Canadice Landmark Passes into History

Mrs. Maude Van Duyne

From the Wayland Register, 14 November 1940

Another old and once far-famed landmark of the town of Canadice has been demolished. The large house located on the southeast corner at Canadice Corners has been sold and removed from the foundation.

Perhaps a few words concerning its history and that of some of its occupants may be of interest. It is doubtful if any of the present generation know when this house was built, but undoubtedly it was nearly if not quite 100 years old.

Had Ballroom

The house was built with a porch extending across the front with an entrance leading into a hall in the center of the house, with large rooms on either side.

On the second floor was a large ballroom and in the long ago the place was the scene of many social affairs.

Early Occupants

Whether Joel Coykendall and his wife Sally were the first occupants of this house is not known, but time was when the four corners was known as Aunt Sal’s Corners. This name was given it by travellers who often stopped for food, which Aunt Sal dispensed with such a lavish hand that her fame as a cook spread throughout the countryside.

Mrs. Alta Hoagland has in her possession an invitation to the gathering at his hospitable home which reads as follows:

“Social Party - The pleasure of your company is respectfully solicited at Joel Coykendall’s Canadice Hotel, on Thursday evening, Jan. 18, 1855. Room managers, W. Treat, R. Wilder, W. Westbrook, H. P. Coykendall. Music by Sutton’s band. Bill $2.00. - (Lima Gazette Print.)”

Without doubt Aunt Sal served her guests one of her delicious meals on this occasion as was her custom.

In the days before the Civil War when general trainings were frequently held she served meals to the visitors and officers attending these events.

Mr. Was Retiring

Mr. Coykendall or Uncle Joel as he was familiarly known was evidently of a more retiring nature than his wife Aunt Sal as this circumstance shows:

A child in the neighborhood who had reached the age of 10 years went with her mother to buy some butter of Aunt Sal and seeing Uncle Joel for the first time asked who that man was and the reply was “Why he is Aunt Sal’s husband.” This happened during the Civil War and butter brought 50 cents a pound.

Of the several children of Aunt Sal and Uncle Joel one son, Hiram gave his life for his country during the Civil War at the age of 21 years. He died March 6, 1862, at Cape Gahipdian, Mo., and each year the stars and Stripes wave over his grave in the family lot in the cemetery around Canadice church where his parents and a sister are also buried.

The descendants of Aunt Sal and Uncle Joel are scattered through this locality; two great-grandchildren, Mrs. Leo Marshall and Burdette Hoppough, are residents of Canadice.

Though the old house has passed from view, the memory of it and of the several families who have called it home will long remain with the residents of this community.

Deplores Loss

It is regrettable that some person of vision could not have seen the possibilities and secured this house 25 years ago when with a small expenditure it could have been restored and used as a tourist home and wayside inn.

In these days of increased traffic and sightseeing tourism when city dwellers drive miles into the country for a chicken dinner this old house might have been made into an attractive place, and the days of old revived once more on famous Aunt Sal’s Corners.

Editor’s Note: Mrs. Willis Van Duyne was a frequent contributor of historical sketches and other material to the Wayland Register. She lived much of her life in Canadice NY.