History of Edmeston, New York/1870s

The history of Edmeston, New York: 1870 through 1879

1870
All these brave, hardy, adventurous, fearless, industrious pioneers endured many hardships and sacrifices while clearing the land and paving the way for our comfortable homes today. For a long time I have felt there is one important thing that should be done. The least we might do would we to see that all the old cemeteries where these brave pioneers ar buried, are put, and keep, in good order. That project has been carried through by many Women's Clubs. They deserve at least that memorial. "Royal blood is an inheritance. Noble blood, if it begets noble deed, is a blessing.  But above and beyond all, is the inheritance of a pious, God-fearing, God serving ancestry." — Myrta Kelsey

1877
Post office established at North Edmeston (11/30/1877); discontinued 2/15/1905. — Dorothy Scott Fielder

North Edmeston postmasters:
 * Edwin E. Sutherland, 1878;
 * Israel Colegrove, 1887;
 * Arba Talbot, 1895.
 * (discontinued in 1905) — Flora Underwood

1879
According to old records in and old account book of Thomas A. Page who resided in the Goodrich district, Edmeston, H.W. Stowe was making boots in New Berlin on December 16, 1879, for Mr. Page. For one pair of boots Mr. Page delivered 115 lbs. of beef and .40 cents in cash. The boots were valued at $5.00.

On November 24, 1879, Mr. Page bought of Adicus Ellis, Number 1 double harness and 2 halters for $30 for which he paid cash. On April 28, 1879 Mr. Page sold S.E. Olin 20 qts. of top onion sets for 60 cents net. Granville G. Beers was proprietor of the Central Hotel in New Berlin on January 7, 1878, for Mr. Page sold him 113 pounds of beef at 5 cents per pound. On September 11, 1880, Mr. Page took home from the shops of Hiram C. Hooker in South Edmeston, one carriage, for which he paid $160, and on September 8, 1880, he purchased of William Humphrey in Edmeston one single Harness for $25 which must have been worn by "old dobbin" to draw the new carriage.

On a balance sheet of January 1,1875, he lists as assets $900 value in M.R.R. bonds; (this must have been the old Midland [Railroad], before it became the N.Y.O.&W.R.R. [New York Ontario and Western]) My grandmother, Mrs. Samuel P. Pope, held $4000 value of these "gold bearing bonds" which returned to her just the memory of their purchase. I wonder if Mr. Page got out from under them before the bankruptcy sale of the Midland.

April 13, 1874, William Dupee sold Mr. Page one butter tub for 60 cents. William Dupee lived on the road from South Edmeston to Edmeston, near where you turned off to go to the Goodrich schoolhouse.

On April 16, 1874, Mr. Page entered a charge against Reubin Hinds for sharpening 1547 hop poles at ½ cent each; total $7.74. Do you want a job like that boys?

The prices Mr. Page received for milk taken to a cheese factory in 1878 are as follows; May, .65; June .62 ½ ; July, .61 7/8 ; August,. .67 ½ ; September, .76 ¼ per cwt. And that year his farm paid him a good net profit. But on the other hand, while he worked early and late, and enjoyed the best the land offered of food and happiness with his growing family, he bought no auto, tractor, gasoline, tires, driver or car license, or insurance, nor paid any hospital bills to have some of his family patched up, or morticians expense, to bury some of his loved ones destroyed by such conveyances. He lived on a back dirt road, he traveled a dirt road and paid no tax to lay concrete highways for pleasure to pursue, or commerce to use to usurp the carriers who had paid to maintain their own right-of-way and road beds and also contributed taxes to the communities which they served. There was no appeal to Washington for relief or bonus of any kind. Us children whom he taught in the several “little red school houses” have come as near filling our niches in life with success and happiness and will revere his life and efforts with as much sincerity, as will the pupils of the large school edifices now being erected. It is not how much you have but how you enjoy what you get. &mdash; THINK-UM BOBS by Spencer Pope, Morris Chronicle Jan 15, 1937