Category Archives: Doris B Morton

Bands and Bandstands, Doris B Morton

Bits and Pieces in 1922

On 6 October [1922] the Italian Military Band held a band concert and dance in Rush Hall, the Iron Front. Mrs. Guy Walker and Louis L Cameron rendered solos and duets. There was dancing from 10 p.m. till 2 a.m. with White’s orchestra. Tickets were 75 cents a couple, 25 cents for an extra woman and 35 cents for the concert.

Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Times – January 30, 1986

Animals, Doris B Morton

Bears – Wolves – Panthers 1775

What a contrast in viewing wild animals in 200 years.

This past month [August / September 1975] a bear family has provided entertainment and some trepidation for a family with apple trees north of here. Of course the bears do not visit the trees in the open field but pass them for a tree within 40 yards of the living room window. The tree is now  thoroughly bear-pruned of good and poor branches alike.

There is the other side.  One keeps a watchful eye in going to the garden and on the household pits. This is both day and night as the visits of the bears occur any time. Officials are reluctant to attempt capturing the animals to remove them to higher ground because of recent deer tragedies. One man said he’d shoot any bear he saw as they have wrecked his honey business for the year.

Disaster struck this bear family as one cub was killed on the Northway. They will doubtless meet death with the trigger happy sports who• are waiting for the season to open — and it won’t be for the excuse of killing for food.

Two hundred years ago the people of Skenesborough would not be enjoying the antics of bears or other wild animals. Their domestic animals had to be securely penned to be safe from the marauders coming out of the forests. A bear often seized a lamb and ran off with it.

Wolves were a menace.  Mrs. Tryphena Wright of Northeast Skenesborough kept her eight sheep locked in a tree stump at night. But one night the wolves gained entrance, killed all eight and scattered parts of the bodies around the clearing and nearby woods.

Panthers also were a source of terror. If you’ve ever heard their screech, you know the feeling of having your hair stand on end. These animals were common in the woods around Skenesborough. Not man but the domestic animals were their prey, as witnessed by the ancestors of the late Wheaton Bosworth as they fled from the animal stalking their team.

Knowing the depredations of these wild animals, one can understand the last round-up of wolves in Kingsbury which sent the survivors to the hills of Dresden.

Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Times – September 11 1975

Animals, Doris B Morton

From the first Town Record Book 1805

In 1805 the town evidently had troubles with animals running loose. By-laws established that stallion colts, one year or older, should not run at large under penalty of $2; that rams should not run at large under penalty of $2; that hogs, pigs and sows should not run at large under penalty of 50 cents. If anyone should catch the animals that were running at large, they were authorized, if no one claimed them within six days, to put them in the pound.
Horses, sheep and geese should not be free commoners. If they did any damage, they could also be confined to the pound, whether the fence was lawful or unlawful. Roaming animals were a problem and many laws had to do with them or fences to detain. At this same 4 April, I783, meeting a description of a fence was given. All fences should be four feet six inches high made of good stuff and well laid. No hole from the earth three feet upward should be more than six inches and from that to the top should not exceed 12 inches. It would be deemed unlawful to impound any creature which was deemed a commoner unless the field in which such creature be enclosed with a fence of the above dimensions.

Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Times – October 5, 1978

Animals, Doris B Morton

(Title Unknown) November 1880

Affection can be held for a favorite automobile but it cannot match that for, an animal which saw long service to man. George Brett’s sorrel Tom died at the age of 15. He was a Hambletonian colt raised by Columbus. His fastest record time was 2:29 but he had done better at private recordings.

Owned by H.R. Wait, he was purchased by Mr. Brett in 1869 and became a, family horse. He was so docile a child could manage him, but he would not take the dust of any horse. At every funeral he drew the conveyance of the clergyman. His grave was on the west side of Wood creek on George Brett’s farm (Austin’s) and was lovingly lined with straw.

Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Times – October 30, 1980 – (Title Unknown)

Animals, Doris B Morton

N.Y. State Agricultural Society, Vol. 1848 & 1849

From the story of Tryphena Wright and the sheep she kept at night in a hollowed tree, it is known that Whitehall early settlers raised sheep. One learned article on sheep declared that it was profitable to raise 100 animals on 100 acres. It would take twelve tons of hay to keep 100 or 3 percent of their weight per day. In 1845 -Washington County lead the state in the amount of wool produced. The number of sheep was 190,311 and the number per acre 64.
The Merino and Saxon strains of sheep were introduced into the county in the 1820’s and the production rose. In Whitehall in 1825 there were 6125, ninth in the county; in 1825, there were 9966, eleventh in the county; in 1845 there were 13,791, ninth in the county.
There were enemies of sheep. In 1786 a wolf tax was levied. For proof of their destruction the collector had to see the head of the wolf and then he cut off the ears so that a bounty could not be collected again. Foxes were the next in killing, especially, young lambs. The third was dogs. At this time the practice’ of killing any dog that was molesting sheep was begun. The last great wolf hunt occurred in the Kingsbury in 1801. Foxes were prevalent in Putnam.

Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Times – March 17, 1988