News from Hamilton County

Transcribed and Donated by Joanne Murray

From: The Elizabethtown Post (Elizabethtown, Essex Co., NY) Thursday, April 24, 1890
An Umbrella Romance.
A Young Englishwoman Secures an American Husband All on Account of it.
    While working in an umbrella factory in Sheffield, England, about three years ago, Miss Anna Hodgson wrote her name and address on an umbrella which she had just completed. The result brought about by this careless action is quite romantic. Along with hundreds of others, the umbrella was shipped to this country. At New York it was sold to a merchant, and finally reached Long Lake, Hamilton County, and was purchased by a young man named Jerome Wood. Some weeks passed before he noticed the name on its interior. Then he wrote to the young woman whose address was on the umbrella. She answered. The correspondence, thus strangely started, lasted until her departure for this country. She took up residence in Troy as a house-keeper for her brother. After some time she went to Palmer's Falls, thence to Raquette Lake, where she was employed during the summer at "The Antlers". Mr. Wood was employed at the lake by W.W. Durant, and it was there that the lady and gentleman first met. At Luzerne the past week Miss Hodges and Mr. Wood were made one. So much for the umbrella romance.

From: The Elizabethtown Post (Elizabethtown, Essex Co., NY) Thursday, February 16, 1893
    On Thursday afternoon last we enjoyed a chat with the Hon. Clarence W. Smith, of Johnstown, NY, who was in our village for a short time. In 1875, '76, and '77, Mr Smith was registered as a student in our Union Free School and while here won many friends, all of whom will be glad to know that he is well and prospering. After leaving here Mr. Smith studied law and was admitted to the bar. He located at Wells, Hamilton County, NY. In the autumn of 1883 he was elected County Judge of Hamilton County and served as such from January 1, 1884 to January 1, 1890. Shortly after his term as County Judge expired he moved to Johnstown. About two years since he formed a copartnership with the Hon. Philip Keck, which still continues under the firm name of Keck & Smith. Mr. Keck represents Fulton and Hamilton Counties in the Assembly.

From: The Franklin Gazette (Malone, Franklin Co., NY) Friday, February 1, 1895
    The State Fish and Game Commission have sent out from Wells, Herkimer County [sic]. Game Protector Campbell and E. J. Lobdell, an ex-Albany policeman, in an effort to capture two half-breed Indians who have been slaughtering deer for their pelts recently in the vicinity of West Canada Lake, Herkimer County. The journey to be taken is a perilous one, being on snowshoes through twenty miles of forest. The Indians are said to be well armed and likely to make a desperate resistance.

From: The Franklin Gazette (Malone, Franklin Co., NY) Friday, May 15, 1896
    A dispatch dated at Gloversville, May 11th says: The forests in the state preserve in the lower part of Hamilton County are burning fiercely. Several small settlements in the towns of Benson and Day have been destroyed and the people of Croweville have been encamped at Mud Lake to escape the fire. Sunday night the fire was in two miles of Northville. The burning district is many miles in extent, and as the woods are very dry, it is most difficult to stop the spread of flames. The damage has been great already.

From: The Elizabethtown Post (Elizabethtown, Essex Co., NY) Thursday, March 13, 1902
    Hamilton County still has two men claiming to be sheriff. Locke, the independent candidate, who received his certificate from the Hamilton County Board of Supervisors, is in possession of the jail, etc., at Lake Pleasant. Kathan, the straight out Republican candidate is trying to get possession through an order granted by Justice Stover.

From: The Elizabethtown Post (Elizabethtown, Essex Co., NY) Thursday, July 14, 1904
Fire at Lake Pleasant.
    The Sacandaga Lake House at Lake Pleasant, Hamilton County, NY, commonly known as Morley's, a popular Adirondack resort, was totally destroyed by fire at an early hour on the morning July 10th. Hotel accommodated 200 and was filled with city guests who barely escaped with scant clothing.

From: The St. Lawrence Herald (Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., NY) Friday, February 4, 1898
The Adirondack Exhibit
Sportsmen's Annual Exhibition Closed Saturday With Great Success.
    The Mail and Express supplement last Saturday contained an illustrated article on the Sportsmen's Exhibition which closed at Madison Square Garden Saturday evening. In speaking of the Adirondack Exhibit, it says:
    "Among the most interesting exhibits is that of the Adirondack guides, who have constructed for themselves a little hut on the left-hand side of the garden, and this hut is precisely identical in every detail with the huts used in the wilds of the Adirondacks. There were six of the Adirondack guides in the Madison Square Garden during the past week, and magnificent specimens of physical manhood they were, too.
    "Their names are E. E. Sumner and William E. Ring of Saranac Lake; A. H. Billings, of Lake Placid; Warren W. Cole, of Long Lake; Fremont Smith, of Loon Lake; and E. J. Chase of the same place. Every one of them is an absolute picture of physical health, and one can note the difference between the city-bred man and those who pass their lives out of doors, by simply watching the Adirondack exhibit and its visitors, and by noting the difference between the bright-eyed, rosy-cheeked and big boned guides and the pale and somewhat anemic look of the great majority. The Adirondack exhibit is a very powerful brief in favor of the backwoods as a place of residence.
    "It is very interesting to note at the Sportsmen's Exhibition the difference between the guides from Maine and guides from the Adirondacks. They are men who live identically the same kind of lives. They both live outdoors the greater part of the year. Their lives are passed in killing fish and game and showing others how to do the same, and yet they are in speech and manner utterly different. The Maine guides, as might be expected, have the drawl peculiar to New England. For example, one and all pronounce 'yes' as if the 'e' were an 'a' and through them it becomes 'yas'. And even physically, there is a difference between the residents of the backwoods of the state of Maine and those of the Adirondacks. The Maine men are, as a rule, taller and thinner, and have high cheekbones, while the Adirondack guides are rounder and more rudely built, and yet they lead practically the same kind of lives."

From: The Malone Farmer (Malone, Franklin Co., NY) Wednesday, August 15, 1900
    One of the old-time Adirondack guides was Elijah Cowles, of Lake Pleasant, in Hamilton County. Cowles stood six feet, seven inches in his stockings and was of a powerful build. When he was not moose hunting or bear hunting or guiding, he was keeper of the county jail at Lake Pleasant; and the county allowed him 50 cents a week board for each man. This meant careful planning and not extremely luxurious living at the best; so Cowles, being a fellow of resources, used to take his prisoners off moose hunting, that they might earn their board. It is related of one victim that after having been out for ten days on the trail with the strapping guide, he begged piteously to be allowed to go back to jail; but the inexorable Cowles compelled him to "keep up with the procession" until the venison had been captured. - Forest and Stream

From: The St. Lawrence Herald (Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., NY) Friday, September 7, 1900
    One of the largest purchases made by the State Forest Preserve was closed last week whereby the state came into possession of 12,000 acres of forest land located in the towns of Arietta and Morehouse, Hamilton County. The land belonged to J. C. Livingston, of Little Falls, and the price was $80,000. The tract includes part of the wooded watershed of East Canada Creek, one of the principal feeders of the Mohawk River.

From: The St. Lawrence Herald (Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., NY) Friday, October 12, 1900
    Mr. Snell and family, with the exception of Miss Lulu, have gone to Long Lake to spend the winter. E. C. Snell has gone to Tupper Lake, where he has a position on the railroad survey from Tupper Lake to Axton.

From: The St. Lawrence Herald (Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., NY) Friday, January 10, 1902
    Quite a number of beavers have lately been purchased by E. H. Litchfield, proprietor of Litchfield Park, near Tupper Lake, and have been liberated on the waters of the park where it is expected they will soon begin their peculiar methods of house cleaning and dam building. The animals were purchased of Howard Eaton, of Medora, North Dakota, who has been very successful in breeding wild animals. Wm. C. Whitney has also secured several beaver from Mr. Eaton for his park in Hamilton County and it may be that, through the efforts of those gentlemen and other owners of private preserves, the Adirondacks may be once more well stocked with [word missing] and valuable little animals.

From: The St. Lawrence Herald (Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., NY) Friday, February 28, 1902
    Myron Cunningham came from Long Lake West. He had a very badly cut leg and had been suffering two weeks. He had caught cold in it. Herbert Green accompanied him as he was too ill to come alone. Arriving in Potsdam Dr. Barnett said he must go no further, his home being in South Colton, and after nearly three weeks' stay he was well enough to go on.

From: The St. Lawrence Herald (Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., NY) Friday, March 27, 1903
    William Bourne, of Long Lake West, is in town visiting his daughter, Mrs. C. Rogers. Mr. Bourne has been visiting relatives in Mass. for some time.

From: Commercial Advertiser (Canton, St. Lawrence Co., NY) Tuesday, January 27, 1931
Former Colton Couple Celebrate Golden Wedding at Watertown
    Watertown Times:
    Mr. and Mrs. Leroy S. Brown of 173 Bowers Avenue will celebrate their golden wedding anniversary on Monday of the coming week. Mr. and Mrs. Brown will be hosts at a family dinner at their residence Monday night in observance of the event.
    The marriage of Miss Anna Laura McGary of Colton and Leroy S. Brown of Wells, Hamilton County, was solemnized Jan. 26, 1881, at the home of the bride's father at Colton, the Rev. C. H. Dillenbeck of the Methodist Episcopal Church officiating.
    At the time of her marriage Mrs. Brown was an instructor at the Colton village school and prior to becoming associated at the Colton school taught at Pierrepont, St. Lawrence County, and at Crary's Mills. After her marriage she retired from school teaching.
    Mr. Brown at the time of their marriage was bookkeeper and secretary for S. R. Spaulding, owner of tanneries at Colton. He later owned and operated a store at Colton. In 1882 Mr. and Mrs. Brown removed to Lisbon where they resided for twelve years. Mr. Brown operated a store there during the Harrison administration and was postmaster at Lisbon.
    In 1894 they came to Watertown where they have since resided. Mr. Brown owned a general store at 700 West Main Street selling his interests in 1928 to John McGough, who now conducts the store. Mr. Brown is now retired from active business.
    Mrs. Brown has been an active member of the W. C. T. U. for 50 years and is now president of the Watertown unit. She was first elected president of the local unit of the W. C. T. U. in 1911 and later, about 1916, was re-elected president and served for four years. She was re-elected again in 1921 and has served the society as president since that time. She also has been active in church activities, both at the Hope Presbyterian Church and at the First Presbyterian Church. Mr. Brown is a member of the Masonic Lodge.
    Mr. and Mrs. Brown are the parents of three sons, two of whom are living. H. Glenn Brown is an engineer at Midland, Pa., and LeRoy R. Brown of 200 California avenue, is associated with the New York Life Insurance Company. Harrison Brown died two years ago at Tucson, Arizona.
    Mr. and Mrs. Brown have received many cards from friends outside the city in observance of their 50th wedding anniversary.
Genealogical Notes on Leroy S. Brown:
by Lisa Slaski
Leroy S. Brown and Anna Laura McGary had the following children:
    1. Homer Glenn Brown, b. 16 Dec 1885
    2. Harrison Morton Brown, b. 2 Dec 1888, d. 28 Jan 1929 in Pima Co., AZ
    3. Leroy Raymond Brown, b. May 1891.
Homer Glenn was married and had a son. His first name is from his WWI draft registration. Harrison was married and had a son and daughter in the 1920 census, living in Clarks Mills, Oneida co., NY. Both his death certificate (from an online index) and his WWI draft registration list his middle name as Morton.
Leroy is likely the son of Heman and Asenath Brown of Wells. Heman and Asenath had several children (from census records): 1. Henrietta, b. abt 1833, likely married David H. Abrams of Wells; 2. John, b. 1834, d. 1857; 3. Almeda, b. 1 May 1840, d. 21 Nov 1923, m. Samuel Burgess; 4. Truman D., b. 1842, d. 1899; 5. Martha M., b. abt 1848, likely died young; 6. Sanford/Leroy, b. abt 1853. Most of the facts for Heman's family fits well with Leroy, though there are inconsistencies.