The Frisbie Family of Orwell Township, October 15

The Bradford County Historical Society will host a free program entitled "The Frisbie Family of Orwell Township: A 19th Century Saga of Bradford County and Beyond" scheduled for Friday, October 15 at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Although the event is free, participants are asked to register by calling 570-265-2240 or by email at info@bradfordhistory.com.

After settling in Orwell Township in 1800, Levi Frisbie and his family became actively involved in the business, educational, and political life of Bradford County. Likewise, throughout the nineteenth century, various family members also gained notoriety in government and industry beyond Bradford County.

This presentation traces the development of the Frisbie family’s business and political influence at home and abroad during this period, as illustrated via the careers of Eaton Frisbie, a two term mayor of Elmira, New York, who was also actively engaged in various coal and railroad-railroad ventures in the northeastern United States; and G. Clayton Frisbie, a U.S. Consular Agent at Rat Portage, Ontario, who was similarly engaged in sundry ventures in Canada and the western United States.

The presentation concludes with a discussion of the major factors that contributed to the diminishment of the family’s influence in the early 1900s.

The program will be presented by Marsha Ann Tate, Ph.D., a librarian and Web site coordinator at the Pennsylvania State University. The author of several books and numerous articles devoted to North American history and media-related topics, Marsha’s current research activities include chronicling the Frisbie family’s business and political activities in the United States and Canada.

This program is the last of the 2010 "Friday Night at the Museum" programming series held the third Friday of each month from May until October. Each event is held in the Great Room at the Bradford County Historical Society, located at 109 Pine Street, Towanda, PA. Free refreshments are provided at each program.

The Bradford County Historical Society is a recipient agency of PHMC and the Bradford County United Way. For more information about the society and its programming schedule, visit www.bradfordhistory.com or check out the Bradford County Historical Society Facebook page.

“Canton: Circus Capitol of the East” to be presented at BCHS

The Bradford County Historical Society will host a free program entitled "Canton: Circus Capitol of the East" scheduled for Friday, September 17 at 6 p.m. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Although the event is free, participants are asked to register by calling 570-265-2240 or by email at info@bradfordhistory.com.

“Canton: Circus Capitol of the East” covers the fascinating history of Canton as a home to many important figures in the circus world in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

Aside from being the winter quarters for Charles Lee’s Great London Show, Canton was the home of Charles Siegrist who is enshrined in the Circus Hall of Fame; also home of famous aerialists, Francis “Butch” Brann and his wife Amelia LaPell who performed as “France and LaPell”; and the world renown little couple, Caspar and Mab Weis, among others.

This program will trace Canton’s connection to the circus world and the interesting lives of these circus performers will be discussed. The program will be highlighted with photographs. Equipment used by France & LaPell will also be on display.

The program will be presented by Matthew Carl, Manager/Curator at the Bradford County Historical Society. Anyone who has photographs or original information pertaining to this topic is encouraged to call the Curator’s office at 265-7652 or email curator@bradfordhistory.com so that the program can be as complete as possible.

This program is part of the 2010 "Friday Night at the Museum" programming series held the third Friday of each month from May until October. Each event is held in the Great Room at the Bradford County Historical Society, located at 109 Pine Street, Towanda, PA. Free refreshments are provided at each program.

The final program scheduled for 2010 is: “The Frisbie Family of Orwell Township: A 19th Century Saga of Bradford County and Beyond,” October 15.

The Bradford County Historical Society is a recipient agency of PHMC and the Bradford County United Way. For more information about the society and its programming schedule, visit www.bradfordhistory.com or check out the Bradford County Historical Society Facebook page.

New Poll Question

Check out the new poll question on the BCHS website:

Choose one or more reasons why the North Branch Canal closed.

To participate in this poll and to see the answer to the last poll, visit our website at www.bradfordhistory.com.

Also join our Facebook page and see who else has already joined by visiting our website!