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Story Behind the Story
Bob Cudmore MC Saturday and Sunday
This Weekend
American Revolution Conference in the Mohawk Valley
The Conference is Expanded and Starts 2:00 pm on Friday, June 10th, Continues all day Saturday, June 11th and Ends about 12:30 pm on Sunday June 12th
https://fortplainmuseum.org/viewevent.aspx?ID=1062
This Fall
Sir William Johnson and the Wars for Empire Conference
October 21-23, 2022
Registration is open for 2022, information has been updated.
If you signed-up for the 2021 Sir William Johnson Conference, please do not register and email Brian at [email protected]
Newspaper columnist and podcast host Bob Cudmore will introduce the speakers Saturday and Sunday June 11th and 12th at the 2022 American Revolution Conference sponsored by the Fort Plain Museum. The conference will take place at the Fulton-Montgomery Community College Theater, 2805 NY-67, Johnstown. Speakers will include Edward Lengel, William Fowler, James Kirby Martin, Mark Edward Lender and many other experts on the Revolutionary War. For more information check the Web site of the Fort Plain Museum.
An outdoorsman and a historian
By Bob Cudmore, Focus on History, Daily Gazette and Amsterdam Recorder
Outdoorsman, historian and educator Donald R. Williams of Gloversville owes a lot to his grandfather, John Whitman.
“He was a carpenter, Adirondack guide and farmer up in the Adirondacks,” Williams said. “And I inherited all my love of the Adirondacks and my love of tools and all those things from my grandfather.”
Williams’ latest book is a hefty volume with plenty of pictures called “Grandfather’s Tool Chest.”
Williams continued, “He was my inspiration for writing the book and getting all that information down that includes the stories in the ways the tools were used, over 400 tools. It’s a book that weighs almost four pounds and includes 400 color photographs and all the stories that go with the tools.”
A “spud” was used to pull bark off hemlock trees. Hemlock bark was used to produce tannic acid for tanning leather, a process that provided employment in the north woods especially in the 1800s.
“Bung starters” were used to help install bungs or wooden plugs in barrels.
Another tool looks like a tennis racquet holding a u-shaped piece of cedar. It was used to fluff up feather beds.
Williams said he thinks burlap bags can be categorized as tools, “They make work easier, an extension of our hands, making it possible (for people) to get out of the caves.”
Burlap can be made from flax which grows in the field. Burlap bags are used to carry potatoes and other objects, even an order of groceries. Burlap has been used for wallpaper, rag rugs and sack races.
The uses of some of the tools in Williams’ book are not known. He tried to find the purpose of an object that looks like a polished rolling pin. The Adirondack Museum made inquiries and searched the Internet to no avail. “Right now we have no idea what it is,” Williams said.
The cover of the book is like the cover of a tool chest. Williams said he started collecting tools 50 years ago. “As I collected the tools I collected the stories.
The indexed book showcases tools of various trades, household tools and specialized tools. The book costs $55 and is available at Mysteries on Main Street in Johnstown and by mail from Williams at 435 North Main Street, Gloversville, N.Y. 12078. It’s not on Amazon. Williams said he was afraid of being lost in the shuffle in the huge online operation.
Williams, now 88, worked 35 years in education, 20 years as principal of Kinsgborough Elementary School in Gloversville. When he applied for his teacher’s pension some years ago he told the clerk that his great aunt, Emma Timmerman, had set a record for the longest pension by living to 111. “I’m going to break that record,” Williams declared. He and his wife Beverly have five children.
His first history book placed frontiersman Nick Stoner as a fictional character in 33 local history stories. Since then Williams has been a prolific author. He has written eleven books on local and Adirondack history.
For 20 years Williams wrote a weekly column for the Recorder, Leader Herald and two other newspapers. His articles on history and the outdoors have appeared regularly in several magazines.
Like his grandfather, Williams is an Adirondack guide, founding president of an association of guides, “The more we educate people about the outdoors more will care for the outdoors.”
Williams said it’s good and bad that more people are discovering the Adirondacks, “What are you going to do with these huge crowds of people? It’s good they’re getting to the outdoors but it’s also got to be controlled and watched over.”
Tuesday, June 7, 2022- From the Archives of the Daily Gazette-The Nellis Tavern
Farmer Christian Nellis built a log cabin when he arrived with the Palatine Germans in the Mohawk Valley near what is now St. Johnsville in 1725.
“We believe the Nellis name itself is French...
Wednesday, June 8, 2022-From the Archives-January 14, 2022-Episode 405-Jerry Snyder of Historic Amsterdam League has stories from a booklet on Amsterdam’s arts, focusing on visual artists, actors, singers and more with ties to Amsterdam, New York.
Thursday, June 9, 2022- From the Archives of the Daily Gazette-Anthrax in Mohawk Valley mills
Friday, June 10, 2022-Episode 426-Donald Williams is author of “Grandfather’s Tool Chest.” The book has stories about 400 vintage and antique tools. Don Williams, 88, is a well-known educator, lecturer, columnist, and author. He has written eleven books on local and Adirondack history.
The Historians Podcast yearly fund drive $6000.
Bump the bottom line by $500.00 in the month of June
https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-hisJtorians-podcast-2022 Or impart a check made out to Bob Cudmore to 125 Horstman Drive, Scotia, NY 12302.
Mohawk Valley Weather, Monday, June 6, 2022
Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight
Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. Southeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Tuesday
A chance of showers, mainly after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 78. South wind 6 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Mohawk Valley News Headlines, Monday, June 6, 2022
Daily Gazette
Yaddo Gardens keep growing thanks to volunteers; reopen to public Monday
The Yaddo Gardens in Saratoga Springs have enchanted visitors and locals alike for more than a century. With its budding…
The Yaddo Gardens in Saratoga Springs have enchanted visitors and locals alike for more than a century. With its budding…
https://dailygazette.com/
Amsterdam Recorder
Preservation, accessibility focus of Montgomery County’s records digitization project
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
FULTON COUNTY, JOHNSTOWN, LOCAL NEWS, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, THE GLOVERSVILLE LEADER HERALD
Mohawks bash way to back-to-back wins over Saugerties
The Amsterdam Mohawks have come out of the gate mashing to start the 2022 Perfect Game Collegiate...
https://www.leaderherald.com/
View all episodes
By Bob CudmoreBob Cudmore MC Saturday and Sunday
This Weekend
American Revolution Conference in the Mohawk Valley
The Conference is Expanded and Starts 2:00 pm on Friday, June 10th, Continues all day Saturday, June 11th and Ends about 12:30 pm on Sunday June 12th
https://fortplainmuseum.org/viewevent.aspx?ID=1062
This Fall
Sir William Johnson and the Wars for Empire Conference
October 21-23, 2022
Registration is open for 2022, information has been updated.
If you signed-up for the 2021 Sir William Johnson Conference, please do not register and email Brian at [email protected]
Newspaper columnist and podcast host Bob Cudmore will introduce the speakers Saturday and Sunday June 11th and 12th at the 2022 American Revolution Conference sponsored by the Fort Plain Museum. The conference will take place at the Fulton-Montgomery Community College Theater, 2805 NY-67, Johnstown. Speakers will include Edward Lengel, William Fowler, James Kirby Martin, Mark Edward Lender and many other experts on the Revolutionary War. For more information check the Web site of the Fort Plain Museum.
An outdoorsman and a historian
By Bob Cudmore, Focus on History, Daily Gazette and Amsterdam Recorder
Outdoorsman, historian and educator Donald R. Williams of Gloversville owes a lot to his grandfather, John Whitman.
“He was a carpenter, Adirondack guide and farmer up in the Adirondacks,” Williams said. “And I inherited all my love of the Adirondacks and my love of tools and all those things from my grandfather.”
Williams’ latest book is a hefty volume with plenty of pictures called “Grandfather’s Tool Chest.”
Williams continued, “He was my inspiration for writing the book and getting all that information down that includes the stories in the ways the tools were used, over 400 tools. It’s a book that weighs almost four pounds and includes 400 color photographs and all the stories that go with the tools.”
A “spud” was used to pull bark off hemlock trees. Hemlock bark was used to produce tannic acid for tanning leather, a process that provided employment in the north woods especially in the 1800s.
“Bung starters” were used to help install bungs or wooden plugs in barrels.
Another tool looks like a tennis racquet holding a u-shaped piece of cedar. It was used to fluff up feather beds.
Williams said he thinks burlap bags can be categorized as tools, “They make work easier, an extension of our hands, making it possible (for people) to get out of the caves.”
Burlap can be made from flax which grows in the field. Burlap bags are used to carry potatoes and other objects, even an order of groceries. Burlap has been used for wallpaper, rag rugs and sack races.
The uses of some of the tools in Williams’ book are not known. He tried to find the purpose of an object that looks like a polished rolling pin. The Adirondack Museum made inquiries and searched the Internet to no avail. “Right now we have no idea what it is,” Williams said.
The cover of the book is like the cover of a tool chest. Williams said he started collecting tools 50 years ago. “As I collected the tools I collected the stories.
The indexed book showcases tools of various trades, household tools and specialized tools. The book costs $55 and is available at Mysteries on Main Street in Johnstown and by mail from Williams at 435 North Main Street, Gloversville, N.Y. 12078. It’s not on Amazon. Williams said he was afraid of being lost in the shuffle in the huge online operation.
Williams, now 88, worked 35 years in education, 20 years as principal of Kinsgborough Elementary School in Gloversville. When he applied for his teacher’s pension some years ago he told the clerk that his great aunt, Emma Timmerman, had set a record for the longest pension by living to 111. “I’m going to break that record,” Williams declared. He and his wife Beverly have five children.
His first history book placed frontiersman Nick Stoner as a fictional character in 33 local history stories. Since then Williams has been a prolific author. He has written eleven books on local and Adirondack history.
For 20 years Williams wrote a weekly column for the Recorder, Leader Herald and two other newspapers. His articles on history and the outdoors have appeared regularly in several magazines.
Like his grandfather, Williams is an Adirondack guide, founding president of an association of guides, “The more we educate people about the outdoors more will care for the outdoors.”
Williams said it’s good and bad that more people are discovering the Adirondacks, “What are you going to do with these huge crowds of people? It’s good they’re getting to the outdoors but it’s also got to be controlled and watched over.”
Tuesday, June 7, 2022- From the Archives of the Daily Gazette-The Nellis Tavern
Farmer Christian Nellis built a log cabin when he arrived with the Palatine Germans in the Mohawk Valley near what is now St. Johnsville in 1725.
“We believe the Nellis name itself is French...
Wednesday, June 8, 2022-From the Archives-January 14, 2022-Episode 405-Jerry Snyder of Historic Amsterdam League has stories from a booklet on Amsterdam’s arts, focusing on visual artists, actors, singers and more with ties to Amsterdam, New York.
Thursday, June 9, 2022- From the Archives of the Daily Gazette-Anthrax in Mohawk Valley mills
Friday, June 10, 2022-Episode 426-Donald Williams is author of “Grandfather’s Tool Chest.” The book has stories about 400 vintage and antique tools. Don Williams, 88, is a well-known educator, lecturer, columnist, and author. He has written eleven books on local and Adirondack history.
The Historians Podcast yearly fund drive $6000.
Bump the bottom line by $500.00 in the month of June
https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-hisJtorians-podcast-2022 Or impart a check made out to Bob Cudmore to 125 Horstman Drive, Scotia, NY 12302.
Mohawk Valley Weather, Monday, June 6, 2022
Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon.
Tonight
Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. Southeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight.
Tuesday
A chance of showers, mainly after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 78. South wind 6 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Mohawk Valley News Headlines, Monday, June 6, 2022
Daily Gazette
Yaddo Gardens keep growing thanks to volunteers; reopen to public Monday
The Yaddo Gardens in Saratoga Springs have enchanted visitors and locals alike for more than a century. With its budding…
The Yaddo Gardens in Saratoga Springs have enchanted visitors and locals alike for more than a century. With its budding…
https://dailygazette.com/
Amsterdam Recorder
Preservation, accessibility focus of Montgomery County’s records digitization project
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
FULTON COUNTY, JOHNSTOWN, LOCAL NEWS, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, THE GLOVERSVILLE LEADER HERALD
Mohawks bash way to back-to-back wins over Saugerties
The Amsterdam Mohawks have come out of the gate mashing to start the 2022 Perfect Game Collegiate...
https://www.leaderherald.com/