointed out that DST would be a great accommodation in their outside activities, such as baseball and horseshoe pitching leagues which had recently been organized. But area farmers opposed DST because it made it necessary for them to "get into" Batavia an hour earlier if they wanted to trade. Doehler Die Casting Company decided to oblige its employees and established DST in the plant regardless of the outcome of any proposed referendum. Neighboring Buffalo and Rochester were on DST which caused the Blue Bus Lines to adopt their schedules as bus officials found that the change of time accommodated the majority of its patrons. The merchants and their employees favored the change but were also eager to cooperate with their farming customers. Postal Clerks were opposed to a time change for they worked according to the railroad schedule and instead of working until 8:30 p.m. they would have to work until 9:30 p.m. Petitions for and against DST were prepared and presented to the Common Council.

In Bethany Center District No. 6 established the school hours of 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to allow students more time to be outside in the afternoon sunshine. At Lally's Tavern in LeRoy the Business Association held a meeting. Local merchants, farmers, industrial workers, bankers, teachers and students all voiced an option. After a spirited discussion the members voted to go on record favoring the adoption of DST. The Batavia Common Council adopted an ordinance to "Spring Ahead and Fall Back" on May 22, 1930. What clinched the vote was a petition signed by about 2,000 factory workers which was presented by P.W. Minor & Son Company. The view of one councilman was that DST may result in some inconvenience to farmers but as they work from sunrise to sunset the time does not make a bit of difference. Opponents of the Batavia DST ordinance accepted defeat but one beauty parlor operator refused to change her clocks and ran her shop on Standard Time.

LeRoy adopted DST which went into effect on June 8th and concluded September 28th. Batavia's started DST on June 1st and continued until the last Sunday in October. Oakfield also began DST on June 1st and reasoned that as the majority of surrounding cities and villages adopted "fast time" they should too. However, in 1932 DST did not meet with the approval of many residents of the County. For example the vote against DST in Oakfield was 63 to 14 and in Corfu 81 to 19. [Imagine driving from one community to the next and trying to decide what time it was. If you worked in a community that had a different time than the one you lived in you would have to adjust your schedule.] In 1963 the Genesee County Board of Supervisors passed a Resolution (No. 13) opposing the New York State DST Legislation. They went on record opposing all legislation introduced to establish year-round DST for Upstate New York. Copies of the resolution were sent to Governor Rockefeller and State Senator Barber B. Conable. They reasoned that DST would cause an unjustified discomfort and hardship for children who walked to school and for road clearing during the winter months. They also stated that the reduction in homebound accidents would be off set by an increase in going-to-work traffic accidents.

The U.S. Congress passed the Uniform Time Act of 1966 which established one set pattern across the country for DST. In 1973, following the Arab Oil Embargo, Congress placed most of the Nation on an extended DST for two years in an effort to save additional energy. The extended DST was increased to ten months rather than the traditional six months. During those two years the U.S. saved a total of 600,000 barrels of oil. The extended DST allowed more people to travel home from work and school in daylight which is safer than darkness and was credited for saving 50 lives. Due to opposition from the farming states this experiment was discontinued in 1975.

The last change to DST occurred in 1986 when the entire month of April was added which saved the Nation about 300,000 barrels of oil each year. So, as we "Fall Back" this October, remember to change the batteries in your smoke detectors and be thankful that local towns do not have to power to set Daylight Saving Time.

Duck-and-Cover 101

Historian's Note

If you are feeling anxious right now about the potential of being attacked, it is not the first time the County was faced with such fears.

Theoretical Bomb "Destroyed" City was the headline in the Daily News on May 6, 1958. The article detailed what would happened if a H-Bomb with the equivalent of 60,000 tons of TNT exploded at the intersection of Routes 5 and 63 in Batavia. The mock attack would have included Bethany, East Pembroke, Oakfield and Stafford. In addition to the center of the City being destroyed, the Batavia hospitals, radio station, newspaper and Civil Defense headquarters all "went up in a flash of fire". Streets were impassable, all utilities were knocked out and everyone caught in the area would be killed. From the center of ground zero to within 3.7 miles received severe damage and casualties were heavy. Within 5.5 miles the damage was moderate, some buildings remained standing, water service was in order but many people were injured. The final zone of damage ranged from 5.5 to 7.4 mile from the point of impact. Here buildings were useable, some highways were blocked but water and utilities were in generally working order. The article did not identify who would be attacking us but as this was during the "Cold War" it most likely was Russia.

The next day the featured photograph showing two young boys sitting beneath a hallway table peeking over their folded arms. The proper procedure for taking shelter in bomb drills was being demonstrated at the Robert Morris Elementary School in Batavia. By May 10th a series of photographs shows additional children participating in "Duck-and- Cover" drills. Kindergartners formed a line as they were ushered to a shelter as part of the Civil Defense test and older children took precautions against the flash from an A-Bomb as they crouched in hallways. For those of you to young to remember these drills here are the basic procedures: 1.Remain calm and without hysteria proceed to the shelter in an orderly formation. 2.If you do not have time to get into the shelter sit under your desk or in the hallway with your legs pulled towards your chest and your head on your knees and cover the back of your neck. Remember coving the back of your neck will guard against the A-bomb flash.

By January 5, 1963 fallout shelter signs were being posted throughout the County. Once identified the shelters were stocked with emergency food, water, medical supplies, radiation detection and measuring devices and would enable occupants to survive for a period of two weeks in the event of a nuclear emergency short of a direct hit. This activity was part of a nationwide program to accommodate possible disaster victims. Eighty-eight buildings in the County were found potentially suitable, but only twenty buildings were all we had that met the Federal Civil Defense standards and these shelters only had the combined capacity of sufficiently shielding 3,913 against radiation. Batavia had 13 buildings; Oakfield-Elba area had three, while Pembroke and the Village of LeRoy had only two each. Under federal regulations, only buildings that met certain standards of lighting, sanitation and protection against radiation were stocked with supplies. The remaining 68 buildings failed to meet basic radiation protection standards and therefore 75 percent of the County's population could not be housed in the event of an attack. If all 88 buildings had been brought up to federal standards only 42,197 persons would have had proper shelter which still left and estimated 11,803 stranded. The Army Engineers estimated over a million dollars were necessary to improve the remaining buildings which included auxiliary power and sanitation services. However, even after conducting the shelter survey the Towns of Alexander, Bethany and Pavilion did not have adequate facilities for a total of 5,000 residents.

In 1965 the Board of Supervisors passed Resolution No. 33 titled: Requiring Participation of All Genesee County Employees in Civil Defense. The Resolution states Whereas, The Federal Civil Defense Guide for the preparation of local Civil Defense programs specifies that existing governmental department heads be assigned Civil Defense duties in order to take advantage of their expert technical knowledge. It was RESOLVED, That each County Department Head shall be Chief of Service of the Genesee County Civil Defense for that service which is comparable to the usual day to day occupation and activities of the respective department, and Be it further RESOLVED, That in those departments where day to day occupation and activities are not comparable to a Civil Defense Service, the Department Head will assume Civil Defense duties assigned by the County Civil Defense Director. Such assignments are to be made with full consideration of the occupational training and experience of the respective Department Head, and Be it further RESOLVED, That all County Employees shall assume Civil Defense duties as directed by the Department Head in which they are employed. All assigned Civil Defense duties shall be construed as regular work routine and shall not be subject to compensatory or additional monetary remuneration.

On June 6, 1966 ground was broke for a new District Civil Defense Facility as part of a "well planned, intelligent" approach to preparedness. Located in the northeast corner of the New York State School for the Blind property was the 10-county Western District Center which was the first of six state emergency operating centers in the event of a war or natural disaster to be constructed. Senator Willard said during the ceremony that "preparedness was a necessity and that should a nuclear attack occur, the nation would require all of the resilient powers of the American people to survive, recover and win."

Remember during the "Cold War" our attackers were Communist with nuclear capacity not the Middle-East. In 1969 Iran had only had electricity for eight years and instructing Iranian teachers in modern scientific concepts was considered a good-will gesture. So, in September of 1969 when a Batavia High School chemistry teacher took a nine months leave of absence along with other U.S. biology and physics teachers to work at the Jundi Shapur University in Ahwaz, Iran as a Chemical Education Materials Study Consultant for the Raytheon Company, he had no idea that his participation to assist a third-world nation might someday effect his hometown. Now its 2003 and we are being asked to stay indoors until the "all clear" is given, to stock up supplies and to remain calm. Without hysteria be prepared to follow proper procedures as soon as they are given. All of the fallout shelters have been closed as was the District Civil Defense Facility in 1988. So remember the "Duck-and-Cover" position as it is really all we do have for comfort! (Keep in mind we who survived the 60's - this will be a piece of cake!)

Edward Joseph (Cichowski) York

HISTORIAN'S NOTE

By Susan L. Conklin, County Historian

During World War II Genesee County rallied to do its best and our community supplied many heros. One courageous pilot received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his efforts in what was considered the "most daring stroke" of World War II. America needed something to lift its spirits after the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor. Jimmy Doolittle and others planned a raid on the capital of Japan and trained B-25 Mitchell twin-engine light bombers to take off from a Navy carrier. One of the members of this raid was from Batavia, Eddie Cichowski. History records this 29-year-old as Captain York, a squadron commander who became Doolittle's operations officer. Local Daily Newspaper articles document his education and military career. He was known as Cichowski until the Doolittle Raid when he began using the surname of York.

Edward J. Cichowski was born on August 16, 1912 in Batavia and was the son of Ignatius and Tekla Cichowski. His father was a Polish immigrant who arrived in the United States in 1905. The family lived at 101 Harvester Avenue and Eddy graduated from the Batavia High School at the age of fifteen in June of 1928. He was remembered as an excellent student and especially gifted in mathematics. After completing high school he joined the Army and later attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. Throughout his military career he served his country well.

The April 18, 1942 raid was the first attack against the Japanese homeland in World War II and it did much to raise the American moral. Accounts of Doolittle's Raid recall that the aircraft carrier Hornet was spotted by a Japanese fishing boat which caused the planes to take off prematurely. The sixteen B-25 Mitchell bombers dropped incendiary and high explosive bombs on oil refineries, steelworks, factories and electrical powerplants. The raiders were able to fly over Japan but after 13 hours aloft and out of fuel over China, 11 of the pilots told their crews to abandon the plans. Most of the crews parachuted without injury. One raider was killed in a hard landing, one crew was captured and the pilot and engineer were later executed. Four planes crashed-landed and two crewmen died in one of the crashes. Captain York was the pilot for the 16th aircraft and was able to land it safely near Vladivostok in the Soviet Union. York and his four crew members were taken prisoners because the Russians had not yet declared war on Japan. Russia was engaged in a war with Germany in the west and could not afford to have a battle with Japan in the east. York and his crew were interned for 14 months, until they escaped into Persia (now Iran).

Aboard the Hornet on that fateful day was another Batavian, John H. Richter, Aviation Machinist Mate, First Class. He lived at No. 7 Franklin Street and like all his fellow shipmates kept the closely-guarded secret of the Doolittle Raid. The Hornet was lost in the battle of Santa Cruz on October 26, 1942 during another successful mission against the Japanese. As the Hornet sank, Richter was rescued by a destroyer and later returned home to Batavia to visit his family. One can only speculate on the chance meeting of 21-year-old Richter with York aboard the Hornet and the exchange of Batavia news they might have shared.

At the age of 72, a retired Air Force Colonel, York died at his home in San Antonio, Texas, after he was stricken with a heart attack on August 31, 1984. In honor of the 60th Anniversary of the Doolittle Raid and York's heroic involvement the "History of Flight" Air Show from Geneseo, New York flew B-25 Mitchell Bombers over the Genesee County Bicentennial Parade on July 13th. All who attend the parade witness history as these planes grace the sky and took a moment to pay tribute to that brave Genesee County man who flew in a plane just like the ones they saw in that famous air raid of World War II.

Empire State Express NO. 999

Historian's Note

In 1876 the fastest scheduled railroad service from New York City to San Francisco took seven days. This problem sparked the desire for improved transportation and greater speed which resulted in the creation of a steam locomotive named the Empire State Express No. 999. William Buchanan, a master mechanic and superintendent of motive power on the West Albany Shops, drew plans for what was to become the world's most beautiful locomotive ever built. The construction of this 37 feet long engine was by hand with chisels and hammers and was the first of its kind to have brakes applied to the front trucks. Everything about the No. 999 was designed for speed with no pains spared for beauty. The bands, pipes and trimming were highly polished; the brass shone like a mirror; the cap was beautifully painted and across the tender (coal storage car) was written in 2.5 foot high gold leaf lettering"Empire State Express". Hand polishing provided a black satin finish and the 86-inch drive wheels gave the No. 999 a powerful appearance.

As the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago approached every country was planning to exhibit the fastest engine. On May 9, 1893 Charlie Hogan, from Batavia, an experienced and dependable engine pilot took over the untested locomotive at Rochester and was 25 minutes late due to boiler trouble. While passing through Batavia, Hogan kept opening the throttle and when the No. 999 arrived in Buffalo, it had run the 69 miles from Rochester in 68 minutes. The estimated speed was 102 miles per hour. Word spread of this marvelous run and the next morning when Hogan took the No. 999 back to Syracuse crowds turned out to see the "Queen of Speed". In the afternoon the No. 999 again headed westward towards Buffalo but this time railroad officials were on board to record the speed. Between Batavia and Corfu, Engineer Hogan opened the throttle all the way and the No. 999 responded with 112.5 miles per hour by the time it sped through the Village of Crittenden, in Erie County. The speed was recorded by train officials and newspaper reporters who clocked off mile posts using hand-held stop watches. In the hands of a great engineer and a competent fireman, who fed coal to the furnace, the No. 999 marked its place in history as being the first thing on wheels to go over 100 miles per hour and had set a "world record".

Those who witnessed this famous event in Batavia stated that the No. 999 roared through the community billowing black smoke and kicking up a cloud of dust. A gathering of 75 to 100 onlookers cheered as the locomotive whirled passed and they were aware that no human had ever witnessed such speed before. News of this virtually unbelievable accomplishment was telegraphed to all parts of the world. Charlie Hogan and the No. 999 were the star attractions at the Chicago World's Fair and brought prestige and honor to the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad.

The New York Central & Hudson River Railroad's exhibit was a resounding success. Toy manufacturers and amusement parks rushed to capitalize on the No. 999 fame. There were over 3,000 miniature versions of that engine created for amusement park railroad rides which were shipped as far away as Thailand and South Africa. Electric train sets began putting 999 on their engines. This famous locomotive was shown at other expositions that included the 1927 Baltimore Fair of Iron, 1933 and 1934 Chicago Century of Progress, 1938 Cleveland Exposition, 1939 and 1940 New York World's Fair, 1948 and 1949 Chicago's Railroad Fair and 1952 Genesee County Sesquicentennial. The great engine was retired from shows and reduced to hauling a lowly milk train in the Albany area. In 1962 it was rescued and restored to her glory days and given by the New York Central to the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry. The site of this museum is on the same grounds as the 1893 Chicago World's Fair and it is estimated that annually over two million visitors see the No. 999.

As for Charlie Hogan he never retired and was able to carry out his duties as manager of the New York Central Shop in Buffalo until the age of 89. His father had been a foreman for the New York Central and at the age of 14 Charlie began as a water boy. He soon became a switch tender, then a brakeman, then a fireman alternating working in the shops as a machinist's helper. The New York Central noted that the former Batavian had an unusual record for in his 25-years of piloting locomotives he never once hit a cow which was a common hazard for engineers. Two months after the famous run Charlie was promoted from an engineer to instructor for other pilots in the art of operating a locomotive. In 1900 he became master mechanic in Buffalo, promoted to superintendent of motive power in 1910. Charlie died on November 11, 1939 and at the time of his death, his 112.5 miles per hour speed record had been surpassed only three times over the rails.

In 1990, artist L.F. Tantillo donated a print of his painting of the No. 999 to the Genesee County History Department. L.F. Tantillo is known for his careful research of his subjects and his portrait of the No.999 has her at the Batavia Railroad station in the late 1890s. The No.999 serves as a symbol of American ingenuity, determination and vision. A world record was set in Western New York by a Batavian and if you are interested in additional information or would like to see L.F. Tantillo's print, please do not hesitate to visit the History Department.

Genesee County's first County Clerk, Sheriff and Treasurer

Genesee County has had 36 Treasurers since 1803. The first to serve was Joseph Ellicott who was employed by the Holland Land Company as their Resident-Agent in charge of selling of their holdings. The Land Company owned approximately three-fourths of all the lands in Genesee County and it was to the Company's advantage to have Joseph Ellicott instrumental in the organization of the County. Once legislation was passed in Albany on March 30, 1802 a government was needed for the County. The first step in establishing the County was the construction of a courthouse and County jail which had to be completed before appointments could be made and elections held. It was not an easy task as a tornado caused the saw-mill to brake down. Within a year the first Courthouse west of the Genesee River was completed and appointments were then made.

The appointments of officials to transact County business were the responsibility of the Council of Appointment. Under the New York State Constitution, the governor nominated candidates for state, county, town, city and village positions, but the council had the power to approve or disapprove the nominations. The first officers appointed were James W. Stevens as County Clerk and Richard M. Stoddard as Sheriff.

The first County Clerk was a graduate from Princeton College and was noted for his sense of humor. The law required the Clerk to record all deeds, mortgages and wills. He also was responsible for keeping the minutes for the Board of Supervisors' meetings. Sheriff Stoddard had worked as a surveyor and assisted Ellicott with surveying Western New York between 1798 and 1800. He was considered competent, generous and noted for his integrity. Once these two positions were appointed the first elections were held and the first Board of Supervisors were elected to office.

In 1803 Genesee County had only four supervisors, one form each of the towns which were Batavia, Northhampton, Southhampton and Leicester. This new Board offered the position of Treasurer to Ellicott. In the past he had rejected political office and had refused to take on another job which would interfere with his responsibilities as Resident-Agent. However, being the County Treasurer would reveal to him all the budgetary operations of the County and would bring his into regular contact with all the supervisors. By becoming the County Treasurer, Ellicott would gain power over the allocation of funds for road construction which was a major concern of the Holland land Company (his employer) Better roads equaled increased land sales and as the company owned 3.3 million acres, the construction of roads was vital to their profits.

Ellicott's appointment was also profitable for the County. Upon leaning that Ellicott had accepted the appointment the Company paid Genesee County nearly $5,000 in back taxes. This payment was done to send a message to the newly established County government that the Holland land Company was willing to cooperate with their new Treasurer.

First Hanging

The first indictment and conviction for murder in Genesee County occurred in June of 1807 when James McClean was tried for murdering William Orr. The accused was an alien (non-citizen) and was entitled to be tried by a jury composed of 50 % aliens. In accordance with this statue, a jury was thus composed and found him guilty. McClean was sentenced to be hanged.

The crime was committed near Caledonia Springs which in 1807 was a part of Genesee County. McClean, Orr and a man named McLaughlin were squatters on the 40,000 Acre Tract. A dispute arose regarding a tree located on the land which McClean claimed and Orr had cut down. McClean knocked Orr down with an axe, killing him with the second blow. McLaughlin interfered to prevent the tragedy and he too was killed. (McClean was charged with only killing Orr because there was a question as to who killed McLaughlin - Orr or McClean.)

The night of the murders, McClean hid in a hollow log near his home and the following morning took to the woods. When the crime was discovered, the Militia went out in small squads and searched the entire region. Several days passed before McClean was captured. He was recognized at a tavern a few miles east of Canandaigua and was arrested.

A great crowd from all parts of the County attended the public execution on August 28, 1807. It was reported in the newspapers that when the weight fell, the rope broke and McClean fell to the ground. He soon recovered from the shock and rising to his feet, expressed a strong desire not to be "hung again". Some insisted that one hanging was a fulfillment of the law. Others, however, thought differently and informed McClean that "as he had killed two men, he ought to be hung twice." (Remember that he was only convicted of killing one.) The County Clerk was dispatched by the Sheriff for a new rope. He soon returned with a "trace rope" sufficiently strong and after considerable delay, the miserable culprit was again mounted upon the scaffold and launched into eternity!

A further note: William Keys was paid $8.25 by the County Supervisors for building the gallows. Eight gallons of brandy was also supplied to the guards.

Humorous Tales

Sediment In Wine Bottle Not Poison But Blood

Cultoro's Wife Endeavored To Work A Charm

"Joseph Cultoro of Watson Street (Batavia) took a large bottle partly filled with wine to police headquarters yesterday afternoon and wanted his wife arrested on charges of attempting to poison him. The wine was discolored and showed a peculiar sediment at the bottom of the bottle.

When the young wife was taken to headquarters, she said that she had not been able to get along well with her husband for four years and that someone told her that if she would put some of her own blood into something that her husband drank, it would act as a charm to win back his affections. She had cut a vein in her arm and transferred a half glass of blood to the wine.

Efforts were made by the police to settle the troubles of the young couple and it was finally agreed that the wife should go to visit relatives in LeRoy for a time." [ Wouldn't this story make a classic country-western song? "The old gypsy woman told me the only way to get my true love back was to add my blood to his wine...."] Printed in the Daily News September 26, 1916

Although this story is from Wyoming County, it's too strange not to add to our collection.

Man Says Wooden Leg Taken Away By Beavers

"One of the strangest stories to come out of the hills of Wethersfield in the western part of Wyoming County was related this week by Herman Strutter, who lives near the beaver colony in Hermitage.

Limping on a crutch Strutter unfolded an account of how his wooden leg was cut off, presumably by beavers, while he slept in a first-floor sleeping porch. He awoke feeling a draft and noting the door was open, jumped from his bed to close it. He sprawled to the floor. His wooden leg was missing.

Examination of the stump revealed teeth marks and in the bed were clips of wood. Later Mr. Strutter traced beaver tracks to the nearby pond, where a hole in the ice was mute evidence the beavers had dragged the severed stump."

[Questions and thoughts on this story: 1. Why was Mr. Strutter sleeping on the sleeping porch in February? 2. How did the beavers open the door? and 3. Mr. Strutter must have been one sound sleeper to have shared a bed with beavers while they chewed on his wooden leg.] Printed in the Daily News February 14, 1935

Atomic Bomb In Batavia

From the Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors on April 8, 1959, M.O. Clement, Director of Civil Defense, appeared before the Board and said that on May 2nd the Veterans Facility would be celebrating their Twenty-fifth Anniversary in this City. Mr. Clement requested authorization of the Board to set off a simulated atomic bomb made of fireworks. The Board voted and granted unanimous approval. The explosion of the simulated atomic bomb took place on the grounds of the Veterans Hospital and was used as a Civil Defense exercise. A total of 92, many of whom were Boy Scouts, volunteered as "injured personnel" as part of the drill. Within one hour an Army helicopter, ambulances, one flattop tractor trailer, fire rescue vehicles and two station wagons on loan from Funke & Hawley's Dodge dealership transported the "injured" to Genesee Memorial and St. Jerome Hospitals. The exercise kicked off a day of festivities which included a parade.

Imagine seeing an atomic bomb right here in our own County. If only I had discovered this historic event at the beginning of the year, why I would have recreated it as part of the Bicentennial celebration. The 1950's Supervisors sure knew how to have a good time!

Old Court Houses of the Genesee

In 1802 the first courthouse west of the Genesee River was under construction. It was financed by the Holland Land Company and was presented to Genesee County free of expense, together with the Courthouse park. Isaac Sutherland and Samuel Geer were the architects and it took three days to raise the heavy oak timbers that were used for the frame. The first session of court was held in the spring of 1803. It was located on the present site of County Building No. 1 and the front of the building faced east onto Court Street (hence the name for that street). This building contained the court room, jail, county offices, and a tavern. [ Just think, you could become intoxicated, appear before the judge, and be incarcerated without ever leaving the building. Now that was Planning!] The tavern closed in 1820 and was taken over as the sheriff's residence.

The New York State Legislature passed an act that provided for the construction of a new courthouse in Genesee County on May 14, 1840. The first Courthouse was replaced in 1843 when the court was held in the new facility. About 1849 the old courthouse was turned over to the Town of Batavia and become known as Ellicott Hall, named in honor of Joseph Ellicott. It was used for town board meetings, the city's department of public works, and public meetings until it was destroyed by a fire on February 5, 1918. At the time of the fire it was 14 degrees below zero and the fire supposedly was caused by an overheated furnace. Ironically the Fire Headquarters were located next door to this building but nothing could have saved the oldest building in Batavia.

The Courthouse located at the junction of Main and Ellicott Streets is an architectural focal point for downtown Batavia. It is constructed from gray cut Onondaga limestone which was quarried from Consider Warner's farm located in the Town of LeRoy. Each facade of this Greek Revival building is five bays wide. Originally six heavy stone pilasters framed an open porch which ran the length of the front. In 1931 this area was renovated for additional office space and the center bay front entrance was created. The hip roof is constructed of slate and copper and supports a two-tiered wooden cupola that houses a brass bell. The bell was first hung in Ellicott Hall and was rung whenever a verdict was reached. The last verdict it rang for was in 1988 at the Lyndon Goodell trial.

This bell has an interesting history of its own. When Ellicott Hall was completed, the Holland Land Company neglected to hang a bell in the cupola before making the presentation to the County. An early settler named Davis McCraken thought this to be a great oversight and took it upon himself to write to a foundry in New Haven, Connecticut and ordered a bell. Mr. McCraken was noted for his wealth as well as sense of humor. He had the bell shipped into town during the night and hung it on a pole between two trees. Then about 4:00 a.m. he rang it vigorously. Every inhabitant was aroused and from the youngest to the oldest they left their beds to witness this event. Joseph Ellicott reportedly was one of the first to arrive and immediately asked if the bell was for sale. He was informed that it was and before sunset that night it hung in the belfry of Ellicott Hall. This bell survived the fire of 1918 and has hung in the courthouse ever since.

During the Records Management archival project the Claims for Payments were organized and in these records are reports to the Board of Supervisors on the construction of the courthouse. A report from 1843 stated " As this sum somewhat exceeds the original estimates of the costs of said house and will necessarily impose a considerable burden of taxes upon the inhabitants of this county your committee feel bound to give as thorough an expose of the whole expenditure as they can . . . " This report details building cost and a few highlights include: pillars for $700, mason work by Elias Pelton for $2,888.39, Consider Warner was paid $1,634.42 for cut stone, John Kinyan was paid $246.35 for iron and blacksmithery, and the chairs cost $102. The original windows had a dozen small panes of glass each and the cornice was decorated with an ornamental border. Through the years repairs and renovations have changed the exterior and the fancy trimmings have been removed.

Possibly the most expensive trial for the county took place in the Courthouse one hundred years ago. A Daily News article on August 24, 1897 stated "COUNTY TREASURY EMPTY - Less than $8 on hand . . . " The actual figure was $7.62 and was the result of the Benham murder trial. Court fees for this trial ran high and examples included paying the court stenographer $1,800 and an extra allowance of $50 to each of the jurors. The details on Benham will have to wait for another time but be assured all ended well for the County. Once the taxes were collected there was plenty of money restored to the treasury.

On June 18, 1974, the Courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and is included in the Genesee County Courthouse Historic District. When the new court facility opened the courthouse become the home for the Legislature and office space for the County Manager. I find it a comfort that we refer to the new building as the "Court Facility" rather than the "New Courthouse." Our courthouse has served this community for 154 years and by still calling it the "Courthouse" it is as if we are showing respect to an ancient reminder of our past. The one common fact that is shared by all three court buildings is that their front door faces east. I do not know if there is a significant reason, but it is an interesting trivia note!

Searching for Other Batavia's

HISTORIAN'S NOTE

Susan L. Conklin, County Historian

 One of the Bicentennial book projects I will be working on this year involves collecting information on each of the towns. I thought it would be interesting to find towns that have the same name as ours within the United States and to try to establish some local connections. I began with Batavia, our County seat, and the results of my preliminary search are as follows:

Batavia, in Genesee County was established in 1802, however it was not the first Batavia in New York State. According to the Map Division of the Library of Congress "the Batavia patent was granted to Vincent Matthews on April 24, 1736. It consisted of 4,200 acres along both sides of Batavia Kill, a tributary of the Schoharie River. A settlement named Batavia flourished on the banks of the Batavia Kill in Greene County (formerly part of Ulster County) during the 18th and 19th centuries. The 1803 edition of the List of Post-Offices in the United States there was a Batavia post office in Greene County. It however, was not listed in subsequent editions."

I have not yet discovered what happened to the other Batavia, New York but I did find five others in the United States. According to the Postal Guide the other Batavias are located in Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio. Batavia, New York is the oldest and here is how we compare:

Batavia Population Median Family Income Median Home Value Public Water

Arkansas 780 $19,917 $48,400 62.7%

Illinois 20,268 $52,580 $132,700 88.8%

Iowa 542 $28,500 $20,100 98.6%

Michigan 1,522 $32,070 $38,400 5.7%

New York 16,310 $33,744 $64,700 100%

Ohio 13,682 $32,828 $71,100 90.9%

* Information from virtualrelocation.com

As I attempted to trace the historical connections I have found several similarities. Many of the pioneers who once lived in Genesee County and traveled west appeared to be looking for good farm land that reminded them of the towns they left behind.

Tradition says that Batavia, Arkansas was settled in 1881 by Roswell Emerson Underwood, who spent four years as a Genesee County surveyor for the Holland Land Company. He was impressed by the beauty of this site which is located in the foot hills of the Ozark Mountains and 125 miles from Little Rock, the State capital.

It is possible that Batavia, Illinois has two connections with Batavia, New York. The Illinois Batavia was founded by Christopher Columbus Payne in 1833, who was listed in the 1820 Federal Census as living in Barre which at that time was a part of Genesee County. Another reference stated that Isaac Wilson named the community for his hometown in New York State. Located on the bank of the Fox River this far western suburb of Chicago was once known as the "Windmill Capital of the World" and was home to three major windmill manufacturers whose products were shipped world wide. Batavia, Illinois was incorporated as a village in 1856 and became a city 24 years before Batavia, New York, in 1891. By the late 1980s Batavia had invested about 25 million dollars in its downtown. As a result several business chains have moved there and this community is growing.

Batavia, Iowa is located in Jefferson County and was first named Creeseville after the town's founder. Henry Creese established the settlement on August 22, 1846 and the name was changed to Batavia on January 19, 1853. This Batavia is located in the Great Plains, on US Highway 34 and is set in gently rolling hills. One hundred years after becoming Batavia, it was strictly a farmers' town where hog raising was second only to corn growing. I checked the census records from 1810 through 1840 and the Holland Land Purchasers listing. I did not find Henry Creese listed and the connection to our Batavia is yet to be determined.

Batavia, Michigan is located in Branch County, halfway between Coldwater and Bronson. It is surrounded by a community of prosperous farms. The name was said to have been adopted upon the recommendation of a citizen whose home had been in Batavia, New York.

Batavia, Ohio was founded in 1814, twelve years after Batavia, New York by George Ely, a pioneer who was among the many New Yorkers who emigrated west. Batavia, Ohio is located on the east fork of the Little Miami River and is the Clermont County's seat. Due to its proximity to Cincinnati this Batavia never became a great industrial center. It is rather a seat of County Officials, professional workers and culture.

In addition to the other Batavias I will be hunting for towns within the United Sates that have the same names as our municipalities. If your travels bring you to any of these sister communities, please pick up a postcard, brochure, map or other memorabilia and we will add it to the History Department files. It will be interesting to find a local connection with these towns and discover who from our County traveled west to establish new communities.

1947 Review

HISTORIAN'S NOTE

By Susan L. Conklin, Genesee County Historian

1947 REVIEW

I thought it would be interesting to look back on what was happening in the County in 1947. The Nation was experiencing high inflation, we began to worry about the growing strength of Russia, and Princess Elizabeth of Great Britain married Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

On the local front, I divided the year into topics. The first is weather. A March snowstorm closed schools and some roads for three days. It was considered the worst storm in eleven years and cost the county an estimated one million dollars. In the spring, the Tonawanda Creek reached its second highest level by rising 13.45 feet above normal. Batavia was quick with protective measures and escaped damage by placing sandbags in Kibbe Park. Despite a wet spring, Genesee County farms did quite well and benefited from record-high crop prices. On July 14th a freak hail storm hit this region and a large section of Elba's muckland suffered. On July 28th a "twister-like" windstorm slashed across East Pembroke. Trees were uprooted and power lines were downed, but there were no personal injuries or damage to homes. Temperatures in August began with record-breaking lows. It was 45 degrees on August 1st, but by the 6th it was 90. Christmas Day was mild with a comfortable 35 degrees. However, New York City was shut down on December 27th with a record snowfall of 25.8 inches. That storm paralyzed much of the transportation system for that section of the state. And guess what? El Nino was never mentioned!

On the "Stork Front" Mrs. Sage from North Pembroke gave birth to the first baby born in 1947. This event made history because two years earlier she had the first baby of 1945. Oakfield celebrated the birth of triplets born to Generoso and Angeline Martino on November 20th. There was much fuss over Carmine Gerard, Jean, and Anthony as they were the first trio ever born in St. Jerome's Hospital and possibly in the county. Please note that the Sage and Martino children are among the first "baby boomers" in the county as well.

There were several Notable Landmarks in 1947. The Woodward (Jell-O Family) Mansion in Le Roy was presented to the University of Rochester and it was used as a center for the treatment of spastic children. [This magnificent English manor style home was torn down in 1960.] Woodward Field in Batavia was modernized at a cost of $87,000 by the Board of Education. A new concrete stadium was enjoyed by many who attended the evening football games and Batavia High School had an undefeated season. The Fairgrounds were sold to the Genesee-Monroe Racing Association which later in the year opened the Batavia Downs race track on that site. The Genesee Memorial Hospital project was estimated at $700,000 and would include a 125-bed facility. [Actual construction began in 1949.] The Genesee County Farm and Home Bureau and 4-H Club Association purchased the former Lay Mansion. [In 1947 there were 808 children enrolled in 4-H and 29 club members planted 29,000 trees in the county.] Mayor Murray of Le Roy resigned on September 10th when his idea to convert the tennis courts on Summit and Wolcott Streets into an ice skating rink was met with such disapproval that he quit. (I wonder if this would have been such a controversial topic if he had suggested this change during a winter month). The Franklin Judd homestead on Bethany Center Road, which dated back to the Civil War era, was lost on Christmas Day in a fire that was caused by a dropped cigarette.

County Historian Janet Wethy Foley suggested "that the Holland Land Office as a historical museum should be a county project, maintained by the county, in order that never again would interest be allowed to sink so low as to permit a return of present conditions." Her appeal was considered and on December 15th the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to accept ownership and maintenance of the Land Office.

From the Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors the financial reports given to the County Treasurer contained a few interesting categories. The Tuberculosis Sanitarium Patients Fund totaled $34,592.39. [ There were twenty-two Genesee County patients housed at the Mt. Morris T.B. Hospital and the County's Public Health Association, Batavia City Health Department, and the Christmas Seals Committee collected books and bathrobes as Christmas gifts for these patients.] Two other unique funds were the Old Age Relief Fund at $189,273 and the Blind Relief Fund totaling $6,792. The Sheriff reported the cost of food per day for one prisoner was 66 cents. From the Sheriff's annual report the top crime was Public Intoxication (81 males and 7 females), with 97 arrests for Violation of Motor Vehicle Law. The county lost a department head when James Ryan, the Director of the Genesee County Veterans Service Agency, died on December 30th from a stroke. He was a World War I veteran and was noted as a "zealous advocate of veterans' rights." This county agency was very busy in 1947 as 5,200 ex-service men and women received approximately $15,600,000 from the state through the Veterans' Bonus program.

Christmas time was not much different from today. Churches held traditional services and on December 26th sales started on toys and clothes. Sale prices featured erector sets for $1.59, G-Man machine guns at $2.31, and dolls ranged from $1.18 to $2.95. There were three movie theaters in Batavia and the Lafayette featured Gary Cooper and Paulette Goddard in Cecil B. De Mille's Unconquered. Matinees cost 76 cents and evening shows were $1.20. The Public Works Department opened the Vine Street Skating Rink which was enjoyed by hundreds of children. (I bet a few drove in from Le Roy, too.) At the pastry shop a loaf of homemade bread cost 15 cents and a double-crusted pie was forty cents. (Having sugar rationing end on July 12th helped the local bakeries.)

I found it interesting to select a year and read through the Daily News, the Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors, and the History Department's files. It is comforting to know that our parents and grandparents survived bad weather, high inflation, saved a few historical buildings and improved on other sights we enjoy today. If you are interested in discovering what took place during a different year, please stop by and visit the History Department's Research Library.

Stockley's Execution

Historian's Note

By Susan L. Conklin, County Historian

Stockley's Execution

Crime may not pay for the criminal but it certainly helps with the selling of newspapers and boosting television ratings. On Monday, June 11, 2001 Timothy McVeigh was executed by chemical injection and was the first federal prisoner executed in 38 years. McVeigh's crime of blowing up the Oklahoma City, Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in 1995 killed 168 victims and his execution was the topic in the news media for months. The actual death by lethal injection as described in the newspaper was peaceful according to the 10 media witnesses. Peaceful was not how the last execution in this County was reported.

Andrew Jackson McWain and his partner Gerrit Smith Griswold purchased the Daily News on August 15, 1881, only four days before the last execution in Genesee County. The newspaper's circulation was 520 when the partnership began and the approaching demise of young Charles Stockley began to boost sales. According to McWain " The News was then an evening paper, selling at 2 cents a copy. The first week we had the paper was a lively one, for the last legal hanging in Genesee County took place on Friday. Gerrit wanted to report the execution and so did I and we agreed to "draw cuts" to determine who should have the assignment. But when the hour drew near, Gerrit graciously yielded the distinction to me, and I witnessed the passing of Charles Stockley. In the jail-yard I wished that I had been the gracious one and let Gerrit do the work, for it was by no means a pleasing task."

The hanging was set for 11:00 a.m. and unfortunately for Stockley, he was not pronounced dead until 11:23 a.m. Imagine McWain standing with the other selected witnesses waiting 23 minutes as Stockley died as a result of strangulation. Ironically, Stockely was quoted as saying to the Deputy Sheriff, who kept him company during his last two hours, "I ain't afraid to die, but I don't like to go in this way." He was fearful that his death would be caused by strangulation and that his neck would not be broken. Stockley was executed for deliberately shooting and killing John Welker a farmer from Batavia. McWain reported: " Justice has been swift and sure in the case of Charles Stockley. Within four months he committed the greatest crime known to the law, had a fair and impartial trial, was convicted and sentenced, and today his life has paid the penalty of the transgression. It may be that some people will be found who will say that the punishment was too severe, but all who think justice best subserved by the infliction of the death penalty will look upon the final act as the highest exemplification of the majesty of the law."

The Daily News printed 2,800 extra papers which was six times its normal press run on the day of the execution. McWain observed in an interview years later that " the first week's news of the Stockley case embracing futile efforts to have him declared insane, increased the circulation of The News, which has been doing pretty well ever since."

[If you would like to read additional information about Charles Stockley or the other six men executed in Genesee County, please do not hesitate to visit the History Department.]

The End of the 19th Century

HISTORIAN'S NOTE

Susan L. Conklin, County Historian

While waiting in line at the grocery store, I have noticed that the "National Enquirer" and the "Star" have doom and gloom headlines regarding the end of the world. It seems that some people think that the end of a century/millennium will spark the end of life as we know it. Lois Brockway, former clerk for the History Department, discovered an article written on February 14, 1925, that I thought you would enjoy reading as the subject refers to the millennium and what some believed would happen.

"Robert Reidt, a prophet from East Patchogue, Long Island, who predicted that the world would end last week Friday (Feb. 1925) and still insists that the millennium will arrive soon, cannot claim his idea as original. Roswell C. Curtiss, a resident of Alexander since 1836, who is now living with his daughter, Mrs. Charles Enos, of 12 Norris Avenue, Batavia, recalls a similar scare in March 1843.

"A cult known as the Millerites was formed in 1843 by William Miller, of New England, and had a large following in this part of the state. Miller predicted the end of the world in March 1843, and warned all his sect to prepare for it.

"On the appointed day a large crowd of Millerites gathered in Le Roy and, dressed in white robes, marched to the village cemetery to await the dissolution of the earth. Some of them, it is said, waited all night before discarding their salvation robes and returning home.

"All through Western New York the event was talked about for several days and although the failure of Miller's prediction to hold true caused the disorganization of the Millerites, it is believed to have been directly responsible for the formation of an Adventist Church in Darien a short time later. Many followers of Miller were former members of the Darien Baptist Church and, shortly after his prophecy, an Adventist Church was founded there, and a building erected next to the Baptist Church.

"On another occasion, in the early 1880s, the Adventists predicted the end of the world and many of the Darien apostles gathered after their Sunday morning service to await their celestial destiny. Members of the Baptist Church also gathered in their meeting house. After the two services were over, members of the Baptist Church came out to watch the Adventists who, clad in white robes, went forth into the fields to await their doom.

"One Batavian, who was a resident of East Darien at that time, said that a farmer who lived next door to him spent the night on the roof of his barn. No reason for his action was given, but it is thought that he wanted to have a forty-foot start on his brethren when it came time to ascend."

[Daily News - Past & Present Column, February 14, 1925]

According to the History of Genesee County 1890-1982, the Advent Church of God Society was organized at North Darien on January 16, 1864, with an original membership of 40. This church ceased to exist after 1911. The North Darien Baptist Church Society began in May of 1812 and is still active today.

Unusual Facts

HISTORIAN'S NOTE

Susan L. Conklin, County Historian

The History Department staff and Municipal Historians have discovered unusual facts regarding individuals who either were born in Genesee County or made an impression while visiting. I thought I would share with you some of our findings.

Have you ever noticed the sleeping kitten on the train cars of the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad? This cat's name is Chessie and was the creation of Lionel C. Probert, who was born in Batavia on March 18, 1883. Probert had an interesting career as a reporter and was a witness to President McKinley's assassination. He worked for the Associated Press and was in Mexico during the occupation of Vera Cruz. He became the AP Washington bureau chief during WW I and accompanied President Wilson to Paris after the war. In 1927 Probert left the newspaper business and began working for the Erie Railroad where he was made vice president. He later became in charge of real estate, industrial development, and public relations for the C & O. So the next time you catch a glimpse of Chessie whizzing past you on the tracks remember, her creator was born here.

Did you or your mother ever swoon over Frank Sinatra? On November 17, 1944 'Old Blue Eyes' was in Batavia and paid a brief but unofficial visit. He stopped in Batavia for dinner on his way to Buffalo and had his meal at Young's Restaurant, which was located on Main Street. According to the locals he appeared mild-mannered and was not a 'show-off'. His dark suit and cream tie accented his dashing features. One observer noted how thin he looked and stated 'he would not tip the scales at more than 110 pounds soaking wet'. Sinatra happened into Batavia on account of bad weather. His American Airlines plane was forced to land in Rochester instead of Buffalo and he was running behind schedule. Chauffeur driven in a black Cadillac, he was accompanied by his special orchestra leader, business managers, and body guards. He made it to Buffalo on time and appeared before 7,000 screaming teenagers.

A saloon keeper in Rochester was well known in Bergen. Rattle-snake Pete was a visitor to Little Boston, a remote area in northwest Bergen where Wolf Creek and Black Creek join at the edge of the Bergen-Byron Swamp. Locals would catch snakes and keep them in a rain barrel until Pete would drive out to fetch them. Pete was a sight to see. He arrived wearing a snake skin coat and vest and drove an open touring car. He had snakes painted on the side of his vehicle and a set of horns mounted on the front in the shape of a reptile. Pete grew up near an Indian Reservation in Pennsylvania and was taught by a medicine man how to extract venom from a living snake and oil from the dead ones. He claimed to have been bitten 29 times by rattlers and 4 by copperheads. According to Pete 'only once did the floor come up and hit me' and it took nine months before he completely recovered. Pete was known for his skills and was nicked-named the Doctor. He treated hundred of cases of goiter and made poultices to treat blood poisoning. It was a sad day in Rochester when Pete died in 1932, but the snakes of the Bergen-Byron Swamp no longer fear being collected by him.

Genesee County was twice visited by the 'Goat Lady'. Mrs. Olgie Lamear initially trekked through our County in February of 1948, on her way to Arkansas from Vermont. Her husband Arthur had been severely injured in a road accident and they were forced to sell their sixth generation farm. They were able to put a down payment on a 40 acre farm in Ozone, Arkansas and Olgie was on her way to her new home. Mr. Lam ear had been too ill to make the journey with her, but hoped to meet up with her in Erie, Pennsylvania by way of either bus or train. When she arrived in Stafford, she stayed with Mr. & Mrs. Wendell Call. Her wagon had been home-made from lumber donated by a local sawmill and it was pulled by her two horses, Rex and Bus. She was bundled up in a couple of sweaters and no less that three over coats. Accompanying her were eleven pedigreed goats and a dog named 'Tiny'. Her trip was a slow one for she traveled short distances daily. Before arriving in Stafford she had spent the night in East Avon. After leaving the Call's farm she only made it to Bushville, where her wagon needed repairs and one of the goats needed veterinary assistance. From there she hoped to make it to Clarence.

Eight years later Olgie arrived in LeRoy on her way once again to Arkansas. This time she traveled with 1 horse, 6 dogs, 6 goats, 18 chickens, and 2 ducks. On her second trip she appeared in early August and planned to reach her home in October. Both trips attracted much attention and she was greeted with a mixture of curiosity and support. The help given her while in Genesee County made an impression on her as well. On her return trip she stated that she thought quite a bit of the folks in the County and said 'they were the nicest she ever met'.

Genesee County Women's History Notebook

HISTORIAN'S NEW PROJECT

GENESEE COUNTY WOMEN'S HISTORY NOTEBOOK

March is Women's History Month and to commemorate this event a Genesee County Women's History Notebook has been created. This project began after a discussion with Legislator Connie Boyd, who wanted to celebrate Women's History Month at the YWCA. At first I was going to simply design a display that featured six women, but as I began assembling documents from the History Department's files, local history books, and newspaper articles I was amazed at the wealth of information that was available. These records were then sorted by topic and Gale Conn-Wright is arranging them into a notebook. Some of the topics include artists, athletes, community development, military, pioneers, education and "sinners." This compilation is the foundation for a long term project to preserve the facts concerning women within our county. To promote this project I will be offering presentations that will highlight the various women that have been added to the notebook and I hope that people will contribute additional information.

To introduce this project to you I have selected segments from the Suffrage Movement and Business chapters.

SUFFRAGE MOVEMENT:

One of the earliest documents, dated March 15, 1848, is a petition that was sent to the New York Assembly by forty-four women from Darien and Covington (Wyoming County) that stated: "That your Declaration of Independence, that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed and as women have never consented to, been represented in or recognized by this government, it is evident that in justice no allegiance can be claimed for them." This petition requested that the State abolish all laws which were unjust toward married women. After researching the list of names we found that these women were all married and possibly were members of a local Grange. This document illustrates that the rural farm wives were beginning to organize and this was one of the first steps toward the Women's Suffrage Movement which was active at the turn of the century.

BUSINESS: (126 years later)

During World War II women went to work in the local factories as there was a shortage of men available to fill jobs but it was not until the early 1970's that I found women working in male positions. On March 19, 1974, Mrs. Genevieve Rudolph was featured as the only female foreman at the GTE Sylvania plant. As a wife and mother of two sons she was given an opportunity not only to further her own career but to show that women are capable of any job if given a chance. Two months later I discovered a Daily News article dated May 5, "Women Adjuster Raises Eyebrows." Miss Carol J. Burton of South Alabama worked for Eaton Corp., in Batavia and was one of the first women to hold the position of a claims adjuster. She stated that men were surprised to find a woman handling "their affairs."

Additional articles on this project will be featured in the County Times and I invite you to visit the History Department and review the Women's History Notebook.