HOMETOWN HISTORY

November 26, 2020

150 Years Ago

Highway Robbery – Early last Wednesday morning Mr. Moak, driver of the Schenevus Stage, was accosted by a suspicious looking individual near the Russel Bridge who asked for a tobacco chew. Mr. Moak said he did not use the weed, whereat the robber demanded of Mr. M. his money and the mail bags. His request was not acceded to by our modern John, who dismounted from his coach and struck the would-be highwayman with a stick of wood from an adjacent woodpile. The scoundrel dropped and the faithful guardian of the mail bags went his way rejoicing. Work is progressing slowly at the round house during the present cold weather.Lester and Theodore Emmons and Wm. H. Strait have purchased a lot containing 40 feet front and 100 feet back on Broad Street of E.H. Ford, on which they will erect a machine shop for the manufacture of the celebrated Firkin Head Cutter, and a general repair shop.

November 1870

125 Years Ago

Suicide – Walter A. Wing, residing about a mile out of the Village of Morris, went to the hay barn upon his farm on Saturday last at about 3 o’clock and hung himself. Mr. Wing was about 70 years of age and was in easy circumstances, owning considerable property. He was well thought of by all who knew him. He was at one time a frequent contributor to papers and periodicals and was the pioneer voter of the Prohibition Party in the Town of Morris. He was a great reader. Failing health and impaired eyesight prevented his reading much of late, and it is thought this led to despondency. He leaves besides a widow, one son, Walter who resides on the old homestead, and three married daughters, all residing in Otsego County.

November 1895

100 Years Ago

Automobile Increase – There are three automobile registration districts in New York of which Long Island and the lower counties of the state is one. Another is the Albany District which has 32 counties, two of which are Otsego and Delaware, and extending west to Onondaga. The third is the Buffalo district. In the past year there have been 134,135 pleasure cars licensed in the Albany district as compared with 114,049 in 1919. Of cars of all kinds there have been 160,031 licensed, an increase from 141,040 in 1919. The number of chauffeurs has increased by about four thousand and the number of dealers is 251 more in the district. It appears that the state is receiving a very substantial annual sum from owners of motor cars, most of which goes back to the counties in the maintenance of the highways.

November 1920

60 Years Ago

Bingo players in Otsego County put up $94,333 to win $73,585 in prizes. Seven organizations, licensed to conduct Bingo games netted $16,827 from their operations during the 12-month period ending September 30. The Holy Name Society of St. Mary’s Church in Oneonta did almost one-third of the Bingo business in the county during the period, netting $6,857 on gross receipts of 30,090. It returned $22,344 in prizes to players, and reported operating expenses of $889. Oneonta’s Lodge of Elks sponsored games which grossed $17,969 in receipts, from which it netted, $1,950 after passing out $15,392 in prizes and reporting operating expenses of $627. The Oneonta Lodge of Eagles had gross Bingo receipts of $13,194 and netted $2,788 after distributing prizes of $10,015 and listing $391 in expenses. The law permitting legal Bingo under local option went into effect on January 1, 1958.

November 1960

40 Years Ago

Four soloists, well-known to area audiences will appear with the Catskill Symphony Orchestra in its second concert of the season on Saturday, December 6 at 8 p.m. in the Hunt Union Ballroom at the State University College in Oneonta. The performance will be conducted by Charles Schneider. Soloists in the Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings by Benjamin Britten will be tenor William McDonald and Julia Hasbrouck Clay, principal horn player of the Symphony. Mr. McDonald will be joined by mezzo-soprano Laura Lay and bass Kenneth Bell for Felix Mendelssohn’s “Die Erste Walpurgisnacht,” a choral work which will be performed by the SUCO Concert Choir. Mrs. Clay has been a member of the Catskill Symphony since 1968. A native of North Carolina, she has studied at Stetson University, the University of Oklahoma, the Yale University Summer School of Music and Art and the Aspen Music Festival. William McDonald has sung frequently with New York City Opera and with opera companies in Houston, San Diego, Washington and San Francisco.

November 1980

20 Years Ago

The Kargyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism will be the topic of a presentation given by the Venerable Bardor Tulku Rinpoche of the Karma Triyana Dharmachakra in Woodstock on Thursday, November 30 at 7:30 p.m. in the Anderson Center for the Arts at Hartwick College. In addition to Hartwick College, sponsors of the Buddhism in the Catskills conference include the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Foreman Creative and Performing Arts Series, and the Upper Catskill Community Council of the Arts.
The Rev. Judith Quarles and the Rev. Bill Bouton will lead a service of remembrance for victims of gun violence, including suicide, accidents, domestic violence and crime. The service is sponsored by the Otsego County Organizing Chapter of the Million Mom March is scheduled for Thursday, November 30, from 4:30 to 5 p.m. at the Unitarian-Universalist Church at 12 Ford Avenue.

November 2000