HOMETOWN HISTORY

May 20, 2021

Compiled by Tom Heitz/SHARON STUART, with resources
courtesy of The Fenimore Art Museum Research Library

135 Years Ago

Home & Vicinity – A few days since a hard-looking character came to Oneonta, claiming to be a bricklayer. He told an acquaintance that he had fled from Chicago during the recent trouble after hitting a policeman on the head with a club. His description tallied with that of one of the escaped anarchists, and as he professed to be a socialist, Officer Seeger telegraphed the fact of his presence here to the Chicago chief of police. Reply came that a photograph of the man wanted had been forwarded. A search for him revealed that he had suddenly left town. No one knows where to.

May 1886

110 Years Ago

The new Methodist Church at Emmons, which for several months has been under construction, was completed early in May. On Sunday last, the formal dedication services were held. The Rev. O.L. Severson, D.D., district superintendent, delivered the sermon at the Sunday morning service. Prior to the morning sermon, Mrs. Estella D. Cole read an interesting sketch of the church history. Services had, for several years, been held in the Emmons schoolhouse, and on May 20, 1910, the decision to form a permanent church organization was made. On June 12, it was decided to erect a church building and A.J. Sickler, B.L. Platt and A.W. Winnie were appointed to a building committee. D.C. Haynes and Mrs. Varrilla Osterthout were appointed a committee to solicit funds. On July 25, a meeting was held and the society incorporated under the name of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Emmons. Ground was broken for the edifice on October 14, 1910. Treasurer Platt reported that the entire cost of the building was $2,300. The sum of $580 which was left owing was raised, leaving the new church free of debt.

May 1911

90 Years Ago

Nine state tramps were sentenced to the Onondaga County penitentiary at Jamesville Monday morning for terms of 20 days each by Judge Frank C. Huntington at a session of Oneonta City Court in the municipal building. Those sentenced were John Conrad, 24 years old, of Crescent, Pa.; Cyril Bradley, 25, York, Pa.; Charles Moore, 40, Johnstown, Pa.; Floyd Mayl, 21, West Chazy; Arthur Rodak, 19, Dickson City, Pa.; John Frank, 18, Long Island; Joe Algernon, 21, New York City, Fred Merrill, 29, Providence, R.I.; and Frank Buza, 24, Kingston, Pa. Thomas Friehl, 34, of Wilkes-Barre, Pa. was given a suspended sentence after stating that he was on his way to a veterans’ hospital for medical treatment. (Ed, Note: The Great Depression of the early 1930s turned many otherwise respectable young men into “tramps” or “vagrants” seeking employment anywhere it could be found),

May 1931

50 Years Ago

Nine older teens from three 4-H clubs recently completed a unit on Italian cookery by serving an Italian meal prepared for five guests. The girls studied Italian cookery to learn about Italian eating habits and customs. The unit was taught by Mrs. Virginia Shaw, 4-H agent. The first lesson covered Italian cheeses, homemade noodles, sauces and salads. At the second lesson the students prepared bread sticks cornmeal and sausage, sweet and sour carrots and cream puffs. At the third meeting the girls served an authentic meal to a party that included Mrs. Shaw, Mrs. Vera Groves, Mr. and Mrs. Eli Baird, and Mrs. Florence Delameter. Girls participating were Joan Lynch and Sandy Smith of the Junior Beavers; Carrie Woodcock, Penny Groves, Mary Laboda,
Pattie Colburn, Jane Baird and Shirley Haher of the Tabletoppers and Linda Delameter of the Chestnut Chipmunks.

May 1971

40 Years Ago

Oneonta Police Chief Joseph DeSalvatore says that the city has been unusually quiet this spring and he credits the peacefulness in part to the city noise ordinance. Last fall, after a series of complaints by irate citizens about raucous parties, the Common Council strengthened the ordinance to make party organizers as well as property owners responsible for excess noise. Last year 13 people were charged with noise violations and in 1979, nine people were charged under the old law. DeSalvatore did recall one noisy party this spring up on State Street. Other than that, “It’s been very, very good.”

May 1981

20 Years Ago

A half-mile-long section of the Oneonta Susquehanna Greenway has been completed in time for Memorial Day and the General Clinton Canoe Regatta. The trail, on city-owned land, was created by volunteers working in the evenings and on weekends to clear an eight-foot wide path through brush, undergrowth and woods adjoining the river. The path was then covered with mulch.

May 2001