In 1801, workers employed by the Holland Land Company erected a mill dam near the bend in Tonawanda Creek. By 1804, a sawmill had been constructed directly above a gristmill on the present site of 3 West Main Street. The gristmill was used to grind grain into flour, and the complex became known as the Genesee County Mills. The mills were destroyed by fire on August 20, 1884. After the fire, the Village of Batavia purchased the land and property.
In 1885, architect Henry Homelius was commissioned to design a small two-room brick shelter that housed pumps used to force water from Tonawanda Creek into the water mains. The building was known as the Water Works and cost the Village $3,000.
In 1893, the Village Aldermen voted to light the streets of Batavia and hired Homelius to design an addition to the Water Works that would house a power station. The Romanesque Victorian-style addition featured intricate brickwork. The building's distinctive towers were added in 1906. The Water Works was then renamed the Municipal Building.
The first floor housed equipment used to generate electricity. The engineer's office was in the tower room, and a wide stairway along the eastern wall led to the council chamber. When Batavia became a city in 1915, the Aldermen relocated their meetings to the old county courthouse, Ellicott Hall.
By 1912, the Municipal Building still housed the water works, and a new sewer collection station had been added. Raw sewage was pumped to Hillcrest Avenue, where it was treated and returned to the creek through a gravity-flow system.
On September 20, 1915, an explosion occurred in the sewage collection area of the building's sub-basement. The force buckled iron beams, lifted large sections of the seven-inch-thick ceiling and destroyed the southwest corner of the facility. The exact cause was never determined, although accumulated sewer or natural gas was suspected.
The caretaker, John Coleman, apparently opened a trap door leading to a well at the surface of the sewer. His duties included descending the stairs to stir the sludge and inspect the pumps. Evidence indicated his light had gone out and that he may have lit a match, igniting accumulated gas. Coleman was found beneath the wreckage and died at Batavia Hospital within six hours of the accident. Charred beams from the incident could still be seen on the second floor when this history was written.
After the explosion, voters approved a $15,000 bond to replace pumping equipment, renovate sewer lines and construct a new water filtration plant. Because World War I had increased construction costs, additional funding was required. Voters approved another $25,000, and Warsaw Construction Company began work at the end of Jackson Street in August 1916.
By 1948, the Municipal Building housed only pumping equipment and offices for water and public works officials. Following an inspection, the City Council decided to convert the building into a fire department and acted as contractor for the project.
A new heating system was installed, and 100 feet was removed from the 175-foot smokestack built in 1912 for the old boiler room. The remaining 75-foot structure was used by the fire department to drain water hoses. The station included three truck bays and an office for the duty officer in the eastern tower. Offices for the fire chief and assistant chief were on the second floor, along with a dormitory, recreation rooms, kitchen and snack area.
The building also featured two brass fire poles. One had been removed from the former fire headquarters on Court Street and installed in the new station. Renovations cost approximately $33,000. Fire headquarters remained at this location until 1978, when the new station opened on Evans Street.
In 1978, the Municipal Building was being considered for demolition as part of urban renewal. James Dennis, president of Vinje Inc., a Cheektowaga construction and development firm, purchased the building and converted it into a restaurant. Dennis paid $42,500 for the property, and the conversion took more than a year.
The Engine House #1 Restaurant and Lounge opened in 1980 with a firehouse theme. The menu included a corned beef sandwich for $2.10, a champagne Sunday brunch for $5.95 and lobster for $11.95. In 1982, Dennis sold the restaurant to John Prozeralik. In 1989, it was sold for $499,000 to a Delaware corporation.
The restaurant closed permanently in 1991. The last owners owed $54,805 in delinquent city, county and school taxes. There was also a State Liquor Authority charge alleging the sale of alcohol to a minor. The restaurant's attorney entered a plea of innocent to the charge.
The Engine House remained vacant for five years, and many residents worried it would be demolished. In spring 1996, Genesee County purchased the property for $250,000 at a foreclosure auction. The County assumed responsibility for the back taxes, and the Legislature authorized $33,400 to begin renovating the structure.
During 1997, Buildings and Grounds began converting the former Municipal Building, fire station and restaurant into county offices. After extensive cleanup, the historic building was restored for public use.
In July 1998, the Genesee County History Department moved into the front section of 3 West Main Street. The department included the Research Library and the County's Records Management program. The Research Library provided assistance to genealogists, students and others interested in local history.
Additional information about 3 West Main Street is available in History Department files.
By Susan L. Conklin
Genesee County Historian and Records Management Officer
March 2000
By Susan L. Conklin, County Historian
This book is dedicated to all of the wild animals who silently witnessed the arrival of human beings and to our beloved pets who provide friendship.
When I was appointed County Historian, one of the first files I added to the collection was labeled "Animals" because I could not find another folder in which to place a newspaper clipping about a dog. Historical research often uncovers unrelated but interesting information worth preserving for another project.
Over the years, History Department staff added local newspaper articles and stories from history books to the Animal File. Research Library patrons and municipal historians also contributed animal stories. Eventually, the collection became large enough to organize into a more useful format.
I sorted the stories alphabetically by animal, reptile or bird. Each story was checked and its source documented, including newspaper dates or book titles and page numbers. The original file folder was eventually replaced with notebooks. After reviewing the collection, I decided there was enough material for a book and selected some of the best stories for publication.
As Genesee County entered its Bicentennial year, it was difficult to imagine the landscape when the County was first formed. F. W. Beers' Gazetteer and Biographical Record of Genesee County, New York 1788-1890 described the abundance of wildlife encountered by early residents.
The country abounded in game. The deer were at their very doors. The more dreaded bear was a frequent but not so welcome visitor. It is related that on one occasion a bear with two cubs made an unceremonious call to a store on West Main Street (Batavia). A clerk grabbed a musket, pursued the intruders, and brought back with him a cub which he had shot down in the encounter. It is not recorded whether these grizzly customers returned for another charge.
Wolves were considered even more destructive to settlers. Their hides became a source of income for hunters. A bounty that began at $1 per hide eventually increased to $10 per hide in 1810 because of the damage wolves caused to livestock.
Rattlesnakes were another danger and sometimes entered settlers' cabins and cellars. One account described a young child who told her mother that she wanted to play outside with a kitten. The mother later discovered that the child's "kitten" was actually a rattlesnake sharing a dish of milk with her. The child was carefully called away and the snake was killed.
Bears, wolves, panthers and elk were eventually hunted to extinction in Genesee County. Smaller forest animals lost habitat as woods became farms and communities grew. Dogs and cats became increasingly important members of local families.
These stories document changes in society and the way people have viewed animals. They record everyday life, humorous moments and local history.
By Susan L. Conklin, County Historian
An occupational hazard of being a historian is hearing people talk about "the good old days." Society tends to romanticize the past and forget the difficulties of everyday life. Western New Yorkers also take some pride in surviving severe winter weather.
Looking at historic storms provides perspective on modern winters. Today, weather forecasting, snow-removal equipment, insulated homes, emergency management and communications systems help Genesee County prepare for severe weather.
The Blizzard of 1977
The four-day Blizzard of 1977 began January 29 and stranded an estimated 3,000 people. County Highway Superintendent Joseph J. Amadick, who also served as Director of Civil Defense and Natural Disasters, warned motorists to stay off the roads except for emergencies. A State of Emergency was declared.
During the storm, 17.5 inches of snow fell. Winds of about 40 miles per hour created drifts as high as 20 feet. Temperatures dropped rapidly, with wind chills estimated at 30 to 40 degrees below zero.
High snowbanks already in place before the storm contributed to the severity of the blizzard. Poor visibility prevented highway crews from fully clearing roads until February 8. Many County offices closed, and legislators determined that County employees would not lose pay for the five days of the emergency.
The Blizzard of 1966
Six days before the Blizzard of 1966, approximately two feet of snow was already on the ground. The January 30 storm paralyzed the region, closing businesses, schools and industries and contributing to a major accident on the New York State Thruway.
More than 100 cars were stranded, and nearly 1,000 snowbound travelers filled local hotels, motels and shelters. Civil Defense headquarters operated from the Sheriff's Office, and all County roads were officially closed.
Wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour created drifts 10 to 15 feet high. The Highway Department ordered its trucks back to the Mill Street garage because visibility made plowing unsafe. During the two-day storm, snow fell at approximately one inch per hour while temperatures remained near 10 degrees.
The Snowstorm of 1898
On December 7, 1898, the region experienced what was described at the time as one of its greatest recorded snowstorms. Snow drifted into large waves, with some drifts reaching 8 to 12 feet.
The storm was highly localized. Buffalo also received heavy snow, while Rochester largely escaped it. Reports from Albion indicated sunshine and pleasant weather while Genesee County was being buried.
Transportation at the time relied heavily on horses and cutters, and most snow removal was done by hand. For the first time in its history, the Empire State Express locomotive was brought to a standstill. Five trains were stalled for a day.
The Year Without a Summer: 1816
One of the most severe weather events to affect the region occurred during the summer of 1816. The April 5, 1815 eruption of a volcano in Sumbawa, in present-day Indonesia, sent a massive volcanic cloud into the atmosphere.
During the following summer, local farmers wore overcoats and mittens. Snow reportedly reached three inches deep in June, and ice formed during July and August. Crops failed, leaving too little grain for seed the following year.
Wheat remaining from the previous year sold for $5 per bushel. Large bonfires were built around cornfields, and farmhands took turns keeping the fires burning in an effort to protect crops.
The summer of 1816 was an extraordinary challenge for pioneer families and neighboring Seneca communities. The following summer, by contrast, was remembered as one of the hottest and driest the state had experienced.
Historian's Note
Susan L. Conklin, County Historian
With the millennium approaching, the History Department wanted to create a project summarizing the 20th century. The project would highlight daily life in Genesee County and major events that occurred during the previous 100 years.
The Daily News began publishing a Year-in-Review feature in 1940. The History Department decided to summarize the earlier decades to create a complete "Century-in-Review."
Genesee Community College students from Paul Schulte's History and State/Local Government classes participated in the project. Students selected three or four months and prepared brief descriptions highlighting one to three stories per day.
The project began during the fall 1998 semester, and more than 100 students had participated by the time this article was written. Students could choose between writing a detailed term paper or assisting the History Department.
Students discovered that reviewing old newspapers required significant research. Some days contained very little local news, while other days made it difficult to select only three stories. The project gave students experience using archival records and studying history at the local level.
After reviewing their assigned months, students typed their findings and prepared summaries. History Department staff collected the reports and arranged them chronologically in notebooks. The project was also intended to receive a topic index to improve access.
Sample Century-in-Review Entries
- 1903, April 6 – County Clerk Carolos Hull died of heart failure. On April 10, Charles B. Pixley was appointed County Clerk.
- 1904, April 8 – Batavia and Le Roy bowlers played their second series of games at Burkhart's Alleys. Batavia won, 4,210 to 4,055.
- 1904, April 16 – A Leap Year party was held at the Frantz Hotel in Darien. Women escorted their partners, and any gentleman crossing the ballroom unescorted was subject to a fine.
- 1907, March 4 – Batavia High School seniors petitioned to wear caps and gowns for graduation. The Board of Education granted the request.
- 1910, February 2 – The Women's Suffrage Movement Equality Club held a meeting encouraging women to vote.
- 1910, February 8 – Alexander closed school because of a scarlet fever outbreak.
- 1910, March 18 – President Taft's train made a brief stop in Batavia.
- 1911, September 23 – Attendance at the Fair reached 8,372, its largest crowd to date.
- 1912, March 10 – Four furnished rooms for light housekeeping, with soft water, gas and a garden, were advertised for $2 per week at 12 Cedar Street in Batavia.
- 1913, July 7 – The Batavia trolley line was abandoned. Cars stopped running at 1 p.m.
- 1915, February 4 – The Pavilion Town Board granted Pavilion Natural Gas Company a franchise to install a pipeline and provide gas to customers at no more than 35 cents per thousand.
- 1915, March 26 – Sydney & Salway at 2 Exchange Place advertised seven new Harley-Davidson motorcycle models with prices starting at $200.
- 1916, August 3 – A new local ordinance regulated the care and disposal of garbage and required it to be kept in suitable closed containers.
- 1917, August 18 – New York State Mounted Troopers prepared to establish Western Division headquarters in Batavia.
- 1918, May 10 – A tornado struck Batavia and damaged numerous buildings.
- 1918, June 6 – 240 Genesee County residents registered for war service. The government had expected at least 300 and requested an explanation.
- 1929, January 7 – The Town of Batavia tax rate was $14.59, while Pembroke's was the highest at $24.42 per $1,000.
- 1929, January 19 – Tonawanda Creek was flooding and reportedly reached 889.60 feet above sea level.
- 1930, April 23 – Batavia Police and Buffalo Dry Agents raided 318 West Main Street and found brewery equipment.
- 1930, April 26 – Batavia taxpayers prepared to vote on a new water plant.
- 1930, October 17 – Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke at the city courthouse park.
- 1931, March 2 – A quart of milk cost 12 cents.
- 1931, March 31 – Stafford Country Club announced it would officially open May 1 with an 18-hole golf course.
- 1932, October 20 – Batavia's first welfare program began.
- 1932, October 27 – Genesee County reported a record 24,683 registered voters, including more than 13,000 men.
- 1933, March 30 – State Troopers equipped for riot duty accompanied milk trucks between Batavia and Rochester during unrest involving milk producers.
- 1936, March 15 – Pneumonia killed a record 51 people in Batavia.
- 1936, May 16 – Winds and frost destroyed nearly half of the onion plantings on Elba's Muckland, with losses estimated at $30,000.
- 1938, June 9 – Reports indicated that the Genesee County Jail needed additional cells.
- 1939, January 31 – A major snowstorm dropped 36½ inches of snow in Batavia.
- 1939, July 12 – A meteor reportedly struck north of Batavia.
The Century-in-Review project may be viewed at the Genesee County History Department.
A Brief History
By Susan L. Conklin, County Historian
An act providing for the establishment of county poorhouses was passed in Albany in 1824. On December 4, 1826, the Genesee County Board of Supervisors met in Bethany to establish a County Poorhouse.
A brick building that had originally served as a stagecoach tavern near Bethany Center Road and Raymond Road was selected because the site represented the geographic center of the county. Wyoming County was not established until 1841.
An official announcement dated December 9, 1826, appeared in the Batavia Times:
Notice is hereby given that the Genesee County Poorhouse will be ready for the reception of paupers on the first day of January 1827 … The Overseers of the Poor of the several towns of the County of Genesee are requested, in all cases of removal of paupers to the county poorhouse, to send with them their clothing, beds, bedding and such other articles belonging to the paupers as may be necessary and useful to them.
Historical records identified several categories of people eligible for assistance, using terminology common at the time. These included habitual drunkards, people described as "lunatics," paupers, state paupers and vagrants.
Records also listed causes of pauperism. In 1867, the Superintendent of the Poor reported that of 1,018 poor residents, 706 had become paupers because of intemperance, meaning excessive consumption of alcohol. Other records document families entering the County Home following the death of a wage earner.
In 1828, the County constructed a stone building attached to the Poorhouse for people then described as lunatics and for residents committed because of misconduct. People with mental illness continued to be housed at the County Home until 1887, when the Board of Supervisors agreed to transfer certain patients to state institutions.
History Department staff later compiled a list of people who died while living at the County Home. Sources included registration books, coffin-purchase records, mortuary listings and reports from the Superintendents of the Poor to the County Board of Supervisors.
Very little information survives about the County Home cemetery. The 1886 Proceedings stated:
The burying ground we have improved by building a fence in front and grading and leveling the ground as much as could be done without injury to the graves.
No cemetery register or plot map had been located when this history was written. The County buried people who had no family to arrange for burial, and surviving receipts provide some of the remaining evidence.
One longtime resident, Phebe White, reportedly lived at the County Home for 58 years after entering at age 9 in 1828. Historical records used terminology now considered outdated to describe her disability. At age 49, she became blind. The Superintendent of the Poor estimated that her lifetime care cost the County $7,000.
The 1871 Proceedings reported that 146 people had been cared for at a cost of $1.08 per resident per week. The County Home operated a farm and woodlot that supplied food and fuel.
A memorial site was later established in Genesee County Park. On June 6, 2004, Genesee County historians dedicated a historical marker honoring those who died while living at the County Home from 1827 until 1974, when the facility closed and relocated to Batavia.
The memorial includes a bronze plaque and five headstones returned to the County by Lori Carlson, then owner of the former County Poorhouse property. The stones date from 1887 to 1888. History Department staff located receipts showing that the County had purchased them for $5 each. Why the stones were never used is unknown.
The original County Poorhouse cemetery gradually disappeared as markers deteriorated and vegetation reclaimed the site. The memorial was created so that those who lived and died at the institution would not be forgotten.
Historian's Note
By Susan L. Conklin, County Historian
This article was written when Daylight Saving Time (DST) followed a different federal schedule than it does today. It examines the history of DST and debates over its adoption in Genesee County.
When this article was written, most of the United States and many other countries observed Daylight Saving Time. One reason commonly given for adjusting clocks was to reduce electricity use by shifting more usable daylight into evening hours.
DST was introduced nationally during World War I as an energy-conservation measure. Congress later repealed the law. During World War II, DST was again imposed nationally from February 1942 until September 1945.
From 1945 to 1966, there was no single national requirement, allowing local communities to choose whether to observe DST. The differing schedules created problems for broadcasting, transportation and other industries.
Daylight Saving Time in Genesee County
Genesee County was no exception to the debate. On May 13, 1930, the Batavia Common Council discussed DST. Factory workers and other employees generally supported the change because it provided another hour of daylight after work for outdoor recreation.
Some farmers opposed the change because it required them to travel into Batavia an hour earlier for business. Doehler Die Casting Company adopted DST for its plant regardless of the outcome of the proposed referendum.
Buffalo and Rochester were observing DST, which led Blue Bus Lines to adjust schedules accordingly. Many merchants and employees favored the change but also wanted to accommodate farming customers. Postal clerks opposed it because their work followed railroad schedules.
Petitions both for and against DST were presented to the Common Council.
Bethany Center District No. 6 established school hours of 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to give students more afternoon daylight. At Lally's Tavern in LeRoy, the Business Association held a meeting where merchants, farmers, industrial workers, bankers, teachers and students discussed the issue. Members ultimately voted in favor of DST.
On May 22, 1930, the Batavia Common Council adopted an ordinance to "Spring Ahead and Fall Back." A petition signed by approximately 2,000 factory workers and presented by P.W. Minor & Son Company helped influence the decision.
LeRoy adopted DST beginning June 8 and ending September 28. Batavia began June 1 and continued through the last Sunday in October. Oakfield also adopted what was then called "fast time."
By 1932, however, opposition had grown. Oakfield voters rejected DST 63 to 14, while Corfu voters rejected it 81 to 19.
In 1963, the Genesee County Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. 13 opposing proposed New York State legislation establishing year-round DST in Upstate New York. Copies were sent to Governor Rockefeller and State Senator Barber B. Conable.
The federal Uniform Time Act of 1966 eventually established a more consistent national schedule. Congress temporarily extended DST following the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo before returning to a shorter schedule in 1975. Another federal change took effect in 1986.
Historian's Note
If you are feeling anxious about the possibility of an attack, it is worth remembering that Genesee County residents have faced similar fears before.
1958 Civil Defense Exercise
Theoretical Bomb "Destroyed" City was the headline in the Daily News on May 6, 1958. The article described a hypothetical hydrogen bomb equivalent to 60,000 tons of TNT exploding at the intersection of Routes 5 and 63 in Batavia.
The mock attack included Bethany, East Pembroke, Oakfield and Stafford. The scenario assumed that central Batavia, its hospitals, radio station, newspaper and Civil Defense headquarters were destroyed.
The following day, a newspaper photograph showed two boys demonstrating bomb-drill procedures beneath a hallway table at Robert Morris Elementary School. Additional photographs published May 10 showed children participating in Civil Defense "Duck-and-Cover" drills.
Fallout Shelters
By January 5, 1963, fallout shelter signs were being installed throughout the County. Identified shelters were stocked with emergency food, water, medical supplies and radiation-detection equipment and were intended to support occupants for approximately two weeks during a nuclear emergency short of a direct hit.
Eighty-eight buildings were considered potentially suitable, but only 20 met federal Civil Defense standards. Together, those shelters could accommodate 3,913 people. Batavia had 13 qualifying buildings, the Oakfield-Elba area had three, and Pembroke and the Village of LeRoy had two each.
The remaining buildings did not meet required radiation-protection standards. Army Engineers estimated that more than $1 million would be needed to improve the other structures, including auxiliary power and sanitation systems.
County Employee Civil Defense Responsibilities
In 1965, the Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. 33, requiring participation by Genesee County employees in Civil Defense. Department heads were assigned Civil Defense responsibilities related to their normal professional duties, and employees could be assigned emergency responsibilities by their department heads.
Western District Civil Defense Facility
On June 6, 1966, construction began on a new District Civil Defense Facility at the New York State School for the Blind property. The 10-county Western District Center was the first of six planned state emergency operating centers intended for use during war or natural disasters.
The article was written in 2003 and reflected the security concerns and terminology of that period while comparing them with the Civil Defense concerns of the Cold War.
Historian's Note
By Susan L. Conklin, County Historian
During World War II, Genesee County residents served throughout the armed forces. One Batavia pilot, Edward Joseph Cichowski, later known as Edward Joseph York, received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his role in the Doolittle Raid.
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle and others planned an air raid on Japan using B-25 Mitchell bombers launched from an aircraft carrier. Cichowski, known during the mission as Captain York, served as a squadron commander and Doolittle's operations officer.
Edward J. Cichowski was born August 16, 1912, in Batavia to Ignatius and Tekla Cichowski. His father was a Polish immigrant who arrived in the United States in 1905. The family lived at 101 Harvester Avenue.
Cichowski graduated from Batavia High School at age 15 in June 1928. He was remembered as an excellent student with particular talent in mathematics. After high school, he joined the Army and later attended the United States Military Academy at West Point.
The April 18, 1942, Doolittle Raid was the first American air attack on the Japanese home islands during World War II. Sixteen B-25 Mitchell bombers participated.
York piloted the 16th aircraft. Unlike most of the other crews, he was able to land safely near Vladivostok in the Soviet Union. Because the Soviet Union had not declared war against Japan, York and his four crew members were interned for 14 months before escaping through Persia, now Iran.
Another Batavian, John H. Richter, Aviation Machinist Mate First Class, was aboard the aircraft carrier Hornet. Richter lived at 7 Franklin Street. The Hornet was later lost during the Battle of Santa Cruz on October 26, 1942. Richter was rescued by a destroyer and later returned to Batavia.
York retired from the Air Force as a colonel. He died at his home in San Antonio, Texas, on August 31, 1984, at age 72.
For the 60th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid, B-25 Mitchell bombers from the "History of Flight" Air Show in Geneseo flew over the Genesee County Bicentennial Parade on July 13.
Historian's Note
In the late 19th century, railroads competed to provide faster transportation. One of the most famous locomotives of the period was the Empire State Express No. 999.
William Buchanan, master mechanic and superintendent of motive power at the West Albany Shops, designed the 37-foot-long locomotive. It was built by hand and was among the first locomotives of its type to have brakes applied to the front trucks.
No. 999 was designed for both speed and appearance. Its metalwork was highly polished, the locomotive had a black satin finish, and its tender displayed "Empire State Express" in large gold lettering. The driving wheels measured 86 inches in diameter.
The 1893 Record Run
As the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago approached, railroads were eager to demonstrate their fastest engines. On May 9, 1893, Batavia engineer Charlie Hogan took control of No. 999 in Rochester.
Despite leaving 25 minutes late because of boiler trouble, Hogan completed the 69-mile trip from Rochester to Buffalo in 68 minutes. The estimated speed reached 102 miles per hour.
The following day, railroad officials accompanied the locomotive to record another run. Between Batavia and Corfu, Hogan opened the throttle fully, and No. 999 was reported to have reached 112.5 miles per hour near Crittenden in Erie County.
Railroad officials and newspaper reporters calculated the speed using mileposts and handheld stopwatches. The run was widely publicized as a world speed record and brought Hogan and No. 999 international attention.
Residents who witnessed the locomotive pass through Batavia described black smoke, clouds of dust and crowds cheering along the tracks.
Later History
No. 999 became a major attraction at the Chicago World's Fair and later appeared at numerous exhibitions, including the 1952 Genesee County Sesquicentennial.
After its exhibition career, the locomotive was used for less prominent railroad service. In 1962, it was restored and presented by the New York Central Railroad to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.
Charlie Hogan remained with the New York Central throughout his career. He began railroad work at age 14 as a water boy and later served as a switch tender, brakeman, fireman, machinist's helper and engineer. After the famous run, he became an instructor for other engineers and later served in supervisory positions.
Hogan died November 11, 1939. At the time of his death, the 112.5-mile-per-hour record attributed to his run had reportedly been surpassed only three times on rail.
In 1990, artist L.F. Tantillo donated a print depicting No. 999 at the Batavia railroad station to the Genesee County History Department. The print and additional information about the locomotive are available through the History Department.
After Genesee County was created in 1802, a county government had to be established. The construction of a courthouse and jail was among the first major tasks. The Holland Land Company played an important role in the County's early development.
The first courthouse west of the Genesee River was completed within approximately a year. Once the courthouse was ready, appointments to county offices could be made.
Under the New York State Constitution in effect at the time, the governor nominated candidates for state and local offices and the Council of Appointment approved or rejected those nominations.
The first appointed Genesee County officers were James W. Stevens, County Clerk, and Richard M. Stoddard, Sheriff.
Stevens, a Princeton College graduate, was responsible for recording deeds, mortgages and wills and keeping minutes of Board of Supervisors meetings.
Stoddard had worked as a surveyor and assisted Joseph Ellicott with surveying Western New York between 1798 and 1800. After the appointments were made, the County's first elections were held.
In 1803, Genesee County had four supervisors representing the towns of Batavia, Northhampton, Southhampton and Leicester. The new Board offered the position of County Treasurer to Joseph Ellicott.
Ellicott served as resident agent for the Holland Land Company, which owned approximately three-fourths of the land in the County. Serving as Treasurer gave him insight into County finances and road construction, an issue important to the Holland Land Company's land sales.
After Ellicott accepted the appointment, the Holland Land Company paid Genesee County nearly $5,000 in back taxes.
The first murder indictment and conviction in Genesee County occurred in June 1807, when James McClean was tried for the murder of William Orr.
McClean was a non-citizen and, under the law at the time, was entitled to a jury composed in part of other non-citizens. The jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to death by hanging.
The crime occurred near Caledonia Springs, which was then part of Genesee County. McClean, Orr and a man named McLaughlin were squatters on the 40,000 Acre Tract. A dispute arose over a tree that Orr had cut on land claimed by McClean.
McClean struck Orr with an axe, killing him. McLaughlin intervened and was also killed, although there was uncertainty about who delivered the fatal blow. McClean was prosecuted for Orr's murder.
McClean initially hid in a hollow log near his home and later fled into the woods. Local militia members searched for him, and he was eventually recognized and arrested at a tavern east of Canandaigua.
A large crowd attended the public execution on August 28, 1807. Contemporary reports stated that the first rope broke, causing McClean to fall to the ground. A replacement rope was obtained, and the execution was carried out a second time.
County records also show that William Keys was paid $8.25 for building the gallows and that eight gallons of brandy were supplied to the guards.
Sediment in Wine Bottle Not Poison but Blood
Cultoro's Wife Endeavored to Work a Charm
A September 26, 1916, Daily News story reported that Joseph Cultoro of Watson Street in Batavia brought a bottle of discolored wine to police headquarters and accused his wife of trying to poison him.
His wife explained that someone had told her placing some of her blood into something her husband drank would act as a charm to restore his affection. She cut her arm and added blood to the wine.
Police attempted to resolve the couple's dispute, and it was eventually agreed that she would stay with relatives in LeRoy for a time.
Source: Daily News, September 26, 1916.
Man Says Wooden Leg Taken Away by Beavers
This unusual story came from neighboring Wyoming County.
A February 14, 1935, Daily News story reported that Herman Strutter, who lived near a beaver colony in Hermitage, awoke to discover that part of his wooden leg was missing.
Marks on the remaining portion appeared to have been made by teeth, and pieces of wood were found in his bed. Beaver tracks reportedly led from the house toward a nearby pond.
Source: Daily News, February 14, 1935.
Atomic Bomb in Batavia
According to the Proceedings of the Board of Supervisors for April 8, 1959, Civil Defense Director M.O. Clement asked the Board for permission to stage a simulated atomic bomb explosion using fireworks as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of the Veterans Facility.
The Board unanimously approved the request. The simulated explosion took place on the Veterans Hospital grounds as part of a Civil Defense exercise.
Ninety-two volunteers, many of them Boy Scouts, participated as mock injured personnel. An Army helicopter, ambulances, a tractor-trailer, fire rescue vehicles and two station wagons on loan from Funke & Hawley's Dodge dealership transported the participants to Genesee Memorial and St. Jerome Hospitals.
The exercise began a day of festivities that also included a parade.
By Susan L. Conklin, County Historian
In 1802, construction began on the first courthouse west of the Genesee River. The Holland Land Company financed the building and presented it and the courthouse park to Genesee County.
Isaac Sutherland and Samuel Geer were the architects. The structure used heavy oak framing, and its construction reportedly required three days to raise the timbers.
The first court session was held in spring 1803. The building stood on the present site of County Building No. 1, with its front facing east toward Court Street. It contained a courtroom, jail, county offices and a tavern. The tavern closed in 1820, and the space became the sheriff's residence.
Ellicott Hall
On May 14, 1840, the New York State Legislature authorized construction of a new Genesee County courthouse. The original courthouse was replaced in 1843.
About 1849, the original courthouse was transferred to the Town of Batavia and became known as Ellicott Hall in honor of Joseph Ellicott. It was used for town board meetings, public works offices and community meetings.
Ellicott Hall was destroyed by fire on February 5, 1918. The temperature was reportedly 14 degrees below zero, and the fire was believed to have been caused by an overheated furnace.
The 1843 Courthouse
The courthouse at Main and Ellicott streets became an architectural focal point in downtown Batavia. It was constructed of gray-cut Onondaga limestone quarried from Consider Warner's farm in the Town of LeRoy.
The Greek Revival building originally featured six large stone pilasters framing an open porch across the front. In 1931, the porch area was converted to office space and the center-bay entrance was created.
The slate and copper hip roof supports a two-tier wooden cupola containing a brass bell. The bell had originally hung in Ellicott Hall and was rung whenever a verdict was reached. According to the article, the last verdict for which it rang was the 1988 Lyndon Goodell trial.
The Courthouse Bell
When the first courthouse was completed, the Holland Land Company had not installed a bell. Early settler Davis McCraken ordered one from a foundry in New Haven, Connecticut.
McCraken had the bell brought into town at night and hung from a pole between two trees. At about 4 a.m., he rang it, attracting residents from throughout the community. Joseph Ellicott reportedly arrived and purchased the bell before sunset, after which it was installed in the courthouse belfry.
The bell survived the 1918 Ellicott Hall fire and was later installed in the 1843 courthouse.
Construction Costs
Records from the 1843 courthouse construction include payments of $700 for pillars, $2,888.39 for masonry by Elias Pelton, $1,634.42 to Consider Warner for cut stone, $246.35 to John Kinyan for iron and blacksmith work and $102 for chairs.
A century later, the courthouse was the site of an expensive murder trial. An August 24, 1897, Daily News article reported that the County treasury had only $7.62 remaining after the Benham murder trial. Expenses included $1,800 for the court stenographer and an extra $50 for each juror.
On June 18, 1974, the courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Genesee County Courthouse Historic District.
After the newer Court Facility opened, the historic courthouse became home to the Genesee County Legislature and office space for the County Manager.
Historian's Note
Susan L. Conklin, County Historian
As part of a Genesee County Bicentennial book project, the History Department began researching communities elsewhere in the United States that share names with Genesee County municipalities. The project began with Batavia, the County seat.
Batavia in Genesee County was established in 1802, but it was not the first place called Batavia in New York State. According to research cited from the Library of Congress Map Division, a Batavia patent was granted to Vincent Matthews on April 24, 1736, covering approximately 4,200 acres along Batavia Kill in what became Greene County.
The article identified five additional Batavias in the United States: Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio.
Batavia, Arkansas
Tradition states that Batavia, Arkansas, was settled in 1881 by Roswell Emerson Underwood, who had spent four years as a Genesee County surveyor for the Holland Land Company. The community is in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains.
Batavia, Illinois
The article identified two possible connections with Genesee County. Batavia, Illinois, was founded by Christopher Columbus Payne in 1833, and a person of that name was listed in the 1820 Federal Census in Barre, which was then part of Genesee County. Another account states that Isaac Wilson named the community after his hometown of Batavia, New York.
The Illinois community developed along the Fox River and became known as the "Windmill Capital of the World" because of its windmill manufacturers.
Batavia, Iowa
Batavia, Iowa, in Jefferson County, was originally called Creeseville after founder Henry Creese. The settlement was established August 22, 1846, and renamed Batavia on January 19, 1853. The article noted that a direct historical connection with Genesee County had not yet been found.
Batavia, Michigan
Batavia, Michigan, is in Branch County between Coldwater and Bronson. According to the article, the community was reportedly named at the recommendation of a resident who had previously lived in Batavia, New York.
Batavia, Ohio
Batavia, Ohio, was founded in 1814 by George Ely, a New York pioneer. The community is on the East Fork of the Little Miami River and serves as the Clermont County seat.
The History Department invited residents traveling to communities sharing Genesee County place names to bring back postcards, brochures, maps or other memorabilia for its research files.
Historian's Note
By Susan L. Conklin, Genesee County Historian
This article looks back at events in Genesee County during 1947, a year of high national inflation and growing international concern about the Soviet Union.
Weather
A March snowstorm closed schools and some roads for three days. It was considered the worst storm in 11 years and was estimated to have cost the County $1 million.
During spring, Tonawanda Creek reportedly reached its second-highest level, rising 13.45 feet above normal. Batavia used sandbags in Kibbe Park and avoided significant damage.
Despite a wet spring, Genesee County farms benefited from high crop prices. A July 14 hailstorm damaged part of Elba's muckland, while a July 28 windstorm uprooted trees and damaged power lines around East Pembroke.
Temperatures fell to 45 degrees on August 1 and reached 90 degrees by August 6. Christmas Day was mild at 35 degrees. Two days later, New York City was paralyzed by a record snowfall of 25.8 inches.
Births
Mrs. Sage of North Pembroke gave birth to the first Genesee County baby of 1947. She had also given birth to the first baby of 1945.
Generoso and Angeline Martino of Oakfield welcomed triplets on November 20. Carmine Gerard, Jean and Anthony were reported to be the first triplets born at St. Jerome's Hospital and possibly the first in Genesee County.
Landmarks and Community Events
The Woodward mansion in LeRoy was presented to the University of Rochester for use as a treatment center for children with cerebral palsy. The building was later demolished in 1960.
Woodward Field in Batavia was modernized by the Board of Education at a cost of $87,000. Batavia High School also completed an undefeated football season.
The fairgrounds were sold to the Genesee-Monroe Racing Association, which later opened Batavia Downs on the site.
The proposed Genesee Memorial Hospital was estimated to cost $700,000 and include 125 beds. Construction began in 1949.
The Genesee County Farm and Home Bureau and 4-H Club Association purchased the former Lay Mansion. At the time, 808 children participated in 4-H, and 29 club members planted 29,000 trees in the County.
On December 15, the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to accept ownership and maintenance responsibility for the Holland Land Office after County Historian Janet Wethy Foley advocated for its preservation as a museum.
County Government
Financial reports included a Tuberculosis Sanitarium Patients Fund totaling $34,592.39, an Old Age Relief Fund of $189,273 and a Blind Relief Fund of $6,792.
The Sheriff's annual report stated that food for one prisoner cost 66 cents per day. Public intoxication was the leading listed offense, with 81 male and seven female arrests, while 97 arrests involved violations of motor vehicle law.
James Ryan, Director of the Genesee County Veterans Service Agency and a World War I veteran, died December 30. During 1947, the agency assisted approximately 5,200 former service members who received about $15.6 million through the state Veterans' Bonus program.
Christmas 1947
After Christmas, stores advertised discounted toys and clothing. Erector sets sold for $1.59, G-Man machine-gun toys for $2.31, and dolls ranged from $1.18 to $2.95.
Batavia had three movie theaters. The Lafayette showed Gary Cooper and Paulette Goddard in Cecil B. DeMille's Unconquered. Matinee admission was 76 cents and evening admission was $1.20.
The Public Works Department opened the Vine Street skating rink. A loaf of homemade bread cost 15 cents, and a double-crust pie cost 40 cents.
Historian's Note
By Susan L. Conklin, County Historian
The final legal execution carried out in Genesee County took place in August 1881 and became a major local news event.
Andrew Jackson McWain and Gerrit Smith Griswold purchased the Daily News on August 15, 1881, only four days before the execution of Charles Stockley. The paper had a circulation of approximately 520 at the time.
McWain later recalled that both owners wanted the assignment of covering the execution. Griswold ultimately allowed McWain to attend, a decision McWain later said he regretted because of the disturbing nature of the event.
The hanging was scheduled for 11 a.m. Stockley was not pronounced dead until 11:23 a.m. Contemporary accounts stated that he died by strangulation rather than from a broken neck.
Stockley had been convicted of shooting and killing Batavia farmer John Welker. The prosecution, trial, conviction and execution took place within approximately four months.
The Daily News printed 2,800 additional copies on the day of the execution, approximately six times its normal circulation. McWain later credited coverage of the Stockley case with increasing readership.
Additional information about Charles Stockley and the other people executed in Genesee County is available through the History Department.
Historian's Note
Susan L. Conklin, County Historian
Fears about the end of a century or millennium are not new. Former History Department clerk Lois Brockway found a February 14, 1925, newspaper article describing earlier predictions that the world was about to end.
The article discussed prophet Robert Reidt of East Patchogue, Long Island, and compared his prediction with the Millerite movement of the 1840s.
William Miller predicted that the world would end in 1843. His movement gained followers throughout Western New York. According to the 1925 account, Millerites gathered in LeRoy dressed in white robes and waited in the village cemetery for the predicted event.
When the prophecy did not come true, the movement declined. The article suggested that Miller's teachings helped influence the later formation of an Adventist church in Darien.
Another prediction in the early 1880s reportedly caused Darien Adventists to gather in white robes in fields to await the end of the world. One resident was said to have spent the night on the roof of his barn, leading to a humorous local story that he wanted a 40-foot head start when it came time to ascend.
Source: Daily News, Past & Present Column, February 14, 1925.
According to the History of Genesee County 1890-1982, the Advent Church of God Society was organized at North Darien on January 16, 1864, with 40 original members. The church ceased operating after 1911. The North Darien Baptist Church Society was established in May 1812.
Historian's Note
Susan L. Conklin, County Historian
The History Department staff and municipal historians have collected unusual stories about people who were born in Genesee County or made memorable visits here.
Lionel C. Probert and Chessie
Lionel C. Probert was born in Batavia on March 18, 1883. He became a reporter, witnessed President William McKinley's assassination and later worked for the Associated Press.
Probert eventually entered the railroad industry and worked for the Erie Railroad and Chesapeake & Ohio Railway. The article credits him with the creation of Chessie, the sleeping kitten used in Chesapeake & Ohio advertising.
Frank Sinatra Visits Batavia
Frank Sinatra made an unofficial visit to Batavia on November 17, 1944. Bad weather forced his flight to land in Rochester instead of Buffalo, and he stopped for dinner at Young's Restaurant on Main Street while traveling by car to Buffalo.
He was accompanied by members of his professional staff and later continued to Buffalo, where he appeared before an audience of approximately 7,000 teenagers.
Rattlesnake Pete
A Rochester saloon keeper known as Rattlesnake Pete was familiar to residents of Little Boston in northwest Bergen, near the Bergen-Byron Swamp.
Local residents reportedly caught snakes and kept them until Pete traveled to the area to collect them. He was known for wearing snakeskin clothing and driving a vehicle decorated with snake imagery.
The article states that Pete learned to extract venom and snake oil and claimed to have survived numerous rattlesnake and copperhead bites. He died in 1932.
The Goat Lady
Mrs. Olgie Lamear traveled through Genesee County twice while journeying to Arkansas.
Her first visit came in February 1948 while she traveled from Vermont with a homemade wagon pulled by two horses, Rex and Bus. She was accompanied by 11 pedigreed goats and a dog named Tiny.
She stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Wendell Call in Stafford before traveling to Bushville, where her wagon required repairs and one of the goats needed veterinary care.
Eight years later, she returned through LeRoy while again traveling toward Arkansas, this time accompanied by one horse, six dogs, six goats, 18 chickens and two ducks.
Lamear later praised the assistance she received from Genesee County residents.
Historian's New Project
To recognize Women's History Month, the Genesee County History Department created a Women's History Notebook documenting women who contributed to local history.
The project began following a discussion with Legislator Connie Boyd about a Women's History Month program at the YWCA. What began as a display featuring six women grew as additional information was discovered in History Department files, local history books and newspaper articles.
The records were organized by topic, and Gale Conn-Wright helped arrange them into a notebook. Subjects included artists, athletes, community development, military service, pioneers, education and other aspects of women's history.
The notebook was intended as the foundation for an ongoing effort to document the lives and contributions of women in Genesee County.
Women's Suffrage Movement
One of the earliest documents in the collection is a petition dated March 15, 1848, sent to the New York State Assembly by 44 women from Darien and Covington in Wyoming County.
That your Declaration of Independence, that governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed and as women have never consented to, been represented in or recognized by this government, it is evident that in justice no allegiance can be claimed for them.
The petition asked New York State to abolish laws considered unjust toward married women. Research indicated that the women signing the petition were married and may have been associated with a local agricultural organization.
The document illustrates early organizing by rural women before the women's suffrage movement became a major political force.
Women in Business
During World War II, women entered many local factory jobs because of labor shortages. By the early 1970s, local newspapers were reporting women moving into jobs that had traditionally been held by men.
On March 19, 1974, Mrs. Genevieve Rudolph was featured as the only female foreman at the GTE Sylvania plant.
Two months later, a May 5 Daily News article titled "Women Adjuster Raises Eyebrows" featured Carol J. Burton of South Alabama, who worked for Eaton Corp. in Batavia and was among the first women there to work as a claims adjuster.
The Genesee County Women's History Notebook is available through the History Department.