www.heritagesquaremuseum.org Vol 3 2015

The Village BlacksmithBy Liz Albright, Ontario Town Historian

The Village BlacksmithUnder a spreading chestnut tree

The village smithy stands;The smith, a mighty man is he,With large and sinewy hands;

And the muscles of his brawny armsAre strong as iron bands.Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The blacksmith was an essential part of early pioneer life in Ontario. One of the blacksmith’s main jobs was to shoe horses. (A blacksmith who only worked with horses was called a farrier.) Horses needed shoes to protect their hooves. The blacksmith shaped the shoe to fit the horse’s hoof, rasped the hoof, then burned and nailed the shoe on the hoof. Since such an important part of his job was shoeing horses, the blacksmith worked very closely with animals. As a result,

The Stuber Blacksmith Shop about 1900

many people often thought of him as a veterinarian and often asked his advice concerning their sick or injured animals.

In addition to making horseshoes, the village blacksmith made nails, wagon wheels, hoops for barrels, fireplace utensils, farm tools, hinges, hooks, cooking utensils and almost anything made of wrought iron. He was also the person the farmers came to when they needed repairs to their broken ploughshares, wagons or metal tools and equipment.

The main tools of the blacksmith was the forge, the hammer and the anvil. The fire was kept burning in the raised brick hearth called a forge. The bellows were used to fan the fire to keep it hot enough. Once the piece of iron was red hot, the blacksmith would use tongs to hold the metal on his anvil. Then he would hammer the hot metal into different shapes. The metal was then cooled in a tub of water.

Peter Thatcher, who came to Ontario from Oneida County in 1807, was a blacksmith by trade. He set up the first blacksmith shop in Ontario in 1811 near his home in the Lake Road/Knickerbocker Road area.

The 1858 Gillette Wall Map of Wayne County and the 1867-68 Wayne County Directory each list six blacksmiths in Ontario. According to the Beers Atlas of Wayne County, by 1874 there were eleven blacksmiths – two in the Village of Ontario, two in Ontario Center, three in Furnaceville, one on Ridge Road east of Union Hill, one on Willits Road, one on Ontario Center Road south of Brick Church Road and one on Furnace Road south of Putnam Road.

In a 1951 reminiscence of Mrs. Fannie Schnetzer, then 94 years old and a res-ident of Ontario Center Road, we learn of an old stone blacksmith shop located on the east side of Ontario Center Road approximately one-half mile north of Ridge Road. The shop was formerly called the “Little Furnace” probably because of its two small ovens or furnaces that were used for making pig iron from the locally mined ore. The blacksmith shop was operated by a man named “Flex” Smith, and the building was also used as a meeting place for early settlers in the neighborhood. A part of the shop was used as a pump house for the purpose of pumping the accumulated water from the iron ore beds which were fed by natural springs.

The blacksmith shop, many local folks may remember, was the Stuber Black-smith Shop located on the north side of Ridge Road just east of the Ontario Cen-ter Hotel. About 1875, Seymour Stuber took over the blacksmith shop previously run by John Ellsworth. Seymour ran the shop for over forty years. William took over his father’s business to be joined later by his brother Grover. The brothers worked together for several years and then Grover took the business alone when William passed away in 1936. Grover finally closed the shop around 1966 at the age of 79.

Several Stuber Blacksmith Shop ledger books in the possession of the Ontario Town Historian show the names of clients and the work done for them. Much of the work involved shoeing horses. However, other work such as repairing bug-gies, farm equipment, stoves or making hooks and tools were also done. Among the clients were the Iron Company and the Rochester-Sodus Bay Rail-road. While most entries indicate payment by cash, there are several payments made by a cord of wood or one or two pounds of apples. The horseshoeing

part of the business was discontinued in 1946; and by the 1950s and 1960s, the majority of work was repairing and sharpening tools and lawnmowers.

After the shop closed in 1966, Grover Stuber kept its memory alive by giving tours and demonstrations to the many fourth grade students who visited the shop on their annual field trip.

The blacksmith has survived, but now only as a specialty. The farrier now shoes pleasure horses instead of work horses. Blacksmiths work as interpreters of the past at restoration villages, craft shops, and working with wrought iron is now being done to produce works of art rather than common tools or goods

Town of Ontario Historical Society Announces Newly Elected Board Members

The Annual Dinner Meeting of the Town of Ontario Historical Society was held on Wednesday, May 20th, 2015. Jim Switzer will continue in his term as presi-dent of the Board for the ensuing year. Ann Welker has been re-elected as vice president. Marguerite Manning has been elected as secretary. Ed Kushall has been elected to serve a three year term as treasurer. Two trustees have been elected, Alayna DiSanto and George Mandery. Other board members remain-ing in current positions of trustee are: Billy Lochner, Judy Lynd, Bill Slocum and Jim Codding. Liz Albright, Town of Ontario Historian, will continue to serve as a non-voting member of the board as historic advisor.

Pictured L-R are new officers Alayna Disanto, Edward Kushall, George Mandery and Ann Welker being installed by Retired Judge Beth Howard

ANNUAL REPORT May, 2014 thru May, 2015 –Heritage Square Museum

• Our season opened in 2014 with debut and dedication of Dr. Floyd Thompson’s Buggy

• We welcomed his grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other family members at the event

• Substantial time, talent & treasure was devoted throughout the year by nu-merous members, volunteers and community groups to support facilities, newsletter, web page, mailings, tours, guides

• Thanks to Ontario-Walworth Rotary Club for repair of siding at school house and bridge repairs

• Thanks to Ontario Garden Club for their continuing support and contribu-tions to our property

• Our Fall Arts and Crafts Festival was a success and we enjoyed support from local artisan’s group

• Both “Summer Sundays at the Square” were also successful and well received by visitors and members

• Winds and age led to break of large portion of the sugar maple tree; miss-ing the log cabin by “inches”

• During the dormant, winter season, the damaged portions of the sugar maple tree were repaired and new cables installed by a licensed tree surgeon.

• Eagle Scout candidate Nathan Yoder of Ontario worked with Bill Slocum, Jim Codding and Jim Switzer to plan and install a new walkway and steps at the train station.

• Received an unexpected bequest from the Estate of Wilson Johncox (He was our charter president and passed at age 99 in Florida. He and Miriam were long-time, founding members and benefactors of our society)

• Received donations in memory of “Polly” Crombe and Ward Benedict.

• Received a donation from Ann and Steve Tobin of 2 padded-seat folding chairs from the former Howk and Mepham Funeral Home (mortuary and furniture store ca. 1930s - 1950’s at 1996 Ridge Rd/Main St)

• Repair of the roof on the 25-plus year old exhibit barn is the fund-raising goal of the membership drive for 2015-2016

• Heritage Square will serve as a rest stop on Saturday morning, June 13th for the Tour de’ Cure

• (Sponsored by the Rochester Chapter of the American Diabetes Associa-

tion)

• We hosted our Mormon Service Teams for the second year and will host them again this July

• Weekend visitors, school tours and event guests totaled more than 2,000 persons in the past year

• We received a grant from the Hoffman Foundation to repair the outhouse at the school house and for additional display mannequins.

• We received a grant from the Wayne County Antique Dealers’ Association to restore Floyd Thompson, M.D.’s buggy

• Our Business Partners’ program has grown to 20 local business member-ships

• Many volunteers, Mormon visitors and a community service worker re-stained the train station and apple dry house

• New siding, doors and windows were installed on our “workshop” which is a replica of a Rochester polling site

• Shared ideas about possible joint and reciprocal programs with Ontario Public Library highlighting the traditions, history and folklore of our com-munity, with an emphasis on welcoming and informing new families about Ontario

• New chairpersons have volunteered for 2015 duties in scheduling/train-ing weekend guides, editing the newsletter, and managing school tours replacing many long term, dedicated volunteers

• To increase awareness and, hopefully, participation, the BOD decided to distribute approved meeting minutes by e-mail to the group e-mail used to distribute our newsletter and e-blasts about publicity and current events

• Our name and events were widely publicized, advertised and reported in local print and non-print media

• Community Outreach: Ridge Road Rummage Rage - Saturday, May 30th – Baked Food Sale at 1178 Ridge Road

• Community Outreach: Spinning wheel, quilt, toys from our collection dis-played @ town hall/library lobby

• Community Outreach: Photo Gallery – Town Hall – framed, color photos of our buildings

• Community Outreach: Multiple exhibits during the year in the town hall lobby display case

• Opening Weekend – Saturday, June 6th - Regular Weekend Hours; Guides on Duty

• Opening Weekend – Sunday, June 7th - Exhibit Barn Dedication, Debut of Uniform Exhibit/Hats

• Summer Sundays in 2015 – July 12th (Pioneer Family Day) & August 9th (Music @ Square/Ice Cream Social) 1:30 – 4:00 p.m.

• Fall Arts & Crafts Festival –– Saturday, October 3rd – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Planned for 2015 are updating of the sleigh & cutter and the outhouse at the school house

• Our 2015 season will open with dedication of our exhibit barn to Bill & Pol-ly Crombe in recognition of their many, many contributions to our society and museum.

• Past/Present members JoAnn Meaker, Jo Ann Check & Mary Jane Auch have new books on sale in the gift shop

• Special tribute to retirees: 15 years as treasurer, 20-plus and 6 years as trustees and 4 years as secretary, respectively.

Jean Tsepas,Carol Boughton,Nancy ClevelandAlayna Di Santo

• Jean, Nancy and Carol will shift to emeritus status and Alayna is seeking election to a seat on the Board of Trustees

• We are thrilled that Amelia Earhart “landed” at the square for our 2015 annual meeting on May 20, 2015

Jim Switzer, President, Board of Directors, 2012-2016

In PassingOur condolences are extended to the family and friends of J. Gregory Doyle who passed away June 6th. Greg and his wife, Margaret, have been members of the Society

since 2005.

Membership NewsWe would like to thank everyone who returned their 2015 application and dues. To date we have received $2,357 in dues, $921 to the unrestricted fund, $370 to the endowment fund and $2,343 to the barn roof fund. There are still a number of members who have not returned their application and check and we ask you to please do so as soon as possible. Our count stands presently at: Life Members –49; Patrons –19; Family –10; Individual – 8; Seniors-66; for a grand total of 152 plus 24 businesses. At this time we would like to welcome the following new membersJohn Check, Holly Springs, NC (returning member)Veronica Crysel, Ontario, NYJulie Dombroski, Ontario, NYMike and Pam Friedler, Ontario, NY (returning members)Neil and Trish Giudice, Ontario, NYWilliam Ross, Williamson, NYMary Sfikas and family, Ontario, NY (returning members)Shirley Shackelton, Dryden, NYChet and Tricia Yoder, Ontario, NYBusinesses: Dennis Dey Plumbing & Heating, Ontario, NY Kunzer Electric, Inc., Ontario, NY Wilberts Lakeside, Ontario, NY

President Jim Switzer 585-750-2277 jeswitz@rochester.rr.comVice-President Ann Welker 315-524-9330 frwelker@aol.comSecretary Marguerite Manning 585-265-1825 Toothorn39@gmailTreasurer Ed Kushall 315-333-5228 edkushall@juno.comTrustee Bill Slocum 315-524-4841 bgkslo@aol.comTrustee Jim Codding 315-524-7837 jcodding@rochester.rr.comTrustee Alayna DiSanto 315-589-9884 disantoaa@gmail.comTrustee Billie Lochner 585-265-3863 lochbb6952@frontier.comTrustee Judy Lynd 585-271-4925 jslynd@aol.cotrusteeTrustee George Mandery 585-550-6662

Ontario Town Liz Albright 315-524-2942 ext. 703Historian 315-524-9127 historian@ontariotown.org

Proud Supporters of the Heritage Square Museum

and the Town of Ontario Historical SocietyWe would like to publicly acknowledge and thank the following businesses who have joined in supporting the Society and Heritage Square Museum. Please patronize them whenever possible.

Alfred Pardi, Architect 465 Ontario Dr. Tel. 315-524-7651Concord Insurance Agency 6270 Dean Parkway Tel. 585-265-6060Crown Electric Supply Co. 75 Route 104 Tel. 585-265-2480Don & Jon Lawn & Tree Service P. O. Box 5 Tel. 585-737-9891Exelon Generation – Ginna Plant 1503 Lake Rd. Tel. 585-771-5220Furguson’s Hair Care 2005 Ridge Rd. Tel. 315-524-8983Gilson & Tobin DDS 6200 Slocum Rd. Tel. 315-524-7433Integrity Tool, Inc. 6485 Furnace Rd. Tel. 315-524-4409Joe Bishop Auto Sales, Inc. 114 Route 104 Tel. 585-265-0400Joe’s Meat Market 6845 North Slocum Rd. Tel. 315-524-8252Konstantinou’s Liquor LLC 2024 Route 104 Tel. 315-524-3015Konstantinou’s Restaurant 2030 Route 104 Tel. 315-524-8238Lakeside Restaurant 6270 Lakeside Rd. Tel. 315-524-3092Lakeside Roofing & Siding Materials Inc. 6296 Lakeside Rd. Tel. 315-524-9420Lyons National Bank 6256 Furnace Rd. Tel. 315-524-9661Mama Lor’s Union Hill Café 1891 Ridge Rd. Tel. 585-545-4895Murphy’s Funeral & Cremation Chapels PO Box 4261961 Ridge Rd. Tel. 315-524-4621Phil’s Automotive of Route 104, Inc. 1364 Route 104 Tel. 315-524-8129Sparky’s Cans & Bottles 631 Ontario Center Rd. Tel. 315-524-2267Sue’s Hair Trends 2015 Ridge Rd. Tel. 315-524-2766The Original Door Store 1712 Route 104 Tel. 315-524-3776

We would like to also welcome three new businesses that have joined the Society and thank them for their support.Dennis Dey Plumbing & Heating 7204 North Slocum Rd. Tel. 315-524-3646Kunzer Electric Inc. 1006 Willits Rd. Tel. 315-524-9814Wilberts Lakeside 6333 Lakeside Rd. Tel. 315-524-8800

Echoes from School Field Trips to Heritage Square Museum Summer 2015

Our short time with visiting students from schools near and far is over already. The docents had a great time. Everyone left feeling accomplished. We ran each and every trip as scheduled. The weather cooperated for the most part, with only a few small exceptions on two of the eight days. We are expecting students to visit us in the fall again. If you had fun volunteering, please join us again in September. If you did not get the chance in June, just call Polina and come on out in the fall. It was so rewarding to read some of the teachers’ responses after their trips. Here are some of them:

We had a delightful time! We absolutely loved the format of rotating from build-ing to building, getting a focused talk about each place, and then hearing the bell to signal rotating to the next place. We are so glad that we found our way to this field trip. You are right about it being the “best kept secret in Wayne County”... only one of the adults who joined us had heard of it before. We look forward to going again next year. Thank you so much for making this work.

Our field trip was fantastic!! Your volunteers were knowledgeable, patient, and kind to our second grade students. The rain hardly bothered us at all. We really appreciated the time your volunteers spent teaching our students about local history. We are looking forward to visiting again next year.

We had a wonderful time!! We will need to plan our next trip! It was great!!! Will be in touch soon for next year. I would like to thank the

following people for making the school tours possible: George Mandery, Pat Chakalis, Bob Davis, Ann Welker, Jean Johnson, Jim Graves, Vera Graves, Richard Denison, Liz Albright, Kate Alessi, Carolyn Rittenhouse, Jean Davis, Ann Sass, Alayna DiSanto, Mary Gwen Todd, Jinny Loomis, John Lynd, Carol Bough-ton, Mary Sfikas, Chris Butler, Sue Welker, Joyce Lyke, Donna Hudson, Veronica Crysel, Judy Powley, Melinda Meagher, Allan Dombroski, Billie Lochner, Floyd Welker. I could not have done it without you!! Polina Doran

Barn Sale Results DisappointingAlthough the weather was fine, and the shoppers came in average numbers,

the total taken in at the spring barn sale was only $1881.00. This is lower than the average fall sale and well under the $3000 usually realized by the spring barn sale. Donations were down over the winter, perhaps because of the harsh weath-er. Drop-off days did not make up for the reduced number of items. Competition from other organizations and the Ridge Road Rummage Run, all within a few weeks of our sale, may have reduced the number of donations and money spent by shoppers. We will hope for better luck in the fall.

Drop-off days for the fall sale will be Thursdays, August 27th and September 3rd, 6 to 8 pm, and Saturdays, August 29th and September 5th, 9 am to noon. As always, you can contact Ann Welker at 315-524-9330 to arrange a more conve-nient drop-off time. PLEASE NOTE: We cannot accept any items until after the Summer Sunday event on August 9.

Successful May 30th Bake Sale By Carol Boughton

Many people are owed a thank you for making this sale a success. First to Sharon Pray, our sales coordinator for her organization and energy, secondly to all the great bakers, and members who made monetary donations, and lastly to the members who made those important phone calls. Thank you to Katie Scott, Nancy Cleveland, Pat Codding along with Sharon who worked the sale. We were sold out by 2:00 PM.

Thank you to the BID people for hosting this event. A special thank you to Travis Montgomery, a Wayne Central junior who helped me clean my garage to get ready for the sale and Judy Powley who helped with signage. Oh the most important, our final sales count was $376.50.

Heritage Square Museum is Our “Hidden Gem” – Please Share It With Family &

Friends !!www.heritagesquaremuseum.org

Vendors Wanted !for the Fall Arts and Crafts Festival, October 3, 2015

Indoor and outdoor spaces available. Exhibit fee $30.

Please contact Judy Lynd for more information 585–271-4925

Some interesting facts ... enjoyThe year is 1914 --- One hundred yearsago. What a difference a century makes! Here are some statistics for the Year 1914: The average life expectancy for men was 47.Fuel for the 1914 model T Ford car was sold in drug stores only. Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub. Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone. There were only 8,000 cars and only 144 miles of paved roads. The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph. The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower. The average US wage in 1910 was 22 cents per hour. The average US worker made between $200 and $400 per year.A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year. More than 95 percent of all births took place at home. Ninety percent of all Doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press and the government as “substandard.” Sugar cost four cents a pound. Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen. Coffee was fifteen cents a pound. Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo. Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country for any reason. The Five leading causes of death were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza 2. Tuberculosis 3. Diarrhea 4. Heart disease 5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars... The population of Las Vegas, Nevada was only 30. Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and iced tea hadn’t been invented yet. There was neither a Mother’s Day nor a Father’s Day. Two out of every 10 adults couldn’t read or write and only 6 percent of all Ameri-cans had graduated from high school. Marijuana, heroin, and morphine were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores. Back then pharmacists said, “Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health!” (Shocking?) Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE U.S.A.!