New article – a diary

Elizabeth/Betty Edna (Effner) Haney
By Karen Cuccinello

This project came about because two ladies, Yvette and Cheryln, at C.O.R.E. Values Thrift Shop in Stamford noticed the historical significance of a 1937 diary that somebody donated to the store and thought it might pertain to someone in Stamford, and so gave it to the Stamford Village Library history room. The diary did not say who the author was but after I read a good portion of it I noticed one of the recurring names mentioned was Naoma. I happened to have written an article about Naoma (Effner) Shelmandine (1911-1993) a while ago, so I reread the article, and figured out that the names mentioned in the diary fit with Naoma’s older sister (and only sibling) Elizabeth.
Elizabeth “Betty” was born July 13, 1909 in Blenheim to Harry D. and Hazel (Schell/Schill) Effner. By 1920 the Effner family was in Stamford, where they remained, and the 1925 Stamford census lists them as living at 14 Beaver St. Elizabeth was a teacher for a few years until she got married at age 22. She married George A. Haney, age 24, on October 25, 1931 in Stamford. George was living in Stamford at the time and listed his occupation as a salesman. He was born June 26, 1907 in Nebraska to Leonard J. and Maude (Peck) Haney. The year before they got married George, of Detroit, MI visited the Effners and a few months before they got married Betty was driving one of the new free-wheeling Dodge 6 sedans.
In 1935 George was managing a Stamford baseball team. In 1936 Mrs. George Haney spent a week in Amsterdam with her sister, Mrs. Johnson Shelmandine. George enlisted January 22, 1943 to serve in the Army during WWII. In 1950 the 1949 DeSoto of Mr. and Mrs. George Haney of Syracuse was completely wrecked when a car crashed into it at Cazenovia. August 1969 Stamford Mirror-Recorder- A Syracuse man is reported to have suffered a compound fracture of the leg in a boating accident on Titus Lake, near Jefferson. The accident is said to have occurred when a boat operated by a man from Middleburgh, pulling a girl on water skis, ran into the side of a boat from which George Haney was trolling. Mr. Haney was thrown out of his boat, and after hitting the water, caught his leg in the propeller. He was taken to Community hospital, Stamford, where he is still a patient.
Elizabeth’s diary entries always mentioned the weather, who was doing what, and the movies at Smalley’s Movie Theater. Her 1937 weather reports reveal a rather warm winter. She and her husband George, and her sister Naoma (Mrs. Johnson Shelmandine) and niece Elaine (Mrs. Ferdinand Kelsey1935-2008) all lived with her parents during 1937 (they moved to Syracuse late 1940’s). Every week she mentioned who was doing the laundry and ironing, oodles and oodles of ironing, and where George was traveling to or calling from. She also mentioned who was sick, who wrote letters to her and when she wrote back, and when she worked for her father. The whole family, but mostly Betty and Naoma, worked at Smalley’s Movie Theater (I assume it was the ticket booth) and she listed all of the movies that were playing. It was amazing how many movies were offered at Smalley’s. Most census reports listed married women as housekeepers but as you can see these gals worked all kinds of part-time jobs.
The following are some of the interesting notations I found in her diary. February 14- George had a diathermy treatment (heat treatment) by Dr. Corke at night; March 5 – mother (Hazel) to L.A.S. (Ladies Aid Society) meeting at Mrs. Spoor’s and Charles Yanson started to paint the cellar; March 12- two little Hager boys drowned in Mase’s swimming pool; March 15- mailed an order to Montgomery Ward; March 21- George to Jefferson and Stamford Central Schools regarding window shades; April 3- Peter Skinner claimed the $180 bonus at the theater (I think this was some kind of raffle and if nobody was at the theater to win the money, it rolled over into the next week); April 26- George and dad (he was an auto dealer) repossessed Mannon’s car at 7AM, mom and I rose also and had a trout breakfast when they returned; May 14- sent my fur coat to storage; June 30- Elaine, Naoma and I left 10:30 for Grandpa Shelmandines funeral (this would be George Shelmandine age 67, of Gallupville, NY, who had married Mrs. Edna Schell, Hazel’s mother), after the burial at Jefferson we returned home; July 7- we all went to Grandma’s (I suspect Edna Schell-Shelmandine) for dinner and in the afternoon to see Dr. Best at Middleburgh (this would be Duncan Best as his father Dr. Christopher Best had died in 1934); October 4- in afternoon, mother and Naoma out soliciting subscriptions to Mirror-Recorder (newspaper); October 23- mom and Naoma left at 9AM for Oneonta, Naoma’s divorce was granted by Judge McNaught; November 3- we worked in AM and PM, Naoma, Elaine and I to Middleburgh, I went to the dentist to have two more teeth extracted (she had one extracted the week before), since I didn’t feel so well Dot (Dorothy)West worked for me, George phoned at night from Albany; November 4- Naoma, mother and Dick Pedone to Amsterdam (where Naoma had been living when married) and brought back Naoma’s furniture.
George died August 16, 1991 in Syracuse and Elizabeth died September 1, 1993. I could not find their final resting place and it does not appear that they had any children. If anyone knows please let me know at karenc@midtel.net.