Contents include connection to Cazenovia’s past
By Jason Emerson
editor
When Madison County officials opened the Madison County Courthouse time capsule recently, they found the historic items inside saturated with a century of water. Work continues to dry and separate the records relating to the county’s past, with the goal that the items will be placed on public display in the near future.
In the meantime, officials have asked organizations from around the county to contribute items to include in the re-sealed time capsule for when it gets replaced under the courthouse cornerstone.
“We’ve asked everyone to give something that captures the moment so when the next people open it, it is pretty much representative of Madison County,” said County Historian Matthew Urtz.
The Madison County Courthouse is currently undergoing major renovations, and county officials found and opened the time capsule located under the cornerstone on April 16. The time capsule was placed in the cornerstone of the Madison County Courthouse on January 7, 1909, and was filled with multiple items related to the county’s history. Such items included county government records, masonic papers, newspapers, programs, coins and photographs.
Some of the Cazenovia-related artifacts in the box included a Cazenovia Masonic Lodge token and a Dec. 24, 1908 issue of the Cazenovia Republican. There was also a photograph of the five members of the courthouse building committee from 1908, the chairman of which was Cazenovia Supervisor James Loyster.
Despite being tightly sealed within a copper box, the contents were saturated with water. Representatives from the county have met New York State Archives officials to better ascertain the next steps needed to stabilize and preserve the documents as many are in poor condition, Urtz said. “We have stabilized everything; everything is now dry … and our goal is to digitize everything.”
Once the items have been properly preserved, they will be put on display in the County Office Building.
Officials have already asked organizations throughout Madison County to contribute some item of organizational importance to be included in the re-sealed time capsule. Requests have been made from county schools, colleges, businesses, municipalities, historical societies and newspapers to give items that capture what is going on at this moment in the county.
“It should be a pretty interesting mix,” Urtz said. “Everybody has been very responsive to it. We’ll give the next group that opens the capsule dryer papers and it will be a good experience for everybody.”
To view the recorded livestream of the time capsule opening from April 16, visit Madison County’s Facebook page at facebook.com/MadisonCountyNewYork.
Time Capsule Inventory
Morning Musicale Program (Madison County Centennial Program Concert)
DeRuyter Masonic Lodge 1908 Membership Roster
DeRuyter Masonic Lodge History & By-Laws
Constitution & By-Laws of the Madison County Bar Association
Oneida Masonic Lodge Directory 1906
Madison County Historical Society Charter and By-Laws
Colgate University Professor Thomas Address
Letter from DD Norton Plumbing
Madison County Bar Association Member list Past & Present 1/5/1909
History of Canastota masonic Lodge No 231
Photo of the Building Committee
Morrisville Masonic Lodge No 654 1/7/1908
Short History of Cautious Lodge, Georgetown
History of Masonry in Cazenovia
Oneida Masonic Token
Cazenovia Masonic Token
.25 Quarter 1908
.50 Half Dollar 1908
Handwritten Letter (Unreadable)
List of Madison County Officials
Postcard from Hamilton Masonic Lodge
History of Hamilton Lodge 1/1/1909
History of Hamilton Lodge 1906
History of the Sullivan Lodge
Mystic Order of the Veiled Prophets History (Masonic)
Photo of Oneida Lodge (Very poor condition)
Blank paper
Cyrus Chapter (Hamilton, Masonic) History
Madison County 1906 Centennial Poster
Madison County 1906 Centennial Program
Constitution of the Old Ladies Home
Madisonesis 1908 Christmas
May 1908 Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons
Proceedings of the Grand Chapter, State of New York
Religious Denominations of Madison County, New York
NEWSPAPERS
DeRuyter Gleaner 12/24/1908
Madison County Leader 12/24/1908
Madison County Times 1/1/1909
Oneida Democratic Union 6/28/1906
Oneida Democratic Union 7/5/1906
Oneida Democratic Union 1/2/1909
The Brookfield Courier 12/30/1908
The Canastota Bee 1/2/1909
The Canastota Journal 1/6/1909
The Cazenovia Republican 12/24/1908
The Earlville Standard 12/31/1908
The Endeavor Harold Dec-08
The Evening Courant 12/15/1908
The Evening Courant 1/2/1909
The Hamilton Republican 12/24/1908
The Madison Times 1/2/1909
The Madison Times 1/2/1909
The Oneida Dispatch 11/27/1908
The Oneida Post 1/2/1909
