REMEMBERING YESTERYEAR: 257 Goundry Street has rich history

The Tonawanda News

October 29, 2007 02:25 pm

— This is part one of a three-part story. The fine house at 257 Goundry was the home of Benjamin Long Rand, known as “BL” in the family, who was the oldest son of Calvin Gordon Rand and Almira Long Rand, born June 22, 1855, in Batavia.
While he was growing up, BL hauled grain in an ox cart from the farm to a Black Rock grist mill. He also cut wood used to construct the Erie Railroad line from Buffalo to Niagara Falls. He did many manual labor type jobs in his early years. BL married Kate Stanley in 1879, and they had six children.
Benjamin L. Rand served two terms as North Tonawanda mayor, from 1915 to 1918, and was involved as cashier with James DeGraff and Edward Evans in the State Trust Bank, which was organized May 1, 1883. Evans had previously helped to organize the earliest banks in the Village of North Tonawanda, founding the first permanent banking business June 1, 1872, which was succeeded May 1, 1877, by Evans, Schwinger & Co. When State Trust Bank was organized, it had a paid up capital of $100,000. On May 1, 1886, Evans and BL’s brother James were also involved with the formation of the Lumber Exchange Bank, with Evans serving as president, Joshua S. Bliss, another lumberman, vice president, and James H. Rand as cashier. BL later had his own bank on Webster Street in the building which later housed Cramer Hardware, but which began as Kent Hall or the Good Templar’s Hall. That building was owned by Alexander G. Kent, also a lumberman — and a resident of Goundry Street.
The Benjamin Rands were charter members and active in the Church of Christ at the corner of Christiana Street and Payne Avenue and contributed significantly to the church. He was sunday school superintendent for 50 years and an elder of the congregation for the rest of his life. In later years, this edifice housed the Church of the Nazarene, then fell vacant. It is now being restored and remodeled into a private residence.
Kate Stanley Rand died in 1929. BL’s second wife was Lucy Wakeland, who served as secretary of the YWCA. In later years, BL and Lucy lived next door at 261 Goundry.
This home was a participating home in the 2007 Historic Treasures Tour. The architectural description was created by Paul Murawski and Kathryn Incarnato, University at Buffalo School of Architecture & Planning.
“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 e-mail nthistorymuseum@aol.com or call 213-0554.

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