Change

For some reason or other the word "quaint" really grates on me. The usual words accompanying it - rustic and old-fashioned - also bother me. All of them mean basically the same thing to me - frozen in time.

The word has been used here a few times, by myself in a somewhat sarcastic manner at times, and by others. The Buffalo Pundit used it recently to describe the Four Corners and Clarence Hollow. It's a big marketing tool word too.

The Town of Clarence is not static. It is constantly evolving, while at the same time trying to preserve the traces of it's roots. Quaint is Lily Dale - nothing much has changed there for over a hundred years. Clarence doesn't fit that description.

It can be a bit disorientating to cruise down a road not usually taken and see the build-up that has taken place. Going down Thompson Road a few years back I was struck by all the new builds. It produced a feeling of "Where am I? Where did all the farm houses go?" Maybe I just parked some in my memory that weren't there, substituting another country road for this one. Maybe.

Subdivisions where there used to be fields. McMansions sprouting like so many weeds. The place where I grew up looked nothing like this. And my version looks positively urban compared to that of previous generations.

It was all downhill after Grant City went up opposite Transitowne Plaza (at Main and Transit, for the new folks). Next thing you know Eastern Hills Mall was built, and now Transit Road resembles one big strip plaza, with Main Street panting in the wings.

The only area that still resembles my youth somewhat is the northern-most part of town. That too will change once the developers get their shovels in the land that still is considered agricultural at this time. However, since when it's not farmed the land looses it's exemption (per town legislation), more will hit the dirt, so to speak. Can't really blame the developers - that's what they do for a living. Can't really "blame" anyone. Change.

Yes, Clarence used to truly fit the definition of rural. No more. You used to drive down Goodrich from Main for a good 3 miles without seeing much evidence of habitation. City folks coming out to visit for the first time wondered if they'd ever find a town :) Then again, most of what is now considered the second ring suburbs where like that, even Amherst.

Before it was despoiled by gaudy things like cars and electricity, Clarence was quaint. Before becoming the haven of developers, later day Clarence could even be described as quaint, a little bit anyway. Now it's a rapidly changing place that considers the places and people of our youth, things we took for granted, as so much history.

I remember when the Four Corners had a tavern and there were rooms to let along the side, and when Eshelman's was run by an actual Mr. Eshelman, and when Bratt's across Clarence Center Road was run by Thelma and Mr. Bratt. And I'm not even that old! (no eye rolling please)

There's still one oasis amid all the progress. One place where nothing really changes - the Beer Tent at the Labor Day Picnic! Oh yeah - and the clam chowder, barbecued chicken, and the food in general. The Parade...and the bandstand...Labor Day in Clarence Center. Then it's back to life in the present day world.

Like Jan Hartwig said, "That's life; the only thing that's for sure is that things change."

Change - the only thing to do is hang on for the ride.

"Life is a culmination of the past, an awareness of the present, an indication of a future" - Charles Lindbergh

Harbison Brothers - A Correction of Sorts

Back on November 27th I wrote a post called "Harbison Brothers and Buffalo's First Gas Station". I was using a small article published in Business First in 1997, the facts of which were probably gleened from family members. The contentious part of a paragraph is this one:

"Harbison Brothers Inc. was originally founded as a maker and re-builder of wooden barrels in 1893 by Adam and Andrew. John, a younger brother, joined them at a later point in time."

Knowing that Adam and Andy were older than John I just assumed that they must have been a lot older, without consulting any family trees. They were not. In 1893 all three were still wee lads on the old sod.

This is were it gets a bit speculative, knowing some facts and not others, since it was a long time ago. However, three uncles had arrived in America first, the original Harbison Brothers. Arthur Ross Harbison and 2 brothers, William and Andrew most likely formed the original business in 1893.

The younger Harbison brothers, Adam, Andrew, and John began arriving in the 1902, as they each became old enough to pull up roots and settle anew.

The most likely scenario is that the younger family members eventually took over the family business. A letter from the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society dated 1990 adds some additional info:

"We searched the city directories and found that the Harbison Brothers were first listed at 179 Ellicott St. in 1917. The business was described as "barrels." In 1918 the description reads "gasoline and oils," still at 179 Ellicott. In 1919 the listing is "Harbison Brothers, 2nd hand barrels, 32-42 Appenheimer St. So it would seem that the photograph must be from either 1917 or 1918."

Meanwhile, I have heard from a previously unknown 3rd cousin in England, Pauline Erwin. It seems many family members and their friends have fond memories of Arthur Ross meeting them at Ellis Island and welcoming them to America. He eventually settled in East Aurora with his wife Sara Victoria, where his namesakes and other descendants still reside. His brothers, William and Andrew, remained single and are buried at Forest Lawn.

**UPDATE**  There was another uncle (verified with death certificates) , brother to Arthur, William, and Andrew, who came to the United States with his family and worked at the garage.  His name was Adam, and he is buried in Forest Lawn, along with his second wife, Annie Morton, and 5 of his/their children (4 of whom remained single, and a daughter who is next to her husband).

I have temporary possession of my mother's meticulously kept genealogy files on the Harbison side. They were put together with input from other relatives, some of whom have their own extensive files. I will be scanning these into the computer to share with Pauline and others as we explore family ties. My thanks to her for getting me interested in this side of the family again.

For those of you that I have totally bored with this article, I leave you with one thought:

Do you know who's in your family tree?