Hubert and Jessie Hendershot

Hubert was born to Frank and Laura Hendershot, in Brookfield, in the year 1902.

Hubert attended Stevensville Public School, which was then on Airline Street. His teacher was Miss Foster, better known as Mrs. Lew Baker.

His father was a printer, as well as a station agent, and their family lived in the house where Jennie Beatson now resides.

In 1920, Hubert began his career with the railroad, working from Stevensville to Cayuga. He worked for the railroad for 48 years, mostly the night shift.

Soon after he began working on the railroad, he married Wyota Reicheld and built the house at 3585 Main St. E. Eventually, he built the house at 3571 Main St. E., where Tess Bushell now lives. He also built the home where he is presently living, at 3563 Main St. E. Ota passed away in 1953, and he later married Jessie Dyche, from Buffalo.

Both Frank and Laura Hendershot lived to be over 100 years old, and they lived with Hubert and Jessie until the time of their death.

Hubert was not interested in his father’s printing business, so Wm. Baughn bought the business and Frank worked for him, teaching Mr. Baughn the trade.

Hubert has had a very colourful career, working at many different jobs, as well as being station agent.

He worked at the local candy factory, which was housed in the next building east of Frank’s store. Every fall, after Crystal Beach was closed for the winter, all the machinery was moved to Stevensville, where candy was made to be sold wholesale. One of the buyers was a Syrian man who operated Meriam Bros. in Welland. Mr. Hall operated the concessions at Crystal Beach, and he hired Lee Saunders, a man from Worcester, Mass., to operate the store. The store was noted for making good cinnamon-flavoured suckers, called Hall’s Suckers. They also made chocolate bars.

Hubert worked for Mr. Saunders on his days off, when he was working at the C.N. train station (about 1919), learning to become a telegrapher. Hubert wasn’t paid for his labour, but he got all the peanuts and candy he wanted.

Hubert recalls that, at this time, there was a barroom in the basement of this candy store.

He also can remember the barrel factory across from John Pirson’s sawmill. This factory was also owned by John Pirson. The barrels that were made here were not watertight, but were sent empty to a factory in Niagara Falls which made chains. There they filled the empty barrels with chains. Some of these were sent overseas during the First World War. Some of the guns were loaded with these chains, and they were shot out of the guns, destroying everything in front of them. The chains were also used for pulling and dragging things. This factory burned down, and John Pirson planted his vineyard in this area.

The two houses east of the Wale property, on East Main Street, were once used for a hotel, managed by a man named Romanicc. Later, the Otterman home was moved further to the east, and Frank Schier had the seed mill in the building behind the Otterman house.

Now back to Mr. Hendershot. In his early years he worked at the Steel Mill in Welland, and also at the shipyards in Fort Erie. Later, he got a job as a station agent at Stevensville. At that time, the express and freight business were flourishing.

Hubert, in partnership with John Morningstar, operated a sawmill located on the south corner of East Ave. and Hendershot Dr., working only with hardwood. He had many contracts with the Welland Canal and Hayes Lumber in Woodstock. Finally, this partnership dissolved.

Later, Mr. Hendershot became a salesman for Spears Motor Sales. Occasionally, he went to Oshawa to drive cars back to Stevensville for sale.

The next business venture was to open a subdivision in Stevensville. Land was purchased from Frank Hodgkins. Hubert began buying houses that had to be moved to make way for the seaway, and employed Charles Horton to move them to Stevensville, to Hendershot Dr.

Jessie and Hubert have one daughter, Linda, and two grandchildren, Aaron and Andrew.

Jessie has also led a very active life in the community, giving piano lessons and playing the organ for many occasions.

Both Jessie and Hubert have made a real contribution to the growth of our town.

— E.W.