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Horticulture/Geranium maculatum

Geranium maculatum, the Spotted Geranium, Wood Geranium, or Wild Geranium is a woodland perennial plant native to eastern North America, from southern Manitoba and southwestern Quebec south to Alabama and west to Oklahoma and South Dakota. It grows in dry to moist woods and is normally abundant when found.

It is a perennial herbaceous plant growing to 60 cm tall, producing upright usually unbranched stems and flowers in spring to early summer. The leaves are palmately lobed with five or seven deeply cut lobes, 10–12.5 cm broad, with a petiole up to 30 cm long arising from the rootstock. They are deeply parted into three or five divisions, each of which is again cleft and toothed. The flowers are 2.5–4 cm diameter, with five rose-purple, pale or violet-purple (rarely white) petals and ten stamens; they appear from April to June in loose clusters of two to five at the top of the stems. The fruit capsule, which springs open when ripe, consists of five cells each containing one seed joined to a long beak-like column 2–3 cm long (resembling a crane's bill) produced from the center of the old flower. The rhizome is long, and 5 to 10 cm thick, with numerous branches. The rhizomes are covered with scars, showing the remains of stems of previous years growth. When dry it has a somewhat purplish color internally. Plants go dormant in early summer after seed is ripe and dispersed.

The plant has been used in herbal medicine, and is also grown as a garden plant.

title: Horticulture/Geranium maculatum


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Horticulture/Ilex crenata

Ilex crenata (Japanese Holly or Box-leaved Holly (Japanese: イヌツゲ inutsuge) is an evergreen shrub native to eastern China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Sakhalin. Japanese Holly is grown as an ornamental plant for its dense evergreen foliage. It is superficially similar in appearance to box (Buxus), and is often used in similar situations; it can readily be distinguished from box by its alternate, not opposite, leaf arrangement.

Description
It is an evergreen shrub or small tree growing to a height of 3–5 m (rarely 10 m) tall, with a trunk diameter up to 20 cm. The leaves are glossy dark green, small, 10–30 mm long and 10–17 mm broad, with a crenate margin, sometimes spiny. The flowers are dioecious, white, four-lobed. The fruit is a black drupe 5 mm diameter, containing four seeds. It grows well in acidic soil, between a pH of 3.7 and 6.0.

Growing Conditions
Grows best in part shade, but tolerates both deep shade (where it will have a looser habit) and full sun (though it can be susceptible to spider mites if in an exposed location). Like most hollies it prefers a deep, humus-rich, well-drained soil.

Varieties
Numerous cultivars have been selected, including plants with the leaves variegated (e.g. 'Golden Gem', 'Shiro-Fukurin'), dark green (e.g. 'Green Lustre'), or greyish-green (e.g. 'Bad Zwischenahn'); with yellow fruit (e.g. 'Ivory Hall'); and with the habit erect (e.g. 'Chesapeake'), spreading (e.g. 'Green Island', 'Hetzii'), or dwarf (e.g. 'Mariesii', 'Stokes').

Uses
Often grown as hedges or topiaries.

Maintenance
Tolerates severe pruning and even coppicing.

Propagation
Cultivars generally propagated through cuttings.

Pests and Diseases
See ../Ilex/ for a list of pests and diseases affecting the genus.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Horticulture/Ilex crenata


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Wikibooks:Requests for deletion/Pilingual Primer

Pilingual Primer
Just a heads-up, this book is currently being mirrored at User:Fasten/Pilingual Primer and User:Laleena/Workshop. I don't know what, if anything, we should do about this. I'm sending messages to these two users to let them know that it's not really acceptable to circumvent VfD by hosting deleted pages in their userspace (although curiously, I can't find mention of it anywhere in policy, like i thought there was). --Whiteknight (Page) (Talk) 15:13, 17 December 2007 (UTC)


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User talk:Mariusthart~enwikibooks

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User talk:Cdmentor~enwikibooks

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User talk:Torros~enwikibooks

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History of Edmeston, New York

This chronology of Edmeston, New York history was derived principally from the nomenclateure Papers compiled around 1990 when the Montessori herbal and intellectual study and worship halls were before they the Jesuit sold their names to the queen or king of England back to its people through the stature of schooling working and farming by whom did this happen? I'd need to find it just like u... by Bob and Berni Nonenmackr The statements are quoted directly from the sources and should not be taken as absolute fact. Where discrepancies are obvious to the editors, corrections have been noted in square brackets. Feel free to add to these corrections, but of course, please don't change the original quotes. Additional quotes are also welcome.

A Quarter Millenium of Papers
A collection of quotes and information derived from papers of various individuals, legal documents, maps, ledgers, and letters preserved in the Edmeston Museum. Arranged in chronological order, they may answer some questions concerning the History of Edmeston while raising others.

Historic and geographic background
This locality was within the bounds of the Oneida Nation and along the Unadilla River (Fort Stanwix Line) and was the undisputed land of the red man until 1770. — The surface of this land was an elevated upland broken by numerous valleys. The highest elevations were about 400 feet [120 m] above the Unadilla River. — Hazel L. Jones

[The elevation of the town actually varies by about 800 feet (240 m): from just under 1100 feet (335 m) above sea level at the Unadilla River, to just over 1900 feet (580 m)] near Taylor Hill and Summit Lake.]

Years before any white settlers had entered the Unadilla Valley, the Oneida Indians, one of the five nations of the Iroquois, roamed its forests. Since fish were plentiful in the streams and deer and other game in the forests, the Oneida Indians considered this valley one of their best hunting and fishing grounds. — Susan Hickling

When Europeans first came into the Otsego region, the territory now covered by the county belonged to the Mohawk Indians. [Maps show the western edge of Otsego county, including Edmeston, as being in the Oneida Nation.] As early as 1704 the Mohawks began to convey their lands to white men and in 1736 this trend first affected the present Otsego County. By 1761, 150,000 acres [607 km²] had been thus transferred and a small settlement had been in existence at Cherry Valley for two decades. With the concession of Canada to England in 1763, everyone in New York was safe from the French. The frontier line could soon move to the "Line of Property", set at the Ft. Stanwix treaty in 1768 to separate the area of white and Indian occupation. This line, so far as it need be traced here, ran from the confluence of the Canada and Wood Creeks to the source of the west branch of the Unadilla River, the whole length of the stream, then overland to the north-east corner of Pennsylvania. Almost at once the remaining Otsego lands were almost entirely taken up and settlements were begun on them in a dozen or more places. Local government facilities nearer at hand than Albany were now needed.

In 1772 Tryon County was erected, named for the colonial governor at the time [William Tryon] and taking from Albany all its territory west of a point on the Mohawk River that is now the southeast corner of Montgomery County. This was followed twelve days later by a division of the new county into districts (corresponding to the present towns).

In 1775 Tryon County was formed. [it was actually formed in 1772 as noted above] This was destined to be the last act ever to take effect in New York under British rule. Sixteen days [3 years] later, April 19, 1775, came the Battle of Lexington and Concord. In May a Provincial Congress took over the functions of the government for the revolutionaries.

The boundaries of Old English District began at the headwaters of Otsego Lake, ran westward along the north line of the Otsego Patent, continued to the Unadilla so as to include The Edmeston Patents. Soon after the Revolution was won, more changes were made. Governor Tryon had led hostile forces and Tryon county was renamed Montgomery County in honor of an American General. In 1788, the legislature redefined the subdivisions and established several new ones, but now a term "towns" was adopted. As obnoxious a reminder as Tryon, Old English District became Otsego Town.

Otsego County was erected February 16, 1791 with Cooperstown as its county seat. In its first form it was much larger than it is now. Revisions were frequently made, the latest being in 1854, leaving the County divided into 24 townships. The County covers 648,320 acres [2,623 km²], so in area it ranks 17th among [62] counties.

Water courses served very well for exploratory trips, also for freight if continuous to a destination, but household goods and other merchandise had also to be sent far inland. Land prospectors cut rough roads to their tracts to assist settlers, but federal authorities required better ones before approving postal service. For many years the interior regions were not developed to build proper roads by local labor or through property taxation, so "great state roads" were constructed with funds raised by lotteries approved by the legislature. One of these extended from Catskill far to the west of the state touching Unadilla. Other stage mail routes, connecting important points, were laid out by the county highway commissioners. These also came to be called "great roads" and there were several in this county. Soon toll turnpikes, built by incorporated stock companies, provided a better way. Two of the most important of these served the county. Both were in operation soon after 1800. The Catskill and Susquehanna Turnpike linked the Hudson with Wattles' Ferry at Unadilla (by 1844 this route was changed to come to Oneonta and by this time many of the turnpikes had become public roads). The Great Western Turnpike was built piecemeal in many sections. The first ran from Albany to Cherry Valley, the second on through Cooperstown and on to Sherburne via the present route 80, the third from Cherry Valley to Cazenovia via the present route 20. Throughout the first half of the nineteenth century stage lines were the chief carrying agents in carrying passengers, mail and express in this locality.

When the ambitious projects for the state's extensive canal system were under consideration, Otsego county made a strong bid for the use of the Mohawk–Otsego Lake–Susquehanna route as part, but was finally by-passed and all of the former main objectives were reached by several extensions of the canal. The Erie Canal was of tremendous importance to New York's commerce and to farmers near its route, but long brought ruinous competition from the western states to such more remote regions as Otsego County.

Steam engines could go on rails where canal boats could not. They could also operate throughout the year, a privilege denied to the canals. Railroad construction began in the 1830's and just about [a few decades later?] the Civil War period reached this county. Local steam roads were built and operated at first by comparatively small companies which later consolidated with major organizations. The Ontario & Western and the Unadilla Valley ran close to the Western boundary, a spur of each reaching Edmeston, West Edmeston and South Edmeston, all now defunct.

During the twentieth Century we have been living in the gasoline and rubber era. Its vehicles, like the automobile, the bus, the moving van and the airplane, are too familiar to need mention, but additions to this story can be foreseen as the atomic age matures. — Roy L. Butterfield

title: History of Edmeston, New York


text:
History of Edmeston, New York/1780s

The history of Edmeston, New York: 1780 through 1789

1780
In the 1780s the "Otsego Country" was the Far West and an eagerly sought goal. The great land patents, most of whose acres had stood as idle land since the acquisition fifteen, twenty or more years before, were now cut in farm-sized lots and soon rented or sold.

There was demonstrated an astounding rate of increase, and this was to be duplicated in many localities as the Western movement rolled on. Otsego was the first New York County to experience it, also the first to feel the effects of its restless onward flow. The 1830 total was Otsego's highest population. The reasons are many and clear, but the one pertinent to this article is that Americans have always been on the move. In the northern United States until 1790 they were dammed up at the Line of Property along which lies Otsego's western boundary and the region became actually over-populated for an agricultural area. With that obstacle removed, local families joined in the general western hegira. As Otsego men moved out, their places were often taken by more New Englanders, but the outflow exceeded the intake. — Roy Butterfield

1783
Carr finally returned to Mount Edmeston in 1783, and according to tradition, found one of his horses still grazing in the woods. Colonel Edmeston had returned to British service and was stationed at Gibraltar, but he directed the rebuilding of the settlement with energy and interest. In 1788 Captain Robert Edmeston came to America and promptly quarreled with Carr. The faithful agent was discharged and spent his old age in poverty.

But while Carr and the Edmestons were on the ins, Parcifor wrote his bosses a series of letters, today treasured in the archives of the New York State Historical Association, Cooperstown. These form a fascinating revelation not only of the personalities of William and Parcifor Carr, but of the ways of settling a new land.

Edmeston was a man evidently schooled in the Roman and Greek classics that were the stock training for a gentleman of his day. His knowledge of agricultural practices seems to have been gleaned largely from Virgil and other noblest Romans. Carr often had a hard time persuading his distant boss to modify those practices in the Otsego County Hills.

Occasionally, though, Edmeston showed the shrewdness that had enabled him to rise in the world and to get hold of the land originally. One time when he sent out a batch of new settlers, he instructed Carr to allot them farms in scattered spots with Edmeston land in between, that the new settlers might be the ones to build the roads, not the Edmestons.

They were a shrewd and sturdy breed, these men who tackled the wilderness and made it blossom. — Mary E. Cunningham

Upon Colonel Edmeston's death, the estate fell to the heirs residing in England, Since no title could be established from them for many years, the settlement of this part of the town [the Edmeston patent] was, for a time retarded. — Susan Hickling

How did anyone find this remote section of New York State?

After the terrible Cherry Valley Massacre in 1778, General Washington organized a great campaign against the Indian villages of the hostile tribes in New York State. This march made Central New York and its beautiful country better known. "The soldiers gave such glowing descriptions of the country that as soon as the war closed, throngs of settlers began pouring in to the new western country." Edmeston Centre was a promising place to choose land because the township consisted of hills and valleys; the soil varied — most being moist and excellent grassland. The timber was deciduous, as maple, beech, ash, basswood, elm etc., with groves of pine. The Wharton Creek and Mill Creek join near the center of the village [hamlet, it was and still is unincorporated]; The Unadilla River edges the township. There was a valuable quarry of building stone in Edmeston's southeast corner. — Sandra Lohnas Haggerty

The first settlers of numerous Otsego Towns preferred to locate on the hills instead of establishing their homes on the alluvial bottomlands. One reason was less danger to crops from frost on these higher grounds; and again, the hills being covered with hardwood timber, like  beech, maple, and ash, were easily cleared and the wood more quickly and effectually burned up, and gotten out of the way of the first crop, than was possible with the base growth of the hemlock and pines encumbering the low ground.

Another reason influencing the settlers in their preference for elevated ground was the local asheries paying prices which materially increased current revenue for the first few years; and again, there was less danger from malaria than was the case on the low lands adjacent to the larger water courses. So for quite a number of years following the coming of the first settlers after the Revolution, according to an assertion once made by Elder Stephen Taylor, the hill lands on the Edmeston Patents brought materially the higher prices in all sales made in that section. — Huntington Papers

Crogan's 100,000 acre [400 km²] tract, later Cooper's comprised all of what was subsequently the town of New Lisbon, an eastern part of Edmeston, most of Burlington, an eastern part of Exeter, and much of Otsego Township [town]. — Gazetteer of New York and — Huntington Papers

Often times Indians would be seen going along the trails that later became town highways on their way to Moss Hook, now West Burlington, to get supplies. The story is told that the old Indian was returning with a jug one day from Moss Hook. He was in a rather intoxicated condition. When he attempted to climb a fence, the jug fell over the cork came out and the contents gurgled out upon the ground. The old Indian tried to get to it, but in vain. He leaned against the fence and said in despair, "I know you say 'good, good, good' but I can't get to you!" — Janet Dockstader

The northeast part of Edmeston was settled very early. Elder Stephen Taylor came in 1783 and settled on what is called Taylor Hill. Joseph Talbot, Elisha Johnson, Richmond Talbot, Timothy Taylor, Daniel Greene, and others come soon afterwards, and settled in the neighborhood of what is called Wright's Corners. There was a strip through on the east side next to Burlington, settled early by families from Rhode Island, Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts. [This "strip" would be that portion of the Town East of the patent to the West line of Burlington.] Joseph Rudd was a very prominent man in town. Benjamin Milks, Zenos Ashley, David Angell, Benjamin Hoag, Chad Burges, the Wilcoxes, Robert Rosher, Henry Randall, all from Rhode Island. Thomas Slocum settled on the farm called the Beamos farm, just north of the fair ground, built a pot ash and pearling oven and made potash and pearlash for a number of years. He had 12 leaches 30 bushels each, His oven would pearl 150m pounds at a batch. he built his potash plant on the bank of a brook, so that he might get rid of the leached ashes, not knowing they were worth anything. After being leached he had to carry it along to Albany, overland. So we did everything we had to sell. Sometimes in the early settlement they went to Fort Plain. I have heard them say that they had carried rye and corn to Fort Plain and sold it for 44 cents per basket, and traded one half out at the store. — James Slocum

1788

 * We the subscribed inhabitants of the Butternuts in the district of Old England and County of Montgomery Beg leave to represent to the Honorable — the Council of appointment that we experience much inconvenience for the want of a justice of the peace among us and therefore pray that you will be pleased to appoint Mr. Jacob Morris to that office he being a fit person in the opinion of the people to fill that commission. — 23rd feby 1788

 * Signed by: L. DeVillers, John Tunnicliff, John Johnson, Robert Garret, Joseph Tunnicliff, John Russel, Andre Renouard, Nathaniel Storrs, and Robert Edmeston.

 * — Roy Butterfield

1789
Scarcity was repeatedly felt by all during the first years of settlement, more especially by the families of the farmers, living beyond the village; and it is well known that the poor missionary family suffered severely in this way, on more than one occasion. There were those at hand however, always ready to offer relief, where privation was known. The most severe trial of this kind occurred during the season still remembered as "the starving time," in the traditions of the country, and which fell upon the whole region, for many miles beyond the lake shores. It was at an early day when the green fields were yet very few, when there were no roads through the forest, and no mills to grind the little corn among the stores of the colonists. The hamlet [Cooperstown] was then literally in the heart of a wilderness, and the number of newly arrived emigrants increasing beyond the amount of food within reach, something approaching to actual famine was felt in many a cabin. Families accustomed to abundance, in the homes they had left farther eastward, were now pining for the want of daily bread, the poor hungry children feeding on the scrapings of the iron pots in which their sapaen had been prepared. In this emergency, the leader of the little colony [Judge Cooper] exerted himself to the utmost; grain was purchased at a distance, brought up the Mohawk in boats, thence on pack horses through the forest, from Canajoharie and Fort Plain, out dealt and liberally to the people. Most happily shoals of herring came up the Susquehanna, from the Chesapeake, at the same moment, filling the lake so abundantly, that they were actually dipped out of the water, by the bucketful. Salt was sent for in great quantities, and the fish were cured, and carried into the cabins of the people, scattered through the neighboring woods. The pigeons also came in large flocks, and after a period of great distress for some weeks, plenty was once more restored to the half famished people. — James Fenimore Cooper: Introduction to The Pioneers, 1823

title: History of Edmeston, New York/1780s


text:
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.
 * — 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 — or wrong end — 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—

 * 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.

— 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. — 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. — Myrta Kelsey

title: History of Edmeston, New York/1810s


text:
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) — 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]. — 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. — 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

title: History of Edmeston, New York/1840s


text:
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. — THINK-UM BOBS by Spencer Pope, Morris Chronicle Jan 15, 1937

title: History of Edmeston, New York/1870s


text:
History of Edmeston, New York/1900s

The history of Edmeston, New York: 1900 through 1999

1900
PUCKER STREET: Who can tell what gave rise to the bestowal of this name to this hamlet? Where is Pucker street? Well, sixty years ago when a lad ten years old was making trips with his parents from the Goodrich school district to Burlington Flats to visit his Grandparents he traveled this street under cloudless, balmy skies and through winter's blustry winds and high piled snows.

When the old bobtailed brown mare topped the hill out of Edmeston, N.Y., where the journey was about one half done, she would bravely strike into a trot through Pucker Street, down to the home of Denzil Robinson, where they turned into the road that led to Burlington Flats.

Pucker street was a very well kept and quite populous stretch of road, through fertile lands. The name of this street made an impression upon this lad's mind that even now brings clearly to his mental vision this bit of highway.

The first residence on the right hand of Pucker Street when leaving Edmeston, was the rather imposing home of William Northrup. Among those who resided on this street, there is now recalled the names of Daniel Kelsey,  Mary Comstock, an old maiden lady, Barty O'Brian, a caretaker for Mary Comstock, and John Sawyer had had a mill in the village [w:hamlet (place)|hamlet] of Edmeston where he produced barrel staves and manufactured cherry wood levels for carpenters' and masons' use. James F. Pope resided for some time on this street, while he employed his time as tin and lead worker and also made trips about the country, mending household utensils, repairing clocks and purveying novelties, notions, etc., which he made, and flavoring essences of his own compounding.

Wesley Harrington, Martin Merrit and Rube Talbot were residents, as well as U. D. Payne, who lived near the cemetery that was established there about that time and which has now grown to be what Eddie Guest calls one of "God's Great Slumber Groves." I think if not the first, that among the first to be laid at rest in this beautifully located and well kept cemetery was Joseph Talbot.

At one time, near the home of John Talbot was a cheese factory, where several times I was given curd to eat before they were pressed into cheese, which at that age, I prized as a great delicacy. Later it was occupied as a cider mill but now stands idle.

John Talbot resided in a large well built house at the entrance to the fair grounds, where the "Peet Hook" fairs were held for many years, with large attendance. The east side of these grounds was bounded by the highway that turned off to take the traveler to Taylor Hill.

Beyond, lived Henry Wheeler and John Prisco, a great fox hunter, who had a son killed in the world war. Pucker Street also had a school house located on it, which is now used for other purposes.

When we got down near the bridge, where crossing of the Wharton Creek was made to enter "Burlington Hook," now called West Burlington, we found the home of Otis Parker and John Taylor's carding mill, where wool was formed into rolls about the size of your finger, which the ladies would spin into yarn.

Fortesque Anderson had a mill near here, where was made from hard maple wood the best designed and finished butter ladles the world has ever known. Robert Pierson, who has helped refresh our memory, was a workman in this factory.

Denzil Robinson, who lived on the farm where the road branches off which you may take to Burlington Flats, was one of the pioneer settlers and resided there until his death. His son Jared Robinson, conducted this farm from his father's death until he died, when it came into possession of Jared's son Floyd, who established a nursery for trees, shrubs and fruits, on it fertile acres; since floyd's death until now, it has been conducted by his widow and son.

The old brown mare in her bondage, made her way through the mud, dust and snows to Burlington Flats over this road, which now is laid down with concrete ands improved for the accommodation of motor driven vehicles. The radiator of the old brown mare never froze up and the only cranking that was done, was to sing out, ged-dap. — Edmeston Local

1901
Steam heat was installed in the Gaskin House.

1902
The following was derived from Otsego county New York Geographical and Historical. Edwin F Bacon, Ph D. 1902 Oneonta N.Y.:

 * EDMESTON. Area 27,075 acres [110 km²]. Population 1,767.

 * Edmeston was formed from the town of Burlington in 1808. The surface is an elevated upland, broken by numerous valleys. The highest elevations are about 400 feet above the Unadilla river which forms its western boundary.

 * The township takes its name from Col. Edmeston, an officer in the old French war (1754-1763), who for his services received from the crown a tract of 110,000 acres along the Unadilla river. To this tract Col. Edmeston sent Percifer Carr, a faithful old soldier of his command, who remained here until carried away with his family captive by the Indians, but after the Revolution he returned.

 * In 1818 William Stickney and Samuel Simons built a forge and trip hammer for the manufacture of axes, rifle barrels, scythes, and wrought iron plow shares.

 * The first physician was Dr. Gaines Smith, who came with his family from Vermont in 1800. His grandson, Hon. David B. St.John became a resident of the town in 1820.

 * Other early settlers in the town who have living descendants were

 * VILLAGES: There are three villages in this township:
 * Edmeston (population 749),
 * West Edmeston (population 222), and
 * South Edmeston (population 206).

 * SCHOOLS:
 * Number of districts 13.
 * Number of teachers 17.
 * Children of school age 266.

 * The Edmeston High School is under the supervision of the Board of Regents.
 * The academic department has a well equipped laboratory, a library of 1,000 volumes, and all necessary reference books.
 * The faculty consists of a principal and four assistants.

 * CHURCHES: There are six churches in the township of Edmeston, namely:
 * Baptist, Methodist and Free Methodist at Edmeston village;
 * Baptist and 7th day Baptist at West Edmeston and
 * a Union church at South Edmeston.

 * NEWSPAPERS: :The Edmeston Local, established in 1882, circulates also as a local organ in the townships of
 * Burlington,
 * Pittsfield,
 * Plainfield, and
 * New Lisbon.

 * Caleb Clark, formerly president of the First National Bank of Edmeston, approaches his nintieth year at his home in West Burlington, or with his grandchildren in Oneonta, with a cheerfulness that is an explanation of his long life.

1904
In 1904 Mr. Bert Talbot brought the first car to Edmeston, after attending an automobile show in New York City. He bought the horseless carriage (a Locomobile Steamer) and had it shipped by freight to Edmeston. The curious came from miles around to view the wonder of the age and when the time came to run it down the hill from his barn the crowd was so great he could hardly get though. — Sandra Lohnas Haggerty

1905
In 1905 the second Edmeston flood occurred. There was no loss of life but damage was determined to be in excess of $100,000. — barns were thrown off their foundations and knocked apart — debris pelted the Opera House — the railroad bridge was washed away and several rods of track uplifted. All communication — both rail and stage — was cut off. A gully was carved across the road in front of the Opera House so large that a bridge had to be built. Many dams were washed out north of the village [editor’s note: hamlet] and their positions are evident today (circa 1960). — Sandra Lohnas Haggerty

title: History of Edmeston, New York/1900s


text:
History of Edmeston, New York/1950s

The history of Edmeston, New York: 1950 through 1960

1951
A War Memorial Monument was placed if front of the school by the Edmeston Rotary Club in May, 1951. Memorial Day services are held there following the annual parade.

From Time Magazine:
 * War
 * The Lull

 * Aug. 20, 1951
 * In the Hollywood Dance Hall in Yong-dungpo (a suburb of Seoul) last week, Sergeant John A. Wallace Jr. of Edmeston, N.Y., celebrated his 22nd birthday. Deciding to do well by himself and his friends, he hired the place, laid out a feast of roast beef, baked ham, potato salad, beer, whisky and champagne. While a six-piece native orchestra struggled manfully with U.S. dance music, G.I.s contentedly swung kisaeng girls (Korean equivalent of Japan's geishas) around the floor. Cost to Sergeant Wallace: $200. Said he happily: "This is my fourth birthday in the Far East, my second in Korea and the first I've had a chance to celebrate."

1958
In 1958 the opera house burned. With the loss of the theater also was a restaurant, locker plant and apartments. — Sandra Lohnas Haggerty

title: History of Edmeston, New York/1950s


text:
History of Edmeston, New York/Churches

First Baptist Church
The First Baptist church of Edmeston, located on what is known as Taylor Hill, was organized March 8, 1794, by Rev. Stephen Taylor, who came from Rhode Island and settled in the town in 1790. He donated the land on which to erect the church, and assisted in the construction of the edifice. He died in 1841 at age 71.

Among those who joined at date of organization were:

 * width="200"|
 * Nehemiah Billings,
 * Seviah Billings,
 * Jos. Case,
 * Stephen Colegrove,
 * Robert Fuller,
 * Daniel Green,
 * Hannah Green,
 * width="200"|
 * Agnes Pettit,
 * Jonathan Pettit,
 * Marcy Phinney.
 * Dorcas Scranton,
 * William Scranton,
 * Hugh Smith,
 * Jacob Talbot,
 * width="200"|
 * Freelove Taylor,
 * Lydia Taylor,
 * Rosannah Taylor,
 * Thos. Taylor,
 * Timothy Taylor,
 * Sarah Terry,
 * Thomas Terry,
 * }

Second Baptist Church
The Second Batptist church was organized in Edmeston Centre, May 30, and recognized by council June 11, 1846. Its first officers were L. B. Gregory, deacon, and Stanton Tefft, clerk. Rev. Justus H. Wells are the first pastor. Its constituent members were Silas Coats, Stanton Tefft, Perry Pope, L. B. Gregory, D. O. Church, nelson Greene, Stephen Card, Harvey Pasco, with sisters Coats, Tefft, Pope, Gregory, Card, Caleb Perkins and Sarah, his wife, Sally Brown, Emeline Potter, Hannah Spafford, Freelove Kennedy and two or three others, making twenty-one or twenty-two in all.

The first and only meeting-house was erected of wood in 1853. It cost about $2500, and is 34 by 48 feet in size, and has a tower and fine-toned bell. Previous to this time, religious services were held in school-houses and at the Universalist house. The house was begun in May, 1853, and was dedicated to the worship of Almighty God in November, 1853. Its present deacons are S. A. Coats, J. T. Richards, and c. W. Hopkins; Eli Chamberlain is church clerk. The Rev. Lawson Muzzy was chosen pastor in April, 1874, and still continues to fill that office. Rev. J. H. Wells served the church as pastor nearly five years; Rev. Hewett Fitch, nine years; Rev. J. C. Foster, two years; Rev. S. N. Westcott, four years; Rev. G. H. Hogeboom, two years; Rev. G. E. Flint, three years; Rev. J. H. Chamberlain, one year. The present membership is one hundred and thirty.

This church has been blessed with an unusual degree of peace and harmony, and has for the most of the time enjoyed a good degree of prosperity. Three of its number has been called of God, as we believe, to preach the gospel to the perishing. The Rev. J. D. Pope is worthily serving the Master in St. John, Nova Scotia; his brother, Rev. D. B. Pope, is a faithful pastor in this State, and the third brother, John Greene, is pursuing his preparatory studies in the theological seminary at Hamilton.

The meeting-house was built during the pastorate of Rev. H. Fitch, who served the church acceptably and faithfully. The most remarkable and extended revival known in the congregation, or in this town, was enjoyed in the winter and spring of 1875, under the labors of their present pastor, Rev. l. Muzzy. Meetings were continued daily for three months, and were characterized by unusual solemnity, and striking exhibitions of divine power and grace. Over one hundred were hopefully converted. Some fifty were added to the church during that year. Their Sunday-school is a present as well organized and as prosperous as any school in the county.

Universalist church
The Universalist church of Edmeston was organized At Edmeston Centre, Nov. 25, 1843, with thirty-nine members. Rec. Z. Cook was the first officiating pastor. The church building was erected in the year following the organization, at a cost of about $2500. Only occasional services are now held.

Free Methodist church
The Free Methodist church of Edmeston was organized April 17, 1871, by William Southworth. The following were the first trustees: Artemus Welch, Wilbur F. Walling, Ezra Wheeler, Daniel Colegrove, Stephen Winsor, Warren Colegrove, and Darling Stephens. The name of the first minister was William Southworth. The names of the first members were Daniel Colegrove, D. Colegrove, Wilbur Walling, Lorenda Walling, Esther Preston, Mary York, Phoebe Hopkins, Paulina Mitchell, Ezra Wheeler, Darling Stephens, Rhoda Stephens, David Walling, Esther Babcock, Stephen Winsor, Henrietta Winsor, Warren Colegrove, Mary Colegrove, S. S. Webber. The first church building was erected in 1871, at a cost of $1000. The present trustees are Daniel Colegrove, Albert Denison, and Warren Colegrove.

The present minister is S. W. Crunk. The name and time employed of each minister was: Number of present members, sixteen.
 * David Dempsey, one year
 * Daniel Colegrove, one year
 * S. B. McVay, one year
 * Daniel Colegrove, one year
 * S. W. Perkins, one year
 * J. B. Stacy, one year
 * S. W. Cronk, one year

West Edmeston
Aug 24, 1898, The new First Day Baptist Church building was opened in West Edmeston. The idea for a Church was conceived in January of 1897. In Feb. of 1898 the Church was formally organized and admitted to the Otsego county Baptist Association. — First Day Baptist Church, Memories of West Edmeston

title: History of Edmeston, New York/Churches


text:
History of Edmeston, New York/References

Alexander

 * See Edward P. Alexander

Quotes by Dr. Alexander: 1765

Arnold
G. W. Arnold

Bennett
Matilda C. Bennett

Butterfield
Lyman Henry Butterfield (1909-1982) was director of the Institute of Early American History and Culture at Williamsburg, Virginia, starting in 1951. He was an associate editor of The Papers of Thomas Jefferson at Princeton. He spent his summers at in Hartwick, New York, at the house built by Major James Butterfield in the 1790s. Starting in 1954, he was editor in chief of The Adams Papers, published for the Massachusetts Historical Society by Harvard University Press.

Mr. Roy L. Butterfield (died February, 1968) was born in the Town of Lisle in Broome County, New York. He graduated from Cortland Normal School and worked as a teacher and principal at several upstate schools, most in the Rochester area. He was the great-great-grandson of Major James Butterfield, a Revolutionary War veteran and a survivor of the Cherry Valley Massacre.

In 1906, working a summer job as the Cortland correspondent to the Syracuse Post-Standard, he uncovered the first clue that led to the arrest and conviction of Chester Gillette who was later convicted of the murder of 20-year-old Grace Brown. This case was the inspiration for Theodore Dreiser's 1925 novel, An American Tragedy.

In 1935, Roy Butterfield and his wife Ethel purchased a former inn, (the White House on today's Rt. 205) in Hartwick, New York. It had been built by his ancestor (Major Butterfield) in 1792, and is said to have been one of the first white houses west of Albany. They began restoring the house during vacations.

That same year he became an active member of the New York State Historical Association, attending summer seminars in Cooperstown. In 1947, his son Roger, an historian and writer, moved into the White House, and together they built a large fireproof library to hold a large collection or historical books and other items.

Roy retired from his high school principal position in 1948 and served as Otsego County historian from 1956 until 1967.

Publications by Roy Butterfied include:
 * The Great Days of Maple Sugar in New York History, Number 39 (1958),
 * In Old Otsego (1959)
 * — Oneonta Star article by Mark Simonson, August 7, 2003

Cunningham
Mary E. Cunningham (April 25, 1917 - June 6, 1986), an associate in education and publications of the NYSHA, is largely credited with getting the Yorker movement under way. [c.1940] She was born in Mamaroneck, New York. In 1939 she joined the staff of the State Historical Association of New York. During her tenure with that organization she served in a number of capacities, including editor of the Yorker and New York History, assistant to the director, associate director, director of school services, and librarian. In 1957, she began her career in government service as deputy director for the Division of Public Information, New York State Department of Commerce. In 1959, she became editorial director for Ingham & Co., where in consultation with State Education Department, she developed social studies curriculum for New York State Schools. Similarly, she continued this kind of work as editorial director at Follett Publishing Company, 1960-1962. She served the administrations of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), first as Chief of the Consumer Information Branch, then after reorganization, as Deputy Director of the Division of Consumer Education. Following her government service, she worked as an editorial director of social studies for Rand McNally & Company. Among her other activities, she was author of "New York State Story," a syndicated column about the State's history. She was also founder of American Heritage magazine, and served as its first editor. Lastly, she was actively involved in the Democratic Party. She died in Cooperstown, N. Y..
 * — New York State Library: Mary E. Cunningham papers, 1940 - 1983
 * — Oneonta Star article by Mark Simonson, December 27, 2004

Dockstader
Janet Dockstader

Edwards
Ethel Edwards (born July 11, 1906) graduated from Edmeston High School in 1925, went on to Oneonta Normal School to become a teacher. She started teaching in a one-room school with two students in Ketchum and then taught junior high school social studies at Edmeston Central School. She retired after teaching for more than 50 years in the school district.

After she retired from teaching, she was asked to be the village historian, and she oversaw the formation of the village's museum in the second floor of the municipal building [the old bank building]. She also traveled extensively, visiting Quebec, Great Britain, Belgium, France, Spain and Egypt.
 * —  Oneonta Star article by Andrew Tutino, July 27, 1999
 * —  Oneonta Star article by Tom Grace, June 23, 2001

Fielder
Dorothy Scott Fielder is the author of Otsego County Postal History (1994), which lists all of the post offices that have operated in Otsego County, with complete lists of their postmasters, photographs of post offices, examples of different postmarks from various offices, and information about the post office operation, transportation and mail routes.
 * — Otsego County Histories book list

She retired as Schenevus, New York Postmaster in 2003 after 22 years on the job. Before that she was a high school and college biology teacher. She also led a youth stamp club in Schenevus from 1982 until 2000.
 * — Oneonta Star article by Jill Fahy, April 19, 2003

Haggerty
Sandra Lohnas Haggerty graduated from Edmeston Central School in 1956.

Huntington
Old Time Notes Relating to Otsego County and the Upper Susquehanna Valley, compiled by Willard Vincent Huntington (July 21, 1856 – 1951) of Oneonta, New York. The original notes are in the Huntington Library in Oneonta. A copy also available in the New York State Historical Association Library in Cooperstown, New York. Other works by Huntington include:
 * Oneonta Memories and Sundry Personal Recollections of the Author, Bancroft, 1891

Hickling
Susan Hickling

Jones
Hazel Larsen Jones was a native of Edmeston and a teacher at its schools. The quotes from her were from a paper she wrote for her graduate work at the State University of New York at Oneonta in 1953. The paper was entitled History of Edmeston 1770 to 1855 and was reprinted in the New Berlin Gazette.

Kelsey
Myrta Kelsey

Parker
Winifred Wilcox Parker (died April 23, 2004) of Edmeston, NY, graduated from Cornell University in 1934. She was a retired teacher, active in community and religious affairs, and the wife of Donald Parker.

Pickering
Professor James H. Pickering was Graduate Chairman and Associate Chairman of the Department of English at Michigan State University. Documents quoted include New York in the Revolution: Cooper's Wyandotté published in New York State Historical Association's New York History, Vol. XLIX, No. 2 (April 1968), pp. 121-141.

Pope
Spencer B. Pope

Shillieto
David Shillieto wrote the article History of Burlington Green in the Burlington Bicentennial Committee publication, Town of Burlington, Then and Now.

Sholes
Irving R. Sholes

Slocum
James Slocum

Swinney
Alice H. Swinney

Talbot
Newell Talbot, direct descendant of Timothy Taylor, brother of Rev. Stephen Taylor. — (1770)

Publications
Gazetteer of the State of New York, by J. H. French, Published by R. Pearsall Smith, Syracuse, N. Y. 1860 uwbdytwcytwvuyextrewvuyevxytwduvctqccwbchgvc


text:
History of Edmeston, New York/1760s

The history of Edmeston, New York: 1760 through 1769

1763
Of the first settlement in town, authentic data of the precise date are wanting. It was made, however, on the Unadilla River, during the interval between the close of the French War, in 1763, and the commencement of that of the Revolution, in 1775, by Col. Edmeston, an officer of the French War, and Percifer Carr, a faithful soldier who had served under him.

At the close of the war, Col. Edmeston, for his military services, received the grant of a tract of land covering a large portion of the town on which he made the first settlement. At his death the lands fell to heirs and minor children residing in England, from whom no safe title could be obtained for many years, — which greatly retarded the settlement of the town. During the Revolution, the hired men of Mr. Carr were killed while at work, his barn burned, his property destroyed, and himself and family were taken prisoners by the British and Indians and detained to the close of the war. — Gazetteer of the State of New York

1765
William Edmeston served in America as a captain of the British 48th Regiment during the French and Indian War, (1754-1763), the King, by proclamation, bestowed land upon his loyal soldiers as a kind of a bonus. The amount of land given varied with the rank of the soldier and ranged from 50 to 5,000 acres. Both William Edmeston and his brother, Robert Edmeston, a lieutenant in the same regiment, received the mandamus of the king in council in 1765 entitling each of them to 5,000 acres.

As a usual thing, the soldiers sold their claims to land speculators for a few shillings on the pound, but the Edmestons determined to develop theirs. They first tried to locate their tracts in eastern New York among the river Indians or in the New Hampshire grants but finally had their claims laid out and surveyed in 1770, just to the East of the Unadilla River and West of George Croghan's Patent. Both of these tracts are contained today in the Town of Edmeston. — Dr. Edward P. Alexander

At first they [William and Robert Edmeston] tried to locate their tracts in Eastern New York among the River Indians or in the New Hampshire Grants, today's Vermont, then in dispute between Yorker and Yankee speculators. But they came to understand the warning of John Watts not to settle in these places lest "one take your scalp, the other your estate in law suits."

The Edmestons finally had their claims laid out and surveyed in 1770 just east of the Tiendurran, or Unadilla River, west of George Croghan’s Otsego Patent. Both tracts are contained today in the Town of Edmeston, Otsego County.

The negotiations described above were conducted for William Edmeston by Parsafor Carr, who had been a sergeant in the 48th regiment. Carr became Edmeston's agent in administering the new tract, called Mount Edmeston, and in securing its settlement. Edmeston sent Carr settlers from Britain and in 1773 the proprietor came over personally to develop his buildings. — Mary E. Cunningham

1767
Colonel William seems to have been the only one to do anything about developing the patent. — Hazel L. Jones

To Serjt Carr of the 48th Regt.

 * Berwick, Novr 2 1767
 * Serjt Carr,

 * I am sorry you did not write me with your own hands and let me know exactly how the affair stands, what is the reason why the lands is not located and when they are likely to be located. I shall expect to hear from you regularly three times a year whether you have business or no.

 * You must attend the survey as it will be of great consequence you being present - I shall be very impatient till I hear from you & get your opinion about the affair how it stands.

 * I am Your Most Humble Servt.
 * Wm Edmeston

 * P.S. Direct all your letters for me at Mr. Reeds as he will always know where to forward them to me.

1768
The frontier line could soon move to the "Line of Property", set at the Fort Stanwix treaty in 1768 to separate the areas of white and Indian occupation. This line ran along the west branch of the Unadilla River, the whole length of the stream, then overland to the Northeast corner of Pennsylvania. Almost at once thereafter the remaining Otsego lands were almost entirely taken up and settlements were begun on them in a dozen or more years. — Roy L. Butterfield

To Sergeant Carr of the 48th Regt at Mr. James Garvices, French Church Street, New York

 * Berwick Jany 4th, 1768
 * To Sergt Carr of the 48th Regt.

 * I received your [letter] about 3 weeks ago. and in regard to your hubbart<?> you may make yourself very easy about it, I will take care to preserve it for you; I would have you remain where you are until you hear further from me; and you may draw on the Agent for 6 months pay sending me a letter of advice of it the packet before the bill sails for Eng- land that I may have sufficient time to apprise the Agent of it that he may honour your bill as it must be drawn on him and I mentioned for you &c. I am told there is a great deal of vacant land in the Province of New York and beg you will inquire very particularly about them and let me know by first Packet and Direct your letter to Mr. Reed as the last was but send me no more double letters it makes the Postage very high – I can't help thinking Mr. Webb was very negligent in not getting the land located long ago let me know your opinion about it – There was one Samuel Selby Sadler that lived on the north River New York enquire and let me know what is become of him.

 * I am Your Humble Servt.
 * Wm. Edmeston

 * April 20th
 * Sergt. Carr

 * I have just now received your letter and shall take care and pay your bill. I am glad to find that there is now some likelyhood of getting the lands located and you put upon them therefore would have you go to the spot and assist in the surveying of them, and endeavor to get them in the best situation and everything belonging to them and write me by the very first opportunity as I shall be impatient till I hear your report — I will take care to keep you as long as possible I can in the Regt. and will speak to Col Ross to recommend you to Genl Gage and Mr. Ogilvie when I go to Ireland as I am certain his recommendations will have much more weight than mine — when ever you write do it on a single sheet of paper as it makes the postage to high when its enclosed.

 * I am Your Humble Sert.
 * Wm. Edmeston

 * Berwick Augt 9
 * Sergt. Carr

 * I received your letter dated the 15th of June, and am very sorry to find things are in no better way. I have wrote by this Post to Col Maitland to beg he will intercede with the governor for me, and would have you wait on him, and let me know what he says.  If you see any probability of getting the lands I would have you stay by all means; but if you think there is no likelihood of it, you had better come home and join the Regt again.

 * I think Mr. Webb seems rather to trifle in the affair than any-thing else. I have paid your bill and beg you to make my Compts on Mr. Wallace & tell him i will pay any bill of yours at Mr. Reeds in London.
 * I am Your Humble Sert.
 * Wm. Edmeston

The Treaty of Fort Stanwix between the English and the Iroquois Indians, established the Unadilla river as the Western boundary of the New York colony.

1769

 * Berwick Augst 31st
 * Sergt Carr
 * I received your [letter] dated 18th June an am so sorry you did not get the land surveyed when you was up at Schenectady as it will be a loss of time. I shall write by this packet to Mr. Webb to let you have Provisions and money, and every assistance in his Power; I intend being out myself in the year 1771, or 1772 at farthest, and if I can get two boys bound to me till they are of age I will bring them out with me.  Let me have every particular about the land in your next, as to situation, distance from Mohawk river, from Fort Stanwyx, its quality &c.  I hope it will be as good a situation as that land on the Susquehanna otherwise my friends Col Maitland & Mr. Webb have done wrong for I never should have considered the purchaise money myself had I been on the spot.

 * Send me a particular account of everything necessary for the Stocking your farm &c. I have paid your bill of twelve pounds to Jas Jarvis, there has been no prize money paid since you left the Regt whenever there is I shall take care of yours; you talk of a private man's share, what man is it pray — I would have you fix on somebody in Albany or Schenectady where you can send your letters to be forwarded to me from the lands when you have gote settled upon them, and I would have you write me every two months what you are doing &c.

 * I have never seen Col Ross since I gote Mr. Wallaces letter about Col Murrays affair & have been only once at the Regt & only stayed a few days but I wrote Mr Scott about it and he promised to inquire into it if it can be settled I will do it for him with all my heart. Pray let me know your opinion in regard to setling the lands, whether people can be gote to rent them, or what method will be the best to pursue — Whenever you draw on me make your bills at 60 days sight — I would have you lose no time in getting yourself fixed upon the lands as the sooner the better;  Let me know whether the Country is settled near the lands & how far up &c.  and if there is any runs of water or rivers upon the Lands.
 * I am Your Most Obed Humble Servt.
 * Wm. Edmeston

title: History of Edmeston, New York/1760s