The February meeting of the Honeoye Falls/Mendon Historical Society will feature Mathew Schofield. Mathew is the Manager of Historic Trades and Agriculture at the Genesee Country Village and Museum. Mathew has been a working farrier and blacksmith for eight years. He began using horses for logging roughly 12 years ago and continued his education in draft animal power through a farming apprenticeship. While using horses and oxen for raising vegetables, it became clear he wanted to care for the entire animal. He soon began apprenticing as a farrier (a shoer of horses).
The topic of Mathew’s talk is “Frontier Smithing: Forging the Edge of Civilization”. As the Western section of New York was expanding, the demand for frontier and village blacksmithing grew.
The blacksmith’s work was a vital aspect of “taming the wilderness” and encouraging settlement of these newly acquired lands. From general blacksmithing to horse and ox shoeing, a blacksmith was required to produce, or fix, almost anything. They were the hub on which a town moved forward.
The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on February 6th at the Mendon Community Center, 167 North Main Street in Honeoye Falls. This facility is handicapped accessible. The meeting is open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For information, call 624-5655.
