The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan 

Peru – “I really like the stories of people. My kids teased me that if someone was a pioneer I thought they were the greatest thing. My family thinks it’s in my blood.” The person speaking is Peru native and resident Helen Allen Nerska, the Director of Clinton County Historical Association (CCHA) and Museum. The conclusion that history is in Nerska’s blood is logical. Her grandmother Cornelia Hagar Allen was one of the Clinton County Historical Association’s founders. Her father Paul Allen and uncle Fuller Allen served as Association president and her mother Laura was active in the Association.

Many Peru residents are undoubtedly familiar with Nerska’s home on the Jabez Allen Road. A sign in the front yard reads, “Allen Homestead since 1788. Settled by Jabez Allen. Veteran 1776.” She explained, “Jabez Allen was my 4th great grandfather. He descended from the Puritans and we believe he came here from Barnstable, Massachusetts.” A nearby historical marker commemorates the bicentennial of the six Allen generations who have owned the property. Paul Allen, Nerska’s father, operated a dairy farm there until 1955 when he sold the cows and later operated an insurance agency from the home. Helen and her sisters Paulette, Marjorie, and Carlene grew up in the farmhouse.

A graduate of Peru High School (1963) and SUNY Plattsburgh, Nerska moved to Canada in 1967 where she raised a family with her Canadian husband. Each summer she brought her children Alexander and Christopher back to the beloved homestead and returned to stay in 2005.

She is passionate about giving people access to history saying, “I’m not impressed when people talk about how much history they have in their possession where no one else has access to it. We need to share information.”

And share she does. The CCHA and Museum presents a constant stream of interesting programs and exhibits both at the museum and in the community. A recent program featured Clinton County residents who fought in the Civil War. Another presentation delved into slaveholding’s local history. Nerska identified John Addoms, her 4th great grandfather, as a slaveholder.

Women’s suffrage is one of her primary interests. She stated, “All the important suffrage people including Susan B. Anthony came to Plattsburgh to speak. She came three times.” Nerska is about to publish a history entitled “The Clinton County Suffrage Story.” It relates the story of 150 local women who fought for women’s right to vote and people who opposed that right.  She identified her great grandfather as being an anti-suffragist. *

Nerska said many people are responsible for the Historical Association’s exhibits and programs. She emphasized, “You can’t do everything yourself. The Association’s Executive Committee really chips in.”  

The CCHA periodically mails postcards to promote its upcoming events. The people on the mailing list undoubtedly look forward to learning about the interesting stories that this inquisitive and dedicated lady is about to share.

*In April 2018 Calvin Castine’s Home Town Cable featured Nerska’s suffrage exhibit at the museum which traced the local suffrage story from Seneca Falls in 1848 onward. Click here to view 

Editor’s Note: The spellings of “Hagar” and “Addoms” were corrected at 12:20 p.m on March 15, 2019.