USA > New York > Orleans County > Landmarks of Orleans County, New York > Part 18
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George A. Waterbury, W. M .; B. M. Beecher, S. W .; R. Cummings, J. W .; A. B. Waterbury, treasurer; C. E. Thurber, secretary ; H. B. Fuller, S. D .; Truman Thoms, J. D .; J. O. Stokes, S. M. of C .; Thomas Erskins, J. M. of C .; S. G. Johnson, chap- lain; A. B. Fisk, marshal; W. C. Sawyer, tiler.
Social Lodge No. 713 (Kendall). This lodge was instituted January 28, 1871, with thirty-eight members, under dispensation to the fol- lowing officers :
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ORLEANS COUNTY.
William S. Jewett, W. M .; Oscar Munn, S. W .; John W. Simkins, J. W. ; James Whitehouse, S. D .; Ira B. Bates, J. D .; Sumner Austin, secretary ; Samuel A. Bates, treasurer.
This lodge was incorporated under State law in 1874, the first Board of Trustees being William S. Jewett, Alonzo Egelston, and Samuel A. Bates. The lot and stone building formerly owned by the Sons of Temperance was deeded to the trustees of Social Lodge December 14, 1874. The officers of the lodge for 1894 are as follows :
C. S. Bridgeman, W. M .; Joseph Mann, S. W .; W. W. Morey, J. W .; S. B. Bayer, treasurer; E. O. Smith, secretary ; R. W. Bamber, S. D .; Alonzo Egelston, Cornelius Fenner, and J. Mann, trustees.
The following are past masters of the lodge :
William S. Jewett, Oscar Munn, John W. Simkins, James Whitehouse, Ira B. Bates, William N. Spicer, and C. S. Bridgeman.
Social Lodge now has about fifty-five members.
Orleans Chapter No. 175, Royal Arch Masons. On the 3d day of May, 1862, a dispensation was issued to a number of companions living at or near Albion for a chapter of Royal Arch Masons to be known as Orleans Chapter, in which George Mather was named as high priest, Charles H. Adams as king, and Hiram Preston as scribe, and to be located at Albion. At the annual convocation of the Grand Chapter, held on the 4th day of February, 1863, a charter was granted to Orleans Chapter No. 175, and the officers named therein were the same as in the dispensation. The ruling officers have been as follows :
Year. 1862 1863
High Priest. George Mather,
King. Charles H. Adams,
Scribe.
Hiram W. Preston,
1864
66
66
1865
66
George S. Hutchinson,
66
1866
L. C. Paine,
1867
Samuel H. Taylor.
Martin Slussor,
1868 1869 1870
Samuel H. Taylor,
Henry R. Curtis,
Henry R. Curtis, Orlando Hardy,
1871
66
Orlando Hardy, Abram H. Goodman,
Simon Adler,
1873
66
George Mather,
Abram H. Botsford,
1874
George W. Barrell,
Robert O. Wilkins,
1875
George Mather,
Charles B. Cowles,
66
Abram H. Goodman,
1872
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Year. 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883
High Priest. Samuel H. Taylor,
66
George W. Barrell,
George A. Newell,
A. S. Warner,
George B. Church,
1884 1885
66
I. M. Thompson,
66
1886
66
66
66
1887
66
1888 1889
66
66
Robert Clark,
1890 1891
66
66 Gurdon W. Fitch,
1893
66
1894
66
Gurdon W. Fitch, Orville H. Taylor,
Irving L'Hommedieu, Irving L'Hommedieu, Robert Clark.
The officers for 1894 are :
George A. Newell, E. H. P .; Orville H. Taylor, king; Robert Clark, scribe; George S. Hutchinson, treasurer ; Alph H. Sears, secretary ; James J. Mustill, C. of H .; Irving L'Hommedieu, P. S .; Homer J. Luther, R. A. C .; John G. Rice, Lyman S. Linson , Byron V. Botsford, M. of V's .; Rev. F. S. Dunham, chaplain ; John B. Bordwell, or- ganist : R. O. Smith, tiler.
Alph-Omega Council No. 71 of Royal and Select Masters .- October 18, 1878, a dispensation was granted by Most Illustrious George M. Osgoodby, grand master, to Robert H. Brown as thrice illustrious mas- ter, George W. Barrell as illustrious deputy master, and Albert S. Warner as illustrious principal conductor of the work, to hold a council of Royal and Select Masters at Albion to be known as Alph-Omega Council No. 71. The council was instituted by the grand master on the evening of November 22, 1878, and a warrant was granted by the grand council September 2, 1879. Its ruling officers have been as follows :
Master.
Year. 1878 Robert H. Brown,
Deputy Master. George W. Barrell,
P. C. of W. Albert S. Warner.
1879
66
1880
66
1881 66
King. George N. Bowman, George W. Barrell,
Scribe. Abram H. Goodman,
66 Robert O. Wilkins, George A. Newell,
Robert O. Wilkins, Oscar Minn, Albert S. Warner,
66 Robert Clark, 66
66
1892
66
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ORLEANS COUNTY.
Year. 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 1891
Master, Albert S. Warner, George A. Newell,
66
Deputy Master. George A. Newell, Alex. Hays, 66 Charles D. Ross,
P. C. of W. Alex. Hays. Charles D. Ross.
Robert R. Wilkins. 66
Charles D. Ross,
George S. Hutchinson,
Irving M. Thompson. 66
1892
1893
66 George A. Newell, 66 66 John Cunningham, Irving L'Hommedieu,
66
1894 Irving L'Hommedieu,
James J. Mustill,
The officers for 1894 are as follows:
Irving L'Hommedieu, T. I. M .; James J. Mustill, I. D. M .; Irving M. Thompson, I. P. C. of W .; Alph H. Sears, recorder; George S. Hutchinson, treasurer; Homer J. Luther, C. of G .; Lyman S. Linson, C. of C .; William D. English, steward ; Rev. F. S. Dunham, chaplain ; John B. Bordwell, organist ; Arthur Harris, sentinel.
A number of the brethren, residents of Orleans county, have been honored with higher official station beyond the subordinate bodies, as follows :
In Grand Lodge .-- Hon. Henry A. Childs, district deputy grand master 1871, com- missioner of appeals 1878-1883; Hon. Edmund L. Pitts, commissioner of appeals 1885-1890 ; George W. Barrell, district deputy grand master 1878 ; Albert S. Warner, district deputy grand master 1881 ; George A. Newell, grand steward 1882-1883, district deputy grand master 1885-86; Charles D. Ross, district deputy grand master 1889- 1890 ; Edwin B. Simonds district deputy grand master 1894, assistant grand lecturer 1893 ; Edward Posson, assistant grand lecturer 1887-1891.
In Grand Chapter .- George A. Newell, grand master of second veil 1889.
In Grand Council -George A. Newell, most illustrious grand master 1894.
THE INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS.
As preliminary to the history of the order in this county, it may be appropriate to state that the American branch of the order was organ- ized at Baltimore, Maryland, April 26, 1819, by five English Odd Fel- lows belonging to the branch known as the Manchester Unity in En- gland. From this small beginning the order has extended into almost all parts of the habitable globe, and numbered January I, 1893, 773,- 48 1 adult males and 96,312 females, making a total of 869,793. The
23
66
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Manchester Unity at the same time numbered 709,405 adult males and 82,243 juveniles, both orders combined giving a grand total of 1,561,- 439 members, the most numerous and wealthy secret order in the world.
The first lodge organized in this county was at Medina. At one time five lodges existed in the county. One of these has long been de- funct, another was merged in the lodge at Albion, and another remained dormant thirteen years, but was revived and is now a prosperous lodge. Owing to divisions of the order in this State but two lodges, Albion and Holley, maintained their integrity, and these have experienced their seasons of adversity. The three subordinate lodges in the county are now prosperous. The Encampment branch is also in a flourishing condition and the Rebekah lodges are doing finely.
SUBORDINATE LODGES I. O O. F .-- H. E. HATCH, D. D. G. M.
Orleans Lodge No. 217 was the first lodge chartered in the county. The petition was for Red Jacket Lodge No. 139, and was signed by James .W. Otto, R. S. Castle, William Fonda, I. W. Swan and F. W Barlow, and the charter was voted to it as Red Jacket No. 139, the petitioners being the first charter members. It is supposed that the charter when issued to them was, as Orleans Lodge No. 139, but no record can be found as to when or how the change was made. The charter bore date February 18, 1845, and the lodge was instituted March 14 of the same year by D. D. G. M. Edgar C. Dibble, of Bata- via. It ceased to work in 1856 and remained dormant for thirteen years. It was resuscitated and reinstituted July 21, 1869, and the fol- lowing, who were former members, are the names in the charter : D. W. Cole, E. Fuller, jr., John G. Bateman, Henry Williams, George Sutter, George W. Frary, John Alcorn and Hiram E. Sickels, now re- porter of the Court of Appeals. The first elective officers under the new dispensation were : D. W. Cole, N. G .; D. Sherwood, V. G. ; D. O. Phelps, secretary ; and George W. Frary, treasurer. The present officers are : Ora Pratt, N. G ; J. Klino, V. G. ; C. C. Hopkins, secretary ; H. M. Colby, treasurer. Since its reinstatement the lodge has prospered con- tinuously and is now an active and energetic lodge. It has purchased the Potter lot on Center street at a cost of over $3,000, and intends to
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ORLEANS COUNTY.
erect thereon a fine lodge building. It will be seen from the lists given above that the lodge is and has been composed of prominent and influ- ential citizens. Among those not mentioned above are the venerable John Ryan, Dr. Christopher Whaley, Elisha S. Whalen, a member of the Assembly, Andrew Ellicott, Roswell Star, William Russ, W. W. Potter, and Henry Williams. Of these older members R. S. Castle, John Ryan, Henry Williams, George W. Frary still survive.
Albion Lodge, No. 58, was the second lodge instituted in the county by dispensation from the Grand Lodge of New York. The ceremony took place at Albion, March 13, 1846, and was conducted by James W. Otto, special deputy. Its chartered number was 212 and the charter members were : H. J. Van Dusen, A. S. Delano, Charles James, Olney Gold, William K. McAllister, William Noble, S. E. Church, John Tanner and John B. Lee. Large delegations attended the institution from Lockport and Medina. The first officers were :
H. J. Van Dusen, N. G .; Charles James, V. G .; A. S. Delano, secretary ; W. K. Mc- Allister, P. secretary ; Ben Field, treasurer; William Noble, W .; John B. Lee, C .; A. R. Quinby, O. G .; John L. Moulthrop, I. G .; Olney Gould, R. S. N. G .; Howard Abeel, L. S. N. G .; S. E. Church, R. S. V. G .; John Tanner, L. S. V. G ; George H. Stone, R. S. S. ; Charles Baker, L. S. S .; M.,Ballard, chaplain. ;
These lists contain the names of many who afterwards distinguished themselves. Sanford E. Church, late chief judge of the Court of Ap- peals; Col. James, Gen. John B. Lee, Dr. William Noble, W. K. Mc- Allister, late judge of the Supreme Court of Illinois; ex-Senator Ben Field and Howard Abeel. A room was fitted up in Swan's block, corner of Batavia (now Main) and Bank streets, at a cost of $700. The lodge room was over the north half of the block until the Orleans Republican newspaper removed from the south half, and since that time it has occupied the whole upper story of the block, except for a short time in 1882, after the block was burned, it occupied temporary quarters in Burrow's block, until the Swan block was rebuilt, when it returned to its old quarters, where it now remains. In the division of the State, which occurred soon after its organization, it attached itself to the Grand Lodge of Northern New York. After the reunion in 1865, its number was changed to fifty-eight. The prosperity of the lodge has been varied. Its membership was at one time reduced to
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LANDMARKS OF
fifteen, all told, but its present membership is 146. Its revenue during the past year was $1,068, and it expended for relief during the same period, $357. The lodge has an invested fund of over $2,500, and its furniture and paraphernalia are valued at about $2,000. Among the oldest and best known members of the lodge during its existence, in addition to those above named, are :
Hon. Noah Davis, late justice of the Supreme Court, and ex-M. C .; Dan H. Cole ex-county judge and State senator ; Henry A. Glidden, ex-clerk of the State Senate ; John H. White, past grand sire of the order, past grand representative to the Sovereign Grand Lodge for nineteen years and author of the digest of the laws of Odd Fellow- ship, known as White's Digest ; William J. Hanington, George H. Owen, William H. Pells, John Tanner, Charles H. Moore, Ward Buel, John H. Denio, Peter Galarnau, David Hardie, George W. Ough. The present officers of the lodge are: George W. Caswell, N. G .; Thomas Graves, V. G. ; John B. Bordwell, secretary ; John Bidelman, permanent secretary ; W. J. Hanington, treasurer. The trustees are : John H. White, James Blott and Charles Bidelman.
Ridgeway Lodge, No. 283, was the third lodge chartered in this county. The charter was granted May 17, 1847, to B. Hix Mills, Robert L. Hill, J. McMartin, L. C. Grover, A. M. Frost, Folsome Rich- ardson, William Wood, A. V. Belding, Joseph S. Swan, William North and Isaac Smith. This lodge was located at Knowlesville and con- tinued to work until about 1856 when it ceased to work and has never been revived.
Holley Lodge, No. 42, comes next in order. It was chartered, November 17, 1848, the charter members being Dr. John W. Titus, Franklin Hinds, Jacob Sawyer, Jabez Allison and Nicholas E. Darrow, the latter of whom is the only survivor at this date, July, 1894. Col. Darrow still survives and resides at his home in the town of Clarendon honored and beloved by all who know him. He still retains his mem- bership, and is, as he always has been, an ardent Odd Fellow. Dr. Titus was the first noble grand; Hiram S. Frisbie, secretary; Jacob Sawyer, permanent secretary ; Jabez Allison, treasurer.
Immediately after the division in this State and in 1850 the number of the lodge was changed to 140, and after the reunion was again changed, this time to its present number, forty-two. In 1862 the lodge was incorporated by special act of the Legislature. Its original place of meeting was in the old Frisbie block on the east side of the square.
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ORLEANS COUNTY.
This block was burned in October, 1866, at which time the lodge lost its furniture and records. It then purchased of J. W. Robb and fitted up the second story of the building on the corner of State street and the public square, and occupied it until September, 1871, when it was again burned out, and suffered a total loss, including its charter. It occupied successively for various periods the Newton block, the Bliss block and the Buel block. In 1891 the lodge purchased a lot on the square and erected a hall at a cost of $6,000, which is entirely paid for and is now occupied by the lodge, except the first story which is rented. Its furniture and paraphernalia are valued at $1,000. This is one of the most prosperous lodges in the county and is emphatically a farmer's lodge, many of the members residing in the surrounding towns. Its present membership is 157.
Eagle Harbor Lodge, No. 387, was chartered July 23, 1849, with the following charter members : L. S. Whitney, A. S. Delano, John Cornes, L. A. Hitchcock, David H. Danolds, Charles A. Danolds, John Stark- weather. Arthemas Chase, John M. K. Hilton, A. O'Harrow and Albert M. Lawrence, and was instituted at Eagle Harbor. The lodge ceased to work in 1860, and was afterwards merged in Albion Lodge.
SUBORDINATE ENCAMPMENTS, I. O. O. F .-- W. J. RANDS, D. D. G. P.
Orleans Encampment No. 28 was instituted at Albion, January 25, 1848, as No. 60 and has continued its existence to the present time. In the division of the order in this State it has attached itself to the Grand Encampment of Northern New York and at the reunion of the order was numbered 28. Its first officers were :
H. J. Van Dusen, C. P .; Marcena Ballard, H. P .; Stephen Gates, S. W .; John B. Lee, J. W. ; George H. Stone, scribe; Thomas J. Clark, treasurer.
Most of the prominent members mentioned as belonging to Albion were or are members of the encampment, besides the following from other lodges :
Jabez Allison, Charles Craig, O. C. Wright, Asahel Merriman, Rev. P. P. Kidder, N. E. Darrow, Charles A. Danolds, Ransom P. Orr, Daniel S. Ross, John B. Feezlear, Nathan O. Warren.
The encampment now numbers fifty-two members and has a good financial standing. Its present officers are :
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LANDMARKS OF
Frank Tyler, C. P .; E. W. Bronson, S. W .; John W. Shourds, J. W .; John Mattinson, H. P .; John Bidelman, scribe, and Ward Buel, treasurer.
Medina Encampment No. 106, was instituted at Medina, October 4, 1887, by E. O. Caldwell, grand patriarch. The charter members were : C. C. Hopkins, M. A. Bowen, C. S. Hoag, John E. Clark, F. C. Wilson, C. E. Shisler, and A. S. Broughton.
Nineteen were exalted at the institution. The first officers were : C. E. Shisler, C. P .; F. E. Wilson, H. P .; John E. Clark, S. W .; C. C. Hopkins, scribe ; M. A. Bowen, treasurer, and C. S. Hoag, J. W.
The present membership is fifty-seven, and its present officers are :
Thomas Platt, C. P .; F. C. Wilson, H. P .; J. Klino, S. W .; C. C. Hopkins, scribe; M. H. Colby, treasurer, and James Evans, J. W.
REBEKAH LODGES, I. O. O. F .-- MRS. JENNIE GOFF, D. D. G. M.
Charity Rebekah Lodge No. 27 was instituted at Holley, June 29, 1871, by Henry A. Glidden, D. D. G. M. The charter members are :
John B. Feezlear, and Eliza his wife ; Alvinza L. James, and Almira his wife; Will- iam N. Pratt, and Lucretia his wife; Nathan O. Warren, and Eliza his wife ; D. R. Wright, and Betsey his wife; Ransom P. Orr and Elsie his wife; Daniel S. Ross, and Melina his wife. R. P. Orr was the first noble grand.
The present elective officers are :
Emma Bradford, N. G .; Anna Hard, V. G .; Eva Warren, Sec .; Emma Bronson, F. Sec .; and Mary Gaylord, Treas.
It has a present membership of one hundred and fifty.
Abeel Rebekah Lodge No. 131 was instituted at Albion, May 8, 1891, by William R. Spooner, G. M., with forty-four charter members. It was named in honor of Howard Abeel, then lately deceased, an old and zealous member of the order. Its first officers were :
Miss Maggie Hardie, N. G .; Mrs. Jennie Goft, V. G .; Mrs. Alma Caswell, Sec .; Mrs. Mary Woolford, Treas.
The present officers are :
Mrs. Anna L. Wilkins, N. G. ; Mrs. Hattie Vandell, V. G .; Mrs. Dora Richmond, Sec .; Miss Maggie Hardie, Fin. Sec., and Mrs. Charlotte F. Griswold, Treas.
The present membership is ninety-one. Fifty brothers and forty-one sisters.
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ORLEANS COUNTY.
Welcome Rebekah Lodge No. 146, was instituted at Medina, Febru- ary 6, 1893, by Charles H. Morgan, G. M. The charter members were :
Mrs. Alice Waterson, Mrs. Hattie Culver, Mrs. Helen Swart, Mrs. Emily Hamlin Mrs. Ellen E. Evans, Mrs. Emma C. Callaghan, James Swart, Frank D. Hamlin, C. S. Hoag, James Evans, William Boyd, J. H. Klino, W. J. Culver, and James Waterson.
The first offieers were :
Mrs. Ella Colby, N. G .; Mrs. Helen Swart, V. G .; Mrs. Alice Waterson, Sec. ; Mrs. Emily Hamlin, Treas.
The present officers are :
Mrs. Helen Swart, N. G .; Miss Jennie Begole, V. G .; Mrs. Charles Sikes, Sec. ; and Mrs. William Wheeler, Treas.
The present membership is seventy, thirty-eight brothers and thirty- two sisters.
ORLEANS COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY .- In years past and prior to 1850 there was an agricultural society in existence in this county, but no records of its operations are in existence, as far as can now be learned. This society never owned any real estate, but held annual fairs for some years north of the canal in Albion on a lot after- wards used for circus performances and other exhibitions, tents being used for shelter and protection. An annual plowing match was one of the features of the fairs. There was no race track on the ground. While this society was an unpretentious organization and its exhibitions were insignificant when compared with later societies, it was sufficiently suc- cessful to pay its current expenses.
In October, 1856, the present society was organized, with T. C. Bailey president and Hiram S. Goff, secretary. In 1857 the society purchased twelve acres of the present grounds, situated on the south side of State street, in the western part of Albion village, and there erected rude and inexpensive buildings for the accommodation of ex- hibitors at its annual fairs. A half mile track for trials of speed and other purposes was graded. These so- called trials of speed gradually became more and more prominent in the annual fairs of the society, while exhibitions of stock and other products attracted less and less attention, became steadily smaller, and the fairs ultimately seemed to
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LANDMARKS OF
merit the term often applied to them of "agricultural horse races.' Large premiums were awarded to winning animals in the races, and competitors from all parts of the country were invited. These large premiums kept the treasury of the society depleted, while the races drew hither large numbers of very undesirable characters. For a long time the farmers of the county permitted this course to be followed, but they finally protested and determined to inaugurate a different kind of administration. They elected officers pledged to carry out their wishes ; more and larger premiums were offered for farm products and stock, and the fast horse was placed in the subordinate position to which he was in their estimation entitled. Predictions of early failure of this policy were freely made by its opponents, but the farmers of the county came forward in force to support their representatives, and during more than twenty years the prosperity of the society has been remarkable. A debt that had long existed against the society was soon paid off; new and commodious buildings replaced the original rude structures ; sheds and pavilions for the convenience of exhibitors were erected ; large additions were made to the area of the grounds; a new track was graded and a new and more capacious grand stand was erected. The exhibitions of the annual fairs steadily increased in quantity and advanced in quality, until they are now rivalled by few in surrounding counties. The sale of intoxicating beverages at the fairs is prohibited, and the farmers of the county feel a laudable pride in the prosperity of the society. The grounds of the society now comprise about twenty- six acres. There are now (1894) 241 life members, who in reality own the property of the society, though the annual members have a voice in elections. The officers of the society for 1894 are :
George S. Clark, president; Ora Lee, first vice-president ; La Fayette H. Beach, sec- retary ; Augustus W. Barnett, treasurer ; William G. Mack, Elijah B. Lattin, Peter B. West, Hervey Blood, William Whipple, S. E. Howard, directors. Besides these offi- cers there are ten vice-presidents, one from each town in the county.
ORLEANS COUNTY POORHOUSE .- The first action taken in this county towards the erection of a county poorhouse was at the fall meeting of the Board of Supervisors in 1829. A special meeting to consider this subject was called for the next February At this meeting Nehemiah Ingersoll, Elisha Wright, and Avery M. Starkweather were appointed superintendents of the poorhouse, and the sum of $2,000 was appro-
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ORLEANS COUNTY.
priated for the use of the " county poor establishment." The superin- tendents were directed to contract for a lot and to erect a building thereon. At another special meeting of the board on June 22, 1830, it was " Resolved, That the distinction between the town and the county poor be and the same is hereby abolished, and that the expense of maintaining all the poor shall be a county charge."
In pursuance of this action a farm was purchased about three miles south of Albion village, and there the first buildings were erected. These served their purpose until 1878 when the present building was erected.
WESTERN HOUSE OF REFUGE FOR WOMEN. - In 1890 an act was passed by the Legislature for the establishment of a reformatory insti- tution under the above name, by the provisions of which the location was to be determined by the Board of Managers, of which Hon. E. Kirke Hart, of Albion, was president. Several places in the western part of the State competed for the site of the institution, and after ample consideration of the claims of each, the board fixed upon Albion as the most eligible. About ninety-seven acres of land adjoining the western boundary of the village corporation were purchased, and in 1892 the first buildings were erected at a cost of $62,000. In the next year additional structures were erected at an expense of about $30,000. A. J. Warner, of Rochester, was the architect. These buildings, all of which are of brick, have a total capacity of 150 inmates, the present number being about forty. The buildings are constructed on what is known as the cottage plan, viz. : A refuge, or prison building, and four isolated cottages, the latter being graded and occupied according to the deportment of the inmates; besides this, a regular order of promotion is maintained. There is also an administration building and a hospital. The institution is supported by the State and the officers are appointed by the governor. The Board of Managers for 1894 consists of :
William B. Dye, of Albion, president; Sarah J. Fee, of Rochester, secretary ; George Sandrock, of Buffalo, treasurer ; Hon. C. E. Walker, of Batavia, and Mrs. Ellen W. Ramsdale of Albion. The hospital physician is Mrs. Harriet Watson, M. D., and Mary K. Boyd is the superintendent.
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