ABOVE PHOTO: A young Jessica Bramley, age 17, Christmas Day, 1907.
Jessica Edgarita Leland Bramley (Mar. 28, 1890-Jan. 9, 1980, age 89) was born in Cato, New York. She is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in Jordan.
The charming and historically-detailed story below is based on Jessica Bramley's 1972 recollections of Jordan during her younger years.
Member of class of 1907 at Jordan reminisces at alumni meeting
By Kate Hudson, J-E Correspondent
JORDAN—The Centennial room of Auburn Inn was the setting of the annual alumni meeting of Jordan Central School-Jordan-Elbridge School Saturday, June 10, with approximately 190 in attendance. This was the first combined schools alumni meeting, and 24 J-E graduates were extended a welcome by Frank Whitmore, this year's JHS alumni president.
Mrs. Jessica Leland Bramley and Fred Ceratt represented the 65-year class.
Correspondence was read from Carrie Wood Clark, Class of 1907; Jessie Cox Castor, Class of 1903, and Miss Marion Chamberlin, retired teacher.
Jordan's eldest living alumna is Miss Edith Purce, Class of 1898, who lives in Lyons.
The retired JHS teachers, guests of the alumni, included Mrs. Marjorie Upson, Miss Rosanna Scullion, Miss Anna McPeak and Mrs. Bramley.
Traveling from the farthest point was James Roberts, Class of '62, who came from Denver, Colo.
Two generations of graduates were represented by the families of Stafford, McNabb, two Young families, Hendricks, Clements, Stevens, Kenney, Soderholm, Demperio and Traver.
Named to the nominating committee for '74 are Mrs. Judy Baker Bozeat, Mrs. Doris Parry Kitchner, John Stevens and William Hardy.
The '73 nominating committee of Miss Madeline Mahoney, Norman Howes and Miss Margaret Somes presented the slate for '73 officers: Thomas Greenwood, president; Richard Young, vice-president; Wanda Howe Bard, recording secretary; Emma Hart Castor, treasurer, and corresponding secretary for JHS, Lois Polmanteer Martin.
Speaker of the 65-year class, Mrs. Bramley was greeted with a standing ovation. She said she was honored "to be asked to speak to you in an age in which youth plays the dominant role. I am happy to greet you, so many of you whom I have known personally and known not only you, but your fathers and mothers, your grandparents, and now your children.
"I am proud to be here, proud to be a part of the Jordan School, for from my earliest childhood, I eagerly awaited the time I might attend Jordan High School. My grandmother attended Jordan Academy, coming from Cross Lake in the Town of Cato in the 1840's and becoming a teacher in a private school in New York City. My father and his sisters attended the Jordan Academy in the 1870's and as outsiders, had to pay tuition. My brother came to Jordan Academy and Union Free School and studied among other subjects, Greek. Can you imagine that today?
"At last I was ready for high school, a country girl, four miles out in the country, driving a horse and wagon, with a bag of oats under the seat to be fed to the horse at noon. It cost 5 cents per day for barn rental, if you unharnessed the horse and fed the horse yourself. For 10 cents you could drive to the Hotel Clinton or Doc Whiting's stables where a stable boy performed the duties. I put my horse in Mr. Nicholas Craner's barn at the corner of Quince Street. When the weather became cold and the roads deep mud, I stayed in town and then I had fun.
"What was Jordan like 65 to 70 years ago? Let me give you a picture that is difficult to visualize today.
"It had a population of 1200 and was undergoing a depression for the malt house had just closed. It was the beginning of the big trusts and the business had been taken over and many men were out of work but it was a thriving and fine village. Unlike many rural communities, it had a water system with fire hydrants; the fire house was a small building east of the present village hall, with a fire engine which the volunteer firemen often drew by hand, not wanting to wait for horses to be harnessed.
"Jordan had electricity with a dam and power house up the Hollow Road. The power was turned off at 2 a.m., so lamps were always ready. The village street lights did not come on in the moonlight nights, which was enjoyed by the young people, and only on Tuesday morning was there power for ironing, that is, if you owned an electric iron.
"Jordan was a railroad town and a canal town. The New York Central had four tracks and the West Shore two tracks, with many long freight trains, and numerous passenger trains. People traveled to Syracuse by train at a cost of 65 cents round trip, and there were many trains stopping at Jordan. The canal was a busy avenue for freight.
"The village and country roads were in deep dust in summer, deep mud or rough frozen, spring and fall, deep in snow in winter.
"There was but one automobile in my school days—a chain driven car, owned by Stephan Rockwell, which clanked and banged around town, and was often seen pulled by a team of horses. Every kid coveted a ride in it. I never had one.
"In the early 1900's Jordan was self sufficient with stores of all descriptions, drug, harness, men's clothing; doctors, lawyers, a dentist always, and a milk man.
"But pride of the town was in its school, always with a high standard of quality, with excellent teachers. Sixty-five years ago, the high school on the hill and 50 high school students. Joseph P. Behm, a scholar and a gentleman, was principal at a salary of $1,200. There were six in the graduating class, three of them went on to college, one to teach, and one married. In those days, many did not finish high school.
"To be 82 years old is to live a long time. I have developed a philosophy. It is that in the old days, there was plenty of hardship and poverty and discrimination; we lived in a small world; a small smug protected world. I believe in honoring and revering and learning from the past, but I do not want to live in the past.
"Never before, as today when we are all one people, have we been so aware of the sickness and unhappiness in the world and are actively trying to alleviate it."
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Below are a few photographs of Jessica Bramley taken at different ages during her long lifetime:
ABOVE PHOTO: Jordan Study Club Picnic at Spring Lake (1941 or earlier, exact year unknown). Jessica Bramley is in the front row, 2nd from right, and she was most likely in her 40's when this photo was taken. Jessica's mother, Gertrude Leland, is at far right in the middle row. FRONT ROW (L to R): Margaret Ramsdell (wife of Nelson J. Ramsdell, former principal at Ramsdell Elementary, today's Jordan-Elbridge Middle School; Margaret Ramsdell taught Latin and French at Jordan Central High School), Sylvia Whiteley (wife of Dr. Horace Whiteley), Jessica Leland Bramley, Josephine Webb; MIDDLE ROW (L to R): Mrs. Humphrey Hendricks, Cora Kincaid, Marion Nelson (wife of Edgar Nelson), Emeline Putnam Brace Doust (wife of Adelbert Brace, Brace Hardware Store owner, and later wife of photographer I. O. Doust), Gertrude Leland (Jessica Bramley's mother); BACK ROW (L to R; note that there are only 4 names recorded on the reverse of this photo for the first 5 women in this row): Mrs. Harry Converse, Anna Jones (wife of Adelbert Jones), Mrs. Glenn Blanchard, Mrs. James Howland), Louise Bond Strickland (2nd from right, wife of Charles O. Strickland, the Erie Canal boat owner/pilot), Annis Hudson (wife of James Hudson).
ABOVE PHOTO: 1941, unknown event in front of the White Mill, with WFBL Radio. Jessica is now 51 years old. (Buhl Collection photo)
ABOVE PHOTO: May 1950, early officers and members of the Jordan Community Council. Jessica Bramley is at center with striped top, and she is now 60 years old. FRONT ROW (L to R): Elizabeth Pert, Francis Foote (Jordan Mayor), Leora Gilbert (Secretary), Horace Whiteley, MD (President), Florence Pickard (Treasurer), Vernon Campbell; MIDDLE ROW: Myrtle Fidler, Ruth Vinal, Louise Hogel, Georgia Resseguie, Jessica Bramley, Robert Milton, Glenn Blanchard, Royal Hendricks; BACK ROW (L to R): Clifford ("Kip") Manchester (owner of the Jordan Hotel), Kenneth L. Bush (Vice President), Warren Smith, Michael Connors, Harvey Hudson, Woodrow Gumaer, James Seeley, Wilfred ("Bud") Schutt, Jr., Arthur Smith, Edwin Hierholzer, Everett Halstead, Ralph Whitcomb, Rev. Norman J. Thurston (Christ Episcopal Church).
ABOVE PHOTO: May 7, 1972: Event celebrating Jessica Bramley's 50 years as Jordan librarian. This event was held at the relatively new library building, which was built and opened in 1970. Jessica is now 82 years old. This photo was taken approximately one month before the above article was written. (Buhl Collection photo)
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Jessica Bramley was born into the Leland family, early settlers in Cato. This obituary for Jessica's father, William S. Leland (1853-1932, age 78) provides more details about the history of the Leland family:
William S. Leland Obituary
Marcellus Observer
April 20, 1932
William S. Leland died Saturday. Over a hundred years ago Salmon Leland came into this vicinity, cleared the land and built a habitation. He was succeeded by his son John Leland, who lived his life on the Cato farm, and he in turn was succeeded by his son, William S. Leland, who was born on the Leland homestead 78 years ago, and here he spent his life. He married Gertrude Ferris, who survives him, and Mr. Charles M. Bramley is his daughter. A sister, Mrs. Ezra Edminster of Weedsport, is the only survivor of his father's family. Margaret, Gertrude and William Bramley are grandchildren. Jordan has always been his trading post. Here he sold his grain and other farm produce and here he bought his family supplies, and he made many business and social friends who mourn with his family in this, the hour of his departure. He was a student all his life, living close to his books and his family, and was a wise counselor in the affairs of his neighborhood, his township and his county. Thus departs the bearer of an honorable name, a family name that is written high in the history of his native county. The funeral was held at the Bramley home in Jordan, on Tuesday afternoon. The spiritual service was conducted by Rev. Rogers and Rev. Beardsley, and B. L. Bush & Son officiated in the burial at Meridian.