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The History Among Us: Sharing Memories And Cakes With Cecile Daniels Gebo

photo by Photo Provided Loving the past but with her heart firmly in the present, Cecile Daniels Gebo welcomes people to the area in many different ways and puts them in touch with what makes Addison County special.

photo by Photo Provided Sharing a Daniels family story takes the listener to a time in Addison County when the waterways were the main venues of transportation and a feisty and determined ancestor Philomene Daniels became America's first female licensed steamboat captain. Looking in the Pilot's House of the Daniels Steamboat the Little Nellie, Captain Phil is at the wheel dressed as always like a lady.

photo by Photo Provided Whether it is for a friend, family member of a celebration of any size, the cake making skills of Cecile Gebo are well known and loved in Addison County.

Tuesday September 30, 2014

By Cookie Steponaitis

Cecile Daniels Gebo is not sure if she was cognizant about local history when she was born but it was darned near soon thereafter. Cecile was born on a Tuesday night in her parent’s bed in the family home in Vergennes. Her mother was attended by her father’s niece, Joan Casey who was an Army nurse and sister to Vergennes historian Martin Casey.  Cecile credits her family for her love of history and grew up hearing about and learning local history. “History has been a part of my whole life,” shared Cecile Gebo. “ As I listened to the tales of the Daniels Steamboat line, spent hours reading Smith’s Gazetteer and looking at old pictures of Vergennes ‘ in the day’ I feel I am blessed to be born in a family that treasures history.”
    It is also her family who Cecile Gebo credits for her grounded approach to life and willingness to help others. What defines life in small town for Gebo  is not the proximity of buildings and people but the tangible sense of family that binds people together in both tragedy and triumph. Cecile learned at an early age and by watching her family that to give is not only a choice but a way of life in small Addison County towns. “The Little City is always going to be home to me,” shared Cecile Daniels Gebo, “ because no matter if one has a child with cancer, a lost pet, a fire at your home or any other casualty, the townspeople rally with fundraisers and offer support and encouragement. On the other side of the coin if one of our sports teams wins a divisional title they are welcomed home and congratulated by the local fire department, local police department and rescue and not to mention a squad of diehard fans. People care about hometown friends and family and there is a lot of paying it forward in Vergennes.”
    Cecile Gebo is entering her twentieth year in her job at the Addison Northwest Supervisory Union main office which puts her in direct contact with newcomers to the town and schools. Cecile views her role as part public servant and part city ‘welcomer’ offering more than a smile, handshake and set of admission forms. She is a conduit for putting people in contact with organizations and events that help the transition to Addison County be a smooth one and opens up eyes, arms and hearts of others in town to the newcomers.  She might share with them a story about the Farmer’s Market or the summer band concerts on the park or perhaps Vergennes Day, a tractor pull benefit or even just directions to a place that is scenic, photogenic and at the same time holds a spot in local history.
    The Daniels name has long been associated with civic and community involvement and when told by Cecile Gebo or family historian Jane Vincent, comes alive with the personality of Vergennes resident Philomene Ostiguy dit Dominque Daniels who moved to Vergennes in 1843 and married into the Daniels family in 1862. Philomene worked with her husband Louis in the family boat line and was quite a striking presence in her New York City gowns and although she might do the work of a man, history records she asked her husband to take a turn at the wheel but always dressed as a lady. The Burlington Free Press on May 5, 1887 reported the news that Captain Phil as she was often called was, “undoubtedly the first woman to receive her pilot’s license in this country, if not in the world.” The Daniels Steamboat line and Captain Philomene were staples in the lives of the Little City until the line closed in 1916. Yet stories still live on and are shared with school children each year about the feisty and determined ancestor of Cecile and many others who not only piloted steam ships up Otter Creek but occasionally tossed overboard any passenger who annoyed her or challenged her abilities to pilot the steamship.
    Cecile is not only known for the Daniels’ family history but for her cooking and credits learning almost all she knows about cooking from her mom.  “My mom was the cook and baker extraordinaire. At first we got to watch and clean up afterwards. I remember calling home after I was married and living in Essex Junction to find out how to make goulash and Shepard’s Pie. My older sister managed to learn mom’s secret for making roses and decorations on cakes. After my mom passed she started out making wedding cakes and eventually I got my courage up and followed suit.” Cecile Gebo makes not only wedding cakes but specialty cakes for birthdays and other memorable occasion and has become the go to person for the cake that has to be special and epic. While she claims to get “cake fright” with each adventure, Cecile bakes from the heart and it shows in each mouthwatering piece of a visual masterpiece.
    Once told “don’t judge a book by its cover,” Cecile Daniels Gebo looks firmly to the future with both feet firmly planted in the past. What guides her today is what defined her in the yesterdays and for Cecile it is all about family, friends, small town life and the ability to celebrate with loved ones the small and giant milestones of life. While she loves the tales of her spunky ancestor, Cecile shared she is actually afraid of being in water over her head and likes to keep her feet firmly planted on the land and her hands and heart busy with the next new project or talking with the next new person that is placed in her path.

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