The Historical Society of the Town of Clarence 10465 Main St PO Box 86 Clarence, NY 14031
The Historical Society of the Town of Clarence 10465 Main Street P.O. Box 86 Clarence, NY 14031
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Clarence, NY PERMIT #17
Asa Ransom Note Clarence Historical Society Newsletter Giving Thanks to All Mothers on Mother’s Day Celebrating Eleanor Kipp Vantine – Outstanding mother and wife who lived her entire life in the Town of Clarence. Eleanor, born May 3, 1799, married David Vantine when she was 17 years of age. Daily life began before sunrise. Every day was filled with work to survive as there were no super markets, indoor plumbing or automobile in the garage.
Historical Society Membership Membership Prices: $15 Individual $25 Couple
$30 Family
$50 Business $150 Individual Life Member
NAME ADDRESS CITY
NewsletterPRINT.indd 12
10/3/2014 10:54:37 AM
STATE
HOME PHONE
ZIP CODE WORK PHONE
HOW CAN I HELP? ( ) VOLUNTEER
When she was 30, her husband saw the need for a local store and in 1829 he built a structure to house the family and space for the store at the crossroads of Goodrich and Clarence Center Road on the southeast corner. As soon as the store was completed Eleanor and David moved in with their seven children. The area
( ) WORK ON EXHIBITS/ ARTIFACTS ( ) OFFICE HELP
Please fill-out and mail back with membership dues to Clarence Historical Museum: 10465 Main St. Clarence, NY 14031
SPRING 2015 THE HISOTRICAL SOCIETY OF THE TOWN OF CLARENCE
Eleanor delivered 13 children, all born at home. She nursed them when sick using folk remedies and made everything she needed herself or bartered for it. Many children in that day didn’t live to see their first birthday and if they did, their average life expectancy was about 35. Eleanor was able to keep her family healthy and 12 of her children thrived, married, and gave her many grandchildren. Amazingly people survived long cold winters and some lived to remarkable ages. Golden weddings were rare, however Eleanor and her husband were honored by their children and grandchildren as they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.
12
SPRING 2015 THE HISOTRICAL SOCIETY OF THE TOWN OF CLARENCE
Contact Information Museum: 10465 Main St Clarence, NY 14031 (716)-759-8575 clarencehistoricalmuseum @gmail.com Hours: Sunday: 1pm-4pm Tuesday: 4:30pm-7pm 2nd-Last Wednesday: 10am- 2pm 1st Saturday: 11am-3pm Genealogy: 10871 Main St Clarence, NY 14031 (716) 759-1623 clarencenygenealogy@gmail.com Hours: Wednesday: 9:30am-12pm 1st Saturday: 11am-3pm 1st Sunday: 1pm-4pm Facebook: Town of Clarence Historical Society Website: clarencehistory.com
1
Board Members President: Tom Steffan (716) 741-8400 tsteffan@cookandsteffan.co m
Vice Pres.: Doug Kohler Secretary: Joan Woodward (716) 759-6170
Treasurer: Sandy Larkin sjlarkin1@gmail.com
Town Liaison: Bob Geiger (716) 741-8929 rgeiger@clarence.ny.us
Giving Thanks to All Mothers on Mother’s Day conti. became known as Vantine’s Corners and later the post office was located there as well.
AT OUR GIFT SHOP IN THE MUSEUM
The Vantine children in the order of their births are: Mary Ann, Mathias, Sally, Hannah, Henry, Sophia, Nancy, George, James, Wilder, Maria, Marion and one child who died in infancy. (Wilder was a Civil War veteran) Eleanor died on December 21, 1816, at the age of 79, and is buried with her husband in Clarence Fillmore Cemetery. Many Clarence residents can trace their family line back to her and the Kipp and Vantine families who settled the area in its earliest days.
Clarence: Images of the Hollow Clarence: Images of Harris Hill Clarence: Images of Clarence Center Clarence: Images of Swormville & North Country
Daniel Gamin David Hormell Joseph McGreevy Howard Payne Jon Rothenmeyer Donna Wanamaker
Books are available to purchase at the Historical Museum or our Monthly Programs _______________________________________
Community Happenings:
Museum Personnel
Erie County Public Library is displaying a recently restored 1833 map of Buffalo. The map shows how different Canalside used to look. They also have a number of other maps displayed in the Grovesnor Rare Books Room there. The Library is located on 1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo.
Director: Alicia Braaten (716) 531-1517
Assistant Curator: Emily Busch ekbusch15@gmail.com
Holland Land Office Museum is celebrating their 200th anniversary with a Bicentennial “The Exhibit” which show cases 200 years of history and marks a year-long series of events and exhibits. The Museum located at 131 West Main St. is open Tuesday – Friday 10 AM-4PM and Saturday 10 AM-2PM. Also visit their website: http://hollandlandoffice.com/
Board Meetings are Open to the Public & Held 1st Thursday of the Month at 7pm at Clarence Historical Museum
Quilt Show: Clarence Log Cabin Quilters Show at Clarence Town Park, April 24-26 , 11AM-4PM May Flower Days: Saturdays in May at Clarence Farmers Market
Future Meetings: May 7, 2015 June 4, 2015
SPRING 2015 THE HISOTRICAL SOCIETY OF THE TOWN OF CLARENCE
CLARENCE HISTORY BOOKS $20 EACH
2
SPRING 2015 THE HISOTRICAL SOCIETY OF THE TOWN OF CLARENCE
11
Clarence Grad promoted to Brigadier General NEW BOOK AVAILABLE!!!! No one wants to hear the “C” word. Jennie Rook shares her experience which would be helpful to others who are facing cancer and those who have faced it and survived. An inspiration and available at the Clarence Historical Museum to purchase. What a help for those dealing with this in your family or personally.
Marianne at her Promotion in 2012
1980 Senior Photograph
Price: $18.99 (tax included) 167 pgs. Please contact: (716) 759-8575 clarencehistoricalsociety@gmail.com
Jennie Rook is a local middle school teacher in the Clarence School District and resides in the Town of Clarence with her husband and two sons. The story is Jennie’s personal journey of breast cancer survival in 2011. Jennie tells her experience with grace and humor.
Marianne E. Quaintance Watson, a former Clarence resident and 1980 graduate of Clarence High School, was recently promoted from colonel to brigadier general in the Army National Guard. She is the director of manpower and personnel for the National Guard Bureau in Arlington, VA, responsible for the oversight of personnel policy and programs impacting the National Guard Bureau Joint Staff, the Army and Air National Guard Directorates and the 54 states and territories. She has director oversight of the National Guard Joint Service Support Program, which includes Family Employer Support, Warrior Support, yellow Ribbon Reintegration and Sexual Assault Prevention. She is a graduate of the adjutant general basic and advanced courses and the Army Command and Staff College. Watson also received a Master of Science degree in national security strategy from the National Defense University and a Master of Business Administration from Averett University. Among her major duty assignments was an appointment as chief of National Guard affairs in Bagram Afghanistan. She volunteered for the National Guard at age 20 and went to Officer Candidate School at age 25, according to her mother Susan Quaintance, who said her daughter “absolutely loves her job.” Taken from the Clarence Bee February 15, 2012
If you would like to contribute to our Community Guest Article please send a copy of your article along with any pictures to either the Historical Museum or Genealogy Addresses with a note stating it’s for the Community Guest Article. SPRING 2015 THE HISOTRICAL SOCIETY OF THE TOWN OF CLARENCE
Update: Marianne E. Quaintance Watson retired from the Army National Guard after 30 years of service on January 1, 2014. 10
SPRING 2015 THE HISOTRICAL SOCIETY OF THE TOWN OF CLARENCE
3
Clarence Railroads Railraod depot after addtion was built on west side
A Tribute to Our Friend: Leroy
Rosenthal
The Society lost another friend this past year. Leroy Rosenthal passed away. While he was not in the museum often, he and his wife Marie were responsible for the many items we have on display pertaining to St. Mary’s Church in Swormville. He helped to restore the oil lamp chandelier & make the frame that holds it. We also have the communion rail, an original angel and the pulpit from the church among other items detailing the history of the congregation. These artifacts help to tell the history of the religious communities in Clarence. The tools that Mr. Leising used in making sidewalks came from Leroy & his wife. In the Greatbach technology wing, there is also a display on making bricks and cement blocks that they are responsible for. The music display has items from them as well. They were very generous in helping the museum grow. Marie is a wonderful researcher and historian who has probably saved more about the Swormville area than any of us remember. Our genealogy library has been the recipient of many, many records and family histories from the Transit Road area all thanks to Marie. Marie & Leroy were also great book sellers as they were able to distribute our publication “Images of Clarence: Swormville and The North Country” to many residents and former residents. Our thoughts & prayers go out to their families.
Ralph Beeman Fireman on NYC train
Railroad Salt Road
Mr Wallis served from 1880 to 1920
Clarence Center Bridge 1892
---Recent acquisitions received to the Genealogy Library---
Chairs, refinished and canned by her father, for the conference table Donated by Anne Case
Copies of the Buffalo News from January 1991 containing news about the Gulf War Donated by Linda Mosher
CD Discs containing family histories and cemetery information. Donated by Douglas Metz and James Depew
SPRING 2015 THE HISOTRICAL SOCIETY OF THE TOWN OF CLARENCE
4
Interior of Clarence RR Station 1910
SPRING 2015 THE HISOTRICAL SOCIETY OF THE TOWN OF CLARENCE
9
History of Memorial Day Memorial Day means a lot of different things to different people; for those who have served or who have had family members who have served, it is a day of remembrance of their courage and sacrifice. For others it is just a federal holiday in which they get 3 days off and nothing more, but the bravery of these soldiers should never be forgotten.
Research in the Library… Clarence Railroads “The transportation problems of the Clarence farmer were greatly aided by the advent of the first railroad in 1853. By July 1, 1853, the Canandaigua – Niagara Falls Railroad had laid six – foot gauge track from Batavia to Niagara Falls via Clarence Centre. The early locomotives used wood for fuel and this necessitated a good supply of cord wood along their route. This proved to quite profitable for the farmers of the heavily wooded North Clarence area. During the winter, they cut wood and hauled it by sleigh to the railroad’s right – of – way. These woodpiles were located at the Goodrich, Herr and Heise Road railroad crossings. In 1855, the line was taken over by the New York Central System and new standard gauge track was laid. At this time, the line earned its famous nickname, “The Peanut.” During the summer of 1882, the newly organized New York, West Shore and Buffalo Railroad laid track through Clarence Hollow and on New Year’s Day, 1884, the first passenger train passed over the new line enroute from Syracuse to Buffalo. The citizens of Clarence Hollow were often heard to brag of the superiority of their “new” railroad over the “old Peanut down at the Center.”
SPRING 2015 THE HISOTRICAL SOCIETY OF THE TOWN OF CLARENCE
8
Memorial Day began as Decoration Day for those who had died during the American Civil War and was officially proclaimed on May 5, 1868 by General John Logan. On the first Decoration Day, 5,000 people decorated 20,000 graves in Arlington National Cemetery, both Union and Confederate with President Garfield giving a speech. After World War I, Decoration Day expanded to include all those who have died in any war in which Americans have fought. In 1971 it was declared a national holiday which was placed on the last Monday in May. During World War I, Monia Michael was inspired by the poem “Flanders Fields” and conceived the idea to wear red poppies on Memorial Day to honor those who have died. She sold them to her friends and co-workers donating the money to benefit soldiers in need. In 1922, the VFW became the first veteran’s organization to sell red poppies nationally and two years later their artificial poppies were being made by disable veteran’s and sold by other veterans. Today many of these traditions continue. People across the country decorate the graves of millions of graves of fallen American soldiers with small American Flags. Veterans still sell artificial red poppies with the proceeds going to benefit multiple veteran programs across the country. There is still a service at Arlington National Cemetery honoring those buried there. But new traditions have begun as well; many towns and cities across the country hold an annual Memorial Day parade in which veterans who are still living are honored by marching or riding in cars as parade goers clap and honor them. Many of these parades usually end at a town or city War Memorial honoring those veterans who have sacrificed their lives with a ceremony or remembrance.
SPRING 2015 THE HISOTRICAL SOCIETY OF THE TOWN OF CLARENCE
5
Clarence Post #838 received this telegram from Congressman Kemp regarding Memorial Day 1972
2015 Programs Dates May 12th – “Eli Parker” by Jeff Donahue, Director of the Holland Land Company
July 14th – ANNUAL PICNIC: LOCATED AT THE BIG PAVILION – “A Song for our Own: Songs by & for about the Civil War New York: 154 Volunteer Infantry” performed by Rush the Growler o Dinner at 6pm Program at 7pm September 8th -- “What Ken Burns left Out” by Lenora Hensen, Curator Roosevelt Inaugural Site
October 13th – “Amelia Earhart” by Greg Kinal November 10th -- TBA All programs (except the July 14th picnic) take place in the Town Park Club House at 7pm. They are free and open to the public.
Jack Kemp captured our attention as an outstanding Buffalo Bills Quarterback. After
his football career ended he went into politics and served 9 terms in Congress serving WNY. In 1996 he joined Bob Dole in the Presidential race as the Vice Presidential candidate. Later he remained active as a political advocate and commentator, served on several boards, authored books and promoted American football. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 by President Obama
SPRING 2015 THE HISOTRICAL SOCIETY OF THE TOWN OF CLARENCE
6
Refreshments are served before and after the program. Museum Gifts Available for purchased
SPRING 2015 THE HISOTRICAL SOCIETY OF THE TOWN OF CLARENCE
7