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Tuesday, but this Friday, Jim Kaplan
The Historians Podcast fund drive has a long way to go to reach our $7000 goal by year’s end. We’re asking for your help.
Historians Episode #500 coming this month.
This year Historians Podcast featured 50 episodes. Topics included the story of an African American who named the Underground Railroad; songs of the American Revolution with Cosby Gibson and Tom Staudle; the 1963 desegregation campaign in Birmingham, Alabama and the story of a pioneer female photojournalist and war correspondent who was killed during the Vietnam War.
Featured guests include New York State Historian Devin Lander, Jerry Snyder of Historic Amsterdam League, Denise Doring VanBuren of the Beacon New York Historical Society, sports reporter Kate Fagan, composer Maria Riccio Bryce, Holocaust researcher Meryl Frank, New York City correspondent Jim Kaplan and Gregg Ficery on the history of American football.
You may donate anonymously. No donation is too small. Your support is much appreciated.
You may donate online here: The Historians Podcast, organized by Bob Cudmore
Another Congressman from Amsterdam area
By Bob Cudmore
In what has become an ongoing feature, another Congressman with ties to the Amsterdam area has surfaced--Theron Akin. Born in Johnstown in 1855, Akin went to school in Amsterdam and became a dentist.
He lived in Akin (what is now Fort Johnson) just outside Amsterdam where he served as president of the village and was elected as a Progressive Republican in Congress from 1911 through 1913, during the administration of Republican William Howard Taft. Akin was defeated in his bids for election to Congress in 1912 and 1914. In addition to dentistry, he was also a farmer.
Akin was elected mayor of Amsterdam from 1920 to 1923. He died in 1933 and was buried at Pine Grove Cemetery in Tribes Hill.
Former Amsterdam city attorney Bob Going wrote, “While in Congress he vigorously protested the successful effort to rename the hamlet of Akin (named after his father Ethan Akin) to Fort Johnson. It is a reflection of the esteem with which he was held by his colleagues in Congress that his protests were ignored.
“(Akin) was arguably the worst mayor in the history of the city of Amsterdam, reportedly quite wacky and from what I've read in the old Common Council minutes he didn't seem to get along with anybody and there were continuous efforts to have him removed from office.”
In all, then, nine men from the Amsterdam area have been elected to Congress—Benedict Arnold, John Sanford, Stephen Sanford, John Sanford the younger, John Knox Stewart, Samuel Wallin, Theron Akin, Sam Stratton and Paul Tonko. Tonko, plus Stephen and the younger John Sanford were born in Amsterdam.
Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (who lives near Plattsburgh) currently represents the city of Amsterdam. Tonko is still in Congress and represents a district comprised of most counties in the Capital District.
TESIERO’S PHARMACY
With descriptions of soda fountains and drugstores in recent columns, Amsterdam native Peter Betz has put in a word for the former Tesiero’s Pharmacy at 186 Market Street. In 1932, it was operated by Thomas Tesiero.
Betz wrote, “There was a long, marble fountain inside the street side window with those old curled metal fountain chairs. They took it out in the early 1950's. I think it was one of the earliest soda fountains in the city. It sure was beautiful.”
DESCENT FROM ADAM
Peter Betz, Fulton County historian and professor emeritus from Fulton-Montgomery Community College, said Amsterdam’s Betz clan was descended from Adam Betz, an 1890 immigrant from Weinheim, Germany.
Adam Betz was a barber but did police work as well, as a constable, Sheriff’s deputy and Children’s Court officer.
Author Harvey Chalmers wrote a story about Adam called “Law Enforcement in the Age of Homespun.” The sheriff asked for Adam’s help in subduing an armed farmer who was keeping authorities at bay on the front porch of his home. Adam noted that the deputies could see the back door of the house through the open door on the front porch. Adam snuck to the rear and when the deputies saw Adam, they created a commotion enabling Adam to sneak up on the farmer.
One of the few times Adam was hurt, he was repossessing chickens. While be bent down to get the chickens, a woman hit him with a baseball bat dislocating his shoulder.
Adam and his wife Elise had four children: Elizabeth, George, David and Peter’s father, Paul. George worked with his father as a barber. George’s son was John Betz, who founded the Betz Funeral Home.
“When Adam died, it was about the biggest funeral I’ve ever attended in my life,” said Peter Betz. “And there were all these people standing around telling my older relatives that Adam did this for them and Adam did that for them. And I began to get a much greater appreciation for the man.”
Wednesday, November 8, 2023-From the Archives- May 26, 2023-Episode 476-Journalist Paul Kix documents how the 1963 desegregation campaign in Birmingham Alabama changed race relations in America. Martin Luther King, Jr., was imprisoned and wrote his Letter from a Birmingham Jail.
Thursday, November 9, 2023-From the Archives of Focus on History from the Daily Gazette-Lincoln and Amsterdam
Friday, November 10, 2023-Episode 498-Jim Kaplan on Revolutionary War General Horatio Gates. American commander in the key victory over the British in the Battle of Saratoga, Gates’ reputation suffered at the end of the war. He later moved to New York City and helped elect Thomas Jefferson as President in 1800.
No need to go far for this interview, Galway
Episode 468-Alan Maddaus is author of The Prestons of East Street, the Story of a 19th century A merican Family. The lives of seven Preston family members from Galway, N.Y., were impacted by events including Civil War, the Second Great Awakening and the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, the natural disaster claiming the most lives on US soil.
Mohawk Valley Weather, Tuesday, November 7, 2023
51 degrees in The City of Amsterdam at 6:19AM
Scattered showers, mainly after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 59. Breezy, with a southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west 17 to 22 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tonight
Isolated showers before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. West wind 13 to 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Wednesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 43. Northwest wind 7 to 10 mph.
A low pressure system will push across the region today with
breezy conditions and a few additional rain showers. Drier
weather returns on Wednesday before another system brings rain
and a wintry mix of precipitation Wednesday night into Thursday.
Mohawk Valley News Headlines
...one-stop shopping for all of our award-winning content from The Daily Gazette, The Recorder News, The Leader-Herald and Nippertown.
https://www.dailygazette.com/
The Daily Gazette Family of Newspapers is excited to announce the launch of a brand-new website that encompasses our three daily newspapers as well as our newly-acquired arts and lifestyle site.
Each of the four publications still has a separate and distinct home on the website, but they all reside under The Daily Gazette umbrella, and we’ve ensured that they’ve retained their individual identity and scope of coverage.
View all episodes
By Bob CudmoreThe Historians Podcast fund drive has a long way to go to reach our $7000 goal by year’s end. We’re asking for your help.
Historians Episode #500 coming this month.
This year Historians Podcast featured 50 episodes. Topics included the story of an African American who named the Underground Railroad; songs of the American Revolution with Cosby Gibson and Tom Staudle; the 1963 desegregation campaign in Birmingham, Alabama and the story of a pioneer female photojournalist and war correspondent who was killed during the Vietnam War.
Featured guests include New York State Historian Devin Lander, Jerry Snyder of Historic Amsterdam League, Denise Doring VanBuren of the Beacon New York Historical Society, sports reporter Kate Fagan, composer Maria Riccio Bryce, Holocaust researcher Meryl Frank, New York City correspondent Jim Kaplan and Gregg Ficery on the history of American football.
You may donate anonymously. No donation is too small. Your support is much appreciated.
You may donate online here: The Historians Podcast, organized by Bob Cudmore
Another Congressman from Amsterdam area
By Bob Cudmore
In what has become an ongoing feature, another Congressman with ties to the Amsterdam area has surfaced--Theron Akin. Born in Johnstown in 1855, Akin went to school in Amsterdam and became a dentist.
He lived in Akin (what is now Fort Johnson) just outside Amsterdam where he served as president of the village and was elected as a Progressive Republican in Congress from 1911 through 1913, during the administration of Republican William Howard Taft. Akin was defeated in his bids for election to Congress in 1912 and 1914. In addition to dentistry, he was also a farmer.
Akin was elected mayor of Amsterdam from 1920 to 1923. He died in 1933 and was buried at Pine Grove Cemetery in Tribes Hill.
Former Amsterdam city attorney Bob Going wrote, “While in Congress he vigorously protested the successful effort to rename the hamlet of Akin (named after his father Ethan Akin) to Fort Johnson. It is a reflection of the esteem with which he was held by his colleagues in Congress that his protests were ignored.
“(Akin) was arguably the worst mayor in the history of the city of Amsterdam, reportedly quite wacky and from what I've read in the old Common Council minutes he didn't seem to get along with anybody and there were continuous efforts to have him removed from office.”
In all, then, nine men from the Amsterdam area have been elected to Congress—Benedict Arnold, John Sanford, Stephen Sanford, John Sanford the younger, John Knox Stewart, Samuel Wallin, Theron Akin, Sam Stratton and Paul Tonko. Tonko, plus Stephen and the younger John Sanford were born in Amsterdam.
Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (who lives near Plattsburgh) currently represents the city of Amsterdam. Tonko is still in Congress and represents a district comprised of most counties in the Capital District.
TESIERO’S PHARMACY
With descriptions of soda fountains and drugstores in recent columns, Amsterdam native Peter Betz has put in a word for the former Tesiero’s Pharmacy at 186 Market Street. In 1932, it was operated by Thomas Tesiero.
Betz wrote, “There was a long, marble fountain inside the street side window with those old curled metal fountain chairs. They took it out in the early 1950's. I think it was one of the earliest soda fountains in the city. It sure was beautiful.”
DESCENT FROM ADAM
Peter Betz, Fulton County historian and professor emeritus from Fulton-Montgomery Community College, said Amsterdam’s Betz clan was descended from Adam Betz, an 1890 immigrant from Weinheim, Germany.
Adam Betz was a barber but did police work as well, as a constable, Sheriff’s deputy and Children’s Court officer.
Author Harvey Chalmers wrote a story about Adam called “Law Enforcement in the Age of Homespun.” The sheriff asked for Adam’s help in subduing an armed farmer who was keeping authorities at bay on the front porch of his home. Adam noted that the deputies could see the back door of the house through the open door on the front porch. Adam snuck to the rear and when the deputies saw Adam, they created a commotion enabling Adam to sneak up on the farmer.
One of the few times Adam was hurt, he was repossessing chickens. While be bent down to get the chickens, a woman hit him with a baseball bat dislocating his shoulder.
Adam and his wife Elise had four children: Elizabeth, George, David and Peter’s father, Paul. George worked with his father as a barber. George’s son was John Betz, who founded the Betz Funeral Home.
“When Adam died, it was about the biggest funeral I’ve ever attended in my life,” said Peter Betz. “And there were all these people standing around telling my older relatives that Adam did this for them and Adam did that for them. And I began to get a much greater appreciation for the man.”
Wednesday, November 8, 2023-From the Archives- May 26, 2023-Episode 476-Journalist Paul Kix documents how the 1963 desegregation campaign in Birmingham Alabama changed race relations in America. Martin Luther King, Jr., was imprisoned and wrote his Letter from a Birmingham Jail.
Thursday, November 9, 2023-From the Archives of Focus on History from the Daily Gazette-Lincoln and Amsterdam
Friday, November 10, 2023-Episode 498-Jim Kaplan on Revolutionary War General Horatio Gates. American commander in the key victory over the British in the Battle of Saratoga, Gates’ reputation suffered at the end of the war. He later moved to New York City and helped elect Thomas Jefferson as President in 1800.
No need to go far for this interview, Galway
Episode 468-Alan Maddaus is author of The Prestons of East Street, the Story of a 19th century A merican Family. The lives of seven Preston family members from Galway, N.Y., were impacted by events including Civil War, the Second Great Awakening and the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, the natural disaster claiming the most lives on US soil.
Mohawk Valley Weather, Tuesday, November 7, 2023
51 degrees in The City of Amsterdam at 6:19AM
Scattered showers, mainly after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 59. Breezy, with a southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west 17 to 22 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 37 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tonight
Isolated showers before 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. West wind 13 to 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Wednesday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 43. Northwest wind 7 to 10 mph.
A low pressure system will push across the region today with
breezy conditions and a few additional rain showers. Drier
weather returns on Wednesday before another system brings rain
and a wintry mix of precipitation Wednesday night into Thursday.
Mohawk Valley News Headlines
...one-stop shopping for all of our award-winning content from The Daily Gazette, The Recorder News, The Leader-Herald and Nippertown.
https://www.dailygazette.com/
The Daily Gazette Family of Newspapers is excited to announce the launch of a brand-new website that encompasses our three daily newspapers as well as our newly-acquired arts and lifestyle site.
Each of the four publications still has a separate and distinct home on the website, but they all reside under The Daily Gazette umbrella, and we’ve ensured that they’ve retained their individual identity and scope of coverage.