REMEMBERING YESTERYEAR: Civil War veterans lived at 249 Goundry St. in 1900s

October 01, 2007 02:08 pm

— Built in the late 1800s, this was for a time the fine home of George C. Dailey, one of the first presidents of State National Bank, which is not at all surprising when you consider who his neighbors next door at 257 Goundry were: the Benjamin Long Rand family. B.L. Rand and his brothers, George Franklin Rand and James Henry Rand, were all bankers during their active careers and were part of State National Bank.
This fine side gable Colonial Revival-style house was built circa 1894. It sits upon a very unusual foundation of quarry-faced granite blocks. The five-bay, center entrance design features a second story (now covered in siding) that is larger in size than the clapboard covered first floor, resulting in a picturesque overhang, below which are several bays. An asymmetrical effect is achieved by the polygonal porch with smooth Tuscan columns that projects to the left of the entrance.
The entry door is framed by elaborate leaded sidelights and transom, and leads to an impressive central hall. A finely detailed Colonial staircase with urn-topped newels and elegant, slender balusters rises towards the entrance, rather than away, so that entry is made beneath the second-floor landing. French doors at either side of the entrance lead to the principal rooms.
The living room at right extends the entire depth of the house, and features a fireplace of narrow buff-colored ceramic tiles within a classically detailed mantel. Note the large size of the original front window. There is an even larger original window in the dining room bay across the hall, which might be overlooked because of the exceptional fireplace in the room. A red and white tile surround is framed by a tall mantel rich in Classical detail, with brackets, Greek key motif, a wreath between swags suspended from torches, topped by a gently curving shelf, all within an egg and dart frame!
At the top of the stairs, French doors framed by leaded glass sidelights and transom lead out to the second story porch. The master bedroom has its own elegant fireplace as well as a built-in wardrobe in the closet. Early light fixtures still hang throughout the house.
The basement holds the home’s most interesting secret: a fake water tank with dead pipes leading to it! The tank rotates to reveal a door opening to a series of shelves within, and was likely used as a hiding place for alcohol during Prohibition.
The first known occupant of the house was Charles F. Schumacher, a grocer in the firm of Schumacher & Hoover. Their store was located at the corner of Payne and Christiana Streets. However, Schumacher stayed here only until the late 1890s.
By 1900, 249 Goundry had become the home of Civil War veteran George S. Dailey, manager of the Skillings, Whitney & Barnes Lumber Company from approximately 1893 until 1905. He was also a partner in Kennedy & Dailey in 1894. Dailey lived at 98 Goundry and then at 194 Goundry St. before moving to this house.
Dailey soon became the president of both the State National Bank and in the early 1900s of the Armitage-Herschell Company, described in the city directory as “Engineers, Machine and Boiler Shop, Iron and Brass Founders, Miniature Railways, Steam Riding Galleries a Specialty.” Armitage-Herschell was one of the earliest producers of steam riding galleries (or carousels) in North Tonawanda. By 1903, Herschell-Spillman had bought out the original company and become the largest manufacturer of carousels in the United States.
From 1905 until his death in 1917, Dailey was president of State National Bank. After Dailey’s death, his wife Emma continued to live here until she passed away in 1927. Her funeral was held in this house.
At the end of the decade, Robert I. McClurkin, longtime manager of the Tonawanda Iron Corporation, and his wife Florence moved up from Tonawanda to take up residence here. In 1936, McClurkin became the president of a zinc manufacturing company in Illinois, but he still maintained his residence here, although he was often away on business. Robert McClurkin died in 1949, and his wife continued to live here until her death in the 1970s.
This home was a participating home in the 2007 Historic Treasures Tour. Architectural and historical description by Martin Wachadlo, architectural historian.
“Remembering Yesteryear” is produced under the auspices of the North Tonawanda History Museum. We invite individuals with stories or news of local history to tell to write nthistorymuseum@aol.com or call 213-0554.

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