Rev. David Wilson of Hebron, NY

Here's a nice bio of Rev. David Wilson who briefly resided in Mentz. Many of his family are buried at the Wilson-Dixon Cemetery. While Rev. David did have a will drawn from Cayuga County, he moved back to Hebron, Washington Co., NY just before his passing.

Source: The Congregational Quarterly, Volume 6, by Revs. Henry M Dexter, Alonzo H Quint and Isaac P Langworthy, 1864

Courage of Myrtle Kilmer

Every now and then you find a news clip that makes you stop and realize just how important the imagery of liberty is to us.  I'd like to share a little article that appeared in the Port Byron Chronicle on Saturday January 26, 1917:

STRICTLY LOCAL NEWS 

Miss Myrtle Kilmer a former resident of this village, who resides with her sister Mrs. Oliver Wilson at Syracuse, is receiving a great deal of praise as the result of an act she performed at the Emanuel Evangelical church Thursday evening while a meeting was in progress. The fire started near the chimney and the auditorium quickly filled with smoke.  The members of the audience crowded to the doors. Miss Kilmer forced her way through the crowd to the front of the auditorium where a large American flag  was hung , took down the flag and then hurried out of the building being the last to leave.  Miss Kilmer modestly denied that any special credit was due her, as it seemed to her the most natural thing to do.

Way to go Myrtle!

Masonic Temple Dedication 1952

Thank you to the Boy Scouts for the opportunity to make the 1952 dedication of the Masonic Temple available to our community as a free download.  It includes the history of our village, firsts in our history, a St. directory and many vintage ads from local merchants and neighboring communities.

Click this link to download the Masonic Temple Lodge No. 130 F. & A.M.

Here's a nice link that contains history of our temple but also has some interesting information about Finley M. King, as well as his photograph, see pages 32 to 34.

Note: 1879 History of Cayuga County credits the first village president as Walter H. Smith but includes the list of the first village board of trustees, see page 311, as well as a list of successive leaders of Port Byron.