Queen Village Memories | Turning Back the Pages | Sun Community News When I am perusing old 50 or 100 years ago Warrensburgh newspapers, I often look for references to houses being built, cellar holes being dug and indoor plumbing being put in for the first time.

Queen Village Memories Note - When I am perusing old 50 or 100 years ago Warrensburgh newspapers, I often look for references to houses being built, cellar holes being dug and indoor plumbing being put in for the first time. I always sincerely hope that the dwelling referred to still exists and the present owner reads this column and is pleased to discover just what year their home was erected and who built it. I hit the jackpot in the May 30, 2015 issue when I wrote that Garry Hall was building the foundation for a dwelling house in Warrensburgh. Warren County Judge John Hall told me that this house, on 10 James Street, off Library Avenue, was the home where his father, the late, great John S. Hall, Sr., and his Uncle Mac Hall grew up. His grandmother, Julia ("Jewel") Hall owned it until she died at age 99. Then John, a native of Warrensburg, and his wife, Ann bought the house from her estate and lived there for ten years where they raised their daughters, Emily and Billie Hall. Ann taught school down the street at Warrensburg Central School where John's mother had taught for 20 years before her. I later read that Walter Bartos, who has moved to Warrensburg in 1915 from Stony Creek was also building a new house on James Street at that time. Several other lots had been sold in that locality to people who contemplated building in the not distant future. Boy loses finger Charles Pratt, the fourteen year old son of Lawrence Pratt, Horicon Avenue, Warrensburgh, has the first finger of his left hand blown off Tuesday, noon, July 6, 1915, when a dynamite cap, which he had found and mistaken for a firecracker, exploded in his hand. The lad was immediately taken to the Glens Falls Hospital where it was found necessary to amputate what had been left of the finger. The boy had picked up the explosive in front of the Grand Army House (now George Henry's Tavern location), taking it home with him. The cap, and fuse for ignition, probably led young Pratt to believe he had found a Fourth of July firecracker and while in the yard before his house, he lit it. He held the cap in his left hand and before he had time to throw it from him, the dynamite exploded, tearing away part of his first finger and badly bruising the rest of his hand. The injured boy is doing as well as can be expected, it being considered a stroke of luck that the explosive did not harm him more than it did. Motorcyclist hits cold, hard ground Maynard Baker and Miss Merrithew, of Warrensburgh, riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle, crashed into an Overland car, driven by Mrs. Charles F. Burhans, as the latter was turning her machine around near the old Toll-gate on the Chester Road, Thursday evening, June 24, 1915. Baker and his companion were hurled to the sand on the side of the road, the former being unconscious for several hours as a result of the fall. The girl received a scalp wound but escaped serious injury. The occupants of the car, including Mrs. Burhans and son, Frederick, Miss Irish, of Warrensburgh, and Mrs. Mac R. Smith, of Lake George, escaped injury. Neither the automobilists nor the party aboard the motorcycle can explain just how the accident occurred. Mr. Baker is somewhat lame as a result of the encounter, though it is thought he will not suffer lasting injury. His machine was badly wrecked. The Burhans car was not damaged to any extent. (Note – The old Toll-gate was on the corner of route 9 and route 28 in North Warrensbureg. Maynard Baker was the uncle and name sake of former Warrensburgh Supervisor (1988-1997) Maynard Baker. Mrs. Burhans was driving a brand new 1916 Overland automobile that she had recently bought from the New Adirondack Garage and Mrs. James A. Emerson, not to be outdone, had bought one just exactly like it.) Henry Ford strikes big A count kept at the New Adirondack Garage, Sunday, July 4, 1915, of the automobiles that passed that auto hospital, resulted in some interesting figures. Between the hours of 12 and 9 a total of 584 cars passed by, averaging nearly seventy-three cars every hour. Valuing the average car at a thousand dollars, this means that $73,000 worth of automobiles passed through Warrensburgh every hour. About forty per cent of the cars were Fords as very few runabouts were on the road, the majority of the autos being of the five-passenger variety. Alden Avenue improvements Warrensburgh Supervisor Milton N. Eldridge and Justice of the Peace J.C. Brown have been looking over the ground on Alden Avenue, it being planned to lay a cement sidewalk on this street from its junction with River Street to the rail road crossing. It is also planned to proceed with the laying of a sidewalk on Library Street, from where the old walk ends to the Woolen Mill (now 18 Milton Avenue). Work will be started in two weeks. Lake George cornerstone Brilliant ceremonies at the laying of the cornerstone and dedication of the beautiful new temple of the Lake George Lodge of Odd Fellows, which took place Thursday, June 24, 1915, proved by far to be the most impressive ceremony ever held in that village. Grand Master Thomas W. McKnight and Grand Marshall Edwin T. Ogle were there as special guests of honor. The cement which holds the cornerstone was spread by Grand Master McKnight, both he and Grand Marshall Ogle siding in moving the stone into position. In the cornerstone were placed documents containing the history and membership list of Lake George Lodge 912 and Amherst Rebekah Lodge 401, group pictures of the officers of each lodge, individual pictures of past noble grands, copies of the constitution and by laws, a copy of the Lake George Mirror newspaper and a 1915 coin. Following the ceremony a chicken dinner was served in the banquet hall. The Odd Fellows temple will in the future be one of Lake George's show places. The lower floor is divided into a library and billiard room and a large hall where dances can be held and dinners served. A kitchen is attached in the rear. On the second floor is the lodge room with ceilings sixteen feet high. Road trip planned Dr. and Mrs. W.F. Wilkinson and son, Guy, will start Saturday morning, July 3, 1915 in their five-passenger Hupmobile, on an auto tour through the central part of New York state visiting their former home in that section. They will pick up some friends on the way and expect to be gone about a week. Gala wedding Miss Libbie Ginsburg, daughter if Isaac Ginsburg, of Glens Falls, formerly of Warrensburgh, was married Sunday, June 28, 1915 to David Chesler, of Ballston, with elaborate ceremonies in the Victoria Hotel at Saratoga Springs. Rabbi Lasky, of Troy, conducted the service assisted by Rabbi Kantor, of Glens Falls. There were 200 guests in attendance. The wedding gifts included a certified check for $5,000 from the bride's father and another for $1,000 from the groom's father. The couple will take up residence in Glens Falls where Mr. Chesler will act as a manager of his father-in-law's Glen Street Bazaar. Wedding bells Miss Grace J. Culver, the beautiful and accomplished daughter of Hulbert Culver, of Chestertown, was married at noon, June 31, 1915, to Fred E. Duell. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Charles B. Alford at the bride's home and was witnessed by a small party of friends and relatives. In other news, Peter Fish and Miss Myrtle Brooks, two of Warrensburgh's popular young people, celebrated the Fourth of July by getting married at the Methodist parsonage attended by Miss Ethel Rooney and Miles Towne. Home for the summer Dr. Cyrus S. Merrill and his daughter, Miss Grace C. Merrill, of Albany, have opened their beautiful summer home in Warrensburgh, the Griffing homestead, and are comfortably settled there for the summer season. Dr. Merrill will make occasional trips to his office in the capitol city. (Note - Dr. Merrill was an eye specialist who was married to Mary Griffing and they were the parents of Grace and Stephen Merrill. Grace, the last living member of the family to own this fabulous house, died in 1979. Today the former Merrill – Magee House is owned and is being restored with love by the family of Dr. Donna Flanagan.) Sweet and sour notes Prices are rising on about every commodity a poor man has to buy and the excuse that it is on account of the European War is being overworked. A severe hail storm struck Igerna on Sunday, June 28, 1915. The recent rains are, however, greatly aiding crops and grass. All crops are growing fast. If the showers continue, we shall have a goodly amount of hay. The meadows are looking fine and the grass is coming in with a heavy bottom in this locality. Emery Hewitt, of Johnsburgh, is having new potatoes from his garden. Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Ingraham, of Athol, announce the engagement of their daughter, Grace Verda to Lawrence J. Whalen, of Brooklyn, N.Y. A daughter was born, Saturday morning, July 3, 1915, to Mrs. Robert Kenyon in Athol. Grocery man L.A. Mosher has purchased a five-passenger Maxwell touring car. If you desire a new roof for your poultry house, contact H.P. Brace of Pottersville. Readers are welcome to contact Adirondack Journal correspondent Jean Hadden at jhadden1@nycap.rr.com or 623-2210.

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