HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020 Town Historian Annual ReportLouise Bement
49 Myers Road
Lansing, NY 14882
2020 Town Historian Report
The "Covid -19" made an impact on things done in group settings this year, such as board meetings and
public programs. But I wrote and mailed about 180 newsletters four times a year, so the Historical
Association is still going strong.
I attended the Municipal Historians of Tompkins County meetings, chaired by County Historian, Carol
Kammen. We are writing a book called, "Permanent Residents", about interesting people in our
cemeteries. I entered Zuba and Henry Bloom in the Asbury Cemetery. One used to be able to find Zuba's
grave by the snowball bush overhanging it, but the bush is now gone, and we find Zuba's unmarked grave
by knowing it was placed right by Henry Blooms. If anyone knows of other interesting "Permanent
Residents", please let me know.
I researched the tiny Starr Cemetery at 1440 Ridge Road for someone who wrote me an email asking
about it. I also took that person there. It is hard to find, and a difficult walk to the plot, and there are very
few stones there. It is just as well; it is hidden in the summer when the leaves are on the trees and bushes
because it keeps people from exploring and disturbing the stones. Another well-hidden small cemetery is
the White Cemetery where Brigham Young's mother is buried. We have about 30 cemeteries in Lansing,
but the large, well known ones are: Pine Grove, North Lansing, Lansingville, Asbury, East Lansing, and
Lake Ridge.
Fannie Welch and I usually can be found at the Archives Building next to the Town Hall most Saturdays.
I take people there to do research whenever asked. One of the most interesting visitors was Jesse Harper
who was 90 years old.
Fannie keeps good track of our photo collection. She also cares for the clothing collection.
One of the largest donations we received this year was from the Buck family. Good china
dishes, books, clothing, etc. The oddest donation is a large wooden crib packed in its own
special large suitcase. We do not know who left it by our front door. (Perhaps they did not
want us to return it to sender). Peter Larson donated the District 21 School Board Records.
One warm June night, I was sitting in my backyard when a car came up my driveway. In it was a
lady from Geneva, New York, who was looking for Margaret Shalby. We went over to Syrian Hill
to find Margaret's house. Margaret was not there (as we later found out) she was in Hospicare. We
found the St. George Orthodox Church closed and locked, but we wandered around looking in the
windows. We picked quite a few tender, young, wild grape leaves (for our guest to take back home
to cook with) on the bank behind the church. Our guest wrote me a thank you note, and said she
wished she had picked more grape leaves.
Jo Hass kept me company as I "held court" in the log cabin on July Fourth.
At the end of July, I helped a woman do research on the Boyle and Robinson families. In
August, a gentleman donated a beautiful set of etchings on small greeting cards. I put them
in the picture file.
I receive many emails from people with questions about Lansing and their family histories.
I find the job of Town Historian very interesting and enjoyable.