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Our thanks to Jerry Orton for his contribution
Here are some new stories I have received about Mt. McGregor and Wilton, NY. Please share with your family, friends and organizations.
The biography about Suye Narita's family is very interesting. We all knew Suye Narita Gambino who lived at Grant's Cottage on Mt. McGregor for 70 years. This is the story of her family-her mother and father, brothers and sisters. Things we didn't know or maybe forgot about. As you know she was the first Japanese national to be naturalized a USA citizen under the Immigration act of 1953. Her nieces, Nancy Duffy and Frances Ogasawara wrote it.
Hope you like it and the other stories and let me hear from you. Please pass this these stores on to your friends.
Your friend,
Jerry Orton
I lived home with my father for 7 years after my mother passed away. We had a large conch shell in our back shed on a shelf. My father would be working say over in the father field. When it was diner time, I would blow in the conch shell. My father would hear me and he would raise his hand and wave to me to let me know he would be coming for dinner.
Ed Green use to buy a large supply of fireworks on 4th of July. He would display them and all the kinds use to go over to his lawn and watch.
The day after Halloween we would to school and would see Lyndes Emerson's buggy wagon on top of the school house roof. Lyndes Emerson was good natured and never complained of the trick played on him.
The old Witon Town Hall held many memoires of good times held there. Our school in Gurn Spring had their Christmas party and program there. We enjoyed Halloween parties there and church suppers. We were fascinated by the dumb waiter int he kitchen which carried the food to the second floor.
The farmers would get together and help each other during threshing season. The housewives would cook big meals for the threshers when they came to help at their farm. I can remember my mother cooking for them.
Elsie is my second cousin. Her grandfather, Dallas Varney and my grandmother, Minnie Varney Orton were siblings. Her brothers are Ken Petteys and Lawrence Petteys and her two sisters are Virginia Mahay and Ruth Loveland. She lives in Saratoga Springs. They lived on Ballard Road just down the road and across from the Wilton Developmental Center. The house, barn and other out buildings are all gone.
His father was Isaac Nichols who was born in Wilton. His uncle was John Nichols, Esq., the former Saratoga County Judge and his aunt was Clara Nichols Swears. Another uncle was Wilder Nichols. Clara and Wilder lived across the road from one another at the corner of Nichols Road and Woodard Rd.
I received for Christmas a book called: "Turn of the Century Scrapbook of Jonathan Theeter Gates'. It consists of hundred of newspaper clippings kept by Mr. Gates. Among the items I came across the following which might of interest to you.
"May be Another Murder." S.H. Nichols shot by Dr. Lincoln at West Stony Creek.
From Harrisburgh Lake, in the town of Stony Creek, comes the new of a crime, probably a murder, committed at the place late Tuesday evening, when Dr. Henry M. Lincoln, of Wilton, shot Seth H. Nichols (no relation, JN), proprietor of the Lake House on Harrisburgh Lake. The shooting occurred, it is said either while the two men were engaged in what started as a friendly scuffle, or as a result of the efforts made by Nichols to separate Lincoln and another man when they were quarreling. Mr. Nichols is said to have been wounded in the left side and hand and his injuries were of a serious and perhaps fatal character. The injured man is about 45 years of age and a son of Riley Nichols of Adirondack. For about 15 years he has been employed at West Stony Creek where he ran the hotel at the place for Oscar W. Ordway. A year ago he purchased the property. He wife was Miss Ida Davis of Bolton and they have seven children. Dr. Lincoln, who is about 40 years old, came from one the vest families in Saratoga County and was well educated and a man with bright prospects until, a few years ago, be became the victim of bad habits which shattered his health. Last winter he was taken to a sanitarium for treatment and an affair in which he became involved Norfolk, Va, gave him an unenviable reputation. Through the treatment he improved in health and resumed his practice, but his old habits again overcame him and for some weeks past his condition has been precarious.
This seems to have been published in the "Warrensburg New". September 19, 1901.
Note: Dr. Lincoln lived at the corner of Parkhurst and Ernst Rd., now the home of Albert, Jr. and Sheila Clark. At that time Ernst Road was known as the Lower Road. Mr. Nichols lives in Warren County, NY
19th Century
In the 1880's two young Japanese women, Kaku Sudo and Hana Abe came to the United States and attended medical school. A classmate was an American woman name Adeline Kelsey. After receiving their medical degrees, the three went to Japan to work in a mission hospital.
In the early 1900's, Dr. Kelsey, Dr. Sudo and Dr. Abe returned to the United States. They brought with them Dr. Kaku Sudo's family, the Narita Family. They landed in Seattle and continued directly by Pullman train to the Kelsey farm in upstate New York, in the little town of Westdale. the Narita family consisted of Mr. Yosokuchi Narita, his wife, Mayu (who was Kaku's sister) and their children, a son Koichi and for daughters, Maya, Jean, Ren and Suye. Another daughter, Ishi, had died of smallpox years before. Mrs. Mayu Sudo Narita was prohibited by US Immigration from entering the United States because she had trachoma, an eye disease, and was put back on the boat and deported back to Japan. She never saw her family again.
At the time of their arrival in the United Sates, Suye was about 6 years old, Ren about ten and Jean about thirteen. Koichi was a few years older and Maya was the eldest. They went to school and the older children helped with chores on the farm.
After a while Maya left to attend the Moravian Seminary in Pennsylvania. Ren went to live with the Greens in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, where she graduated high school. Mrs. Greene was a sister of Dr. Kelsey. Suye went to Mt. McGregor to live with Oliver and Martha Josephine Clarke. Mrs. Clarke was another sister of Dr. Kelsey. Suye was sick with tuberculosis in the neck glands and she did not go to school. She was self taught. She was literate, knowledgeable and well read despite the lack of formal education.
Mr. and Mrs. Clarke, who Suye addressed as Uncle Ollie and Aunt Jo, lived at Grant Cottage. Mrs. Clarke was a veteran of the Civil War. He was a Union soldier and was captured and was prisoner of war at Andersonville, GA. Conditions were very primitive in the prison camp and Mr. Clarke became severely ill. He digestive system was permanently damaged and he remained on a bland diet for the rest of his life. Because he was Union veteran he was made custodian of Grant Cottage. When Mr. Clarke died, Mrs. Clarke became the custodian.
Suye lived with the Clarkes all during those years. She became the librarian at the Metropolitan Life Insurance Sanitarium at Mt. McGregor. When Mrs. Clarke died, Suye became the custodian of Grant Cottage and continued in that position until her death. After the state officially closed the cottage to visitors, Suye was allowed to remain in the cottage. She continued to show visitors through the cottage as a volunteer.
Dr. Sudo and Yosokuchi Narita moved to St. Cloud, Florida. Jean lived with them and card for them in their old age. Yosokuchi died in 1947. Kaku Sudo died in___ at the age of 104.
Maya became a nurse. She worked as pubic health nurse in Pine Mountain, KY. There she made home visits on horseback to rural families. She later had a good position at Jefferson hospital in Philadelphia. She died following complications after gall bladder removal surgery in 1925.
Koichi married Clara, who with her sister Enid came to live on the farm. They eventually settled in Mt. Clemens, Mi. They had two sons, Wesley and Lowell. They boys graduated from high school. Wesley served int he US Army with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He played in the regimental band. He returned to Mt. Clemens after the war and went to work in one of the industries. Both boys married and had two children each.
Jean married Gengoro Yoshida and lived in St. Cloud, FL. They had two sons, Jun and Kenjiro. Both boys served in the US Army with the 442nd Regiment, a unit of Japanese-Americans, the most decorated unit int he army. Kangaroo was killed in action at Anzio, Italy. Jun remained in the army as a career serviceman. Jun died in boating accident in Florida after his retirement.
Ren graduated from the Froebel League, a kindergarten training school in New York City. She went to San Francisco as a Presbyterian missionary to teach kindergarten and to teach English to Japanese Immigrants at the Japanese Presbyterian Church of San Francisco. Ren married on of the her students, Theodore Kenzo Ogasawara in 1926. They had two daughters, Frances Feiko and Nancy Sumire. After Ren died in 1944, the girls went to live with Suye at Mt. McGregor. They family thought this would be a better home for two girls than going to live their father in Denver.
In 1944, when Suye's sister Ren, died, Ren's two daughters, Frances and Nancy came to live with Suye. Frances was 18 and Nancy was 14. Frances left to attend Wellesley College in Wellesly, Massachusetts and Nancy enrolled in Saratoga Springs High School.
In 1947, Suye married Anthony Joseph Gambino who had come to Mt. McGregor as a patient with the Veterans' Rest Camp. Tony attended Albany Business College. He work for New York State at the Wilton Developmental Center.
Nancy graduated from Saratoga High in 1948. Frances was sick for a total of three years during her college years and graduated from Wellesley in 1951. She spent the summers and all holidays at Mt. McGregor during her college years and after she worked in various states. Nancy entered Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio in 1948 and graduated in 1952. After graduation, Nancy worked in Detroit, Michigan where she met the man she married in 1957. Nancy and her husband Bill Duffy live in Virginia Beach, Virginia and have four children and several grandchildren. Frances obtained a master's degree in public health from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut in 1955. She worked for the American Lung Association for 36 years and retired in 1991. She now lives in Asheville, North Carolina. While Aunt Suye and Uncle Tony were alive, home for both girls was at Grant Cottage on Mt. McGregor. One of the reasons Frances was attracted to Asheville was because the Appalachian Mountain of western North Carolina reminded her of the foothills of the Adirondacks.
MOUNT McGREGOR OPTIMIST 1932
When harvesting the ice each year, we are asked the following questions: How thick is the ice-how much does one cake weigh-how many cakes are cut and stored in a day-how much ice is stored for the season-how much ice is consumed in a year? Since March marked the close of our harvesting season for this year, these questions may be answered.
For the past number of years, ice harvesting was begun about January 20th and completed February 15. During this time it is possible to store enough ice for the year. However, this was not the case in 1932 when we failed to secure the cooperation of the weather man. The ice season was so poor for a time that anxiety was felt for the ice crop on only on Mt. McGregor but in the whole northern vicinity.
Finally the weather man had a change of heart and ice harvesting started on February 24 and finished March 16. In spite of the delay, the ice averaged 11 inches in thickness and weighed 131 pounds, the smallest cakes being nine inches thick and the largest cakes being 14 inches thick.
Practically the same unpromising ice season prevailed this year. Artist Lake was watched very closely as in previous years, and day after day we received discouraging reports as to the thickness of the ice. As the season progressed, we realized the ice harvesting would have to be started soon if there was to be any ice for the current year. At length on February 22 reports came in that the ice was 8 inches. Immediately, the task of marking, cutting and sorting commenced. This continued only for 2 days when the high sum once more ruled over the ice.
After a few days, the weather apparently more favorable, Lake Ann, which is situated abut 1 mile north of the Water Tower, was investigated. This ice was found suitable, and harvesting was begun March 1. It is necessary to haul the product from the lake by teams and sleighs to the Water Tower where it is transferred to motor trucks which take it to the farm for storage. The average day's shipment to the farm was 1420 cakes, size 18X22 inches average thickness inches, weight 140 pounds each and comprising a total of 100 tons.
Since the weather during this time was favorable for the making of ice, attention was again directed to securing a crop from Artist Lake. It is desirable to obtain a large a part as possible of the ice supply Artist Lake because from this source, the necessity of hauling the ice through the woods is eliminated. Additional men were employed and for the second time this season, ice was taken from artist Lake averaging ten inches in thickness and 125 pounds in weight. In a good season, Artist Lake will supply all the ice necessary for our use.
The ice harvest was completed March 13th when 26,064 cakes had been secured, each cake averaging 122 pounds, or a total of 1,589 tons.
The season's ice is stored for the Sanitarium and Farm use in the six ice houses on Mt. McGregor and one ice house at the Farm. In addition to this storage 1,000 cakes are stacked at the farm under a shed for immediate consumption and a similar number in the woods near the Water Tower for immediate use at the Sanitarium.
A report of the ice harvest would not be complete without stating that the role of "man overboard" was played in Artist Lake by Mr. Edwin Green and in Lake Ann by Mr. Ken Petteys.
PS: As you all know our good friend, Ken Petteys is alive and well in the year 2001, almost 69 years later.
They builded a shire on a mountain,
High above all worldly care;
Even the dream of youth's fountain
May find its reality there.
Each day the sun gives its blessing
To every soul on the mount.
Rest, and its tender caressing,
Over all ills will surmount.
Patience and are in their nursing,
Only the best in the land,
Learned of doctors disbursing
Instructions that you'll understand.
This is indeed a grand tower,
Announcing to all, fare and near,
Nature has marvelous power;
Let the broken in health find it here.
Into the clouds did they place her,
Fearless and brave in her might,
Ever the green trees will grace her;
Ideal pillars of right.
Nestled on rocky formations,
Staunchly she faces the foe;
Surely man's greatest creation,
A garden where strong bodies grow.
No one who comes to her portals,
Ailing, and seeking a cure,
Tired, or wasted of mortals,
Ought hesitate to endure.
Rest and breathe deep of her treasure,
In all your being be true,
Unto long life, health and pleasure-
McGregor all praise be to you.
-Dick Cunningham. Mt. McGregor Optimist 1932
Thank You,
Bill Ernst
Bill Ernst
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