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Recollections of People Town of Alma, NY

A c. 1970'S INTERVIEW OF EARL CADY

by Emma Lou Cleveland King 

The following material is taken from archives of Emma Lou Cleveland King who served Town of Alma as Town Historian for many years. 

Earl's recollection of the early quarter of 1900s helps to validate the names of many families who lived in the area.

 ·        LINDSAY – Fred Lindsey lived in what would become Sadie Barnes residence, now torn down.  Fred moved to Wellsville in 1907.  Daughter, Nellie Lindsay McKinch (Wellsville), Floyd Lindsay, Grenell Lindsay – Port Allegany or Eldred. 

·        EMERSON –House was later Orville Allen home, now the Clifford Gooch home.  

·        Dimon-Frank & Lavina lived back of Bob Richmond's home, house is gone.  They later moved to Bolivar. 

·        BEUHRING's store was BRANDON's Hardware next to the Depot.   

·        The Railroad ran along the summit and into Allentown crossing what is now Rte.17 (417) at the point of the Allentown Garage and extended up the playground to the depot.  The train came from Olean (actually Ceres) and circled around the summit to Petrolia and back around to Allentown proceeding to Olean.  The railroad was taken up 75 years ago.  (1893). 

·        BILL ALLEN house located on left side of road (Bill Allen Hill Road).  No relation to Riley Allen. 

·        WHITE Hill was named after the John White family.   

·        Also in the area (of White Hill), was the GIGEE family, NICK SHELLY, MCBRIDE'S, DAL CADY, CHARLES DODSON.  Further down the hill lived SID CLEVELAND family, THE RUSSELLS, WM. MCKEE (Father Alonzo McKee lived in Bolivar).   

·        ROBERT ADRIAN family lived on corner of Hog Brook, so named because of the hogs raised in that area. 

       ·        MUSTOS lived across the road from Adrian. 

·        MAITLAND family lived in Allentown, the house is not standing.  Children: Bert, Frank, Ralph (married Mary Adrian), Fred and John. 

·        COTTRELLs had the livery stable where the Post Office now stands.   

·        HILLs store on the corner where the ALICE DAVIS house now stands, burned and they moved the store to the corner across from the school.  The store is no longer there. 

·        HARRY & GERTRUDE WILCOX had the hotel & livery stable, which is now the HURLBURT home. 

·        SEYMOUR BACON and FRANK TILLBURG were killed by a gas engine near the Drum Road.  

·        DEMPSEYs had a boiler shop where CHARLES YORK lived.  The shop was later turned into a theater. 

·        HELEN & WILLIAM HENDRICKS owned saloon and livery stable next to Cottrell's Livery Stable.  They went to Louisiana.  Children: Helen, Harry, William and Walter. 

·        CARRIE O'DAY, Dr. Jack O'Day's wife lived next to what would become Mildred's Diner, which then served as a school house and meeting place of the WCTU. 

·        JIM CLEVELAND also lived on Main Street, running a store with his brother, Sid. 

·        ROBERT STERNBERG, DEWESE, in oil business, house stood between Babcock's and Schrams.  The oil property still bears the name Dewese. 

·        MECKLANDs, (oil business) lived in house occupied (1960) by ERNIE TAYLOR. 

·        STARRs in the oil business...property still bears name. 

·        HUGH COYLE was James Coyle's father; family moved to Wellsville. 

·        SURNAMES:  BARTLETT, WOODARD, FITCH, APGAR (lived on Orchard St.), BRYSON, BENSON, BERT HARRIS, HODENCAMP, HOWE, STOOP, HURD, JOHN SCHRAM, MCCUTCHEON, HAZZARD, CHANCEY LEWIS, SWARTHOUTS, DICK KITTINGER (GAUGER), JAMES BABBITY (GAUGER), GEORGE (lived in FAYETTE WOODARD house, Lillian Simmons lived there 1994), GREEN, RICHE, TOWNER, ROBERT BOOTH, CHARLIE NILES, CURT MORELAND (FATHER-WILLIAM, MOTHER-JENNIE), SWIFT, CAL SPRAGUE, HENDERSON, GEORGIA & BERTHA WALTERS, MILTON CASE, ZIMMERS, POTTERS, FLOYD CARPENTER, GEORGE GERMAN (CHEESEMAKER), HENRY HOWE, JAMES RILEY, SHIREY, WENTWORTH, SQUIRES, EGGLESTON, DEKE PHILLIPS, SAWYER, FULLER & WITHEY AT WITHEY TOWN. 

·        GUY FITCH married KATE WOODARD – live in Bolivar. 

·        FRANK HARDER, JOHN SNOWDEN & FRANK TUNSTEAD were Blacksmiths.  JERRY PEAVY & FRANK WEATHERBEE were stagecoach drivers thru Allentown. 

·        BARBERs lived in back of the MARKHAM home on Drum Road. 

·        Odd Fellows Hall turned into a theater- "Rolling Thunder", an Indian, played his medicine show there – also, dancing girls played there and it was a round and square dance hall.  There was also wrestling before audiences.  In 1915 there was a Minstrel Show managed by Willis Adams.  Those playing in it were: Curt Moreland, George Winans, Ledurn Dodson, Earl Cady & Ward Withey.  There were about 20 in the cast and Myrtie Vincent was the pianist.  RILEY ALLEN said it was a much better show than he had recently seen in Buffalo.  It was such a success it was presented 2 nites.  It was then turned into a spaghetti house and burned in the 30's.  It had also been used as a skating ramp. 

·        Basketball was played upstairs in the old school which was later moved. 

·        There was also a Town baseball team.