Third Annual Celebration of Mansfield's Outstanding Women

March 30, Sunday, 2 PM.

Presenters" Steve McCloskey, Joyce M. Tice

Third Annual Celebration of Mansfield's Outstanding Women.

The History Center, 61 N. Main St., Mansfield. Join us to hear the stories of these remarkable local women.

Dr. Edith Irene Flower Wheeler – The daughter of Lucius and Stella Coles Flower, she was born in Mansfield in 1870 and would graduate from Mansfield State Normal School with a teaching degree in 1891. After teaching several years in Mann Creek, Edith secured her own funding to enroll in the Women’s Medical College of Philadelphia, one of the very few medical schools in the country to offer women the opportunity to become doctors in the United States. Following her graduation, Dr. Flower returned to Mansfield serving as the community’s first female doctor from 1899 through 1914 before going to Elmira. She later become a prominent member of the Cortland,NY Medical Association while serving on the staff of the Cortland Hospital until her death at age 93 in 1967.

Ellen Marie Bailey Williams – Born the daughter of Roswell Wilson Bailey and Julia Ann Rockwell in Dartt Settlement in 1838, she would marry Phillip Williams and move to Mansfield. Phillip Williams was vested in the lumber industry and along with Andrew Ross would form the Ross & Williams Bank as the forerunner of today’s First Citizens Community Bank. Upon the death of her husband, she became one of the wealthiest widows in the Northern Tier. Her inheritance from the will posted in local newspapers caused a sensation in the community. One of her first endeavors was to tear down their home and completely rebuild on the same site. That new home, after her death, later became the American Legion and finally Mark’s Brother’s Restaurant. She generously donated and supported the Mansfield area community, including the Columbian Literary Exchange program as well as her extended family. 

Frances (Frank) Edytha Buttles, born in Mansfield in 1845, achieved a legacy that may never be forgotten. As an 1866 graduate of Mansfield State Normal School, the first class, she, like most of her classmates, launched a teaching career. As a language specialist, she spent years traveling and studying in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Her enduring fame was the result of her 25,000 item menu collection, gathered from all the corners of the world, that remains at the New York Public Library to this day. How she accumulated the collection and prepared it for posterity is the story of a truly remarkable individual with home-town roots.

April 12, Saturday, 1 PM.

Presenter: Matthew Carl

LAQUIN: The Rise and Fall of a Pennsylvania Lumber Town

Based on the new book by the same name, LeRoy Heritage Museum President and Bradford County Historical Society Executive Director, Matthew Carl, will discuss his popular new book about the history of the lumber town of Laquin, located in southern Bradford County, PA. The 512-page book , released at the end of 2023, was 31 years in the making and over 750 copies have been sold. He will also present a PowerPoint presentation taking the audience on a tour of Laquin. The new book may be purchased at the event and Matthew will sign copies at the conclusion of the program.

The History Center, 61 N. Main St., Mansfield

Sunday, April 27, 2 PM

Presenter: John M. Ulrich

Byron Brown, American Abstract Art and Mansfield State College

Byron Browne (1907-1961) was a well-regarded New York City artist and one of the pioneers of American abstract art. His paintings and drawings are held in museums around the world. Although best known for his abstract paintings, his work encompasses a wide range of subject matters and styles. In 1961, Mansfield State College exhibited 14 of Browne’s oil paintings; this was the last exhibition of his work while the artist was still living. This presentation will introduce you to the work of Byron Browne, provide details on his exhibition at MSC, and explain his impact on the establishment of a permanent art collection at the university. Original works by Byron Browne will be on display for viewing during the presentation.

High School Reunions 2025

Is your high school class gathering this year?Let us know when, and we'll be glad to invite you to the History Center to remember the town and the [people you grew up with.

Who Did You Know From the Class of 1935?

Ninety years ago 48 young people graduated from Mansfield High School. Many of them stayed in the town, ran businesses or farms, sent another generation of children to school. You probably knew some of them when you were growing up.

The Mansfield High School Class of 1935 produced a physician, a scientist, an engineer, a librarian, a mechanic, farmers, and several teachers ' At least 15 of the 47 graduates also graduated from Mansfield State Teachers College. At least ten served in the military in World War Two, including one who died in Germany in the war. One career military served in World War Two, Korea, and Vietnam.

We have yearbooks and commencement brochures for this class. Now, through our online record collection, you can read their stories. Just click, scroll down to the linked names in red letters, and remember the class of 1935. Find out what they did and where life took them.

If you have information to add, please let us know.

1935 Manscript, Mansfield High School | History Center

Our Library: History and Genealogy

 Our History-Genealogy Library is open any time the History Center is open. We invite you to stop by to browse, dip into volumes, do research, or just sit and read. We can search our database if you are looking for some specific book or topic. You can also check out a volume on loan to take with you.

Online Collections | History Center (pastperfectonline.com)

While we have nearly 30,000 cataloged items, about 5,000 of them have so far been uploaded in our online catalog where you can see them.

Take a look. The ONLY way to learn your way around this utility is to read the guidelines and poke every link. Just explore, go wandering. You'll be surprised.

You will find lists of people (all by name at birth), lists of subjects, or try searching on keywords which is just about anything. Our genealogy database of local connections includes over 100,000 individuals. Over 11,000 of them are also included in our museum files with links to schools, cemeteries, businesses, etc. People are only included online if we have an object or photos associated with them, although they are in our files if they are/were local (lived here, buried here, went to school here). If your family is not shown, send us photos so they can be.

You can select Random Images and follow something that catches your eye.

Try searching for advertisements. They link to businesses and the life stories of the people who ran them, and even the buildings they operated in.

You can also link to the online catalogs through our landing page at joycetice.com.

We have lots more fine-tuning and linking to do for our online presentation, but you'll be surprised what you find when you get lost in our files.

Renewed Members - New Members - Join us for 2025

We'd like to have twenty new members for 2025. As a bonus, we'll send each of them an earlier journal issue from 2019to 2024 in addition to the 2025 issues as they are published. You can send a check or pay by PayPal. Directions link from the button at left.

If you are planning a reunion, consider a casual afternoon Meet & Greet at the History Center's Museum of Us. In an informal environment, you can chat with your friends, watch a slide show of Mansfield's historic photos, and find traces of yourself, your friends, and your family. Many of our exhibits are designed for those who grew up here. The Blue & Gold Room is full of MHS sports mementos. The pictorial display includes YOU along with all the other MHS graduates in its first hundred years.

Thank You to Our Gold Level Sponsors

Law Offices of Larry Mansfield

VFW Post 6757

Mansfield Auxiliary Corporation

Lutes Foundation