This year marks the 225 anniversary of Cazenovia’s founding in 1793, and in recent months the Cazenovia Republican has been publishing various articles on Cazenovia history. In addition to our weekly installments of “Years Ago in Cazenovia History,” the Cazenovia Public Library has submitted multiple articles transcribing portions of the journal of Caz founder John Lincklaen. The editor has also written articles about the local connection of famous author Walter Van Tilburg Clark and a two-part piece (completed this week) about local character “Crazy Luce.”
We are now preparing another article of historical interest and are hoping some of our readers may be able to provide assistance. Do you, or your family members, know anything about Jim Fitch?
Fitch was one of the more colorful characters in Cazenovia history — he performed around the world in circuses and vaudeville acts, spent more than two years with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and was known in Cazenovia as the local steeplejack, among other things. In 1921, while painting the Cazenovia Presbyterian Church steeple, he performed a number of aerial tricks from 163 feet in the sky, including handstands and headstands at the top of the steeple, which he was photographed doing.
Next week we plan to have an article about Fitch’s life and his reputation in Cazenovia. Since he died in 1952, we are hoping some of our readers may have known Jim personally, or perhaps their parents or grandparents did, and are willing to share with us any stories or historical tidbits about this interesting man. If so, please contact the editor of the Republican at [email protected] or call 315-434-8889 ext. 315.
