19th Century Etown — Cabinet maker and son

A local cabinet maker was passing along his skills to the next generation.

“The long-established cabinet factory of E. M. Marvin has, by fair dealing, gained a favorable reputation,” the Elizabethtown Post & Gazette reported on May 27, 1880. “Mr. Marvin has taken as partner his son, Walter M., who has served a long and arduous apprenticeship under the instructions of his father, and the new firm have added to their establishment machinery that enables them to meet the demands of their numerous customers with much better prices than ever before.”

In other 1880 Elizabethtown news collected from historic newspapers of the region:

• “Mr. Putnam’s new forge at New Russia is being rapidly brought to completion and will be ready to commence the manufacture of iron in about two weeks,” the Elizabethtown Post & Gazette reported on June 3.

“Mt. Putman has his new forge nearly completed. It will be fired up next Monday,” the Post & Gazette reported on June 17.

• “Fred Bronson, proprietor of the Elizabethtown and Saranac stage line, commenced making daily trips between this place and Lake Placid on the 1st,” the Post & Gazette reported on June 3. “The route to the Adirondacks is becoming more and more popular every year. It is the cheapest, most direct, and by far the most picturesque route into the Adirondack wilds.”
• “The Valley House is ready for the summer guests, and several are expected this week,” the Post & Gazette reported on June 17.
• “The Mansion House furnished 168 dinners on Tuesday and 156 yesterday,” the Post & Gazette reported on June 24.
• “Timber is being drawn for a new bridge near Noble’s store,” the Post & Gazette reported on July 1.
• “Mr. A. K. Durand has established a flour and food depot in our village, which has office in S. O. Derby’s tin shop. His stock comes direct from the manufacturers in large quantities, and he will sell for cash at the lowest-living profit,” the Post & Gazette reported on July 22.
• Tourism exceeded the supply of hotel rooms.

“Crowds of people arrive daily in our village and our landlords are obliged to find them lodging in private dwellings. The several stage lines are doing a thorough business,” the Post & Gazette reported on Aug. 12.

Elizabethtown residents were heading to Lake Placid.

“Bronson’s Stage conveyed 40 people from this place to Lake Placid last Friday.”

• “The guests of the Valley House are to indulge in a masquerade hop this evening. Many of our citizens together with the guests of the other houses have been invited to participate,” the Post & Gazette reported on Aug. 12.

Click here to read the most recent previous 19th century Elizabethtown post.