Safford article, 80 Main Street
Dr. John E. and Mrs. Elnora Safford
By Karen Cuccinello 3-2019
Dr. Safford lived in the big beautiful house at 80 Main and Academy Streets that burned down at some point after1986. The house was built, I believe, by the Brownell family and sold to him by Miss Allie/Alice Brownell in 1904.
The Safford’s obituaries are very self-explanatory so I will print them in their entirety.
May 17, 1934 (Stamford Mirror-Recorder)- Dr. John E. Safford died at the Parshall hospital in Oneonta on May 12th, following a several months’ illness from heart trouble and complications. He was the son of Andrew Safford and Lucy Bradt, of Dutch extraction, and was born on April 5, 1862, at Carlisle, Schoharie County. On June 14, 1899, he was united in marriage with Elnora Hagadorn of Gilboa.
Dr. Safford was a graduate of New York State Teachers College, and of Baltimore College of Physicians and Surgeons, now the University of Maryland, being a member of the class of 1895. He taught in the public schools for a short time in his early years and during his college vacations was employed in the State Department of Education at Albany. He first practiced medicine in Grosvenor Corners, Schoharie County coming to Stamford in 1897 (his office was in East Hall of Churchill Hall), and was a member of the Delaware County Medical Society, the New York State Medical Society and the American Medical Association. His name is found in connection with practically every worthy project for the benefit of the village. He had served as village trustee, and as health officer for Harpersfield, Jefferson, Gilboa, the town and village of Stamford and Hobart village. At the time of his death he was vice president of the National Bank of Stamford.
He was one of the first to advocate a hospital for Stamford and when its charter was granted in 1920, he was elected secretary. Through these fourteen years, he worked always for the furtherance of this institution, and was its president at his death.
He was an active member of Delta Chapter R. A. M. and of Hobart Masons lodge, also of the Elks at Oneonta. He had also served as a trustee of the Stamford Cemetery Association, and as a director of the Country Club. Dr. Safford has always been identified with every worthwhile enterprise in Stamford. Particularly conspicuous has been his interest in and loyal support of the Chamber of Commerce of which he has been a member since its inception and his equal interest in the Board of Trade, which was a similar organization preceding the Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Safford served in many capacities as a member of the Chamber of Commerce as well as a member of the Board of Trade and gave unstintingly of his time and efforts in support of both of these worthy organizations. He was particularly interested in keeping the name of Stamford before the public as a summer resort and always urged liberal appropriations for newspaper and direct mail advertising.
April 29, 1948 (Stamford Mirror-Recorder) – Mrs. Elnora “Nora” (Hagadorn) Safford, wife of the late Dr. Safford, passed away at the Jones nursing home at Oneonta April 27 after a long illness, age 79 years.
Mrs. Safford was born in Gilboa on July 21, 1869, daughter of Addison and Frances (Brand) Hagadorn. She attended Stamford Seminary and Albany Normal School and taught for some time in Westchester County.
She had been an officer in the following organizations: Village Library, Order of the Eastern Star, Daughters of the American Revolution, Woman’s Village Improvement Association and Ladies Auxiliary of the Country Club. There are no near survivors. She is buried in the Stamford Cemetery with her husband.
About a year after her death the Safford’s antique furniture was sold and the property was purchased by Mrs. Marion Schwettmann, a restaurant owner of Kingston and Miss Jane Stafford, RN, of New York City. They opened the Stamford Nursing Home September 8, 1949 (the newspaper said the first in Delaware County). Mrs. Schwettmann sold her interest in the nursing home to Mrs. Charles H. Sitts aka Jane Stafford, in 1952. The Nursing Home closed in 1967, then in the 1970’s Lawrence G. Altman had a dentist office there at least until 1986 and Dr. Jack D. Maleh opened an office there in 1972.