May 2013 PDF - Big Springs Historical Society

The Big Springs Historical Society
Tennent House
May 2013
Volunteering With a “Leg Up”
In 1893, wealthy, but in poor health,
James Tennent returned to his family
connections and purchased an
attractive property on NW corner
of East Ave and Jersey St, Caledonia.
It was built of brick by Dugald E
Cameron of York township in 1873,
and boasted only the finest quality
lumber, brick, and hardware. The
estate included three acres to the
rear. The front was bordered with
maple trees, the grounds were
landscaped with shrubs, and the
front porch hosted a lovely wisteria
vine. Unfortunately, Cameron
Don Pullyblank, Paul Johnson, and Jim Phillips were able
to borrow the bucket truck from the Sickles Corporation
was able to enjoy the house for
to do some outside painting of the museum building. Had
only a few years, and it became a
Jim Sickles not lent his truck, the Big Springs Historical
rented property until purchased
Society would have had to contract a painting company
by Tennent. Tennent painted the
to do what the guys did. Thank you to Jim Sickles, Don,
brick walls and wooden trim in tan
Paul, and Jim for saving the Big Springs Historical Society
and brown. Small window panes
quite a bit of money!
were replaced with full-size sheets
of glass. Bathrooms were installed,
fed by a cistern with hand pump. The interior was
House,” it became the recreation center or club house
redecorated with wall paper, and John Borman and sons
for the village. To provide music, Tennent outfitted
were hired to false-grain the woodwork in imitation
local boys with fifes and drums, who were under the
maple and mahogany. Borman’s masterpiece was the
music direction of Charles Mosier. Behind the laundry
chandelier’s ceiling centerpiece in the dining room. It
was an icehouse and a greenhouse. The Wells brothers
had painted fruits and vegetables in their natural colors.
of Wheatland were hired to construct an arch barn. It
The mantel in the front parlor was of imported Italian
housed a Jersey cow, and Kentucky riding horse, and a
marble, though the mantels in the rest of the house
carriage horse, “Charlie.” To the rear of the greenhouse
were domestic stone. The floors were covered with
was an orchard, tennis court, croquet ground, and
wall-to-wall carpet. A small house was removed to the
vegetable and flower gardens. At various times there was
rear of the lot where it was converted into a laundry
a small golf course, baseball diamond, and a chicken
and gymnasium. Known locally as the “Tennent Wash
farm. A private well supplied the house with natural gas.
The house was destroyed at an unknown date after the
death of Belle in 1937.
Upcoming Events…
June 2, 2-4 pm.........The Importance of Honey Bees
See related story on page 7
A Note from the President Meg Donegan
Caledonia area has always been a part
of my life however, in 2005, I officially
became a resident along with my husband and our two boys.
My great-great grandfather, Philip
Keefe, left Ireland with his family during
the potato famine (sometime between
1845 and 1852) and settled in Mumford.
Later, two brothers from the Keefe family
married two sisters from the Rossiter
family, also from Mumford. In the 1880’s
Michael Keefe, my great-grandfather,
ran the general store in Mumford. This
building still stands with the original
deli case, and is currently a store called
Primitive Country Gifts.
Michael and Alice Rossiter Keefe had
two sons and five daughters. Their son
William Keefe was my grandfather. All
the Keefe siblings settled in the area.
My grandfather, William Keefe married
Mary Hynes and they raised their two
children in LeRoy. Their son William J
Keefe was my father, and he married a
city girl named Dolores Montalbano. My
childhood home was in Penfield, but we
made many trips to Caledonia to visit
cousins. My parents would tell a fabulous
story about one of their first dates that
involved cousins, the Iroquois Hotel, and
a marching band which, my mother may
have led around the Monument. Needless to say, visits with the cousins were
quite enjoyable.
I feel like I have come full circle, and
returned to the place where it all started.
My involvement with the Big Springs
Historical Society has made this circle
A Plea for Volunteers
Specifically we could use help in the following areas:
1) Seek out and apply for available money/grants for programs, displays,
installations, and building maintenance.
2) Maintain museum grounds/flowers/grass/shrubs/sidewalks
3) Pursue the idea of a “StoryCorps” project (see storycorps.org). This would
require someone who can basically take the idea from infancy through
fruition.
4) Pursue interactive exhibits - also would require someone who can take
from infancy through fruitition.
5) Volunteer on Tuesday nights for building maintenance and set-up/teardown of programs and installations.
6) Volunteer on Monday mornings for the continuing maintenance/documenting of our collection.
7) Write articles and put together newsletters and flyers.
8) Tell us what you can do and we’ll find a need you can fill!
We have accomplished so much in the past couple of years in so many areas
due to the continuous (and constant) devotion of our volunteer staff and our
curator. In the last year alone our upstairs has been almost completely renovated (it is awesome, by the way) by a very few (really, really super) good
men. We don’t want to (but probably already have) exhaust our volunteer
staff. So please consider joining us (so we can exhaust you too)!
Here’s a few ways you can contact us to let us know of your interest: Call
and leave a message at 538-9880. Come up to the museum on Monday morning between 9 and noon. Or talk to anyone on the museum board (see back of
newsletter).
complete. I have learned so much more
about this community. Many of you
reading this newsletter also have rich
family history in the Caledonia area. This
is our home, this is who we are. Caledonia is our story. Being a member of
the Board of Directors of the BSHS, and
making friends with these same people
has helped me to realize how important
our stories are.
My dear friend, Jean Guthrie, had a
goal to get “our” stories on record at the
BSHS. Jean hoped to record, on video and/or audio, people sharing their
own history of the Caledonia area. We
want to be the guardian of your stories
and your history. We want to get them
recorded. We want to add a voice to the
artifact, or the picture that you leave with
us. We are looking for someone to assist
us in getting these stories recorded. If
you have any experience in video and/
or audio recording, and would like to be
a part of carrying our stories to future
generations, we at the BSHS are asking
for your help.
I can tell you from my own experience, the BSHS has enriched my life with
knowledge and friendships. There are so
many ways to be involved, at whatever
level you choose. The conversations I
have had with people inspire me to work
towards achieving Jean’s wish. Tell us
your story, let’s get it recorded. I guarantee you will become even more fond of
this place we call our home.
The Michael T. Keene books Folklore
and Legends of Rochester and
Murder, Mayhem and Madness, are
available for purchase at the Big
Springs Museum.
Curator’s Corner…
A Treasure Found and A Treasure Donated
Those of you who are familiar with our collection have probably noticed our exhibit of Sam McCowen’s handmade chairs. Each chair is carved from one single piece of wood. Last summer a small
chair turned up at the museum’s garage sale. We looked closely at it and realized that it was one of
Sam’s chairs. Martha Cappotelli said it had been on her parent’s (Bob and Shirley Brown) mantel for
as long as she could remember. A Treasure found, and donated.
This winter we received a call from Hugh Outerson stating that he had a couple of things
he would like to donate to the museum. One was a scale from his grandfather’s store and the
other was the family’s milk box. Well, the Outersons just happened to live next door to Sam
McCowen. Sam had made the milk box for them. It has one of Mr. McCowen’s signature
symbols, a carved heart, on the front.
Our Q-Tip Ladies
We just love it when a story comes with the artifact. If you are not familiar with Sam’s
work please stop in and have a look. While you’re there be sure and check out the beautiful hand carved Heron’s head cane that Jim Nailos made and donated to the museum.
What talented people we have in this area!
This Spring we were fortunate to take advantage of a Technical Assistant Workshop offered by WNYAHA (Western
New York Association of Historical Agencies). This workshop
allowed Nona McQuay, from the History Center of Niagara
County, to visit our museum and teach the Monday Volunteers how to clean and exhibit our large basket collection.
Our Monday Volunteers are now being called the “Q-Tip
ladies.” The baskets are being gently vacuumed using a screen
and a vacuum cleaner fitted with a HEPA filter. The ladies
are using Q-Tips, and special soot removing sponges with
distilled water to finish the task. What a difference it makes!
All of the information on the baskets along with a picture will
be cataloged in our Past Perfect Museum software.
There are still plenty of baskets that need to be cleaned,
sooo, if you are interested in helping, we meet on Monday mornings from 9 until noon. Your help will be greatly appreciated.
This is a WWI era photo from our collection. Does anyone
recognize any of these fellows?
Thank you to the following organizations and individuals for their generous support...
• The The Town of Caledonia
• The Village of Caledonia
• Alhart Funeral Home
• Bakers Green Houses
• The Bank of Castile
• Caledonia Country Club
• Caledonia War Veterans Memorial, Inc.
• Copytown Enterprises
• Five Star Bank
• Padgett Business Services
• Sickles Corp.
• Staples of Geneseo
• Tompkins Insurance Agency
• TSS Foam Industries Corp.
• Wm. Hamilton & Sons, Inc.
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Employer Matching Funds
• Dell Direct Giving Campaign through Mary Ann Nailos
• Reit Management & Research, LLC through Alan Garrett
Donations Were Received in Honor of:
• Don Pullyblank (2012 Lion’s Club Citizen of the Year)
• Doris and Jim Rothrock (60th Wedding Anniversary and
Jim’s 80th Birthday)
Donations Were Received in Memory of:
• Helen Anderson
• Edith Williams Brown
• Jean Guthrie
• Ella McGinnis
• Timothy H. Pilch (Pat Garrett’s brother)
• Vonnie Pullyblank
• Annabelle Buckley Weber
and Special Thanks To…
• Pat and Alan Garrett for opening up again their home for
our summer garage sale. Location, location, location … It
was again very successful
• Jim Sickles of Sickles Corporation for the loan of a bucket
truck to keep Jim Phillips, Don Pullyblank, and Paul
Johnson safe while doing some outside building renovation work.
• Mel Keenan for the loan of a computer for several weeks
while Elke’s computer was in for repairs.
• Ken Embling for donating once again one of his handmade bird houses for our Hometown Holidays raffle.
• To our board members, former board members, volunteers, local businesses, and other generous community
members for the donation of raffle baskets, soup and groceries for the Hometown Holiday luncheon, and willingness to always step up to the plate when needed!
• Elke Phillips for the unpaid hours of excellent accounting
and record-keeping she does. She’s an assett to our museum, board, and community!!
In Memoriam
The following individuals are sadly missed by many. All
hold a special place in our history and in our hearts.
Rosemary Rychlicki
Barry Bickford
Thomas D. Spicer
Victoria D’Angelo
Pauline Stone
Jean Guthrie
Annabelle Buckley Weber
Carolyn Joy
Jo Weitzel
Timothy H. Pilch
Our Membership
Welcome New 2013 Members!
Jeremy & Sadie Carnes.......................Platinum
Nicole Docteur..................................Individual
Frank & Janice Grattan............................. Silver
Timothy & Sara Ingersoll......................... Silver
Colin & Sara MacKay.............................Family
Cynthia G. Nickerson...................... Platinum+
Mark Pullyblank................................Individual
Carol & John Taylor ............................... Senior
2012 Members:
Betty A. Ackerman.................................. Senior
Ellen Alhart................................................ Silver
Maureen Alhart...................................Platinum
Wally & Sandy Ancker............................Family
Floyd E. Anderson..................................Family
Ron Anderson...................................Individual
Tim Anderson...................................Individual
Cathy Angell................................... Individual+
Frank & Marion Antinore........................ Silver
David & Aileen Ayers................................ Gold
Dale J. Bailey......................................Individual
Eric & Jane Baker ...................................... Gold
Mary Ann Baker ..................................... Senior
Edith Baldeck........................................... Senior
Melanie Baldeck......................................... Gold
John & Judy Ball................................... Family+
Audrose Banks......................................... Senior
Jon & Elizabeth Barefoot.......................... Silver
Wendy C. Benedict................................... Silver
Eveline M. Bernard................................. Donor
Eileen Bickford........................................ Donor
Richard & Sharon Bickford....................Family
Ron & Bev Blazejewski...........................Family
Deborah Borra.........................................Family
Germaine L. Bostwick............................ Senior
Anne Brown............................................. Senior
Kathleen Brown.......................................Family
Robert A. Brown....................................... Silver
Nora & Brian Brunette........................... Senior
Patrick & E. Jane Burk............................Family
Amelia Burt........................................Individual
Mary Byam............................................... Senior
Cal. War Vet. Memorial, Inc..............Platinum
Mark & Veronica Callan..................... Family+
Tucker Callan.................................. Individual+
Barbara A. & Joseph A. Caluorie..........Family
Chris Cappotelli................................Individual
Martha Cappotelli...............................Platinum
Greg & Sharleen Carnes...................Individual
Jenell Carnes.............................................. Silver
Sue Carson...............................................Family
Mary T. Cesarano.................................... Senior
Cliff & Barb Chapman............................Family
June P. Clary............................................. Senior
Stephen Clary....................................Individual
Greg & Valerie Connor..........................Family
Peter A. Coppini...................................... Senior
Cheryl R. Corsi........................................ Senior
Ruth Coyle............................................... Senior
Ernest E. Cripps...................................... Senior
C. Joan Crunden.....................................Family
Mary V. Cullinan..................................... Senior
Donald J. Cunningham.......................... Senior
Nancy Daley............................................... Silver
Regina R. Skelly & Fredric D. Daniell.... Silver
Debbie Davis......................................Individual
Stacie Stone Davis.............................Individual
Paul & Terry Day, Jr................................Family
Diane W. de Roos.................................... Senior
William & Elaine Dearcop....................... Silver
Jeffrey & Susan Deragon....................Platinum
Dominic Diliberto.................................... Silver
Evan Diliberto........................................... Silver
Zach Diliberto........................................... Silver
Samuel L. Diliberto, Jr............................ Donor
David V. Dinolfo.....................................Family
Tom & Loretta Dintruff......................Platinum
Martha Dolan....................................Individual
Jim & Anne Dollard................................ Senior
Colleen & Patrick Donegan...............Platinum
Kathleen Donegan.................................. Senior
Terry & Meg Donegan............................Family
Ruth Doolittle.......................................... Senior
Carol A. Downey..................................... Senior
James & Victoria Dutton........................Family
Wendy & David Ebersole.......................Family
Joyce & David Eichenberger..................Family
Joseph & Gerry Emery........................... Senior
Bob & Sally Estes.....................................Family
Kenneth & Betty Estes............................Family
Kathy & Matt Fairbrother..................Platinum
Elizabeth Fili............................................ Senior
Dick Fisher................................................. Silver
Thomas J. Fitzgibbon..........................Platinum
Larry & Janet Flynn.................................. Silver
David L. Franke....................................... Senior
Robert S. Fraser.......................................... Gold
Mr. & Mrs. James M. Freeman................ Silver
Barry A. Ganzhorn, Sr............................ Senior
Mrs. Helen Gardner................................ Senior
Alan & Pat Garrett.................................... Silver
Betty Geer................................................ Senior
Meg & Kevin Geer..................................Family
Betsy Gilbert.............................................. Silver
Catherine Gilbert.................................... Senior
George G. Gleason III............................... Silver
Robert Goodwin..................................... Senior
Margaret B. Grant................................... Senior
Dorothy Grant-Fletcher......................... Senior
Robert & Evelyn Grattan........................Family
Holly Gravino....................................Individual
Kathleen & Roger L. Gray......................Family
Donald E. Griffin...............................Individual
Vickie P. Gross......................................... Senior
Elizabeth K. Guthrie.........................Individual
Marian Guthrie....................................Platinum
John Hamilton................................ Individual+
Tom & Mary C. Hamilton......................Family
Jane Hanna...............................................Family
Madelyn Harmon................................Platinum
Karen P. Harris........................................ Senior
Gretchen & Gary Hartford...................... Silver
Kathy & Charlie Hartness......................Family
Scott & Joan Harvey...........................Platinum
Robert & Patricia Hassett....................... Senior
Jim & Anne Heffer..................................Family
Gordon F. Henry..................................... Senior
James D. Henry......................................Senior+
Elaine Herman......................................... Senior
Dr. & Mrs. Gary Heuer...........................Family
Shannon S. Hickey............................Individual
Sally M. Hilliard..................................Platinum
Bonnie Howlett.....................................Senior+
Gail Hyde................................................. Senior
James E. Jackson........................................ Silver
Paul & Vineta Johnson...........................Family
V. Craig & Patricia A. Johnson....... Platinum+
Bud Kelly & Nancy Jones.......................Family
Laurel M. Jones..................................Individual
Marjorie A. Jones.............................Benefactor
Charles Joy............................................... Senior
Larry & Lisa Kaminski Family..............Family
Daniel & Barbara Keenan......................Family
Elizabeth Keenan.................................... Senior
Gladys Keenan......................................... Senior
John & Pat Keenan..................................Family
Martha & Mel Keenan............................Family
Mark & Rene Kelly..............................Platinum
Michael & Kathy Jo Kemnitz.................Family
Jon & Julia King....................................... Senior
Maureen Kingston.................................. Senior
Mary K. & Matthew P. Klucznik.... Platinum+
Alice Kohl................................................. Senior
The Kruchten Family..............................Family
Hazeltine Ladd........................................ Senior
Dolores Lathan........................................ Senior
Jim & Grace Layland................................. Silver
Maureen & Steve Leupold..................Platinum
Gwendoline E. Lidstone......................... Senior
Karl E. Limner......................................... Senior
Harold & Kathleen Litteer.....................Family
Paul F. & Barbara Lofgren......................Family
Roger & Gladys Ludlum.........................Family
Fred & Donna Maas................................ Senior
Patricia MacIntyre..................................... Silver
Aileen MacKay........................................ Senior
Jean Hennessey & Tony Macula............Family
Don & Jeanne Manley............................ Senior
Floyd & Sandra Manley.......................... Senior
Marie C. Manley...................................... Senior
James & Molly Manning........................Family
Donald & Karen Marble......................... Senior
Barbara W. Martin..................................Family
Shannon Martin................................Individual
Carol Matthews......................................... Silver
Anne Marie Mattice............................. Family+
Barbara Mattice....................................... Senior
Betty McClenney..................................... Senior
Dolores M. McCombs............................ Senior
Lorie McCreedy......................................... Silver
Margaret & Abby McEwen.............Benefactor
Bill & Mary Ann McGinnis...................Family
Robert J. McGinnis...............................Senior+
Frank & Betty McGlasson........................ Silver
Robert E. McGrath, Jr...........................Senior+
Wallace D. McQuaig................................. Silver
Bill & Karen McQuilkin.........................Family
Malcome & Barbara McVean................ Senior
Maxine Micheaux.................................... Senior
Jack Miller................................................ Senior
Joan F. Mitchell........................................ Senior
Robert & Julie Molisani.......................... Donor
Mike & Darcy Monacelli........................Family
Brenda & Tony Montalbano..................Family
Mary E. Mooney...................................... Senior
Frances A. Morey..............................Individual
William B. Muchmore............................ Senior
Michael & Kristin Murphy....................Family
Jim & Peggy Nailos................................. Senior
Mary Ann Nailos........................... Benefactor+
Brenda & James Nelson............................ Silver
Edna Nichols............................................ Senior
Michael J. Nichols...................................Family
Samantha & Shane Nickerson.................. Gold
Thomas E. & Polly Nothnagle................. Silver
Tim & Bernie Nothnagle........................Family
David & Carol Nusbickel......................... Silver
Maureen Freeman O’Brien........... Individual+
Aneta B. Ochs.......................................... Senior
Helen O’Donoghue................................. Senior
James & Carole O’Donoghue................Family
Carl & Judy Offen....................................Family
The Rev. & Mrs. H. Outterson...............Family
Padgett Business Services......................... Silver
Dan & Roxanne Pangrazio....................Family
Kitty & Fran Parnell............................. Family+
Mr. & Mrs. Philip Parr..................... Platinum+
Diane & Tom Pawlik...............................Family
Nancy Emens Peckham....................Individual
Rich & Judy Pettersen............................... Silver
Jim & Elke Phillips...........................Benefactor
Bob & Kathy Plum..............................Platinum
Tom & Robin Price................................... Silver
Bob & Betty Jane Pullyblank................. Senior
Donald E. Pullyblank.............................. Senior
Casey & Maureen Randall.....................Family
John & Kathy Raymond.........................Family
Paul & Danis Raymond..........................Family
Cheryl Raymus........................................ Senior
Janet E. Reed............................................Family
David R. Reeves.......................................Family
Maureen Reeves........................................ Silver
Mary & Andy Reid.................................. Senior
Bill Reinagel............................................. Senior
Nancy Reinert..........................................Family
Jackie Ridley............................................. Senior
Dixon & Helena Robin...........................Family
Joan & Charles Robinson......................... Silver
Anne Rodgers..........................................Family
Allen & Patricia Roggen.........................Family
Margaret Roll...........................................Family
MIchael A. Romano.................................. Silver
Lou & Karen Root...................................Family
James & Doris Rothrock........................Silver+
Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Rountree.................Family
Jack Rowlinson.......................................... Silver
Mrs. E. Rubenstein.................................. Senior
Mari Runfola......................................Individual
Joe & Pam Rychlicki...............................Family
Stanley E. Rychlicki................................. Senior
Joyce S. Sackett........................................ Senior
Ray & Laurie Sattora...............................Family
Charlene Sayers.................................Individual
Mary A. Schirmer...............................Platinum
Helen & Paul Schrier....................... Platinum+
Craig & Nancy Schroth..........................Family
Joan M. Schumaker................................. Senior
Laurence & Judith Schweichler.............Family
Carolyn L. Scott....................................... Senior
Aaron Shafer......................................Individual
Tom & Phyllis Shaughnessy................... Senior
George & Kathryn Shaw.......................... Silver
Robert J. Sheffer.......................................Family
Alan & Laurelie Sickles...........................Family
Harold & Mary Sickles........................... Senior
Mr. & Mrs. Robert F. Sickles.................... Silver
Sickles Corp............................................... Silver
Tom & Carole Sims.............................Platinum
John F. & Cathy S. Skivington................. Silver
Nancy Skivington.................................... Senior
Maria W. Slack......................................... Senior
Augustus & Diana Slocum..................... Senior
Frances & William Smith.......................Family
Joan & Kathy Smith................................Family
Silas W. Smith, Jr.................................Platinum
Joe & Lyn Somers.................................... Senior
Sue & Steve Spencer................................Family
Elaine Spicer......................................Individual
Thomas E. & Karen H. Stalica...........Platinum
Phyllis Stanewitz...................................... Senior
Connie Steedman.................................... Senior
Blanche & Paul E. Stein............................ Silver
Kathleen K. & Keith F. Stein..................Family
Eileen Stettinius....................................... Senior
Mr. & Mrs. William Stoddart.................Gold+
David Stone.............................................. Senior
Gerald Sullivan..................................Individual
Mary Alice Sullivan...........................Individual
Sean Sullivan........................................Platinum
Bruce & Judy Szczech.........................Platinum
Barbara & Doug Taggart........................Family
James R. Taylor........................................ Senior
Margaret L. Taylor................................... Senior
Dick & Margaret Thomas.......................... Gold
John Thomas......................................Individual
Mary Thomas.....................................Individual
The Dick Thomas Family.......................Family
Helen Tiberio...........................................Family
TJ & Kim Torre........................................Family
Mara L. Trojanski..............................Individual
Teresa M. Truman................................... Senior
Thomas & Suzanne Ulatowski............... Senior
Jackie Guthrie Van Allen..................Individual
Eileen Vogt................................................. Silver
Jim & Jean Vokes.....................................Family
Rose Volkman.......................................... Senior
Lois Waldron............................................. Silver
Dianne & Jerry Walter.............................. Silver
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph W. Ward, III............Family
Paul & Cindy Webster............................Family
Randall & Deborah Webster.................. Donor
Robert L. Weitzel.................................Platinum
Laura Westfall/Alan Mack.....................Family
Patricia Whiteside................................... Senior
Marybeth & Michael Whiting................. Silver
Elizabeth Wilcox...............................Individual
Richard & Joanne Wilkins..................... Senior
Mrs. Charles F. Willard...........................Family
Lewis & Ida Wilson.................................Family
Wm. Hamilton & Son, Inc....................... Silver
Susan & James Wood..............................Family
Terrance J. Yount....................................... Silver
Honorary Members
Anne W. Ackerson
Betty Denoon
Linda Norris
Mary Ellen Perry
Sally Santora
Where in the US do Big Springs Members live?
• The Big Springs Historical Society has members in many states - Alaska,
Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
• In the State of New York members reside in Akron, Avon, Caledonia,
Batavia, Bergen, Churchville, Dalton, Fairport, Geneseo, Hamlin, Henrietta, Honeoye Falls, Lakeville, LeRoy, Lima, Linwood, Livonia, Mumford,
North Chili, Penfield, Piffard, Pittsford, Rochester, Rush, Scottsville, Stafford, Syracuse, West Henrietta, and York.
• Many of the members living out-of-state and out-of-town have roots in
the Caledonia/Mumford area. Their membership in the Big Springs Historical Society is a fine testament that loyalties to their roots run deep.
Growing Up in Beulah
David and Mary Tennent emigrated
Beulah school she attended Ingham
ternoon. Duncan W’s daughter eloped
from Scotland in 1850. After initially
University, Brockport Normal School
with the hired hand, much to the
living in Avon and Eagle, Wyoming
, and a business school in Oswego. For distress of the father. Belle Brodie and
Co., the family settled in the Scottish
twenty years she was employed in the
her friends sat in the Tennent parlor
hamlet of Beulah in western Wheatoffice of a Philadelphia firm. In her
every Sunday morning and gossiped
land. The Presbyterian Church and the spare time she learned French, Gerand smoked clay pipes. A young,
one-room school were the social and
man, and Italian, and was able to read
lithe woman teacher was treated with
intellectual centers of the community.
Gaelic, the language of her forbearers.
disrespect by a husky boy. She threw
David was the
him to the floor,
town blacksmith,
knocking over the
This fascinating 138 page booklet, researched and
which was the
stove pipe, and
only enterprise
choked him until
put together by Phillip and Patricia Parr, can be
except farming.
he gave-up and
purchased at the Museum for $15.
To adults and
apologized. Jim
children it was an
Tennent walked
idyllic existence,
to Bergen to see
one usually encountered only in novels When James returned to Caledonia
the Dan Rice Circus. He had a good
of the period.
in 1893, he convinced Margaret to
time, but was conned out of some of
return
also,
and
gave
her
positions
of
his money. Simon McPherson was
The Tennents had nine children, and
responsibility
in
several
of
his
compaclerking in a local story when a young,
other families were equally as large.
nies.
As
a
girl
in
Beulah
Margaret
was
busty girl requested a corset, Neither of
As a result the church was always full
interested in poetry, which became a
them knew how to take the measureon Sunday, and the tiny school often
lifetime
avocation.
Upon
establishing
ment, so Simon measured her chest
boasted sixty scholars.
herself in Caledonia she became the
instead of her waist, and as a result she
The most prominent of the Tennent
acknowledged poet laureate of the viwas given an article much too large.
children were James Corbett (1852–
cinity, and there was nary an occasion
Fortunately, James’s recollections
1916) and Margaret Shearer (1860–
which was not ornamented with one
have
been recovered from Caledonia
1934). James left home as a teenager
of her verses. She also published three
ERA
microfilms in the archives of the
for the Pennsylvania oil fields, where
long poems celebrating the area. About Livingston County Historian’s office.
after several reverses, he made the asthe time James published his Beulah
Forty-four of Margaret’s stories have
tonishing fortune of $1M. He returned
recollections, Margaret authored her
been located in the archives of the Big
home in 1893 and bought the best
own essays about her Beulah childSprings Historical Society. All fifhome in Caledonia village. He soon
hood. They were apparently circulated ty-three have been retyped and bound
was engaged in spending his money
among friends and family, but not
together with four pages of photofor the benefit of the community. He
published as the stories were often tart, graphs and a Tennent family tree. The
drilled natural gas wells, helped estaband critical of local characters.
138 page booklet can be purchased
lish the village water system, started
Taken
together,
the
stories
give
an
at the Museum for $15. The Museum
the Caledonia National Bank; built the
unexcelled
view
of
rural
living
in
the
is beginning a program to publish
Tennent Block building, and spon1860s and 1870s. By turns they are
stories of local interest based on their
sored a volunteer fire department. He
funny,
poignant,
sad,
and
exciting.
archives, and the reminiscences of
founded a chemical company, cement
There
is
the
husking
bee
where
the
Donald McKenzie of York, the McKay
plant, and marl and lime company.
boys “con” the girls with a red ear,
family, and the mills of Donald McKFinally, he created Tennent Park, and
and
collect
more
kisses
than
they
enzie and Oliver Allen of Mumford,
gave it to the school. At the end of his
are
entitled
to
receive.
Mr
Faulkner
are currently available.
life, in poor health and blind, he wrote
re-married only three months after
a small book about his adventures in
his wife died, and the Presbyterians
the oil fields, “The Oil Scouts.” At the
were so annoyed by this lack of respect
same time he wrote nine articles for
they gave the couple a terrible “hornthe Caledonia ERA newspaper, which
ing.” “Uncle Billy” McArthur was not
recounted his escapades as a boy in
a church member, and held athletic
Beulah. They were published in 1914.
contests at his farm every Sunday afAfter Margaret graduated from the
Big Springs Historical Society & Museum
P.O. Box 41
Caledonia, NY 14423
Officers
President................. Meg Donegan (2007)
Vice-President........ .Donald Griffin (2007)
Treasurer................. Judy Szczech (2011)
Secretary................. Anne Marie Mattice (2012)
Board of Trustees
Sean Sullivan (2006), Rene Kelly (2010), Diane Pawlik (2011), Mary Thomas (2012), Sue Deragon (2013),
Kathy Fairbrother (2013), Janice Grattan (2013), and Nicole Docteur (2013)
Welcome to
Sadie Carnes
Sadie Carnes has taken the position of Senior Docent following the
retirement of Lois Waldron at the
end of October 2012
Lois worked as Sunday Docent
since 2005, replacing Betty DeNoon. We are grateful to Lois for
her loyal and dependable service.
She hopes to continue to help out at
the museum whenever possible.
The board, staff, volunteers, and
members of the Big Springs Historical Society welcome Sadie to
our staff. You may already know
her from the Caledonia Library,
where she worked until the birth of
her son Torrin. Please come in and
meet her if you haven’t! She will
be at the museum on most Sunday
afternoons from 1 to 4pm.
There were three baseball diamonds in the area, one at the fish hatchery, one
on Oatka trail (Dow property), and one in Tennent Park.
There was a pond behind and to the west of the school, which had been used
as a skating rink in winter. However in 1898 the State, which owned the property, had it drained, leaving an unsightly weedy patch. Tennent bought the parcel,
cleared it, and made a small park with handsome trees and fine springs. He
added play equipment, a wading pool, and a log dressing room cabin. The park
also included a ball diamond, one of the finest in the county, and often used by
neighboring clubs. He then gave it all to the school. The first baseball game in the
new park was on Memorial day 1902; Caledonia seniors beat Scottsville 24 to 3,
and Caledonia Juniors beat Le Roy 31 to 3. Andy Tennent was umpire.
~ researched and written by Phil Parr