Brooks Grove Archives — New York Genealogy

Social Activity in St. Helena, New York

St Helena, ghost town of the Genesee, 1797-1954

The little village’s ministers were paid a small salary and by donations. The February 14, 1879, Castilian states that a very successful “donation” was held at the St. Helena schoolhouse. The goodly sum of seventy-five dollars was raised for Rev. Campbell. Well done for so small a community! The donation was an annual event, held in the schoolhouse on an autumn evening when the harvest was in. The gifts were all kinds of fruits, vegetables, meat, baked goods, and money. The affair was such a social success that the guests generally ate many of the donations! The older people visited … Read more

St. Helena’s Church Life

Weekdays, the St. Helena schoolhouse was used for teaching three R’s—Readin’, ’Ritin’ and ’Rithmetic. On the Sabbath day, it became a church house, where a fourth R, Religion, was taught. St. Helena was a charge of the Methodist Protestant Church at Brooks Grove, a hamlet four miles up the eastern hill. The Grove was named for General Micah Brooks, of Gardeau Reservation fame, who settled there in 1832. The Methodist Protestant Church movement started in 1830 and a society by that name was organized at Brooks Grove in 1840. The church was built there in 1844-45 and Rev. Short was … Read more

St. Helena’s School Life

The St. Helena School in 1893, when Miss Ida Bennett was teacher.

When homes began to be established in St. Helena, the need for a school arose, naturally. The exact date of the building of the first schoolhouse cannot be learned. However, it is known that the structure was located in the valley on the west side of the northern highway leading toward Castile. The building was used later for a barn. The school district was Number Four, at first, but later was changed to Number Ten in Castile Township. Since the village’s plans were made about 1820, it would appear that the schoolhouse was included. The first school building was used … Read more