Zimmer - Myths, legends, lore: Central New York & the Finger Lakes

Published by The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2008 by Melanie Zimmer

All rights reserved

Cover design by Marshall Hudson.

Cover image: Railroad Scene, Little Falls. Steel engraving by R. Sands after drawing by W.H. Bartlett. Courtesy of the Library of Congress and Photographs Division.

First published 2008

Second printing 2010

Third printing 2011

Fourth printing 2013

e-book edition 2013

Manufactured in the United States

ISBN 978.1.62584.360.9

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Zimmer, Melanie.

Central New York and the Finger Lakes : myths, legends, and lore / Melanie Zimmer.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

print edition ISBN 978-1-59629-464-6

1. Finger Lakes Region (N.Y.)--History--Anecdotes. 2. New York (State)--History--Anecdotes. 3. Finger Lakes Region (N.Y.)--Biography--Anecdotes. 4. New York (State)--Biography--Anecdotes. 5. Folklore--New York (State)--Finger Lakes Region. 6. Folklore--New York (State) 7. Legends--New York (State)--Finger Lakes Region. 8. Legends--New York (State) I. Title.

F127.F4Z56 2008

974.78--dc22

2008029067

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

I dedicate this book to the memory of Pat Dixon, who was librarian for many years at the Vernon Public Library. Pat died suddenly a few weeks before this book was due to the publisher, surprising everyone. Recently we had talked about Route 5, known locally as the Seneca Turnpike, which served as the gateway to the West. She spoke of the many people who traveled through this small village in their westward journeys. Pats family has lived in this area for some time, and she told me how one of her ancestors had been tomahawked.

Pat worked at the Vernon Public Library, a building which was the historic stable of Dr. Lewis. Pat didnt simply work at the Vernon Public Library. I firmly believe she was the very heart of the library. Pat was intelligent, vibrant, sensitive and interesting. She was a beautiful person, and will be sorely missed. Pat Dixon died on May 12, 2008.

Contents

Acknowledgements

There are numerous people who gave assistance to this project, and to each of them, I would like to offer my sincere thanks:

Kaaren Gerlach of the Waterloo History Project offered information on the Scythe Tree, brought me to see it and gave me information on the strange case of George Bill Bailey. She was trusting enough to allow me to borrow historical records for a time so I could create a scan of an image of George Bill Bailey. Doris Wolf was very helpful to me regarding Bill Bailey and other stories. Joseph Siccardi, owner of the Reveille, allowed me to use an image of the embalmed George Bailey. The Terwilliger Museum gave me assistance on Bill Bailey. Francis Caraccilo told me the whale story and the tale of Bill Baileys toe. The Seneca Falls Historical Society allowed the use of a historic whale poster image. Tom Heitz was very forthcoming with information about the Cardiff Giant, and baseballs origins. He sent me a photograph of the giant and a song he had written about it. Pat Dixon offered help on matters of local interest. The Cortland County Historical Society allowed me to use information on Sig Sautelle and a few historical photographs of the same. Dr. Anthony Wonderley, curator of the Oneida Community Mansion House, offered some stories of strange occurrences and helped me obtain a historic photograph of the Mansion House. Kate Moss, former curator of the Mansion House, talked to me about Oneida Community lore. Fred Fazekas, known locally for his stories, told me about the giants at the Oneida Community. Ronald J. Deeley added to the long tradition of Empeyville Frog lore. Joe Robertaccio was very helpful regarding the Revolutionary War period. Betsy Mack, historian for the town of Trenton, was helpful regarding research on The Guardian Angel. Ray Ramsey allowed me to use his extraordinary research regarding The Guardian Angel, sending me countless nuggets of information via FedEx. He also went out of his way to photograph the magnificent Guardian Angel painting. Nadine Thomas was such a dream, digging deep into the past at the Unitarian Church in Barneveld to satisfy my historical curiosity about The Guardian Angel. Kandice Watson, Cultural and Educational Outreach Director at the Oneida Indian Nation Shako:wi Cultural Center, granted me a personal interview about the story of the Standing Stone through Mark Emery at the Oneida Nation. Some information on Eleazer Williamss Indian church was obtained from Ellen Murphy, president of the Vernon Historical Society and historian for Vernon, who was kind enough to supply a picture of the Indian church.

I would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Daniel Ward, Regional Folklorist for Central New York at the Cultural Resource Council in Syracuse, for all his kind help and direction. Dan introduced me to a number of marvelous stories and put me in touch with numerous contacts. He is a great storehouse of information.

I would like to thank the librarians at the Burke Library at Hamilton College, where I have spent much time laboring. Hamilton College houses some unique collections, I believe in large part due to its past as the old Hamilton Oneida Academy. I am fortunate to live so close to such an extensive collection of works.

I would like to thank The History Press for inviting me to write this book. They sought storytellers as authors, hoping they would have inside information on regional legend and lore and a way with words. I hope I havent disappointed them. Thank you for finding me and believing in me. I would like to give a special thanks to Melissa Schwefel, my first editor who was of great assistance before she left; Magan Lyons, who helped during the transition; John Wilkinson, my current and agreeable editor; Ryan Finn, who made corrections to the manuscript; and the other fine people at The History Press.

Of course I would like to thank my husband, who has given me moral support, scanned photographs and read my manuscript. I do hope I have forgotten no one, but the list is long, and it could be so.

And finally, thank you for purchasing this work. Enjoy!

Introduction

Here in the very middle of Central New York, I live in a small village of perhaps eight hundred people. The actual center of the state is approximately four miles west of here in Oneida Castle, which was considered a possible location for the capital of the state of New York. The land is subject to the whims of nature; it is brilliantly green during the summeras if someone had accidentally painted it with unrealistic intensityand, some say, white during the rest of the year. Kaaren Gerlach of Waterloo recently commented to me that if a man were walking home from the Civil War today, he would still be able to find his way home. The slow pace of change helps keep us strongly tied to our past, and the abundant myths, legends and lore of these regions remain alive and flourishing.