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Photo Courtesy of Jim Ford An images of then G.W. Hinman c 1935 from Jim Ford's book " Grove His Life and Legacy in the Madison Area"
Dispatch Staff Photo by JOHN HAEGER twitter.com/oneidaphoto Author Jim Ford holds his latest book " Grove His Life and Legacy in the Madison Area" as his poses in front of the G.W. Hinman building on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013 in Madison.
MADISON >> Jim Ford recalls he knew he wanted to be a history teacher when he was in his third week of seventh grade at Madison Central School, thanks to the role model of his own instructor.
?The teacher I had at the time was so calm and relaxed about relating the stories of history,? he said of then-Madison Central School history teacher, the late Arden Seeley. ?He was just a great guy.?
Ford graduated from Madison Central in 1965 and Oneonta State College -- where he met his wife Joan -- in 1969, the same year both of them started their first year of teaching at Stockbridge Valley Central School. The couple now have two sons, Geoff in New Jersey and Mike in Florida, and two grandchildren.
After a single year at SVCS, Ford moved on to teach junior high history at his Madison Central School alma mater, where he taught for 33 years before his retirement in 2003. Realizing there wasn?t a lot of historical material available on the local area, Ford developed a 10-week local history course in 1986 for seventh graders to share with them some of the rich past in Madison.
?I became more and more interested in local history as I discovered there wasn?t a lot written about it,? Ford said. ?My course taught them about places within the school district like cemeteries, Madison Lake, our local businesses, and even the history of the school itself.?
Retirement didn?t mean an end to his history instruction. Now 65, Ford continues his quest to teach about local history as an author, starting back in 2005 with a series of town of Madison history books. They were followed by ?Pride of Cidertown,? the story of the Bouckville Summits baseball team, and then ?Sweet Cider Days,? telling the history of the Motts family in Madison County.
His latest work is the newly-released ?Grove: His Life & Legacy in the Madison Area,? a biography of farmer/businessman Grove Hinman, who made his mark on the area in the early to mid-1900s. Hinman was loved by some, hated by others, but the tales of his life and work made for some compelling storytelling that Ford says continues to this day.
?Calling him a ?local legend? is mild,? Ford admitted. ?They are still talking about him to this day, and a lot of the stories have really stuck with people.?
The book, like all of Ford?s volumes, is researched from first-person accounts and local news items -- arranged in an easy-to-read chronological account of his life. As an added bonus, there is a collection of personal anecdotes at the end of the book from persons who knew Hinman or knew of him ... not all of whom are fans of his.
Hinman, who was born in Deansboro in 1889 and died in Madison in 1961, was a larger-than-life character who sometimes had run-ins with the law, including visits during Prohibition-era parties where he was selling alcohol. He also was once pulled over by a ?Good Old Boy? trooper while speeding through the south -- Hinman told the trooper he might as well write up two tickets, because he would be driving just as fast on his way back through. Continued...
He was even instrumental in the beginnings of the Vernon Downs Raceway, although the official licensing had to be done in his wife?s name because of his troubles with the law.
One startling story tells of the theft of $250,000 from the safe of Hinman?s widow in 1963 after his death. When the police examined the safe, they found a secret compartment inside -- where another $352,000 was hidden.
Ford credited the encouragement and resources of local residents Tony Paino and Coralie Friers for inspiring him to do the book.
?Both of them had contact with Grove and loaned me materials to use -- even old bean and pea tickets,? Ford said. ?I like being able to use first-hand sources.?
His history tomes won?t end there, as Ford will soon release a history of golf offerings at Colgate University.
?I see that as a payback for what they?ve done for me,? Ford explained. ?I worked at Seven Oaks while I went to college and I think it?s nice to give a little something back.?
Ford will discuss ?Grove: His Life & Legacy in the Madison Area? with history enthusiasts at the town of Madison Historical Society on South Street in the village on March 18 at 7 p.m.
The book is available in Madison at Kountry Kupboard II and the town hall; in Hamilton at Ray?s Wayside, the Colgate Bookstore, and Parry?s Hardware; in Waterville at Morgan?s Hardware and at the Deansboro Superette.
Ford is available for in-person discussions and autographs -- call him at 824-1556 or email: jnford47@hotmail.com
Source: http://www.oneidadispatch.com/articles/2013/02/18/news/doc51202b837c65e298897855.txt
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