7 Monday: People
LAKE LIFE
Banks of Lake Life
8 Calendar
Contact us
Lake Life editor David Wilcox can
be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245
or david.wilcox@lee.net
• M O N DAY, M A R C H 2 9 , 2 0 1 0 •
.• SHORELINE •
Moravia students’
art on exhibit
Drawings, paintings and
ceramics made by students
at Moravia High School are
on display from 9 to 5 p.m.
Mondays through Fridays in
March at the Cayuga Coun-
ty Chamber of Commerce,
36 South St., Auburn.
For more information,
call 253-5288.
Case film festival
accepting entries
The Theodore Case Film
Festival has a new Web site,
www.tedcasefilmfest.org.
The festival, now in its
seventh year, will be accept-
ing entries 30 minutes or
less in DVD or VHS format
until May 3. Work in all gen-
res is welcome.
There is no entry fee.
Entry forms may be down-
loaded at the site or picked
up at 203 Genesee St.,
Auburn.
The festival will take
place June 4 and 5 at the
Auburn Public Theater, 108
Genesee St., Auburn.
For more information, e-
mail
info@tedcasefilmfest.org.
Library to display
industrial age
“The Progressive Era:
Creating Modern America,
1900-1917” will be on dis-
play beginning April 6 at the
Seymour Library, 176-178
Genesee St., Auburn.
The show looks at Amer-
ica’s transformation into a
modern industrial society
prior to World War I. Legis-
lation affecting labor and
business, women’s suffrage
and urban improvement are
prominent topics. The
exhibit is on loan from the
Gilder Lehrman Institute of
American History.
The library is open from
10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays
through Wednesdays, 10
a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursdays
and Fridays, and from 10
a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
For more information,
call 252-2571.
Ferrante plays
Groucho at APT
Frank Ferrante will recre-
ate his portrayal of Groucho
Marx in “An Evening with
Groucho Marx” April 11
through 16 at the Auburn
Public Theater, 108 Genesee
St., Auburn. Show times
vary.
Ferrante has performed
the 90-minute show of
Marx’s one-liners, anec-
dotes and songs in New York
and London.
Tickets are $35 general
admission and $28 a person
for groups of 10 or more.
For more information,
call 253-6669.
Museum plans bus
trip to Toronto
The Cayuga Museum of
History and Art is sponsor-
ing a bus trip to Toronto
June 5. Participants will
attend an afternoon baseball
game between the New York
Yankees and the Toronto
Blue Jays.
Cost is $119 per person,
which includes a round-trip
bus ticket and game ticket.
A $50 deposit will secure a
reservation. Payment in full
is due by April 16.
For more information,
call 253-8051.
‘Hello, Dolly!’
audition dates set
The Auburn Players
Community Theatre is
auditioning for “Hello,
Dolly!” from 2 to 5 p.m. Sat-
urday, April 17 and 6 to 9
p.m. Sunday, April 18, at the
Westminster Presbyterian
Church, 17 William St.,
Auburn.
Auditioners must pre-
pare 16 measures of an
uptempo song and/or bal-
lad. They must bring their
own sheet music. A short
monologue, poem or read-
ing must also be prepared.
The show will be per-
formed June 11 through June
20.
For more information,
call 258-8275.
— From staff reports
C E L E B R AT I N G T H E P E O P L E O F T H E F I N G E R L A K E S
PAG E A 6 The Citizen, Auburn, New York
Caring with
❀
clowning
Mother’s illness inspired
Auburn lawyer to don makeup
JASON GABAK
Special to The Citizen
Behind the smiles made of makeup and the red noses, not every
clown wears a real smile. Sometimes the makeup hides a certain pain.
This has partly been the case for Laurie Michelman, whose alter
ego, Lou-Lou Lollipop, has been entertaining people across central
New York for the past several years.
Michelman, a native of Long Island who has called Auburn home
for the past several years, said that in many ways she has been enter-
taining others her whole life.
At one point, Michelman said that she dreamed of becoming an
actress and took classes while in New York City.
“I took theater classes in college and in New York City after college,”
Michelman said. “I had wanted to become an actress at the time, but
decided to take a different path and went to law school instead.”
Michelman went as an undergrad to Cornell and then took a four-
year hiatus before returning to Syracuse
University to earn her law degree. Dur-
❀
ing her hiatus from school, Michelman
On the Net toyed with the notion of becoming a
Michelman in the April clown.
2010 Ladies’ Home Journal: Other events in her life were con-
www.lhj.com/health/stress/ verging to help inspire Michelman to
mood-boosters/living-the- pursue clowning.
dream-clown-school “When I graduated college I thought
about going to clown school, but I guess
it just wasn’t the right time for me,”
Michelman said. “In 2006, my mother’s leukemia, which she suf-
fered from for many years, was getting worse. It made me think a lot
about life and how fleeting it is. I thought about my life and the
things I wanted to do and accomplish with it. One of the things
was to go to clown school. So, I got on the Internet and started
researching different clown schools and found NY Goofs in (New York
City). I really liked what I read about it, so I signed up for training
in July 2006.” Glenn Gaston / Special to The Citizen
Michelman was pleased to have the opportunity to follow her pas- TOP: Lou-Lou Lollipop (Laurie Michelman) performs for an audience at
sions and after completing her training, she was faced with a diffi- the Boyle Senior Center in Auburn March 17.
cult situation that would put all her skills to entertain and make peo- BOTTOM: Lollipop entertains Sophie Forward, left, and Iva Bardreau.
ple laugh to the test, but would point Michelman in an important
direction for her own life.
“Right after I graduated (from NY Goofs), my mother, already makeup entertaining the sick and elderly at Auburn Memorial Hospital
weakened from chemo for the leukemia, was diagnosed with lung and Golisano Children’s Hospital, as well as senior facilities like the Boyle
cancer,” Michelman said. “I drove from Auburn straight to the hospi- Center, performing both as a clown and balloon artist.
tal on Long Island where she was. I had my new clown nose in my Michelman has found that, young or old, there is just something about
backpack. Before I walked into her room, I put on the nose. The room a clown that reaches across all age groups.
was filled with worried relatives and friends. When I walked in, the whole “People love it,” Michelman said. “Especially when I make balloon
atmosphere in the room changed, everyone started laughing. My animals. Adults love them almost as much as children. There is noth-
mother was laughing and crying at the same time. I knew then that I ing like a balloon to put a smile on someone’s face. In the hospital, I don’t
wanted to be a hospital clown. My mother passed away shortly after do balloons but instead do magic tricks, role-playing and just your
in October of 2006. After that, I signed up for a hospital clown train- everyday zany clown antics. The kids and their family, friends and
ing in Boston and read a lot about hospital clowning. Then I started mak- visitors really seem to enjoy it.”
ing contacts and volunteering.” For Michelman, it is rewarding to bring joy to others. It also gives
Thus Lou-Lou Lollipop was born. her an outlet to relax, away from the courtroom.
Michelman said that the name came from a nickname she was “Humor and laughter have true healing powers,” Michelman said.
given as a child when an uncle started calling her Louie. “As a hospital clown I get to see the difference laughter can make in peo-
“When I was looking for a clown name, I thought Lou-Lou sound- ple. And I learn so much from the kids I clown for as well. Kids are
ed fun and matched my clown personality,” Michelman said. “I added very resilient and have a great ability to focus on the moment. When
the Lollipop just because I thought it added a little extra ‘clowniness.’ I walk into a hospital room, it is not about their illness or their injury.
Clowns can make up words.” To me and to them, it is just about the few minutes we can spend
Michelman also adds another piece to the name: Lou-Lou Lol- together, being silly and focusing on joy. Even if it is just for that
lipop, caring clown, caring heart. She spends much of her time in moment, it means something.”
• PORT BYRON •
Unraveling the Wilsons, Part IV
My last article, published Monday, March twice, suggesting that perhaps she was mar- matics at Yale from 1928-1948 and co-
22, continued the Wilson surname examina- ried to another man named Wilson prior to authored three volumes on mathematics.
tion by featuring two of the children of Caleb. This answer will have to come from After his mother died in 1894, his father,
Nehemiah Wilson and his wife, Hannah marriage records, which for this time period Charles, married Lydia Balcomb, who would
Lamb. Of the remaining children, his daugh- are difficult to find. Caleb died at Port Byron later marry John Beagle of Weedsport. Lydia
ter Mary has not been in 1885. His wife Harriet would continue to died in Montana in 1932. Charles Wilson died
located. Therefore, we will find employment after his death, becoming a in 1919 and is buried at Mount Pleasant with
continue with his children housekeeper for Joseph Van Naken on River his former wife, Dora. Sylvester and Betsey
Caleb, Sylvester and Hiram. Street. Caleb and Harriet Wilson are buried Wilson are also buried at Mount Pleasant.
Caleb: Records indicate at Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Hiram: He was the youngest son of
he was born at Port Byron Sylvester: He was an unexpected find to Nehemiah Wilson. He married Hannah Scott
in 1819 based on vital this family. He was born at Conquest in 1825 and lived with his parents at Conquest in
records of his children. He and married Betsey Rooker, daughter of Nel- 1850. By 1855 he was at Mentz with young
was a cooper by trade, just son and Catherine Rooker. He was a cooper children who do not appear to have survived
like his brother Aaron. to adulthood. He would then move to White-
Dawn Caleb’s first wife would be
by trade as well as a farmer. In 1850 he lived
hall, N.Y., where he was a farmer. He later
Roe at Mentz with the family of Platt Cross. In
his sister-in-law Rosanah makes the move to New Brunswick, N.J.,
1855, he lived in a log house in Brutus and
Rooker of Whitehall, N.Y. resided at Throop by 1860. He would call where his occupation is recorded as scav-
They would have three enger. He would return to Mentz, living with
Conquest home by 1870. It has been reported
children, being Philip Romaine Wilson, who that Sylvester never lived beyond a territory his son Hiram Wilson Jr. at Port Byron in
was a Civil War soldier in the 9th Heavy 1905. He died at Mentz and is buried in an
of 12-by-16 miles from where he was born.
Artillery, who reported his name as enlisted He had a daughter named Mary, who married unmarked grave here. His daughter Harriet
as Philip Rooker Wilson; a daughter, Esther, James Moss. His son William Arthur Wilson married Thomas Wilson (parents unknown),
who married Henry Alfred, who is believed to
married Minnie Shank of Union Springs, and their son Thomas Jr. married Mary Elizabeth
be the same man as Edgar H. Alford another they welcomed twins Harry and Hurley in Alexander of Port Byron and he played on the
Civil War soldier; and a son named William 1886 and are buried at Fort Hill. Sylvester’s Green Street baseball team as the center
Lerve Wilson, who preferred to be called youngest son, Charles, was born at Mentz in fielder. Another daughter, Ida, married John
Lerve, and who married Addie Wood. It is not 1861 and moved to Savannah, where he MacDonald and lived in New Jersey. Hiram
known what became of Caleb’s wife Rosanah, learned the trade of wagon making. About had two sons, Joseph and George that we
she simply disappears from census readings. four years before his death, Charles came know little about.
Caleb would then take as his second wife her back to Port Byron, where he opened a wagon His son Hiram E Wilson Jr. married Cora
younger sister Harriet Rooker, along with her shop and was known as an expert in the field. Rosetts Benton, of Sennett, and had eight
child Elijah Wilson. Much controversy has His first wife, Dora, died in 1894 and they children. In 1920, Hiram Jr. moved back to
existed over this union simply because the had a son, Wallace Alvin Wilson. Their son Whitehall, he died at Hampton, N.Y. in 1929
child already carried the Wilson name before Wallace graduated from Auburn High School and is buried at North Granville, N.Y.
their relationship began. Only part of the in 1900 before receiving his Ph.D. at Yale After Hiram Jr. died, Cora married
answer to this mystery comes from the 1865 University. Wallace served as a distinguished
census, which indicates Harriet was married Philip Schuyler Beebe Professor of Mathe- See TRACKING, A7
 Monday: People

The Citizen. Auburn, New York

LAKE LIFE
C E L E B R AT I N G T H E P E O P L E O F T H E F I N G E R L A K E S
Monday, March 29, 2010 A7

• VICTORY •

Call for Volunteers

• Baltimore Woods Nature Center in Mar-
cellus is looking for volunteers to participate in pulling
invasive garlic mustard, as well as working trails
and cleaning up gardens, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Saturday, April 24. The Baltimore Woods staff
will then cook a garlic mustard quiche at this
event, “Bring Your Friends, and Eat Your Enemy!”
The center is located at 4007 Bishop Hill Road,
Marcellus. For more information, call 673-1350.

• The New York State Long-Term Care

Ombudsman Program seeks volunteers to visit
nursing homes, assisted living residences and
adult homes. The program seeks to make sure
that residents’ rights are promoted and unmet
needs and complaints are handled efficiently.
Thirty-six hours of training is mandated through
the state Long-Term Care Office. For more infor-
mation, call 255-3447 ext. 320.

• Mercy Health and Rehabilitation Cen-

ter is seeking anyone who can assist with copy-
ing and filing at the center a few hours a week.
For more information, call 253-0351 ext. 310.

ed
id
ov
• Auburn Memorial Hospital is seeking . pr
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ee op an oto
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ild
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emergency room volunteers to greet patients, ro

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d Ph ch
support families and friends, stock rooms, and M
an Th cy
Ha ee
in hr
pick up supplies, mail and medical records. Vol- row 03 dd of t
unteers would work in two- to three-hour shifts was 2 5, 18 en
Man her
born on March row was the mot
from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Sun-
days at the hospital, 17 Lansing St., Auburn. For
more information, call 255-7350.

• The SCAT Van service is looking for peo-

ple willing to drive or escort on the Moravia and
Cato vans. Each volunteer would ride the vans
for a few hours to understand the functions of
the job. Volunteers are asked to give one day of serv-
ice a week. For more information, call 253-3548.
• Catholic Charities of the Finger Lakes is
seeking volunteers to assist with answering the
phone and basic clerical work like filing and copy-
ing from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fri-
days. The organization is located at 134 E. Gene-
see St., Auburn. For more information, call
253-2222 ext. 101.
To have your volunteer opportunities listed,
send an e-mail to citizenfeatures@lee.net with
‘Volunteer Opp’ in the subject line
• L O O K B AC K AT T H E L A K E S •
March 29, 1930
Hoover, U.S. Naval envoys in agreement. President's
unqualified support is extended.
March 29, 1960
Contiguglia twins presented a piano concert at Cayuga
Museum of History and Art.
March 29, 2000
Michael R. Nye is the new Cayuga County coroner. Nye
will take over for Dr. Janice Ross, who has held the post
since 1990. Ross resigned earlier this month to take
another position doing forensic autopsies in her home
state of South Carolina. The county has contracted with
Manrow name rich in history
Many people in the town of Vic-
tory and surrounding area are related
to Younglove Manrow. Manrow came
to the Throop area
from Sharon, Conn.
in 1802. He had at
least 15 known chil-
dren and four
wives. Reed Man-
row, the son of
Younglove and
Aseneth Reed Man-
row, was born
Beverly March 25, 1803 in
Sayles Throop. Reed mar-
ried Nancy Hadden
from Peekskill,
Westchester County, in 1827 in Vic-
tory village. The Manrow farm was
on a hill just north of the village of
Victory, overlooking the town. It was
reputed to be built in the 1700s and
called Farview Farm.
Many of the Manrows are buried
in the Pine Hill Cemetery in the town
of Throop and in Victory Union
Cemetery.
Reed and Nancy Manrow had
three children, Rosalind, Harriet and
James T. Sometime after their mar-
riage, in 1828, they moved to Victory
from the Throop/Sennett area.
James Manroe (Manrow was
changed due to poor handwriting on
a deed) either bought or inherited the
farm from his father. He married
Emily Forshee (born 1838, Warwick,
N.Y.) in 1862. They had four children.
Hattie (1864-1942) married Frank
Smith and lived on a farm south of
the village of Victory. They gave land
on which the Presbyterian church
was built. John F. (1865-1951) mar-
ried Elizabeth (Lizzie) Miller and
lived on the Miller farm on a hill
south of Victory. Gertrude (1874-
1963) married John Chapman and
lived in the village of Victory. Reade
(1868-1920) married Lulu Wallace of
Victory in 1893. They bought the
farm from Reade’s father, James.
Reade and Lulu had two sons,
Wallace and Harold. When Reade
died, Wallace took over the farm. He
was married to Zella Smith of Weed-
sport; they had no children.
He raised crops and had Gurnsey
cows for milking. Wallace served as
supervisor of the town of Victory for
20 years and was chairman of the
board of supervisors in 1936. Wallace
Manroe sold the farm in 1961. Harold
Manroe (1905-1985) married Olga
Renwick of Schaghticoke, N.Y., and
lived most of his life in Delmar, N.Y.
He was an accounting manager with
the New York Telephone Co. in
Albany. They had one daughter,
Linda Manroe.
The Victory Village Museum just
acquired the spinning wheel that was
used by the Manrows. It was given by
the family of Linda Manroe Marsh,
who had received the spinning wheel
in 1959. Before that, it had always
been at the Manrow homestead. The
family had owned it for four genera-
tions and more than 100 years. It has
returned to us in Victory for our
museum and rests just a little south
of its previous home.
Thanks to Linda Manroe Marsh
for the donation of the spinning
wheel and for information taken
from family records, photos, geneal-
ogy and word of mouth for this col-
umn.
Coming up at the Victory Village
Museum:
• Sunday, April 18, 1 to 4 p.m. —
Scanning day. Please bring your old
historical photos so we may scan them
into my computer for our records (you’ll
get your original back) and also have a
copy made for yourself, if you wish, for
a nominal fee.
• Sunday, May 2, 2 to 4 p.m. — After-
noon tea at the museum. Enjoy a
relaxing afternoon with an old-fash-
ioned tea party. A $1 donation will cover
expenses.
Beverly Sayles is the Victory town historian.
She may be reached at
beverlycs65@gmail.com

Tracking Wilson surname, Part IV

the Onondaga medical examiner for the service in the
past. Because Ross was qualified to do autopsies, the
contract was not necessary while she was in office.

March 29, 2005
Current projections for the Southern Cayuga 2005-2006
school budget totals $14,224, 689 and would increase
the tax levy 6.8 percent if further cuts are not made. The
districts proposed budget is 2.3 percent higher then the
current budget, but is $90,709 less than a contingency
budget would be, according to Southern Cayuga Super-
intendent Peter Cardamone.
— Compiled by Linda Simmons
Continued from A6 Washington County. Cora is buried many, but they all do not remain here
at North Granville with her first hus- long-term. Today, anyone of the
William H. Roate, who was employed band, Hiram E. Wilson Jr. Wilson surname at Port Byron
on the New York Central Railroad. This covers the basic flow of the descends from Nehemiah, a man
William Roate was also a caretaker at Wilson surname at Port Byron and who has thousands of descendants.
our Mount Pleasant Cemetery who Mentz in our early history. I am still
Dawn Roe is Port Byron and Mentz histori-
died in 1948 and was buried here. finding Wilson names that are not an and a member of the Owasco Chapter
Cora’s name is engraved on his connected to any branch, such as a NSDAR. She can be reached at 776-8446 or
headstone, but her children would William P. Wilson, Alexander Wilson beatatune@tds.net. Visit her Web site at
later move her to a nursing home in and Christopher Wilson from Ger- www.portbyronhistorian.com

• M U N I C I PA L M E E T I N G S •

City council, town and village boards

City, towns Meeting dates Time Location Phone
Auburn Every Thursday 6 p.m. Memorial City Hall, South Street 252-2555
Aurelius Second Thursday 7 p.m. Town Hall, 1241 W. Genesee Street Road 255-1894
Aurora Third Wednesday 7:30 p.m. Village office, 456 Main St. 364-7293
Brutus Second Monday 7 p.m. Town Municipal Building, 9021 N. Seneca St. 834-9398
Cato (village) Second Thursday 7 p.m. 2564 Millard Ave., village of Cato Municipal Building 626-2397
Cato (town) First Tuesday 7:30 p.m. Town Municipal building, Shortcut Road 626-6230
Cayuga Second Wednesday 7 p.m. Village office, 6205 Railroad St. 252-1707
Conquest Third Tuesday 7:30 p.m. Municipal Center, Fuller Road 776-4539
Fair Haven Second Monday 7:30 p.m. Village office 947-5112
Fleming Second Monday 7 p.m. Town Hall, Dublin Road 252-8988
Genoa Second Wednesday 7 p.m. 1000 Bartnick Road, Genoa 364-5505
Ira First Wednesday 7 p.m. Ira Municipal Building, 2487 W. Main St., Cato 626-6905
Ledyard Second Monday 7:30 p.m. Ledyard Town Hall, 1099 Poplar Ridge Road, Aurora 364-5707
Locke Second Thursday 7 p.m. Locke Town Hall, Main Street, Locke 497-1683
Mentz First, third Tuesday 7:30 p.m. Town Hall 776-8692
Meridian (village) First Monday 7 p.m. Cato Municipal Building 626-3223
Montezuma Third Tuesday 7:30 p.m. Town Hall, Dock Street 776-8844
Moravia Third Wednesday 7:30 p.m. Town Hall, 139 Main St. 497-1972
Moravia (village) Second and fourth Mondays 7 p.m. Village Hall, 22 Central St. 497-1820
Niles Second Thursday 7 p.m. Town Hall, New Hope Road 497-0066
Owasco Second Thursday 7 p.m. Town Hall, 2 Bristol Ave. 253-9021
Port Byron Second, fourth Monday 7:30 p.m. Village office, 52 Utica St. 776-4321
Scipio Second Wednesday 7 p.m. Town Barn, Route 34, Scipio Center 364-5740
Sempronius Third Monday 7 p.m.* Town Barn, 2274 State Route 41A 496-2026
Sennett Second Tuesday 7 p.m. Town Hall, 6931 Cherry Street Road 253-3712
Springport Second Monday 7:15 p.m. Town Hall 889-7717
Sterling Third Monday 7:30 p.m. 1290 State Route 104A 947-5666
Summer Hill Second Tuesday 7 p.m. Town Hall, 13606 State Route 90 497-3494
Throop Second Wednesday 7:15 p.m. Town Hall, 7471 Robinson Road 252-7373
Union Springs Third Tuesday 7 p.m. Village meeting room, 26 Chapel St. 889-7341
Venice Second Thursday 8 p.m. Town offices, corner of State Route 34 and Poplar Ridge Road 364-9512
Victory Second Monday 7 p.m. Town offices, 1323 Town Barn Road 626-6462
Weedsport Second Wednesday 7 p.m. Village Hall, 8892 South St. 834-6634
*In August, they are held at 8 p.m.