USA > New York > Otsego County > History of Otsego County, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 9
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PITTSFIELD.
Nine distriets and 2 joint districts ; 22 teachers en- ployed,-8 males and 14 females ; number of children
40
HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Towns.
Werks. Duye. Covt.
Burlington
123
$186.87
Butternuts
38.28
Cherry Valley.
236
357.73 60 bushels cider apples. at 20c ... 12.00
10 tons straw, at $5 .. 50.00
18 tons eornstalks, at $4 ...
72.00
10 bushels peas, at $1 ..
10.00
15 loads pumpkins, at $1
13.00
15 barrels cucumbers, at $4. €0.00
3000 lbs. of pork, at fe.
180.00
List of paupers at the county house during the year ending Nov. 1, 1877 :
BURLINGTON.
Weeks. Days.
Amonut.
Catharine Nichols
52
1
$78.94
Mahayla May.
52
1
78.94
John House.
10
16.44
Peter Crandall.
6
3
9.73
Clarinda Johnson
2
1
3.25
BUTTERNUTS.
Ezra Hoyt
25
CHERRY VALLEY.
James Patterson
50
1 75.70
Wm. Gregg.
52
1
78.94
Mary Miller
45
6
69.42
Infant Miller
45
6
69.42
T. Simpson
42
4
64.43
DECATUR.
Abram Horton.
32
48.45
Lucy Cummings
52
78.94
Calvin Hauck
10
15.57
EDMESTON.
Caroline Landirs
52
1
78.94
Charles Stanton
3
65
HARTWICK.
Rufus Ingalsby
52
1
78.94
Obadiah Ward
9
3
14.23
LAURENS.
Augusta Shutters
52
1
78.94
MARYLAND.
Stephen Hooker
52
1 78.94
Margaret Fink
46
5
70.72
Susan Rich
47
2
71.59
Infant Rich
47
71.59
Naney Woodcock
52
1 78.94
Lavina Robinson
18
1
28.12
MIDDLEFIELD.
Mary Wilson.
52
1
FS.94
Margaret Antisdel.
52
1
78.94
Ilelen Woodbeck
42
1
63.80
Irving Doge.
7
10.60
James Doge.
6
5
10.27
Oris Cummings
52
1
78.94
MILFORD.
Nelson Colby
52
1 78.94
Emogene Avery.
51
1
78.94
Sally Ann Merrihew
52
1
78.94
Erastus Stone.
52
1 78.94
Lois Stone.
52
1 78.94
Fred. Whitney
52
1 78.94
George Baker.
1
2
6.49
David Howell ..
5
1
S.44
Maria Shepherd
16
5 25.31
George Cole.
10
16.00
Mary Cole ..
10
1
16.00
John Sargeut.
3 3.99
ONEONTA.
Lucinda Wakely
52
1 FS.94
Adam Swart ..
52
1
78.94
William Williams
5º
1
75.94
George H. Ramsey
11
3 17.30
Richard Brown.
1
1
2.3%
Andrew Sharkey
1
3.59
Betsy Couse.
12
6
19.46
OTEGO.
Martha Eymer.
52
1 78.01
John Smith
52
1
74.91
Darius Smith
21
4
02.60
3.00
Jared Jorden.
26
1 40.23
1
78.95
Maryland
261
1
399.91
Middlefield.
212
1
321.18
Milford
359
5
544.41
New Lisbon
Morris
Oneonta.
184
6
279.88
Otego
152
3
230.78
Otsego
575
6
871.85
Pittsfield
79
4
120.47
Plainfield.
52
1
78.94
Rosebooin
27
4
41.74
Springfield
263
6
399.48
Unadilla
244
5
370.48
Westford
203
6
308.64
Worcester.
Total Towns
3265
5 $4865.09
County ...
2000
3186.96
5265
5 $7980.05
I also annex, as per resolution of your honorable board, the names of paupers charged to each town, with the number of weeks' board furnished each pauper, and the amount charged to each.
The whole amount to be raised is,-
For the support of county poor.
$3036.02
Keeper's salary ..
500.00
Permanent repairs ..
835.00
Physician
132.00
Transportation of paupers.
111.98
Total, by county.
$4615.00
For support of town poor by towns.
4944.03
$9559.03
I would further report that on the 1st of January, when I took possession of the property, there was about 1000 pounds of ham that were spoiled and unfit for anything but soap-grease; about 400 pounds of spare-rib that was spoiled and had to be thrown away ; also 4 pigs, weighing about 150 pounds each, which had been frozen and thawed a number of times, and were sold at a low price, as poor meat.
I also report the farm in fair condition. The erops were all fair, the corn good.
On the county farm we have sowed 7 acres of rye and 2 acres of wheat, which is looking well.
On the farm known as the county wood lot we have fenced in the cleared land on the west side of the road, aud have used it for pas- ture. We have also cleared up and plowed and sowed to rye about 10 acres on the east side of the road, on which the rye is looking well.
We have seeded on the farm about 45 acres, most of which is look- ing well.
Our wood for the past year has been all eut by the family.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
Dated Nov. 16, 1877.
ANDREW SPENCER, Superintendent of the Poor.
STOCK ON FARM.
9 cows, at $30.
$270.00
3 horses .- two at $50 each, one at $100.
200.00
Byoke of oxen, at $150.
300.00
1 fat cow.
35.00
1 yearling heifer 20.00
15.00
12 shoats, at $7 each
84.00
$924.00
PRODUCE ON FARM.
1700 bushels of corn, at. 4ºc.
$680.00
675
vats, at 10c ..
270.00
550
=
potatoes, at 35c.
192.50
70
4 .
beets, at S5c
21.50
40
16
onions, ut $1
40,00
30
turnips, at 25c.
7.50
35
carrots, at 25c ..
8.73
10
tomatoes, at 50c.
5.00
10
sweet corn, at 50c.
3.00
32
brans, at $2 ..
64.00
14 brads cabbage, at sc.
94
9
141.85
Edmeston
Exeter
3
65
Hartwick
61
3
93.00
Laurens ...
$2401.75
1350 lbs. butter, at 25c.
$337.50
35 tons bay, at $10
350.00
30 bushels grafted appies, at 50e. 15.00
Decatur
52
1 yearling bull.
EXETER.
212
38.88
Richfield
41
HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
OTSEGO.
Weeks.
Days. Amount.
Daniel Shoe.
51
$78.91
Irene Chapiu ........
9
14.06
Albert Hart ...
52
1 78.94
Harvey Merrihew.
52
78.94
Julia Norton ..
5º
1 78.94
Lilla Niles.
51
77.21
John Green
17
15.74
Philander Green
16
14.22
William Hardy
39
1
39.26
Sarah Hardy
35
1
53.20
Margaret Hardy
35
6
54.28
Charles Hardy
7
10.60
Infant Green
5
4
8.43
Jobn S. Green.
45
5
69.21
John Flannigan
14
3
21.85
(. J. Stillinau
5
7.57
Ruth Bacon.
17
1
25.95
Margaret Palmer
27
2
41.31
Susan Northrup
8
4
12.88
Burtis Green
1
1.52
Hannah Bice
1
1.31
PITTSFIELD.
Melissa A. Turner
6
3
9.73
Larry MeCarthy
10
3
15.79
Arlina Stanton ..
22
1
32.01
David H. Goodspeed.
40
4
61.43
RICHFIELD.
Jane Popple
52
1 78.94
ROSEBOOM.
John Carroll
4
2
6.49
Sarah Carroll
4
5
7.14
David Cross ..
17
4
26.60
Eliza Phillips.
1
1.52
SPRINGFIELD.
William Whitman.
52
1 78.94
Timothy McCarthy.
52
1
78.94
Kane Holland
52
1 78.94
Lewis Bennett.
52
1
78.94
Nell Maxfield
30
1
45.02
Isaac Genter
24
2
36.79
UNADILLA.
Thomas Collahe.
52
1
78.94
Mariah Patterson
52
1
78.94
Catherine Sturges
52
78.94
George Topless.
26
39.80
Elizabeth Grant.
$2
1 63.80
Fannie Grant
1
3 2.16
Infant Grant.
11
1
16.87
George Lamphere ..
7
2
11.03
WESTFORD.
Nellie Thayer
27
40.88
Henry Gove.
52
1
78.94
Danverre Drake
48
6
73.97
Josephine Thayer.
52
1 78.94
Larry Way
11
5 17.74
Widow Owens
9
6
14.82
John Whiting
3
1
4.75
THE ORPHAN HOME OF THE HOLY SAVIOUR.
A Sunday-school having been kept up for some years at the poor-house by ladies of this village, the teachers natu- rally became much interested in the children. But it was soon proved only too clearly that an hour or two on Sun- day, with occasional visits in the week. could accomplish little for the lasting good of these children so long as they were allowed to grow up under the same roof with many adult paupers of vieions character. The desire to remove at least a few of the children, more especially the orphans, to a home in the village, became at length so strong that it was decided to make the attempt. It happened that at this precise moment Dr. Charles Hoyt, secretary of the State board of charities, came to Cooperstown to see the super- intendent of the Sunday-school at the poor-house, for the especial purpose of urging her to open a home for the pauper children of Otsego County. We were told that such u plan had already been formed, dating back indeed some
twenty years since its first suggestion, and that an effort of this kind was about to be made in earnest. Lack of means was the chief difficulty; but this difficulty was now re- moved in a manner unforeseen. Bishop Doane, of the recently-formed diocese of Albany, came to the house of the superintendent almost immediately after Dr. Hoyt had left it. The plan of an orphanage was mentioned to him. He said at once that it was his wish to open a home for the orphans and half-orphans of the new diocese; that he pre- ferred the institution being in the country ; that he con- sidered this position to be a favorable one, and that he would recommend the proposed orphanage to the conven- tions of his diocese for aid and support. The offer was gladly accepted, and steps were immediately taken to pre- pare for the work.
An act incorporating " The Orphan Home of the Holy Saviour, a Home and Industrial School for Orphans, Half- Orphans, and Destitute Children," passed the State legis- lature in March. 1870. Eleven trustees were appointed. of whom five, residing in Cooperstown, were to form the executive board. The convention of the diocese of Albany formally adopted the institution, and requested every parish in the diocese to make a yearly collection for the support of the orphanage, and to offer it aid and sympathy. Oct. 1, 1871, the orphanage was opened in a small cottage where a dozen children could be received. From that date the work has gone on, steadily increasing in its labors. The number of children during the past year has been thirty- seven, all that the house now occupied ean receive. The county officers from the first have been very favorable to the institution, looking forward to its assistance in educa- ting the destitute children. The supervisors, the year after the institution was opened, made it a grant of the orphan fund allotted at that period by law to this county, which had accumulated to $2847. There being no other orphan asylum in the county, the fund was paid over to the orphan- age in this village. With this fund, and $1953 from other sources, eighteen acres of land were purchased for a build- ing-site and small farm on the outskirts of the village, at a cost of $4800. Had it not been for the severe financial erisis of the last few years, money would, no doubt, have been raised to build a suitable home, capable of receiving a large number of children. But the great depression in business has prevented the building fund from being com- pleted. It now amounts to $1500. The want of a large house built for the purpose is sadly felt by those connected with the work. Many interesting, and, indeed. urgent applications in behalf of orphans and half-orphans have to be refused for want of roon. Last year there were four- teen children from Otsego County in the house in addition to those from other counties. It is one great object of the institution to render all the service in its power to the children of Otsego County in the need of a home.
The expenses of this orphanage in the year 1876 were as follows: For food, clothing, lights, tuel, salaries, atl wages for a family of thirty-five, 82793.97 ; house-rent and repairs, 8367.54. The receipts for the same year were as follows : from collections in churches, $860.15; from in- dividuals, $1862.00; from the supervisors of Otsego County, $1124.00. Total receipts for the year, including interest on
12
·
1 12111
21.20
Mary Green.
42
HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
bonds and cash on hand from previous year, $4309.50. At the present date the orphanage has no endowment. It is free from indebtedness.
CHAPTER XVIII.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
Cooperstown and Susquehanna Valley Railroad-Organization of Company-First Directors-Length of Road-Presidents, Vice- Presidents, Secretaries, and Treasurers, from Organization to 1878 -Change of Gauge-Amount of Business-Albany and Susque- hanna Railroad-Incorporation-Length-Leased to Delaware and Iludson Canal Company-Present Officers-Utica, Chenango, and Susquehanna Valley Railroad.
THE COOPERSTOWN AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY RAIL- ROAD COMPANY
was organized on Feb. 22, 1865, at a meeting held at Cooperstown, of which C. Graves was chairman and Dorr Russell, secretary.
The first directors of the road were as follows, viz .: L. I. Burditt, J. P. Sill, Geo. W. Ernst, Wm. M. Clinton, Rufus Steere, John F. Scott, James W. Shipman, Calvin Graves, Ellery Cory, Geo. L. Bowne, Wm. Brooks, Joshua H. Story, Dorr Russell.
The first election of officers occurred May 5, 1865, when Luther I. Burditt was chosen president; Joshua HI. Story, vice-president; Geo. A. Stark weather, secretary ; and John F. Scott, treasurer.
The following persons have officiated as president, vice- president, secretary, and treasurer, from its organization to tlie present time :
Presidents .- 1865-68, Luther I. Burditt; 1860-75, John F. Scott; 1876-77, Andrew Shaw.
.
Vice-Presidents .- 1865, Joshua H. Story ; 1866-67, Jedediah P. Sill ; 1869-75, George W. Ernst ; 1876-77, W. E. Cory.
Secretary .- 1865-67, Geo. A. Starkweather.
Treasurer .- 1865-67, John F. Scott.
Secrearies and Treasurers .- 1868,* John F. Scott; 1869-75, F. A. Goffe; 1876,; Mr. B. M. Cady.
The board of directors as at present constituted is as follows, viz. : Andrew Shaw, L. I. Burditt, Wm. E. Cory, Marcus Field, Robert Quaif, C. R. Burch, R. H. Bates, M. Eckler, Charles Childs, David Wilber, A. A. Jarvis, B. F. Murdock, and HI. M. Hooker.
The road was completed iu the summer of 1869, and on July 17 of that year the first train of ears passed over it, drawn by the locomotive " Ellery Cory." The road is twenty-five miles in length, including switchings, and its cost and equipment, as shown by the report of the company for the year 1876, amouuts to the sum of $491,353.13.
The following statistics exhibit the business of the road: number of miles ruu by passenger trains for the last fiscal year, 21,504; number of persons carried in cars, 33,153; number of miles traveled by passengers or
number of passengers carried one mile, 334,047; number of tons of freight carried, 9806; number of tons carried one mile, 136,918. The road as first constructed was broad-gauge, but was changed to a narrow-gauge in 1876. This road has proved a substantial benefit to the people of Cooperstown, and its publie-spirited progenitors are entitled to much eredit for their indefatigable efforts in building the road, and through whose untiring energy it has reached its preseut prosperous condition.
THE UTICA, CHENANGO AND SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY RAILROAD COMPANY
was organized under the general railroad aet in the year 1866. In addition to the road running from Utica to Binghamton, a branch was proposed to Richfield Springs, and from thenee to Colliersville, connecting with the Albany and Susquehanna at that point.
In 1868, through the indefatigable efforts of Ezra W. Badger, the towns were bonded, and on the first day of June, 1870, the road was opened to Richfield Springs by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western railroad com- pany. The road has not been constructed farther, but has already proved a great convenience to Richfield Springs and vicinity.
THE ALBANY AND SUSQUEHANNA RAILROAD COMPANY was incorporated by special act of the legislature in April, 1851, with a capital stock of $1,400,000, with authority to build a road from Albany to Binghamton. Some difficulty was experienced, as it was not until 1863 that the first thirty-five miles from Albany was opened to traffic. In the following year the road was extended to Central Bridge, and in 1865 to Onconta, a distance of eighty-two miles from Albany. In 1866 it was built to Unadilla; in 1867 to Bainbridge, and in 1868 to the tunnel, one hundred and twenty-five miles distant from Albany, and in 1869 was completed to Binghamton, the western terminus of the road. It passes through the towns of Worcester, Maryland, Mil- ford, Oneonta, Otego, and Unadilla. In 1870 it was leased to the Delaware and Hudson canal company for a term of ninety-nine years. This road opened a wealthy country, hitherto comparatively isolated, and has been the means of developing and adding to the general wealth of Otsego County, as well as others along its line.
The present officers of the road are as follows, viz. :
President .- Coe F. Young.
Vice-President .- Robert H. Pruyn.
Secretary and Treasurer .- William L. M. Phelps.
Directors .- Thomas Dickson, Scranton, Pa .; Coe F. Young, Honesdale, Pa. ; David Groesbeck, Suffern, N. Y .; J. Pierpont Morgan, Charles Tracy, and James Rosevelt, New York city; Robert H. Pruyu, Henry Smith, and William L. M. Phelps, Albany ; Arnold B. Watson, Una- dilla ; John Cook, Worcester ; John Westover, Richmond- ville ; Minard Harder, Cobleskill.
CHERRY VALLEY, SHARON AND ALBANY RAILROAD.
This company was incorporated under the general rail- road law of the State of New York, with a capital stock, of: $500,000, with authority to build a railroad from a point
* In this year the offices of secretary and treasurer were merged. t June 1, of this year, Mr. Goff resigned, and was succeeded by the present secretary and treasurer.
-
43
HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
on the Albany and Susquehanna railroad, near Cobleskill, rie Sharon Springs to Cherry Valley.
I'pon the completion of the road it was leased to the Albany and Susquehanna railroad company, and the lease was trans- ferred in May, 1871, to the Delaware and Hudson canal company, by which company the road is now operated. Length of road, 26.91 miles.
The officers in 1875 were as follows :
President .- William W. Campbell.
Treasurer .- Horatio J. Oleott.
Second Superintendent .- James Young.
The board of directors was constituted as follows: Wil- liam W. Campbell, Abram B. Cox, Horatio J. Oleott, James Young, John Beakley, John B. Hoag, Abram Sternberg.
CHAPTER XIX.
AGRICULTURAL.
First Agricultural Exhibition in New York-Organization of County Society-Its Officers-Premium List-First "Fair"-Address by General Morris - Letter from Governor Clinton - The Society Abandoned-Its Reorganization-Exhibition held at Morris in 1852-County Agricultural Convention-Permanent Location at Cooperstown -- Officers from Reorganization of Society to 1878- Oneonta Union Agricultural Society-Susquehanna Valley Agri- cultural and Horticultural Society-Citizens' Agricultural Society -Edmeston and Burlington Agricultural Society-Butternut Val- ley Agricultural Society-Schenevas Valley Agricultural Society- Unadilla Valley Stock-Breeders' Association-Agricultural Statis- ties, 1810, 1840, 1845, 1865, 1875.
THE earliest agricultural exhibition within the present limits of the State of New York was a cattle fair held at New Amsterdam, Oct. 15, 1641. The interest manifested by the people in that exhibition stimulated the formation of other societies, and the general benefit derived by the agri- eulturists from these occasional exhibitions soon became apparent, and a county was scareely organized before it had its regularly incorporated agricultural society.
The county at present has seven distinct agricultural organ- izations, viz .: Butternut Valley, Edmeston, Otego, Oneonta, Schenevas Valley, Unadilla, and the county society.
On Jan. 1, 1817, a meeting was held at the house of Colonel Henry, in Cooperstown. for the purpose of consid- ering the feasibility of organizing a county agricultural society. Matthew Derbyshire, of Hartford, was chosen chairman, and Samuel Coleman, of Otsego, secretary. A committee, consisting of Rev. John Smith, Mathew Derby- shire, James Cooper, Strang Hayden, and William Crandal, was appointed to draft a constitution for the society.
The constitution was adopted ou Feb. 5 following, and the following were chosen first officers, viz. :
President .- Jacob Morris. Recording Secretary .- John II. Prentiss.
Corresponding Secretary .- James Cooper .*
The first premiums offered were as follows :
Spring wheat, best 2 acres, " "second best ..... 8.00
$12.00
Indian corn, best 2 acres ... .. second best .. $.00
12.00
" Kuown to the literary world as James Fenimore Cooper.
Peas, hest 2 acres .. ..
$10,00
" second best .. 5.00
Barley, best 1 acre
Maple-sugar. best 200 pounds .. 10.00
Cheese, best 20 pounds. 5,00
Buck lamb, best. 3,00
Bull, best three-year old ...
10.00
Swine, best male and female ... 5 .****
14.00
Cows, best inilch second best
Cloth, domestie, best 20 yards, made by exhibitor
10.00
Pressed eloth, woman's wear, best 20 yards, a set of silver tea-spoons. 8.50
Linen cloth, best 20 yards made by exhibitor, a set of silver tea-spoons.
8.50
Flannel, best 15 yards.
3,60
Total $14.00
The first exhibition of this soeicty was held in the Pres- byterian church, at Cooperstown, Oct. 4, 1817.
The address was delivered by General Jacob Morris, and the premiums awarded were announced by Elkanah Wat- son. The following letter from Governor Clinton was read by James Cooper :
ALBANY, Oct. 1, 1847.
SIR,-Considering the establishment of societies for the promotion of agriculture greatly conducive to the prosperity of our country. I shall always be happy to manifest my sense of their importance an i value and my high opinion of the puhlie spirit and intelligence of their founders, and I now accept with pleasure the honor of a imis- sion as a member of the Otsego County agricultural society.
I avail myself of this occasion to transmit for trial, by such of your members as may see fit, some wheat of uncommon excellence. !: was forwarded to me by Gardon S. Mumford. Esq. a respectable citizen of New York, and was raised at his country seat on the islin-i of New York. Four aeres, prepared and manured in an ordinary way, produced 100 bushels. In the fall of ISIS he procured frons on board a vessel in the harbor about half a peck of it, being struck with the peculiarity of its appearance. The produce of this com- posed the seed wheat of four aeres. The straw is represented as rather small and stiff, the ear of the cominon size. and the beard of uneommon length. The grains, you will observe, are pretty trans- parent, and approach nearly to the hardness of rice. The place of its origin cannot be exactly ascertained : but it is either the coast of Barbary or the island of Sicily. The wheat is uncommonly heavy. and, according to a certificate in my possession, weighs 65 pounds and four ounces a bushel.
I am, sir, very respectfully, Your most ob't serv't.,
DE WITT CLINTON.
JAMES COOPER, EsQ., Cor. See., ete.
During the reading of Governor Clinton's letter the bay of wheat was carried in and placed at the foot of the pult it. At the conclusion of the exercises, which consisted of-1. vocal and instrumental musie; 2, prayer; 3. president's address ; 4, music; 5, awards of premiums ; 6. music. a procession was formed and marched to Colonel Henry s residence, where they dined. Thus ended the first exli- bition of the Otsego County agricultural society. The society prospered during a number of years, but sub-e- quently the organization was abandoned.
The act passed in 1841 distributing the sum of 8 - De among the various counties in the State, for the promotion of agriculture, served to reorganize many of the , ci - which had become extinct.
On the 14th day of August, 1841. a meeting was 1. !! at the house of William Lewis, in Cooper-town. for - purpose of reorganizing the county agricultural bei accordance with the act mentioned above. Jos ph Press officiated as chairman of the meeting, and Samuel Ris-
5,00
Oxen, best not over five nor under three years.
444
HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
secretary. A committee was appointed to frame a consti- tution, and the society was declared organized, and officers for the ensuing year were chosen, consisting of a president, three vice-presidents, a secretary, a treasurer, and an ex- ecutive committee of five members. In the following year the executive committee was made to consist of nineteen members.
Annual exhibitions of the society were held at Coopers- town until 1852, when a proposition having been adopted to merge the agricultural society of Morris and adjoining towns with the county society, the fair that year was held at Morris. Prior to the year 1851 the annual receipts amounted to about $350; but that year, in consequence of an entrance fee being charged, the annual receipts were in- creased to about $425. During the years 1852-54 the society made no advancement, and it was very apparent that the grounds must be enlarged and the society reorgan- ized.
Accordingly, under the amendment of April 13, 1855, in relation to agricultural societies, a meeting was held at Cooperstown, Oct. 10 of the same year, and a committee of seven appointed, with authority to call a " county agricul- tural convention." The committee was composed of the following persons : Francis Rotch, Frederick A. Lee, Rich- ard Franchot, O. C. Chamberlain, Alfred Clarke, G. Pome- roy Keese, and Kenneth G. White.
In response to the call of the committee, thirty-eight delegates, representing fourteen towus, assembled at the court-house Dec. 13, 1855, and adopted the following reso- lution :
That the convention adopt the old constitution, as amended in 1842, with a further amendment that the executive committee consist of twenty-four members. And it was further resolved that said com- mittee have power, whenever they deem it expedient, to reorganize the society under the law of 1855.
It was decided to select a permanent location where the exhibitions of the society should be held; and at a meeting held in Cooperstown, January 8, 1856, proposals were re- ceived from the towns of Hartwick, Morris, Otsego, and Springfield. This meeting adjourned to meet at Morris on the 22d of the same month ; and, after a prolonged dis- cussion of the merits of the proposals of the various towns, a vote was taken, and Cooperstown designated by a major- ity of one.
The society was then reorganized, with the following officers : Francis M. Rotch, of Morris, president ; Alfred Clarke, of Springfield, vice-president; Jerome B. Wood, of Cooperstown, secretary; and G. Pomeroy Keese, of Cooperstown, treasurer. The following-named persons con- stituted the first board of directors: Henry Roseboom, Jacob C. Rathbun, Kenneth G. White, William Davison, Richard Franchot, and Linus N. Chapin.
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