October 2010 Program

October 12, 2010 Greece Town Hall 7:00 p.m.

The Corinthian Trunks and Travel... a 19th Century Journey
A lecture by Mary Jeanne Bialas

Experience the sights and sounds of travel in New York State during the
GREECE HISTORICAL SOCIETY and MUSEUM
1800s! Whether traveling by rail, canal or road, there’s no such thing as
packing lightly for a wealthy Victorian. This multi-media program brings
the audience into the life of a Victorian industrialist and his wife as they
prepare to travel (1870-1900). Transportation methods, etiquette and
rules of the road, proper attire, social expectations,
and hardships and joys become the main focus.

Ms. Bialas is director of Victorian Whispers, an educational

program development agency in Oneida, New York

Sponsored by Speakers in the Humanities, a program of the New

York Council for the Humanities.

Volume 31, Issue 5 October 2010

In every issue: Points of Interest:

President’s Message 2 Program Events 1

Director’s Message 3 Museum Exhibits 2,5

Museum Shop 4 Museum Happenings 7

Contact Us 8 Greece History 6

November 2010 Program

Tuesday November 9, 2010 Greece Town Hall , 7:00 p.m.

The Seventeenth-Century Seneca Iroquois

and the Factors Threatening Their Way of Life
by: Martha L. Sempowski Ph.D.

This slide-illustrated talk will focus on current archaeological

interpretations of the life, culture, and well-being of the Seneca
who lived in the Rochester area during the mid to late seven-
teenth century. What was life like for the Seneca and how was it changing dur-
ing the years leading up to and following the devastating French attack on them
in 1687? What impact did European traders, missionaries, and explorers have on
the health and native culture of these people? What were the long-term effects
of all of these influences on the Seneca people and their culture?
Dr. Sempowski is a research fellow at the Rochester Museum & Science Center
"President's Message" **Museum Exhibits**
In the past few weeks we have
acquired several new items includ-
Our “Fun at the Beach”
ing a 1964-65 letter sweater from display featuring bathing
one of Greece Olympia's star ath- suits of the past will close
letes, John Dubois, along with a Oct. 10th.
story of his winning team. At the
same time we had to turn away a lovely Buckman's
A display honoring Gordon Howe’s years of
ice cream cart because of its size and condition.
public service and accomplishments as Greece
It is hard to imagine that items from the 1960's Town Supervisor is now open at the Greece
or 1970's are now considered "history". Much of Historical Society home, formerly the “Howe
our museum collection concentrates on the 19th House”.
century and the early 20 century. Our attic is full of
SEWING EXHIBIT
clothes, tools, furniture and a thousand other items,
mostly relating to Greece history, but many of the More than a dozen sewing machines dis-
items could be classified as just "old stuff". Although played at our "Notions of Sewing " exhibit from
an 1860's Grove & Baker machine to a 2000
the attic is nearly full we still must consider that our Bernina attached to a laptop computer, plus tex-
town continues to grow and change, that we are tiles, notions, patterns, magazines and toy sew-
creating history everyday, and that history needs to ing machines. On Sunday Oct. 3rd, the BOBBIN
be saved for future generations. CASE INC, a Bernina dealership in Brighton, will
be demonstrating the Bernina 830, the ultimate
Take a look through your old 35mm slide collec- sewing machine system. On Sun Oct. 10th, see a
tions, your old scrap books, diaries, etc. If you have tatting demonstration.
something you think that the Greece Historical Soci-
ety might want for our collection, give us a call. Vi White, Curator
Remember, we cannot take everything because we
have limited space for proper storage and our col-
lection needs to concentrate on the Town of
Greece. Photographs must be labeled, and dated (if
possible), individual items should have some specific
link to our town's past. Unidentifiable, unlabeled THE NOTIONS OF SEWING
photos are not something we want, but labeled Dubbed "The Queen of Inventions" by Gody's
photos of any building or event in the Town of magazine in 1860, the sewing machine offered
women a relief from the countless hours
Greece we would treasure. If you don't want to part
and tedium of hand sewing.
with your family memories, we will take digital files
of your photos. All donations to the Greece Histori- See a collection of sewing
cal Society are tax deductable. machines and accessories
from the 1860's to present
day at our "Notions of Sew-
ing" exhibit from September
Bill Sauers 12th through October 10th.

2
 “From the Desk of the Executive Director “

Dear Friends,

Along with other historical societies, we feel the need to stabilize our current membership and en-
courage new memberships. Our small committee is composed of Bernice and Jack Wallenhorst and
Sue Hodge. They faithfully maintain our membership list, handle the financial re-
cords, and send correspondence. Sue is a busy volunteer at Genesee Country Mu-
seum, but will return in October to manage our business memberships. Business
members are our partners in sharing the history of Greece, NY with our community
and deserve our support.

As a reminder aid, we will be notifying all members of their upcoming expiration

dates. We don’t want you to miss receiving our great newsletter, The Corinthian.
We value your membership, too. Without you the town of Greece wouldn’t have a great museum
and popular programs the second Tuesday of the month. This year’s programs will be even better
than the previous ones, if that’s possible. ( See President Bill Sauers’ column for that information.)

You are special! We need you – the community needs us.

Lorraine Beane

Coming January 11, 2011 Greece Town Hall 7:00 p.m.

"The Women in George Eastman's Life" by Kathy Connor This program will highlight a variety of
women who influenced George Eastman beginning with his mother, his niece Ellen Dryden, lady
friends, Josephina Dickman & Mary Mulligan & his secretary for 42 years Alice K. Whiting Hutchison.

Ms Connor is the curator of the George Eastman House & George Eastman Legacy Collection

Please support our current business members and affiliates

We want to thank them for their support:

Long Pond Auto Body; Hose 22 Firehouse Grill; Sarah R. Taylor; Wolfert
-Butler Agency; Long Pond Family Restaurant; Vay, Schleich and Meeson
Funeral Home, Brook House Restaurant; Greece Chamber of Commerce.

LIFE MEMBERS
Presently there are 30 life members. Thank you for your support.
3
 Museum Shop Officers & Board of Trustees
Need a gift? Stop in for a quick visit of browsing
or to select that special gift or book. President: Bill Sauers
Vice President: Wendy Peeck
Now that summer vacations are over you may find some time to stop in Secretary: Sandy Peck
and visit us any Sunday afternoon 2:00-4:30. During your visit to our Mu- Treasurer: Jack Wallenhorst
seum don’t forget to stop by our beautiful Museum Shop. Our children’s ExecutiveDirector: Lorraine Beane
books continue to be popular. We pride ourselves in carrying unique gift Honorary Trustee: Don Newcomb
items and collectibles as well as a large variety of books for every reader. Trustees: Sue Hodge
You know it’s not too early to shop for the holidays. Murano glass pen- Sandy Peck
dants, lighthouses, Greece NY travel mugs, local history books – they are Wendy Peeck
all here. See you soon. Bill Sauers
Cyndie Shevlin
Wendy Peeck, Museum Shop Coordinator Lee Strauss
Jack Wallenhorst
Viola White
Museum Shop hours: Sunday 2:00-4:30 pm Roberta Young
Marge Zercie

Committee Chairs:
WELCOME NEW DOCENTS Grounds,Building NEEDED
Congratulations to our newest volunteers. Historian Office Alan Mueller
Membership B Wallenhorst
Welcome to the Museum!
Museum Viola White
We continue to look for more people like you!
Museum Shop Wendy Peeck
Docents show our guests the Museum. It is fun and interesting because Newsletter
we meet so many great people who come through for tours. It is easy to Editor Cyndie Shevlin
learn about the Museum and we will train you on how to docent. We Mailing Betty Fetter
docent on Sundays from 2-4:30 p.m. You will be able to choose which Office Tech Jack Wallenhorst
Sunday each month works best for your schedule. Planning NEEDED
Programs,Publicity Bill Sauers
Call me now to join our group for just a few hours once a month. You’ll
Tours Kathie Firkins
be glad you called and you’ll be helping us, too.

Paula Koerner (227-5365)

Please Remember
See our photo page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/
greecehistoricalsociety/ The Greece Historical Society in your tax
and estate planning. We are a non-
profit organization supported by
your *gifts and endowments.
Newsletter “News”
We sincerely appreciate
If you have any questions, comments, or other important information for the
Corinthian, please email me at: corintheditor@yahoo.com. Thank you for your
your donations.
input. *Tax deductable per (Section 501(c)(9) of the
Cyndie Shevlin, Editor Internal Revenue Code
This newsletter is published bi-monthly by the editor for the Greece Historical Society.

4
 Events at the Greece Museum

BOOK SIGNING Sunday Nov 7th

Joan Winghart Wilcox Sullivan will be at the

museum Nov 7th to review and sign her new book
Bernie, You're a Bootlegger!
When Prohibition arrived in the 1920's it changed
the lives of almost every person living in America, in-
cluding her relatives, the Wingharts. Learn about
their escapades as Rochester area bootleggers. Told
thru the perspective of the bootlegger’s daughter,
Bernie, You're a Bootlegger!
gives a glimpse into how Prohibition affected
one family and an entire nation.

Tours and Education Committee

GEORGE HAMELL TO EXHIBIT IROQUOIS ARTIFACTS FOUND IN GREECE

Rochester Museum and Science Center anthropologist, George Hamell, will bring a display of spear points,
arrowheads, pottery, and pipes that have been found in Iroquois sites at Cranberry Pond, Long Pond, and Char-
lotte. Some are about 4000 years old. We are very excited about his visit.

He will talk about the Seneca-Iroquois and will identify artifacts collected by people in the community. There
is no fee for the appraisal information. Please feel free to bring in your arrowheads, baskets, pottery, rattles, tools,
etc. and George can tell you what tribal area they are from and give you some background. Students will enjoy
seeing the ancient artifacts in the Native American collection of the RMSC, a major repository for Indian culture.

The Education Committee has met with Mr. Hamell at the museum, attended a music and dance festival at
Ganondagon, and most recently visited the Seneca-Iroquois National Museum in Salamanca, NY. After researching
the Seneca-Iroquois who camped in Greece during the summers, we are planning an exhibit about them, some of
which we will have on display Nov. 14th.

Kathie Firkins , Education Committee Native American Research

George Hamell assists GHS volunteers Linda

Evans, Alan Mueller and Lee Strauss with
studying archived documents relating to
early Native Americans in Upstate NY at the
Rochester Museum and Science Center.

Faceless cornhusk
dolls in costume of the
Please put the date on your calendar –
Seneca on display at
you won’t want to miss this rare event. the Seneca-Iroquois
National Museum.

5
 FROM THE HISTORIAN'S FILE
Found in a file from the Greece Press in 1953.
AN INTERESTING 100-YEAR FORECAST
On June 20, 1850 Lyman B. Langworthy, supervisor
of the Town of Greece was called upon to dash off
a set of predictions to be enclosed in the corner-
stone of Monroe County’s second court house.
This is the gist of his 100-year forecast:
1. Rochester would become a great industrial cen-
ter with a population of 125,000 by 1950.
2. In the event of war with the English, the city
would be destroyed.
3. During unusually heavy Spring freshets, floodwa-
ters of the Genesee River would flow through
the First Ward.
4. Wheat would become a very uncertain crop lo-
cally. Peaches would fail and eventually would
not be worth attention.
5. Caledonia Springs or Allen’s Creek would be
Rochester’s principal source of water supply.
6. Railroad trains would be lighter and achieve a
speed of 60 miles an hour.
7. Motive power would replace muscle for tilling
the soil.
8. The Atlantic Ocean would be crossed in 12 to 18
hours, less than a week.
9. No great discovery would be made to equal
those of the last 60 years.
10. The United States would be divided into three
parts, each with independent governments.
11. No benefits ever would be derived from bal-
loons. Microscopes and telescopes would not be
improved to a great extent.
12. Flying would never be accomplished.
13. Various cults and sects would thrive “until com-
mon sense prevails over superstition and big-
otry.”
14. There would be changes in governments in the
Old World.
Photos, Data supplied by Alan Mueller,
Greece Historian's Office,
Greece Historical Society
6
A view of the 2nd
Monroe County L.. B. Langworthy,
Greece Supervisor
Court House as it
looked in the in the 19th century.
1880s. The present
County Court
House replaced
that building on
the same spot at
West Main and Fitz-
hugh Streets. It’s
cornerstone, which
holds this forecast,
was laid in the
Summer of 1893.
Scant information is available for many of our early
town supervisors. The following few paragraphs are
all that has come to light thus far. Unfortunately, the
same is true for images of the early Supervisors; none
exist including Farmer Langworthy.
Lyman B. Langworthy, Supervisor of Greece, NY
First election - 1839 to 1841
Second election - 1850 - 1851
The U.S. Census of 1850 lists Lyman B. Langwor-
thy as age 62, living in Greece. His occupation is
a farmer. He was born in New York State about
1788. The value of his real estate is $12,000. The
value of his personal estate is $1,000. His wife
Ann was also age 62, living in Greece. She was
born in Canada. They married Dec. 31, 1848.
Both of their graves are in Mt. Hope Ceme-
tery. According to the Cemetery records Mrs.
Langworthy was buried May 20, 1862 at the
age of 74. She had been living in Greece. The
cause of death was given as "old age". Lyman B.
Langworthy was buried March 29, 1880 at the
age of 92 years, 6 months. His cause of death
was the same as his wife Ann. They are both
buried in Quadrant II - Section G22. Section G is
off Indian Trail Avenue and turns southeast to
"Sylvan Waters" (a small pond).
The 1858 Map of Monroe County shows the
Langworthy farm located on the south side of
WRidge Rd, a distance east of what would be-
come Dewey Ave.
 A Gift of History

"History is the account of things said and done in the past. In this sense, each of us has a history - an ac-
count of where we come from and how we got to be who we are. Communities, likewise, each have a
history. So, too, do nations, families, and human groups of every sort. History serves us in many ways. It
can inspire us with stories of exemplary lives or caution us with tales of human folly and wickedness. His-
tory can inform and educate us by providing the context and perspective that allow us to make thought-
ful decisions about the future, and history has the power to delight and enrich us, enlarging and intensi-
fying the experience of being alive."

An article about the importance of history organizations and what they give to their communities
from "A Gift of History" published by the American Association of State & Local History. A full copy of the
article is available at http://www.aaslh.org/documents/GiftOfH.pdf.

Home schooled students toured

our Greece Museum on Aug 9th.

7
Greece Historical Society & Museum Non-Profit Org.
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P.O. Box 16249
Rochester NY
Rochester NY 14616-0249
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CONTACT US

GHS Office:
Greece Historical Society & Museum
Telephone: 585-225-7221
Email: greecehistoricalsociety@yahoo.com
Website: greecehistoricalsociety.net
Help Preserve the Past
Historian’s Office: greece.historian@frontiernet.net
Corinthian Editor: corintheditor@yahoo.com
for the Future
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8 NEXT MEMBERSHIP MEETING