DHS NewsThe Official Newsletter

of the Deposit Historical Society

April 2008:Vol V, Issue iiThe Deposit Historical Society

145 Second StreetDeposit, New York 13754

(607) 467-4422Website: www.deposithistoricalsociety.org

President’s Message: A Two Museum Facility

Last year we looked forward to the possibility of a two museum facility. That reality is about to take place. On May 25, 2008 at 2 pm , the “House” at 143 Second St. will greet the public as Deposit Historical Society’s Dr. Oliver T. Bundy Civil War Museum and Library Complex. A dedication will ensue, thanking our major benefactors , workmen, and contributors for their magnanimous efforts to bring forth this most important step in our future.

While not totally completed, the displays will include a doctor’s furnished office, surgery and dispensary ; two period rooms of furnishings from the 1850-1890 era. All artifacts are from Deposit Families and Businesses. Careful attention has been given to this fact, making it a true representation of history. A special exhibit from “Hanson’s Hotel at Oquaga Lake” will be shown outside the library on the “back porch” . Eventually it will be a permanent room used in conjunction with the research center. Our research area is to be open for your inspection. Other times it’s availability will be based on an appointment level.

You, our members and the public are cordially invited to attend this very special event. Refreshments will be served.

Sincerely,

Richard S. Axtell , President

• • • Next Meeting: Covered Bridge Program • • •

On Sunday April 13th, at 2:00 PM, the Deposit Historical Society will hold its quarterly meeting. Note the change from the usual Wednesday evening time. The program is Covered Bridges: Then and Now. Sean McDermott of the New York State Covered Bridge Society (NYSCBS) will be the presenter. Mr. McDermott, editor of Society’s official news publication, The Empire State Courier, will discuss the history of covered bridges, including many in Delaware and Broome Counties. Their website is at http://www.nycoveredbridges.org/

Mr McDermott’s presentation will begin at 2:00 PM. Also note that at 1:00 PM on April 13th, the Covered Bridge Society will hold its own monthly meeting at the Deposit Historical Museum. The public is invited to attend that meeting too.

Note: You can view our newsletters with color pictures in pdf format on our website!

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April Mystery of the Month

Two photographs taken by A.P. Davis have been donated to the Museum. The identity of these individuals is the mystery. Does anyone recognize a distant relative? The Historical Society would appreciate your detective work. It’s always sad when the people shown in important photos like these go unnamed.

A. P. Davis was quite a remarkable man. He lived to be over 100 years of age and is known to have done portrait photography in Deposit between 1880 and 1920. His Front Street studio was housed in a structure originally built in 1805. The building was later modified and became what many of us remember as Lee’s Restaurant and then E.T.’s. It is also likely Davis is responsible for photographing many of the local scenes featured on postcards published by Leslie E. Carl.

Please get out your photo collections and see if one of these individuals might be a member of your family tree.

Hidden Treasures!The Dilellos of 71 Pine Street were recently doing some renovation of their 1869 Greek Revival home when they discovered some treasures under the upstairs hallway floor and behind the wall between the hallway and attic room. These treasures include a letter written to Mrs. William Kingsbury dated August 31, 1888. Another treasure was a Christmas postcard also written to Miss Emily Kingsbury from her cousin James, dated December, 1913.

In addition to these dated items they found a tatting hook, a paper doll from either the early 1940s or 1950s as well as a paperback book entitled, “Story of Mexico” instructor Literature Series No. 106 published in 1911. Other interesting items are shown in this picture. Mrs. Dilello is the daughter of Wilbur and Irene Starbird, who purchased the house in 1950 from the Kingsbury estate. Mr. and Mrs. Dilello purchased the home after Mrs. Dilello’s mother passed away in 2001.

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January Meeting: Covered Dish Supper and Jazz DancersThe Deposit Historical Society Annual Meeting was held the evening of January 23rd. The museum building was filled with the aroma of good food and the sound of pleasant conversation.

Following the potluck dinner and business meeting, adult dancers from the Jesse Katen School of Dance performed pieces from last year’s recital and provided a sneak preview of routines under development this year. The Jesse Katen School of Dance was founded in 2004. The studio has been offering

instruction in ballet, tap, jazz, and hip-hop to students of all ages. Each year, at the end of the academic year in June, the studio presents its summer recital at the Deposit High School, which gives dance students

the opportunity to showcase their talents.

Throughout the performance, DHS Board member Jesse Katen provided the audience with information about the history of dance and the evolution of various genres.

October Cemetery Mystery—Continued

There has been another response to our request for information about the cemetery on Steam Mill Road off Route 8. According to Deposit Historical Society member Sandy Gifford, it is known as the Colvin Cemetery on Zion Hill Road or the Zion Hill Cemetery. Bernice Rood Freeman, a former Deposit teacher, compiled a genealogy of the Mills family that is linked to the Colvin family thorough marriage.

Lois Mills (b.1806), who is buried in a cemetery on China Road, married Nelson Graves. Lois and Nelson are the parents of Mary Jane (Polly) Graves (b. 1836 d. 1930) who married Albert Colvin (b. 1835 d. 1915. Albert Colvin is the son of Anne Mills (b. 1809) and David Colvin (b. 1808). David Colvin is buried in the Colvin Cemetery on Zion Hill.

Perry Shelton, lifetime member of the Deposit Historical Society reports that there are at least two other small family cemeteries up Steam Mill Road. One has an iron fence and gate that has fallen down. Both have from eight to ten stones that are also down. Mr. Shelton took pictures of the two cemeteries and close-ups of some of the gravestones. The names on a few of the stones are still decipherable. Stephen Young is one. The last name of Palmerton is another. It is likely that the Palmerton is a relative of Doc Palmerton who practiced medicine in Masonville and Trout Creek, before settling in Deposit. It may even be his father.

As always, if anyone knows more about any of these cemeteries and the individuals buried in them, please share with us. It is important to preserve our history.

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Kelly and Steinman Cut Glass

Part One

It was in April 1910 that Kelly and Steinman of Honesdale, PA bought the structure that had housed the Outing Publishing Company. This was the first step in the move of their glass cutting works to Deposit, NY.

The building started life in 1892 as the Pearl Button Factory. In 1902, when the pearl button market declined, the structure was used as a silk mill. Two short years later, in 1904, the Deposit publishing plant of James Knapp Reeves moved into the Pearl Street factory. The business had originally been housed in the Hadley Block on the corner of Main and Pine Streets. It was at this time that the business became known as the Outing Publishing Company. Due to a sudden failure of the Knapp Bank, Outing was ordered sold at public auction. On August 24, 1909, the building and grounds were sold to Clarence E. Vail of Deposit for a price of $3,000.

On April 7, 1910 Michael Kelly, Frank Steinman, and their attorney, C. R. Searle completed arrangements with C. E. Vail and the Deposit Milling Company. They purchased the buildings and power equipment for $6,500.

Union workers had closed the glass cutting plant owned by Kelly and Steinman in Honesdale for several weeks due to a strike. Being unable to meet the demands of the union, the firm decided to move to another location. The Outing plant structure was in good condition and in an ideal location for their business. On the 2.5 acre lot was a single story brick structure and a 2.5 story frame

structure. Each was 50 x 112 feet. Other structures included: a 50 x 50 foot single story brick wing, a 25 x 64 foot brick boiler house with a slate roof, a two story carpenter shop, a two story stable, a waste house, and several other small out buildings.

By April 27, 1910 the equipment form the Honesdale plant had been dismantled, crated, and installed in the Deposit location. An advertisement for young men and boys to learn the trade appeared in the newspaper. They immediately received about 50 job applications from local people. Several experienced cutters from

Honesdale came with the business but the plan was to hire mostly townspeople.

One of the first people hired by Kelly & Steinman was Michael Holleran. He went to work as the night watchman on May 2, 1910. Manny Buchanan, who worked as an engraver, remembers “Mickey” as the man who later fired the soft coal boilers. Mr. Holleran lived on Front Street near the railroad crossing to the old Agway building.

The Deposit Courier announced that Kelly & Steinman would begin business on Monday May 9th and that all those given jobs should be on hand. That day, the work force numbered between 50 and 60 individuals. Mr. Steinman remarked to the editor of the Courier that Deposit people seemed to be an unusually intelligent group. He believed that they would become very skilled. To be continued...

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Growing Up….As I Remember It” by Lyle Carley Brown

Part FourIn earlier issues, information from the Village Life and Family Life at the Brown’s chapters was shared. This issue marks the second in several installments from the chapter, School Life. Mr. Brown writes, “Going to Junior High meant moving up in the world. This was literally true, because the elementary grades were all on the first floor. You achieved a goal when you were able to go up the stairways and be with the “bigger” kids. The layout of the building was such that the second floor had junior and senior high classrooms, offices, and the auditorium. The third floor housed the study hall, library, science lab and other classrooms along with the balcony to the auditorium.”The building had three entrances. There was the main entrance—which was not to be used during school days—and two side entrances. At one time, boys were supposed to use the west entrance and girls the east entrance. Mr. Brown writes that it was “a practice that was abandoned before my time.”“The staircases on either end of the building were used for passing classes, and –yes, you guessed it—one was the “up” staircase and the other was the “down” staircase, and don’t get caught trying to go the wrong way!”Lyle Brown reports that it was in eighth grade that he had his best grades ever—before or after. His best subject was math and it was his teacher, Kate Dailey that made the difference. She knew how to motivate her students and was creative and patient. In those days, students took State Preliminary Regents Examinations in junior high in all academic subjects. You had to earn a 75 or better to get to go on to high school. Mr. Brown writes that, “The only one to give me any trouble was (and anyone who knows me well might have guessed) was SPELLING. Fortunately, we had two tries at it—once in January and again in June. I missed by a point in January, but managed an 85 in June.”The next issue DHS will contain excerpts from Mr. Brown’s book describing his senior high school experiences.

Thank You!

A huge “thank you” to all of the newspapers that generously allow DHS to publicize events and programs. Thanks to the Deposit Courier (Hilton Evans, Deb Stever, and the Courier staff), the Towne Crier, the Hancock Herald, the Windsor Standard, the Tri-Town News, the Walton Reporter, and the

Press and Sun Bulletin. These publications do a tremen-dous job promoting the activities of the Deposit Histori-cal Society.

Thanks also to members of the DHS Program Committee (Smitty Axtell, Elaine Reinhardt, Edie Tyler and Gordon Tyler) for all of their time and effort in putting together a terrific year of interesting programs. A calendar of events is available at the museum or online at http://www.deposithistoricalsociety.org

Museum ScheduleMay 25 – October 12, 2008

Knapp Bank Building : Thurs/Sunday 2 – 4 PM

Bundy House Museum Building Thursday & Sunday 2 – 4 PM

(as staffing permits)

Research FacilityTuesdays 9:30 – 12:00 PM

or by appointment

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Spring at the Museum

Recently the Deposit Garden Club invited members of Stephanie Zaczek’s Deposit High School Hor-ticulture Class to participate in a design challenge. The task was to design a plan for landscaping

and plantings along the side of the Museum building facing Pine Street. Students had to consider such factors as amount of sun-light available in that location, flowering times, hardiness, ease of maintenance, and cost. Another critical factor was that the plants had to fit with the history of the building.

Mrs. Zaczek made the challenge into a class competition with the students selecting which teams should make presentations of their work to the Deposit Garden Club. The following students were chosen to present their work at the March meeting:

Group I-Tia Scott, Jessica Cheung, and Lindsey WagnerGroup II- India Zandt and Paula Mazepa (exchange student from Poland)Group III- Joanne Mooney

The Garden Club then shared the student designs with the DHS Board. After much discussion by both organizations, the design developed by Joanne Mooney was selected as the overall winner. A few design elements from the other two plans will be incorporated into Joanne’s.

As the ground thaws and planting season arrives, follow the work being done at the Museum by the Deposit High School Horticulture Class. Earlier students in Mrs. Zacek’s class designed the landscaping and plantings that now beautify the front of the building. As in the past, the Garden Club will supply the plants and the students the labor.

Seventh Annual Old Time Folk and Craft FairThe Deposit Historical Society will hold its Seventh Old Time Craft and Art Fair Saturday, May 17, 2008, from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM at the Deposit Historical Society Museum. If you are a crafter or

artist, we would be pleased if you would come and share your talent. We are asking for a $15 donation for a booth. We would like you to demonstrate your craft/art as well as sell the items that you make. In addition to arts and crafts we are also inviting people who may want to set up a Flea Market booth at the same cost. Participants are expected to provide their own table and a tent if desired.

If you would like to participate, please send us your name, address, and phone number, along with your check in the amount of $15. Let us know is you will be with the crafters/artists or the flea market. If you have questions and/or need special accommodations or location requests for your display, please include a note on the form or call Richard Axtell at (607) 467-4444.

DHS has invited several other organizations in Deposit to be a part of the fair. The Methodist Church women are providing homemade pies, while the local Garden Club will be selling plants at this most ideal time of year for planting in gardens in this area. The West Branch Ramblers will provide music from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. Tables and chairs will be set up so that people can relax and enjoy the music while they have something to eat. We have a new food vendor this year who will be selling Philly Cheese Steak and Pork Barbecue sandwiches, cold drinks, chips and coffee.

See you there!

Arts & CraftsFor Sale!!

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We Need YOU!With the official opening of the museum for the 2008 season, we are looking for volun-teers. There are many important jobs that are critical to the operation of the museum.

Consider volunteering to be a sitter on a Thursday or Sunday from 2 – 4 PM. No experi-ence is necessary. Also, consider helping with refreshments for a program, wielding a paintbrush or hammer, or helping with cleaning. Perhaps you might contribute baked

goods for one of our sales or write an article for the newsletter.

Please pitch in and make a difference. Just call the museum at 607-467-4422. Leave a message if there is no answer. We will be grateful.

Seeking Missing Deposit Garden Club Program Booklets

The DGC has donated a collection of its program booklets dating from the 1930s to 2008. Missing from this collection are the booklets from the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 years. If you have a copy of one or both of these that you are willing to donate to the Museum, please call Mary at 467-6152. If you have one of these but are not willing to donate it, perhaps you would allow us to make a photocopy of your booklet.

Other garden club memorabilia is also being sought. There are a number of secretarial ledgers and historian scrapbooks that are also missing. All donated materials will be housed in the Library of the Museum Complex.

Time to Renew Your Membership!!January WAS dues month. If you haven’t yet renewed, please take a moment right away to send us your annual membership check. We need to have many dues paying members if we are to continue providing quarterly newsletters, regular FREE events, and keep the Museum open and expanding to best serve the community. Lifetime members can ignore this reminder!!

If you aren’t a Lifetime member, please consider it. It is really a bargain and ends the hassle of joining each year. Dues currently are $10 regular membership, $5 for Seniors and Students, and $50 for a Lifetime membership. Send us your payment today! Below is a membership/donor form, or you may download one from our website. OR… you can just send us your name and address with a check for the correct amount made out to Deposit Historical Society, and we will do the paperwork for you!! Thanks for your support!

Deposit Historical Society—Membership/Donor FormYou are cordially invited to join The Deposit Historical Society, either as an Annual or Life Member.

Name(s) _______________________________________________

Street Address ___________________________________________

City, State, Zip Code _______________________________________

E-mail _________________________________________________

Telephone ______________________________________________

Enclosed is $__________ for the following memberships:

____ Regular @ $10.00 each ____ Senior Citizen @ $5.00 each

____ Student @ $5.00 each ____ Lifetime—one-time payment of $50.00 per member

I am enclosing a donation to the Historical Society for $ __________

Checks/Money Orders should be made payable to: Deposit Historical SocietyMail this form with your payment and/or donation to:

Pat O’Donnell, 415 Silver Lake Spur, Hancock, NY 13783

Upcoming Events at the Deposit Historical Society…Be sure to check the DHS web site for the latest details and updates.

Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:00 PM – Quarterly Meeting and Program. Sean McDermott of the New York State Covered Bridge Society will give us the history of these beautiful structures and information on the ones that remain. Refreshments will be served following the meeting. See page 1 of this issue for more details.

May 17, 2008 10 AM to 3:00 PM: 7th Annual Old Time Folk and Craft Fair. Enjoy a variety of special crafters, a bake sale with homemade treats, and delicious food at this great event. See article on page 6 of this issue. Watch for more details as the date nears.

May 25, 2008 2:00 to 4:00 PM: Museum Opens for the 2008 Season. Regular hours are 2 to 4:00 PM on Thursdays and Sundays through mid October. Special Dedication Ceremony at 2 PM. The public is invited to attend. See President’s Message on page 1 for more details.

June 18, 2008 7:30 PM: Quarterly Meeting and program, The Baby Boomer Generation. Presenter Mike O’Brien will explain how the population explosion that began in 1946 created significant

changes in lifestyle still felt today. Refreshments will be served following the meeting.

July 19, 2008 9 AM to 3 PM: Brown Bread and Baked Bean Sale at the Lumberjack Fest. Stop by our booth to get some great loaves of old fashioned brown bread and baked beans while you enjoy the other festivities.

Contact the DHS News editors for information, suggestions, or address changes... If you have information to share with us about our mysteries, historical events, or suggestions for new articles or projects at the Museum, or if you have moved, mail it to DHS Newsletter editors Mary Colvard and/or John Bartsch at 24 Bobolink Ct., Deposit, NY 13754, or email it to one of us at mcolvard@tds.net or jbartsch@tds.net. Thanks!!

The Deposit Historical Society Newsletter 24 Bobolink Ct. Deposit, NY 13754