23DecemberResponses

Responses to Dec 23rd News Letter
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From: Tom Loren
Date: 1/22/2009 3:40:47 PM

Dear Ken,

You were talking about the early Churches in Cambridge. There was a minister Dr. Thomas Clark who had a big influence on the Protestants of the Cambridge area. He was the leader of the Cahan's Exodus. These people were originally from Scotland and had moved to Ballybay, Ireland. They were being persecuted in Ireland so on the 10th of May, 1764, they left Ireland on the Ship "John" 300 people were among them led by Dr Clark' They settled in New Perth now Salem Rev Clark was 45 at that time.

In Ireland Thomas Clark was a remarkable personality in his Highland dress with Kilt of the Black Douglas Clan on a white horse, pipe clayed, set tail and mane and katy decorated with silk. I don't know if he dressed this way in America.

he history of the United Presbyterian Church in Cambridge goes back to April 19, 1769 when Dr Clark of Salem who was one of the earliest preachers North of Albany ordained and installed a number of ruling Elders to have charge of the people that settled in these parts part of whom Irish and part Puritans.

The Coila Congregation. The first settlements within the bounds of this Congregation were made after the close of the French and Indian War. The first service was held by Rev. John Cuthbertson at the house of Ephrian Cowan . Dr Clark ordained elders at the beginning. The larger parts were Ulster Presbyterians and Congregationists in numbers who came among them. Dr Clark had been at Salem from the start and had given this a Burgher cast and inclined it toward "The Associate Reformed Union of 1782". This was taken from "Full Circle A Story of Ballybay Presbyterians" by Rev. David Nesbit. Also "Old Home Week Cambridge, N.Y. 1916.

Carlton Foster is a descendant of the Cahan's Exodus people. He and his late wife Joan and Mary and I have visited the Original Church in Ballybay. Tom Loren

From: Bob Wright
Date: Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:08:03 -0500

Ken,
Your list of restaurants should include the Friendly Restaurant which
was located between Estramonte's Ice Cream Store and across the street
from Santerre's Grille just west of the current Foggy Notions (TheBog).
The Friendly restaurant was operated in the 50's by Tom Powers with the
help of Peggy Powers Bloom. It was attached to a house which I believe
was owned by the Plunketts.

From: Ted Bell
Date: 1/2/2009 10:01:42 AM

In the places to eat column, were the pavilions at Hedges and Lauderdale included ?? There was also a bar at Lauderdale.

Ted

From: Ann Trinkle
Date: 12/23/2008 10:08:09 AM

There was a pizza place where abouts the Union House was in the mid 70's ran by Greek people. I'm thinking it was called something like Gee-are-ees. Don't know how its was really spelled. Maybe someone else will know. Jays Pizza is there now. Also have the Chinese place in town now.

From: Peter McAvoy
Date: 12/25/2008 9:47:49 AM

There was a pizza place called Giarri's( I probably spelled it wrong). It was across the street from Fedlers I think it may be a diner now. Great pizza. It was a Greek family that started it and they had great Greek pizza. I remember my father who worked at the A&P telling me the family always came in and shopped for the most expensive flour for the dough for their pizza. I don't know why I remember that! This was back in the 70's

From: Maureen Conti
Date: 12/26/2008 9:55:51 AM

Hi! I am in Binghamton, NY and my maiden name is Maureen Gould, I graduated in 1975 and after school for one or two years we always went to the "Greek Pizza" restaurant on West Main Street, I didn't see that listed. It had a dollop of butter on the center of each pizza, and to this day, it is the best pizza I have ever had.
Wonderful information about Cambridge, my father was the local conservation officer for 26 years and my mom was a CCS "cafeteria lady" for 13!
Thanks for all the fun information!
Maureen Conti

From: Joan Alvarez
Date: 12/23/2008 10:49:41 AM

Dear Ken,
I just wanted you to know how much I am enjoying your writings about Cambridge. My family owned a home on Ash Grove Road and used it as a summer/vacation home in the 1960's. My mother lived in the area around Shushan when she was a young girl and we started renting places in the 1950's until we bought the Ash Grove house in the early '60's. Our house is just up the road from the Ashton's and is now owned by a doctor I believe. My parents sold it around 1967 I think.
I did not go to CCS, but I am familiar with many of the people in classes 1960-62 from my summers in and around Cambridge. It is so great going on the website and seeing the familiar names. Keep up the good work and Merry Christmas!
Joan Rendel Alvarez
Indio, CA

From: LoraWesner
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2008 19:20:25 -0500

Hi Ken,
I moved to Cambridge, much to my displeasure, when my mother married Quent Falkenbury in 1959. I began high school as a sophomore with the class of 62 at Cambridge. At that time, within a year, my father had died, my mother later became engaged and remarried, my sister with whom I was very close had graduated from Greenwich CS ( class of 59) and moved to Albany, I was moved out of my country home in South Easton to a village home at 33 N. Park Street, and I had to adapt to a new school and make new friends. Needless to say, it was a wonder I was able to even tie my shoes with all the changes in my young life.

However, as blended families go, ours was a good compromise and things turned out well. When I graduated from Cambridge CS in 62 I moved to Albany to begin a career of almost 40 years in State government. But, Cambridge and the house at 33 North Park Street was still "home" until my mother, as a widow, moved from there to Saratoga nearly 10 years ago.

I have been very interested in your series on the Presbyterian churches, as I attended first the brick one, the "UP" church, then the First Presbyterian Church on the corner of N Park and E Main, where I was married in 1967. Along with the information on the churches, did you
come across any information or photos of a manse that was moved to 33 North Park Street from up on that corner? At 33 N Park, the back of the house was originally a butcher shop, then the front of the house was moved there and added to it. Later, that monstrosity of a front porch was added, I must assume.

Several years ago, at the time my mother was emptying the house of over fifty years of accumulate in preparation for her moving (this went on for about five years), I happened to stop by the home of Henry and Ruth Bates who live in the brick house by the cemetery on N Park. I can't recall why I had stopped there, as I had never been there in all the time I had lived in Cambridge and after, but Henry did plumbing work for my mother so possibly I had stopped in on her behalf regarding that. They were the ones who told me of the house being moved to the present site. (If it is that old, I would think it should be on some register
of old houses, possibly to prevent the present owner from letting it fall to ruin.)

I don't recall which of the Bates was more up on the history, or possibly both, but they may be a good source of information in the form of "lore" for your research.

I view things in Cambridge as they were when I used to go there to visit and help my mom, so I'm not even sure that both of the Bates are still with us.

I look forward to your next revelation!

From: Karen Dusha McKean
Date: 12/23/2008 10:17:51 PM

Kenny G - It was Tom Powers who ran The Friendly Restaurant on East Main where Fort Rite Aide now stands. Hi wife Marguerite ran it with him and they were my neighbors on Washington St. They had 2 sons Mike and Dave. They eventually sold the restaurant or it was torn down and the family moved to Saratoga. Now for my beloved East Main neighbor-Joe Powers. Joe and Tom were brothers. Joe was the snare drummer for the Firemen's Band and worked for NYS. Peggy Bloom is there sister and Bob Powers is another brother. Now you probably know more about the Powers family than you want to.

Karen