January 2008

1908 and 1958

Glancing Backward

News items from the Naples Record 100 years and 50 years ago

by

Beth Flory

January 1908

New Year's Day parties and dinners abounded. Naples celebrated and partied ceaselessly. Family, church and organization parties, even family and alumni reunions, filled social schedules. Mrs. Deyo entertained the Methodist Sunday School class and Mary Pearse hosted the Tuesday Club while students headed back to college, Leo Dunton and Corda Wood to Penn Van Academy, Marian Wiliams to Syracuse and Fenton Wagar to Cornell.

Merchants hurled themselves into sales extravaganzas. The Tobey Clothing Store declared that it was "The Cheapest Clothier on Earth." and seemed to be living up to its boast. Men's overcoats went for $4 to $15, men's sweaters for .38 to $2.50 and heavy work coats were down from $1.26 to 95 cents. The Editor noted that "no one need go shabby or cold."

While many residents of Bristol Springs were home with bad throat trouble, there was a good turnout for festivities at the Grange. John Mansfield arrived in a wagon drawn by two white oxen and loaded with men, women, children and provisions.

John, the old family horse owned by Charles Northrup, died at the age of 26. "He was buried with all the honors due to a faithful horse."

January 1958

[To be added.]

Beth Flory's "Glancing Backward" column in the Naples Record is compiled from
old news items that appeared in the Record. Reprinted with permission of the Naples Record.

Index of articles by Beth Flory

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