PAGE SIXTEEN
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 2017
WEST WINFIELD STAR
THE BROOKFIELD COURIER It Happened In Brookfield By Elizabeth “Perk” Stalter
An interesting occasion took place in August of 2016. Pat (the daughter of Albert Beney’s son Egbert) and her cousin, Daisy, spent the day with me. We met at the Earlville Library and they were able to see Albert’s lovely oil painting of that village. We stopped by the house in which he lived, and also went to the residence of the family of Edith Beecher (Egbert’s wife). Daisy wanted to see the bridge over the Chenango River on the road north of Earlville. She has a Beney water-color of that location he had painted in 1942. She took a photograph at the site in order to compare it with Albert’s rendition many years ago. At lunch at my house, we shared stories about the family. I showed them photos I had taken of Albert’s many artistic endeavors, and his grand-daughter (Pat) displayed several framed water-colors he had created and had given to family members. Several were of scenery, and one was of a lovely old stone building. Another showed a trellisarchway covered with flowers. This was an actual painting of this bower behind Albert’s home., where was held the wedding of his son Egbert and Egbert’s bride, Edith Beecher. Daisy later sent me a copy of Albert’s rendering of the Chenango River and the bridge, along with the photo she took in August. Later we went to the Town of Brookfield Historical Society and the ladies were very pleased to see the paintings of Brookfield and of The Old Red Mill (as well as the print of Old Ironsides). We visited the grave sites of Albert and Lena in the Brookfield Rural Cemetery. We also drove by the house on Skaneateles Turnpike where Albert and Lena were married in 1900. The ladies went home “happy”. Perk’s Notes: A 1939 newspaper clipping reported “Mrs. Albert Beney Dies Suddenly”. On August 17th, she had been visiting neighbors in the morning while Albert was doing errands in town. When he came home, he found her on the kitchen floor where she had fallen. It was determined that she had suffered a heart attack. She was active in the Methodist Church in Earlville. Funeral services were held in the home, and burial was in the Brookfield Rural Cemetery. Albert was born in England, lived in Brookfield and then in Earlville. He was also a faithful member of the Methodist Church, and for 50 years was a member of the International Order of Odd Fellows. His 1945 obituary states “…being an artist, Mr. Beney was widely known for his work as an interior decorator”. A 1936 article refers to a re-dedication service at the Earlville Methodist Church which stated “…during the August vacation Albert A. Beney with his magic brush had transformed what had been an attractive church into a beautiful sanctuary”. His funeral service was held at the Beecher Funeral Home in Earlville, and he was laid to rest beside Lena in the Brookfield Rural Cemetery.
Shootin’ Shed
GUN SHOP & RANGE 386 Stone Rd., West Winfield, NY 315-822-3012 or shootin@windstream.net WED-FRI 11AM to 5PM & SAT 10AM to 3PM
Lordy Lordy !!! Can she be???? ALREADY 40??? Our Daughter ?? Mariah Joyce? Yep that’s the one. But we just got told it’s only the new 20! (must be Mt. Markham math) If you see her – Tell her she still looks 18 but with 22 years of experience !! And Burlington Flats Sporter Rifle Team won 1st place in the Ten X League with a record of 17 – 2 and a team average of 1396.6 . Individual achievements: Pat Thompson – 1st Sharpshooter -276.0, Austin Joyce – Hi Jr Male- 272.8, Rebeccah Haar – Hi Jr Female- 248.8 in her 1st year shooting!!, Eric Joyce - 1st Sharpshooter Iron Sights – 277.0 and Dick McNamara, 2nd Marksman-263.9. Sunday the 26th we shoot in the state shoot-off’s! Rock Island Armor .22TCM/9mm combos coming!!
The Musings of a Simple Country Man by Hobie Morris If I Had Sneezed: Douglas to King This historical trail leading circuitously to the most famous non-sneeze in Civil Rights history begins in part here in the high land valley of pre-Civil War Brookfield. A community that time almost forgot but thankfully didn’t. In early October, 1856, the most famous African American of his age was invited to speak at the Brookfield Agricultural Society’s annual fair that was being held that year in “Uncle Oliver’s Meadow.” On this beautiful autumn day one of the largest crowds ever, estimated nearly 10 to 12,000, made for one day Brookfield a small size city. Accommodations for such a huge throng were entirely insufficient. One witness reported, “door yards, fence corners amd standing trees within a radius of a mile or upwards were freely used as hitching places for teams, visitors making the intervening on foot to the fairgrounds.” By 1856 America was rapidly becoming unglued: ripped apart by white hot political issues including the Abolition Movement, the question of slavery in the new territories, etc. Political parties were splintering and reforming into new entities mostly along sectional geographic lines. America was in chaos and the presidential election was the next month. His name was Frederick Douglass (1817-1895). He was the Martin Luther King Jr. of his day. Douglass has been described as the “Father of the Civil Rights Movement.” His autobiography published in 1845 described his life under slavery and this book was a major contribution to the anti-slavery movement. During the l850’s Douglass was an eloquent, much in demand speaker, writer and organizer for not only abolition of slavery but also he championed the Women’s Rights movement. After the Civil War he was a powerful voice for the Black equality and self-improvement movement. A wooden platform was built by Fair officials for the speaker’s use. His speech to the huge crowd was described as “eloquent,” a “marvel of good sense.” According to the local newspaper this “educated colored man” spoke on emancipation and was “enthusiastically received by most of a large crowd but with great disgust by others.” With the bloody Civil War that soon followed came the real possibility for ending slavery once and for a ll. Two young girls never forgot the tall, distinguished, well dressed Black man who had helped them pump well water in Dr. Saunders’ front yard. The girls were small and didn’t have quite the strength. This man came and helped.. Forgetting to thank the man, the girls skipped off to see the Fair’s sights and sounds. In doing so they read about a famous man who was to speak that day. Curious at the appointed time, they got as close to the speaker’s platform as the huge, milling crowd would allow. The speaker was introduced by a Fair official. The man was the celebrated Frederick Douglass, who had helped the girls get a drink of well water. continued on next column . .
Hobie Morris continued
The home that Frederick Douglass stayed in the evening of his speech still stands majestically just down from the historic Baptist Church. Douglass was invited to come to Brookfield by Calvin Whitford, a successful local business man, and a prominent voice in the infant New York State Republican Party, a party that supported abolitionism and the prohibiting of slavery in the new territories. The leadership baton carried so effectively by Frederick Douglass was eventually passed to the most famous Black leader of our generation, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Her name was Izola Ware Curry. A Black woman lost in the pages of history, yet she almost played a decisive role in the history f the Civil Rights movement. It happened on the afternoon of September 20, 1958 at Blumstein’s Department Store on New York City’s 125th Street in Harlem. The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. was 29 years old and he was sitting at a desk autographing his first book The Montgomery Story. Izola Curry, a 42 year old Black lady from Georgia, was determined to cheat history that day. She was convinced she was on a mission from God. Mentally deranged she had spent six years preparing. She had complained to the FBI that Rev. King’s led NAACP was part of a Communist conspiracy that among others was preventing her from getting a job. On the September 20th afternoon she walked confidently through the crowd of King well wishers. Well dressed and composed, wearing sequined, cat’s eyed glasses, she asked “Are you Martin Luther King?” she demanded. Barely looking up he said “yes.” Izola Curry reached into her hand bag and drew out a razor sharp letter opener and plunged it King’s chest, right up to the hilt. “I’ve been after him for six years,” she screamed. “I’m glad I done it.” King didn’t call out. He simply sat back in his chair, a glazed look in his eyes. Had he made any sudden move he would have died—the tip of the blade just touched the aorta artery right next to his heart. One more millimeter and his chest would filled with blood, killing him in min utes. If King had sneezed, as he often said in later years, the Civil Rights movement might have suffered a mortal blow. As it was, he didn’t sneeze, and the great events that followed helped to define King’s greatness—even in his martyrdom. Izola Curry’s walk-on part in history didn’t come out as planned. If it had, the consequences for America and the world can only be guessed. Izola Curry died on March 7, 2015 at age 98, 47 years after Dr. King’s assassination. We have come far, but Dr. King’s dream still continues. Martin Luther King, Jr. forgave Izola Curry.
Brookfield Rural Cemetery Association
Note of Interest
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It is the responsibility of the Brookfield Rural Cemetery Association to maintain the resting place of hundreds of loving people. The Association is responsible for the general maintenance of the grounds, record keeping and giving comfort and attention to families in times of personal loss. The Association is comprised of officers and trustees. The officers and trustees meet twice a year to discuss the status of the grounds and come up with a maintenance plan that will permit the Association to run independently. According to NYS Rural Cemeteries Association, cemeteries are in danger of abandonment because of “lack of funds or lack of board members willing to serve”. If no one shows an interest in joining the Association, the abandonment of the cemetery to the Town could become a real possibility. The Association is in need of individuals that have an interest in seeing that the final resting place of family members is a pleasant well-kept area. Individuals that will help carry out the Association responsibilities. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Association, please contact Grant and Amy Calhoun, Don Brown, Fred Larkin, Bob and Betty Jones or Connie Green. Thank you so much for your consideration. See page 14 for Help Wanted and Meeting Notice