CAZENOVIA — In 2008, Jeff McIntyre started a family history project that has since evolved into a much broader endeavor to discover, preserve, and present the rich history of the blacksmith trade in the Village of Cazenovia.
McIntyre’s great-great grandparents John and Bridget McCabe arrived in Cazenovia in 1848 as immigrants from Ireland.
John, who was a blacksmith in Ireland, continued his trade in his new home. His sons Patrick, John Jr., and Martin, as well as his grandson Frank McCabe, followed in his footsteps.
In total, the McCabe family provided nearly 100 years of blacksmithing services to the residents of Cazenovia.
McIntyre, whose family lived in New Hartford, NY, when he was born, grew up in Endicott and currently resides in Dewitt.
According to McIntyre, his father talked about the McCabe Blacksmith Shop in Cazenovia many times, but it was not until they were driving through the village on May 7, 2008, that his father pointed out where the shop was once located.
“[He said], ‘Right there, where the gas station is, next to the creek,’” McIntyre recalled. “This was no longer a casual mention, it was instead a place, a place I could see and ground I could walk on. That was the day I decided to learn all I could about the history of the McCabes in Cazenovia.”
McIntyre’s research revealed that the McCabes not only had a shop on Albany Street where the Red Apple gas station now stands, but they also had a shop on Lunky Lane — now Allen Street — where the Community Bank parking lot is today.
“At the time, the Stanton House occupied what is now the bank and the shop was behind it,” McIntyre said. “The Albany Street shop was previously owned and operated by Eber Peet.”
McIntyre said that when researching his family history, a key source of information was the work of the late Daniel Weiskotten (1960-2005), who was the Town of Cazenovia historian and an archaeologist.
Another valuable resource was Cazenovia Public Library staff member Elisha Davies, who previously served as the library’s archivist and is now its interim director.
“One day I walked into the library where I met Elisha Davies, and what had been a slowly developing story gained a lot of momentum,” McIntyre said. “What Elisha gave me relit the fuse on this project. [She provided] pictures, maps, news articles, advertisements — real information. This led to yet another chapter — learning that it was not just the McCabes serving this village, but at least 17 owner/operators in at least nine locations. I could not stop learning and discovering more.”
In 2019, he named his research project the “Cazenovia Blacksmith History Endeavor.”
“This history played an important and significant role in the creation and development of this [community] and, quite frankly, every town and village,” said McIntyre.
According to McIntyre, the history of the blacksmith trade in Cazenovia can be traced back to Elnathan Andrews, who arrived in 1793 with Cazenovia’s founder, John Lincklaen, and opened the first blacksmith “shop” as part of the group’s initial camp.
Cazenovia’s last blacksmith, Frank McCabe, was active at the shop on Lunky Lane until it closed in the late 1940s.
To gain a better understanding of the life and vocation of the people he is researching, McIntyre has been learning basic blacksmithing skills from Mark Teece, “The British Blacksmith,” who has a forge in Kirkville and conducts classes year-round.
“Fact gathering and using my imagination is one thing, but using my hands to actually make things in a manner that the smiths of the past did, truly changed how I saw this project,” McIntyre said. “[Doing] it myself ignites my five senses, and learning from such a highly skilled artisan, Mark Teece, added another element that keeps me motivated.”
Although McIntyre has compiled a significant amount of information on Cazenovia’s blacksmiths and their role in the formation and growth of the community, he is eager to hear from people who have knowledge that can either add to or confirm his findings.
He said he has reached out to multiple local organizations and is hoping to share his project with the public at the Cazenovia Farmers’ Market in May.
“I am waiting for confirmation from the folks at the farmers’ market, but my plan is for May 18,” he stated on April 30. “I have put together three storyboards that 1) define the project 2) show the timeline 3) [show] a map of known locations 4) ask for information that anyone may have, [and] 5) show how this information might ultimately be presented.”
McIntyre has already created a website, cazblacksmith.org, and the “Cazenovia Blacksmith History Center” Facebook page to spread the word about the project and share his findings.
According to McIntyre, potential options for presenting the information in the future include a tourist brochure with a walking map of known shop locations, an interpretive sign in the village with a map and historical facts, a pop-up museum tent for community events, a history book, and a working museum called the Cazenovia Blacksmith History Center.
Individuals who have historical information about Cazenovia’s blacksmiths or an interest in the project can contact McIntyre at [email protected] or through the contact button on the project’s website.
