Historical Association of South Jefferson

(JCJ 6/29/1949) - Former Adams Resident Recalls Memories of Yesteryear, by Mrs. Bess Landon Jones

My first recollection of Main Street was when my brother, Will Landon, put me in his little cart and took me up town to see Mme. Bullock's beautiful Easter window, which Miss Chadwick had trimmed with such artistry and care; and as we stood taking in all the beauty of it, Miss Chadwick came out and gave me a perfumed picture card, with a kitten in a hot surrounded with pansies upon it, and I can tell you that was something never to be forgotten.
Then, there was the Rev. Mr. Bowen, our Episcopal minister, who was short and portly, and wore the rather long frock coat of the ministers of that date; and he was quite an outstanding digure as he walked along the streets, and on occasion when he came to call on my Grandmother Roach, it was very awe inspiring to me, as I always thought God must look like Mr. Bowen.
Also, in thinking of the little church, I recall the wonderful Christmas tree we had each year, all lighted with tiny candles (not electric). I think Thomas Edison had just started his work, about 1880. It seemed like the largest tree and most beautiful ever grown, reaching far into the church rafters, such a wonderful sight; and we smaller ones sitting on the front seat, out eyes big and our hearts beating fast, waiting to get the lovely doll and the candy in a Tarleton bag with yarn all around the edges that the ladies of the church had made for the occasion. I can’t remember what the boys received, but probably a pocket knife or an Algers book. C.V. Clark was the Santa Claus, and with his heavy carrying voice, each one heard very plainly when their names were called, and the fun he made with each presentation was mist appropriate for his role as Santa. How the Clark family loved the little Episcopal Church and were always loyal to it in more ways than one.
Then the public school days (School where Rice's factory is now located) with Etta Oatman, Molly Salisbury, Mary Mitchell, Alice Woodward Daily and others as teachers. I loved all these but think Miss Salisbury came first in my affections; with her beautiful little fat hands and tapering fingers, as her No. 1, spring heeled shoes, which she always wore, because she was very fleshy and not too tall and high heels were not for her; I am sure this generation will not know what spring-heeled shoes were, well; ask your mothers, or grandmothers, maybe.
Miss Salisbury was always very patient with me, (and mercy knows I needed all the patience one could muster) and I loved her very dearly. She died of apoplexy in Edna Plumb's arms at the Adams Railroad station.
Mark Steele, who lived at that time where Dr. Harvey and Laura Humphrey had their 1st home (Glenn Robinson's now) had been to school a year, and as he seemed to be a guiding light, mother asked him to take me to school my first day. Etta Oatman was my first teacher, so kind and patient, that my memories of her are very sweet.
Then I wonder if anyone will remember Old Tom Waite, Bertha's black horse. When we were asked to take a ride after school was out, now that was really something, to ride all around town in a nice cutter and robes with the dear old horse. We were about 7 or 9 then, I think, and Bertha was her own driver, and it was pretty nice to have such a nice turn out at that age; and she was always most generous with us all.
Then there was Miss Helen Pierce's (now Mrs. Charles Ripley) dancing school on Saturday afternoons. There was May Kilby, Doll Gilbert, Ned Clark, Alice Ripley, Dora Allen, Bert Fox, Drew Archibald, Mark Steele and Dwight Wardwell, all gone now, and Edna Allen, Laura Huson, Marguerite Hart, Bertha Waite, Harry Hannahs, Rufus Ripley and Ross Clark. (I hope I have life no one out). Miss Pierce would go to New York each season to get all the new steps and I so well remember how lovely she always looked, and how graceful she was; she had such pretty dresses and always displayed such wonderful taste. One dress she wore is outstanding in my recollection, a black lace with a soft sash of another material at the side, and with beaded French heeled slippers she was perfect. When we left the afternoon class for the evening class, that was wonderful. We felt quite grown up, and to have our best beau accompany us home, even though our sisters would come for us and walk back of us all the way home, which was most objectionable. On arriving home the family was so informed in no uncertain terms.
O, yes, I must not forget Lottie Lee's party. She lived in the Avenue, now that is down Church Street, West, at the left of the underpass crossing. I have the picture in my attic now, think it was taken by Stiles Armsbury, whom no doubt some of you will remember, as the old eccentric photographer who lived near the depot. When my cousin, W.R. Roach, married Ollie Nott, I got this picture out for him to see how Ollie looked as a young lady, maybe of 12 or so, and he always threatened to have it enlarged. In that picture were Grace and Mamie Robbins, Bess Rogers Gilbert (such a pretty little girl), Adah Gibbs, Myrty McDowell, Flora Blackstone Haskins, Elinor Grummonds, Cora McDougal, Carrie Washburn, and a little Brown girl, whose father was Methodist minister at that time, the hostess Little Lee and me. I have often wondered what became of Lottie. Her father was dead and she lived with her grandparents (I do not remember their names), but her mother afterwards married Mr. Tom Maxson, who owne the then beautiful farm below the Hart farm, think it was afterwards owned by Ellis McCumber.
Another good time which stands out in my memory, was going to a part at Mark Steele's home after he had moved from town to the farm (now the Carter Overton farm). We went in the Huson House bus, which in the winter was on runners. What a nice time we had! If I remember rightly we sugared off and had popcorn balls, etc.; wouldn't it be grand to have a sugaring off party once again? My memory of Mark's mother is very sweet indeed. She was tall and very aristocratic looking and she had all the attributes of a very motherly mother. Everyone loved Mrs. Steele.
Then on clay Street were Mr. and Mrs. Bartlett, and their daughter Grace, who was a little older than I, and I used to love to go to their house. Mrs. Bartlett was never too busy to give me a little attention. She would let me do things about the house with her, and I came home one time and was helping mother do something, and I informed her that Mrs. Bartlett didn't do it that way, and I think I had previously said that same thing, so Mother told me if I didn't like the way she did things, I better pack my satchel and go right over to Bartlett's and stay. Their daughter Grace (such a dainty little girl) married Willard Woodward, son of the Mrs. Woodward who taught 50 years in the Hungerford Collegiate Institute, and the Adams Collegiate Institute. Their children were, June, Mrs. Lloyd Berry, living in Orlando, Fla., and May, Mrs. W. Buckner, living in White Plains, NY.
Then the parties and many good times we had at the lovely farm home (out Spring Street) of Clara and Florence Cooper. Nothing was too much trouble for the Cooper girls to do to give the crowd a wonderful time, one of the things one never forgets.
Then the Whites, that lived where the Willis Scott do now, were a very interesting family. They were much older than I, but I played with their children. They were Carrie, Kate, Bella and Frank. Carrie was Mrs. Northrup and her children were Sadie and Edwin. Bella was Mrs. Robert Hungerford. Her son was Harry and his grandfather was Genera Hungerford. Kate was Mrs. Potter and her son was Rufus, who wrote some very interesting reminiscences of Adams not long since. Well I remember playing in the nursey upstairs in the White house. We were all about of an age, and when they were all home visiting the grandparents, the old house rang. We lived next door on Clay Street and I so well remember Rufus White and my father had a little feud of some kind and Rufus planted his corn right by our sitting room window and we couldn't see over it, so he thought he was even and I guess my father thought so, too. In speaking of General Hungerford, their home was where Howard Reynolds lives now, and it was a show place in those days, and where Franklyn and Dorothy Waite live now and most of Park Street was the Hungerford deep yard. I remember Harry Hungerford had a pair of goats and a nice little turn-out that he drove around town, much the envy of all the youngsters.
And I must not forget Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Fish, who lived in the house that was the Jerry Griswold home and afterwards came to Charles Ripley. Mr. and Mrs. Fish had no children, and it did not take the children long to know they were most welcome in that home. We had picnics in their backyard and danced in their parlor. I can see Mr. Fish now (who was very fleshy) shaking with laughter at some of our pranks. The Averill's and Fish's were great friends and my memories of both families are very pleasant.
And of course Mrs. Fred Webster, and their cousin, Martha Poor, who lived across the street from us on clay Street. Alice Ripley Fox and I took painting lessons from Mrs. Webster. Alice with her little dignified ways and quiet sense of humor always won her lots of friends. She was nice to be with. And once when we took painting of Mrs. Yost, we ate the leaves all off her parsley plant. Mrs. Yost lived in the Bersie house at that time. She had a son, Nicholas.
Then there was the big fire of 1884, that took most of the west side of Main Street. How well I remember that night, I was about 6 years old, Mary Willard was expected that night, and my mother was at Grandpa Stone's for the occasion, and the little old fire bell rang (it always gave me the shivers and shakes) and my father and Will went off to the fire, leaving my sister Lottie and me alone (she was about 15 and I was 6). Well, we got jittery and thought we would lock the house and go across the road to the Withington's. Mr. Withington was the druggist and owned the store, afterwards Ned Clark's. By that time they had begun bringing the horses from the hotel barns and hitching them along Clay Street. We were afraid of the horses, so did not dare cross the road, but Mr. Withington came from the fire and was sent to our rescue. The Withington's were such grand folks. I took music lessons of Della Withington (afterwards Mrs. Jackson). She married a doctor and went to Minnesota to live. How well I remember Grandma Withington's ginger cookie jar. She lived in the wing of the house.
Well, to go back, Mary Nick arrived safely before the dawn broke, and she was a cute and very pretty little baby. I used to wheel her out. The stores were built up that same year, 1884, so Mary's year of birth is emblazoned on the block. About the same time, I think, Alma Gilbert, Cora McDougall, Mabel Hammond, Harriet Nott, Jessie Legg, Ray Hannahs, Herb Williams and Frederick Wardwell were all born, I think in 1884. Mabel Allen was a little younger.
O, yes, I must not close this without telling about Dan Huson, who was a great favorite with Miss Mary Mitchell, one of his teachers in public school. Each one in his class had a bible verse to memorize. She gave Dan this verse: "Moses was an austere man and made atonement for the sins of his people". When Dan came up to say it, he gave it thus, Moses was an oyster man, and made ointment for the shins of his people. Well, it caused a big laugh, Dan was pleased and so was Miss Mitchell.