Marion in the eighties
By Clarence T. Wood
1943 research project
The Brick Store is Williams & Adams and is too well known to need much comment, they carry a large stock of Dry Goods, Clothing, Boots & Shoes, and by their very popularity draw customers.
Shorts Bank and Hardware, the assignment of this house to Wm. Burbank did not stop the business. Mr. Burbank with the firm men as agents and Henry Henion as clerk, are rushing the business to a speedy settlement, goods are being sold rapidly and cheaply.
Next door on - is Mr. William Howell's seed and produce store. This is a fine block and also a large one. Mr. Howell does an extensive business. In the block J. Heslor does do, perhaps the largest produce business in town. Beans, Dried Apples, and Eggs are the specialty. At present they ship 5000 dozens of eggs a week.
Next to the Howell and Hesler block is the I. Fisher's Pleat Market. He has just started to do business.
A little farther on is the Milliner store of the popular Miss Nancy Henion, here ends business places on this side of the street.
Crossing the sluggish stream from Miss Henion's Millinery we proceed to William Burbanks commodious brick dwelling house, opposite which is H. Topping's Steam Manufactory, here everything is neat, systematic, and orderly, Ladders, Evaporators, and provision Safes are the principle articles manufactured.
Next to this is the Cooper Shop of Henry Gillette, he turns out butter tubs, first class barrels, etc.
Next is the Blacksmith of William Henion, here daily many horses are shod, and other work done in a workmanship manner.
We now turn the corner down Mill St. where near the crossway, is seen J. S. & B. T. Curtis' Carriage house and Blacksmith Shop.
New wagons are manufactured and old ones repaired here in the most workmanship manner.
This firm about a year ago, purchased the millpond flat and have greatly improved it. Great credit is due these gentlemen for relieving the village of a prolific source of disease and adding to the value of the land. B. T. Curtis did good service in the civil war. As was said of the Peruvian officer, 'He was in war a tiger, in peace as gentle as the unweaned lamb.'
Passing the stone bridge we come to the Steam Flouring Mill, this mill does a large amount of custom work and supplies our citizens with excellent flour. D. S. Smith, employed by Capt. Reeves, proves himself a workman not to be ashamed. Capt. Reeves purchased this property about a year ago. He is now building a fine residence near the mill, this then gives the date of about May 19, 1883 when the Mill House was built. Capt. Reeves was an officer in the army and is a good businessman and an excellent citizen.
Hastening back Mill St., we pass the residence of Elder Hammon, the fine dwelling of Dr. Sayers and across East St. to Clarks Corner. Here we notice A. Garlock's place of business. Mr. Garlock does a large business. He buys and keeps large quantities of Dried Fruit, Beans and deals extensively in seed grain, he is noted as an honest and pleasant dealer.
Near by and on the corner is the little, once yellow house occupied by William Jenkins as a Marble Factory. Men are employed, and many fine monuments are chiseled out. Mr. Jenkins is popular in his business and noted as an honest dealer.
The next on Main St. is the office of Hiram Cogswell, Flour, feed, beans and other kinds of produce are retailed. This business is a great convenience to the people of the village.
Clark's Block, this block contains six business places, two on the second floor, and four below. B. Luce occupies one of the center ground floors, as a store for Drugs and Fancy Articles. Mr. Luce's genial nature draws many customers. The other places below though affording good facilities for business are now unoccupied. The central room above is now used as a barber's shop, Mr. George Sherman is now proprietor, and they say shaves smoothly.
The north room, on second floor is occupied by Henry R. Taber, the only Attorney in the village. Squire Taber is eminent in his profession and readily and accurately adjusts differences and titles. If more lawyers were like Squire Taber, a less number would be needed. Mr. Taber was elected Supervisor of the town on last March.
Passing the commodious Baptist Church, Rev. Merrill pastor, and the neat Methodist Chapel, with a 'Tick', Rev. Maxwell pastor, across East Ave. we come to Louis Smith's Steam Saw Mill and Foundry. This is an important place of business and adds much to the business of the village as well as, being an accommodation to the surrounding farmers. From these three to four men come excellent work.
Along Main Street to Deacon Phelps residence, we cross to the new well arranged, and well occupied Baptist parsonage. Back on the west side of Main St. is the Christian Church. Further on we come to Marion Collegiate Institute, the pride of the village.
Next to the Institute is the neat Congregational Church, the venerable and learned Dr. Eaton, pastor. The Reformed Church is situated at the end of North East .Ave., with Rev. Kolyn as pastor, again we are at the Goossen residence, the place of beginning and here we end.
Since the above was in type we remember, John Wolf, on Buffalo St. two blocks west of Marion Hotel. Mr. Wolf repairs wagons to order, although mentioned last is not the least in the business interests of the village.
Also Steven's Millinery store was passed by, unmentioned, till the above was in type. Miss Steven's keeps a good stock of Millinery goods and adds much to the pleasure of the ladies.
In a paper published a few weeks later, we read that Miss Stevens has sold her business to Mrs. Frank Wilcox, who will remove it to the Manley Block and there carry on the business.
Captain John B. Burrud was born in the town of Foxley, Norfolk Co., England Dec. 17th, 1828. When about 9 years old he with his father and mother, moved to America and settled in the town of Marion, Wayne Co., N.Y. where he has since resided.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army, Aug. 21st, 1862 and was commissioned as a Capt. in the 160th N.Y. Volunteers, he was in 16 battles and promoted to rank of Lieut. Col . on Play 30th 1865. He was honorably discharged Nov. 1, 1865 and returned home broken in health, which he never fully recovered.
He married Miss Ocena A. Newton, Jan. 20, 1853. Rev. Amasa Stanton of Marion officiating. Four children were born to them, Ella, now Mrs. Delbert Howell, Newton J. Georgia (Mrs. Arthur Vibbard) and Josie, who like her father were all excellent musicians and who all turned out well.
Among the names on the graduating program of M.C.I. on Friday evening, June 15, 1888 we find the following as persons who took part or were graduated.
Jessie Harden, Simeon Merton, LuElla Copping, Anna Cray, Anna Eddy, Addie Martin, Ella Holmes, Carrie Pulver, Emma Blood, Elias Croucher.
J. Henry Henion, Town Clerk, reports the following registry for the year 1883; Marriages 14, Births 33, Deaths 15.
In these days of the high cost of living the following list of prices of meat at the Fisher Meat Market in Marion, Jan. 5th, 1884 are given as follows: Porter House Steak, 12 cents, Shoulder Steak, 10 cents, Round Steak, 11 cents, Other meats in proportion.
At this time and date the stage was driven by William See, who left Sweezey's at 7 AM returning at 6:00 PM, it arrived in Palmyra at 8:20 AM quite a long trip in these days, it takes only a short time to cover twice as much ground in a one fraction of the time it took the old stage to make a one way trip.
John B. Burrud Post, Marion G.A.R. Post first was so-called in the winter of 1884.
In the issue of Feb. 21, 1885, it recorded that on Monday of that month and year, 18 inches of snow fell also the Marion stage did not arrive from Palmyra until after 10 o'clock at night and that a second team had to be procured to get to Marion.
Mrs. A. G. Hammond, wife of Rev. Hammond, pastor of the Christian Church died on Feb. 27, 1885, she was born in the Chemung Valley nine miles south and east of Elmira, N.Y. on May 14, 1837, thus making her nearly 48 years old at the time of her death, she married Rev. A. G. Hammond, April 30, 1863 and leaves to mourn her loss, two sisters, her husband, a daughter, Mrs. Frank J. Rich and a son Robert Hammond.
top of
page
return to history
index