I never met Lucy Dresser as she died just before my birth; however, I heard about her all my life from my father. My family had purchased property at 96 Amity Street in 1936, and this was the road parallel to West Avenue in Spencerport, NY. Lucy lived on the corner and my Dad looked after her because of her age and fagile condition. To my knowledge, Lucy had been the first telekey operator, female, on the New York Central Railroad. I have no proof of this other than her type key set and other items related to the railroad.
Lucy had many unusual items in her home that have survived to day including the pictures of her that are attached. She had a baby shoe, dated 1715, belonging to an ancestor. It still survives and is made of leather. I have been told that I couldn't get my foot in it as a baby. There was a Bible given to my father dated 1797, and a wide collection of leather bound books from the early 1800s.
My father, R. Milford Spencer, was always impressed with the stories Lucy told, and she often referred to the ignorant people as not knowing how the telephone wires were held up. She had many pictures including a rare on of President Franklin Pierce which is undoubtedly very valuable today.
My mother would cook a night meal for Lucy and Dad would take it up. She stayed primarily on a sofa in the living room, and talked about her friend, which were rats. Dad always said he took care of her friends. It was a large three story Victorian house unusually large even for that period of time. Lucy would give Dad many items, and it is not because he requested any. I suspect in remembering my father that he would turn many items of interest down that I might have decided different. Our house was full of these and Lucy wanted my parents to have them. There was a distant cousin, but because of her age, and limited family (she did not marry to my knowledge), there was no one to give them. We had wooden bowls and pewter ware and candle stuffers. In fact our home was filled with the gifts that Lucy gave my parents.
I am writing this in 2009 to remember someone I never met, but whom I developed an interest in antique items indirectly. Lucy was part of my life that I want to share with you.
Lucy had many unusual items in her home that have survived to day including the pictures of her that are attached. She had a baby shoe, dated 1715, belonging to an ancestor. It still survives and is made of leather. I have been told that I couldn't get my foot in it as a baby. There was a Bible given to my father dated 1797, and a wide collection of leather bound books from the early 1800s.
My father, R. Milford Spencer, was always impressed with the stories Lucy told, and she often referred to the ignorant people as not knowing how the telephone wires were held up. She had many pictures including a rare on of President Franklin Pierce which is undoubtedly very valuable today.
My mother would cook a night meal for Lucy and Dad would take it up. She stayed primarily on a sofa in the living room, and talked about her friend, which were rats. Dad always said he took care of her friends. It was a large three story Victorian house unusually large even for that period of time. Lucy would give Dad many items, and it is not because he requested any. I suspect in remembering my father that he would turn many items of interest down that I might have decided different. Our house was full of these and Lucy wanted my parents to have them. There was a distant cousin, but because of her age, and limited family (she did not marry to my knowledge), there was no one to give them. We had wooden bowls and pewter ware and candle stuffers. In fact our home was filled with the gifts that Lucy gave my parents.
I am writing this in 2009 to remember someone I never met, but whom I developed an interest in antique items indirectly. Lucy was part of my life that I want to share with you.
I never met Lucy Dresser as she died just before my birth; however, I heard about her all my life from my father. My family had purchased property at 96 Amity Street in 1936, and this was the road parallel to West Avenue in Spencerport, NY. Lucy lived on the corner and my Dad looked after her because of her age and fagile condition. To my knowledge, Lucy had been the first telekey operator, female, on the New York Central Railroad. I have no proof of this other than her type key set and other items related to the railroad.
Lucy had many unusual items in her home that have survived to day including the pictures of her that are attached. She had a baby shoe, dated 1715, belonging to an ancestor. It still survives and is made of leather. I have been told that I couldn't get my foot in it as a baby. There was a Bible given to my father dated 1797, and a wide collection of leather bound books from the early 1800s.
My father, R. Milford Spencer, was always impressed with the stories Lucy told, and she often referred to the ignorant people as not knowing how the telephone wires were held up. She had many pictures including a rare on of President Franklin Pierce which is undoubtedly very valuable today.
My mother would cook a night meal for Lucy and Dad would take it up. She stayed primarily on a sofa in the living room, and talked about her friend, which were rats. Dad always said he took care of her friends. It was a large three story Victorian house unusually large even for that period of time. Lucy would give Dad many items, and it is not because he requested any. I suspect in remembering my father that he would turn many items of interest down that I might have decided different. Our house was full of these and Lucy wanted my parents to have them. There was a distant cousin, but because of her age, and limited family (she did not marry to my knowledge), there was no one to give them. We had wooden bowls and pewter ware and candle stuffers. In fact our home was filled with the gifts that Lucy gave my parents.
I am writing this in 2009 to remember someone I never met, but whom I developed an interest in antique items indirectly. Lucy was part of my life that I want to share with you.
Lucy had many unusual items in her home that have survived to day including the pictures of her that are attached. She had a baby shoe, dated 1715, belonging to an ancestor. It still survives and is made of leather. I have been told that I couldn't get my foot in it as a baby. There was a Bible given to my father dated 1797, and a wide collection of leather bound books from the early 1800s.
My father, R. Milford Spencer, was always impressed with the stories Lucy told, and she often referred to the ignorant people as not knowing how the telephone wires were held up. She had many pictures including a rare on of President Franklin Pierce which is undoubtedly very valuable today.
My mother would cook a night meal for Lucy and Dad would take it up. She stayed primarily on a sofa in the living room, and talked about her friend, which were rats. Dad always said he took care of her friends. It was a large three story Victorian house unusually large even for that period of time. Lucy would give Dad many items, and it is not because he requested any. I suspect in remembering my father that he would turn many items of interest down that I might have decided different. Our house was full of these and Lucy wanted my parents to have them. There was a distant cousin, but because of her age, and limited family (she did not marry to my knowledge), there was no one to give them. We had wooden bowls and pewter ware and candle stuffers. In fact our home was filled with the gifts that Lucy gave my parents.
I am writing this in 2009 to remember someone I never met, but whom I developed an interest in antique items indirectly. Lucy was part of my life that I want to share with you.
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