RochesterSubway.com : Elusive Memories of Iola, Part 2

Elusive Memories of Iola, Part 2

November 22nd, 2013

Here’s an update to last Friday’s story about Marilyn Casserino, 79. Marilyn is the girl in the dark dress in the center of the photo above. This picture was taken c.1939 on the roof of the Children’s Building at Iola Tuberculosis Sanitorium where Marilyn was a patient, along with her mother Vivian.

Unfortunately, Marilyn’s mom passed away while at the hospital. Marilyn was just 6 at the time. Looking back at those days, she now wishes she could remember more – about her mom, and about this place where they were treated for well over a year.

For starters, she wanted to try and find out who the other girls in the photo were. Would you believe in less than one week we’ve now identified two of those girls…

This past Monday, Mark Hosier stumbled upon the story and left the following comment:

Imagine our surprise when my sister and I, looking for information on Iola, happen across this great story and find a picture of our mother and aunt. The girl in the center with the short blonde hair is our mother Jean Bissiett and the girl with the curley hair on Marilyn’s left is her sister Beverly Ferguson (different fathers). They “cured” at Iola with their mother Esther, brother Bob and another sister Barb. Esther died there in 1945. It saddens us to see the buildings have been torn down, and so little written about the history of the place and the people who spent years there. I hope they put some kind of memorial up to commemorate the people who worked, lived and died there, so they aren’t forgotten.

I couldn’t believe it. The power of the internet is real! I emailed Mark and found out he is for real as well. He sent these photos which show his mother, Jean, and aunt Beverly… the same two girls standing next to Marilyn in her photo!

There’s no mistaking those smiles.

Mark says he’s going to visit his mom this week and will show her Marilyn’s photo to see if it jogs any memories.

For Marilyn, it was exciting news to learn a few names. But she says she still doesn’t remember the girls. And says she still longs to remember her mom…

How wonderful to remember your childhood. There are so few memories for me. I remember being on the ground and looking up at a window to my mother. I remember sitting in the hall outside her door at the hospital and being held (I think I was a patient then). I sort of remember being in a dining area and not liking some food and got in trouble for not eating it. I sort of remember being in a crib and being sung to – it must have been her. These are such vague memories that I wonder if they are real.

I’m still looking for more information to share with Marilyn. But in the meantime, Mark sent more photos which show his mother during her second stay at Iola when her TB relapsed as a teenager…

Looks like they had some fun times up on that roof.

Check this out. That’s Jean on the left… And Gene Autry on the right! The Singing Cowboy came to visit the patients.

Here they are on the lawn in front of the Children’s Building. Looks like they’re getting ready for a group portrait.

Here’s the Children’s Building which was torn down a few weeks ago.

And here’s the view looking in the opposite direction across the lawn at the Administration Building. Beautiful. The building in the background on the right was the former Infirmary (built 1915). It was demolished in 1985.

Tags: abandoned, abandoned places, AJ Costello & Son, Beverly Ferguson, Brighton, City Gate, CityGate, Costco, development, East Henrietta Road, historic preservation, Iola Campus, Iola Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Jean Bissiett, Marilyn Casserino, Monroe Community Hospital, Monroe County, preservation, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, rochester photos, Vivian Casserino, Westfall Road

This entry was posted on Friday, November 22nd, 2013 at 8:05 am and is filed under Rochester History, Rochester Images. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

19 Responses to “Elusive Memories of Iola, Part 2”

chase tyler says:

November 28, 2013 at 1:28 am

Glad that there’s SOMEPLACE where Iola’s been getting coverage. I can’t find anything on the news and little in the newspapers.
Peter Bonaccorso says:

December 16, 2013 at 1:16 pm

I have pictures of my mother as a small child on the rooftop of this building. Some other kids in photos also. Was wondering where she was in the photos.
RochesterSubway.com says:

December 16, 2013 at 1:59 pm

Peter, if you can, send the photo(s) to [email protected].
Thomas Barnes says:

August 31, 2015 at 10:43 am

My Grandmother was also at there for TB…her name was Helena Robertson My mother remembers my grandmother telling her how they use to be put out on the roof to sleep in the winter and how it was so cold. My mother was sad to learn it was torn down….
Sharon Pacheco says:

September 11, 2015 at 8:20 pm

Hi. My aunt (my mother’s sister) was at Iola as a child. She died there 06 Jan 1915 at age 13. Her name was Maria Nicola Grande. Is there someplace I can look to get her records from Iola? I looked on the web but could not find much info about Iola. Thank you for any help.

I was able to find her grave at Holy Sepulchre cemetery & I am now in the process of trying to get a marker for her, as there was none. The lady in the office had to help me find the grave because it was so old. The funeral home who took care of my aunt (Emma Funeral Home) is no longer in business. She had her mass at St Bonafice Church on Gregory St. This info the lady in the office at Holy Sepulchre gave me. She was very helpful.
RochesterSubway.com says:

September 11, 2015 at 8:58 pm

Hi Sharon. When I was researching for this story I went to Monroe Community Hospital. They have an archive of patient records and they let me flip through the Iola logs. It was literally thousands of handwritten pages that I had to sift through. But anyway, call Monroe Community Hospital and explain what you are looking for. They’ll help you.
Sharon Pacheco says:

February 29, 2016 at 3:41 pm

My maternal aunt was @ Iola & died there. I was told all the records are at Monroe Community Hospital. My husband & I went there & the people in the Health Information Office were very nice & gracious enough to let us have access to all the Iola books they had. My husband & I spend a whole day – from 0830 until almost 4 pm looking through all the names in the books, trying to find my aunt’s name. We could not find her name in any of the over 15+ large books we were given to research. I know she died there because I was able to find her grave at Holy Sepulchre cemetery & the office told me she died at Iola & even gave me the name of the funeral home, dates, church, etc. QUESTION: Does anyone know any other place that would have Iola records? The people at the Health Office at Monroe Community said other people have looked thru the books & found their relatives & this was the first time they can recall a person not being able to find an Iola resident. I would really appreciate any help or suggestions someone might have. Thank you all.
Janice says:

October 11, 2016 at 10:24 pm

My mother was in Iola for one year, sometime between 1923-1929. Her grandfather, known as “Mac” built a lot of the cabinets at Iola. My mom just passed in July, while she was very well treated there she did not enjoy looking back at the memory. I’m interested in how/ where to access records for patients, photographs etc. I live in Washington state, so any recommendations on how best to proceed is appreciated. It’s so special to look at the pictures of the old buildings and know my mom and great grandfather walked in the halls.
Anna says:

December 1, 2018 at 12:47 pm

Just saw this post, I have a relative that did two different stints at Iola and sadly the second she died within Iola. Does anyone have an email for anyone in Albany to contact if they can not physically find the records within Monroe County? I’ll first start with the county clerk and the diocese of Rochester but was wondering if someone knew of anyone to contact for NY State Archival work
Lynda Koehler says:

June 23, 2019 at 8:31 pm

My husbands father was a patient for 2.5 yrs at Iola, 1955 we believe. Can you help us find medical records for Donald C Koehler? Lynda & Chris Koehler
Hornell NY
Phyllis C Stehm says:

April 6, 2020 at 1:05 pm

I have been doing some research on the Krebs family and 2 of its members died at Iola.
Elizabeth Krebs Bayley died 10 Jun 1930 and her father Charles H. Krebs died there in 1945.
I lived in Rochester from 1952-1980 and only vaguely remember Iola. I always admire the Monroe Community Hospital building for its beautiful architecture when I drive by when in Rochester.
Sharon Pacheco says:

April 6, 2020 at 5:39 pm

Does anyone know where else records or books on Iola patients cana be found or who has them?
Debbie R Barlow says:

April 26, 2020 at 8:43 pm

My mom, Gladys M. McKenzie was in Iola from 1949 to 1952.
Janice McKinley says:

April 26, 2020 at 10:44 pm

My mother Esther Miles was raised in Rochester. Her father died from TB in 1923. When my mom was 9 she contracted TB and spent 8 months at Iola. Before she passed away In 2016 I showed her some pictures I found of Iola. She remembered some of the buildings and hallways and was able to point to where she stayed, both inside and outside. Her grandfather, known as Mac, was a cabinet maker who worked there for years. I so appreciated those of you who’ve posted pictures, it meant a lot for her so see Iola again.
Shelley Tompkins says:

May 10, 2020 at 4:39 pm

My father was in Iola sometime in 1949 to 1952. His name wa Perry Alford Protz. He met a women there named Frances and they had a child but I dont know his name. I wondered who Frances was as her son would be my half brother whom I have never met.
WENDY S PINZON says:

March 3, 2022 at 12:58 pm

Last night while scrolling through Rochester history I stumbled across the rochestersubway.com website. Needless to say I was truly surprised to see the pictures of my own father, Robert Ferguson as a child along with my aunts Jean Bissett and Beverly Ferguson. I was thrilled to see them. I have since located three pictures of their Mother Esther Bissett (my paternal grandmother) who as Mark Hosier (my cousin) mentioned passed away at Iola in 1945. One of my photos refers to her name as Esther Helen Waghorn. Not sure how it was documented in the hospital records. I also have an additional photo taken the same day of the 3 children on the hospital grounds. I would love to see my photos added to this story and to the history of the Iola Sanitarium. May I send them to the RochesterSubway.com email?
Andrea says:

December 19, 2022 at 8:19 pm

I’d like to add to this collection! How do I upload pictures?
RochesterSubway.com says:

December 20, 2022 at 5:57 pm

Hi Andrea, there is no way to upload photos here, but you may email any photos (along with captions/descriptions) to info[at]rochestersubway.com. If appropriate we may add them to this post.
Tanya says:

April 16, 2025 at 9:35 am

Who ever wrote this article please I hope you see this my great grandma is esther please contact me

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Elusive Memories of Iola, Part 2

19 Responses to “Elusive Memories of Iola, Part 2”

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