Thousand Islands Life, Stained Glass Windows Series

This is the third of a series of historical articles about the church on Grindstone Island. Over the next few months, we will introduce those families who are commemorated in beautiful stained glass windows. Their history will live on, and hopefully many islanders will assist to ensure the Church will be rebuilt for future generations.

Walter Atherton was born to Ann Parry Atherton and Thomas Atherton in March 1880 in Manchester, England. In 1895, Walter’s father, a police officer in Manchester, died of pneumonia. In 1896, his mother used the life insurance money to relocate the family to America. This move was made to join her parents and other family members who had previously migrated to America, including Walter’s older brother, David Atherton. David was already living on Grindstone Island, having immigrated with his grandparents in 1883.

Walter Atherton, Grindstone Island, NY. [Photo courtesy of the author]

Walter’s mother Ann bought a farm on Grindstone Island next door to her parents’ farm, David and Margaret (Davies) Parry. The farm Ann purchased is now known as the Lang property. Ann’s parents had left Wales to move to Grindstone Island because her father, David Parry, was a stone cutter, and he went to work in the granite quarries. Several other Parry relatives came from Wales at about the same time; many of them were also stone cutters. The property on Grindstone Island that they settled on was known then as Parry Point because of the large number of family members living there.

Walter with his grandfather, David Parry, mother Ann Atherton and sisters: Millie; Margaret; Alice; Louise; and Walter. [Photo courtesy of the author]

Ann and Thomas Atherton had the following children: David Atherton (born 1876); Margaret Atherton Parry (born 1878, married to Thomas Parry); Walter Atherton (born 1880, married to Delia O’Donnell); Alice Atherton Rusho (born 1887, married to Manley A. Rusho); Louise Atherton Stickles (born 1891, married to Delbert Stickles); and Amelia Atherton Matthews (born 1892, married to Jack Matthews). Alice Atherton Rusho was my great-grandmother; she died in 1988, just a few months shy of her 101st birthday. Many of her Parry family members lived long, healthy lives, too. Our family was very fortunate to have her in our lives for so long.

Walter Atherton married Delia O’Donnell in 1914, when she was about 36 years old and he was 34. Delia was born in Ireland and immigrated to the United States in 1900. She worked as a cook on Calumet Island before the castle was closed by owner Charles Emery. She was known to make the best cinnamon rolls. Walter was a dairy farmer on Grindstone Island. He would walk over to his sister Alice’s nearby farm to visit her every day. Walter and Delia never had any children.

Walter died of cancer in 1935 and was buried on Grindstone Island. His wife, Delia, inherited the farm, sold it, and moved off the island. This was when the church on Grindstone was undergoing repairs and extensive renovations. Delia used some of the money to purchase a stained glass window honoring her late husband.

By Cindy Rusho Hagemann

Cindy Rusho Hagemann was born in Alexandria Bay, NY to Manley and Mary Lou Rusho - she is the third of their four daughters. The family moved to Sanford, Florida, in 1969, where she grew up, but was still lucky to spend her summers on Grindstone Island with her grandparents. Cindy has been married to USN Commander (Ret) Jon Hagemann for 38 years, and they have four grown children and three grandchildren. They live in the mountains of Tennessee on a hobby farm with alpacas, goats, pigs, dogs, and chickens. Cindy is a marketing professional, and she serves on the board of the Grindstone Island Church and is a committee member of the Grindstone Island Heritage Museum.

Cindy helped her father Manley Rusho, a long-time resident of Grindstone Island, write his many stories of growing up on Grindstone Island. We’re grateful to Cindy for encouraging her Dad to write these stories, to help him edit them, and then to send them to us to publish!

Important Notice: Cindy has been writing these vignettes in support of the Grindstone Island capital campaign called Save our Sanctuary Campaign. Please consider a sending a donation to: https://www.giumc.org/donate/ or by mail: P.O. Box 411, Clayton, NY 13624. Together we can help repair this historic and community worship center for the next generation of islanders.