The Big Springs Historical Society May 2013

Volunteering With a “Leg Up”

Don Pullyblank, Paul Johnson, and Jim Phillips were able to borrow the bucket truck from the Sickles Corporation to do some outside painting of the museum building. Had Jim Sickles not lent his truck, the Big Springs Historical Society would have had to contract a painting company to do what the guys did. Thank you to Jim Sickles, Don, Paul, and Jim for saving the Big Springs Historical Society quite a bit of money!

Tennent HouseIn 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 was able to enjoy the house for only a few years, and it became a rented property until purchased by Tennent. Tennent painted the brick walls and wooden trim in tan and brown. Small window panes were replaced with full-size sheets of glass. Bathrooms were installed, fed by a cistern with hand pump. The interior was redecorated with wall paper, and John Borman and sons were hired to false-grain the woodwork in imitation maple and mahogany. Borman’s masterpiece was the chandelier’s ceiling centerpiece in the dining room. It had painted fruits and vegetables in their natural colors. The mantel in the front parlor was of imported Italian marble, though the mantels in the rest of the house were domestic stone. The floors were covered with wall-to-wall carpet. A small house was removed to the rear of the lot where it was converted into a laundry and gymnasium. Known locally as the “Tennent Wash

House,” it became the recreation center or club house for the village. To provide music, Tennent outfitted local boys with fifes and drums, who were under the music direction of Charles Mosier. Behind the laundry was an icehouse and a greenhouse. The Wells brothers of Wheatland were hired to construct an arch barn. It housed a Jersey cow, and Kentucky riding horse, and a carriage horse, “Charlie.” To the rear of the greenhouse was an orchard, tennis court, croquet ground, and vegetable and flower gardens. At various times there was a small golf course, baseball diamond, and a chicken 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 hus-band 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. Need-less 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

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/sidewalks3) 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/tear-down of programs and installations.

6) Volunteer on Monday mornings for the continuing maintenance/docu-menting 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 ren-ovated (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 morn-ing between 9 and noon. Or talk to anyone on the museum board (see back of newsletter).

A Plea for Volunteers

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. Cale-donia 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 vid-eo 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 experi-ence, 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 guaran-tee 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.

A Treasure Found and A Treasure Donated Those of you who are familiar with our collection have probably noticed our exhibit of Sam Mc-

Cowen’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.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 beau-tiful hand carved Heron’s head cane that Jim Nailos made and donated to the museum. What talented people we have in this area!

Our Q-Tip LadiesThis Spring we were fortunate to take advantage of a Tech-

nical 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 Volun-teers 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 morn-ings from 9 until noon. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

Curator’s Corner…

This is a WWI era photo from our collection. Does anyone recognize any of these fellows?

•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.•CopytownEnterprises•Five Star Bank•Padgett Business Services•Sickles Corp.•Staples of Geneseo•Tompkins Insurance Agency •TSS Foam Industries Corp.•Wm. Hamilton & Sons, Inc.

Thank you to the following organizations and individuals for their generous support...

Employer Matching Funds•DellDirectGivingCampaignthrough Mary Ann Nailos•ReitManagement&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…•PatandAlanGarrettforopeningupagaintheirhomefor

our summer garage sale. Location, location, location … It was again very successful

• JimSicklesofSicklesCorporationfortheloanofabuckettruck to keep Jim Phillips, Don Pullyblank, and Paul Johnson safe while doing some outside building renova-tion work.

•MelKeenanfortheloanofacomputerforseveralweekswhile Elke’s computer was in for repairs.

•KenEmblingfordonatingonceagainoneofhishand-made bird houses for our Hometown Holidays raffle.

•Toourboardmembers,formerboardmembers,volun-teers, local businesses, and other generous community members for the donation of raffle baskets, soup and gro-ceries for the Hometown Holiday luncheon, and willing-ness to always step up to the plate when needed!

•ElkePhillipsfortheunpaidhoursofexcellentaccountingand record-keeping she does. She’s an assett to our muse-um, board, and community!!

In MemoriamThe following individuals are sadly missed by many. All hold a special place in our history and in our hearts.Barry BickfordVictoria D’AngeloJean GuthrieCarolyn JoyTimothy H. Pilch

A Mighty LeaderMost of the Caledonia-Mumford community was

acquainted with Jean Guthrie in some fashion. She was

born and raised in Mumford, Her dad farmed his land

on Guthrie Rd. and was a Wheatland town supervisor for

many years. Her mom taught Kindergarten. Jean went

to school here, she came back after college and moved

onto her parents land with her husband Sean Sullivan (a

Caledonian). Together they raised two amazing sons and

countless animals. Jean was smart, and fun, and funny, and

kind, and very, very hard working. She was on the board

of the Mumford Cemetary Association, and was a lifetime

member of the United Presbyterian Church in Mumford.

She was the driving force behind the renaissance of the Big

Springs Historical Society and Museum. Jean served as

President of the board for many years and worked countless

unpaid hours each week (on top of her job and struggling

with her health) to write grants, create exhibits, identify

objects, learn how to properly care for our collection, and

make sure we were good conservators of our building and

grounds.

Jean was a true artist. She saw and felt the beauty in the

living earth. Her passion for life, and finding the truth in

it, was unequaled. She did not suffer fools gladly. Realizing

at an early age that life was just this moment in time, she

strove to make a positive impact on this world and she

succeeded brilliantly. She left us her footprints and her

blueprints. Always looking ahead but very cognizant and

grateful for paths that others forged before her.

Rosemary RychlickiThomas D. SpicerPauline StoneAnnabelle Buckley WeberJo Weitzel

Welcome New 2013 Members! Jeremy & Sadie Carnes ......................Platinum Nicole Docteur .................................Individual Frank & Janice Grattan ............................ SilverTimothy & 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+

Our Membership

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 MembersAnne W. AckersonBetty DenoonLinda NorrisMary Ellen Perry Sally Santora

Where in the US do Big Springs Members live?•TheBigSpringsHistoricalSocietyhasmembersinmanystates-Alaska,

Alabama, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Minnesota, Mon-tana, North Dakota, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.

• IntheStateofNewYorkmembersresideinAkron,Avon,Caledonia,Batavia, Bergen, Churchville, Dalton, Fairport, Geneseo, Hamlin, Henri-etta, Honeoye Falls, Lakeville, LeRoy, Lima, Linwood, Livonia, Mumford, North Chili, Penfield, Piffard, Pittsford, Rochester, Rush, Scottsville, Staf-ford, Syracuse, West Henrietta, and York.

• Manyofthememberslivingout-of-stateandout-of-townhaverootsinthe Caledonia/Mumford area. Their membership in the Big Springs His-torical Society is a fine testament that loyalties to their roots run deep.

Growing Up in BeulahDavid and Mary Tennent emigrated

from Scotland in 1850. After initially living in Avon and Eagle, Wyoming Co., the family settled in the Scottish hamlet of Beulah in western Wheat-land. The Presbyterian Church and the one-room school were the social and intellectual centers of the community. David was the town blacksmith, which was the only enterprise except farming. To adults and children it was an idyllic existence, one usually encountered only in novels of the period.

The Tennents had nine children, and other families were equally as large. As a result the church was always full on Sunday, and the tiny school often boasted sixty scholars.

The most prominent of the Tennent children were James Corbett (1852–1916) and Margaret Shearer (1860–1934). James left home as a teenager for the Pennsylvania oil fields, where after several reverses, he made the as-tonishing fortune of $1M. He returned home in 1893 and bought the best home in Caledonia village. He soon was engaged in spending his money for the benefit of the community. He drilled natural gas wells, helped estab-lish the village water system, started the Caledonia National Bank; built the Tennent Block building, and spon-sored a volunteer fire department. He founded a chemical company, cement plant, and marl and lime company. Finally, he created Tennent Park, and gave it to the school. At the end of his life, in poor health and blind, he wrote a small book about his adventures in the oil fields, “The Oil Scouts.” At the same time he wrote nine articles for the Caledonia ERA newspaper, which recounted his escapades as a boy in Beulah. They were published in 1914.

After Margaret graduated from the

Beulah school she attended Ingham University, Brockport Normal School , and a business school in Oswego. For twenty years she was employed in the office of a Philadelphia firm. In her spare time she learned French, Ger-man, and Italian, and was able to read Gaelic, the language of her forbearers.

When James returned to Caledonia in 1893, he convinced Margaret to return also, and gave her positions of responsibility in several of his compa-nies. As a girl in Beulah Margaret was interested in poetry, which became a lifetime avocation. Upon establishing herself in Caledonia she became the acknowledged poet laureate of the vi-cinity, and there was nary an occasion which was not ornamented with one of her verses. She also published three long poems celebrating the area. About the time James published his Beulah recollections, Margaret authored her own essays about her Beulah child-hood. They were apparently circulated among friends and family, but not published as the stories were often tart, and critical of local characters.

Taken together, the stories give an unexcelled view of rural living in the 1860s and 1870s. By turns they are funny, poignant, sad, and exciting. There is the husking bee where the boys “con” the girls with a red ear, and collect more kisses than they are entitled to receive. Mr Faulkner re-married only three months after his wife died, and the Presbyterians were so annoyed by this lack of respect they gave the couple a terrible “horn-ing.” “Uncle Billy” McArthur was not a church member, and held athletic contests at his farm every Sunday af-

ternoon. Duncan W’s daughter eloped with the hired hand, much to the distress of the father. Belle Brodie and her friends sat in the Tennent parlor every Sunday morning and gossiped and smoked clay pipes. A young, lithe woman teacher was treated with disrespect by a husky boy. She threw

him to the floor, knocking over the stove pipe, and choked him until he gave-up and apologized. Jim Tennent walked to Bergen to see

the Dan Rice Circus. He had a good time, but was conned out of some of his money. Simon McPherson was clerking in a local story when a young, busty girl requested a corset, Neither of them knew how to take the measure-ment, so Simon measured her chest instead of her waist, and as a result she was given an article much too large.

Fortunately, James’s recollections have been recovered from Caledonia ERA microfilms in the archives of the Livingston County Historian’s office. Forty-four of Margaret’s stories have been located in the archives of the Big Springs Historical Society. All fif-ty-three have been retyped and bound together with four pages of photo-graphs and a Tennent family tree. The 138 page booklet can be purchased at the Museum for $15. The Museum is beginning a program to publish stories of local interest based on their archives, and the reminiscences of Donald McKenzie of York, the McKay family, and the mills of Donald McK-enzie and Oliver Allen of Mumford, are currently available.

This fascinating 138 page booklet, researched and put together by Phillip and Patricia Parr, can be purchased at the Museum for $15.

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)

Big Springs Historical Society & MuseumP.O. Box 41Caledonia, NY 14423

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 proper-ty, 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

Welcome to Sadie Carnes

Sadie Carnes has taken the posi-tion of Senior Docent following the retirement of Lois Waldron at the end of October 2012

Lois worked as Sunday Docent since 2005, replacing Betty De-Noon. 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 His-torical 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.