Walter T. Bliss
Walter Thomas Bliss was a lawyer, businessman, and Prohibition Party politician, who ran as the Prohibition Party candidate for New York Attorney General in 1914 and for Justice on the State Court of Appeals in 1917.2 Walter Bliss was born on November 6, 1860, in Little Genesee, New York. He was the son of Benjamin Thurston Bliss (b.1830-d.1902) and Mary Jane (Crandall) Bliss (b.1842-d.1943). His father had as a schoolteacher and sawmill worker, before marrying and settling down to become a farmer. Walter grew up with his siblings William (b.1864-d.1940), Carrie (b.1868-d.1938), and Leslie (b.1877-d.1964) on his parents’ farm in Little Genesee.3
Walter Bliss had been educated in public schools and had attended Alfred Academy for a year. At 17, he started working as a schoolteacher. He worked as a schoolteacher for 4 years and then began attending college at Alfred University.4
While Walter Bliss was attending college at Alfred in 1881, an oil boom occurred in and around the town of Bolivar, New York. This resulted in an influx of people and economic activity in the Bolivar area centered around oil extraction. His uncle Edwin Bliss was one of the early residents involved with the area’s oil business and had also run a general store. After completing his semester in Alfred in the spring, Walter went to work at his uncle’s general store. Over the course of months, he watched Bolivar transform from “a sleepy hamlet of 300 to a tumultuous oil town of 8,000 population”. He worked at his uncle’s store until he returned to Alfred for his next semester in the spring of 1882.5
Walter Bliss started to become civically engaged during the 1884 election. In the early 1880s, the Prohibition Party had started becoming a significant political force in New York state and nationwide, as many voters who supported the cause of prohibition and other reforms grew disillusioned with the major parties and became members/supporters of the Prohibition Party. In the 1884 election, former Kansas Governor John St. John ran as the Prohibition Party candidate for president, and New York was a significant area for the St. John campaign. Walter Bliss joined the Prohibition Party and started campaigning for St. John. He was president of the local St. John and Daniel club in Alfred, which encouraged people to vote for St. John and his running mate William Daniel. On election day, Bliss cast his first presidential vote for St. John. He was one of the roughly 25,000 New Yorkers and 147,000 Americans whose votes allowed St. John to perform strongly in the 1884 election. St. John’s strong performance in New York arguably prevented Republican candidate James Blaine from winning New York, allowing Grover Cleveland to win the presidential election, and establishing the Prohibition Party as a significant third party political force.7 Following the 1884 election, the Prohibition Party further developed itself as a significant political force in Allegany County and New York State, and Bliss went on to become involved with the party on the local and state level.8
In 1886, Walter Bliss graduated from Alfred University with a Bachelor of Philosophy degree. While he was in college, he still had an intermittent connection with Bolivar through his uncle’s business. In 1887, his uncle sold the general store to H.G. Mitchell. Walter came over to the store to assist in taking inventory for the store’s transition. While doing so, he met the new store owner’s daughter, Minnie Mitchell. Walter and Minnie ended up getting into a relationship with each other.9
After graduating from Alfred, Bliss had moved to pursue a career in law. He spent two years working as a traveling salesman for a grove factory to afford law school. He studied law at the University of Michigan for a year. He then continued his legal studies in Olean, New York, under Frederick Kruse (who was a former state assemblyman and later a state supreme court justice from 1900-1922) at the law office of Kruse and Kruse. Bliss was admitted to the bar in 1890 and spent his first few years practicing law in Alfred, New York.10
Walter Bliss married Minnie Mitchell on January 20th, 1891. They would go on to have five sons: Laurence Mitchell Bliss (1892-1933), Hubert Donald Bliss (1894-1963), Chester Merton Bliss (1898-1958), Burton Thurston Bliss (1900-1988), and George Walter Bliss (1907-1976).11
Walter Bliss moved to the town of Bolivar at the beginning of 1892. He formed a law practice in Bolivar with James M. Curtis (a lawyer who had practiced in law in Bolivar since 1840 and was president of the State Bank of Bolivar). Curtis & Bliss was formed with Curtis as the senior partner and Bliss as the junior partner.12 In 1898, Bliss was admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York and the United States Circuit Court of New York.13 Following the death of James Curtis in 1902, Bliss began running a law practice on his own. Over the following years, he managed to establish a far-reaching practice throughout Allegany County.14
In the 1890s, Walter became more involved with the Prohibition Party and started running as a candidate for local offices. In 1891, he was nominated as a Prohibition Party candidate for town justice in Alfred and was also endorsed as part of a multi-party fusion ticket that was run in Alfred that year. He ran against Republican candidate Chas Stillman. Bliss won the election with 185 votes, to 158 for Stillman. Though Bliss’ subsequent move to Bolivar prevented him from serving out the length of his term.15 In 1894, Walter Bliss ran the Prohibition Party candidate for Town Supervisor of Bolivar, against Republican candidate John H. Crandall and Democratic Candidate Fred A. Hulbert. While the results of the election are uncertain, it is known that Crandall was elected supervisor.16 In the same year, Bliss was nominated as a Prohibition Party candidate for State Assembly in Allegany County. He ran against incumbent Republican candidate Frederick A. Robbins, Democratic candidate Joseph L. Cutler, and Peoples Party candidate D. Barnes. Bliss received 758 votes (7.71%) and came in third place after Robbins and Cutler.17 In 1895, the Allegany County Prohibition Party held a convention to select its nominees for county offices. Walter Bliss was nominated as the Prohibition Party candidate for county district attorney. His opponents included Republican candidate Charles H. Brown (the 2nd term incumbent District Attorney) and Democratic candidate John C. Leggett. Bliss received 785 votes (9.58%) and came in third place. While Brown was ultimately reelected for a third term, Bliss had established himself as a figure in county politics and go on to run as a Prohibition Party candidate in many more races.18
In 1898, Walter Bliss was once again nominated as the Prohibition Party candidate for Allegany County district attorney. In this election, he faced off against Republican candidate Frederick Church. Bliss became the sole challenger to Church after the Democrats intended candidate, Seth. H. Tracy, declined to run. Bliss ended up coming in second place with 734 votes, to 6,169 votes for Church. 19
In 1899, the Prohibition Party nominated Walter Bliss and Dexter B. Dorn of Jamestown as its candidates for Justices in the 8th district of New York State’s Supreme Court. The 8th district included Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, and Orleans Counties. Bliss and Dorn competed against candidates from the Democratic, Republican, and Socialist Labor parties. The Republican ticket ended up winning the justice positions. It is uncertain where Bliss and Dorn ranked among the vote totals overall, but they did come in third to Republican and Democratic candidates in Allegany County. Though, his run for State Supreme Court justice showed that Bliss was beginning to expand from being a local Prohibition Party candidate to a Prohibition Party figure on the state level.20
Back in Bolivar, Walter Bliss worked to become a prominent lawyer and businessman in the community. He acted as a lawyer for various businesses in the community, including many of the oil fields in and around Bolivar.21 In 1899, he joined a group of businessmen to create the Bolivar Water company and acted as its first attorney.22 In 1901, he represented the Shawmut and Northern Railroad company in a dispute with the Olean Electric Railway trolley company over which company would get to build its railways alongside the village of Bolivar’s Main Street. Bliss and other supporters of Shawmut were able to convince the village board to vote against granting right of way to the Olean Electric Railroad company, and thus shaped the development of transportation and business in Bolivar. At some point, he became the Village Attorney in Bolivar and had also spent some time serving as the treasurer for the community library. By the beginning of the early 20th century, was positioning himself to become a prominent figure in the development of Bolivar.23
Walter Bliss took on a significant role in the development of Bolivar in the early 20th century. Around 1900, the oil businesses in Bolivar and Allegany County had slowed significantly and entered a low period for around 15 years.24 Walter Bliss still saw economic opportunity in Bolivar and believed in the long-term value of the local oil industry. From 1900 and 1910, he was one of the few businessmen (including Louis Seibert and John P. Herrick) who would purchase properties in Bolivar for investment. Walter Bliss and friend John P. Herrick formed a firm where they acquired oil holdings with active producers in the area.25 By 1909, Bliss held an interest in 53 oil wells with Herrick and an interest in another 26 wells with other business associates.26 In 1904, Bliss, Herrick and other local businessman formed the Bolivar Board of Trade for the purpose of advancing local businesses and developing the local economy. He was elected president of the Bolivar Board of Trade the following year.27 By 1908, Bliss was involved with helping to organize local community celebrations within Bolivar.28 The efforts of Bliss and his associates helped to support the vitality of Bolivar during this period and in time his efforts paid off. In the late 1910s, increasing automobile use drove up the price of oil and in the 1920s, new techniques of oil extraction helped to increase the amount of oil produced in Allegany County. This resulted in a period of economic recovery in the area, which drew in new business activity in Bolivar and increased the prosperity of Bliss and his associates.29
In the early decades of the 1900s, Bliss was significantly involved in Prohibition Party activities on the local and state level, and regularly ran as a candidate for various offices. In 1901, Bliss was the Prohibition Party candidate for Allegany County Judge and Surrogate. He competed against Republican candidate Elba Reynolds and Democratic candidate Levi C. Van Fleet. Bliss received 483 votes (7.37%) countywide, came in second place in the town of Genesee, and came in third place overall to Reynolds and Van Fleet.31 In 1904, Bliss was once again nominated as the Prohibition Party candidate for Allegany County District Attorney. He competed against Republican candidate Joseph F. Rice, Democratic candidate Mark Graves, and People’s Party candidate A.L. Purdy. Bliss received 657 votes and came in third place after Rice and Graves.32 In 1906, the Allegany County Prohibition Party selected Bliss as its delegate to the Party’s 8th district Judicial Convention.33 In 1907, Bliss ran for Allegany County district attorney against the Republican incumbent Joseph F. Rice. Bliss received 588 votes (8.52%) and came in second place, while Rice was reelected.34
In 1908, Walter Bliss played a part in the Prohibition Party’s state and national efforts. He was selected by the Allegany Prohibition Party to be one of the delegates to the party’s statewide convention in Syracuse: helping to select the party’s 1908 statewide ticket.36 On the national level, the Prohibition Party nominated Eugene Chaffin as its presidential candidate and Aaron S. Watkins as its vice-presidential candidate. Walter Bliss was selected to be part of the Prohibition Party’s slate of presidential elector candidates for Eugene Chaffin and Aaron S. Watkins in New York State. The party’s presidential ticket ended up receiving 22,667 votes (1.38%) in New York State and over 250,000 votes nationwide.37
In the same year of 1908, Walter Bliss ran was elected as a member of the Bolivar School Board and began his career as a local officeholder. In August 1908, Bliss was elected as a trustee to the Bolivar School Board, for a term of three years, taking the seat previously occupied by outgoing Board President George E. Wilson. Louis Seibert was elected as the new board president.38 In 1910, Walter Bliss became president of the Bolivar School Board and would hold the position until at least 1915.39 Bliss was re-elected to the Bolivar School Board three times, in 1911, 1914, and 1917.40 As a board member and board president, he helped to manage and shape the operations of Bolivar’s school system. He served in ceremonial functions, such as presenting diplomas to students at the 1915 graduation ceremony. He also used his legal knowledge to contribute to local education, such as when he delivered a speech explaining the provisions of the state’s new Township School Law at a meeting of school board elect members from various towns in Bolivar. By the end of his last term, Bliss had spent 12 years as a local elected official.41
While Bliss had become a local officeholder, he continued to run as a Prohibition Party candidate in county elections. In 1909, Walter Bliss and Nathan D. Lewis of Jamestown were nominated as the Prohibition Party candidates for Justices in the 8th District of the State Supreme Court. They went up against incumbent judges Alfred Spring and Frank C. Laughlin, who were nominated by both the Democratic and Republican Parties. While the vote totals for the race are unknown, it appears that Bliss and Lewis came in second place behind Spring and Laughlin (who were reelected).42
In 1910, Bliss was again nominated as the Prohibition Party candidate for county district attorney. In this election, he competed against incumbent Republican Joseph F. Rice and Democratic candidate James T. Ward. Bliss 672 votes (7.79%) and came in third place; while Ward defeated the incumbent Rice to become the next district attorney.43 In the same year, Bliss was selected to be one of the delegates for the county at the Prohibition Party State convention in Cortland, NY.44
In 1913, Bliss ran as the Prohibition Party candidate for Allegany County Judge and Surrogate.45 During this period, the Republican Party had been disrupted by the emergence of Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Party in 1912 and was attempting to reassert itself in the county. The Allegany County Democratic Party and Progressive Party put forward a fusion ticket for county offices. While the Allegany County Prohibition Party ran its own candidates for various offices, while forming fusion tickets with other parties for some local offices.46 Bliss ran against incumbent Republican candidate Elba Reynolds (a lawyer and former county education commissioner, who had spent the previous 12 years as the County Judge and Surrogate), Democratic and Progressive candidate William C. Windsor (a lawyer from Canaseraga, NY) and Socialist candidate Frank J. Clark (a mechanist from Wellsville, NY). While it is unclear what the complete vote totals were, partial results reported in local newspapers indicate that Bliss had received hundreds of votes and came in third place, while Reynolds was elected to another term.47
In 1914, Walter Bliss had taken on a prominent role in the Prohibition Party on the county level. In 1914, Bliss served as the county chairman for the Allegany County Prohibition Party. In his position, he worked to manage the county party organization and support the party’s candidates. As part of this, Bliss took part in a series of Prohibition Party rallies and street meetings in several Allegany County communities, including Bolivar, Richburg, Friendship, Belmont, Wellsville, and Alfred. In these events, Walter Bliss, Prohibition Party candidate for State Assembly Louis L. Brown, and Aaron S. Watkins (Prohibition Party candidate for vice-president in 1908 and 1912) gave speeches encouraging voters to support the party’s candidates. While he serving as county chairman, the county Prohibition Party nominated Bliss to represent the county as a member of the Prohibition Party State Committee.48
In 1914, Walter Bliss became a statewide candidate, when the Prohibition Party state convention nominated him as the Prohibition Party candidate for New York Attorney General.49 Walter Bliss joined a statewide ticket of Prohibition Party candidates, headed by former New York Governor William Sulzer for Governor and Welch’s Grape Juice founder Charles Welch for Lieutenant Governor.50 Bliss campaigned on a state platform that included support for passing a state prohibition law in New York state, establishing women’s suffrage in New York, banning child labor, establishing protections for worker’s rights, environment protection for the state’s water, forests, and natural resources, simplifying the state’s system of primary elections, combating sex trafficking, and improving the state’s system of highway construction.51 In the election, he competed against several candidates, including James A. Persons (Democrat), Egbert C. Woodbury (Republican), Edward R. O’Malley (Independence League), Robert H. Elder (Progressive), Frederick Haller (Socialist), and John Hall (Socialist Labor). Walter Bliss ended up receiving 27,949 votes (2.06%) and came in 5th place.52
Bliss tended to have his strongest votes results in the western and central parts of New York state, particularly in the southern tier counties. His strongest performing counties included his home county of Allegany County (9.18%), Broome County (9.92%), Chemung County (10.45%), and Steuben County (11.88%). His vote results were fairly similar to the vote results for most of the Prohibition Party’s other statewide candidates that year (with the exception of the party’s candidates for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and State Secretary of State, who received significantly higher vote totals than the rest of the ticket, with most of the statewide candidates receiving vote totals in the mid-to-upper twenty thousands, and with the candidates in general gaining much of their strongest support in the western and central parts of the state. Overall, Bliss’ election performance fit into the party’s general performance in state elections.54
In the following years, Waler Bliss and his wife Minnie were involved with local efforts to promote women’s suffrage in the state and country. In 1915, Walter Bliss delivered a speech on Women’s suffrage to the Bolivar Civic Club. Local press described him as having given an excellent review of the suffrage question to date, with pointed remarks that were a hit to those present. Minnie was active in county suffrage organizations and meetings and had served as president of the Allegany County Federation of Women’s clubs. In 1915, she had given a speech at a suffrage meeting in Bolivar, in which she spoke about the state suffrage campaign and predicted that within the next 10 years women’s suffrage would be achieved in every state in the union.55 The efforts of the Blisses and many other suffrage activists would come to fruition in the following years, as New York State established statewide women’s suffrage in 1917 and nationwide women’s suffrage was achieved following the passage of the 19th amendment in 1920.56
In 1916, Bliss was involved with state and national party efforts. In August, he attended the Prohibition Party state convention as one of the delegates for Allegany County. Much of the energy of
the convention was focused on supporting the party’s presidential candidate, former Indiana governor J. Frank Hanley, and on selecting the party’s candidates for U.S. Senator and Governor (with the convention eventually picking Dr. David Leigh Colvin for Senator and Charles Welch for Governor). As the New York Prohibition Party moved forward with its presidential campaign efforts, Walter Bliss was selected to be one of the electors for the party’s presidential ticket.57 Hanley received 19,031 votes (1.12%) in New York State and over 220,000 votes nationwide. Hanley’s strong performance in the state of California arguably prevented the Republican candidate Charles Evan Hughes from winning the state, and thus allowed for the election of Democrat Woodrow Wilson. This strong showing helped to pressure Congress into moving forward with voting on an Amendment for the nationwide prohibition of the manufacture, sale, and transport of intoxicating liquors. The election efforts of Bliss and other Prohibitionists helped to move the country further towards national prohibition.58
In the same year, Bliss made his third run for State Supreme Court Justice. The Prohibition Party nominates Bliss and Earnest H. Woodruff of Olean as its candidates for Justice in the 8th district of New York State’s Supreme Court.59 They went up against four other candidates, including Wesley C. Dudley (who was nominated by the Republican, Democratic, National Progressive, and Independence League Parties), George W. Cole (who was nominated by the Republican, Democratic, and National Progressive Parties), Robert Stainer (Socialist Party), and William G. Roberts (Socialist Party). While it is not clear what the vote totals for the candidates were, it is known that Dudley and Cole were the ones who went on to be Justices for the 8th district of the Supreme Court. From this, it can be inferred that Bliss and Woodruff came in somewhere between 3rd and 6th place in the election.60
In 1917, Walter Bliss ran for Justice on the state’s highest court, the Court of Appeals. The Prohibition Party nominated Walter Bliss and Brooklyn lawyer Coleridge Hart as its candidates for two Associate Judge positions on the State Court of Appeals.61 The judge position that Bliss ran for had previously been occupied by Frank H. Hiscock, before he was elected Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals, and Governor Whitman appointed Republican Judge Chest McLaughlin as a temporary judge.
The other seat had previously been held by Judge Samuel Seabury, before he had resigned to run for governor, and Governor Whitman appointed Democrat Judge Benjamin Cardozo as a temporary judge. The Democratic and Republican Parties both nominated McLaughlin and Cardozo as its candidates for Associate Justices, while the Socialist Party ran Louis Boudin and Hezekiah Wilcox.62 Walter Bliss and Coleridge Hart both came in third place, while McLaughlin and Cardozo were elected to full terms as Justices.63
Walter Bliss had ended up being the Prohibition Party’s strongest performing candidate for statewide office in New York’s 1917 elections. Walter Bliss had received 32,367 votes (2.66%), while Coleridge Hart received 29,782 votes (2.42%), and the party’s candidate for State Attorney General, William H. Burr, received 26,066 votes (1.82%). All three candidates tended to perform strongest in the western and central parts of the state, especially in the Southern tier area and Oswego County. Though Bliss tended to perform more strongly throughout the state. Out of the three, Bliss received the largest number of votes in 54 counties and the largest percentage of the vote in 55 counties.64
65
Overall, Walter Bliss ended up being the party’s strongest performing statewide candidate in the 1917 New York elections and had his personal strongest performance in a statewide election. This election would end up being the last time that Bliss ran for statewide office, though he would continue to be active on the state and local level.66
In 1919, Walter Bliss moved on from his solo law practice to form a new law partnership. He created the law practice Bliss and Bliss with his sons Lawrence and Chester. His son Lawrence would go on to become United States Commissioner in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1922. His son George was admitted to the state bar in 1931 and went on to join the family law firm. Not long after that, Walter Bliss would retire and leave the firm to be managed by Chester and George.67
In 1919, the Prohibition Party achieved its central goal with the passage of the 18th Amendment, establishing a nationwide ban on the production, transport, and sale of intoxicating liquors. National Prohibition entered effect in 1920, with national enforcement being guided by the Volstead Act. In 1920, the Prohibition Party achieved its goal of establishing national women’s suffrage with the passage of the 19th amendment.68 In the turn of the decade, the Prohibition Party had managed to achieve much of its major political goals. In one sense, the Prohibition Party had achieved significant policy victories that represented the culmination of a half-century of political activism. Though the party also faced the problem that most national and state offices were held by Democratic and Republican politicians, who weren’t necessarily committed to enforcing the law and seeing these reforms take full effect. The establishment of national prohibition and women’s suffrage had led to a significant portion of the Prohibition Party’s voter base thinking that the party’s purpose had been completed. As a result, many traditionally Prohibition-leaning voters ended shifting their attention to other causes and the Party ended up seeing a significant decrease in votes throughout the 1920s. Though despite this, the Prohibition Party continued to move forward and focused on advocating for strong enforcement of national prohibition.69
In 1920, Walter Bliss was selected to be part of the Prohibition Party’s slate of presidential electors for Aaron S. Watkins and David Leigh Colvin. Watkins 19,563 votes (0.68%) in New York State and 188,709 votes (0.70%) nationwide.70 Meanwhile, Bliss continued to be involved with temperance activism in his local community. For instance, in 1920, he delivered a speech at the annual convention the Allegany County WCTU.71
Bliss continued to be involved with businesses and real estate activities in Bolivar and Allegany County during the 1920s. In the early 1920s, he was a major owner of Bliss Oil Company, which held properties in Bolivar and Allegany County. He was also a partner in the Herrick and Bliss Oil Company, which held properties in Bolivar and Allegany County, and had a branch in Olean, NY. These companies would presumably have benefited from the area’s increased oil production in the 1920s. Bliss and his family also continued to develop the real estate properties that Bliss had in Bolivar. Overall, Bliss and his family appear to have been in a good financial position throughout the 1920s.72
Walter Bliss was also reportedly personal friends with New York politician and future president Franklin D. Roosevelt. While he was Governor of New York, Roosevelt had reportedly paid a visit to Walter Bliss (perhaps, during his 1929 visit to Bolivar).73
Meanwhile, the United States was under a period of national prohibition from 1920-1933.
Contrary to popular myths, the period of national prohibition was in many ways successful. There was a massive nationwide decrease in alcohol use. This resulted in significant decreases in many forms of alcohol-induced illnesses, injuries, and deaths, an increase in the prosperity of the average American (as money previously wasted on alcohol purchases was spent on other things), an increase in educational opportunities for many youths (as youths who previously had to work to support drunken parents were able to return to school), and a significant decrease in many forms of crime that were commonly associated with drinking, which resulted in an overall decrease in crime. While some people illegally trafficked alcohol, this traffic was far smaller than the traffic when alcohol was legal. Though national prohibition faced opposition from businessmen that had been involved with the alcohol industry and other wealthy elites, as well as pro-alcohol/corrupt politicians and media figures. Eventually, pro-alcohol forces managed to gain enough political power to repeal national prohibition through the passing of the 21st Amendment.74
In 1933, the Prohibition Party and other prohibition supporters in the state made a last-ditch effort to try to prevent the ratification of the 21st Amendment by running candidates in the election to select the delegates to the state convention on whether to ratify the 21st Amendment. Walter Bliss was selected as one of the candidates for the Dry ticket of delegates, which campaigned against ratifying the 21st amendment. The Dry ticket ended up losing to a Wet (anti-prohibition) slate of delegates. The wet delegates in New York and other states ended up ratifying the 21st Amendment.75 The end of national prohibition led to a return of legal alcohol sales throughout much of the country, increased drinking, and the resurgence of many alcohol-related problems.76
Following the end of national prohibition, the Prohibition Party continued to move forward on the state and national level. The Prohibition Party worked to advocate for state and local laws restricting alcohol sales (with the hope of eventually restoring national prohibition in the future), advocate for various other reforms, such as the passage of civil rights laws, and run candidates for office. The party saw a partial electoral resurgence over the next two decades, as prohibition supporting voters who were dissatisfied with the major parties turned their attention to the Prohibition Party.77
Walter Bliss’s final run for elected office made him one of the later running Prohibition Party candidates for local office in New York State in the 20th century, while the New York State branch of the Prohibition Party was operating. The state-level organization of the Prohibition Party stopped operating sometime after the 1940 elections (which was the year the Prohibition Party was able to get its presidential candidate on the ballot in New York state and the last recorded year the state party met and field candidates for statewide elections). Prohibition Party members in New York state worked
directly through the Prohibition Party’s national organization until the Prohibition Party of New York was reestablished in 2017.78
On January 20th, 1941, Walter Bliss celebrated his 50th anniversary with his wife Minnie.79 Though his health took a turn for the worse not long after. Water Bliss died in Olean Hospital on February 9th, 1941. He left behind his wife, four of his sons, and 7 grandchildren. Walter Bliss was buried in Maple Lawn Cemetery in Bolivar, NY.80
81
Throughout his life, Walter Bliss was a lawyer, businessman, family man, activist, and Prohibition Party politician. He was involved with the Prohibition Party for 50 years, during which he was actively involved in local, state, and national party efforts. He ran as a Prohibition Party candidate for numerous offices, including State Attorney General in 1914 and Justice on the State Court of Appeals in 1917. His work as a lawyer, his business activities, and his involvement with his local community helped to shape the development of Bolivar and Allegany County, New York, in the early 20th century. Through his actions, he played his part in shaping history on the local, state, and national level.82
Sources
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2 “Other Past Candidates: New York”, Prohibitionists.org, Partisan Prohibition Historical Society, Accessed, January 25, 2022, http://www.prohibitionists.org/Candidates/candidates.html; “The Prohibition Nominee for Attorney General”, Star-Gazette, (Elmira, New York), October 7, 1914, Accessed, January 26, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/275921973/?terms=prohibition%20party%20allegany%20county&match=1; Lawrence Kestenbaum, “Index to Politicians: Blickersderfer to Blocksberg”, The Political Graveyard, Accessed January 26, 2022, https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/blight-block.html#357.21.96; “Walter Thomas Bliss”, FamilySearch, Accessed January 31, 2022, https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LC7C-NGT.
3 “The Prohibition Nominee for Attorney General”, Star-Gazette; Kestenbaum, “Index to Politicians: Blickersderfer to Blocksberg”; “Walter Thomas Bliss (1860-1941)”, WikiTree, November 18, 2020, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bliss-5284; “Oil Field Attorney of Bolivar Succumbs: Walter Bliss Expires at 80; Was Authority on Allegany Leases”, Bradford Evening Star and Daily Record, (Bradford Pennsylvania), February 10, 1941, Accessed, January 28, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/49173487/obituary-for-walter-t-bliss-aged-80/; “Walter Thomas Bliss (1860-1941) ”, Find a Grave, Accessed January 29, 2022, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70869094/walter-thomas-bliss; “Walter Bliss of Bolivar Succumbs”, Times Herald, (Olean, New York), February 10, 1941, Accessed, January 28, 2022; “Walter T. Bliss Pioneer in Allegany Oil Field, Linked With its Activities From the Early Boom Days”, Bolivar Breeze; “Mrs. Mary Bliss, Pioneer Resident of Allegany County, Observes 95th Birthday Anniversary”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), April 15, 1937. Accessed, January 28, 2022,“Mrs. Mary Bliss Has 96th Birthday Today”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), April 14, 1938, Accessed, January 30, 2022, “Walter Thomas Bliss”, FamilySearch"
4 “The Prohibition Nominee for Attorney General”, Star-Gazette; “Walter T. Bliss Pioneer in Allegany Oil Field, Linked With its Activities From the Early Boom Days”, Bolivar Breeze
5 “Walter T. Bliss Pioneer in Allegany Oil Field, Linked With its Activities From the Early Boom Days”, Bolivar Breeze; “Brief History”, Pioneer Oil Museum of New York, Accessed January 31, 2022, https://www.pioneeroilmuseum.com/history.php.
6 “The Prohibition Nominee for Attorney General”, Star-Gazette
7 “Prohibition presidential/vice-presidential candidates: 1872 – present”, Prohibitionists.org, Partisan Prohibition Historical Society, Accessed, January 25, 2022,
http://www.prohibitionists.org/Candidates/candidates.html; Lisa M.F. Andersen, The Politics of Prohibition: American Governance and the Prohibition Party, 1869-1933, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013), 99-142; D. Leigh. Colvin, Prohibition in the United States: A History of the Prohibition Party and the Prohibition Movement, (New York: George H. Doran Company, 1926), 123-201; Makeley, Jonathan Makeley, “The Impact of John St. John’s Campaign in New York State on the Results of the 1884 Presidential Election”, University at Buffalo, 2018, Prohibitionists.org, http://www.prohibitionists.org/Pdfiles/St_John_Paper-Spoiler_in_the_Election_of_1884.pdf, 1-39; “The Prohibition Nominee for Attorney General”, Star-Gazette; “St. John and Daniel”, Allegany County Democrat, (Wellsville, New York), September 3, 1884, Accessed, February 16, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-allegany-county-democrat/1884-09-03/page-3/" allegany-county-democrat/1884-09-03/page-3/
8 Colvin, Prohibition in the United States, 123-201; Makeley, “The Impact of John St. John’s Campaign in New York State on the Results of the 1884 Presidential Election”, 1-39; “The Prohibition Nominee for Attorney General”, Star-Gazette
9 “Oil Field Attorney of Bolivar Succumbs: Walter Bliss Expires at 80; Was Authority on Allegany Leases”, Bradford Evening Star and Daily Record; “Walter Bliss of Bolivar Succumbs”, Times Herald; “Admitted in 1890”, Star-Gazette, (Elmira, New York), February 13, 1909, Accessed, January 28, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/275935672/?terms=walter%20t%20bliss&match=1; “Walter T. Bliss Pioneer in Allegany Oil Field, Linked With its Activities From the Early Boom Days”, Bolivar Breeze
10 “The Prohibition Nominee for Attorney General”, Star-Gazette; “Oil Field Attorney of Bolivar Succumbs: Walter Bliss Expires at 80; Was Authority on Allegany Leases”, Bradford Evening Star and Daily Record; “Walter Bliss of Bolivar Succumbs”, Times Herald; “Admitted in 1890”, Star-Gazette; “Frederick W. Kruse”, Historical Society of the New York Courts, April 30, 2019, https://history.nycourts.gov/biography/frederick-w-kruse/.
11 “Walter Thomas Bliss (1860-1941)”, WikiTree; “Walter Thomas Bliss (1860-1941)”, Find a Grave; “Walter Thomas Bliss”, FamilySearch
12 “The Prohibition Nominee for Attorney General”, Star-Gazette; “Admitted in 1890”, Star-Gazette; “Walter T. Bliss Pioneer in Allegany Oil Field, Linked With its Activities From the Early Boom Days”, Bolivar Breeze
13 “The Prohibition Nominee for Attorney General”, Star-Gazette; “Little Breezes”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), September 29, 1898, Accessed, January 28, 2022,
14 “The Prohibition Nominee for Attorney General”, Star-Gazette; “Walter T. Bliss Pioneer in Allegany Oil Field, Linked With its Activities From the Early Boom Days”, Bolivar Breeze
15 “The Vote in Other Towns”, The Rushford Spectator, (Rushford, New York), March 5, 1891, Accessed, February 16, 2022;
16 “List of Candidates”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), March 2, 1894, Accessed, February 16, 2022; “The New Board”,
Allegany County Republican, (Wellsville, New York), March 16, 1894/,
17 Edgar R. Murlin, The New York Red Book 1895, (Albany: James B. Lyon, 1895), “What it Costs to Run”, Rushford Spectator, (Rushford, New York), November 29, 1894, Accessed, February 16, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/rushford-spectator/1894-11-29/page-4/
18 “Prohibitionists: They Have Nominated A Full Ticket in Allegany County- Claim for Damages”, Buffalo Morning Express and Illustrated Buffalo Express, (Buffalo, New York), August 31, 1895, Accessed, January 28, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/345060405/?terms=walter%20t%20bliss&match=1; “The Prohibition Nominee for Attorney General”, Star-Gazette; George Oberkirsh Seilhamer, Leslie's history of the Republican party, (New York: L.A. Williams Pub. and Engraving Co., 1899), https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433081908000&view=1up&seq=63&skin=2021, 31-33; “From the County Seat”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), February 8, 1895, Accessed, January 30, 2022; “District Attorneys: Allegany County”, Historical Society of the New York Courts, March 16, 2020, https://history.nycourts.gov/figure/district-attorneys-allegany-county/; George A. Green, “To the Voters of Allegany County”, Wellsville Daily Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), October 30, 1895, Accessed, February 16, 2022,
19 “Frederic H. Church the Republican Nominee for District Attorney Will Have But One Opponent”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), November 3, 1898, Accessed, January 25, 2022; “Prohibition County Convention”, Bolivar Breeze. (Bolivar, New York), September 1, 1898, Accessed, January 25, 2022; “District Attorneys: Allegany County”, Historical Society of the New York Courts; “Republican Land Slide”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), November 10, 1898, Accessed, January 30, 2022,
20 “Curiosities of the Campaign”, The Buffalo Commercial, (Buffalo, New York), November 4, 1899, Accessed, January 28, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/269523947/?terms=walter%20t%20bliss&match=1; “List of Candidates for Offices to be Filled at the General Election”, Buffalo Morning Express and Illustrated Buffalo Express, (Buffalo, New York), November 1, 1899, Accessed, January 30, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/345214520/?terms=supreme%20court%20bliss&match=1; “The Winners”, Buffalo Times, (Buffalo, New York), November 8, 1899, Accessed, January 30, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/442382439/?terms=supreme%20court%20election%20results&match=1; “Election Very Quiet, Whitesville News, (Whitesville, New York), November 9, 1899, Accessed, January 30, 2022; Edgar R. Murlin, The New York Red Book 1900, (Albany: James B. Lyon, 1900), https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951d02634289h&view=1up&seq=11&skin=2021, 545-546; “The Vote in the County”, The Rushford Spectator, (Rushford, New York), November 16, 1899, Accessed, February 16, 1899, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/rushford-spectator/1899-11-16/
21 “The Prohibition Nominee for Attorney General”, Star-Gazette
22 “Personals”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), September 9, 1937, Accessed, January 28, 2022; “Little Breezes”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), October 19, 1899, Accessed, January 28, 2022,
23 “Oil Field Attorney of Bolivar Succumbs: Walter Bliss Expires at 80; Was Authority on Allegany Leases”, Bradford Evening Star and Daily Record; Taylor, Ronald G. “Allegany County Trolley History”, Allegany County Historical Society, Accessed January 29, 2022, https://www.alleganyhistory.org/index.php/culture/transportation/miscl-railroad-articles/2086-allegany-county- trolley-history; “Little Breezes”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), November 22, 1900, Accessed, January 28, 2022,
24 “Walter T. Bliss Pioneer in Allegany Oil Field, Linked With its Activities From the Early Boom Days”, Bolivar Breeze
25 “Walter T. Bliss Pioneer in Allegany Oil Field, Linked With its Activities From the Early Boom Days”, Bolivar Breeze; “Little Breezes”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), June 22, 1899, Accessed, January 28, 2022; “Little Breezes”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), January 12, 1905, Accessed, January 28, 2022,
26 “Admitted in 1890”, Star-Gazette
27 “For Board of Trade”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), January 21, 1904, Accessed, January 28, 2022; “Walter T. Bliss Pioneer in Allegany Oil Field, Linked With its Activities From the Early Boom Days”, Bolivar Breeze; “Bolivar Board of Trade”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), April 6, 1905, Accessed, January 28, 2022,
28 “Home Coming Week”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), July 23, 1908, Accessed, January 28, 2022,
29 “Walter T. Bliss Pioneer in Allegany Oil Field, Linked With its Activities From the Early Boom Days”, Bolivar Breeze
30 “Walter Thomas Bliss (1860-1941)”, Find a Grave
31 Clarence Ricker, “To The Voters of Allegany County”, Wellsville Daily Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), October 30, 1901, Accessed, February 14, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-daily-reporter/1901-10-30/page-2/; “Allegany County’s Vote”, Allegany County Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), November 8, 1901, Accessed, February 14, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-allegany-county-reporter/1901-11-08/page-4/
32 “Prohibition Convention: Walter Bliss is the Nominee for District Attorney”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), May 5, 1904, Accessed, January 25, 2022; “Echoes of Election”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), November 17, 1904, Accessed, January 25, 2022; “District Attorneys: Allegany County”, Historical Society of the New York Courts; “Republican Tidal Wave”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), November 10, 1904, Accessed, February 10, 2022; “Democratic County Ticket”, Whitesville News, (Whitesville, New York), October 6, 1904; “Not Until Fall”, Whitesville News, (Whitesville, New York), June 30, 1904, Accessed, February 10, 2022; “Latest Local News”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), October 13, 1904, Accessed, February 10, 2022; “Vote of the Towns”, Allegany County Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), November 10, 1904, Accessed, February 14, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-daily- reporter/1904-11-10/page-2/; “Vote of the Towns”, Allegany County Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), November 11, 1904, Accessed, February 14, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-allegany-county-reporter/1904-11-11/page-2/
33 “Prohibition Convention: Full County Ticket Nominated at Belmont Wednesday”, Wellsville Daily Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), August 2, 1906, Accessed, February 16, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-daily-reporter/1906-08-02/page-4/
34 “Result of Election”, Whitesville News, (Whitesville, New York), November 7, 1907, Accessed, January 28, 2022; “District Attorneys: Allegany County”, Historical Society of the New York Courts; “Wellsville’s Vote”, Allegany County Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), November 8, 1907, Accessed, February 14, 2022; “The Vote of the Towns”, Allegany County Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), November 8, 1907, Accessed, February 14, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-allegany-county-reporter/1907-11-08/page-3/; “The Vote of the Towns.
Almond”, Allegany County Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), November 8, 1907, Accessed, February 14, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-allegany-county- reporter/1907-11-08/page-8/
35 Ricker, “To The Voters of Allegany County”, Wellsville Daily Reporter; “Allegany County’s Vote”, Allegany County Reporter, November 8, 1901; “Vote of the Towns”, Allegany County Reporter, November 10, 1904; “Vote of the Towns”, Allegany County Reporter, November 11, 1904; “Wellsville’s Vote”, Allegany County Reporter, November 8, 1907; “The Vote of the Towns”, Allegany County Reporter, November 8, 1907; “The Vote of the Towns. Almond”, Allegany County Reporter, November 8, 1907
36 “In Old Allegany”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), April 23, 1908, Accessed, January 25, 2022; “No Votes For Hughes in “Prohi” Convention”, Star-Gazette, (Elmira, New York), September 2, 1908, Accessed, February 10, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/275802362/?terms=prohibition%20party%20stockwell%20convention&match=1
37 “Prohibition presidential/vice-presidential candidates: 1872 – present”, Prohibitionists.org; Colvin, Prohibition in the United States, 336-341; Kestenbaum, “Index to Politicians: Blickersderfer to Blocksberg”; Edgar R. Murlin, The New York Red Book 1909, (Albany: James B. Lyon, 1909), https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951d02634298g&view=1up&seq=774&skin=2021, 634; David Leip, “1908 Presidential General Election Results - New York”, USElectionAtlas.org, Accessed, February 11, 2022, https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=1908&fips=36&f=1; David Leip, “1908 Presidential General Election Results”, USElectionAtlas.org, Accessed, February 11, 2022, https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/national.php?year=1908&f=0&off=0&elect=0; “US President National Vote Race - Nov 03, 1908”, Our campaigns, Accessed, February 11, 2022, https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=1955.
38 “Annual School Meeting”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), August 6, 1908, Accessed, January 28, 2022,
39 “Re-elected Principal”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), March 28, 1912, Accessed, January 25, 2022; “Bliss Elected as School Trustee”, Times Herald, (Olean, New York), May 7, 1914, Accessed, January 28, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/35397109/?terms=walter%20t%20bliss&match=1; “Nine Graduates in 1915 Class”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), June 24, 1915, Accessed, January 28, 2022; “Entertained the Football Team”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), November 19, 1914, Accessed, January 30, 2022,
40 “Bliss Elected as School Trustee”, Times Herald; “New Boards of Education”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), June 14, 1917. Accessed, January 28, 2022; “Warm Contest at School Meeting”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), May 7, 1914, Accessed, January 28, 2022; “Entertained the Football Team”, Bolivar Breeze
41 “New Boards of Education”, Bolivar Breeze; “Nine Graduates in 1915 Class”, Bolivar Breeze; “Annual School Meeting”, Bolivar Breeze; “Late Local News”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), July 12, 1917, Accessed, January 30, 2022,
42 Kestenbaum, “Index to Politicians: Blickersderfer to Blocksberg”; Edgar R. Murlin, The New York Red Book 1910, (Albany: James B. Lyon, 1910), https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924017339676&view=1up&seq=699&skin=2021&q1=supreme%20court, 567; Edgar R. Murlin, The New York Red Book 1912, (Albany: James B. Lyon, 1912), https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924017339676&view=1up&seq=699&skin=2021&q1=supreme%20court, 600; “Election Notice”, Buffalo Times, (Buffalo, New York), October 27, 1909, Accessed, February 11, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/442028060/?terms=supreme%20court%20walter%20bliss&match=1
43 “Prohibition Nominations”, Whitesville News, (Whitesville, New York), September 1, 1910, Accessed, January 25, 2022,“District Attorneys: Allegany County”, Historical Society of the New York Courts; “Democrats are Jubilant Over Election”, Whitesville News, (Whitesville, New York), November 10, 1910, Accessed, February 11, 2022; "Wellsville’s Results”, Allegany County Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), November 11, 1910, Accessed, February 16, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-allegany-county-reporter/1910-11-11/page-3/; “Results in the Towns”, Allegany County Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), November 11, 1910, Accessed, February 16, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville- allegany-county-reporter/1910-11-11/page-3/; “The Results in the Towns”, Wellsville Daily Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), November 10, 1910, Accessed, February 16, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-daily-reporter/1910-11-10/page-7/
44 “Little Breezes”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), August 25, 1910, Accessed, January 25, 2022,
45 “James. B. Gray for Supervisor: Democrats Elected Their Candidate Over Republican Nominee at Tuesday’s Election”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), November 6, 1913, Accessed, January 25, 2022,
46 “James. B. Gray for Supervisor: Democrats Elected Their Candidate Over Republican Nominee at Tuesday’s Election”, Bolivar Breeze; “Victory for the Republican Party”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), November 6, 1913, Accessed, January 25, 2022; “Election at Little Genesee”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), November 6, 1913, Accessed, January 25, 2022; “It’s Not the Party of Lincoln That Asks to be Reelected; it’s the Henchman of Boss Barnes Who Want to be Kept at the Public Crib! Do You Want Them?”, Allegany County News, (Whitesville, New York), October 23, 1913, Accessed, February 11, 2022,l; “Litchard to Win by 500; Bodine by 200; Judgeship in Balance”, Allegany County News, (Whitesville, New York), October 30, 1913, Accessed, February 11, 2022; Kelly, Martin. “Overview of Theodore Roosevelt's Bull Moose Party History and Beliefs,” ThoughtCo., September 5, 2019, https://www.thoughtco.com/bull-moose-party-104836; “Ward Jumped the Wrong Way”, Allegany County News, (Whitesville, New York), October 30, 1913, Accessed, February 11, 2022; “Wellsville”, Allegany County News, (Whitesville, New York), October 30, 1913, Accessed, February 11, 2022; “Tried and True”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar Breeze), October 30, 1913, Accessed, February 11, 2022,
47 “James. B. Gray for Supervisor: Democrats Elected Their Candidate Over Republican Nominee at Tuesday’s Election”, Bolivar Breeze; “What Happened to Assemblyman Richardson?”, Whitesville News, (Whitesville, New York), August 28, 1913, Accessed, February 11, 2022; “It’s Not the Party of Lincoln That Asks to be Reelected; it’s the Henchman of Boss Barnes Who Want to be Kept at the Public Crib! Do You Want Them?”, Allegany County News; “Litchard to Win by 500; Bodine by 200; Judgeship in Balance”, Allegany County News; “Ward Jumped the Wrong Way”, Allegany County News; “Tried and True”, Bolivar Breeze; “Important Message to Democrats and Progressives”, Allegany County News, (Whitesville, New York), October 16, 1913, Accessed, February 11, 2022; “Judge Reynolds Does Some Swapping Himself”, Allegany County News, (Whitesville, New York), October 23, 1913, Accessed, February 11, 2022; “Candidates Nominated by the Socialist Party”, Allegany County News, (Whitesville, New York), October 30, 1913, Accessed, February 11, 2022; “Frank J. Clark: United States Census 1910”, FamilySearch.org, Accessed February 11, 2022, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M5CQ-NML?from=lynx1UIV8&treeref=GS3T-F5M; “The Vote in the County: Complete Returns from Many Towns on Tuesday’s Election”, Wellsville Daily Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), November 5, 1913, Accessed, February 16, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-daily-reporter/1913-11-05/page-5/; “The County Result”, Wellsville Daily Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), November 5, 1913, Accessed, February 16, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-daily-reporter/1913-11-05/; “The Vote in the County”, Allegany County Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), November 7, 1913, Accessed, February 16, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-allegany-county-reporter/1913-11-07/page-5/ “Bolivar: Complete Returns at Tuesday’s Election”, Wellsville Daily Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), November 7, 1913, Accessed, February 16, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-daily-reporter/1913-11-07/page-3/
48 “First Rally of Campaign”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), October 15, 1914, Accessed, January 25, 2022; “Nice Scrap on for Democratic Control”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), September 17, 1914, Accessed, January 25, 2022; “Make Nominations: W.T. Bliss of Bolivar, Member State Prohibition Committee”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), September 3, 1914, Accessed, January 25, 2022,
49 “Other Past Candidates: New York”, Prohibitionists.org; “The Prohibition Nominee for Attorney General”, Star-Gazette; “Cold Water Men for Sulzer”, New York Times, (New York City, New York), October 25, 1914, Accessed, February 11, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/20495378/?terms=prohibition%20party%20convention%20sulzer&match=1
50 “Other Past Candidates: New York”, Prohibitionists.org; Edgar R. Murlin, The New York Red Book 1915, (Albany: James B. Lyon, 1915), https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112119671524&view=1up&seq=821&skin=2021, 691; “Cold Water Men for Sulzer”, New York Times
51 “Cold Water Men for Sulzer”, New York Times
52 “Other Past Candidates: New York”, Prohibitionists.org; Murlin, The New York Red Book 1915, 691
53 Murlin, The New York Red Book 1915, 691
54 “Other Past Candidates: New York”, Prohibitionists.org; Murlin, The New York Red Book 1915, 691
55 “Elected President”, Buffalo Times, (Buffalo, New York), October 31, 1915, Accessed, January 28. 2022; “Late Local News”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), May 30, 1918, Accessed, February 11, 2022,
56 Tessa Melvin, “1917: When Women Won Right to Vote”, New York Times, (New York City, New York), November 1, 1987, Accessed, February 11, 2022, https://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/01/nyregion/1917-when-women-won-right-to-vote.html; “19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Women's Right To Vote (1920)”, Our Documents.gov. Accessed February 11, 2022. https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=63.
57 “Prohibitionists Will Nominate Today Warden Osborne Declines the Honor”, Star-Gazette, (Elmira, New York), August 16, 1916, Accessed, January 25, 2022. https://www.newspapers.com/image/276255423/?terms=prohibition%20party%20allegany%20county&match=1;
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58 “Prohibition presidential/vice-presidential candidates: 1872 – present”, Prohibitionists.org; Colvin, Prohibition in the United States, 406-451; Jonathan Makeley, “William Sulzer”, New York Prohibitionist, (Amherst, New York), July, 2020, https://615c4beb-b241-4f4a-a6b4-a074dc02ce34.filesusr.com/ugd/2cc7be_1c5e39df0fa24f1189f07f5824eeb225.pdf
59 “Election Notice”, Buffalo Morning Express and Illustrated Buffalo Express. (Buffalo, New York), November 1, 1916, Accessed, February 11, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/352946530/
60 James Malcolm, The New York Red Book 1917, (Albany: James B. Lyon, 1917), https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101076450574&view=1up&seq=400&skin=2021&q1=supreme%20court, 292; “Election Notice”, Buffalo Morning Express and Illustrated Buffalo Express; Lawrence Kestenbaum, “Index to Politicians: Dudley”, The Political Graveyard, Accessed, February 11, 2022, https://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/dudley.html; James Costello, “Chester Bentine Mclaughlin”, Historical Society of the New York Courts, March 27, 2019, https://history.nycourts.gov/biography/chester-bentine-mclaughlin/ ; Judith S. Kaye, “Benjamin Nathan
Cardozo”, Historical Society of the New York Courts, March 25, 2019, https://history.nycourts.gov/biography/benjamin-nathan-cardozo/
61 “Other Past Candidates: New York”, Prohibitionists.org; Kestenbaum, “Index to Politicians: Blickersderfer to Blocksberg”; Lawrence Kestenbaum, “New York: Court of Appeals”, The Political Graveyard, Accessed January 29, 2022, https://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/NY/ofc/coajd.html; James Malcolm, The New York Red Book 1918, (Albany: James B. Lyon, 1918), https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo.31924112701689&view=1up&seq=571&skin=2021, 454-455
62 Kestenbaum, “New York: Court of Appeals”; Malcolm, The New York Red Book 1918, 454-455
63 Malcolm, The New York Red Book 1918, 454-455
64 “Other Past Candidates: New York”, Prohibitionists.org; Malcolm, The New York Red Book 1918, 454-455
65 “Other Past Candidates: New York”, Prohibitionists.org; Malcolm, The New York Red Book 1918, 454-455
66 “Other Past Candidates: New York”, Prohibitionists.org; Malcolm, The New York Red Book 1918, 454-455
67 “Oil Field Attorney of Bolivar Succumbs: Walter Bliss Expires at 80; Was Authority on Allegany Leases”, Bradford Evening Star and Daily Record; “Chester M. Bliss. Bolivar, Killed By Road Mishap; Attorney, Headed Bank”, Wellsville Daily Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), July 25, 1958, Accessed, January 28, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/9136805/?terms=walter%20t%20bliss&match=1; “Walter Bliss of Bolivar Succumbs”, Times Herald; “Former Bolivar Man Gets Appointment”, Times Herald, (Olean, New York), February 19, 1922, Accessed, January 28, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/35200417/?terms=walter%20t%20bliss&match=1; “George Bliss Passes Bar Exam”, Bolivar Breeze, (Bolivar, New York), December 31, 1931, Accessed, January 31, 2022,
68 W.G. Calderwood, Temperance Facts, (Minneapolis: Minnesota Temperance Movement, 1940), https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015071420817&view=1up&seq=3&skin=2021, 84-89; “19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Women's Right To Vote (1920)”, Our Documents.gov; Roger Storms, Partisan Prophets; a history of the Prohibition Party, 1854-1972, (Denver: National Prohibition Federation, 1972), https://archive.org/details/PartisanProphetsAHistoryOfTheProhibitionParty1854-1972/page/n1/mode/2up, 31-42
69 “Other Past Candidates: New York”, Prohibitionists.org; Colvin, Prohibition in the United States, 457-468; Jonathan Makeley, “Enlightenment and Sure Remedy: The Development Ethics, Thought, and Activism of the 19th Century Temperance Movement in the Western New York”, Honors Thesis, (Alfred University, 2017), https://aura.alfred.edu/bitstream/handle/10829/7972/Makeley%2c%20Jonathan%202017.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y, 42-43; Storms, Partisan Prophets, 31-42
70 “Prohibition presidential/vice-presidential candidates: 1872 – present”, Prohibitionists.org; Colvin, Prohibition in the United States, 457-464; “Candidates Nominated by the Prohibition Party”, The Buffalo Times, (Buffalo, New York), October 29, 1920, Accessed, February 11, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/441385818/?terms=bliss%20elector%20watkins%20prohibition&match=1; David Leip, “1920 Presidential General Election Results”, USElectionAtlas.org, Accessed, February 11, 2022, https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=1920&fips=36&f=1; David Leip, “1920 Presidential General Election Results - New York”, USElectionAtlas.org, Accessed, February 11, 2022, https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/national.php?year=1920&f=1&off=0&elect=0
71 “Forty First Annual Convention W.C.T.U. of Allegany County”, Wellsville Daily Reporter, (Wellsville, New York), August 6, 1920, Accessed, February 16, 2022, https://howepubliclibrary.newspaperarchive.com/wellsville-daily-reporter/1920-08-06/page-5/
72 M. Palmer, International Petroleum Register 1921, (New York: Oil Trade Journal Inc., 1921), 228;316; Bolivar New York Fan Page,“A home whose history we know - Jody and John McLaughlin's "100 Olean Street”, Facebook, September 8, 2018, https://www.facebook.com/BolivarNewYorkFanPage/photos/a-home-whose-history-we-know-jody-and-john- mclaughlins-100-olean-street-this-vic/10156065032544541/; “Walter T. Bliss Pioneer in Allegany Oil Field, Linked With its Activities From the Early Boom Days”, Bolivar Breeze
73 “Oil Field Attorney of Bolivar Succumbs: Walter Bliss Expires at 80; Was Authority on Allegany Leases”, Bradford Evening Star and Daily Record
74 Colvin, Prohibition in the United States, 472-515; John Dinan, and Jac C. Heckelman, “Support for Repealing Prohibition: An Analysis of State-Wide Referenda on Ratifying the 21st
Amendment”, Social Science Quarterly 95, no. 3 (2014): 636–51. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26612185, 636-650; Calderwood, Temperance Facts, 3-83
75 Kestenbaum, “Index to Politicians: Blickersderfer to Blocksberg”; Lawrence Kestenbaum, “New York: 1933 Convention to Ratify the 21st Amendment,” The Political Graveyard, Accessed February 11, 2022, https://politicalgraveyard.com/geo/NY/ofc/cr21.html; Dinan, and Jac C. Heckelman, “Support for Repealing Prohibition: An Analysis of State-Wide Referenda on Ratifying the 21st Amendment”
76 Kestenbaum, “New York: 1933 Convention to Ratify the 21st Amendment,”
77 “Other Past Candidates: New York”, Prohibitionists.org; Jonathan. Makeley, “The Continuing History of the Prohibition Party”, (paper presented at the Phi Alpha Theta Regional History
Conference, Nazareth College, Rochester, New York, April 7, 2018), 1-10; Storms, Partisan Prophets, 31-56
78 “Other Past Candidates: New York”, Prohibitionists.org; “Prohibition presidential/vice-presidential candidates: 1872 – present”, Prohibitionists.org; Kestenbaum, “Index to Politicians: Blickersderfer to Blocksberg”; Makeley, “The Continuing History of the Prohibition Party”; Jonathan T. Makeley, “The Prohibition Party of New York on The Rise”, The Odyssey Online, October 17, 2019, https://www.theodysseyonline.com/the-prohibition-party-of-new-york-on-the-rise.
79 “Fifty Years”, Olean Times Herald, (Olean, New York), January 20, 1941, Accessed, February 11, 2022, https://www.newspapers.com/image/41236238/?terms=walter%20t.%20bliss%20roosevelt&match=1
80 “Walter Thomas Bliss (1860-1941)”, WikiTree; Kestenbaum, “Index to Politicians: Blickersderfer to Blocksberg”; “Oil Field Attorney of Bolivar Succumbs: Walter Bliss Expires at 80; Was Authority on Allegany Leases”, Bradford Evening Star and Daily Record; “Walter Thomas Bliss (1860-1941)”, Find a Grave; “Walter Bliss of Bolivar Succumbs”, Times Herald; “Local Briefs”, Whitesville News, (Whitesville, New York), February 13, 1941, Accessed, February 11, 2022,
81 “Fifty Years”, Olean Times Herald
82 “Other Past Candidates: New York”, Prohibitionists.org; “The Prohibition Nominee for Attorney General”, Star-Gazette; Malcolm, The New York Red Book 1918, 454-455; “Oil Field Attorney of Bolivar Succumbs: Walter Bliss Expires at 80; Was Authority on Allegany Leases”, Bradford Evening Star and Daily Record; “Walter Thomas Bliss (1860-1941)”, Find a Grave; “Walter Bliss of Bolivar Succumbs”, Times Herald; “Walter T. Bliss Pioneer in Allegany Oil Field, Linked With its Activities From the Early Boom Days”, Bolivar Breeze; Murlin, The New York Red Book 1915, 691
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-- Contributed by Jonathan Makeley
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