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Village says goodbye to ‘Mr. Wellsville’ BY KATHRYN ROSS
WELLSVILLE — Hearts have been heavy this past week after local residents learned that James “Jim” Raptis, 95, had passed away. To say he was a village icon, or a treasure is not enough. People always say when they come to Wellsville, they have to stop at the Texas Hot, but thousands over the years also stopped by to say hello to Jimmy Raptis, “Mr. Wellsville.” Politicians, celebrities, old friends and customers always received a warm reception from the dark-haired man in the snowy white apron, who greeted them with a friendly hand and open smile. Jim Raptis had a long and storied career at the
Texas Hot and even after his retirement, he often came through the back door to see who was around. In the 1950s Jim and his partner Constantine “Gus” Rigas took over running the restaurant their Greek immigrant father’s had started in 1921, under their father’s guidance. But Jim’s eyes were wider than the narrow passageway between the wooden booths under the chocolate tin ceiling. He looked around the community to see where the boy who grew up above the cafe and playing on Main Street could fit in. He fit in as chairman of the March of Dimes for Allegany County, the Jones Memorial Hospital Board of Managers,
United Way Board of Directors, First Trust Union Bank Advisory Board, director of the Chamber of Commerce, Board of Trustees for Alfred State College and the Alfred Educational Foundation, as a town justice and town councilman. As a steadfast Republican, he was elected to the county legislature. He was a Mason and a Shriner and since 1956, a Lion all while running one of the most popular restaurants in the area and raising three sons, George, Mike and Charlie with his wife Demmye. As chairman of the county legislature Raptis probably made his biggest contribution to Mr. Wellsville continued on PAGE 4
File photo Jim Raptis with one of the historical signs he helped to install throughout the village of Wellsville in recent years.
Wellsville forming committee to plan for 250th celebration WELLSVILLE — In 1976, like countless other towns and villages across the nation, Wellsville held a bicentennial celebration. In 2026, a committee is being organized in the community to celebrate the nation’s 250th year. When the idea was suggested to village Mayor Ed Fahs, he said, “I think it’s a good idea. I would like to see Revolutionary War reenactors and a cannon.” He then appointed Kathryn Ross to chair the group in charge of
lived in the area, the first permanent settlers and the signing of the Decla-
organizing a 250th event. Volunteers are needed. Ross has scheduled an organizing meeting for 2 p.m. March 14 in the Monday Club Room at the David A. Howe Library. The library is now open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Tentative plans call for the celebration to take place in Island Park at a date to be decided by the committee and with the approval of the town board. The event will highlight the wilderness of the area and the indigenous people who
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village of Wellsville were widely settled at the time of the Revolutionary War. The town was incorporated on Nov. 22, 1855, while the village was incorporated in 1857 — some 60 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed. The semiquincentennial celebration will also be free and open to the public and will be both child- and adult-friendly. Future meeting dates will also be decided by the committee. Since the 250th year represents a year-long
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celebration of the country’s founding, the Wellsville event will not coincide with other 250th events being held in Angelica and Andover. Residents are asked to come out to the organizational meeting for Wellsville’s 250th Committee and help make it an event worthy of the village and town. For more information about joining the committee and the upcoming event, call (585) 610-5343, inquire at kathr_2002@ yahoo.com or come to the meeting.
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