Bound Volumes, Hometown History

August 6, 2026

135 YEARS AGO

Case of Elopement reported in the Albany Express—Last Thursday afternoon a telegram was received at police headquarters from one Jacob Winne of Oneonta, requesting the arrest and detention of his wife Sally Winne and Lemuel Higgins, who had eloped together, and would arrive in this city on the afternoon train. Detectives Hale and Bradt proceeded to the Susquehanna depot, and upon the arrival of the train arrested the runaway couple, and took them before Justice Parsons. Mrs. Winne, who, by the way, is rather prepossessing in appearance, stated that she did not elope with Higgins; that they accidentally met each other on the train; that she was going to Catskill while Higgins was bound for New York. She had a valise which contained a quantity of clothing. She gave as a reason for leaving home that her husband had treated her badly. She said that she had been married ten years and had three children. Higgins is a stage driver and has a wife living at Delhi. As the parties had committed no criminal offense on which the magistrate would be justified in holding them, they were set at liberty. We learn that they left together on the 4:40 p.m. train for New York.

August 1866

70 YEARS AGO

Preliminary plans for a Kindergarten building at Center Street School have been approved by the State Department of Education. The building, to be constructed on the former Coy property at the corner of Center Street and Ivy Court, will house about 100 children. Completion of the new school building is expected next spring. The Kindergarten will consist of an indoor play room, a general purpose classroom, a quiet reading and rest area and project work areas. The Center Street side of the building is to be blacktopped as an outdoor play area. Two teachers will be employed in the Kindergarten. It is expected that half-day sessions will be offered with 25 students under each teacher.

August 1956

30 YEARS AGO

The city’s parking garage will turn into a party space featuring music, food and festivities from 5 p.m. to midnight on Saturday. The Downtown Oneonta Improvement Taskforce (DOIT) has lined up three bands to play at “Up on the Roof.” The event is geared to promoting awareness of the parking garage and its convenience to downtown businesses, DOIT Coordinator Mark Drnek said. More than two dozen vendors will offer a range of eats, treats and merchandise for sale. Other activities include an antique car show at the bottom level of the parking garage from 5-8 p.m. with a “peoples’ choice” award ceremony at 7:30 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs. No beverages may be taken into the event. Admission is free but donations will be accepted. DOIT estimates the cost of the event at $2,700 but officials expect to break even.

August 1996

20 YEARS AGO

A longtime supporter of the Springbrook agency for the disabled has left a $2 million living trust to the institution. Robert Kraemer of Esperance in Schoharie County died last fall, but not before his living trust of IBM stock had accumulated $2 million. A longtime barber in his hometown, Kraemer worked in his earlier days as a custodian at IBM. While there, he purchased 40 shares of IBM stock. Using the original 40 shares, Kraemer reinvested all of his stock dividends, year after year. He placed the portfolio in a Wilber Bank living trust in the 1980s. Income from the trust will benefit Springbrook in perpetuity. Springbrook Executive Director Patricia Kennedy said it was a wonderful, heartwarming, amazing story. Plans are underway to memorialize Kraemer’s generosity on the Springbrook campus near Oneonta.

August 2006