Allegany Area Historical Association

May 2020 w w w . allegany.o r g Issue XXXIV Vol. 2 PRESIDENT’S REPORT What a winter we had. Blizzard conditions one day and 50 degree weather 3 days later. And we were on this type of roller coaster all winter long. The local ski areas worked hard for the skiing days they got – made snow as much as possible to cover the rainy days. It sure will be good to see the spring flowers.

Little did I know when I wrote the above paragraph that the spring flowers would also bring the Coronavirus pandemic! It sure has turned our world upside down! As you all know, everything has closed except for the essential businesses such as groceries and pharmacies. Self-quarantine is the order of the day. We are a social people so this is hard to do, but many imaginative solutions have been found, like standing in front of your house at a certain hour and talking with your neighbors, at a very safe distance of course. I know many houses will be a lot cleaner when this is finally over. And jig-saw puzzles are in short supply. But many museums and cultural attractions have now gone online and offering free tours of their facilities. Teachers are teaching from home. A sad note is that all the seniors will miss the fun of graduation. It is heart-warming to read all the stories of people helping out in any way possible, such as sewing face masks, which are in short supply. The old saying applies – when the going gets tough, the tough get going. We will get through this together – stay home, stay safe.

Because of the Coronavirus, we have cancelled our May meeting, which was to be on May 17th. Our next meeting will not be until September.

I live about three miles north of the Allegheny River. One day this winter I looked out my window and saw a bald eagle perched in a tree over the Five Mile Creek, looking for dinner. I see eagles all the time along the river but had never seen one this far from the river. Quite a sight. Apparently other people have occasionally seen them in this area – I’ll have to keep my eyes open.

As mentioned in a previous newsletter, The Heritage Center is only going to be open on the third Wednesday of each month, as so many people now do their research online. We are always looking for new volunteers to help us then. If you are interested, please let us know which month you would be interested in working and contact us at [email protected]. We open for the season in May and run through September. But due to the Coronavirus, we are postponing our opening until the third Wednesday of June.

Be sure to check our Facebook page at Allegany Area Historical Association for updates.

Francie Potter, President Page 

Oral history done by Wes Martin with Dave Barton of Allegany on Jan. 29, 2018 PART TWO Allegany had changed some while he was gone, but what he missed most were the friends from high school. They too had moved on, to college, work, marriage, or to different parts of the country. He hasn’t seen some of them since, and they don’t come back to the high school reunions. Six months before he got out, he got married. He had asked her father for permission to marry Barb, and he gave his okay. Dave bought a ring set in North Carolina, and sent it to Barb’s father for safe keeping as he didn’t want to keep it in his barracks. When he was home on leave, he asked Barb to marry him and she said yes. His future father-in-law had kept the secret about the rings, so ev- erything was a surprise for Barb. His future mother-in-law really liked Dave as he had a pair of white penny loafers which he always kept in immaculate condition, and she liked that. He got out of the Marines in July of 1963 and returned to Allegany. Of course, he needed a job but there wasn’t anything available in the immediate Allegany area. His father-in-law, Shirley Bryant, told him Westinghouse in Buffalo was hiring so Dave applied there. He was told that they did have jobs available but that he would probably be laid off in six months. Dave applied anyway, and worked there for 23 years before he was laid off! There were four men who commuted from this area – two from Allegany and two from Franklinville. They took turns driving so it wasn’t too bad. They would leave at 5:30 and get home at 5:30, after working an 8 hour day. Sometimes the Dave Barton with Parents winter driving was bad but the worst, of course, was the Blizzard of ’77. They had to stay overnight in Buffalo. After work the next day, they left for home and when they got to Rt. 400, there was no snow. It was a typical lake effect storm in that most of the snow then was concentrated in Cheektowaga. Westinghouse made a variety of products that were sold all over the world. Westinghouse was eventually sold to a German com- pany and Dave didn’t have a job anymore. Dave and Barb talked things over and Dave decided to go into real estate. So he went to school to study for his license, took the New York State test in Buffalo, passed, and went to work for Dennis Jones. He did this for about ten years, just home sales, no com- mercial real estate. David and Barb had three sons. David was born in 1963, Robert in 1965 and Rickie in 1966. David and Bobby live in Allegany, and Rickie lives in Virginia. David works for the Town of Allegany, Bobby works for Spectrum Cable and Rickie works for Lockheed- Martin. David’s wife is Karen Marie, and they have Dave Barton’s Parents a son, Cody, and a daughter, Nicole. Bobby’s wife is Alvin & Eleanor Page 

Karen Marie, and they have a daughter, Julie, and a son Bradley. Rickie’s wife is Tanya, and they have a son, Drake. Having two Daughters-in-law with the same name has caused confusion at times! His son, Rickie, had gotten Dave interested in computers, so Dave next got a job with Micro Training Technologies, owned by Mike Kintner, as a sales manager. People would come in and buy a computer but not know how to use it, or whether it fit their needs, so Dave would help them. Windows 95 had just come out, and the Microsoft people would come and hold classes in the Elks Lodge dining room to explain things to the users. Speaking of the Elks, Dave joined the Elks, and went through all the officer chairs. One of the most en- joyable things about the Elks for Dave was all the charitable programs they support. Another thing Dave was involved with was the Boy Scouts. Dave was an Eagle Scout in his youth, and a friend was a Scout Master and asked Dave to be an Assistant Scout Master. He did this for many years. Dave joined the American Legion to be with other military people. After a few years he was asked to be part of the Legion Honor Guard, who attend funerals Dave Barton’s Model A of military personnel. He’s on the Rifle Squad for the Legion, and is President of the Legion Trustees. Dave and three friends founded what became the Street Masters Car Club, which had shows in Gargoyle Park and in the Allegany Firemen’s Park for many years. Dave had a 1931 Model A Ford with a 327 Chev- rolet engine. Dave makes furniture in his spare time, for his own enjoyment, not for others. He has fond memories of the trips he and Barb used to take, to Gettys- burg and to Las Vegas among other places. He found the whole oral history process a very interesting thing to do and he really enjoyed it and appreciated being asked to participate.

Carpenter Dave’s Bookshelf Page 

We received an article from Michael Nenno which we know you’ll enjoy. TWO FREDS Shortly after my 10th birthday my grandfather, Fred J. Nenno, passed away in May of 1956. I only remember my grandfather as being ill. He had worked hard all his life and was ill for many years. He died at home in a hospital bed set up in the dining room of my grandparents’ home on the Four Mile Road in Allegany. After my grandfather’s death, my father stated on many occasions that he wanted to go quickly, not like his father who suffered for many years. What Dad forgot to add was that he did not want to go soon; he was only 54 when he died. When my grandfather died in May of 1956 at the age of 71, he was waked at home. My grandmother’s cousins, the Gallets girls, Jean and Grace Stevens and their sister May Gallets, were present 24/7 until the funeral. I believe the Gal- lets girls were know as professional mourners. The day of the funeral I was standing in the doorway to the side porch of my grandparents’ home when a big blue and white Cadillac pulled up the driveway. My grandmother spotted the car and said, “Oh no, that is Fred’s cousin Fred Forness and he will want to drive in the funeral procession.” As a 10 year old, I was very impressed by Fred’s brand new Cadillac. My brother and I rode in the front seat next to Fred. General Motors vehicles had touchy power brakes and Fred had not mastered how to apply them. Five times on the trip to the church and cemetery I slid off the seat and was under the dash when Fred applied the brakes. As impressed as I was with the Cadillac, I was glad when the trip was over. The funeral Mass was conducted in the cemetery in the chapel high on the hill. That chapel no longer exists. The foundation is still there, and it is a place for burial of nuns. I have no idea when or why the chapel was removed, or why my grandfather’s funeral was conducted there instead of at Little Bona’s. About five years later I was fortunate enough to need braces on my teeth. D. T. J. McGovern was the only ortho- dontist in the Olean/Bradford area. For 18 months I saw Dr. McGovern once or twice a week. At the first appointment, Dr. Frank McCarthy, Dr. McGovern’s father-in-law, came into the waiting room and introduced himself. He asked who was my grandfather, and when I told him it was Fred Nenno, he said, “You know, he was Fred Forness’s cousin.” Dr. McCarthy then proceeded to tell me the story of Fred Forness’s elephant. Dr. McCarthy’s version was that Fred Forness, in his late teens, took a job with the circus that had come to town. He was a roustabout, meaning he would do whatever was needed and was to be paid when the circus was over and ready to move on to the next town. It seemed that the circus was not as successful as hoped, and did not have enough money to pay Fred what was due. Instead of cash Fred settled for an elephant. Apparently Fred was not unhappy with the arrangement, until shortly after the circus cleared the city limits, the elephant died. Fred had to dig a hole and roll the elephant into the hole. When the elephant was rolled into the hole, its feet were still above ground. Fred heaped up the dirt to cover the feet, but the Cattaraugus County Health Department was not happy. The Health Department made him re-bury the elephant deep enough so that the legs would be below grade. Some people suggested that Fred’s experience with the elephant shaped the manner in which he conducted business in the future. The exact location of the elephant’s burial remains a mystery. Dr. McCarthy’s version was that it was buried on the circus grounds that were in the city of Olean. Fred’s great-grandson, Stephen Riley, says that his family’s version was that the elephant was buried in the Allegany area near the river, maybe in the Union Street area. If an elephant’s remains are found, the bones will have to be carbon dated to determine if it is Fred’s elephant or an ancient mastodon like the one found in Randolph. As a child, I was in Allegany and Olean every Saturday or Sunday. My father would have to pump the oil wells on his parent’s property on the Four Mile. We would normally have dinner there, and later in the day we would go to my Grandmother Simms home north of Olean on Rt. 16 where we would have supper. There were aunts and uncles at both locations, along with many of my cousins. I remember being at Grandmother Simms’ home when the discus- sion of Fred’s sharp business practices was being discussed. There was also a story that Fred had made good money bootlegging during prohibition. Locations were discussed which meant nothing to me, but my ears perked up when my Grandmother Simms added to the conversation, “You know, he watered down his booze.” Now what caught my interest was that my grandmother was a member of the WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION. I did wonder how she would have known whether or not Fred’s booze had been watered down. The WCTU donated the water fountain that sat for many years in front of the Allegany Town Hall. It provided water for humans, horses and dogs. I wonder what Page  has become of the fountain. It should be on display, if not in use. (Ed. Note – When Main street was worked on several years ago, the fountain was moved back from the curb, and put by the Veteran’s Memorial in the Town Hall Park. It still works, but the water is turned off in cold months.) Another family story was that my Grandfather Nenno had purchased a new car from Fred. Shortly after the purchase he and my grandmother were out for a ride and had a flat tire. As was the custom at that time, my grandfather jacked up the car, removed the tire, and proceeded to remove the tube so that he could apply a patch. You would, of course, have a patch kit in the glove box. When he removed the tube, he found it already had one patch, probably not put on in the factory. Fred donated the bleachers for the football field at St. Bonaventure. When the football program was discontinued, Fred reclaimed the bleachers and hauled them away. Fred was larger than life and loved the limelight. One story goes that Fred was at a banquet and introduced himself to an individual that he did not know. He stated that he was Fred Forness and he owned the Cadillac dealership, and he had sold more than 500 cars the previous year. The stranger introduced himself to Fred as the new IRS agent for the area. Without losing a beat, Fred added, “I am also the biggest liar around, you can ask anyone in the room.” As mayor of Olean, Fred loved to appear in the parades astride his stately horse. He was a handsome figure, and there are many pictures of Fred and his horse. One such picture was of Fred and Babe Ruth, both on horseback. In spite of the Bona bleacher story, Fred was generous to many worthy causes in the area. Forness Field was donated by Fred, being part of his home property on East State Street.

Fred W. Forness, Jr. with Babe Ruth Memorials For: Helen McCully For: Mary Pezzimenti From: Joan McGonnell From: Francie Potter

For: Mary Shabala For: Elaine Spencer George From: Francie Potter From: Her sisters: Jeane, Lynn and Karen

For: Charlie Fortuna From: Don and Becky Black Page  EARLY MUSIC We received this very interesting article from Gertrude Schnell. We know you’ll enjoy it. From the Memories of Irene Schnell McRae: Edison had invented the phonograph. I am sure thousands of people had them, but the only one I remember was in the home of Aunt Mary and Uncle Fred Forness. I can yet see the square box above which a big horn protruded. On the horn was the picture of a shaggy dog, a trade mark I suppose. The records were cellluloid cylinders about four inches long and three inches in diameter. To produce music, one of the cylinders was inserted in a slot like case. A needle was placed on the cylinder and travelled down it making music – which was rather raucous but entertaining. We kids were fascinated. The first radio I remember seeing or hearing was owned by the Charles Forness family. It was a portable with ear phones. There was no loud speaker for general listening. I recall that some of my family and I had gone one evening to visit Ellen Forness who was a patient at Rocky Crest Sanitarium on Rock City Hill. We stopped at her home on Main Street in Allegany when we returned and Charlie let us each listen to a part of a program. I must have been in high school at the time. It would have been in the mid-thirties before we had a radio at home. When Harry and Violetta and their small chil- dren come on New Year’s Day, Harry used to listen to football games. It was a second hand radio. When it wore out, we took out the works, and I am still using the case for my record player in my kitchen. I bought Mother a new portable radio, working on both battery and electricity. She enjoyed lis- tening. She would tell me of a recipe she heard on the noon homemaking hour.

An article from October, 1993 –

Rug Making – A Home Industry

Recently AAHA acquired a rag rug made by Teresa Meiers, donated by Mary and Steve Rich. Steve is a grandson of Teresa Meiers. For 45 years, Teresa and her husband carried on an extensive business in carpet and rug weaving in their home, located on East Main Street and now owner by the Sisters of St. Elizabeth Motherhouse. It is just east of the St. Bonaventure School. (Ed. Note – the house is now gone.) Teresa and Joseph were born in Bavaria and came here in 1882. Joseph worked in a tannery on Union Street. He was the one who did the bulk of the weaving on the huge loom, at first located in the kitchen and later in a room of the house set aside as the weaving room. Warping the loom, getting it prepared for the actual weaving, was a tedious job. In the late nineteenth century and the early part of the twentieth century, every housewife had a rag bag where they deposited old clothing worn to the point where it was not longer fit to be worn. These pieces of cloth would eventually become part of a carpet to cover the floor, so recycling was in place before the word came into common usage. Housewives and the children in the family tore the cloth into strips and sewed the strips together, then rolled the strips into a ball before taking them to the Meiers, the rug makers. On occasion someone might bring the contents of the rag bag to the Meiers and they would have to prepare the strips. Mrs. Meiers sometimes dyed the cloth if a person wanted a particular color in their rug. Steve Rich recalled it took approximately an hour to weave a yard. The average received for labor was 15 cents a yard. The local convent was a source of brown and black rags coming from the habits of the nuns. These strips made excellent borders. Rug making is an art form that has been revived to an extent, but he doubts that many households have a rag bag. Page 

Since St. Bonaventure Church was recently renovated, we thought a review of its history would be interesting. This was published in 2000, with material taken from Our Allegany Heritage, 1831, 1981.

The history of St. Bonaventure Parish is almost as old as Allegany itself. The Erie Canal and Erie Railroad spurred westward migration, and the workers were, for the most part, Irish and German Catholic immigrants. After construc- tion was over, many of them settled in the pleasant towns and villages of Western New York. But in 1822, there were only eight priests working in New York State outside of Albany and New York City. When the Diocese of Buffalo was created in 1847, Bishop Timon had only 16 priests to help him care for all the Catholics in the 20 counties of Western New York. “The Sabbath does not exist west of the Genesee” was the saying of Catholics to describe the lack of spiritual guidance. Allegany, like so many other villages, had to rely on the services of itinerant priests who were basically “circuit rid- ers”. They made their infrequent rounds by horseback on stage roads and woods trails. The first Mass in Allegany was celebrated in the Speranzo home on the northwest corner of 7th and Main Streets. There is a food shop there now. It was soon apparent that a real church building would be necessary. Mrs. Emily Devereux, of the Nicholas Devereux family gave $80 toward the $150 necessary to build a small church on the site of the present church parking lot on Main Street. The church was dedicated to St. Nicholas of Bari, Italy, the patron saint of Mr. Nicholas Devereux. Nicholas Devereux, an entrepreneur from Utica, New York, owned cast tracts of land in Western New York, and realized that if Catholic priests were available for settlers, his land would attract more purchasers. He therefore made a pledge of $5,000 and 200 acres of land to any religious order that would send priests to Cattaraugus County. Being Irish, he asked for Irish Franciscan friars, as he was familiar with the Franciscan order from his youth. For various rea- sons, Irish friars were not available, but due to political turmoil in Italy, many homeless Italian friars were looking for a place to serve God’s people in peace. Accordingly, four Italian Francis- can friars arrived in New York City on June 20, 1855. Nicholas Devereux met them and accompanied them to Ellicottville, where John Devereux managed his father’s land office. They stayed there until moving to their permanent home at St. Bonaventure College in 1859. St. Bonaventure College and Seminary had opened on Nicholas De- vereux’s 200 acres of land in 1858. An area on the first floor of the monastery building was set aside for use as a church, and the fledging St. Nicholas parish moved there and became St. Bonaventure Parish. St. Nicholas Church was only used as a church for four years. From 1883 to 1884 and again in 1886, it served as a school. After the chapel was reno- St. Nicholas Church vated in 1897, religion classes were held there. It was demolished in the fall of 1934. By 1900 a new chapel had been erected at the college, and was the parish church until a disastrous fire destroyed it in 1930. Following the fire, Mass was held in the gymnasium of the new parochial school that had been built in 1928. A new St. Bonaventure Parish Church was constructed in the English Gothic style in 1931. In order to commemo- rate Allegany’s first Catholic Church, the design in one of the stained glass windows depicted a scene in the life of St. Nicholas of Bari. The first Mass in the new building was said on October 18, 1931, while Fr. Bonaventure McIntyre, OFM was the pastor. Dedication ceremonies were held on Monday, October 26, 1931. The property behind the parochial school where the Geiger house was located was purchased on April 12, 1954 and renovated to make a rectory for Fr. Owen McCormack, OFM, and his assistant, Fr. Ronald Friel, OFM. Previously the parish priests had resided at the col- lege. In accordance with Vatican II, the church building underwent extensive renovations in 1978, with the altar turned to face the people, the altar railing removed, new carpeting was laid and interior painting was done. The church’s pipe organ was completely rebuilt and dedicated in a special ecumenical service on May 3, 1981. A new rectory was built in the 1980’s. Today St. Bonaventure Parish is a growing, vibrant faith community, ministered to by the Franciscans of Holy Name Province. NON-PROFIT Allegany Area Historical Association ORGANIZATION P.O. BOX 162 U.S. POSTAGE PAID Allegany, NY 14706 PERMIT NO. 32 OLEAN, NY 14760 Return Service REquested

Inside SPECIAL Issue:

Presidents Report Circuit Riders The Elephant in the Town

NEXT MEETING

Our Meeting scheduled for Sunday, May 17 has been CANCELLED.

Our next meeting will be in September.

In addition, our Heritage Center will not open until the 3rd Wednesday of June.

You can contact us at [email protected], or check our Facebook page.

SUNDAY, MARCH 29 – 2 P.M. HERITAGE CENTER 25 N. 2ND STREET, ALLEGANY

www.allegany.org