Stories and Essays by Skip Barshied

 by Willis ‘Skip’ Barshied  I just awoke to face another day. I needed no alarm clock or any prompting except the prompting of the Creator. It is strange what one remembers as they conjure up the happenings of long ago. I’d like the reader to meet my Great Grandfather. His name was David Hubbs, but I just called him Gramp. In the matter of relationship, he was my mother’s mother’s father. Gramp Hubbs made an impression on me but not quite the same as Grandpa Garlock, my mother’s father who, since we lived in the same house along the creek at Marshville, I knew as well as my parents. Gramp Hubbs came occasionally to stay a day or two. I recall a day when I was not quite six years old - at least, I hope I had not reached that age when I should have had reason enough not to do what I will now relate. Mother said, “It is lunch time. Go up and wake up Gramp Hubbs.” I climbed the stairs and went to the second door on the right. Well, there is Gramp peacefully sleeping. I gently spok...

The following story of local interest regarding the Old Courthouse in Fonda was compiled by Willis Barshied, Jr., Town of Palatine, an authority on early Mohawk Valley and Civil War history.  Present plans to remodel the old Montgomery County Court House at Fonda combined with information recently found have called attention to an early resident of the Town of Palatine.  Do you know who Lawrence Marcellus was? If you are not able to answer the question no one will condemn you for not learning your history lesson. Just as so many others now long gone, Lawrence Marcellus was a common man who stepped forth from the rank and file to serve his fellow man and faded into oblivion. Some scraps of paper help to show how Marcellus served as a public official and a craftsman.  The early documents, yellowed by age, and an old day book inscribed on the fly leaf, “Lawrence Marcellus—Day Book for the Montgomery County Court House”, were discovered while the writer was pursuing a favorit...

  By Willis Barshied, Jr. A joint announcement has been made by Harry Hoke, president of the Tryon County Muzzle Loaders, Inc., and Willis Barshied, Jr., president of Fort Klock Historic Restoration indicating that a new lease arrangement securing the future of Fort Klock as a museum has been entered into by the two organizations. The previous lease was granted to the Tryon County Muzzle Loaders, Inc., a membership corporation by Alex Don on September 20, 1954. That original lease was drawn for a term of 20 years with an option to renew for an additional 20 years. No provision was included for the positive future of Fort Klock as a museum. For some time the Tryon County Muzzle Loaders explored possible ways of safeguarding' the Fort from becoming simply a social organization's headquarters sometime .in the future. The final decision was to preserve the Tryon County Muzzle Loaders much the same as in the past while creating another organization with a charter membership composed...

The following article was written by Willis Barshied in February 2003 for the Fort Klock Newsletter.  The article tells the story of how an old rifle led to the restoration of Fort Klock.  Sometime during 1952, I became acquainted with St. Johnsville veterinarian, Fred Cairns and Herby Mueller.  Our common interest was old guns.  We spoke several times about starting an organization composed of people with a like interest.  Fred Cairns sent several postcards to prospective members inviting them to a meeting to be held at the VFW room over the old stone store on the corner of Main Street and Kingsbury Avenue in St. Johnsville.  The meeting was held on March 4, 1953, with twelve members in attendance (Fred Wagner, Herbert Smith, Fred Cairns, Max Haak, B.R. Keifling, Harold Green, John Warn, James Triumpho, Richard Mueller, Donald Nellis, Herbert Mueller, and Willis Barshied).  The first officers were Willis Barshied, Jr., President; John Warns, Vice Pres...