On October 26, members of the Parma community and members of the Parma Hilton Historical Society welcomed the descendants of Walter Vond to share in the dedication of a historical marker placed on the shore of Lake Ontario at the north end of Parma’s Route 259.
Parma Supervisor Jim Roose; Parma Hilton Historian, David Crumb; Lonie Wilson, Walter Vond’s descendant; and Tom Venniro, Director of Parma Parks were on hand to deliver remarks on this special occasion.
Walter Vond was the son of Nero and Mary Vond, Parma’s first African American settlers. Nero, a freed slave from Vermont, his wife and six children settled here in 1837. Nero died in 1840 and left his wife to look after and raise their children. She worked hard and her children prospered. By 1855, most of the boys had migrated to Illinois and Michigan. Walter and his sister, Mary Ann, remained in Parma to care for their aging mother.
During the 1850s, Walter served as a conductor on the Underground Railroad at Parma’s terminus at Lake Ontario. A fisherman with a sailboat and boathouse located on property owned by William Cox, Walter would spirit “Freedom Seekers” in his boat to Canadian ships which would take them to their freedom.
Vond descendants, Lonie Wilson, Omar Wilson, and William Jones of Katy, Texas; and Gloria Watts of Taunton, Massachusetts; along with David Watts of Fairbanks, Alaska were all on hand for the dedication. A Town of Parma historical marker was placed near the lakeshore on a small plot of land once known as the “Town Pier.” About 25 members of the community were there to participate in the dedication. Parma Hilton Historical Society President, John Foster, commented, “This is indeed a special moment in Parma Hilton history.” Several Vond descendants stated how honored they were to have their ancestor, Walter, remembered by the Parma community with a historical marker.
Following the dedication, many gathered at Foster’s Restaurant in Hilton for lunch and fellowship with the out of town guests.
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