History of Edmeston, New York/1810s

The history of Edmeston, New York: 1810 through 1819

1810

 * Town Supervisor: Wessle TenBroek
 * Town Clerk: Isaac Brown
 * Resolved that
 * 1th. That there shall be a house provided for the poor in said town
 * 2nd That Adin Deming shall provide a house for the purpose above mentioned and be superintendent of the same
 * 3rd That hogs shall not be allowed to run on the commons the ensueing year
 * 5thly that no sheep Ram shall be Allowed to run at large from thee 1th of September until the tenth of November] on the penalty of two dollars to be paid by the owner to the person agreived and the ram detained until such sum be paid.
 * 4thly that sheep shall not be allowed to run in the commons the ensueing year
 * 5thly that the supervisor be authorized and he is hereby authorized to raise twenty dollars for the purpose of purchasing chain and compas for the use of the town
 * 6thly that the next anuel town Meeting be held at the house of Joseph Southworth.
 * Taken in to my enclosure on or about the first of this instant a red stear calf with a white strip on the rump and a white tail; artificially marked with a half penny the upper side and underside the left ear.
 * &mdash; Register of Property

1812
In order to present clearly the early status of schools, some background should be given. The first state constitution, adopted during the revolution, made no reference to education. The Board of Regents, established in 1784, had control only of academies and colleges and so began at the top &mdash; or wrong end &mdash; of the educational ladder. Elementary education was left to parents and churches. In 1795, for the first time, public appropriations were made for common schools (maintenance locally was a option). Not until 1812 were schools obligatory. Jedadiah Peck, of Burlington who was a legislator had valiantly sought this goal a decade or more earlier, was chairman of the commission which framed this measure.

Yankee Otsego parents did not wait for the compliance of law. As soon as a half dozen families were settled within a reasonable distances a school sprang up. — Roy Butterfield

[Diaries, town minutes and Taylor Hill Church records show schools already in existence in Edmeston when the official boundaries were defined for the purpose of conforming to the new education statute.]

1813
Soon after the first settlements were made, some of the "pioneers" began to raise sheep, and of course, to wear woolen in the winter, at first without dressing, then women would card it by hand and spin and weave it, and make it into frocks and pantaloons. But after a while there was a carding and jutting mill started where people got their wool made into rolls, when the women spun and wove it. Sometimes the women would have spinning bees. They would put rolls among their neighbors and on a certain day they would all bring in their yarn and at night the boys would come with their fiddles for a dance. I tell you the girl that could not spin had no business there.

When they had their cloth dressed at the mill, they had it cut by a tailor. There was a Frenchman by name of Marquesee, a tailor, that used to come to Mr. Southworth's tavern and do the cutting for them, and then there were sewing women that went around and made it up. Misses Polly Munsell, Betsy Gage and Rosetta Evans used to go together; and when the sewing women came and the school master, we must have nut cakes, and sweet cake, and a loaf of Indian bread baked in the big baking kettle — a deep kettle with a tight fitting cover with a rim all around the top. This they set in the coals and piled coals on top, and a johnny cake baked on a board before the fire. At this time we had plenty of balogna sausages, and the school master would carry a section with some nutcakes to school for his dinner.

We had but three districts in town then, and the children had to go a great ways for what schooling they got, and through the woods at that. In winter we had spelling schools every Saturday night and would hitch up the oxen and sled and pile in all the boys and girls in the neighborhood; then there was fun. We chose sides and spelled down. — James Slocum

In the survey of roads mention was made of the school on the road that ran past Timothy Taylor and Tucker homes on the corner where Taylor Hill Church was.

A copy of the School Districts in the Town of Edmeston laid out by the Commissioners of Common Schools in the month of May 1813 viz&mdash;


 * And be it further enacted that the Commissioners of Common Schools be authorized and they are hereby authorized to take and receive a conveyance of a lot of land of Mr. Edmeston which he the said Edmeston proffers to the town of Edmeston for the use of Common Schools.

&mdash; A Registry of the Property of the Town of Edmeston

1815
On May 26, 1815, Daniel Chapin allegedly stole a horse and saddle from James Fenimore Cooper's stable in Cooperstown. He was arrested but hit the deputy in the face with a stick and escaped. On June 22, after a manhunt, he was retaken and placed in the Cooperstown jail. He almost succeeded in escaping from there by pulling up a plank and tunneling out. In August, he was convicted and sentenced to 7 years hard labor in the state prison.

1816
Post office established at Edmeston Centre 2/20/1816. — Dorothy Scott Fielder

Postmasters:
 * — Flora Underwood

Dr. Halsey Spencer, who settled on the turnpike between the centre and West Burlington in 1816 and was supervisor from 1835- 37, was a member of the Assembly in 1828 and Sherriff in 1838. — Hazel L. Jones

About this time, Dr. Halsey Spencer came into town. he rode all over these woods on horseback, and one night he got lost. It being very dark, he gave up trying to find his way out, and putting the old mare's bridle over his arm, he lay down by the side of a big log and slept till morning.

Lyman White and Deacon Joseph Moss built a store and potash at Wright's Corners, and Avery Tracy was their first Clerk. There was quite a settlement there at that time. Israel Taylor bought them out, and afterwards sold to Avery Park, of Burlington, who built a tavern and store on the corners. He, I think, sold to Hiram Wright. the Wrights, and Hopkins were the most prominent men in the settlement of that part of town.

Another pioneer physician and prominent citizen was Dr. Halsey Spencer. He settled on the turnpike between Edmeston and West Burlington where he lived until his death in 1870. He was an honored and influential citizen of the county and held office as member of the Assembly, supervisor and sheriff. His son, Dr. William M. Spencer, was the first physician residing in Edmeston Centre, as this village (hamlet) was then called. He built and occupied the house at the corner of Gates Ave. and East St. &mdash; Myrta Kelsey

1818
In 1818 William Stickney and Samuel Simmons built a forge and triphammer for the manufacture of axes, rifle barrels, scythes and wrought iron plow shares.

A carding and fulling mill, a long needed industry was erected here in 1818 on the site of Cards Garage [Tim’s in 1992], where there was water power from Mill Creek. It was built by a man named Stearns who sold it in 1820 to Joseph Bootman. &mdash; Myrta Kelsey