Notes from Historical Recordings
The steamer GANOUSKIE has been sold to a New York party and will be dismantled and fitted up for a dwelling house. **** Lake George travel is reported to be very light thus far this season. It is said that the trains from Fort Ticonderoga to Baldwin do not pay expenses. **** Some of our public-spirited merchants have added materially to the comfort of these hot days by sprinkling the streets about their stores. **** The steam yacht METEOR is preparing to take excursions at the following rates: one hour $3.00; two hours $5.00; half day $12.00; one day $20.00. She can carry 30 passengers, is very good and comfortable. (1885)
Ganouskie – on Lake George NY
John McGhee has commenced running the street sprinkler. The roads had become so dusty that it is a luxury we can appreciate. (1892)
J. (Joseph) B. Thibault has opened a paint shop on Lake George Ave. and has engaged the services of Truman Wood, formally of Glens Falls, and Joseph Sentabar. First class work will be done on automobiles, carriages, pianos and furniture. (1914) (Building contractor – built homes on Lake George Ave. and the rectory at St. Mary’s Church, Ticonderoga, NY)
William J. Thibault – son of JB – operated for a number years a “Canoe and Boat Liveries” at Baldwin (Ticonderoga), Bolton Landing, and Hague, NY. Many locals may best remember him as one of the barber’s in Edgar Petty’s Barber Shop.
Rest in Peace — Ingalls Cemetery – Sometime ago while researching the final resting place of veterans’ in our town cemeteries I came upon the headstones of Mr. and Mrs. William George Wiley. The “Wiley” name was familiar to me as we have a village street named after the family and once upon a time we had a tall case clock standing on the stair landing made by George Miller of Germantown that had an engraved likeness of General James Wolf. It was one of the collection pieces belonging to Mrs. E.D.C. Wiley of Ticonderoga.
Reading through the notes we share a bit on their life and death. It seems that Mr. and Mrs. Wiley had for many years wintered in Southern Pines, NC. Like previous years, in January, 1914, they left Ti to spend a few months down south. Unlike those earlier years neither one would live to see Ticonderoga again. In late March of that year. Mrs. Wiley contracted a severe cold that would later turn into bronchial pneumonia. She died on the 24th of March at the age of 65 years old. Mr. Wiley, who also was ailing during this time, prepared to take his wife back home. He only made it to Washington, D.C. where he became so ill that he was ordered by doctors not to proceed on his returned trip. His brother E.C.D Wiley, who was informed of Mrs. Wiley’s death, went to the aid of his brother with the sorrowful task of assisting his brother in bringing Mrs. Wiley remains back home. William suddenly became very ill and died April 2nd, from the same ailment that had afflicted his wife. He was 70 years old. It was E.C.D. ‘s painful fate that he was the one who had to escort both remains back to Ti arriving on Saturday, April 4, 1914. A double funeral was held in the Methodist Church with about 500 attending the funeral services.
William was a son of William M. Wiley and Tryphena Treadway – who had a family ancestry gong back to the colonial and American Revolution eras. William served during the Civil War as a member of Fifth Vermont Regiment of Volunteers. Just the year before, 1913, Mr. Wiley attending the Fifty Anniversary reunion with his old companions in the commemoration of the battle at Gettysburg.
The Blue & The Grey – 50th Gettysburg Reunion 1913
Mrs. Wiley was a chartered member of the Masonic “Order of Eastern Stars” and was its first matron. She had a great interest in nature and nature study, and possessed great knowledge for the birds and wild things of wood and trail. Mrs. Wiley was the daughter of the Rev. Hubbard Ingalls, a Methodist preacher who was a spiritual force within the Methodist Church in Ticonderoga and through out the southern Champlain valley; and, Eliza M. Sprague, who also had a family ancestry going back to the colonial and American Revolution period.
Ticonderoga Machine Works – All predictions indicate a great rush this spring and summer to the new gold fields at Cape Nome. Here, for the first time in the history of mankind, gold is being washed from the beach sand.
We are pleased to notice that there is increased activity at the Ticonderoga Machine Works. They now have about forty regular hands on their pay roll. They have recently sold two 6x6x12, balanced compound steam engines to a mining company who will take them to Cape Nome, Alaska. The engines will be connected to centrifugal pumps for pumping sand from the sea shore. Mr. Boyeer, an engineer from New York, is here superintending the fitting up of the engines, pumps and boilers. One of the Johnston power embossing machines manufactured at the works has recently been shipped to England, and it is understood it will be shipped from there to Paris and be placed on exhibition at the world’s fair. (1900)
James F. Dolback, fireman USN, son of Thelma E. Dolback-Hughes, departed from Norfolk, VA, June 19the aboard the battleship USS Wisconsin on a midshipman cruise to South American. **** Dial Number Given – A spokesman for the Ticonderoga Fire Department announced this week that the number to dial in order to repair and have the alarm sounded is JUno5-2511. The change in number is one of the many which took place last Sunday when the dial system was introduced in Ticonderoga. **** The Annual Soap Box Derby, sponsored by Ticonderoga Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars, will be staged on Champlain Avenue. Speakers will be Assemblyman Grant W. Johnson and Mayor John M. Bevilacqua. The Ti-Cadets Drum and Bugle corps will participate and Charles Smith, Commander, will make introductions. Boys from Ti and the surrounding communities are invited to compete in the Derby. They will race over a measured course against stopwatch time. Each boy will be introduced as he starts in the Derby. There will be two age groups, 8 through 11 and 12 through 14, and a cup will be presented to the winner in each class. A trophy will also be offered for the best soapbox and that every youth entering will take home a prize. At the starting gate will be Edward Chapleau and Chester Porter. Roy Dickerson will fire the starting gun. At the finish line will be Milford Palmer and John Goodroe will take times with stopwatches. (1957)
Malcolm Wilson, Harry McDougal & Ron Stafford Credit – Lake George Mirror
Harry M. Mc Dougal served for many years as Essex County Clerk. For a number of years he contributed to the Ticonderoga Sentinel a very popular article under the nom de plume Pete Pequoix. His unique writing style and his observations on contemporary actives throughout the Adirondack Region got everyone’s’ attention!
Dear Jack*,
Wal the rich folks from the city, mostly 2 weekers is begun to come to Pea Soup Lake. Me, I feel sorry for it. I don’t belief dey hav much money cus dey don’t seem to hav enough clothes to cover dem.
On cole days dey muss shiver pretty bad. When I see sum of dem coming towards me I turn my hed and don’t look at dem till dey git by.
Course it wood took a lot of cloth to go all aroune sum of dem beeg fat wans. I bet sum of dem womans could swing a hax as good as eny mans. Dey is muscled up sumting hawful.
Cuorse dey woodn’t be veerie good to pick the blewberry cus dey couldn’t ben over. Mebby if dey laid down on the groune and kept rollin over dey could pick a few dat way. Me, I dunno.
Wal, a lot of mens want me to halp dem git der hays cut but me I got all tire out lookin for trouts so I can’t halp it dis year, and come to tink of it I ain’t been able to halp dem for the nex 5 year. Dey mus feel bad bout dat cus me I’m a hawful powerful man in the hayfield. Sumtams, I pitch the hays right over the load. I don’t no my strength.
Wal it shan’t be long fore fort of July. I ain’t no what day dey is gonta hav it, but pretty soon, I tink. I red on the pape dat Ticonk, Hessex and Jay is all gonta have prades. Bah gosh I will hav to ran pretty fass to see all of it. I unnerstan Hessex is gonta hav a beeg feed at night so I got to figger on gittin dar enyway cust me I’m hawful seek wid empty stummick
Hopin yu are the same
Respectful,
Pete Pequoix
(* Jack Tefft was the Publisher of the Ticonderoga Sentinel. To learn more about Mr. McDougal – please refer to an article by Anthony F. Hall, editor and publisher of the Lake George Mirror and published in the Adirondack Almanack in October, 2014)
New Pool — The new $450,000 swimming pool is scheduled to start being constructed this week at the Moriah Central School. This will be an indoor pool, complete with the most modern facilities and when completed, probably around the first of the year, will be one of the showplaces of the north country. The district will receive 95% state aid on the project, which will cut the actual cost to local taxpayers to about $23,000. This will be the first swimming pool of its type to be constructed in the area. (1968)
The Monday Club – “Television” was the subject of an interesting paper read by Miss Julia Wicker, director of the Historical Association’s Headquarters (Hancock House) (1929) *** (WRGB/WGY – television and radio stations located in Schenectady, NY. WRGB is noted for being one of the first experimental television (W2XB) stations in the world. Dr. Ernst Alexanderson (Swedish) worked for both GE and RCA developing radio and television communications. Shown below is a October, 1927 picture of Dr. Alexanderson in his home in Schenectady receiving the first home transmission using the experimental TV station for images and WGY for sound. In early 1928 test broadcasting began and later that year the first daily programs were broadcast. The second photograph is one of the earliest TVs.)
Ti Artist Commissioned – A cover series of ten Lake George watercolors by local artist Karl Joubert of Ticonderoga has been commissioned by the Lake George Guide. Jourbert, remembered locally for his one-man show at the Crandall Library (Glens Falls) last year, is a native of the Adirondacks and has spanned all four season throughout the entire lake area in this series. His work is light and deft with a depth of perspective and subtleties of color, light and shadow which are his trademarks. Mr. Joubert, who studied at Rochester Mechanics Institute (now R.I.T.) and with George Bridgeman at the Art Students League, became interested in watercolor some years ago and has since adopted it as his major medium. He is represented in private collections in New York and Long Island and throughout northeastern New York. (1971) The Ticonderoga Historical Society has several of his watercolors in its Art Collection – Gift of Rita Dillaway)
From a 1821 Diary – July 14 – Rose early in morning. Store crowded and business lively. Had argument with Everit of Crown Point respecting some rakes which he said to be his and swore he would have them. Seized them and ran. I immediately followed and caught the old devil. Had a serious scuffle and threw him down. Took rakes from him and told him if he took them again I’d break his head and so I left him. Went to the Upper Falls (Alexandria) to see the marvelous shows which were very curious for their kind. Pictures of Bonaparte and army in action, a large reptile called a monster said to be 30 feet long and a fierce looking rattle snake. Went home. (Personal Diary, author a sales clerk for John August Arthur, son of John Arthur. During the American Revolution John Sr. was a partner with Samuel Deall, and Samuel Deall, Jr. After the war John Sr. was an agent for the Dealls here in Ticonderoga until his death in 1816. His son John Augustus operated a store here for several years before moving to Burlington, VT.)
It’s A Small World Department – At least that’s what the two Ti boys must have thought when they literally “bumped” into each other in Danang, Viet Nam. Dick Allen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Desmond Allen, has been in Danang since October of 1967 and Noel Pelletier, son of Mr. and Mrs. Noel Pelletier, arrived there last month. Since the two boys are also close friends and have been corresponding, Dick has been watching for his buddy there the last few weeks. One day he walked around a corner of a building and almost ran into a soldier unpacking his gear — finding to his surprise it was Noel! The two friends are serving with the Navy Seabess in construction work. Incidentally, they were buddies through high school, both attended Delhi Ag. & Tech. University and later worked for the same consulting engineering firm. Both enlisted in the Navy in March, 1967 and trained at the same time in Great Lakes. The last time they saw each other was when they were home on leave last fall. (1968)
Challenge – I, the undersign Captain of the Ticonderoga Machine Works’ dispensers of curves, shoots, drops, etc., and all around handy men of the green diamond, do hereby challenge the Book Bindery Base Ball Team to a game of base ball to be played in the near future, or at such time as can be decided upon, the conditions of the game to be the same as last year and the final result to remain unchanged, providing our friends of the bindery do not spring upon us an aggregation so schooled and perfect in the art as to deceive and cause us to appear like novices and this forfeit thus fruits and spoils of last year’s pennant victories. Signed Wm. E. Holeran, Captain (1900)
Body of Lawrence Ross, First Essex Co. Soldier to Fall, Reinterred in Ticonderoga – WW1 – The body of Lawrence H. Ross, now reposes in the soil of the town that sent him forth to drive back the German hordes that threatened world freedom and democracy. The body arrived on a transport at Hoboken (NJ) on July 3rd and escorted by a soldier to Ticonderoga. Services held at the Methodist Church … Ticonderoga American Legion Post proved the military burial ritual.. he was buried at Valley View Cemetery. Private Ross, 29 years old at his death was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Ross of Orwell, VT was a member of a machine gun squad and was killed in battle on August lst, 1918. He had been a resident of Ti for 5 years previous to entering the Army when his parents moved from their old home in Hague to Orwell. (1922)
Club House, Ticonderoga, NY
Ticonderoga Golf Corporation – Decision to expand the Ticonderoga nine hole golf course to eighteen holes was made at the regular meeting of the Directors of the Ticonderoga Golf Corporation….This important step was taken after a thorough discussion, when it was decided that the greatly increased number of players who thronged the course this summer warranted the expenditure of approximately six thousand dollars. The Ticonderoga course is fast becoming known as one of the best in this section of the state and with these additional nine holes, each different for play, the completed course will be ideal for the most exacting golfer. Work is now going forward on the new reservoir which is being built behind the sixth tee, some distance up the mountain, and the cost of this is also included in the appropriation. It is planned to start work this fall, but the course will not be opened for play until 1931. The following directors were elected at the meeting for a term of three years: Fred S. DeLano, Frank Fish, Albert F. Wilson, F.C. Pond and K. J. Bowers. (1929)
Ticonderoga’s Soldier’s Monument – The Soldiers Monument, a gift of Hon. C.H. DeLano, is to be placed in Academy Park (Artillery Park), permission having been granted by the board of education upon solicitation by Commander W.W. Wright of Post Weed, G. A.R. It is expected that the monument will be in place by the middle of next month. (1915)
Port Henry – “Pop” Sprague dies – L.F. (Pop) Sprague died on Friday afternoon at 3:30 o’clock at his residence in Port Henry after an illness of ten days. Organic disease of the heart was the cause of death. Mr. Sprague was born at the Sprague farm just on the outskirts of Port Henry, December 25, 1842. During the entire period of his long life he made Port Henry his home. He was a successful hotel man and conducted the Lee House for twenty-three years. He afterwards disposed of the hotel to James McNulty, the present owner, who has conducted it for sixteen years. Well known in the race horse world, Mr. Sprague followed the light harness circuit for years. At one time he owned “The Duke,” a pacing gelding that distinguished himself on the turf over twenty years ago. Mr. Sprague was a member of Morning Sun Lodge, F. & A.M., (over 50 years a member) and Plattsburg Lodge of Elks. He took a great interest in volunteer firemen’s affairs and was honored by having a hose company named after him. Mr. Sprague’s business ability was shown by the capable manner in which he conducted the affairs of the Citizens’ Bank as its president. (1925)
Lee House to the left of photo
Circus – The unloading of the circus trains at “Academy Crossing” (near Dr. Dean Cook’s Dental Office) at 3 or 4 of a summer morning, and the fight among the kids as to which would be the lucky ones to lug water for the elephants from Cold Spring (foot of Mt. Defiance) to the Wheeler Lot (roughly behind the Baptist Church) and thus be assured of “comps” for the afternoon show. (circa 1890s)
Ti Sentinel Ad – October, 1917
The voters of Ticonderoga – are evidently of the opinion that conditions in the town are better with the sale of liquor prohibited, and they expressed that opinion in no uncertain terms. With the exception of drug store license, which was carried by 29 votes, all of the questions .. Saloon, bottle and hotel licenses..were defeated by substantial majorities in the four election districts….The only scrap over office was between George W. Carville, Republican, and Albert Dolbeck, Democrat, for supervisor, the latter winning out by a plurality of 59…With this exception the entire Republican ticket was elected by substantial pluralities. The town seems to be emphatically in favor of granting the vote to women, for that question was carried by 147 votes, all four districts voting in the affirmative. (1917)
Charles Miller, Director
Making Movies at Port Henry – Work of filming “The Long, Long Trail” has been started at Port Henry by Director Charles Miller. In the cast for this feature of the Canadian Northwest Mounted Police are Earle Fox, who starred with Norma Talmadge in Panthea: Geo. Losee and Frederick Burton, who starred in Heliotrope; Charles Mackay, Harry Lee, late of the Selznick forces, and Miss Peggy Brown, late of the Ziegfield Follies. It is expected that the picture will be completed within four weeks. The entire picture will be filmed at Millerton Park, or what is better known as the Cheever. (1922)
( Researching movies filmed and theater troupes who performed here in the Adirondacks. Would welcome information and material relative to our interest.)
We have an exciting Exhibit and Program schedule lined up for 2018 – hope to see you at one or all!!
We are now booking reservations for a bus trip to the Albany State Museum to visit their many exhibits including two themes we are presenting here at the Hancock House. Interested? If so, please contact us soon as a large number of seats have been all ready been reserved.
