KKK pitches Spafford Grangers 90 years ago

KKK pitch Spafford Grangers 90 years ago, by Charlie Major

Skaneateles Press, April 28, 2004

Gerry Adams stayed overnight at the “new” Packwood House on the evening of March 13, following his appearance at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. He went for a long walk in our village on the following Sunday morning, and went out on the ice to speak with the fisherman. He then attended mass at St. Mary’s Church before leaving to return to Ireland. Gerry Adams is a member of the British Parliament and is president of Sinn Fein, the only political party that participates in elections both in the northern part of Ireland, as well as in the Irish Republic. It makes you wonder, what would have occurred if Gerry Adams had stayed in Skaneateles in the 1920s, in view of the activities in this area by the Ku Klux Klan at that time?

In the photo above is a building, which is commonly known as the Borodino Grange Hall. It is presently being used by the Spafford Historical Society with. a pending grant for the refurbishment of the building. This is causing some controversy in the town of Spafford. There definitely was controversy on Jan. 23, 1924, when the Ku Klux Klan held an organizational meeting there. It is estimated that more than 200 men from Otisco, Amber, Marietta, Spafford, Skaneateles and Borodino met in a secret conference with organizers of the Ku Klux Klan for the purpose of signing up members for their national organization. After those that were interested signed up, the four carloads of clan members from Syracuse left and the new members agreed to meet temporarily in members’ homes in the area until an organizational charter could be issued.

The Klan was quite active throughout the northern and midwestern part of the country during the 1920s, with the target being Catholics and sometimes gypsies, as opposed to their prior activities in the south, where they were primarily intent on discriminating against blacks. I could never figure out what they had against gypsies.

There were numerous cross burnings reported in and out of the area. Former town historian, Helen lonta, did an in-depth survey of the stories and interviewed individuals who had personal knowledge of the cross burnings. Helen, herself, had observed one in the area of the Master’s farm, south of Lee Mulroy Road. The crosses were quite intimidating as they were wrapped burlap or similar material that had been soaked with oil and/or kerosene. The cross or crosses would burn very brightly for considerable periods of time throughout the night and were usually placed on the tops of ridges or hills so they could be seen for miles around. In 1923, for example, there were numerous cross burnings reported in the Moravia and Groton areas, and in the towns of Pompey and LaFayette. It appears that most of the members were comprised of farmers from those particular areas.

Sometime in the mid-20s, while leaving Heath’s Grove, a dance pavilion in Amber, Sarto Major recalls looking southwest across Otisco Lake where he observed three brightly burning crosses and a line of cars moving up the hillside. Upon closer inspection, he determined that it was the Klan. There were many cars parked along the road and many white-hooded individuals standing around the field. Because of his religion, he felt it best that he get out of there as soon as possible, and did. Other individuals reported cross burnings in the Rose Hill area and on Old Seneca Turnpike, outside of Marcellus, opposite the Catholic Cemetery. There were even well known residents of Skaneateles that were invited to join the Klan, and it is believed that some did. Since it’s a secret organization, their identity has never really been verified. In August1924, the Skaneateles Free Press stated that substantial literature was distributed in the night to homes in the village by the Klan in an attempt to enlist membership and to set forth their cause. In September 1924, the Klan attempted to claim power in political party primaries being held at that time.

When my father, Charlie Major; was appointed supervisor in 1927, following the death of Supervisor Goodspeed, he was required to run for election to fill the vacancy in the fall of that year. Prior to that, however, he was confronted in a Republican was somewhat surprising since he had easily won the previous elections and had served as justice of the peace on the town board for five or six years.

In any event, during this campaign, the Klan tried to intercede and intimidated people of the area by burning crosses on the Adam’s farm, north of the village. Some people now refer to it as the Butter’s farm. The crosses were placed in areas that would be dearly visible to passengers returning from Skaneateles, to Skaneateles Falls and Mottville on the railroad and burned to coincide with their arrival. It was really a matter of intimidation as it had been in the south with the blacks. In this case, it did not work because the residents of Skaneateles chose Charlie Major as their candidate. Keep in mind, most of the Catholic residents of this town at that time were Democrats and could not vote in the Republican primary election.

Following the election, my father was met by an elderly lady in the street who told him that she really wanted to vote for him. However, she was told by the Klan that if he were elected, that would open the door for the Pope to move to Skaneateles. This lady, who was not well educated and worked at one of the mills “down the road," was clearly taken advantage of by the Klan’s propaganda.

Part of the irony to this whole thing is that a couple of months ago, I was asked to appear at the Borodino Grange Hall for a program sponsored by the Historical Society highlighting the Irish in the Spafford area. As part of the performance, I appeared in the balcony that evening as St. Patrick. That certainly would not have occurred at this particular Grange in the mid-20s. So, you see, ideas and prejudges have changed throughout the country. The good people of Spafford, including the town board and historical society, now have some controversy over how to properly use the Grange Hall. Clearly, the return of the Ku Klux Klan is not one of them.