May 1995

About this Issue

Note from the Editors

Donovan A. Shilling tells the story of Kate Gleason who assisted her father and brothers to develop the Gleason Works, in Rochester, and who is remembered not only for her business and engineering abilities but for her generosity and thoughtfulness. Don Shilling writes about Rochester personalities and events. He also creates detailed miniatures of historical scenes. Mr. Shilling lives in Penfield.

We introduce the first chapter of Barbara H. Bell's, Letters to Suzanna. Her book is a series of imaginary letters based closely on historical facts that tell of the day-to-day experiences of a family establishing a homestead in the region near the south end of Seneca Lake. Mrs. Bell is Historian for Reading town, and editor of the Journal of the Schuyler County Historical Society. Letters to Suzanna consists of 40 "letters" on 183 pages. It is available by sending $19 to 3460 County Route 28, Watkins Glen, NY, 14891.

Richard Palmer begins a two-part series on Brigham Young's family in the area of the Finger Lakes. Dick's account about the Bath & Hammondsport Railroad and its Locomotive No. 11 appeared in our November and December 1994 issues. His story of the Busy Bee ferry on Cayuga Lake was in our August 1994 issue. Mr. Palmer lives in Tully, New York.

John Rezelman's commentaries on Kanona farmer T. N. Smith's diary of May, 1888. Mr. Smith put his corn seed in the ground early and then worried the rest of a cold month that he had planted to soon. John provided the photograph, taken by his daughter Martha, of two hand-operated corn planters to show us the tools Smith likely used to plant his corn. John Rezelman lives in Bath.

Turn to the back page to read the Memorial Day oration Robert Ingersoll made in 1866 at Dresden, New York. Ingersoll's manuscript was found in the attic of his birthplace home. Mrs. Betty Smalley who is Historian for Torrey and lives in Dresden supplied a photocopy of the original with a typescript of his address and a 1951 newspaper account.

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