History of Edmeston, New York/1840s

The history of Edmeston, New York: 1840 through 1849

1840
Post office established in South Edmeston (3/3/1840) &mdash; Dorothy Scott Fielder

South Edmeston Postmasters:

Parsifor Carr died in 1840 and was buried at the Tunnicliffs. Prosser lived on the Carr farm after the death of Carr. He cleared up a large section of the wilderness and cut down many large trees on the land, rolled them in heaped and burned them. Mr. Prosser saw silverware roll out of some logs while they were burning. Another story connected with Prosser was the capturing of a bear cub and the mothers persuit. The cub was afterward given its freedom and would shake apples in the old orchard but would never go near any sour apple tree. Floyd Shawlers grandmother worked for Carr at times. — Ethel Edwards About 1840 my husband bought a little over three acres of land on the corner and built what is known today as the Gaskin House [1992, Corner where the Cental National Bank now stands]. &mdash; Esther Preston

Thomas Southworth was born in Mansfield, Conn., in 1792 and died in Edmeston, N.Y.,in 1869. As a baby he went with his father to Edmeston, where, like his father, Joseph, he was a farmer and also ran the roadside inn on the farm. It was in 1890, when the family of Rev. Joseph moved temporarily to the farm, that a barrelhead inscribed in burned-in letters "Thomas Southworth, Inn" was found. He was also a shoe maker. Since the father of Ellen Mary Southworth, Denzil Robinson, was a shoemaker too, and was contemporary with Thomas, the family in later years tied two baby wooden shoe lasts together with ribbons and hung them up as a coat of arms. Just prior to the Mexican War of 1848, Thomas learned that a local troop of horsemen was to be formed, to be sent to Mexico. He mortgaged the farm heavily to raise money to buy great quantities of leather, and hired a force of men to make boots for the troopers. Too late he learned that the troop was not to be formed, leaving him with all the accumulated boots. It took many years of manual labor for him, and of teaching school for two of his sons, to pay off the debt. This made a lasting impression on his two sons, William and the Rev. Joseph.

Thomas was in the War of 1812 and in 1859 he was issued a certificate for $40.00 plus accrued interest for his expenses in the war. He was extremely reluctant to make this claim because his services were patriotic and not for monetary gain. His son Joseph states that one time when Thomas was busy in his tavern that a British soldier came in and loudly commenced to boast to patrons "what they would do to these damned Yankees". This infuriated Thomas, who threw him bodily out of the door. [History tells us that there were numbers of Tories in that vicinity.]

Scenes in the tavern and (other local occurrences), where even ministers were prone to stop en route for a glass of whisky in those days, and what he saw of too much drinking with its dire consequences, had a lifelong influence on Thomas' son, the Rev. Joseph, in his long fight for temperance. &mdash; Southworth

1843
The Universalist Church was the first church organized in Edmeston Centre. This took place Nov. 23, 1843, with thirty nine members. The church building was erected the year following its organization at a cost of about $2500. The first officiating pastor was Rev. Z.Cook. — Hazel L. Jones

1844
Methodist Episcopal Church was organized. — Sandra Lohnas Haggerty

1845
Around 1845 Isaac Talbot taught in the Edmeston Centre school and boarded around. He had from 60-80 pupils in his charge. One winter day, when the snow had drifted so deeply that Mr. Talbot was the only one who was able to walk to school, Col. Eri Deming hitched up his ox team and brought the pupils to school. At this time the curriculum was chiefly comprised of the three R"s The text books used were: Dableaux Arithmetics, the Columbia Speller, Hale’s United States History and the old English Reader. This school building was later moved to the further end of south Street and used as a dwelling [a questionable quote]. — Hazel L. Jones

1846
The Second Baptist Church was organized at Edmeston Centre May 30, 1846 and was recognized by council June 11, 1846. The first meeting house was erected of wood in 1853. It cost about $2500, was 34 by 48 feet in size and had a fine toned bell. Prior to this time religious services had been held in schoolhouses and in the Universalist house. The house was begun in May 1853 and was dedicated in November 1853. — Hazel l. Jones

1848
In 1848 North street was laid out. Mrs. Maria Davis told me that she well remembered going to the home of Truman White before North Street was laid out. T. White lived where Chester Houk now lives. To reach that place she had to go up west Street and then past Mr. Andersons and McManus', and she returned home by way of High Street to the village (hamlet). Before South Street was laid out, a road led from East Street across the Wharton near the old mill, south to near Adin Deming's home. The remains of the road can be plainly seen through the pasture [1992 no longer clear]. — Myrta Kelsey

In 1848 North street was laid out. This provided a flat street along Mill Creek, for expansion; East and West Streets were comparatively hilly. On this street five years later, a Baptist Church was built to join a school and schoolmasters house. — Sandra Lohnas Haggerty

In 1848 North Street was opened. Truman White built and owned the first house on this street. — Hazel L. Jones