Webster Museum volunteers have scoured available online resources for information about Asa Bass and his family. We think this family may have been the first black residents of what is now Webster.
Asa (1792-1872) was born in Vermont, was a pioneer who came here in 1812 and bought at different times three different properties between the northern sections of what are now Phillips Road and Route 250. Among his neighbors were the Foster and Wright families.
Asa and his wife Matilda Fuller Bass (1790-1866) had at least two children, Jane Bass Gould (1820-1891) and Chester Bass (1824-1873). Jane married Charles Gould and they had three children: Anna, Nelson and Elijah. Chester married Sarah Gracen and they had at least one child, Francis Bass Vond. One of Asa’s nephews, Asa Boyd, lived with the family for many years.
We have many facts but few stories about Asa and his farm and family lives. We’re hoping to hear from relatives of people who may have been friends or neighbors as well as descendants of this family.
Any information, even the smallest clue, would be greatly appreciated. Please send to Kathy at ktaddeo5@icloud.com.
Lilac could easily be considered the fragrance of Rochester…but for many years a variety of scents filled the Flower City air via a perfume factory on Capron Street.
In 1856, Chauncey B Woodworth, an Irondequoit farmer and saw mill owner, purchased of all things, a fledgling perfume business. With the help of his sons, Woodworth soon turned the unique enterprise into a thriving family business. By the turn of the century their “imperishable perfumes, triple extracts and toilet preparations” were known well beyond the Rochester city limits.
The company’s product line continued to grow through the 1920’s. One of their most significant products were their face powders that were sold in attractive custom made metal tins.
After establishing a presence in Europe, the company caught the attention Pierre and Paul Wertheimer who owned the french perfume house Bourjois as well as the perfume lines of Chanel. In 1929 the Wertheimer’s purchased Woodworth’s and merged their operations into Bourjois. For the next 45 years Bourjois would manufacture products for the American market in their Rochester facility.
One of their best known perfumes produced in Rochester was Evening in Paris which was a fragrance created by Ernest Beaux, the creator of Chanel No. 5.
Sadly, in 1974 during a period of reorganization in the perfume and cosmetics industry, the Rochester facility was closed. In 1975 the Bourjois factory on Capron St. was torn down and is today a parking lot.
Some have said the air on summer nights near the old factory location still possesses the aroma of an evening in Paris.
How amazing would it be if the perpetrator of one of histories most notorious and unsolved crimes, was someone with a significant local connection?
Though 130 years have past since “Jack the Ripper” lurked in the shadows of London’s East End, his crimes are still widely known and have inspired numerous books, movies and theories.
One man on many lists of “Jack the Ripper” suspects is Francis Tumblety, a flamboyant herb doctor who grew up in Rochester, NY and is today buried at Rochester’s Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.
Francis Tumblety was someone who courted attention. He often dressed in an unusual manner and spent considerable sums of money running large advertisements for his medical practice in the major newspapers of the cities he traveled to. The advertisements brought him great riches, but also the attention of those who were immune to his charms.
Much of Tumblety’s adult life was spent outside of Rochester. He seldom stayed in one place for too long, possibly in part to avoid the complications that often arose from his medical practices and his relationships with men.
In 1888, when the crimes of Jack the Ripper were occurring, Tumblety was in London and in trouble with the law. With his mounting legal problems, Tumblety fled the country under an alias, returning to the states through France.
About that time American newspapers ran lengthy stories on Tumblety, featuring “evidence” of his questionable character, his hatred of women, and the possibility that he was indeed, “Jack the Ripper”.
Over the years numerous books and television programs have selectively chosen facts (and helped popularize some fiction) to create an almost certain profile of the Whitechapel serial killer.
Riordan’s extensive research shows that many of the most damning claims made against Dr. Tumblety come from a single source (one Colonel Dunham), who was not known for his honesty.
While it’s highly unlikely that Tumblety was in anyway involved in the Ripper murders, he certainly led a most interesting life.
Frederick Douglass, ca. 1879.
On one of Dr. Tumblety’s visits to England, he was fortunate enough to bump in to another gentleman very familiar with Rochester, NY…Frederick Douglass. Whilst Tumblety was something of a braggart, it was not he, but Douglass that wrote of their meeting in a letter to close friend Amy Kirby Post. Tumblety had told Douglass he knew Post and members of her family.
He told me much about himself in a very brief space, for he seemed to have more tongues than ears. I could not get a word in anywhere and you know I am too much in love with my own voice to like being suppressed and overtalked in that way, but enough of Dr. Tomblety. he seemed a good fellow after all.
from a letter of Frederick Douglass to Amy Kirby Post, June 10, 1887
Canadian actor and Star Trek Captain, William Shatner did comercials for popular Canadian grocery store chain, Loblaws. Loblaws had several stores in New York until the early 70’s, including one in downtown Rochester.
Mark Hamill for Marsh’s
Not only Star Trek actors do grocery store commercials. During the late 80’s, Mark Hamill did ads for grocery store chains in California and Ohio.
Mark Hamill for Kodak
Long before Star Wars fame, Mark Hamill did an ad for Kodak cameras.
Mark Hamill for Kodak
Alec Baldwin talks about his mom.
A very valid reason not to leave Western New York…Wegmans.
Netflix just added another season of The Repair Shop to its offerings. If you haven’t seen it, we highly recommend it. Talented artisan’s restoring pieces of family history.
A Mountain Penny Farthing! Hold on, hold on…before you head out to buy one, this is actually a highly polished 3d drawing by artist, Guillaume Bout. See more of Guillaume’s work.
Susan B. Anthony mentioned her speaking tour visits to Webster and West Webster in her 1873 day planner.
Thanks to the Library of Congress and our intrepid researchers, you can see what she wrote. It’s not too late to enter our drawing for a Susan B. Anthony Barbie doll. Simply visit our membership page and become a member. (Renewals are welcome too!)
