Memorials: Martha, Charles, and Julia Mabie

(Holley Gazette, August, 1997)

The communion table, with its matching chairs, and the two “bulletin boards for the front of the Church auditorium,” were purchased in 1953 in remembrance of Miss Martha E. Mabie. Following her baptism Miss Mabie joined our Church February 22, 1891. She died May 15, 1949, having been a member for fifty eight years. Unmarried she continued to live with her parents Charles and Julia Mabie at 79 West Albion Street. She was an elementary school teacher in the Holley District.

Martha Mabie served the Church as Secretary of Benevolence, a member of the Missionary, Pulpit and Ordination committees as well as a voting messenger to the Empire State G.A.R.B.C. Her parents were also active members of the Church. Charles joined April 6, 1869 and Julia February 7, 1875. Julia was elected repeatedly to the Music Committee and generally gave the report at the annual meeting.

Charles A. Mabie was born March 24, 1846. In 1863, at seventeen years of age, he enlisted in the Army of the Potomac, in which he served until the end of the war. While in the Army he carved rings out of the buttons from the soldier’s uniforms. After serving his apprenticeship with a jeweler in Walton, he continued to develop his skills in Oneida, Albion and, for a few months, in Abilene, Kansas. In 1871 he returned to New York and established the Jewelry business in Holley, which he operated for over sixty years. In 1874 Charles married Julia Sanderson of Albion. A year later they moved into the house at 79 West Albion Street where they lived for the rest of their lives. In 1931 he retired from his business. Two years later, September 11, 1933, his wife of fifty nine years passed away. Mr. Mabie was first elected to the Board of Trustees in 1896 and served continually until he stepped down in 1926. Mr. Mabie died February 7, 1935. He was “…one of the oldest and best known residents of this village and the last surviving Veteran of the Civil War in this vicinity….” They are buried in the Mount Albion Cemetery. When the corner-stone was opened in 1991, the first item to fall out of the rusted box, was a quarter on which Charles had engraved his name.

About 1940, Martha invited her cousin, Julia Patterson, to move in with her. Miss Patterson joined the Church and served as Treasurer for a number of years. She was our good neighbor in 1960 when we first moved to Holley. Martha had willed the house and about $8,000 in securities to the Church subject to Miss Patterson’s life use of the house. When about ninety two years old, Miss Patterson gave up the house. It was subsequently sold and the proceeds used to help pay for the construction of the new parsonage, at (56 West Albion Street) in 1969.

The former house at 56 West Albion Street, torn down in 1969 to make room for the new parsonage, had also been willed to the Church by Dr. James G. Willson after life use of his widow Sabrina. The Willsons joined the Church August 7, 1858. He was listed as one of the three deacons in 1861. Mrs. Willson died January 4, 1894. This house served as a parsonage for fourteen pastors and their families over a period of seventy five years. THANKS MABIES AND WILLSONS!