Local History: Holland Farms' Marolyn Wilson honored; Wild Bill Hickok arraigned in Utica

2012, 10 years ago

Wilson honored

Marolyn Wilson receives a “woman of distinction” award from state Sen. Joseph Griffo (R-Rome) in a program that honors women who exemplify personal excellence, or whose professional achievements, acts of courage, integrity or perseverance serves as an example to all New Yorkers.

Wilson, who is co-owner with her sister, Suzanne Harrington, of the Holland Farms Bakery & Deli in Yorkville, is a veteran pilot who has flown in many transcontinental races. Among her many volunteer activities are the American Red Cross and American Heart Association. She is board president of the Broadway Theater League, a board member at the Utica YWCA and a trustee of St. Luke’s-Memorial Hospital Center. Wilson, a graduate of SUNY at Brockport with a bachelor’s degree in education, was named in 2007 a Richard W. Couper Living Legend by the Oneida County History Center.

More: Mohawk Valley History: Ground broken for Riverside Mall in Utica

More: Remember Miss Greater Utica Pageant and waiters racing down Genesee Street?

The Thread of Life thrift store, an outreach program at the Whitesboro Presbyterian Church, awards scholarships to local high school students who exhibit outstanding service to their communities. They are: from Oriskany High, Emily McDonald, and from Whitesboro High, Erin Hartnett, Mary Ellen Fitzgerald-Bord, Kayla Swancott, Jacqui Scibior, Colleen Moore, Taylor Decker and Kelly Lane.

Joleen Ferris, a reporter with WKTV, is named “caring person of the year” by Upstate Cerebral Palsy at its annual meeting. She hosts the organization’s annual American Girl Fashion Show. She also is instrumental is orchestrating and narrating the Kelberman Center’s telethon which features vignettes which profiles families affected by autism.

Todd Hobin, former star athlete at Holland Patent Central School (all-state football player), is the new varsity football coach at New Hartford High. He replaces Bob Jones, who resigned after 16 seasons. Hobin, who was assistant and jayvee coach at New Hartford, has been on the football staffs at Hamilton College, the University of Maryland, Cornell University and Ithaca College.

1997, 25 years ago

Lucas contract

Lucas Aerospace Power Transmission Corporation, on Seward Avenue in Utica, receives a contract from Sikorsky Aircraft to supply all of the flexible drive couplings for Sikorsky’s new 19-passenger S-92 Helibus helicopter.

Paul H. Hadley, of Brookfield, is elected president of the Madison County Bar Association. Hadley, who has a law office in Waterville, is Madison County’s public defender. He is a graduate of Colgate University and Boston College Law School.

In Oneida County American Legion baseball, Adrean Post defeats Sherrill 10 to 7. Sean Doherty has four RBIs for the winners. Meanwhile, Love beats New Hartford, 6 to 3, behind the two-hit pitching of Jason Mauer, and hitting of David Bobela and Steve Snyder.

1972, 50 years ago

Dairy farms

St. Lawrence County now is the only county in the New York-New Jersey Milkshed with more than 1,000 dairy farms. It has 1,242.The number of farms in Oneida County has dropped this year from 913 to 870. In Herkimer County, the number has decreased from 656 to 642, in Madison County 665 to 642 and in Lewis County from 660 to 650.

Doris K. Spring is elected to her fourth term as president of The Players of Utica. Other officers: John Caponera and Gloria Falcon, vice presidents; Gary Harke, recording secretary; G. Clayton Farral, treasurer; and Evelyn Dinerstein, corresponding secretary.

1947, 75 years ago

Future farmers

Raymond Hoffman is elected president of the Remsen chapter of the Future Farmers of America.

In Dolgeville, meanwhile, the Rev. Ernest J. Houghton is appointed the new pastor of the First Presbyterian Church.

1922, 100 years ago

Church celebration

St. Paul’s Church in the hamlet of Paris -- one of the oldest Episcopal churches in Central New York – celebrates its 125th anniversary. Its first church building – the parish was organized in 1797 – was destroyed by fire. The current church was built in 1818.

1874, 148 years ago

Bill goes wild

Wild Bill Hickok – a fast-drawing gunfighter and marshal on the western frontier – is arraigned in Recorder’s Court in Utica on charges of petty larceny and assault. Hickok is in town with the Buffalo Bill Cody Wild West Show and is supposed to have hit a fellow actor. (Charges later are dropped.) Hickok gained national fame as the “two-gun marshal” in the wild cow town of Abilene, Kansas.

Trivia quiz

Happy Father’s Day! I’ll describe the fathers, you name their sons who became presidents of the United States. (1) this father owned and operated a gas station in California. (2) this father was a blacksmith in Iowa. (3) this father is the only one to swear in his son as president. (4) this father was a shoe salesman in Fulton, Illinois. (5) this father was secretary of war in the cabinet of President Ulysses S. Grant. (Answers will appear here next week.)

Answer to last week’s question: Two future U.S. presidents signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 –John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

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: Mohawk Valley History: Holland Farms' Marolyn Wilson honored