Beginnings of a church, turbotrain visit: This week in Mohawk Valley history

1848, 175 years ago

Hope Chapel

A small group of religious African Americans in Utica begin to meet in their homes to pray and discuss the establishment of a new church in the city. (It is the beginning of Hope Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church. As the group grows, members rent rooms on Elizabeth Street, near Charlotte Street. Today, it is the oldest African American church in the Upper Mohawk Valley and its home is on South Street.)

1903, 120 years ago

A fearless judge

James K. O'Connor -- re-elected Utica city judge this week -- is not superstitious. He walks under ladders, steps on sidewalk cracks, spills salt, does not own a rabbit's foot, opens umbrellas indoors and doesn't cringe when a black cat crosses his path. And he certainly does not have triskaidekaphobia -- the fear of the number 13.

He says, "I was admitted to the bar on Friday the 13th. There are 13 letters in my signature. My telephone in the city's Democratic Party headquarters has the call number 13. I was married 13 years ago and my wedding party had 13 members. When I served in the Assembly in Albany, my seat was No. 13."

And instead of taking his oath of office next January 1st, he has decided to be sworn in two weeks later on Friday the 13th.

1923, 100 years ago

What a Halloween!

One of the largest parades in Utica's history is viewed by tens of thousands of spectators along Genesee Street on Halloween night. They cheer as hundreds of marchers and dozens of bands and floats pass by. They represent the military, fraternal organizations, societies, clubs, political organizations, schools, law enforcement agencies, fire companies and neighboring communities. The biggest float is a beautifully illuminated one by the Utica Gas & Electric Company and drawn by six horses and escorted by 12 footmen. It is called "The Modern Witch." Utica Mayor Fred J. Douglas says the parade contributes to the great decrease in vandalism on Halloween night.

1948, 75 years ago

Night school

Nearly 800 men and women begin night school in Utica Free Academy. Principal Burt D. Hawks says the school offers courses in typing, machine shop, clothing construction, knitting, woodworking and furniture covering.

Meanwhile, the Student Council at New York Mills High School elects officers: Majorie Wester, president; Mark Elias, vice president; Patty Gamache, treasurer, and Mary Van Brocklin, secretary.

1973, 50 years ago

Turbotrain

Amtrak's sleek new Turbotrain is at Utica's Union Station and is greeted by 2,000 students from Sunset, Washington and Hugh R. Jones schools. The red, white and blue streamliner -- capable of speeds up to 120 miles an hour -- is being tested and used to promote the state's proposed $3.5 billion transportation bond issue. (The bond issue was rejected by voters on Election Day.)

Meanwhile, players leading the Bob Hutchison-coached Clinton Central High football team include: Art Allaire, Gregg Davis, Tom Fitzpatrick, Bob Olsen, Jeff Frazier, Bob Hutchison, Steve Dartt,, Dave Sauter, John Daly and Dick Waterman.

In other news, the Charms Club of Utica-Rome elects Darlene Reed as its president. Other officers include: Corinne Brown, vice president; Mary Perkins, recording secretary; Velma Harris, treasurer; Angela Rivers, corresponding secretary, and Diana Washington, historian. The club -- founded in 1962 -- donates much of the money it raises to a scholarship fund at the Cosmopolitan Community Center. It also supportd the United Negro College Fund and the Jones Athletic Club.

1988, 35 years ago

Donovan wins

State Sen. James H. Donovan, R-Chadwicks, wins his 13th, two-year term in office. He chairs the Senate's Education Committee and is credited with making quality, affordable education a top priority in the state.

Three area residents receive the Boy Scouts of America's highest award for volunteers -- the Silver Beaver. They are: David J. Leffert, of New Hartford; Barbara Ann Irvine, of Rome, and Monte R. Bennett, of Earlville.

The Central Valley Conference names its all-star field hockey team: from West Canada Valley -- Kathy Lamphere, Karen Helmer, Keri Vogt, Julie Bazan and Megan Keiffer; from Little Falls -- Becky Boepple, Marci Harris, Missy Koziol and Jennifer Johnson; from Frankfort-Schuyler -- Joanne Spagnola and Deanne Vivacqua; from Ilion -- Vicky and Heather Bloomfield, and Jean Fitch; from Herkimer -- Kris Cool and Angela Herringshaw, and from Mohawk -- Tracey Ferguson and Jackie Helmer.

2013, 10 years ago

Top historian

Paul Dudajek is named "historian of the year" by the Oneida County Historians Association. He is president of the New York Mills Historical Society.

Rome Mayor Joseph Fusco names Jake DiBari as the city's director of community and economic development. He has a bachelor's degree in business administration from SUNYIT.

In high school girls soccer, Poland wins the state Class D title by defeating Copenhagen, 4 to 2. The Tom Basel-coached team is led by Kara Morrison, Tara Seigle, Paige Sullivan, Mikki Blumenstock and Courtney Green.

Trivia quiz

In 1996, the American Psychological Association analyzed our first 41 presidents and said the most intelligent was (a) Thomas Jefferson, (b) James Madison, (c) James A. Garfield, (d) Theodore Roosevelt or (e) John F. Kennedy. (Answer will appear here next week.)

Answer to last week's question: Ronald Reagan, 40th president from 1981-1989, was a movie actor before entering politics. Some of the characters he played, the movies and his co-stars were: George Gipp, star football player at Notre Dame, in "Knute Rockne -- All-American" in 1940 with co-star Pat O'Brien; Grover Cleveland Alexander, Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher, in "The Winning Team" in 1952 with co-star Doris Day; Gen. George Armstrong Custer, as a cadet at West Point, in "Santa Fe Trail" in 1940 with co-stars Errol Flynn and Olivia DeHavilland; a fictional college professor who works with a chimpanzee in an experiment, in "Bedtime for Bonzo" in 1951 with co-star Diana Lynn.

This Week in History is researched and written by Frank Tomaino. E-mail him at ftomaino221@gmail.com. 

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Night school, state Senator Donovan wins another term: This week in history