UPCOMING GUEST SPEAKER on APRIL 13TH, 2016 - The Fenian Brotherhood ~ Irish Nationals Who Invaded Canada by Mr. Liam McKone

Click the Link Above for More Information

Save the Date - December 5th, 2015 - Annual Christmas Tea & Festival of Trees

Introducing our NEW ONLINE BOOKSTORE! Click the link below and browse our selection of wonderful books and publications about Franklin County's rich historical heritage.

FCHMS ONLINE BOOKSTORE

New FCOHMS Trustees

The Annual Meeting of the Franklin County Historical and Museum Society was held on October 5, 2015, with the following three Trustees elected by the membership. Each will serve a three-year term. Congratulations to Steven Fitzpatrick, Jonathan Wool, and Carol Poole and thank you for your willingness to serve on our Board of Trustees.

Franklin County Soldiers Serve in the Civil War-- 2 New Books!!

Northern Arms-- Volume 1 & 2 Compiled by Maren E. Dodge Miles for the Franklin County Historical and Museum Society. These volumes tell the tales of the Civil War and lives of Franklin County, New York, soldiers and their families, as told by the soldiers, their families, friends, newspapers, and local histories. The Regimental histories, officer’s reports, letters, diaries, memoirs, stories, photos and newspaper articles found in this book, show what life in the Grand Army of the Republic was like for our Franklin County soldiers, and what their lives were like during and after the War. The book includes a little history of the war, the soldiers’ own stories, and tales of court martial and valor. Artists and photographers documented all aspects of army life and took thousands of individual photographs for the soldiers to send home to loved ones. Each story is unique and told in the words of the soldiers and their families. The book is illustrated with photographs of the soldiers loaned by their families and period photos from the Library of Congress. Volumes 1 and 2 are now available in the House of History Country Store. Price $40.00, plus tax.. Special price of $70.00 if you purchase both Volumes!

Biography of Vice President William A. Wheeler

Herb Hallas, former President of the Franklin County Historical and Museum Society, has completed his book, William Almon Wheeler: Political Star of the North Country, which is scheduled to be released December, 2013, by SUNY Press This book is the first and only complete biography of Wheeler, a man referred to as "the New York Lincoln," who helped to found the Republican Party and build it into a formidable political force during the Gilded Age. Wheeler's life is an American success story about how a poor boy from Malone, NY, achieved fame and fortune as a lawyer, banker, railroad president, state legislator, five-time congressman, and vice president of the United States. The book is available for sale in our Country Store. Price $25.00 plus tax.

Book about Fort Covington

Jack Boyle’s book, Sunset on the Tracks: A memoir of family, friends, and special times in 1950’s Fort Covington will be an enjoyable read for any current or former residents of the area. We have the book in our Country Store and the cost is $30.00 plus tax.

Iron

The Franklin County Historical Society recently acquired some good 'ol heavy iron.  Nelson Fadden, of Malone, donated equipment used by his grandfathers in their respective professions. 

Part of the collection contains these shoe lasts and standard, which were used by Ezra Barkley of St. Regis Falls (the donor's maternal grandfather) who was at least a part-time cordwainer. 

Canadian Museum of Civilization's shoemaker's house exhibit
Colonial Williamsburg's shoemaker

Using a Watch as a Compass

From an old, yellowed newspaper clipping discovered recently:

"Vacationists in the Finger Lake region of Central New York, once the home of the famous Six Nations of Iroquois Indians, have devised a scheme by which a person lost in the woods or along some unfamiliar stream, may get the right direction, if they have a watch, as certainly as if they carried a compass.  The plan is now being followed by many fishermen and hunters in the Adirondacks.  The method of watch direction is described as follows:
     'By pointing the hour hand of your watch to the sun, the south may be found exactly halfway between the hour and the numeral 12 on the dial.  For example suppose that it is 4 o'clock.  Point the hand indicating 4 to the sun and 2 on the dial is directly south.  If it is 8 o'clock point the hand indicating 8 to the sun and the numeral 10 on the watch points to the south.'"

Arsenal Green in Malone

Arsenal Green, the swath of park between Main and Elm Streets in the center of the village of Malone, dates from the earliest years of Malone's settled history.  Set aside for the construction of an arsenal to help protect the area from a  British invasion during the War of 1812, it is now a public park with a Lions' Club gazebo and not currently dedicated to any military use. 

According to Seaver, the land for the arsenal and parade ground were deeded to New York State by Cone Andrus, one of Malone's first settlers. 

"An arsenal was built upon the arsenal lot as early as 1812.  It was a two story stone structure, and cost $5,000.  In February 1814, when General Wilkinson's evacuation of Malone occurred, after the retreat here in October 1813 from French Mills, (Fort Covington), following the American defeat at Chrystler's Field or Farm, Colonel Scott occupied the town for a part of two days with a British force of about a thousand men additional to a smaller number of militia and a body of Indian allies. These latter, with some of the more turbulent of the militia and regulars, were bent upon destroying the arsenal and actually set fire to it.  Representations to Colonel Scott by a number of the more prominent residents of Malone to the effect that destruction of the arsenal would he wanton and not within the practices sanctioned in civilized warfare, induced the British commandant to interfere, and the building was saved. When it was finally razed more than forty years later, a part of its timbers and stone were purchased by S.W. Gillett and were used in the erection of the dwelling house afterward owned and occupied by Mrs S.A. Beman. While the arsenal stood, it was used for housing cannon (mainly howitzers) and the accoutrements and equipment of the local State militia."  (Seaver: Historical Sketches of Franklin County, NY (1918)

In 1917, Arsenal Green was given by the state to the Village of Malone.

1904 NYS Education Dept. Report

The House of History becomes a Blue Star Museum

The FCHMS has joined with the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families to become a Blue Star Museum. Being a Blue Star Museum means that from Memorial Day, May 28, 2012 and extending through Labor Day, September 3, 2012 the museum will provide free admission to active duty military personnel and their families on days when the museum is scheduled to be open. We look forward to welcoming our guests and thanking them for their service to our country.

North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association Concert

The director of the Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir, Dr. Dexter Criss, has organized a wonderful concert to benefit the North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association. The Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir along with Champlain Valley Voices, Plattsburgh State Choral Union, Plattsburgh State College Chorale and Penn State University's Essences of Joy will join in choral harmony to present "An Evening of Choral Music from the African-American Traditions". The date is March 5th at 7:30 pm at the Glitz Auditorium in Hawkins Hall, SUC at Plattsburgh.

A donation of $1.00 is requested. All proceeds will benefit the North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association.

For more information please contact the Plattsburgh State Gospel Choir on Facebook, Twitter (PSUNY Gospel Choir) at 518-564-2704 or at gospelchoir@plattsburgh.edu.

The Skerry Dramatic Club

From the Collection of the Franklin County Historical and Museum Society

Seated (L to R):  Newton Tarbell, Mrs. Gayus Lane, Romanzo Joy, Mrs. Joy
Standing (L to R):  [?], Will King, Gayus Lane, Mary King, Wallace King (father of Will), Duncan MacNamara


From the April 4, 1895 Malone Palladium:

From the March 13, 1896 Franklin Gazette:

From the March 20, 1896 Franklin Gazette: 

Eliakim Briggs of Fort Covington

Larry Gooley has a great article on a 19th century Franklin County Inventor over at the Adirondack Almanack blog: 

http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2011/12/franklin-county-inventor-eliakim-briggs.html

Check it out!

American Bicentennial Flag

From a piece in the Sept/Oct 1976 Empire State DAR News:

click image to enlarge

Caption:  
PRESENTATION --  Adirondack Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, presented a Bicentennial flag to Troop 20 boy Scouts Fife and Drum Corps of Brushton.  Directed by Bruce Jackson, the boys portray the Spirit of '76.  Because of the historical significance of this troop and the part they are portraying, Adirondack Chapter made the award.

And from a July 7, 1976 Malone Evening Telegram article:

click image to enlarge

---------------
These and other clippings were preserved in one of several scrapbooks compiled during 1960s-1990s by Adirondack Chapter DAR.

Jacob Smith and Family of Chateaugay

One of the first families of Chateaugay, NY is the Jacob Smith Family. 

Excerpted from a February 1978 article in the Chateaugay Record, written by John Andrew Bilow:

"A monument has recently been erected in the Willis Cemetery in Earlville honoring Jacob Smith, one of the first settlers in Chateaugay and a Revolutionary War Soldier.

Jacob Smith was born in East Haven Conn., July 7, 1742, the son of Thomas Smith and Eunice Russell.  Smith married Elizabeth Blanchard, December 27, 1772 and had eight children: Eunice, Ruth, Thomas, Stephen, Jacob, Eli, Amaziah, and Salmon.  Ruth was born in Shutesbury, Mass., Thomas at Sherburn, Vt., Stephen in Arlington, Vt., Jacob, Eli and Amaziah in Sunderland, and Salmon in South Hero, Vt.  This family was well traveled. 

Jacob enlisted in the Revolutionary War in  May of 1775 in the state of Vermont in the company commanded by Captain Gideon Brownson in the regiment Commanded by Colonel Warner.  He served in Seth Warner's Regt. for two years and saw service in the Battle of Hubbarton, the Batttle of Bennington in 77 and the Battle at the capture of Burgoyne.  In the spring of 1778 he was transferred to Col Samuel Herricks Regt. and served for eighteen months when he was discharged. 

According to a statement made by Jesse Down of Poultney, Vt. in 1828 Jacob was cited as a Lieutenant and was also at the taking of Fort Defiance and Crown Point.  He was granted a pension of 15.74 semi-annually for his services in the Revolution. 

Smith was a selectman in South Hero, Vt. and was also known as Major according to the census of 1790.  Upon moving to Chateaugay in 1797, he established the first tannery in Franklin County, in the Northeastern part of town.  This would be in the Earlville area.  For the next 100 years his decendants were men of affairs in the town.  Thomas was a Colonel in the War of 1812 and owned a Tavern.  Salmon was a town justice.  His grandsons, Eli B. and Henry B. were wealthy merchants, businessmen and politicians."

Jacob Smith served as Supervisor of the Town of Chateaugay from 1829 until his death in 1831 and his grandson Henry B. Smith was Supervisor 1841, 1845-1849, 1851, 1856-1858, and 1861-1862.  

Hon. Henry B. Smith, a lifelong Democrat, was born in Chateaugay in 1805 and died in Chateaugay in 1863.  He held numerous local and state offices in addition to Town Supervisor, including assesor, justice of the peace, Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, collector of customs, and State Senator. (Hough, p. 469)

Henry's brother, Eli B. Smith donated four acres of "sightly grounds" as the site of the Chateaugay Academy and Union Free School, which opened September 15, 1879.  (Hurd, p. 465)

Capt. Salmon Smith (Jacob's son and the twin brother of Amaziah), also a soldier in the War of 1812, is highlighted in the Album of Genealogy and Biography, Cook County, Iillinois by Calumet Book & Engraving Company, Chicago (1896):

"He was a most pronounced infidel up to the age of thirty years, when he was converted to the Christian religion.... He was so well known and had been such a vigorous opponent of religious belief, that his change of sentiment produced much good in the community, although he had always been regarded as an honorable and worthy man.  He occupied some of the most responsible positions that the people could bestow.  He was an able lawyer, and served the public quite as ably and well when elevated to the Bench, as he had previously in a military capacity.  All his brothers did military service, and were pronounced workers in the Methodist Church.  He was born January 12, 1786, in South Hero, Grand Isle County, Vermont, and at twelve years of age removed with his father to Chateaugay, New York, where he resided the remainder of his life and passed away May 24, 1828."

List of 1915 Forest Rangers and Fire Observers

From May 7, 1915 Chateaugay Record and Franklin County Democrat:

click image to enlarge

Munger Grist Mill

Recently donated to the Franklin County Historical and Museum Society by William Loring:

Handwritten on the back is: "Munger Grist Mill, Lower Park Street, Malone 1892"

From Seaver (1918), p. 450:

"A stone flouring mill, five stories in height, near the Gravell plant, which was begun by George F. Dickey in 1868 and finished in 1870, with the expectation that it would have an output comparable with that of the large mills at Oswego and Rochester.  It was too big a proposition for Mr. Dickey's means, however, and the property soon went into the hands of Henry A. Paddock.  About 1882 it was bought and run by A. Munger for a number of years.  For a time it did an ordinary country mill business, and after Mr. Munger's death was converted into an excelsior mill.  It burned in 1911."

The "Gravell plant" referenced was a slaughter house and pork packing plant north of the center of the Village of Malone.  (ibid)   Excelsior (wood wool) is a product made of stranded wood fibers - once used as protective packaging in wood crates and as filling material for bedding and furniture products, and now used as Easter basket grass, in cooling pads, animal bedding, erosion control and archery backstops.



Fun Facts

(Well, if you consider historical/demographic facts fun, that is.... and we do.) 

In any case:
o Chateaugay is the oldest town in Franklin County, NY (founded 1799)

o Tupper Lake is the youngest town in Franklin County (founded 1890 and renamed in 2004 – originally town of Altamont)

o Duane is the least populous town

o Malone is the most populous town

o The 2000 census recorded 51,134 people living within Franklin County.

o Harrietstown is the largest township (in square miles)

o Constable is the smallest township (in square miles)