Out of the Past

125 Years Ago

Feb. 16, 1882

Yesterday afternoon, as Mr. John Hoffman was driving up Washington Street in Buffalo with a load of stoves, on his way home, the board on which he was sitting slipped, and he was thrown violently to the pavement, badly bruising his right shoulder and head. Upon inquiring this morning, we learn the injuries are not serious, but quite painful.

Mr. Joseph Wetzel won the horse recently raffled at N. Bitterman's.

This morning, Mr. J.D. Long's large hay scales withstood a severe test in weighing a horse that balanced the beam at 145 pounds.

Mr. William C. Hipner has sold his farm to Mr. John Daniels. The price paid we understand was $103 per acre.

"The key that winds up many a man's business is whiskey."

"It may be right occasionally to take a bull by the horns, but it is always well to keep in mind that the horns belong to the bull."

100 Years Ago

Feb. 14, 1907

Miss Eugenie W. Snyder entertained the Mejah Pedro Club at its last meeting of the season.

The temperature on Feb. 10 reached 4 degrees below zero, the coldest day of the winter.

75 Years Ago

Feb. 18, 1932

Stopping Mrs. John P. Wooster as she was walking on Mill Street Tuesday evening, a thief snatched her purse and made a safe getaway. Her loss amounted to $125.

William Messersmith, whose birthplace was on a farm about two miles north of Williamsville, died Sunday afternoon, Feb. 14, 1932. The end came unexpectedly at the Plymouth Methodist Church while he was in attendance at a service. Rising to sing, he was stricken with a heart attack, death following almost immediately.

The Amherst Central High School announces a course to be given in photography. It will be open to the more advanced students and include the developing and enlargement of pictures.

The blue and white of Williamsville High School had little trouble with the Alden High cagers on Friday night, defeating them decisively 49-14.

Rehearsals for "Drury Ranch," the forthcoming production of the Monroe Players, are being held regularly. The play will be given Friday evening, March 4, in the Williamsville High School.

While fumigating a bedroom in the home of Henry Hahn at the corner of Pfohl Place and Scott Drive Wednesday afternoon, the mattress of a bed was ignited. The Williamsville firemen quickly extinguished the blaze.

50 Years Ago

Feb. 14, 1957

The most dastardly crime to be committed in Amherst in years took place last Saturday when a man viciously struck on the head a woman who was helplessly confined to a wheel chair. The crime took place at the gift shop she operates at 4610 Main Street, Snyder.

A co-educational high school to serve area parishes will be built by the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo on an eight-acre site on Park Club Lane.

On Tuesday night, Feb. 5th, Karl Pautler, aided and abetted by Leonard Menedue, landed a sixteen pound lake trout in ninety feet of water off Gull Rock at Lake Simcoe, Ontario.

25 Years Ago

Feb. 10, 1982

Several "serious developers" are interested in leasing or purchasing the Sweet Home School District's decommissioned elementary school at Sheridan and Sweet Home, sources say.

Rita Auerbach is presenting a one-woman show of watercolors through Feb. 28 at AM&A's Gallery East Cafe at the Eastern Hills Mall.

Mrs. Deanna A. Banaszak of Williamsville, an art teacher in the Clarence school system, died Tuesday, Feb. 2, 1982. She was named 1977 Outstanding Teacher of the Year by the Clarence Jaycees.