Melanie Zimmer - Curiosities of Central New York

Published by The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2012 by Melanie Zimmer

All rights reserved

First published 2012

e-book edition 2012

Manufactured in the United States

ISBN 978.1.61423.690.0

Library of Congress CIP data applied for.

print ISBN 978.1.60949.666.1

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.

This book is dedicated to all the magical and legendary creatures of Central New York.

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I will attempt to thank the many marvelous people and institutions who have assisted me in the research for this book or have granted permission to use images. Many thanks to:

The Cazenovia Public Library for granting permission to use photographs of Hen and other related displays and the transcription of The Mummy Tea Party.

The Lorenzo State Historic Site, operated by the New York State Parks Office of Recreation and Historic Preservation, for allowing me to view Robert James Hubbards diary.

The Georgetown Historical Society for images of the Muller Chteau, as well as information on The Spirit House.

Edith Monsour for information on the Jenkins house, family and horses and for allowing me to visit and photograph the secret room in the false cistern in her basement.

Aaron S. Popple for his story on the Little People of Whitelaw.

Madis Senner for the information he has shared on the Spirit House.

Josyln Godwin for sending me a copy of his book The Spirit House, or Browns Free Hall in Georgetown, NY: A Short History, which contained marvelous information and historical articles in the appendix that were both interesting and useful in telling that legendary tale.

Matthew Urtz, the historian for Madison County, New York. He and his team searched endless historical files of old county court cases looking for information I wanted but to no avail. Though the information is not contained in this book, those folks still deserve a heartfelt thanks for their Herculean effort.

Historian Mary Messere, otherwise known as Back Street Mary, for directing me to helpful people in my searches.

Gail Putnam, curator of the Remsen-Steuben Historical Society collection, who helped me find the information I needed on Dr. Roberts of Steuben.

Beverly Choltco-Devlin, reference and electronic resources consultant at the Mid York Library System, for her help locating reference material regarding Iroquois witchcraft.

Susan Jones, park ranger at Fort Stanwix National Monument, for her Oneida Indian version of the Giant Mosquito tale.

Whitney Tarella, commissioning editor at The History Press, for asking me to write this book.

And finally, my husband, Francis, who has slowly watched me become swallowed by a great sea of papers in my study and has never mentioned my disappearance to anyone.

INTRODUCTION

THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOT

When I was a girl, I desperately wished that fairies were real. One day, I headed out to the side of our house to a part of the yard that was not used much and heavily shaded by several large juniper bushes, and I built a small home for the fairies using whatever natural materials were available, dirt, bark, leaves and such. I then left it, hoping that the fairies would find it to their liking and occupy it. I checked back periodically over the weeks and months, but as far as I could ascertain, there was never anybody living there save a few stray pill bugs. I watched and waited until, at last, the fairy home fell into disrepair, still devoid of occupants, much to my disappointment. Now, past my fiftieth birthday, I have yet to see a fairy, but I still cannot say they dont exist. In fact, as you will read, an acquaintance of mine has been more fortunate than I have been in respect to fairy sightings.

I would like to invite the reader to join me on a mysterious journey into the myths, legends and curiosities of Central New York. We wont be traveling far, and you dont have to pack a bag, but you will likely be amazed at the wonders that exist so close to home. Not everyone realizes that Central New York has a remarkable, legendary past that includes tales of witchcraft, giants, Little People, lake monsters and giant mosquitoes as well as flying heads. Along the way, you will meet a two-thousand-year-old mummy, visit a house designed by spirits and ponder the mystery of a village built on a hill by a mysterious man operating under the alias of Louis Muller. But all this is just a taste of what you will find here in Central New York. So join me on this small journey of discovery. You may just be surprised at what youll find.

Fairy tales often begin with Once upon a time. However, not all fairy tales begin in that way. In some traditions, they begin with There was, there was not, and I think that captures the essence of these stories. Lets begin our journey now, with a deep breath, a simple turn of the page and a step into the world of imagination.

There was, there was not

CHAPTER ONE

WITCHCRAFT

One would expect to find numerous early cases of settlers in Central New York practicing witchcraft. Certainly, other states were trying witches in court, clear evidence that some believed in witchcraft, if not its actual practice; yet unlike other areas in America at this time, no records of witchcraft trials in the early days of this region exist. Still, here in Central New York, there is one remarkable story of the legendary Dr. Daniel Roberts, denizen of Steuben, known to locals as the witch doctor.Also at this time, members of the six Iroquois Nations practiced witchcraft, and those who were caught were punished for participating in such activity.

THE STORY OF DR. DANIEL ROBERTS, THE WITCH DOCTOR OF STEUBEN

Years ago in Steuben, not far from the burial site of Baron von Steuben, stood a home known to area residents as the witch doctors house. The house is now long gone, but stories of the witch doctor, Doctor Daniel Roberts, still remain. Like many men in the Steuben and Remsen area, Dr. Roberts was a Welshman. But he was no ordinary Welshman.

Daniel Roberts was born in 1775 near Lands End in Wales and was reared in the parish of Llaniestyn nearby. As a young man, he attended the local chapel where he one day listened to an itinerant preacher. Daniel was so inspired that he felt a calling within, a calling that he understood to be from God, and Daniel decided he wanted to become a preacher. Although Daniel was not from a line of clergymen, his family had always felt he had a certain magnetism that was referred to among them as smartness.

To prepare for his new profession, Daniel traveled to London to study and stayed with some relatives, the Williams family. They welcomed him with open arms and made him feel quite at home. But Daniels tiny Welsh parish was nothing like the thriving metropolis of London. London was fresh, new and full of ideas. While Welsh life was based on tradition, people in London were intellectually curious. Daniel was excited by this new atmosphere and used what little spare money he had to buy books. It was in this cosmopolitan environment that Daniel began to change. His mind was opened to new, different and unusual ideas, and some of them came from the Williamses.