Tioga County celebrates the return of the Bell of Sessions and the County’s Historian, Emma Sedore 

The Tioga County Legislature recently announced plans to celebrate the return of the Bell of Sessions, and to honor Emma Sedore for her service as Tioga County Historian. The celebration will take place on March 12 at noon on the lawn of the Ronald E. Dougherty County Office Building, located at 56 Main St. in Owego. Should the weather not cooperate, the event will be held inside. 

The Bell of Sessions was the official bell that was purchased in 1855 and was properly hung in the cupola of Tioga County Courthouse that stood at the Corner of Court Street and Main Street in Owego, N.Y. In 1872-73 a new Courthouse was built on the Public Square and the Bell of Sessions was rung when Court was in session.

As the years went by the towers fell into disrepair and were too expensive to repair, and the Bell of Sessions was no longer used and removed by the County. 

In 1931, at the request of the Trustees of the Village of Owego, the bell was loaned to Croton Hose Co. #3 on Talcott Street in the Village of Owego where it was used as a fire bell, and with the understanding that the bell would be returned to Tioga County upon request. 

In 1952 the bell was removed and replaced by a siren, and this is where the written history of the Bell of Sessions disappeared. 

Thanks to the County’s Historian, Emma Sedore, and her love of history, she started searching for the bell in 1997 and in 2020 finally confirmed the location of the Bell of Sessions.

On March 12, Emma will tell the story and details of her research, as she maintains that the Bell of Sessions is one of our most treasured artifacts. 

Sedore has over 23 years of service working for Tioga County as Historian, and she has contributed greatly to preserving the county’s history. A published author, Sedore has presented around the southern tier, sharing her knowledge. She has assisted many organizations, helping them find pertinent information about their history.

Join the county on March 12 as they honor their Historian, Emma Sedore.