Piper continues work toward cemetery tributes

Hello everyone!

It has been a busy summer for me as historian. The museum collection is growing on a regular basis – to the point I was given a second room on the second floor of the Red Brick. New artworks, books, furniture and artifacts pertain to village history. A focal piece is a rare, 1880s Victorian child's velocipede, graciously donated to the collection by Judy Munzi from Antique to Chic, books donated by Jeff Morrow at the Book Corner, and Richie Pysz of Lewiston Antiques and Estates. The artwork is on display on the first and second floors.

Again, I have put countless hours into maintaining the village’s cemetery and helping people who have come to me for various records and locating their family plots. To date, I have been able to supply the information and take them on tours of the cemetery and the museum to view records and find their family plots.

I had hoped to complete the veterans memorial project I started last year. I had hoped to erect a granite monument listing the 67 veterans from Lewiston who served from the Revolutionary War through the Vietnam War, which was the last veteran interment in 2012. It will be similar to the potters field monument, in gray granite, with the individual names appearing to honor those who served in the military. With the donations I have received, I am in need of raising $3,000 to make it a reality. Hoping for a Veteran's Day dedication ceremony. Once more, I will call on Jim Farchione, of Niagara Monument Works, to create it.

I would also like to say thank you to Tom Collister, curator of the HAL museum; Justin Higner, Town of Wheatfield historian; and Claudia Werth Carnes, for all of their time and efforts assisting me with research and participating in my dedication ceremonies as the Commodore and the Widow Rev. Mrs. Smith – offering meaning to the ceremonies.

For anyone wishing to make a donation to the veterans monument of honor, donations may be made in person at the village clerk's office, or by mail. Checks should be made payable to the potters field monument fund.

I have been working tirelessly as village historian for the past seven years to protect and preserve the history of the village through the museum collection and my cemetery projects. A heartfelt thank you to those who have donated in the past and, hopefully, I will be able to realize and finish this project. 

With heartfelt gratitude, I remain

Russ Piper 

Village historian/cemetery gatekeeper