Allegany County Source 11-28-2025

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BY KATHRYN ROSS

WELLSVILLE — “If you ask people what they know about Wellsville, they tell you about the Texas Hot, the David A. Howe Library — and the Pink House,” said Christina Wightman as she opened her talk during a recent recent Tuesdays With Grace.

The Pink House was constructed between 1866 and 1869 by Edwin Bradford Hall and his wife, Antoinette, whose portrait is one of the many paintings hanging in the house.

Wightman, the town of Willing historian and a Thelma Rogers Genealogical and Historical Society trustee, explained that Antoinette was the daughter of a civil engineer who moved his family to Wellsville in 1847, when just 400 or so people lived in the village. Edwin Hall arrived in Wellsville in 1852 and from a pharmacy owned by his uncle, built a successful business that catered to the needs of the rapidly growing community.

He rose to prominence after the railroad was built through the town.

The store, which still stands today, closed in the early 1970s, and is now the location of the Beef Haus. In the store, Hall sold morphine, opium, and leeches and

also sold books, dynamite, alcohol, glass, oil and mixed paint. He offered the use of a vault and a soda fountain to his customers.

“Some have speculated that the house’s pink paint color, mixed by Hall himself, was an advertisement for his paint business,” Wightman said.

She went on to say that the Italianate design of the house was inspired by the Halls’ wedding trip to Lake Como, Italy. However, a similar home, the Thompson House, was built in Bridgeport, Conn., and Hall lived near it in his youth and it may have inspired the design.

Five generations of the Hall family have owned the house, which is currently owned by movie producer Jay Woelfel and his businessperson wife, Kristy, who live in California for most of the year. In between the Woelfels and the Halls, the house was owned by Fannie and John Carpenter, Florence and Norman Woelfel, Ruth, Ann, Julian (Marcile) Woelfel and Bradley, Jack and Jay Woelfel.

After several years of disuse, the interior and exterior were restored by Julian and Marcile, who lived in Chicago, but often visited the family home in Wellsville. They also opened

it to the community on occasion. Jay Woelfel and his wife continue that tradition, highlighting Halloween and Christmas decorations as well as hosting occasional tours and providing a backdrop for prom photos and weddings.

Julian passed away in 2017, and Marcile passed away in 2020.

Wightman said Marcile always denied the common belief that the Pink House is haunted. She explained that the belief perhaps started with the suicide of Antoinette’s sister, Mary Francis Farnsworth, and the tragic drowning of 2-year-old Beatrice Carpenter. The child

fell into the fountain in the front of the house. She drowned while her grandfather, confined to a wheelchair due to a debilitating disease, watched, but couldn’t help.

The fountain was filled in for decades and used as a flower bed. It has recently been restored.

Wightman said, “Marcile told me, ‘There is a difference between a house being haunted and people being haunted.’”

The Pink House is two stories with a basement and a copula on the roof. The first and second floors each encompass 3,244 square feet and include eight bedrooms and two full bathrooms and two half bathrooms. The thirdfloor tower is lined with chestnut wood and features 10-foot-square balconies with iron supports on all sides. The basement offers 3,413 square feet and includes 14 separate rooms, two furnaces and a separate entrance that would have been used by servants.

The woodwork decorating the doorways, siding and staircases was carved from black walnut and chestnut by Germen craftsmen, who also carved the woodwork in the Lutheran church.

Fountain Arts Center seeks support on Giving Tuesday

The Fountain Arts Center invites you to support its mission to “reach hearts through the arts” at two Giving Tuesday events this holi-

day season. Ways to give to the Center will include participating in the basket auction, enjoying a delicious homemade soup

provide accessibility to the arts.

luncheon, and donating online at https://www. fountainartscenter.org.

A preview of the basket auction will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 29, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 470 N. Main St., Wellsville. The auction drawing will occur on Dec. 2. Featured in the auction is the Youth Choir’s Giant Christmas Basket filled with everything Christmas. Along with dozens of theme baskets, special ticket items to be raffled include a Kate Spade Bracelet and Earrings Set, and a Michael Kors Bracelet.

Since 2020, the Center has increased its focus on music programming, which includes an enthusiastic and talented youth choir made up of dozens of children from across Allegany County. The music program has grown to include private instrument lessons and performance opportunities such as community orchestra, concert band, and smaller ensembles.

In addition to the support of families, friends, and sponsors, these projects are made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants Program, a regrants program of the New York State Council for the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered in Allegany and Wyoming Counties by the Arts Council for Wyoming County.

The Fountain Arts Center will host the basket auction from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at 48 Schuyler St., Belmont. Auction winners will be selected at 3:30.

A Soup Luncheon will be available for eatin or take-out beginning at 11 a.m. Volunteers are also providing free lunch deliveries to county employees at 7 Court St., Belmont. Please sign up for delivery by texting 585-808-5379. Reaching hearts through the arts has always been the mission of the Fountain Arts Center. Through its art and music programs, the Center has provided educational and cultural experiences for numerous participants, young and old, offering many opportunities for performances and exhibitions. Its empowering activities have impacted not only the lives of its students, but the communities of the Twin Tiers as well. The Fountain Arts Center is a bright light shining in a rural area to

Concert with A Band

Called Hope.

The free activity, with a free-will offering, will feature an “evening with friends,” celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ through song.

John Wise, a former resident of Fillmore who now performs in the Buffalo area, leads A Band Called Hope which is comprised of different musicians depending on the venue.

Joining him in Friendship will be Houghton residents Dan Zambrano, a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who performs with multiple organizations throughout Allegany County and beyond, and Amy Tetta, a singer

and songwriter who is a regular part of the Fillmore Wesleyan Church worship team. The trio will present some of its favorite music of the season in a casual setting, according to the alliance, which reminds attendees of the greatest of all Christmas gifts – the glory of Christ’s birth.

Origin of Christmas Lighting Contest: Through Dec. 19, town of Friendship businesses and homes will have an opportunity to compete for at least $150 in prizes in lighting contest.

A prize of $100 will be given for the top home or business presentation which is visi-

ble to the public from a road or street. One or more sub-prizes will be awarded based on the number and quality of displays, as determined

by a panel of participating church leaders. The lighting initiative is designed to expand upon an increased alliance focus on the true reason for the Christmas

Palmer Opera House to present ‘’Twas the Night Before Christmas’

CUBA — The Palmer Opera House announces two performances of its Christmas production, Ken Ludwig’s “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” to be held Saturday, Dec. 6 at 2 and 7 p.m.

season, that being the birth of Jesus Christ, with successful winning entries being required to reflect the spirit of this theme.

During the 2023 holidays, the alliance erected a lighted nativity scene on the front lawn of The Mission House Family Center where it has been expanding an experiential learning center for community outreach.

including area code, to WhatGodisDoing@ outlook.com. All entries will be acknowledged. Judging and announcement of the award of prizes will occur prior to Christmas, with the addresses of lighting displays being published on the What God is Doing in Friendship ny alliance group Facebook page to enable all to enjoy the presentations.

Last year, it enlarged the display with the new 15-character representation of Jesus being worshiped in the manger after His birth at Bethlehem. The alliance display will not be part of the competition.

This show is a delightful holiday production that combines storytelling and music to entertain its audiences. Children ages 4 and up will be transported to the North Pole on Christmas Eve, where our heroes are in a struggle to save Christmas. This production is under 60 minutes — perfect for our youngest theatre lovers and the young at heart.

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas is directed by Paul A.

Nelson and produced by Michele Conklin. Other members of the production team include Lighting Designer Diane Willard, Sound Designer Eric Morehouse and Scenic Designers Rick Root, Carolyn Root and Connie Doyle. The ensemble consists of actors from Wellsville, Olean and Cuba, including Izzy Tinder, Chloe Clark, Tristian DeFiore, Bella Wenslow and Jim Chastain.

The doors to the theatre open 30 minutes before the curtain time. Tickets are $5 each or $15 per family. Call Michele Conklin at the Palmer Opera House for tickets at (585) 209-5512.

Entry into the lighting contest to best reflect the origin of Christmas will be accepted until 5 p.m. Dec. 19 by sending a picture and the entrant’s name, address of the display, email and telephone number,

Creators of non-town of Friendship displays, which reflect the origin of Christmas theme but aren’t eligible for the judging in this competition, are encouraged to submit the same information for listing on the group Facebook page for enjoyment of residents of their areas. Further information and updates to the holidays calendar are available on the alliance’s group Facebook page or at (585) 664-9989.

House continued from PAGE 1

The cupola helped air condition the house in the summer. The house was the first to have indoor plumbing and gas. It took three years to build and was built on a gentle knoll to protect it from flooding. In 1880, a music room was added.

fossils. Upon his death, his fossil collection was donated to the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh.

On the exterior, two zinc sculptures of lions grace the entrance. On the grounds there were an icehouse, gazebo, carriage house and fossil house, where Hall stored his collection of 5,500 fossils from the Devonian era of 419 million to 359 million years ago.

Wightman said that Hall used to pay neighborhood children to collect fossils, and he was considered by many as a distinguished scientist and leading collector of

Today, the old fossil house serves as a studio for Jay Woelfel when he visits. The carriage house area is being turned into a garden once deer fencing is installed. The ice house was separated from the main structure and replaced with a window.

The Woelfels visit several times a year.

Wightman told the attendees at Tuesdays With Grace she does not know what will become of Wellsville’s famous Pink House in the future. The Woelfels have no children to leave it to.

“That’s a question for Jay to answer,” she said.

NYS Notary Public Workshop on December 15 at Alfred State College Featuring Law Scholar Alfred E. Piombino

ALFRED, NY —

Alfred E. Piombino

will lead a New York State Notary Public Workshop on Monday, December 15, 2025 from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. at the Alfred State College (ASC) Main Campus. Parking is free and no car permit is required. Traffic signs will be posted on campus directing participants to the designated parking lot.

This acclaimed program provides a comprehensive review of the New York State Notary Public role, duties and responsibilities

and delivers effective official state law examination preparation.

“Attendance at this seminar is a must for every prospective Notary Public to properly prepare for the serious legal authority, duties and myriad responsibilities of holding this public officer appointment,” said Alfred E. Piombino.

“Simply taking and passing the 40-question examination, implemented in 1950 by New York Secretary of State Thomas J. Curran, is a good start, but it’s not sufficient preparation

by itself to fully understand and execute all the required duties,” said Piombino. “First appointed as a New York Notary Public in 1981, I easily passed the state law examination because I was a business school student, but I really didn’t fully understand the scope and depth of my duty which inspired my further legal research,” he adds.

“This frustration with a lack of accurate, adequate resources sparked my sense of intellectual curiosity and was the catalyst of forty years of passion for dedicating myself to this niche, legal scholarship, researching, writing and teaching - to not only help other legal practitioners better protect themselves from legal liability, but also to protect the integrity of the civil and criminal court systems,” adds Piombino. “Notarial

legal ineptitude, intentional or unintentional, definitively leads to the insidious denigration of all courts, erodes public confidence and stymies good-faith efforts to effectively and fairly deliver justice to litigants, victims and defendants.

The New York Secretary of State administers the proctored, written law examination through the Department of State on a regular basis throughout New York, but not at the training event. Official examination schedules will be distributed at the briefing. Four sample law examinations and answer keys are provided to every participant as a selfstudy aid for review after the briefing. Two required textbooks (Notary Public Register and Recordkeeping Protocols and Notary Public Handbook: A Guide for New York) are included in the college tuition fee

and will be distributed to all registrants on the day of the event. Piombino is a highly acclaimed teacher, court expert witness, prolific book author, past state court official and former State University of New York (SUNY) college business law faculty. He is the renowned scholar on New York Notary Law and Practice and the original curriculum developer and faculty of Notary Public educational programs at scores of public and private colleges throughout New York, including Alfred State College.

Residents of Pennsylvania are eligible to take the examination and apply for an appointment as a NYS Notary Public. US Citizenship is not required for any applicant, nor is a felony conviction an automatic disqualification from receiving an appointment by the New York Secretary of State.

Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA) union member-employees may submit a CSEA Tuition Benefit Voucher to pay for the full cost of the training course, plus the CSEA Certification and Licensure Examination Fee Reimbursement Benefit is also available to reimburse union member-employees for the NYS test fee.

Space is very limited for this Western New York, special author appearance and pre-registration is required. The tuition cost of the halfday program is $125. For more information or to register on-line, visit the Alfred State College website at https:// www.alfredstate.edu/ ccet/notary-training or call ASC Office of Extended Learning, Innovation and Teaching Excellence (ELITE) on (607) 587-4015.

State police: Fla. man kills two brothers in Allegany

FILLMORE —

The New York State Police reported Monday that two brothers were killed and another is in custody following an altercation in the Allegany County town of Allen.

Scot Thompson, 65, of Englewood, Fla., was charged Monday morning with two counts of second-degree murder, an A-II felony, and two counts of first-degree criminal use of a firearm, a class B felony.

According to a statement, troopers responded at approximately 10:06 p.m. Sunday to a reported disturbance on Botsford Hollow Road. Troopers subsequently located two deceased individuals at the residence.

According to an official statement, a subsequent investigation determined that three brothers were staying at a hunting cabin on Botsford Hollow Road. The was a physical altercation and one of the brothers called 911.

During this altercation, Scot Thompson allegedly fatally shot his brothers, Mark B.

County

Thompson, 70, of Canterbury, Conn. and David E. Thompson, 69, of Port Charlotte, Fla. with a rifle.

Scot Thompson then reportedly left the scene in David’s vehicle. The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office and Geneseo Police Department located the vehicle and took Thompson into custody without incident. He was turned over to troopers and transported to State Police barracks in Amity for processing.

Thompson was processed and will be transported to Allegany County Jail, where he will be held pending arraignment.

An autopsy is scheduled for the victims at Strong Memorial Hospital.

The NYSP Forensic Identification Unit, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Allegany County District Attorney’s Office, Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, Geneseo Police Department and the Allegany County Coroner assisted in this investigation, which is ongoing.

en, Director of Emergency Management, Allegany County.

Axley outlined the foundation of a successful COAD through the Four C’s: cooperation, communication, coordination and collaboration. These principles, she said, foster the effective delivery of relief and recovery services and create stronger, more resilient communities.

Axley also highlighted several benefits of forming a COAD, including improved communication among local, state and national partners; coordinated resources and services; expedited disaster response; and reduced duplication of efforts.

Hubbell and Marshall shared insights from the Steuben County COAD, which played a key role in long-term recovery following the floods caused by Tropical Storm Fred and Tropical Storm Debbie.

Allegany County Emergency Management Director Scott Golden concluded the session by discussing how a local COAD

could integrate with existing emergency response plans. He emphasized the importance of including partners who can help meet the needs of vulnerable populations, including older adults and residents with disabilities.

UWCAC will hold follow-up meetings to identify regional partners, establish a framework, and define shared goals.

For more information on the COAD and how to join the effort, visit www.uwcac.org/ coad

The United Way of Cattaraugus & Allegany Counties brings people together to build strong communities where

everyone thrives. They tackle tough challenges and work with private, public, and nonprofit partners to boost education, economic