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...Queen Libby ran a boarding house and grocery store in the west end of Fonda, where she fed, housed and cared for Italian immigrants who worked on the railroad
Tuesday Podcast "6 Minutes"
PHOTOGRAPHER:Stan Hudy
More on The Sign-Daily Gazette
https://dailygazette.com/2021/12/27/seasonal-sign-from-citys-past-restored-by-historic-amsterdam-league-in-time-for-holiday/
by Ashley Onyon
Seasonal sign from city’s past restored by Historic Amsterdam League in time for holiday
AMSTERDAM — When spring cleaning at the carriage house behind City Hall unearthed a massive holiday sign that used to…
An Italian immigrant was the queen of Fonda
By Bob Cudmore
People in Fonda called her Queen Libby. A formidable woman from Italy, Queen Libby literally stopped a train, saved a man from the electric chair and became a major property owner in Fonda.
Elizabeth Luciano was born in Pietremalara near Naples, Italy in 1872. She came to America alone when she was 15 and settled in Fonda to be near relatives who lived in Johnstown. She married another Italian immigrant, James Cassell. They had three children before Cassell died at the age of 33. Libby then married Alfonso Mancini, who worked for the railroad, and had four more children. Libby and Alfonso returned to Italy for a time where Alfonso was a jailor. Libby returned to America by herself and Alfonso eventually followed her back to America.
According to one of her grandchildren, Libby was a large woman who received her nickname when she knocked down a man who had used an ethnic slur about Italians. “The next time you see me, you bow,” Libby told the fallen man, leading him to refer to her as Queen Libby or Queen Lib.
Queen Libby ran a boarding house and grocery store in the west end of Fonda, where she fed, housed and cared for Italian immigrants who worked on the railroad. She had a good head for business and purchased 16 two family houses in the village. Patsy Cassell, one of Libby’s sons, ran a popular Fonda tavern called Patsy’s for many years.
In 1923, one of Libby’s daughters, Eva Mancini Pepe, was about to give birth to her first child. Eva had married Ralph Pepe, whose father Salvatore had founded Pepe’s Bakery, still a family business on Amsterdam’s South Side.
According to a clipping from The Recorder from January 20th of 1923, Libby was informed by telephone that her daughter was about to have a rare Caesarean section at St. Mary’s Hospital in Amsterdam.
Libby secured a red flag at the Fonda train station and when an express came ‘thundering in its usual way; she waved the red flag, convincing the engineer to stop the train and take her to Amsterdam. Arriving at the hospital, she charged into the operating room. Libby also made a phone call to the New York Central Railroad and demanded that the next possible train stop in Fonda to take her husband to Amsterdam.
The headline from the newspaper clipping reads: “Flags train to reach daughter as stork comes: Fonda woman bossed the whole New York Central Railroad but got to Amsterdam hospital on time.”
The child born that day was Vincenza Pepe, who passed away in 2001. Eva Pepe had seven children and the child she bore in 1924 is Salvatore Pepe of Amsterdam, who has provided information for this story.
“Queen Libby was strong-minded, tough but a gentle grandmother,” Pepe said, recalling that Libby gave quarters to her grandchildren.
Ann Nardick Sherman of Amsterdam also claims Queen Libby as a grandmother. Sherman’s mother was Constance Cassell, one of the children from Libby’s first marriage.
According to Sherman, Libby was an interpreter for Italians who could not speak English who were brought before the court in Fonda. Libby once saved an innocent man from the electric chair. Libby called Italy where the real murderer had fled and had him sent back to the United States for trial. Governor Franklin Roosevelt was so impressed that he visited Fonda to commend Libby and a parade was held in her honor.
Queen Libby died in 1938 and her grandchildren say her funeral was the biggest funeral ever seen in Fonda.
Tomorrow, December 29, 2021-Historians Podcast Episode 238- Sue Ingalls Finan discusses her historical novel “The Cards Don’t Lie.” The book is based on real-life accounts of women during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. The victory of General Andrew Jackson’s American forces over the British at New Orleans effectively ended the War of 1812.
Thursday, December 30, 2021- From the Archives of Focus on History in the Daily Gazette-Amsterdam police officer Andy Nelson
In 1927 Nelson became a member of the city police force. Before switching to driving a police car late in his career, Officer Nelson rode police motorcycles.
This Friday, December 31, 2021
Episode 403-2021 Highlights Episode #5-The Lincoln assassination; reviving New York City’s Broadway theaters; an Adirondack lumber baron; a woman bandit from the Wild West; whatever happened to Judge Crater and Trancendentalism in Concord Massachusetts in the 1800s.
New Years Eve into 2022
Friday Night
A chance of rain and snow between 1am and 3am, then a chance of snow after 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
New Year's Day
Snow likely before 8am, then rain and snow likely between 8am and 9am, then rain likely after 9am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Mohawk Valley Weather, Tuesday, December 28, 2021
Today
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38. West wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 11 to 16 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight
A slight chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 29. West wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Wednesday
A slight chance of drizzle, snow showers, and freezing drizzle before 7am, then a slight chance of rain and snow showers between 7am and 10am. Cloudy, with a high near 36. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Regional Economic Development Council
2021 Awards
New York State https://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/
City of Amsterdam
Smart Growth
Comprehensive Plan
The City of Amsterdam Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan will incorporate
sustainability and climate change concerns within the municipality. The
comprehensive plan will include relevant sustainable projects and methods for
implementing development opportunities, along with elements of abating future
climate change risks.
DOS SG $90,000
City of Amsterdam
West End BOA
Nomination
The City of Amsterdam intends to develop a BOA Nomination for an approximately
158-acre area in the city’s West End. A former manufacturing center characterized
by approximately 22 brownfield sites. The two primary objectives of the BOA study
are to determine appropriate reuse of underutilized or contaminated parcels
within the city; and to generate a catalog of updated information and data
necessary to minimize exposure to potential contamination.
DOS BOA $81,000
City of Amsterdam Water System
Improvements
The City of Amsterdam in Montgomery County will use $898,400 CDBG funding to
make water and sewer system improvements. The total project cost is $999,960
and includes $101,200 from the City of Amsterdam. The improvements will benefit
17,880 neighborhood residents which or 55%
Mohawk Valley News, Tuesday, December 28, 2021
Daily Gazette
Seasonal sign from city’s past restored by Historic Amsterdam League in time for holiday
AMSTERDAM — When spring cleaning at the carriage house behind City Hall unearthed a massive holiday sign that used to…
https://dailygazette.com/
Amsterdam Recorder
Tuesday News
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
‘Sandwich of excitement’; A baby and a fire is all in a Christmas Day’s work for GFD
https://www.leaderherald.com/
View all episodes
By Bob Cudmore...Queen Libby ran a boarding house and grocery store in the west end of Fonda, where she fed, housed and cared for Italian immigrants who worked on the railroad
Tuesday Podcast "6 Minutes"
PHOTOGRAPHER:Stan Hudy
More on The Sign-Daily Gazette
https://dailygazette.com/2021/12/27/seasonal-sign-from-citys-past-restored-by-historic-amsterdam-league-in-time-for-holiday/
by Ashley Onyon
Seasonal sign from city’s past restored by Historic Amsterdam League in time for holiday
AMSTERDAM — When spring cleaning at the carriage house behind City Hall unearthed a massive holiday sign that used to…
An Italian immigrant was the queen of Fonda
By Bob Cudmore
People in Fonda called her Queen Libby. A formidable woman from Italy, Queen Libby literally stopped a train, saved a man from the electric chair and became a major property owner in Fonda.
Elizabeth Luciano was born in Pietremalara near Naples, Italy in 1872. She came to America alone when she was 15 and settled in Fonda to be near relatives who lived in Johnstown. She married another Italian immigrant, James Cassell. They had three children before Cassell died at the age of 33. Libby then married Alfonso Mancini, who worked for the railroad, and had four more children. Libby and Alfonso returned to Italy for a time where Alfonso was a jailor. Libby returned to America by herself and Alfonso eventually followed her back to America.
According to one of her grandchildren, Libby was a large woman who received her nickname when she knocked down a man who had used an ethnic slur about Italians. “The next time you see me, you bow,” Libby told the fallen man, leading him to refer to her as Queen Libby or Queen Lib.
Queen Libby ran a boarding house and grocery store in the west end of Fonda, where she fed, housed and cared for Italian immigrants who worked on the railroad. She had a good head for business and purchased 16 two family houses in the village. Patsy Cassell, one of Libby’s sons, ran a popular Fonda tavern called Patsy’s for many years.
In 1923, one of Libby’s daughters, Eva Mancini Pepe, was about to give birth to her first child. Eva had married Ralph Pepe, whose father Salvatore had founded Pepe’s Bakery, still a family business on Amsterdam’s South Side.
According to a clipping from The Recorder from January 20th of 1923, Libby was informed by telephone that her daughter was about to have a rare Caesarean section at St. Mary’s Hospital in Amsterdam.
Libby secured a red flag at the Fonda train station and when an express came ‘thundering in its usual way; she waved the red flag, convincing the engineer to stop the train and take her to Amsterdam. Arriving at the hospital, she charged into the operating room. Libby also made a phone call to the New York Central Railroad and demanded that the next possible train stop in Fonda to take her husband to Amsterdam.
The headline from the newspaper clipping reads: “Flags train to reach daughter as stork comes: Fonda woman bossed the whole New York Central Railroad but got to Amsterdam hospital on time.”
The child born that day was Vincenza Pepe, who passed away in 2001. Eva Pepe had seven children and the child she bore in 1924 is Salvatore Pepe of Amsterdam, who has provided information for this story.
“Queen Libby was strong-minded, tough but a gentle grandmother,” Pepe said, recalling that Libby gave quarters to her grandchildren.
Ann Nardick Sherman of Amsterdam also claims Queen Libby as a grandmother. Sherman’s mother was Constance Cassell, one of the children from Libby’s first marriage.
According to Sherman, Libby was an interpreter for Italians who could not speak English who were brought before the court in Fonda. Libby once saved an innocent man from the electric chair. Libby called Italy where the real murderer had fled and had him sent back to the United States for trial. Governor Franklin Roosevelt was so impressed that he visited Fonda to commend Libby and a parade was held in her honor.
Queen Libby died in 1938 and her grandchildren say her funeral was the biggest funeral ever seen in Fonda.
Tomorrow, December 29, 2021-Historians Podcast Episode 238- Sue Ingalls Finan discusses her historical novel “The Cards Don’t Lie.” The book is based on real-life accounts of women during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. The victory of General Andrew Jackson’s American forces over the British at New Orleans effectively ended the War of 1812.
Thursday, December 30, 2021- From the Archives of Focus on History in the Daily Gazette-Amsterdam police officer Andy Nelson
In 1927 Nelson became a member of the city police force. Before switching to driving a police car late in his career, Officer Nelson rode police motorcycles.
This Friday, December 31, 2021
Episode 403-2021 Highlights Episode #5-The Lincoln assassination; reviving New York City’s Broadway theaters; an Adirondack lumber baron; a woman bandit from the Wild West; whatever happened to Judge Crater and Trancendentalism in Concord Massachusetts in the 1800s.
New Years Eve into 2022
Friday Night
A chance of rain and snow between 1am and 3am, then a chance of snow after 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
New Year's Day
Snow likely before 8am, then rain and snow likely between 8am and 9am, then rain likely after 9am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Mohawk Valley Weather, Tuesday, December 28, 2021
Today
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 38. West wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 11 to 16 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight
A slight chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 29. West wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Wednesday
A slight chance of drizzle, snow showers, and freezing drizzle before 7am, then a slight chance of rain and snow showers between 7am and 10am. Cloudy, with a high near 36. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Regional Economic Development Council
2021 Awards
New York State https://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/
City of Amsterdam
Smart Growth
Comprehensive Plan
The City of Amsterdam Smart Growth Comprehensive Plan will incorporate
sustainability and climate change concerns within the municipality. The
comprehensive plan will include relevant sustainable projects and methods for
implementing development opportunities, along with elements of abating future
climate change risks.
DOS SG $90,000
City of Amsterdam
West End BOA
Nomination
The City of Amsterdam intends to develop a BOA Nomination for an approximately
158-acre area in the city’s West End. A former manufacturing center characterized
by approximately 22 brownfield sites. The two primary objectives of the BOA study
are to determine appropriate reuse of underutilized or contaminated parcels
within the city; and to generate a catalog of updated information and data
necessary to minimize exposure to potential contamination.
DOS BOA $81,000
City of Amsterdam Water System
Improvements
The City of Amsterdam in Montgomery County will use $898,400 CDBG funding to
make water and sewer system improvements. The total project cost is $999,960
and includes $101,200 from the City of Amsterdam. The improvements will benefit
17,880 neighborhood residents which or 55%
Mohawk Valley News, Tuesday, December 28, 2021
Daily Gazette
Seasonal sign from city’s past restored by Historic Amsterdam League in time for holiday
AMSTERDAM — When spring cleaning at the carriage house behind City Hall unearthed a massive holiday sign that used to…
https://dailygazette.com/
Amsterdam Recorder
Tuesday News
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
‘Sandwich of excitement’; A baby and a fire is all in a Christmas Day’s work for GFD
https://www.leaderherald.com/