Calendar: Feb 7, 2008 at 7PM, Trinity Lutheran Church - Share a Treasure or a Tale, see below for more
Mar 6 – Dan Nicholson will present his postcard collection
Apr 3 – Jim Pomeroy will present "The Story of the Buffalo & Susquehanna Railroad".
The program for our first meeting of 2008 is "Share a Treasure or a Tale". Members and guests are invited to bring an artifact or memento, giving a brief description of its history or importance, or to tell a story. The memento may be a historic artifact, a picture, letter, scrapbook, or any
item of interest. In past years we have enjoyed seeing tools, clothing, household objects, letters and pictures. If you don't have an item you wish to bring, come and enjoy what others bring for our annual "show and tell." Also on tap, our annual election of officers, delayed from December’s
snowstorm.
Greetings from Our President
This is our first newsletter of the New Year and I wish to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped to make us a success in 2007. Like any organization volunteers are the key to a success. I thank each of you who played a role in making 2007 a great year for our Society.
The museum was showered with attention thanks to the many Sesquicentennial events. From May to October we participated in one event after another! Mary Rhodes and Eleanor Cott stepped forward to help with most of this and for that I thank them, as well as the many other members who played a
role. We were beautifully represented in the Sesquicentennial Parade and the Loan Exhibition at the library. Our Open House was in conjunction with Don Baldwin’s Museum Open House and the Miniature and Model Show and was a huge success. We had an estimated 100 visitors! In addition, we gave
talks to several community groups, where we featured local history, and artifacts from the various collections at the museum. We also participated in the Fantasy of Lights on the library lawn. Our Christmas tree, of course, featured a Dyke Museum theme!
Throughout the year, we have received wonderful coverage on Ron Taylor’s website. Ron is webmaster for the Allegany County local history and genealogy website ( http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/Allegany ). Our newsletters and
coverage of all of our events are posted on this site. A big thanks goes to Ron for his contribution to the documentation of Allegany County history. He is helping our museum and society to "make history"! Here I am reminded to tell you that Mary Rhodes is one of the major contributors to the
site with her research. The museum is fortunate to have such a knowledgeable member and resource individual.
Our monthly programs were all successful! Thanks to the efforts of our Program Director, Jean Richmond we have been afforded interesting and well attended programs, not only for last year but for many years. Jean has decided to "retire" and we will miss her great ideas for speakers! My
enduring thanks go to Jean and I hope she realizes how much we appreciate her. If anyone else would like to step up to the challenge, it certainly would be welcomed. In the meantime, suggestions are welcomed for upcoming programs.
We are looking forward to our annual election at our February meeting. It was delayed from the November meeting when we cancelled because of bad weather. The officers graciously acknowledged that they would continue in office for this two month interim.
I hope everyone continues to be involved with the museum. Also I hope that everyone continues to enjoy the enriching experiences of our programs and the fellowship of being a member of the Society.
Dues – Its that time again. Dues forms are included with this mailing. Dues remain $10.00 for individual and $15.00 for family. Did you know that we are a 501C3 organization? Donations to the museum are tax deductible, this is a great time to rejoin our organization and help maintain
the museum by adding a little something extra.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR DONATIONS:
Moogan Fund - $350.00, targeted for museum exterior work
Individual donations - $1000
Allegany Arts Association – A 1995 newsletter featuring the Mather Homestead Museum.
Alstom – A four drawer full size file cabinet and four storage boxes.
Joanne Allen and Eleanor Cott – A photo of the Triangle No. 1 monument.
Don Baldwin – c1950 aerial view photo of the S. Main St./Alstom area.
Mary and Ken Bellows – For Davie genealogy file – a letter from Constance Henry, Elizabeth Davie Burner’s daughter; A Centennial photo of Ken in costume (Ken played the part of the minister in the Pageant!)
Diane Converso – "Wellsville News of Old" by Frank O’Brien to copy; Lanphere genealogy ; Johnson Cemetery information and map copy; handwritten copy of "Wellsville" by Lewis H. Thornton.
Carol and Don Donovan – 45th reunion booklet for the Wellsville High School Class of 1955; Wild Apple Press Spring 1978 and Summer 1979.
Jones Memorial Hospital – previously used hanging file folders.
Mary Ann Newark – a 1972 flood photo of Wellsville High School.
Don and Ruth Richmond – Vintage clothing circa 1840 inherited from Don’s mother, including a wedding dress, a man’s suit and spats, baby clothes and much more!
Joann Stewart and Don Baldwin – Baldwin genealogy.
Wellsville Sesquicentennial Committee – A 2007 Sesquicentennial scrapbook.
Some Year End Financials FYI – Last year, we spent $220.50 on stamps, $869.05 on utilities, $302.75 on office supplies and $281.24 on plumbing and heating services. On the up side, we had total deposits of $3,366.67, including dues, donations and 50/50 drawings. Our $5,000 CD earned
$190.21 interest. It now sits in a savings account awaiting the return of decent interest rates.
FROM THE PAST - The following article was found in the Wellsville Daily Reporter of Nov 16, 1891.
Wellsville’s New Industry - A Valuable Investment which will be Manufactured by a Home Company
The latest addition to Wellsville’s manufacturing industries is The Thorne and Wilcox Co., a stock company with $20,000 capital of which O. S. Thorne is president, and George B. Wilcox secretary and treasurer.
The company has purchased the patents and right to manufacture of the Gilt-Edge Butter Package which consists of a glass jar with air tight cover, so attached to a wooden frame as to absolutely protect it from danger of breaking. With the use of this package, which is made in five and ten
pound sizes, butter can be kept sweet until it is entirely consumed, as only a few pounds are opened at a time and when a portion is removed the remainder can be again sealed air tight until wanted for further use.
When the package has once become introduced, persons buying butter, whether in large or small quantities, will not be satisfied unless it is put up in these improved packages and it is reasonable to expect that in a very short time it will become universally adopted. The firm at present are
located on Loder street, in the "Phoenix house" building where they are rapidly preparing the packages for market. The glass is manufactured at Pittsburg by the natural gas process which is considered the best in the world, while the wire work and wooden portions are being turned out a the Brown
mill on Depot street. The company have already received several large orders and it is only a question of a few months when the plant will have to be enlarged.
NOW - We believe the Patent for the Gilt Edge Butter Package described above was purchased from David C. Chadwick of Friendship, New York. It was known as the "Chadwick Butter Jar", a refillable container specifically used for butter (and now it can be used as a great cookie jar). We
have a Chadwick Jar at the museum, we hope you will stop in to see it, or go to "Google Patents" and look up patent number 428,040.
2007 OFFICERS TRHGS
to: Rogers Home Page
