USA > New York > Otsego County > Gazetteer and business directory of Otsego County, New York for 1872-3 > Part 10
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36
71
OTSEGO COUNTY.
The danger to which the inhabitants were exposed was so great, that they banded together and went about upon the different farms, some standing guard while others were at work.
In June of this year it was reported that Brant was fortifying at Unadilla and collecting large numbers of Indians and Tories around him. A reward was offered to any person who would gain satisfactory information relative to his plans. Captain McKean volunteered to go if five others would accompany him. The company was soon made up and the party started on their expedition. They arrived the first night at the house of a Quaker named Sleeper, in the town of Laurens. Sleeper informed them that Brant had been there the day before with fifty men, and would return there that night. He advised them to leave, as they would be killed or taken if Brant re- turned. McKean, seeing that the house was well built, and of logs, said : "Your house, friend Sleeper, shall be my fort to- night; I have with me five good marksmen, and I am not my- self deficient in that qualification of a soldier." Sleeper re- monstrated, as he wished to remain neutral, and would be involved in difficulty, and in all probability his property and life sacrificed. McKean finally withdrew to an unoccupied house a mile or two distant. He returned by way of the Susquehanna River, having taken two prisoners. He was pursued by the Indians and narrowly escaped being taken. On his return to Cherry Valley he found Capt. Ballard with a detachment of one hundred men belonging to Col. Alden's regiment of Con- tinentals. The Colonel himself arrived in a few days. Stockades were placed around the church, and here Col. Alden took up his quarters.
On the 6th of November he received information that a large body of Indians under Col. Butler, were meditating an attack upon Cherry Valley. On receiving this information, the in- habitants requested permission to remove into the Fort or at least deposit their most valuable effects there ; but Col. Alden, thinking the alarm needless, refused, saying he would keep out scouts who would apprise them in time to secure themselves in case of" attack. The scout sent down the Susquehanna, kin- dled a fire on the night of the 9th, and all lay down to sleep. Just before daylight they were all made prisoners.
On the night of the 10th, the enemy encamped about a mile south-west of the Fort and, on the morning of the 11th, moved to the attack of the settlement. The officers of the garrison Were stationed in private houses, and the forces of the enemy Were so disposed that a party should surround every house in which an officer was lodged, nearly at the same time, while the main body would attack the Fort. Several Inches of snow fell
.
·
72
OTSEGO COUNTY.
during the night, and in the morning it turned to rain, the air being thick and hazy. The assurances of Col. Alden had quieted the fears of the inhabitants and all were resting in fancied secur- ity as the savages came down upon them. Col. A. was one of the first victims. He and Lieut. Col. Stacia, with a small guard, lodged at the house of Mr. Robert Wells. At the first alarm Col. A. escaped from the house and fled towards the Fort, but was tomahawked and scalped. Stacia was taken prisoner and the guard were all killed or captured. The family of Mr. Wells were all massacred except one son who was in Schenectady at the time. Another party surrounded the house of Rev. Mr. Dun- lap, whose wife was immediately killed. He was a feeble old man and released after a few days. A Mr. Mitchell was in the field and escaped, but his wife and four children were killed, and his house plundered and burnt. The party which surrounded the house of Col. Campbell, took Mrs. Campbell and four child- ren prisoners. Col. C. was absent from home and returned in time to see his property destroyed, but did not learn the fate of his family. Many were killed, a few escaped and the remainder were taken prisoners. Thirty-two of the inhabitants, chiefly women and children, were killed, and sixteen Continental soldiers. The houses and barns, many of which were filled with grain, were burned, and thirty or forty prisoners were taken. The enemy with their prisoners and their booty encamped the first night about two miles south of the Fort. The night was cold and rainy and the prisoners suffered greatly. On the morning of the second day, the prisoners were collected together and it was decided to send back the women and children. Mrs. Campbell and her four children and Mrs. Moore and her chil- dren were retained because their husbands had been active parti- sans. They passed down the Susquehanna to Tioga Point, thence up the Chemung, across the Seneca Lake and down the east border of the lake to Kanadeseago, a village of the Senecas. The next day after the massacre, the mangled re- mains of those who had been murdered were buried, and those who had escaped to the woods came in. This was one of the most cold-blooded massacres of which history gives any account. The inhabitants abandoned the settlement, and the next sun- mer the Fort was abandoned, the soldiers joining the troops of General James Clinton.
An expedition was fitted out under the command of General Sullivan, to march into the Indian country, destroy their settle- ments and lay waste their country. Gen. Sullivan's army as- sembled at Wyoming, on the Susquehanna, and on the 31st of July commenced their march for the Indian settlements. The stores and artillery, were conveyed up the river in 150 boats.
-
.
.
73
.
OTSEGO COUNTY.
At Tioga Point, Sullivan encamped to await the arrival of Gen. James Clinton, who had been ordered to join him by way of Canajoharie and Otsego Lake. For this purpose General Clin- ton opened a road from Canajoharie to Otsego Lake, and trans- ported his boats thither in wagons. Passing down the lake to its outlet, he constructed a dam at this point, raising the water to such an extent that when the dam was removed, the increase of water in the outlet would bear his boats safely through. Gen. Clinton with his force joined the main army at Tioga, August 22, when the whole force proceeded up the river, laying waste the Indian towns, destroying their crops and taking from them their means of living. It is said that the Indians along the Susquehanna, witnessing the unusual rise of the water and see- ing the troops descend in boats, were greatly alarmed and at- tributed the unusual rise of the water to some supernatural agency. While Gen. Clinton's forces were encamped on the present site of Cooperstown, two deserters were shot. It is said that 208 boats were required to transport the troops down the river.
The Otsego County Agricultural Society .- The first meeting in this County to organize an Agricultural Society, was held Jan. 1st, 1817. The first officers were: Jacob Morris, President ; John H. Prentiss, Recording Secretary ; James Cooper, Corre- sponding Secretary. The first Fair was held on the 14th of October, 1817, in the Presbyterian church. An address was de- livered by Gen. Jacob Morris, and the premiums were declared by Elkanah Watson. A letter from Governor Clinton was also read. In 1841 the Society was organized under the act of the Legislature appropriating 88,000 among the different counties of the State for the encouragement of agriculture. The Fairs were held at Cooperstown annually until 1852, when it was held at Morris. In 1855 the Society was again re-organized, the first officers being Francis M. Rotch, of Morris, President ; Alfred Clark, of Springfield, Vice-President; Jerome B. Wood, of Cooperstown, Secretary ; G. Pomeroy Reese, of Cooperstown, Treasurer. A lot of land containing about eight acres was leased and fitted up for Fairs. The first Fair was held under this organization upon the new grounds in 1856. The success of this enterprise was so great that the Society proceeded to erect new buildings and make other additions as circumstances seemed to require. In 1861 their grounds were enlarged by leasing an adjoining lot, thereby nearly doubling its size. In 18:1 a new lot containing twenty-seven acres, and situated a short distance from the village, was purchased, fenced, and will be in good order before the next annual Fair.
1
·
·
1
74
OTSEGO COUNTY.
This County took an inportant part in the suppression of the great Rebellion. Cherry Valley, the oldest town in the County, was the first to respond to the call for men, after the fall of Sumter. A company was soon raised and their services tender- ed, but owing to what was known at Albany as skeleton regi- ments, their services were not accepted. After remaining in barracks for some time the Company was disbanded. Egbert Oleott and C. J. Campbell, the Lieutenants of the Company, afterwards enlisted as privates in the Forty-fourth Regiment, and by successive promotions became Colonels, the former of the One Hundred and Twenty-First, and the latter of the Twenty-Third United States colored troops, and Brevet Brig. General. During the summer of 1861, large numbers of young
men in the County enlisted in various organizations.
A
recruiting station was established at Cherry Valley and three companies were raised for the Seventy-Sixth N. Y. V., and one Company of Berdan's Sharpshooters, most of the inen being from that vicinity. Up to the time of the establishment of the senatorial or military districts, about one thousand men had been raised in the County. The 121st and 152d Regiments were largely raised in this County, nearly 1,500 men being fur- nished. About 2,500 men were raised before the first draft, most of whom were natives of the County. All the orders for drafts were cheerfully responded to and many of the soldiers sealed their devotion to their country with their blood
75
· GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS. 1
. BURLINGTON was formed from Otsego, April 10, 1792. Pittsfield was taken off in 1797, and Edmeston in 1808. It is an interior town, lying north-west of the center of the County. The surface is a hilly upland, divided by three general ridges extending north and south. These ridges are about 400 feet above the valleys and are arable to their summits. The principal streams are Butternut Creek, flowing south through the center, and Wharton Creek, flowing south-west through the west part. The soil upon the hills is a slaty loam, in many places underlaid by hardpan; in the valleys it is a gravelly loam.
Burlington, (p. v.) known as Burlington Green, near the cen- ter of the town, contains two churches, a hotel, a store, a grist mill, two blacksmith shop, a shoe shop, a cheese factory and about 100 inhabitants.
Burlington Flats, (p. v.) north-west of the center, on Wharton Creek, contains two churches a hotel, three stores, a grist mill, a saw mill, a tannery, a wagor shop, two shoe shops, two black- smith shops, three milliner shops, a cheese factory, 33 dwellings and 129 inhabitants.
West Burlington, (p. v.) on Wharton Creek, in the west part of the town, contains two churcha, a hotel, two stores, a black- smith shop, a cheese factory, 15 dwellings and about 100 inhabitants. -
The first settlement was commeced near West Burlington, in 1790, by Robert Garrat and Eberand Benjamin Harrington. Paul Gardner settled in 1992, and Benjamin Card, Miles Pot- ter, Caleb Gardner, Alexander Peker, Ira Johnson, John Johnson, Lemuel Hubbell and Samuel Hubbard, settled about the same time in the vicinity of Burlington Flats. The first school was taught by Joseph Wrigit at Burlington Green. Paris Briggs and Willard Church kep the first inns, and Wal-
...
.
.
76
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
bridge & Co. the first store, at Burlington Flats. Augustus and Adolphus Walbridge erected the first mill, at the same place.
The First Baptist Church of Burlington, the first religious society in the town, was organized in 1793 by James South- worth, the first pastor. The number of members at the organi- zation was 30. The first house of worship was erected in 1804; the present house in 1839, with a seating capacity of 200. The present pastor is Rev. H. Steelman ; the number of members is 37; the value of Church property is $3,000.
The Second Baptist Church, located at West Burlington, was organized May 16, 1794, by a Council composed of members from Springfield, Unadilla and the First Church of Burlington. The number of members was 59 and the first pastor was Rev. Ashbel Hosmer. The first house of worship was erected in 1803 ; the present house in 1841, with a seating capacity of 300. The present pastor is Rev. E. G. Flint; the number of mem- bers is 16 and the value of Church property is $4,000. When the Church was first organized, five brethren were chosen as leaders, and the services of Elder Wm. Firman were secured to administer the ordinances once in four veeks. Elder Hosmer arrived about this time from Tolland, Connecticut, and sub- sequently became the pastor of the Church and continued un- til 1797, when he removed to Burlington Flats. The first leading brethren were Martin Luther, Joseph Vaughn, Paul Gardner and James Roberts. The Council which organized the Church consisted of Elder Wm Firman and Wm. Hill, of Springfield ; Rev. James Southwoth and Wm. Goff, of the First Church, Burlington ; Solonon Hatch and Increase Thurston, of Unadilla ; and Josial Mattison, Jonathan Pettit, Stephen Taylor, David Sweet, Reiben Ellis and Abraham Bow- dish, transient brethren.
Christ Church, (Episcopal,) at West Burlington, was organ- ized in 1841 under the direcion of Rev. J. V. Hughes, who served the parish at intervals fe several years. His successors were E. N. Goddard and Joel Davis. For a time the Corpora- tion owned a fourth interest in the Union Church at Burling- ton Flats, but sold it for $250 which amounted to about $1,000 in 1866. Bishop Onderdonkvisited the parish once and con- firmed several, and Bishop Ptter visited it in 1858 for the same purpose. In March 1865 jest Burlington was made a station of a circuit mission, and te next year the missionary became resident here with only Garattsville as additional care. Sept. 22, 1868, the corner stop of the Moss Memorial Church was laid by the Rt. Rev. Dani. S. Tuttle, Bishop of Montana, Idaho
77
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
and Utah, assisted by Rev. J. V. Hughes, missionary in charge ; Rev. D. Hillhouse Buell, Cooperstown, and Rev. N. S. Rulison, Morris. In Sept. 1871, the Church was admitted into union with the Diocesan Convention. Services are held every alter- nate Sunday, in the morning and afternoon. The present number of communicants is 33; the pastor is Rev. E. H. Saunders, and the value of the Church property is about $4,200. Their house of worship will seat 250.
The Free Communion Baptist Church, at Burlington Flats, was organized March 9, 1825, by Revs. Hunt, Esterbrooks, Benja- min Roland, Phipps Lake, and Messrs. Hudson, Millican and Fitch, and consisted of 16 members. Rev. Wm. Hunt was the first pastor. The Church edifice was erected in 1829 at a cost of $1,100 and will seat 200. The present number of members is 30. The present pastor is Rev. S. S. Cady, and the present value of Church property is $2,000.
The Friends Meeting House, at Burlington, was organized in 1804 by Richard Emerson, Peleg Gifford and others. The first house of worship was erected in 1804; the present one, which will seat 200, in 1827. The original cost of the house of worship was $400; the present value of Church property is about $300. The present number of members is 13 or 14.
The population of the town in 1870 was 1,476, and its area 26,755 acres, with an assessed value of $358,675.
The number of school districts is 13, employing 13 teachers. The number of children of school age is 562; the number at- tending school, 452; the average attendance, 218; the value of school houses and sites, $5,770.
BUTTERNUTS was formed from Unadilla, February 5, 1796. Morris was taken off in 1849, and a part of Unadilla was annexed in 1857. It lies upon the west border of the County, south-west of the center. The surface is a hilly up- land, divided by several ridges extending north and south. Unadilla River, forming its west boundary, is bordered by a narrow flat, from which the highlands arise in a series of steep bluffs to a hight of 500 to 600 feet. Butternut Creek flows south-west through a deep valley near the center of the town. A large number of smaller streams, tributaries to these, flow in deep valleys among the hills, dividing the ridges and giving to the region a peculiar broken appearance. The hills are arable to their summits and the soil is a good quality of red shale and sandy and gravelly loam.
Butternuts, (p. v.) known also as Gilbertsville, is situated near the center of the town and contains four churches, viz., Method-
·
-
78
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
ist, Baptist, Presbyterian and Episcopal; an academy, two sash and blind shops, three carriage shops, a marble shop, a flouring mill, two hotels, a number of stores and mechanic. i shops, and about 500 inhabitants. The village contains some fine residences and is surrounded by a fine farming region.
The Gilbertsville Academy is a substantial stone structure, occupying a prominent site in the village. The course of study pursued, embraces the branches usually taught in first-class academies.
Brookside Cemetery occupies a fine site and is being improved in a manner creditable to the taste of the managers.
The settlements were commenced about 1790, at Gilbertsville, by Gordon and Wyatt Chamberlin, and Abijah Gilbert. John Marsh, Joseph Cox and Daniel Eastwood, were among the first settlers in the west part of the town, and William Masson and Dr. John Burgess, in the south part. The first child born was William Shaw, and he is supposed to be the first one who died. The first marriage was that of Joseph Cox and Betsey Gilbert. The first school was taught by Levi Hallibert, at the house of Joseph Cox. Abijah Gilbert kept the first inn, and William Masson the first store, near Gilbertsville. The first mill was erected by Joseph Shaw and Abijah Gilbert.
The first town meeting was held in 1796, at which Hezekiah Dayton was chosen Town Clerk, and Lewis Franchot, Super- visor. In the Records of the town we find the following letter which explains itself:
"Butternuts, 15th June 1796.
" Mr. Hezekiah Dayton, Clerk of the town of Butternuts. "Sir,
" Here inclosed I send you the certificate for the proportion of School money of the town of Butternuts. Also a bill of assessments for the ensuing year. Mr. Elisha Phinney of Cooperstown being Clerk of the board of supervisors, you may as soon as possible apply to him for to have the Laws of the State of New York for our Town, and make your applica- tion so as to have a complete set, last session included, it shall be paid for by the County. The Board of Supervisors have made it a part of their Clerk's duty to supply every year the towns with such Laws as may be in future enacted. Here followeth the account of poor money for the town of Butternuts, arising from the accounts given by the overseers of the poor of the old town of Unadilla, divided.
-
" 1 note given by Elisha Crow, £ 4 00
"Due by Azor Nash to the poor of this new Town,. £ 1 40
"Cash received by myself,. £ 4 15 6
" Butternuts proportion of the old town poor money, £ 9 19 6
" For licenses granted by the Excise officers this present year in the town of Butternats to John March, £2 00
" To Nathan Sull. 2 00
"To Sturges Bradley, 2 00
" To Russell Fairman, 2 00
"Grand total of Butternuts poor money £17 19 6
79
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
" Paid by me into the hands of Alanson Moore, overseer of the poor of this town ..... .. £ 8 19 9
" To Deacon Shaw, overseer ditto, £ 8 19 9
" Balance.
£17 19 6
" Which account you will please to put on record according to Law. "It has been agreed by the Board of Supervisors that the Clark of the town of Butternuts shall be entitled to the sum of five dollars as a salary annexed to his office for this year. If you have any accounts against the town I wish you to send it to me. I hope you have provided yourself with a book to enter your records. I am Sir, your most
obedient Servant, LEWIS FRANCHOT, Supervisor."
" The within is a true copy of the letter from the Supervisor & recorded by me.
" HEZEKIAH DAYTON, Town Clerk."
Among those licensed to sell "strong liquor" in 1797, was Edward Thorp. He died a few years since after voting seventy- one consecutive years.
In 1800 the town voted to raise $50 for the support of the poor. In 1805 Sturgis Bradley, Aaron Aspenwall and John Marsh, were each licensed "to keep a public Inn or Tavern." In 1815 Azariah Metcalf, Oliver Judd, S. Elsworth, Isaac Hayes and Silas Crippen, each received 213 votes for member of Assembly, and Francis Henry, John C. Morris, Charles Mason, Billings Brown and William Campbell, each received 150 votes for the same office. Paschal Franchot, Alanson Moore and Richard D. Shepard, were the Inspectors of Election.
The following record indicates the existence of an institution from which our whole country is now free :
"Manumission of Joseph Jackson, Grace his wife and Jane & Flora. "We the Overseers of the poor for the town of Butternuts in the county of Otsego and State of New York, do hereby certify that Joseph Jackson, Grace his wife and Jane and Flora their infant children, all people of color, and late the slaves of Jacob Morris of this town, and which the said Jacob Morris is now about to manumit, appear to us to be under the age of forty- five years. The said Joseph Jackson & Grace appear to us of sufficient ability to provide for themselves and are able and willing to maintain and provide for their said female children Jane & Flora.
"Given under our hand at Butternuts, this thirteenth day of April 1822. "WM JACKSON "JÁRED LILLIE."
The following is another similar record :
"Stephen, slave of Jacob Morris of the town aforesaid appears to be under fifty years of age and of sufficient ability to provide for himself. Dated this tenth day of Nov. 1802.
"PASCHAL FRANCHOT, one of the overseers of the Poor. "WM. MASSON, Poor Master."
The election returns in 1800 for member of Congress, show that Thomas Morris received 112 votes, and Wm. Stewart three
.
80
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
votes. For Governor, Stephen Van Rensselaer received 69, and George Clinton 65 votes.
The Methodist Church of Butternuts was organized in 1831 by Wm. S. Bowdish, the first pastor, with ten members. The first house of worship was erected in 1832; the present house in 1862. It will seat 450. The present membership is 154; the pastor is Rev. A. M. Colgrove, and the value of Church property is 87,000.
The First Presbyterian Church of Butternuts was organized in 1795, with about twenty members. The first pastor was Rev. Isaac Garvin ; the first house of worship was erected in 1795 : the present house in 1832. The present membership is 225; the present value of Church property is $7,000. The Church edifice will seat about 450. Rev. Mr. Moore is the pastor.
The Baptist Church of Butternuts has a membership of 209. Their house of worship will seat 400. The value of Church property is $7,000. Rev. Samuel C. Moore is the pastor.
Christ Church, (Episcopal,) of Butternuts, was organized in 1833 by Rev. J. V. Hughes with 28 members. Their house of worship was erected in 1834, it will seat 300 and, with other Church property, is valued at $7,000. The present membership is 80, and the pastor is Rev. J. V. Hughes.
The population of the town in 1870 was 2.176, and its area 32,961 acres, with an assessed value of $530,891.
The number of school districts is 19, employing 16 teachers. The number of children of school age is 628; the number attending school, 445; the average attendance, 227; the value of school houses and sites, $6,810.
CHERRY VALLEY was formed from Canajoharie, (Montgomery Co.,) February 16, 1791. Middlefield, Spring- field and Worcester, were taken off in 1797, and Roseboom in 1854. It is the north-east corner town in the County. The surface is a hilly and mountainous upland, some portion of which is too rough and rocky for cultivation. Mount Independence is a rocky eminence, situated south-east of the center, and is about 1,000 feet above the valleys and 2,000 above tide. It is the highest summit in the County. A range of highlands extends along the north-west boundary. The central and south parts of the town are drained by the head branches of the Susquehanna, and the north part by tribu- taries of the Mohawk. The soil upon the uplands is a slaty and gravelly loam, and in the valleys a fine quality of calcareous loam.
.
81
·
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
The Te-ka-ha-ra-wa Falls are upon a small creek of the same name in the north part of the town. The water flows over a limestone precipice 160 feet high, and down through a narrow ravine, thickly wooded on each side. Near the lower end of this ravine are several sulphur springs, unsurpassed in their medicinal qualities by any in the State. Pebbles, leaves and other substances, exposed to the action of the water, very soon become coated with sulphur. In the north-east corner are several salt springs from which salt was manufactured to a very limited extent at an early day. Bath-houses and other im- provements have been made at the Sulphur Springs; and the picturesque scenery presents unusual attractions to summer tourists.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.