Wild wedding | Turning Back the Pages

A LEGEND WITH US NO MORE Seneca Ray Stoddard, 72, of Glens Falls, died Thursday afternoon, April 26, 1917, at his home, 17 Harlem Street, after a long illness of more than two years duration. Mr. Stoddard, born in Wilton in 1844, was a man of many talents, all of which he developed to the utmost. He was an artist with the camera and a writer of remarkable ability. He was at home on the lecture platform and described to many delighted audiences, in all parts of the country, the wonders he had seen in his travels in this and foreign countries. The crowning achievement of Mr. Stoddard's life work, however, was his work for the Adirondack region. His first trip through the great woods was made in 1872 and for forty years thereafter he preached the glories of this great country. He published a guide book of the Adirondacks every year from 1872 and for forty years thereafter he preached the glories until 1915 and it was the standard authority of that section. He is survived by a widow, his second wife, the former Emily Doty and two sons by his first marriage, Charles H. Stoddard, a lawyer and LeRoy R. Stoddard, a physician, both of New York City. The funeral was held Sunday afternoon, April 29, 1917, at the Stoddard home. (Update: In this column, on Jan. 28, 2017 and Feb. 11, 2017, I wrote about Seneca Ray Stoddard, this great American legend. I mention him again today because it is the 100th anniversary of his demise. Seneca Ray and Emily Doty are buried in a simple grave in the big Pine View Cemetery on the corner of Glen Street and Quaker Road. I am personally looking forward to the new book that renowned history writer — David Cutshall-King — tells me that he is working on, detailing the life of this famous man and hopefully including many of Stoddard's fabulous photographs of life in the early Adirondack glory days. AMERICAN LIFE IN MAY, 1917 May Irwin, the actress, has offered her Thousand Island home, "Irwin Isle," to the government for use as a convalescent hospital during this great (World War I) conflict that is now raging. Residents of the town of Berlin, Rensselaer County, are endeavoring to secure legislation to have the name of their town changed. With patriot zeal they object to its German sounding flavor. The experience of the resident of the northern Catskills who declared that he was taking his honeymoon trip alone because his wife did not care to travel may be repeated by some of the young men who have recently become married in order to escape military service. But the "trip" may be on the troop train. WORLD WAR I DRAGS ON "Why enlist?" You have nothing to gain and your life to lose. "Nothing to gain?" The men who went down into that caving mine the other day to bring up their comrades who had been trapped and succeeded only in losing their own lives. They had nothing to gain. Is loyalty nothing? Is devotion nothing? Are great ideals nothing? Is a great cause nothing? ST. CECILIA'S CHURCH On May 13, 1917 three shepherd children, Lucia de Jesus dos Santos and two of her cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, reported seeing the Virgin Mary near Fatima, Portugal. It was the first of six such apparitions that the children claimed to have witnessed. This year, in special observance, the annual May procession in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary will take place Sunday afternoon, May 27, 1917 at St. Cecilia's Church, Warrensburgh. TRAVEL ON THE OPEN ROAD To have your automobile and carriages painted or varnished for the summer, work can be done with dispatch and satisfaction, guaranteed by D.C. Remington, Warrensburg. The Warrensburgh Ford Club has recently gained two new members, Mrs. G. Park Stevens is now driving a touring car for the second week and is enthusiastic in her admiration of the reliable and comfortable service it gives her. Gertrude expects to leave some time soon for Blythewood Island, her summer home at Loon Lake, Chestertown. Orrin Tubbs is the latest member of the club driving a new runabout. Both autos were purchased from the local Ford Agents, D.E. Pasco & Sons, Warrensburg. WILD WEDDING Mr. and Mrs. Martin Griffin, who were married recently, were given a serenade by a big group of men, boys and girls with horns, cow bells, etc., on Monday night, April 1, 1917. The crowd became rather unruly and the house was damaged somewhat by their assault. The owner of the property objected to the proceedings and threatened to have them arrested if they didn't cease the "rough house" methods. He said that if the "joke" was continued any further it would result in big trouble. ATHOL NEWS A snow storm is reported at Newcomb, May 2, 1917, with a fall of eight inches. There were flurries here the morning of May 3. Charles Olds has purchased a work horse from Bert Bills. Leslie Combs has purchased a fine roadster from Wilbur Barton. Misses Ethel and Eva Kenyon have gone to Warrensburg to work in the shirt waist factory. Silas Tucker was pleasantly surprised Tuesday morning, April 24, 1917, by a number of friends in honor of his birthday anniversary. Miss M.L. Flory walked to Athol from Warrensburg on Sunday, April 29, 1917 to see her mother, Mrs. L.H. Jones and also walked back the same day, a distance of eighteen miles. Readers are welcome to contact Sun correspondent Jean Hadden at jhadden1@nycap.rr.com or 623-2210.

Signup for our newsletter

Wild wedding | Turning Back the Pages

COMPANY

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

SUBMISSION FORMS

BEYOND THE NEWS