Delaware River at Barryville?

by Louise Smith Posted on November 8, 2015
View of Barryville, NY from across the Delaware River in Shohola, PA. Photo taken by H.I.Briggs.

This photo is from my recent finds at my mother’s home. I think it is a view of homes and a garage? in Barryville, possibly Shohola on the Delaware River.

Can any of my Halfway Brook readers help? I assume it was taken around 1940.

Click photos to make them larger.

Update: It is Spring House Garage on River Road in Barryville. Thank you!

Closeup of buildings.
Posted in Where is this? | 4 Comments

Recipes from Grandma Briggs

by Louise Smith Posted on October 25, 2015
Mrs. Sheen and Myrtie Briggs standing in front of the Methodist Parsonage.

In my vast collection of photos and information related to the Town of Highland, NY, are scans of recipes of my grandmother Myrtie Briggs who lived in Barryville from 1935 to 1945. Her Canadian War Cake was on an earlier post.

Here are a few recipes Grandma had with names of people who lived in the area: Mrs. Lang and Mrs. Steele from Barryville; Mrs. Brodmerkle and Mrs. Clark from Eldred; plus a favorite of mine, Cherry pudding cake, and Chocolate Joy cake, which sounds very good).

Click on the image to make it larger.

Bread and Butter Pickles from Mrs. Lang, Barryville.
Dill Pickles from Mrs. Broadmerkle, Eldred.
Cruellers, Mrs. Steele, Barryville.

Continue reading →

Posted in Recipes | 2 Comments

1925 Christmas: 36 Dolls

by Louise Smith Posted on October 18, 2015
Some of the 36 Dolls sent to the Briggs Children Christmas 1925.
Dolls and books Christmas 1925.

At half past three o’clock on the morning of October 4, 1925, a 1922 Model-T Ford covered with the dust of many states rattled through the Bowne Memorial Gateway of Drew Theological Seminary and came to a labored halt.—Marion Furness.

Not knowing where to go, Irwin pitched the tent right in the middle of the campus. Next morning it caused no small stir. In fact it was in all the papers, even over to London, England.

Laura and Mildred had over 36 dolls sent to them that Christmas. Some of them were packed up and sent to cousins.—Myrtie Crabtree Briggs.

See more on the first part of the story and comment by Drew University Archivist Matthew Beland: August 1925: The Briggs Family Drives East.

I found the photos of the dolls when I visited my mom recently. It was fun to see photos of the “rest of the story”—some of the 36 dolls I had heard about.

References:
Furness: Eastward Ho!, The Christian Student, November, 1925; excerpt from Grandma and Me, p. 28.

Myrtie Briggs: Grandma and Me, pp. 26, 27.

Posted in Farewell to Eldred, Old Photos | 1 Comment

Clambake at Chester’s

by Louise Smith Posted on October 4, 2015
Clambake at Chester Middaugh’s around 1940.

Cornroast and Clambake
Every summer a group of folks would get together at Chester Middaugh’s house for a cornroast and clambake—including my great-uncle Lon Austin and the Briggs’ family.—Farewell to Eldred, p. 212.

The back of this photo said “Chester’s.” I don’t know if it is at a clambake, cornroast. There is watermelon on the table and cornstalks in the background.

Three by the table: Mildred, Laura and Mary Briggs. Boy in stripped shirt on right, John Briggs, next to him is their mother (my grandmother) Myrtie Briggs.

Does anyone know any of the other people? Click on the photo twice to get the largest size.

People in photo courtesy of my Mom 10/7/2015: Left: A brother of Mr. Quick; Mr. and Mrs. Quick from Barryville; Mr. Deats, Lottie Dewey, Uncle Lon Austin, Frank Dewey. In front from left: Mildred, Laura and Mary Briggs; unknown lady; Chester Middaugh is behind the watermelon that Irwin Briggs cut; Dewey’s son; John Briggs; Myrtle Briggs; friend of the Malconians; Mrs. Malconian and Rev. Malconian.

Posted in Farewell to Eldred, Old Photos | 2 Comments

Highland Lake Bible Conference

by Louise Smith Posted on October 2, 2015
Rev. Merle Fuller hands Mrs. Asendorf the check for $10,000, the amount of the down payment on the Conference Property.

Seated left to right: Secretary to Attorney Lyons, Mr. Lyons, Attorney for Mrs. Asendorf; Mrs. Asendorf; Stephen W. Zeh, Attorney for the Conference.

Standing left to right: Rev. Herbert Schmalzriedt, Secretary of the Board of Directors; Rev. H. Irwin Briggs, Treasurer; Rev. Wilford Kalbach, Council Member; Rev. Raymond Kalbach, Vice-President; Rev. Merle Fuller, President and Director.

Highland Lake Bible Conference
Formed by Merle Fuller in September of 1944. It would include the Myers’ Lake View and Asendorf’s Highland Lake Inn.—Farewell to Eldred, p. 303.

Posted in Boarding Houses, Farewell to Eldred, Old Photos | 2 Comments

1920 Barryville Glass Factory

by Louise Smith Posted on September 15, 2015
Barryville Glass Factory, Dam, and workers around 1920. Photo courtesy of Ed Wolff.
Glass cutters top row: George Liebla, Pat Palmer, Albert Wolff Norm Wolff; bottom row: Harold Quick John van Eastenbridge, Howard Pelton, Irving Quick, Frank Wolff, and an unknown man. Photo courtesy of Ed Wolff.

Town of Highland Occupations
Boarding houses were the main “industry” in the area, but there were still sawmills (belonging to Harry Wormuth, John Love, and others) and bluestone quarries which needed workers. The Erie Railroad employed many men.

The Barryville Glass Factory employed some 15 local people. Earl Palmer (who also was the bridge tender for the Barryville and Pond Eddy bridges) was a polisher and his wife Kate worked in the Glass Factory Showroom showing glassware for sale. The glass cutters included Albert, Norm, and Frank Wolff, sons of Charles and Janette Kerr Wolff. (We first met the Wolff family in Echo Hill and Mountain Grove.)—Farewell to Eldred, pp. 4 and 6.

Posted in Farewell to Eldred, Old Photos, People | 1 Comment