(below) Former site of Edward Nadiger’s corner situated harness shop. The original white clapboard structure; built in 1913, was replaced by a single family home. Ed Nadiger was an important source of information for much of Mary Rader’s research into the history of the village; in particular, the older material.
“Edward Nadiger had served his apprenticeship with Mike Fenn for three years for making harness starting January 6, 1902. He started in what is the Gulens home. Going into business for himself in 1904 [sic] and built his own shop in 1913.
A once flourishing trade which was a successful business is now a thing of the past in Dashwood. Ed Nadiger,who made harness for more than 65 years sold his harness shop and all his equipment in 1971. The new owner, an area farmer, had the building torn down and a new house built. This building stood on the corner of Highway 83 and Fried Street.
Sets of harness were made right from scratch from rolls of hides. Mr. Nadiger recalled he charged $28 for a complete backband team harness in 1920. A set of collars were thrown in with the harness. One of the last sets he made was a special double team harness in the late 1950’s that sold for $250.
To stay in business in the early days, a harness maker needed to be a shrewd trader. he quite often took wood and feed for harness. The wood would be sold around town while feed was for a cow or two and a few pigs owned by the harness maker. Most of the harness making equipment, tools and stock were sold in 1969 with some of it going to the Mennonite communities near Elmira where horses are still used extensively.
When asked what happened to the harness making trade, Nadiger replied “The invention of the cars hurt us but it was the tractors that killed us. You know I never owned a car, had to set a good example”.
extracted from “Friedsburg-Dashwood 1860-1985” by Mary (Patterson) Rader, 1985; pgs. 6-7, ISBN 0-9692115-0-3