Hidden Heroes - Dr. H. H. Farley

Farley's is a name which means different things to different people. To some, it is merely a road south of the village of Union Springs. To others, it is an area of summer cottages on Cayuga Lake. Indeed it is both, but so much more. To the residents of Farley's, it is years of treasured memories of a summer way of life shared by many generations of their families. While no early records of summer cottages exist, an 1875 map of Springport shows the residence of H. H. Farley as the only building on what we know today as Farley's Point. By 1904 (map above), twenty one "Farley's Cottages" and "Farley's Station", a stop on the Lehigh Valley Railroad, appear on maps.

Who was H. H. Farley, a man whose vision would affect generations of children and their families? Dr. Horace Hills Farley was born in Springwater, Livingston County, New York in 1813. He was the fifth owner of the property now known as Farley's Point which he purchased in 1841. Farley's Point had been part of the bounty land provided to soldiers of the Revolutionary War as payment for service. These properties were often partitioned off and sold by the soldier/owner making it difficult to track their early ownership. Farley traveled the United States in his younger days returning to Springwater where he married Susan Legore in 1847.

In the 1850 Federal Census, Farley is living with his family in Dansville, NY and his occupation is listed as dentist. In the 1860 census, he and his family resided in Springport where his occupation is listed as farmer. It is no wonder that he made a change in occupations as advertisements for his services, which appeared in Auburn newspapers, describe procedures that would make the strongest person long for the out-of-doors life of a farmer.

Dr. Farley became a noted horticulturist traveling over twenty times to Europe buying planting stock not only for himself, but also for nurserymen in Geneva and Rochester. He served as the United States agent for nursery stock and seeds for noted plantsman Edward Dickinson of Chatenay, France. His stock of pears, peaches and grapes were well known throughout the United States. In later years, Henry Sumner Anderson would join Dr. Farley, not only in his business, but also in his family when he married Farley's daughter, Caroline. In 1885, a delivery of Farley's famous pears would bring tragedy to his family as described in this article from the Weekly Auburnian dated September 25, 1885.

Sadly, this was the second railroad related tragedy to occur in this family. In 1880, Charley Farley, the only son of Dr. and Mrs. Farley and a brakeman for the New York Central Railroad, was fatally run over by a train in Buffalo when his foot became caught in a rail.

Despite these tragedies, Mrs. Farley endured remaining in the area until her passing in 1909. The earliest cottages on Farley's eventually were rented, or the structures purchased, from descendants of Dr. Farley. Today, the Farley and related families continue their ownership of Farley's Point, renting out the land on which these cottages were built. They too return each summer, joining their close neighbors in relishing the many summer memories past and present of a magical place, Farley's Point.

Hidden Heroes - A Lifetime of Friendship

When Harriet Willey, aged 73, and Sally Shorter, aged 100, died within two hours of each other in 1874, their deaths were reported as news in several New York State papers. They had lived as next door neighbors in what was then known as "Pious Hollow" in the village of Cayuga. Today we know Pious Hollow as the area of Genesee St., just east of Route 90. These women had been neighbors for fifty years and members of the same church for 40, thus sharing a deep friendship. Harriet's obituary included the news of Sally's passing and stated "We trust that as they passed from their same earthly they entered their same heavenly home."

Sally, who was affectionately known as "Aunty" to village residents, often made treats for parties held by the ladies of the village. Children would excitedly visit her as she provided them with cookies, candy and doll clothes, but first demanding politeness from each child. "Aunty" was also known for growing the most delicious peaches and plums and freely shared these too with children. She won the hearts and admiration of her friends and neighbors with her fruit and earned their respect by her character.

Harriet, born in Ridgefield CT.,was the daughter of Abijah and Amelia Bulkeley Benedict. The Benedict and Bulkeley families have deep roots in America having emigrated from England to Massachusetts in the early 1600's. Harriet's ancestors included colonial civic leaders, Revolutionary soldiers and even a minister whose private collection of books became the nucleus of the first library at Harvard. Harriet married John Willey, a shoemaker, in Connecticut in 1825. They moved to Cayuga shortly thereafter, first showing on the 1830 census.

Sally first appeared as living in Cayuga in the 1820 census with her husband, Charles, and one son. Charles, a farmer, died in 1851. According to Florence McIntosh's History of the Village of Cayuga written in 1927, Sally was born a slave in the West Indies around 1775. McIntosh further states that Sally was sent to New York by her mistress and freed upon arrival. On the 1850 census, Charles listed his birthplace as Maryland and his age as 80. An African American born in 1770 in Maryland was likely to have been born into slavery. While no records of their family exist, a detailed description of the Shorter home, and its history, appears in Sites Relating to the Underground Railroad, Abolitionism, and African American Life. Their home is deemed significant as it was the home of two African American community leaders, manumitted from slavery. Their home is further described as a rare surviving example of a "shanty" built by freed African Americans.

Shorter Home today

Shorter Home before restoration

1859 map of village of Cayuga

The mere fact of its survival lends great importance to its place in the history of the settlement of freed African Americans in Cayuga County in the first half of the 19th century.

Despite their very different backgrounds and experiences, Sally Shorter and Harriet Willey forged an enduring friendship, relevant today as an example to which we can all aspire.

Hidden Heroes - Charley B

In late 1800's, Charley B, champion race horse, was to Union Springs as Secretariat is to America today. In 1869, Charley B was bred by Charles Burlew, thus his name. When three years old, he was purchased by James Burlew. In 1884, part ownership of Charley B was transferred to Glenn B. Flinn, who together with Burlew, would go on to own the Champion Stock Farm, located south of Union Springs and noted for breeding many winners of the day.

Charley B was described as a large, handsome bay, imposing in form and of superb individuality. He was a prize winner in the show ring, defeating many competitors and very well known beyond Cayuga County. When 20 years old, he achieved a score of 97 3/4 points on the Wallace Scale, the highest score every achieved and a record he held until his death in 1896. On the turf, Charley B was most successful trotting in 27 races achieving 23 first place wins, two seconds, one third and one fourth. Burlew maintained that Charley B could defeat any horse that did not have over him 5 seconds in speed because he had the credentials of a race horse: head, heart and handiness. Most notable, his winnings were achieved without every having a workout on any track. Fortunately Charley B could swim like a duck.

As there was no race track in this area, his training consisted mainly of working in the stone quarries and swimming. After a day's work, Charley B would swim to Frontenac Island (almost a mile away) and when he felt rested, he would make the return swim. Once he swam the entire distance across Cayuga Lake, a feat never repeated as it was too tiring. Despite his lack of the blood of a Hambletonian, the standard breed of many American trotters, Charley B sired 27 offspring with many of whom grew to become champion racers with national recognition. At the time of his death, Charley B received a two column obituary in the Syracuse Herald. His remains were interred on the Champion Stock Farm and marked by a large obelisk quarried from the stone where he worked. Today the marker is preserved on a farm near his grave, no longer visible from Route 90 south of Union Springs. The Herald reported "Another of the few good sires that was owned in central New York passes into oblivion and the chances are that no one of his sons can equal, not to say excel, the showing made by their dead sire which, in the writer's estimation, is to be regretted."

James Burlew was a well-educated man who taught school before coming to Union Springs in 1862. He started a livery stable located at the foot of Homer St. and also bought a 200 acre farm, where he raised the finest horses which were devoted exclusively to fast trotters.

Glenn Flinn, born in Springport in 1860, formed a full partnership in the farm with Burlew in 1888. Together they specialized in raising the finest racing horses. Their partnership continued until 1893 when Flinn assumed full responsibility for Champion Stock Farm. Both achieved national prominence in the field of horse breeding having almost 100 horses in their stable at any one time, many of whom were brood mares.

Flinn trained and raced his own horses and even developed a race track at the southeast corner of Ridge and Number One Roads. Races held there in 1895 included competitions for trotters, pacers, a running race and even free-for-all races for trotters and pacers. Purses ranged from $50 to $100. Flinn was also one of the founders of the New York State Fair. Burlew died in 1905 and Flinn in 1932 leaving many descendants in the area.

Note: Visit the Video Section on the museum's website to view audio recordings and recollections of growing up in Union Springs by Harry Flinn. Harry, born in 1925, was the grandson of Glenn Flinn.

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