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Daily Update
Officer Nelson was big, gruff, but really nice
by Bob Cudmore
Historians, Thursday, December 30, 2021 Thank You and a little Chatter "11 Minutes" with the January docket
Let us say here, the latest Bob Cudmore print story Saturday
January 1, 2022-Focus on History in the Daily Gazette- Soccer, ice cream and men’s clothing among 2021’s topics
The Recorder reported, “With pipers piping and a total of three bands contributing to a musical background, the Bigelow-Sanford team squeezed out a 3-2 victory...
Officer Nelson rode police motorcycles. One of the cycles that Nelson used was a three wheeler, another had a sidecar.
Andrew C. Nelson
An Amsterdam police officer is well-remembered by relatives and former Guy Park Avenue elementary school students. Andrew C. Nelson was born in Amsterdam in 1893, the son of Andrew and Minnie Coons Nelson. He attended West Spring Street School and lived in the West End most of his life. He served in the Navy in World War I. After the war he worked at Bigelow-Sanford carpet mill. He married Edith Townsend of Tribes Hill in 1926.
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. One of the cycles that Nelson used was a three wheeler, another had a sidecar.
Nelson’s niece, Florence Orlando now of Gloversville, recalled her aunt and uncle came to visit her family in Mount Kisco, New York, with Andy in the driver’s seat of an Indian motorcycle and Edith behind him. Orlando still has Nelson’s nightstick. Orlando recalled that people said Officer Nelson would give his own mother a traffic ticket. He once attached a ticket to a car owned by the police chief, illegally parked near the chief’s home.
Orlando said, “He was a big man, very gruff. You listened to him when he talked and were kind of scared of him. But he wasn’t going to harm you.”
Nelson protected children crossing Guy Park Avenue to get to the elementary school. One of those children was Peter Betz who now lives in Perth. Betz, Fulton County historian, said there was the time Nelson arrested a yo-yo salesman at Guy Park Avenue School. Nelson once tamed a gray squirrel to eat from his hand for the amusement of the children.
Guy Park alumnus Lawrence Spagnola recalled looking forward to seeing Nelson with his uniform and motorcycle at school. Spagnola lived near the Nelsons on Carmichael Street. Spagnola said neighborhood kids played football in front of Nelson’s home but he never chased them away.
“I don't like admitting that from time to time we actually challenged him,” Spagnola said. “He was always understanding and just knew that it was nothing personal and he understood that we didn't mean anything against him.”
Amsterdam native Eugene Leonard of Garden Grove, California said Nelson was a father figure who made sure he played it straight. One day Leonard questioned the accuracy of the speedometer on his car. Officer Nelson proposed a test. Leonard set off down Guy Park Avenue with his window open and Officer Nelson followed on his motorcycle yelling out instructions, such as “Bring it up to 30 miles per hour.” Leonard was sure people thought he was a miscreant being pursued by the diligent Officer Nelson.
Nelson’s brother-in-law, Louis Townsend of Fort Johnson, said Nelson was very strict on the police force but in reality was a gentle man who loved children. Nelson and his wife had no children of their own. He enjoyed holidays and sometimes played Santa Claus.
Nelson retired in 1958 and enjoyed hunting and especially fishing in his retirement, often accompanied on trips north by his wife. He died in 1965 while on a fishing trip at Lake Pleasant. Nelson belonged to city and county police organizations, the Masons, American Legion, plus fish and game clubs. He and his wife were Methodists who worshipped at churches in Tribes Hill and Division Street in Amsterdam.
His obituary had the following quote, “Assigned to enforce the Motor Vehicle Law in the days prior to tire-screeching, mufflerless and public thoroughfare drag racing, Nelson was considered a tough cop who knew the law and enforced it without regard to his personal welfare.”
Veteran Recorder police reporter Wallace McBride Kimball once said if the city had four officers like Andy Nelson and Stanley Bush, another highly regarded Amsterdam cop, the rest of the police force could be dismissed.
The just completed
Tomorrow, 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.
Amsterdam and Mohawk Valley Weather, Thursday, December 30, 2021
Patchy drizzle before 10am, then scattered showers after 1pm. Patchy dense fog before 3pm, then patchy dense fog after 4pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 40. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tonight
Scattered showers before 1am, then patchy drizzle after 4am. Patchy fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 34. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Friday
A slight chance of showers after 4pm. Cloudy, with a high near 42. Light east wind. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
New Years Eve
A chance of showers before 1am, then a slight chance of showers after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
New Year's Day
Showers likely, mainly between 7am and 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 42. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
December 1460
Wars of the Roses
Here about it all the time, but that's all
Mohawk Valley News, Thursday, December 30, 2021
Daily Gazette
Huge one-day COVID jump possibly inflated by holiday delays
ALBANY — New York state and many of its counties shattered their one-day COVID infection records Tuesday, with the arrival…
https://dailygazette.com/
Amsterdam Recorder
Amsterdam IDA nets $250K grant for Chalmers brewery project, much less than the requested amount
AMSTERDAM — Even with the announcement of a $250,000 state grant award for a proposed brewery at the former Chalmers…
AMSTERDAM — Even with the announcement of a $250,000 state grant award for a proposed brewery at the former Chalmers…
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
Town of Johnstown deputy supervisor job still undecided
by Jason Subik
https://www.leaderherald.com/
View all episodes
By Bob CudmoreOfficer Nelson was big, gruff, but really nice
by Bob Cudmore
Historians, Thursday, December 30, 2021 Thank You and a little Chatter "11 Minutes" with the January docket
Let us say here, the latest Bob Cudmore print story Saturday
January 1, 2022-Focus on History in the Daily Gazette- Soccer, ice cream and men’s clothing among 2021’s topics
The Recorder reported, “With pipers piping and a total of three bands contributing to a musical background, the Bigelow-Sanford team squeezed out a 3-2 victory...
Officer Nelson rode police motorcycles. One of the cycles that Nelson used was a three wheeler, another had a sidecar.
Andrew C. Nelson
An Amsterdam police officer is well-remembered by relatives and former Guy Park Avenue elementary school students. Andrew C. Nelson was born in Amsterdam in 1893, the son of Andrew and Minnie Coons Nelson. He attended West Spring Street School and lived in the West End most of his life. He served in the Navy in World War I. After the war he worked at Bigelow-Sanford carpet mill. He married Edith Townsend of Tribes Hill in 1926.
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. One of the cycles that Nelson used was a three wheeler, another had a sidecar.
Nelson’s niece, Florence Orlando now of Gloversville, recalled her aunt and uncle came to visit her family in Mount Kisco, New York, with Andy in the driver’s seat of an Indian motorcycle and Edith behind him. Orlando still has Nelson’s nightstick. Orlando recalled that people said Officer Nelson would give his own mother a traffic ticket. He once attached a ticket to a car owned by the police chief, illegally parked near the chief’s home.
Orlando said, “He was a big man, very gruff. You listened to him when he talked and were kind of scared of him. But he wasn’t going to harm you.”
Nelson protected children crossing Guy Park Avenue to get to the elementary school. One of those children was Peter Betz who now lives in Perth. Betz, Fulton County historian, said there was the time Nelson arrested a yo-yo salesman at Guy Park Avenue School. Nelson once tamed a gray squirrel to eat from his hand for the amusement of the children.
Guy Park alumnus Lawrence Spagnola recalled looking forward to seeing Nelson with his uniform and motorcycle at school. Spagnola lived near the Nelsons on Carmichael Street. Spagnola said neighborhood kids played football in front of Nelson’s home but he never chased them away.
“I don't like admitting that from time to time we actually challenged him,” Spagnola said. “He was always understanding and just knew that it was nothing personal and he understood that we didn't mean anything against him.”
Amsterdam native Eugene Leonard of Garden Grove, California said Nelson was a father figure who made sure he played it straight. One day Leonard questioned the accuracy of the speedometer on his car. Officer Nelson proposed a test. Leonard set off down Guy Park Avenue with his window open and Officer Nelson followed on his motorcycle yelling out instructions, such as “Bring it up to 30 miles per hour.” Leonard was sure people thought he was a miscreant being pursued by the diligent Officer Nelson.
Nelson’s brother-in-law, Louis Townsend of Fort Johnson, said Nelson was very strict on the police force but in reality was a gentle man who loved children. Nelson and his wife had no children of their own. He enjoyed holidays and sometimes played Santa Claus.
Nelson retired in 1958 and enjoyed hunting and especially fishing in his retirement, often accompanied on trips north by his wife. He died in 1965 while on a fishing trip at Lake Pleasant. Nelson belonged to city and county police organizations, the Masons, American Legion, plus fish and game clubs. He and his wife were Methodists who worshipped at churches in Tribes Hill and Division Street in Amsterdam.
His obituary had the following quote, “Assigned to enforce the Motor Vehicle Law in the days prior to tire-screeching, mufflerless and public thoroughfare drag racing, Nelson was considered a tough cop who knew the law and enforced it without regard to his personal welfare.”
Veteran Recorder police reporter Wallace McBride Kimball once said if the city had four officers like Andy Nelson and Stanley Bush, another highly regarded Amsterdam cop, the rest of the police force could be dismissed.
The just completed
Tomorrow, 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.
Amsterdam and Mohawk Valley Weather, Thursday, December 30, 2021
Patchy drizzle before 10am, then scattered showers after 1pm. Patchy dense fog before 3pm, then patchy dense fog after 4pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 40. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tonight
Scattered showers before 1am, then patchy drizzle after 4am. Patchy fog. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 34. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Friday
A slight chance of showers after 4pm. Cloudy, with a high near 42. Light east wind. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
New Years Eve
A chance of showers before 1am, then a slight chance of showers after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
New Year's Day
Showers likely, mainly between 7am and 1pm. Cloudy, with a high near 42. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
December 1460
Wars of the Roses
Here about it all the time, but that's all
Mohawk Valley News, Thursday, December 30, 2021
Daily Gazette
Huge one-day COVID jump possibly inflated by holiday delays
ALBANY — New York state and many of its counties shattered their one-day COVID infection records Tuesday, with the arrival…
https://dailygazette.com/
Amsterdam Recorder
Amsterdam IDA nets $250K grant for Chalmers brewery project, much less than the requested amount
AMSTERDAM — Even with the announcement of a $250,000 state grant award for a proposed brewery at the former Chalmers…
AMSTERDAM — Even with the announcement of a $250,000 state grant award for a proposed brewery at the former Chalmers…
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
Town of Johnstown deputy supervisor job still undecided
by Jason Subik
https://www.leaderherald.com/