REMINISCENCES, 
 
 MEODOTES AND STATISTICS 
 
 OP THE 
 
 EARLY SETTLERS AND THE 'OLDEN TIME' 
 
 IN THE 
 
 TOWN OF SHEEBUENE, 
 
 CHENANGO COUNTY, N. Y. 
 
 < # a ^ > 
 
 BY JOEL HATCH, JR. 
 
 UTICA, N. Y. 
 
 CURTISS & WHITE, PRINTERS, 171 GENESEE ST, 
 1862. 
 

PREFACE 
 
 The incidents connected with the early history of the Town of Sher- 
 burne, are resting mainly in the recollection of a few individuals ; and 
 if not soon recorded, will be irrecoverably lost. 
 
 The writer of the following pages undertakes the task, without any 
 regard to his fitness or unfitness, for the following reasons : He is a 
 descendant of one of the first settlers, and the longest resident in the 
 town of any individual living ; is the only male representative of any 
 of the twenty proprietors, who now own or reside upon any portion 
 of their paternal acres ; and there are but eight of their children now 
 living in the town. The remainder, over one hundred in number, are 
 scattered to the four corners of the earth. Many minor incidents are 
 related in this work, which are only worthy of note, as they serve to 
 associate the reader with the trials, difficulties, and hardships, inci- 
 dent to setthng and subduing an unbroken forest. 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 
 
 From the commencement of the French war, to the 
 close of the Revolutionary war, was a period of constant 
 struggle, in cabinet or field, for our rights, civil and reli- 
 gious. In the midst of these exciting and impressive 
 scenes, the characters and principles of the early settlers 
 of the town of Sherburne were developed and moulded. 
 The exigencies of their country, together with uncer- 
 tainty as to the result of passing events, confined them 
 to those acts and exertions which were most immedi- 
 ately pressing and necessary, until "the god of battles had 
 crowned their arms with success, and the clarion of war 
 had ceased to sound ;" when they found themselves free 
 and independent, with the responsibilities of Church and 
 State resting upon their shoulders. They were now 
 under the necessity of entering without delay, into meas- 
 ures to maintain themselves and their families, and lay 
 a foundation for the future well being of their children. 
 
 Accordingly, they resolved to make a settlement in 
 the woods and wilds of the State of New York ; there 
 bring up their children to habits of industry, and rear 
 them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. 
 
 Two years after peace with Great Britain was estab- 
 lished, they removed from Kent, Litchfield county, Con- 
 a2 
 
6 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 necticut, into the then county of Albany, to lands belong- 
 ing to Judge Duane, in the town of Duanesburgh. Judge 
 Duane was unwilling to sell to settlers in fee simple. He 
 would consent only to rent his lands for limited periods. 
 This savored too much of servility for them, with their 
 views of freedom and independence, patiently to endure. 
 After seven years bondage under the annual rent sys- 
 tem, they determined to remove in one body to the Val- 
 ley of the Chenango, and settle upon lands then recently 
 purchased by the State of New York, of the Oneida 
 Indians, known as the Governor's Purchase. The treaty 
 by which the celebrated " Twenty Towns " became the 
 property of the State, was made in 1'788, by George 
 Clinton, at Fort Schuyler, now Utica. 
 
 The act authorizing the Surveyor General, Simeon De 
 Witt, to locate and number these towns, was passed 
 February 25, 1789. The lands were advertised for sale 
 in 1791. The sale was to take place at New York city. 
 
 It is reported that the following incident occured at 
 the time when the treaty above alluded to w^as made. 
 After it had been duly ratified, Governor Clinton having 
 seated himself upon a log, one of the chiefs came and 
 took a seat so close to him, that out of courtly respect, 
 he moved along ; the chief crowded close again — the 
 Governor made another move. These movements were 
 repeated, until the Governor, not only found himself off 
 the end of the log, but greatly perplexed, not compre- 
 hending the meaning of all this ! The chief stoically 
 replied : " Just so white man crowd poor Indian — 
 keep crowding — keep crowding — by and by, crowd him 
 clear off! — where poor Indian then ?" 
 
HISTOEY OF SHERBURNE. 7 
 
 PIONEERS. 
 
 Those who first came into the Valley of the ChenaDgo, 
 to examine the country, and select the location of a settle- 
 ment for themselves and some of their neighbors, were : 
 Deacon Nathaniel Gray, Elisha Gray, Joel Hatch, New- 
 comb Raymond, and James Raymond. They started on 
 their journey the day these lands were advertised for 
 sale, piloted by Josiah Throop, chief of the engineering 
 corps, who had surveyed the " Twenty Townships " the 
 previous year. Deacon Gray and the Surveyor came 
 on horse-back, the rest on foot, with their packs on their 
 backs. 
 
 From Duanesburgh, they took a circuitous course to 
 the north end of the Otsego Lake, thence down the east 
 side of the lake to Cooperstown, at its southern ex- 
 tremity. 
 
 Here, leaving the abodes of civilization, they take a 
 westerly course, guided by compass and marked trees ; 
 now climbing precipitous hills — now penetrating dark 
 and tangled forests, crossing deep rivers, threading vales, 
 and fording streams. Thus they toiled on their weary 
 way until night overtakes them. Soon their camp-fire 
 sends up a cheerful blaze. They seat themselves around 
 upon thickly spread Hemlock-boughs, fresh cut from the 
 branches hanging over their heads. After partaking of 
 the humble fare furnished by their knapsacks, they wrap 
 themselves in their blankets, and invoking the watchful 
 care of Him whose eye never sleeps, lie down to rest 
 their weary limbs for the night. They rise at dawn, 
 realizing " that the sleep of the laboring man is sweet.'* 
 Their patriarchal leader mounts his horse, they shoulder 
 their packs, and resume their march, re-enacting eadh 
 day the toils of the preceding. At length, they find 
 
8 HISTORY OP SHERBURNE. 
 
 themselves on the bank of the Unandilla river, which they 
 crossed three or four miles below the present site of 
 New Berlin village, and pursued their journey, buoyant 
 with hope and expectations, enlivened by the ever 
 changing panorama passing before them, as they ap- 
 proached the Valley of the Chenango.* They struck this 
 river, east of where Norwich village now stands, and 
 followed its course ten miles north to the junction of the 
 Handsome Brook, called by the natives To-to. They 
 arrived at 2 p. m., after five days hard traveling, June 
 I'ZQl. 
 
 While standing upon the bank of this beautiful river, 
 contemplating the scenery around their prospective local- 
 ity — scanning the hills that bound the valley — eying the 
 tall and stately Pines — admiring the extensive groves of 
 Sugar Maples — and scrutinizing the soil and verdure, 
 they discover that the grass has been recently cropt? 
 While querying whether this has been done by wild or 
 domestic animals, one of their number cries '' Hark ! I 
 hear a bell!" They listen. "Its a cow-bell! Some 
 family of white people must be near !" Guided by its 
 tinkling sound, they cross the Handsome Brook, when, 
 lo! amidst the forest trees, a new shanty appears, built 
 of bark, in the form of a tent! Excitement quickening 
 their pace, they were soon at the door, and found a 
 family consisting of five men, one woman, and some 
 small children, who had arrived about three hours before 
 them, from the town of Paris, Oneida county. After 
 mutual congratulations had been exchanged, such as only 
 kindred spirits having the same objects in view, and 
 braving the same toils and dangers, could realize ; and 
 
 * The name Chenango is of Indian origin, and signifies in their lan- 
 guage, " beautiful river." 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 9 
 
 each others views and wishes obtained, they proposed 
 to examine the south-west quarter of the ninth township, 
 the next day in company. 
 
 The good woman of the house addressed herself to 
 the entertaining of her guests, with right good will. 
 Her house was soon in order; a place was found for 
 everything, and everything Avas in its place. One of 
 these pioneers remarked that *'She appeared to be as 
 well acquainted with every room in the house, as if she 
 had lived in it a twelve month." With true pioneer 
 hospitality, she prepared the best room in her mansion 
 for their repose through the night. Including the Sur- 
 veyor, she had six more lodgers to provide for. How 
 she accomplished this, you can conceive better than I 
 can express. Suffice it to say, she had good new bread 
 and beer of her own baking and brewing, upon the table 
 for breakfast, the next morning. Seating themselves 
 around an apology for a table, arranged with primitive 
 splendor, the unexpected good fortune of having these 
 luxuries, together with milk, spread before them, called 
 forth with lively emotion the remark, " We can tell our 
 friends and neighbors at home, that we found the land 
 flowing with milk, if not honey." Tasting the delicious 
 beverage, he exclaimed with a ludicrous scowl, " What's 
 the matter with the milk ?" They sip, shake their headc 
 and look at each other in blank amazement. One better in- 
 itiated into the mystery, laughing, steps out of the door, 
 and soon returns with a leek, saying, " The cow has been 
 eating leeks ; taste this and you vrill not perceive the lla- 
 vor in your milk." They rose from their repast vriser than 
 when they sat down ; and for years after were fain to 
 put their knowledge to practical use. So luxuriant was 
 the grass and herbage, so wonderful its effect upon the 
 cow, that the milkman filled his pail the third time, when 
 
10 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 he exclaimed, " I wont go out again if the milk rots in 
 her bag." My informant clapped his hand upon my knee, 
 and looking archly in my face, said, " Its not necessary 
 to state how large the pail was." After having finished 
 their examination, and mutually agreeing to purchase in 
 company, they departed, expecting to find this family on 
 their return ; but never saw them afterwards. 
 
 Returning home, they take the northern route through 
 the town of Paris. From thence to the Mohawk river ; 
 following this stream to the junction of the Schoharie, 
 and thence to Duanesburgh. As they brought a goodly 
 report of the land they had visited, Nathaniel Gray was 
 dispatched to New York city, empowered to negotitate 
 for the same. On inquiring he found that the State had 
 sold to Wm. S. Smith six townships, including the land 
 he was in quest of. The patent granted to Wm. S. 
 Smith, was dated April 16, 1794, and recorded in the 
 office of the Secretary of State. 
 
 In disappointment he returned home. Unwilling how- 
 ever to abandon the enterprise, they resolved to make 
 one more effort. Accordingly, Mr. Gray made another 
 journey to New York. On presenting his second pro- 
 position, he had the mortification to be again rejected. 
 As he was about to return, Mr. Smith offered him the 
 quarter in question, at one dollar twenty-five cents per 
 acre ; f)roposing to execute a contract for a deed, upon 
 certain conditions, to run seven years, which, if approved 
 of by his associates, they might retain, if not, return it 
 and he would charge nothing. 
 
 This contract was given to Nathaniel Gray, Timothy 
 Hatch, Joel Hatch, Newcomb Raymond, Josiah Lathrop, 
 James Raymond, John Gray, jr., Abraham Raymond, 
 Elish Gray, Cornelius Clark, and Eleazer Lathrop. 
 
HISTOEY OF SHEEBURNE. 11 
 
 It was accepted, none of them being able to pay down 
 for their lands. The land selected by this company was 
 the southwest quarter of the ninth township,* one of the 
 twenty towns purchased of the Oneida Indians, in 1788^ 
 
 The grantor of the deed to the eleven proprietors, was 
 Benjamin Walker, its date 1796. 
 
 FIRST FAMILY. 
 
 Abraham Raymond and family, were the first to move 
 on and take possession of their new home. They started 
 in the winter of 1792, and came as far as Norwich, 
 (where a few families had located about two years pre- 
 vious, and were the nearest neighbors to their intended 
 settlement,) and tarried there until spring, when they 
 were joined by their associates, (their number having in 
 the mean time increased from eleven to twenty,) who 
 came on for the purpose of commencing improvements, 
 and preparing for the recej^tion of their families, the next 
 year. Their names were, Nathaniel Gray, Joel North- 
 rop, Joel Hatch, John Lathrop, Elisha Gray, John Gray, 
 John Hebbard, Eleazer Lathrop, Ezra Lathrop, Corne- 
 lius Clark, Timothy Hatch, Abraham Raymond, New. 
 comb Raymond, James Raymond, Josiah Lathrop, Eli- 
 jah Gray, Elijah Foster, John Gray, jr.,f Amos Cole, 
 David Perry. 
 
 * It contains six thousand, two hundred, twenty-two and one half 
 acres. 
 
 f John Gray, jr.'s name is on the original deed; but as ho relin- 
 quished his lot to his father, John Gray, who settled upon it, and was 
 always spoken of as one of the first settlers by his associates, I think 
 it proper to name him as one of the first proprietors ; he was, to say 
 the least, practically such. John Gray, jr., settled in the west part of 
 the State, and died there ; and was the last of the twenty proprietors. 
 
12 HISTORY OP SHEEBURNE. 
 
 A party of them arrived late one afternoon, and put 
 up for the night on the west side of the Chenango river, 
 opposite where Norwich village now stands. In a wig- 
 wam, on the east side of the river, owned and occu- 
 pied by a family of Oneida Indians, a few Tuscaroras, 
 (after having drank more " fire-vrater " than was meet,) 
 were reposing for the night. One of these began to stab 
 with a knife the squaw of another Indian. The cry of 
 "David! David! he kill yciir squav^ !" awoke her 
 sleeping lord, who, seeing the condition of his squaw, 
 and him who had done the deed, struggling with a sober 
 Indian, who sought to control him, seized a tomahawk 
 and sank it into his head. Abraham Raymond and Joel 
 Hatch visited the wigwam the next morning, with many 
 painful misgivings as to what might be in store for them 
 and their families, in the future. They found the wound- 
 ed man lying upon the -ground, nearly naked, with a 
 '* lump of brain as large as a butternut, oozing out of 
 the wound." He lived in this condition two or three 
 days. Mrs. Raymond assisted in dressing the wounds, 
 and administering to the necessities of the squaw, v/ho, 
 in a few days, was able to sail down the river in a canoe. 
 
 A runner carried the news of this tragedy to the chief 
 of the Oneidas, who, with his head men and councillors, 
 soon arrived, and proceeded to examine the case accord- 
 ing to their own laws and customs. He inquired very 
 particularly into the general conduct of David toward 
 the white people. Whether he was saucy and quarrel- 
 some, whether he injured their cattle, &c. The witnesses 
 all gave him a good character for peace and quietness. 
 The chief, after due consultation with his head men, thus 
 decided : " If Indian go kill my squaw, I kill him, so 
 David he clear." 
 
 Mr. Raymond and one of his associates went forward 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE, 13 
 
 and erected a hut, for the accommodation of the whole 
 company, for the ensuing season. This mansion, from 
 which no one was turned away for want of room, was 
 built in one day, and covered with bark and brush. It 
 stood about forty rods below the junction of the Hand- 
 some Brook with the river. Lift up your eyes and sur- 
 vey the land, as when the fathers first beheld it ! when 
 trees of primeval growth, in towering grandeur, pierced 
 the skies, carrying the mind back, almost coeval with 
 the time when the morning stars sang together. What 
 object m view has yonder solitary woodsman, with ax 
 upon his shoulder, slowly wandering amid the giants 
 of the forest, whose interlocking branches have for ages 
 hid mother earth from the genial rays of the sun ? Be- 
 hold, with slow and measured step he moves along — 
 now halting upon the bank of this gurgling rill — now 
 pausing to examine this cool bubbling spring. He seats 
 himself upon a moss-covered mound, his manly brow 
 exhibiting the intense workings of his mind : " Yes, here 
 will I build my house, set up my altar, and enjoy life 
 with her who is the sunshine of my soul, the centre of 
 all my earthly joys. I have a part to act in the great 
 drama of the world, a duty to perform to God and his 
 Church, to my family and country. Providence having 
 led my footsteps hither, I ought not, I cannot go back." 
 He rises to his feet, runs his eye up the trunk of a stately 
 tree, lays off his coat, seizes his ax, strikes ! It is 
 the first blow, and the first echo from the woodman's 
 ax ever heard in this region, since time began. Blow suc- 
 ceeds blow, and echo answers echo, until it totters to 
 its fall. Instinctively raising his eye through the open- 
 ing, the glorious orb of day salutes his gaze, apparently 
 delighting to linger in his diurnal course to warm and 
 Tivify the earth, and qheer the laborer onward. Hark ! 
 
14 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 what is that which comes swelling upon the breeze ? 
 He listens, lost in a pleasing reverie ; a crash, succeeded 
 by a heavy rolling sound, assures him that a brother 
 pioneer has felled his first tree. Day after day T\dtnesses 
 to their patient, persevering toil. 
 
 The echo from lot to lot gives to each pleasing assur- 
 ance, that he is not doomed to struggle alone — that 
 kindred spirits have counted the cost and made the firm 
 resolve, cheered by anticipations of the future when 
 they may, around their own firesides, by the blessing 
 of God, enjoy, amid the conveniences and comforts of 
 civilized life, the sweets of domestic and social inter- 
 course. 
 
 During the summer and autumn of 1792, the southwest 
 quarter was re-surveyed and divided into twenty equal 
 parts, by Cornelius Clark, in such manner that each 
 might obtain an equal share of river and upland, and 
 assigned by lot to the several proprietors.* 
 
 Such was their desire to live in peace and harmony 
 with all men, especially with each other, that in order 
 to remove, as far as possible, from their midst, every 
 danger of disagreement, they mutually agreed to abide 
 the metes and bounds established by their surveyor. 
 They did abide them to the letter. I never knew any 
 disagreement among them, on account of the bounds or 
 quantity of land in their respective lots. This year they 
 built their first saw-mill, cleared some land, erected a few 
 log-houses, opened a road from the settlement now 
 known as the Quarter, east to the Unadilla river, ten 
 miles. 
 
 * Cornelius Clark having a preference for a particular lot, (the one 
 now occupied by George Davis,) offered the man who drew it, a bot- 
 tle of rum and an ax without helve, and in its rough state, to exchange 
 with him, which offer was accepted. 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 15 
 
 The saw-mill was located in the gulf, on the stream, 
 east of Sherbm-ne village, about half a mile below the 
 falls, known as the Sulphur Springs. Finding some ne- 
 cessary irons lacking, they dispatched Joel Hatch, on 
 horse-back, to Clinton, (the nearest black-smith's,) to 
 obtain them. Following Indian paths, after three days 
 absence, he returned with them. The cost of the irons 
 at the shop was trifling. 
 
 It was at this mill that the first sermon ever preached 
 in town, and probably in the valley, was delivered in 
 1792, by the Rev. Blackleach Burritt.* His text, Isaiah 
 XXXV. 1 : " The wdlderness and the solitary place shall be 
 glad for them ; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom 
 
 *Mr. Burritt graduated at Yale, in 1765. That year, the British 
 Parliament laid a tax of two pounds sterling, (about ten dollars,) on 
 every diploma granted from any college in the colonies. He was a 
 zealous Whig, during the Kevolutionary War; often carrying his 
 patriotism into his pulpit. He resided at that time on Long Island, 
 near the East River, about twenty miles from New York city, which 
 was in the possession of the British army, A party of British sold- 
 iers, guided by Tories, surrounded his house in the night, took hhn 
 prisoner, and hurried him into their boat ; not allowing time to put 
 on his clothes, until they had him safe on board. They sailed imme- 
 diately for New York, where he was confined, most of the time, with 
 other prisoners, in what was known as the " Sugar House." 
 
 He would preach to his fellow prisoners on the Sabbath, and admin- 
 ister the consolations of religion to the sick and dying, under repeated 
 insults and threats, from a rude, unfeeling soldiery. After about two 
 years captivity, expecting to be released on a particular day, he pre- 
 pared a spicy sermon for the occasion, which the officers, knowing his 
 spirit and independence, were determined to prevent his delivering. 
 Accordingly, when orders arrived for his discharge on the Monday 
 following, they released him on Saturday night previous. He request- 
 ed permission to stay and preach to his countrymen on the Sabbath 
 day. They peremptorily refused, ordered him to leave immediately, 
 which to his deep regret, he was obliged to do. 
 
16 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 as the rose." The emigrants, in the midst of their high 
 hopes of future prosperity, were disheartened by the ap- 
 pearance of a hard frost, on the morning of the 1st of 
 September, succeeded by a premature snow, the effect 
 of which was so severe on vegetation, that the trees of 
 the forest were as effectually denuded of their foliage, by 
 the 15th of September, as is usual by the middle of Oc- 
 tober. 
 
 As they looked upon each other, almost in despair, 
 they would inquire. Is this a cold, frosty country? Is the 
 climate unpropitious ? Will our vmdertaking prove a 
 failure ? The only answer that could be given was, our 
 all is at stake — we have purchased, and must abide the 
 issue, whether for better or for worse. 
 
 After sixty years residence in town, some of them 
 remarked, that they had never since seen frost or snow 
 equally severe, as early in the season. With these 
 gloomy forebodings they returned to their families, ex- 
 cept Abraham Raymond, who having his Avith him, tar- 
 ried upon the spot, residing part of the winter with the 
 settlers in Norwich. 
 
 During the winter and spring of 1793, most of them, 
 with their families, came on and took possession of their 
 land of promise. Some of the company employed In- 
 dians to convey their baggage up the river, in their 
 canoes, at about twenty-five cents per hundred. After- 
 wards, in their intercourse between the two settlements, 
 the less timid mothers, with their children, would trust 
 themselves to the skill of these primitive navigators, as 
 preferable to traveling by cart and oxen through the 
 almost pathless woods ; and they never had cause to 
 complain of their want of gallantry or honesty. Two 
 sons of Cornelius Clark, Job and John, started on foot, 
 
HISTOKY OF SHERBURNE. 17 
 
 in advance of their father and family. While on their 
 way, they purchased a bag of flour, and carried it some 
 sixty or seventy miles, upon their shoulders, together 
 with necessary utensils for camping in the woods and 
 clearing land. They built a hut three-fourths of a mile 
 from any of the other settlers, and commenced pioneer 
 life, cheered by the friendly mterest in their welfare, 
 manifested by their neighbors. With energy and ambi- 
 tion, these young men plied their task. The tangled 
 pile of prostrate trees, testified that they were not idle. 
 On a certain night, one of them, being left alone, was sud- 
 denly aroused from the enjoyment of "nature's sweet 
 restorer," by his ever watchful dog springing upon his 
 bed, uttering a low growl. Peering through the dark- 
 ness, he discovered in the dim light of the aperture, which 
 served for a door, the head of some wild animal, evidently 
 determined unceremoniously to scrape his acquaint- 
 ance ! Not being disposed, unarmed and alone, to 
 entertain such comj^any, he seized a log-chain, which prov- 
 identially hung within reach, and hurled it violently at 
 the head of the unwelcome intruder, causing him to beat 
 a retreat, clamorously pursued by the faithful dog. The 
 terrific yells which succeeded, gave unmistakable evidence 
 to the panic-stricken listener, that deadly combat was 
 raging ! At length, the uproar without gradually sub- 
 siding, evinced that the battle was drawing to a close — 
 leaving him to no enviable reflections upon his unpro- 
 tected condition, impatiently awaiting the dawn of day. 
 The fate of his dog hung in suspense until late the next 
 afternoon, when he was discovered slowly advancing 
 towards the cabin, so seriously injured that he died in 
 two or three days. 
 
 After securing a shelter, barely suflScient to protect 
 their families from inclement storms, the great desidera- 
 b2 
 
1 8 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 turn was to raise the requisite supply of provisions for 
 the ensuing year. In order to do this, it would first be 
 necessary to clear theii* lands, which would call for all 
 their energy to have it done in time to insure a crop. 
 
 The scarcity of seed among them at this time, espe- 
 cially of the coarser kinds, was no small item in their 
 perplexities, as the following incident will disclose : 
 They had no potatoes, and none could be obtained 
 nearer than Otsego county. John Lathrop, with cart 
 and oxen, started to obtain a supply. After the usual 
 events incident to traveling in a new country — plunging 
 down steep banks, and fording unbridged streams — he 
 finds himself across the Unadilla river, where he was 
 enabled to obtain about twenty bushels of potatoes, of 
 a farmer, by the name of Dickey, who, some thirty or 
 forty years after, became a citizen of the town. Mr. 
 Lathrop, on his return was struggling to ascend the 
 west bank of the river, with his load, to accomplish 
 which, required all the energy of himself and strength 
 of his team. When near the top, up tipped his cart- 
 body ! — out slid the hind board — down rolled the pota- 
 toes into the mud and water below, with a speed that 
 contrasted finely (though not agreeably) with that of 
 their ascent. To remedy this mishap, there was no alter- 
 native but to gather them into a basket, and carry them 
 upon his shoulders several rods up a steep, wet, and slip- 
 pery bank, requiring some twenty or more journeys, up 
 and down, to accomplish. In relating this incident, he 
 said, " When I had to rush into the river to prevent 
 some of them from floating down the stream, to dig 
 others out of the mud, and wipe them on the grass or 
 my old frock, and lug them on my back up the hill, I 
 thought my troubles were great." On the half-century 
 anniversary of the settlement, those who remained, had 
 
HISTORY OF SHEKBURNE. 19 
 
 a social gathering, at the house of Timothy Hatch, to 
 celebrate the day. Deacon Dickey introduced himself 
 among them, remarking, " Although I was not one of 
 the early settlers, I think myself entitled to a seat among 
 you, for supplying the first seed potatoes planted in the 
 town." This little reminiscence inaugurated him into 
 their fraternity with right good will. 
 
 LOG HOUSES. 
 
 Their houses were constructed of round logs, laid 
 upon the top of each other, and so notched at the ends, 
 as to lie as close as possible — the jomts between being 
 filled with small sticks, and plastered over with clay 
 mortar. Its covering was often of bark, sometimes tem- 
 porarily of brush. Openings were made for doors and 
 windows, a part of the logs cut away at one end, and a 
 few stones piled up for a back to the fire place, the bare 
 earth for a hearth and floor — a hole cut through the roof 
 for the escape of the smoke — as large a log as could be 
 conveniently managed, four or ten feet long, rolled 
 into the fire-place, with a forestick to correspond, raised 
 upon wooden " fire dogs ;" and then the good wife and 
 mother was prepared to commence the duties of her sta- 
 tion. The inspiring influence of the hope and belief that 
 they shall see better days, banishes every murmur, and 
 sheds around her a halo of joy and cheerfulness. The 
 kettle adjusted on the top of the burning wood, the 
 pork and potatoes put therein, soon all are delightfully- 
 foaming and boiling. The long-handled frying-pan, or 
 the short-handled spider is on the coals before the fire, 
 containing the Indian meal, moulded and prepared for 
 baking into bread. Some unexpected movement of the 
 burning wood, causes the kettle to upset, precipitating 
 its contents into the fire ! The ashes and cinders raised 
 
20 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 into a cloud, unmercifully pepper the half baked bread. 
 This mishap adjusted as well as circumstances allow, the 
 frugal meal is arranged in due order, on the top of a 
 large chest or some rough board, supported at each 
 end on boxes or old barrels. The conch-shell echoing 
 through the woods, summons the husband and father 
 from his fallow ground, (which had been recently burnt 
 over,) begrimed and blackened with soot and smoke, as 
 thoroughly as the good house-wife's bread and pork. 
 The accident explained, they instinctively glance at their 
 child, express their joy and thankfulness that it was no 
 worse, and sit down to their simple repast, with grati- 
 tude and cheerfulness. 
 
 Gradually, as their circumstances allow, improvements 
 are made. The blanket which has served as an apology 
 for a door, gives place to one made of boards ; it may be 
 smoothed with the plane, or in its rough state ; hung on 
 wooden hinges of rude construction, with wooden latch 
 and handle. A string connected with the latch, runs 
 through the door and hangs on the outside. 
 
 Toy want of glass, they substitute oiled paper. For a 
 floor, some suitable tree is cut^ rent in twain with the 
 beetle and wedge, leveled with the hewing ax, and may 
 or may not be, slightly smoothed with the plane ; and 
 then laid across a few poles adjusted upon the ground, 
 leaving a suitable space for the hearth and fire-place. 
 
 Let all who reside in the house, or who may enter it, 
 take good care of their pocket knives, or other small 
 articles of value, lest they find their way through the 
 crevices of the floor, and disappear from sight. 
 
 Let the gallant, Avho in self-complacency poises one 
 leg upon his knee and rocks back in his seat, (strapping 
 his new jack-knife upon his boot,) look well to his posi- 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 21 
 
 tion, lest the legs of his chair explore the vicinity of a 
 crack, seek a resting place below, and come out minus 
 half their number, himself sprawling upon the floor, rub- 
 bing his elbows and scratching his head. 
 
 This room constituted kitchen, nursery, parlor, and to 
 a certain extent, lumber room. The bed snugly adjusted 
 in one corner, on some rude structure — was surrounded 
 and adorned with sheets or blankets for curtains. 
 
 The pantry consisted of wide boards, one above 
 another, resting on long pins driven into the logs. 
 These shelves were adorned with pewter plates, from 
 six inches to two feet in diameter, arranged in rows set 
 up on edge, with cups, mugs, and basins, all polished to 
 such a degree that your own image would be distinctly 
 reflected from their surfaces. Pewter constituted mainly 
 their table furniture, even to their spoons, whether for 
 table or tea. At that day, there was but one set of silver 
 spoons in the town. The tradition is, that Cornelius Clark 
 had a pair of silver shoe-buckles, sent him from a rela- 
 tive in England, and that he had them melted down and 
 wrought into tea-spoons, which are now in the posses- 
 sion of some of his grand-children. When they were 
 able to obtain boards, the roofs of their houses were more 
 substantially covered, and some laid loosely over head 
 for a chamber floor, for lodging room for their children, 
 visitors and strangers, which was reached by climbing a 
 ladder. All lodgers therein might reasonably expect, 
 that by some unpropitious movement of the wind, a 
 volumn of smoke would be rolled through the apart- 
 ment of sufficient density to silence the buzz, and pre- 
 vent the sting of the musquito, leaving them to dry their 
 tears the best they could. 
 
 A shelf would generally be suspended from the beams 
 
22 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 over head, about one foot below the chamber floor, 
 which served as a depository for almost every article not 
 wanted for immediate use. A social party was seated 
 one afternoon around the table of Joel Hatch. The tea 
 having been poured out and distributed, the mistress of 
 the house remarked, " Mr. Hatch, perhaps some of our 
 friends would like some sugar in their tea, wont you 
 hand it down ? its over where Mr. Gihnore sits." Mr. 
 Gilmore rising, took it from the shelf, and commenced 
 knocking off fragments with his knife. After repeated 
 blows, he exclaimed, " I declare ! this is the hardest cake 
 of sugar I ever saw, it makes my knife strike fire !" and 
 laying it down, began drinking his tea. Mr. Hatch took 
 up the fragment to sweeten his tea. After striking one 
 or two blows, he stopped, saying, " Well might Mr. Gil- 
 more call this hard sugar ! its a piece of a grindstone !" 
 Mr. Gilmore replied, he had not discovered but his tea 
 was very well sweetened. 
 
 A broom made of hemlock-boughs, or small twigs of 
 beech, would give unmistakable evidence of having been 
 frequently called upon to keep things neat and tidy, 
 around the mansion. 
 
 For that necessary article, a cradle^ owing to the scar- 
 city of mechanics, a sap-trough, for a brief space, would 
 be substituted, and the " little darling " rocked to quiet- 
 ness and sleep, under the musical tones of " lullaby," wdth 
 as much promptness and success, as ever attended its 
 more aristocratic name-sake. 
 
 Instead of the piano, their music would be the buzz 
 and hum of the spinning wheel — the echo of the wood- 
 man's ax — and the crash of falling trees. 
 
 There was great equality among them. All were in 
 debt for their lands, for the payment of which, together 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 23 
 
 with the supply of their daily recurring wants, they were 
 dependent entirely on the products of their partially sub- 
 dued farms, and were obliged to practice in their domes- 
 tic arrangements, the most rigid economy. Their dress 
 was of the plainest kind, in the manufacture of which, 
 every pound of flax, from the hatchel to the distaff, every 
 fleece of wool, from the cards and spindle to the loom, 
 must pass through the manipulations of the good ma- 
 tron's or her budding daughter's hands. Their own 
 ingenuity and skill must be exercised in dying every 
 article of their wardrobe, the materials for which could 
 only be obtained from the forest around them, such as 
 the Butternut, Soft-Maple, Witch-hazel, Sumac, &g. ; or 
 from the more aristocratic Indigo tub, which, as a matter 
 of course must stand as an ornament by the side of every 
 fire-place, especially in cold weather. If its odor is offen- 
 sive, you have only to remove to a more respectful dis- 
 tance, and no oftence will be given or taken. The 
 mothers, all honor to their names, whether prepared for 
 company, or dressed for church, would be clad in checked 
 linen garments, every thread of which had passed through 
 their busy fingers. The plaids with their blending shades 
 and arrangements, were matters of their own fancy and 
 taste. After being fitted and prepared according to their 
 knowledge of the mantua-maker's arts, and having been 
 subjected to the polish of the smoothing iron, this dress 
 would bestow upon its wearer as much dignity and 
 gracefulness, as can be found within the folds of silk or 
 satin at the present day. 
 
 The fleece of wool of " nature's darkest dye," taken 
 from the " good old black sheep," and sparsely mixed 
 with that of the white, would, through the doating 
 mother's energy and skill, clothe her sons in garments, 
 which to her fond view, would not disgrace them in the 
 
24 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 eyes of some lovely damsel, if it did not recommend them 
 to their good graces and affections. 
 
 In the supply of their tables, they confined themselves 
 from necessity, to such kinds of food as afforded the most 
 nutriment, with the least labor and expense ; prominent 
 among which were beans and Indian corn. The morn- 
 ing and evening repast, generally consisted of " hasty 
 pudding," eaten in milk, or, in its more primitive form, 
 spread over with maple molasses, the sight of which, 
 when being prepared by the ever indulgent mother, 
 would cause a noisy scramble among the little urchins, 
 reminding us of the acme of three boys, while enjoying 
 with great gusto such a meal, " I wish we were three 
 kings, then we would have clean ruffled shirts to wear, a 
 new coal-cart to ride in, and eat puddin' and 'lasses for- 
 ever." Bean porridge, flavored by being boiled with 
 salt beef or pork, was no uncommon article of food upon 
 their tables. Their bread in its simplest form was 
 " Johnny cake," baked in a spider, or on a board set up 
 on edge before the open fire-place ; or the loaf of Indian 
 bread, compounded with pumpkins, to make it moist and 
 Bweet, baked in a wrapper of cabbage leaves, under a 
 bed of burning coals, which could not fail to gratify 
 the most delicate palate. Gradually, as their clearings 
 increased, wheat became their more common bread, but 
 of such a quality as would at the present day be con- 
 demned as unfit for use, in consequence of the mixture of 
 cockle, chess, smut, and other impurities, which grew in 
 their fields in rank luxuriance around remaining logs and 
 stumps. 
 
 Their only contrivance for cleaning grain was a hand fan, 
 made of willow wicker-work, in using which, by a peculiar 
 toss, aided by a dexterous movement of the knee against 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBUENE. 25 
 
 the underside, the grain received an upward impulse, 
 when a portion of the chaff would be blown away. After 
 this process had been repeated a number of times, it 
 was passed through a coarse sieve or riddle, and then 
 elevated high in the air, and poured in a gentle stream 
 through a current of wind upon the threshing floor. 
 This, though slow, tedious, and imperfect, was the best 
 means they had, until mills for cleaning grain were intro- 
 duced. 
 
 Swine, which were easily fattened by the aid of acrons, 
 beech-nuts and other " shack," constituted their standard 
 meat. When cooked in any of its multifarious forms, it 
 was customary for the master of the house to cut it into 
 small pieces, and place it in the centre of the table, after 
 wljich, each, fork in hand, would help himself, mouthful 
 by mouthful. It would have been thought as selfish and 
 vulgar at that day, to take a slice of meat upon your 
 own plate, as it is at this, to be repeatedly helping your- 
 self from the dish. This was the custom of the people, 
 and sanctioned by the times. 
 
 When the fatted calf was killed, or lamb slain, they 
 would distribute portions to their near neighbors, who, 
 in due time, returned the compliment without refer- 
 ence to the balance. They would mutually arrange the 
 time when each should kill, so that they might, at suit- 
 able intervals, be accommodated with a piece of " fresh." 
 Trout abounded in the small streams, and with venison 
 occasionally, and other troj^hies of the huntsman, formed 
 no undesirable portion of their animal food. The tin 
 milk-pan, or the wooden bowl, would adorn one end of 
 the table, weU filled with ample sized dough-nuts, which, 
 in modern times, are nearly supplanted, by stinted crul- 
 lers, miffs, jumbles, and deleterious sweet cakes, that 
 make us sigh for the good old days of yore. 
 
26 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 GRIST MILL. 
 
 The nearest mill for grinding grain, was at Whites- 
 town, about forty miles distant, reached only by Indian 
 foot-paths, leading through a dense unbroken forest. For 
 more than two years, this and the mortar and pestle, 
 was their only resource. Some of the more ingenious 
 would attach a spring to the pestle, which materially les- 
 sened the labor of pounding. 
 
 Some of the first grists taken to mill, were from neces- 
 sity carried on horseback, or on oxen yoked together, 
 and one or more bags of grain lashed to their backs, 
 with others hanging across the yoke between them. 
 This mode of milling was evidently inconvenient and 
 unprofitable. In order to carry more at a time, they con- 
 structed a " dray " or " carry all," by cutting a crotched 
 tree of suitable dimensions, and so attaching one end to 
 the yoke, that the two branching limbs shall spread out 
 and drag upon the ground behind the oxen. By pin- 
 ning cross pieces to these, and driving stakes into their 
 sides, they were enabled to pile their bags of grain 
 thereon. Two or more men, leaving behind them loved 
 ones, with no neighbor in sight or hearing, anxiously 
 awaiting their return, seize their axes, shoulder their 
 musket, and plunge into the wild wood, clearing away 
 each obstacles as block their path — fording streams and 
 climbing their precipitous banks. Their cattle, at times, 
 sink to their bodies in the mire. They struggle, floun- 
 der, and flounce to extricate themselves, but all to no pur- 
 pose. They are unyoked, and by hard pulling and pry- 
 ing, released. Onward is the motto. Night overtakes 
 them. They camp as best they may — build their barri- 
 cade — examine their musket, pick the flint — renew its 
 priming — commit one eye to Morpheus, while the other 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 27 
 
 Stands sentinel over the camp, ready to give the alarm 
 on the approach of the common enemies that prowl in 
 the forest, which, from their growl and howl, and fresh 
 tracks recently seen, are known to be near. A blazing 
 fire, like a guardian angel keeps them at bay. They 
 arise at dawn to re-enact each day in substance, the toils 
 of the preceding. Five or six days of precious time 
 would thus be spent in procuring sustenance for their own 
 and some of their neighbors' families, until, with joy, 
 they find themselves on their return, and approaching 
 their little clearing. At length, their log-cabin heaves 
 in sight, their bosoms swell with emotion — a little 
 daughter, with blooming rose colored cheeks, discovers 
 her father, bounds into the house, dancing with joy, and 
 exclaims, " Oh, mamma ! mamma ! daddy has come ! 
 daddy has come ! now we shall have something besides 
 pounded corn to eat — some good new wheat bread to 
 crumble into our bean porridge, shant we ? — wont you 
 make some short-cake ? — Oh ! oh ! oh !" 
 
 It is worthy of note, that at this time, there were but 
 two log-houses where the city of Utica now stands, four 
 miles east of Whitestown. Such incidents it is well to 
 record, that the generation now growing up in comfort, 
 ease, and luxury, may, by comparing the present with 
 the past, realize how great is the labor, and how many 
 the privations of those who first settle and build up a 
 new country. Great was their rejoicing, when their 
 landlord generously offered to furnish the irons, mill- 
 stones, and other articles which could not be obtained 
 upon the spot, and ship them to Albany, agreeing to 
 take the mill when finished, at a fair valuation in pay- 
 ment towards their land, deducting the amount he had 
 advanced. This proposition was readily accepted, and 
 steps immediately taken to carry it into effect. 
 
28 HISTORY OF SHERBUKNE. 
 
 To get their mill-stones from Albany was a herculean 
 task, such heavy articles, such ways as the primitive con- 
 dition of the country furnished, (for roads they could 
 not be called, roads were yet in the future,) would appal 
 almost any men but such as these. Their sjbout hearts, 
 and indomitable energy, were adequate to every emer- 
 gency. Two men, one of whom was John Lathrop, 
 started with sled and oxen, the latter part of winter, to 
 obtain them. Slow indeed was their progress. Day 
 after day, their voices would echo among the trees, as 
 they cheered their teams — now starting the bounding 
 deer, anon frightening the nimble fawn — now joining 
 teams to surmount this hill — now to cross that stream, 
 and climb its abrupt bank — now breaking through 
 nature's bridge of ice, and extricating themselves from 
 their difficult position, in the best manner circumstances 
 allow* until their formidable task was successfully accom- 
 plished.* 
 
 In the spring of 1794, Joel Hatch built a temporary 
 hut, and commenced operations upon the mill. He was 
 three miles from his nearest neighbor, with his wife and 
 two small children. 
 
 As the evening twilight begins to hover around, the 
 dense forest lends its aid to render the scene monoton- 
 ous and solemn. In subdued quietness they seat them- 
 selves before the blazing fire, built where the hearthstone 
 ought to be. The good old cow, lies upon the ground, 
 near the door, chewing her cud, gently sounding her 
 bell as she sways to and fro, when the howl of the wolf, 
 from some distant hill-top, breaks the silence that reigns 
 around. Wolf answers wolf, from among the neighbor- 
 ing hills — wolf answers wolf, from hill and vale, on every 
 
 * It took three weeks to perform the journey. 
 
HISTORY OF SHEEBUENE. 29 
 
 side, giving unmistakable evidence that a pack are near ! 
 A glance at the door, satisfies the inmates that a blanket 
 only, is a poor barrier against famishing half-starved 
 wolves. A large chest is hurriedly placed behind it, rest- 
 ing on its lower edge. Chairs, boxes, anything at hand, 
 which will aid in blocking the entrance, are piled thereon. 
 A solemn stillness succeeds, for some half-hour. These 
 noctural visitors, in the mean time, reconnoiter the pre- 
 mises, halt near the door, and, without warning, raise on 
 the wings of the wind, a prolonged yell^ that rever- 
 berates from hill to hill, to the consternation of the 
 inmates of the house ! The cow leaped to her feet, and 
 made the circuit of the house so furiously, that the clat- 
 ter of her bell caused the wolves, with equal fear and 
 fright, to beat a retreat. All was siletit the remainder 
 of the night, save an occasional howl from some. distant 
 hills. 
 
 The mill, where the above scene took place, was the 
 first erected for grinding grain in the town, and undoubt- 
 edly in the county, and is located about four miles north 
 of the village, in the north west quarter, on the Hand- 
 some Brook. It is now owned by Walter Firman. I 
 am aware that Preston and Norwich, both claim priority ; 
 but Sherburne people would not have gone to Whites- 
 town to get their grinding done, if there had been a mill 
 at either of those places. Neither would Norwich have 
 resorted to Tioga Point, as she is said to have done, in 
 Clark's History of the County, if Preston had a mill at 
 that time. Besides, people living in Norwich, are known 
 to have brought grain to this mill very early. 
 
 Soon after it was put in operation, it became expedi- 
 ent for the daughter of Cornelius Clark to " go to mill." 
 Caty, who was just budding into womanhood, was well 
 pleased with the prospects of a ride of four miles through 
 c2 
 
30 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 the woods on horse-back. " She was'nt afraid, no, not 
 she." Being detained longer than she expected, she 
 started rather late on her return. "When within one 
 mile of her father's house, her horse gave an unexpected 
 spring, which brought her and the bag of meal to the 
 ground. Striking upon her feet, and maintaining her 
 hold upon the bridle, the first object she saw, was two 
 fiery eyeballs, glaring through the twilight darkness, 
 directly upon her ! Scarcly realizing how it happened, 
 she found herself astride her horse ; and not inclined, if 
 she could, to check his speed, bent all her energies to 
 maintain her seat in the saddle. On reaching home, 
 with natural excitement, she related her adventure. The 
 family with one accord endeavored to allay her fright, 
 by pretending to think she was more " scared than hurt." 
 They did not deem it advisable, however, to go in search 
 of the bag until the next morning, when they discov- 
 ered the well known tracks of a large wolf, in its imme- 
 diate vicinity! 
 
 There have been, including the above, eight mills for 
 grinding grain erected in town — there are now only 
 two in operation. 
 
 At an early day, a grist mill was built by John Gil- 
 more, close to the Falls, known as the Sulj^hur Springs. 
 The water was conducted by a spout through the roof. 
 The road leading to it, was down a small ravine from the 
 north, running under a bridge, over which the Cherry 
 Valley turnpike road passed. The ravine, under the 
 bridge, has since been filled up, and no trace of the 
 bridge or mill remains. There have been twenty-one or 
 two mills for samng lumber, running at diflerent times, 
 within the bounds of Sherburne. At this day, there are 
 but twelve. 
 
 The remainder of the town, after this begining, was 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 31 
 
 settled with unusual rapidity. In seven years, the num- 
 ber of inhabitants had increased to twelve hundred and 
 eighty-two. Many of these proved to be kindred spirits, 
 drawn hither by the prospect of enjoying a well regu- 
 lated Christian Society, with organized Churches and 
 Schools. They were ready and willing at all times to 
 throw their influence upon the side of good order, 
 morality and religion, and were honored with offices of 
 trust and responsibility, the duties of which they dis- 
 charged with credit to themselves, and satisfaction to 
 the people. 
 
 FIRST PAYMENT FOR THEIR LANDS. 
 
 When the first payment for their lands became due, 
 their landlord, Benjamin Walker, mounted his horse and 
 came to witness the progress and prosperity of the set- 
 tlers and receive his dues. He met them at the house of 
 Cornelius Clark. The money at that day was chiefly 
 silver. One of them having brought his in a common 
 mill bag, Mr. Walker purchased it, and added the 
 remainder of his receipts. When ready to depart, he 
 swung it across his horse, and vaulted into his saddle, 
 with the air and attitude of a mill boy, which excited the 
 merriment, and called forth the jokes of the spectators. 
 They wished to know "how much toll" the miller was 
 entitled to for grinding his grist, &g. As he bowed 
 himself away, the settles jocosely cautioned him to be 
 on his guard, lest by riding against some protruding 
 limb, he should rend his bag and scatter his grist along 
 the path, a misfortune which sometimes happened. I 
 would by no means be understood to intimate that the 
 bag was so full, that he experienced any difficulty in 
 tying its mouth ; or, that it was so heavy, that he 
 required assistance to lay it across his horse. 
 
32 HISTORY OP SHERBURNE. 
 
 FIRST SCHOOL. 
 
 The first school organized for winter, was at the house 
 of Nathaniel Gray, one and a half miles north of the 
 village. Two log houses having been erected adjoining 
 <3ach other, to accomodate two families, one of them was 
 vacated for the benefit of the school. A pedagogue, by 
 
 the name of Gardner, was employed to teach it ; 
 
 when exercising a class in spelling, he put the word 
 Ifook — the scholar spelled it b-u-k — the teacher pro- 
 nounced it right. Edward Gray, son of John Gray, dis- 
 puted this. The master, in order to maintain the dignity 
 of his station, undertook to correct him corporeally ; a 
 scuffle ensued, from which the teacher came out second 
 best. The result was, the school was broken up for the 
 remainder of the winter. 
 
 TOWN MEETING. 
 
 The first Town Meeting was warned by the Town 
 Clerk of Paris,* to meet at the house of Timothy Hatch, 
 on the first Tuesday of April, 1795. They met in a log- 
 house. Isaac Foote was chosen moderator, and Oramus 
 Holmes, Town Clerk.f 
 
 * Four years previous to that date, it was a part of Whitesto^-n. 
 
 I Oramus Holmes was a soldier of the Revolution, a resident of 
 Vermont. At the age of 17, he enlisted into one of the regiments of the 
 celebrated "Green Mountain Boys." Me was with Gen. Montgomery 
 in his expedition against Quebec. About the period of the evacua- 
 tion of Ticonderoga by the British, he and a companion while out on 
 a scouting expedition, were taken prisoners, conveyed to Quebec, 
 and confined on board a prison ship. Making their escape in the 
 ship's boat, with two others, they crossed the St. Lawrence, struck 
 into the wilderness, without compass or guide, and traveled seventeen 
 days in a wild, dreary, and unsettled region, subsisting for the first 
 seven days on four hard biscuits, and eight ounces salt pork, per day, 
 
HISTORY OF SHEKBURNE. 33 
 
 The Eighth and Ninth Townships were set off from 
 Paris, as the Town of Sherburne, three years after the 
 first Town Meeting, in 1798. 
 
 Chenango county w^as formed the same year, from 
 parts of Herkimer and Tioga counties, and extended 
 from Oneida Lake to the Susquehanna River, and 
 included Madison county. Madison was taken from 
 Chenango, in 1806. 
 
 The Town received its cognomen, according to tradi- 
 tion, in the following manner : After the bounds had 
 been agreed upon, the question w^as asked by one of the 
 members of the Legislature, "What name shall we 
 give it ?" The reply w^as, " The inhabitants of that 
 place, always sing in their religious meetings, a tune 
 called Sherburne ; I think that name will suit them bet- 
 ter than any other." 
 
 I have taken the Town Records for my guide, in set- 
 tling the time when Sherburne was first organized. As 
 
 and the remaining ten days on the inner bark of the "White Pine, and 
 a few fish caught with their hands. After so many days of hunger, 
 toil and anxiety, while fording a river, and when midway of the stream, 
 they were discovered and retaken by a party of Indians in their canoes, 
 coming suddenly around a bend in the river, and carried back to Que- 
 bec, where they were again imprisoned with others on the second 
 floor of a two story building, under a guard of eighteen men. Mr. 
 Holmes, with two of his fellow prisoners, escaped by leaping to the 
 ground, evading the guard, crossing the river, and again striking into 
 the wilderness. Aftet many days of wandering and suffering, they 
 reached the frontier settlements of Vermont in safety. In March, 
 lt94 or 5, he settled in Sherburne, and soon united with the Congre- 
 gational Church, and cheerfully co-operated in all plans for the estab- 
 lishment of civil and religious institutions, and whatever contributed 
 to the growth and prosperity of the settlement. In 1805, he removed 
 to the shores of Lake Erie. After living there 27 years, he removed 
 to Ohio, and there died, aged 87. 
 
34 HISTOEY OF SHERBUENE. 
 
 there are unaccountable discrepancies found in the laws 
 and other publications, in regard to the time when the 
 county and town were first organized, I advise great 
 caution in all who would seek accuracy upon that sub- 
 ject. I believe the above is a correct version of the 
 matter. 
 
 FIRST JUSTICE OF THE PEACE. 
 
 Nathaniel Gray was the first Justice of the Peace 
 appointed in the town. He was not a man of brilliant 
 talents, but had the faculty to ^nn from all veneration 
 and respect. His counsels were received as words of 
 wisdom, and his opinions as law. The religious and 
 moral atmosphere which he diifused around all his actions, 
 gave him a commanding influence over men, which few 
 in any community possess. He was the Patriarch of the 
 settlers — a man without an enemy — a burning and shin- 
 ing light in the .Church. He and Abraham Raymond 
 were chosen Deacons of the First Congregational 
 Church, in Sherburne, at the time of its organization, 
 1794. Both of these men were soldiers in the French 
 War. Mr. Gray having been honorably discharged, 
 returned home. The next season, Abraham Raymond 
 entered the service, and was marched upon the same 
 ground, which was near the south end of Lake Cham- 
 plain in the vicinity of Lake George and Crown Point. 
 He was taken sick, and was unable to get home without 
 assistance. With the spirit of the good San^aritan, Mr. 
 Gray mounted his horse and went to his rescue, riding 
 some two hundred miles from Kent, Litchfield county. 
 Conn., through more than one hundred miles of unset- 
 tled woods and wilds, exposed to hostile bands of French 
 and Lidians, then in open war with the colonies, and 
 known to be lurking around. He found him weak and 
 
HISTORY OP SHEKBURNE. 35 
 
 feeble, unable to mount a horse without assistance. 
 Riding behind and supporting himself as well as he 
 could, they rode a few miles and halted. By frequent 
 short journeys, rests, and careful nursing, he gradually 
 increased in strength, and finally arrived home in safety ; 
 and more than twenty-five years afterwards, they became 
 associates in forming a new settlement in the Valley of 
 Chenango, and in leading church and society in the 
 paths of Christian duty and usefulness. 
 
 The impress, which the religious character of these 
 two men stamped upon society, and the institutions they 
 were instrumental in founding, are to this day exerting 
 a salutary influence upon comunity. When we consider 
 the almost normal condition of things in this valley at 
 that early day — no organized town or county for some 
 years — all recently from the tented field — State laws few 
 and almost unknown by the people — their magistrate 
 with but limited guide by which to square his official con- 
 duct, well may we marvel that so perfect order, peace and 
 quietness should prevail. "We can account for this only 
 by their unwavering allegiance to the laws of heaven, 
 and the confidence so implicitly placed in then- Moses 
 and Joshua, to judge righteous judgment over them. 
 The law as administered by him, was not the " rich man's 
 shield and buckler — the good man's terror, the poor 
 man's scourge." Deacon Gray died June, 1810. Dea- 
 con Raymond died 1830. 
 
 FIRST LAWSUIT. 
 
 The first lawsuit in town, was before Nathaniel Gray, 
 Esq. David Perry had discovered a dog, belonging to 
 Weston G. Thomas, chasing and worrying his sheep. 
 The owner, not regarding the repeated complaints that 
 his dog was in the habit of so doing — that sheep had 
 
36 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 been recently killed, and they had reason to believe his 
 dog was guilty of the deed. Mr. Perry killed the dog. 
 Mr. Thomas entered complaint, and caused a writ to be 
 served upon him for damages. The news spread and 
 became the universal topic of conversation. The moral 
 sense of the community was shocked. That one neigh- 
 bor should go to Imo with another, was an event which 
 could not be tolerated. The excitement became general. 
 A gentleman by the name of Poyers, now residing in 
 the lower part of the county, says, that at the time and 
 place designated for the trial, he was present — that 
 nearly every adult male in the town was there, intent on 
 effecting a compromise, Avhich w^as so readily acceded 
 to by the parties, when brought together, that the 
 people were taken by surprise. Their friendly remon- 
 strances against the sj)irit of litigation, brought to light 
 
 the fact that a certain pettifogger, by the name of 
 
 Wilder, (who had recently come into the place,) had 
 counseled him to prosecute, evidently for the purpose of 
 pocketing a fee. This fact, turned the indignation of all 
 upon the gentleman of law. They spontaneously resolved 
 themselves into a committee, and delegated some of their 
 number to wait on the barrister, and inform him that his 
 presence in the town could be dispensed with — that his 
 antecedents were distasteful to the people, and that the 
 sooner he left the place, the more agreeable it would be 
 to them ; at the same time remarking, if he decided to 
 tarry among them, his person and property would not 
 be molested, but he might rest assured they should avoid 
 all intercourse, if not dealings with hhn. The spirit and 
 opposition manifested by the people against the course 
 he had pursued, convinced him that the sooner he was 
 away, the better it would be for him. To the joy of the 
 community, in less than one year after he came into the 
 town, he was seen on his way out of it. 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 3Y 
 
 With the twenty proprietors, the writer was person- 
 ally acquainted, and has often heard them "fight their 
 battles o'er." There was not a low or grovelling sj^irit 
 among them. Every individual, from personal worth, 
 commanded and received respect. Litigation between 
 any of them was an event, which never, to my knowl- 
 edge, took place. Such was their confidence in each 
 other's honor and honesty, that in trafiSc, they would trust 
 their neighbor to weigh and measure for himself, what- 
 ever article he wished to obtain. They lived more like 
 members of the same family, than neighbors having 
 separate interests. 
 
 They w^ere generally Congregationalists in their church 
 organization and belief — Calvinists in doctrine — zealous 
 supporters of education, morality, and religion — given to 
 hospitality and brotherly kindness. None of them pos- 
 sessed more than a common school education, and that 
 very meagre, compared to the scientific attainments of 
 the present generation; but they were men of strong 
 minds and unbending integrity. United in their views, 
 they controlled the political character of the town. 
 They were Whigs in sentiment and policy. During all 
 the varying phases of party names, they stood true to 
 their principles. The spirit of '76 had almost uncon- 
 trollable ascendency over them. To question their devo- 
 tion to their country, was touching the " apple of the 
 eye." As characteristic of these men, the following 
 anecdote may not be inappropriate : After the town 
 had been settled fifteen or sixteen years, national poli- 
 tics caused party spirit to run rather high through the 
 land. Newcomb Raymond, having business at the 
 county seat, on his return, called on Col. Mead, who 
 kept a public house near North Norwich bridge. They 
 soon got into a political discussion upon certain measures 
 
 D 
 
38 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 then before the country. Col. Mead defended and Mr, 
 Raymond opposed them. Mr. Mead growing warm, 
 indiscreetly exclaimed, that all who were opposed to said 
 measures were Tories. This declaration roused the 
 lion. " Col. Mead ! when you were in your cradle, I 
 was following Gen. Washington, leaving my foot-prints 
 marked on the snow and ice, in blood ! To be called a 
 Tory by you, is too much for flesh and blood to bear ; 
 nothing but your being in your own house saves you a 
 drubbing ! If you say it again, that shan't save you." 
 The fire and bearing of this man, who was among those, 
 who, at midnight, under Generals Hamilton and Lafay- 
 ette, entered the first redoubt taken from Cornwallis, at 
 Yorktown, Virginia, bayonet in hand, without flint in his 
 gun,* awed the Colonel, and he said no more. 
 
 The greater proportion of these, and many of the early 
 settlers w^ith them, had done more or less active service 
 in the Revolutionary War, battling for their rights, liber- 
 ties, and independence. Some of them assisted in taking 
 Canada from the French. Two were at the taking of 
 Cornwallis. Others at the battle of Saratoga, aided in 
 compelling Burgoyne to surrender his arms and army, 
 to (^n. Gates. Some were at the battle of German- 
 town, and in various other places of less note in our 
 Revolutionary history. 
 
 Their number was rapidly increased, by men of moral 
 and religious principles, drawn hither by their unity of 
 faith, and strong desire to begin life where they and 
 their families could have church and school privileges, 
 which gave to Sherburne, as a town, its moral and reli- 
 gious reputation. They were conservatives, deeply im- 
 
 * They took them out, lest an accidental discharge should betray 
 their approach to the enemy. 
 
HISTOEY OF SHEEBUENE. ' 39 
 
 bued with the princij^les of then- Puritan forefathers — a 
 law abiding community. The observance of the Sab- 
 bath, as holy time, was to them a matter of conscience, 
 strictly enforced in their families, by example as well as 
 precept. Among the first complaints for breach of the 
 peace, was one for desecration of the Sabbath, entered 
 by John Gray, Sen., (a Universalist,) against a party of 
 men and boys, who had been seen upon the river, fish- 
 ing through the ice on that day. They were duly 
 arraigned, reprimanded, and punished by fine. Such 
 w^ere their conscientious scruples, in all matters relating 
 to the desecration of the Sabbath, that, about 1809, they 
 carried their ideas of duty so far, as to attempt stoj)ping 
 by force, people who were traveling through the town, 
 upon secular business, on that day. The laws of the 
 State authorized them, in no equivocal terms, to stop and 
 detain all such until the Sabbath was past, and then 
 take them before a magistrate, whose duty it was to 
 impose a fine upon them. In attempting to put this law 
 in force, opposition was aroused, resistance made, and 
 lawsuits ensued. The law was so unpopular, and public 
 opinion so manifestly against all attempts to carry it into 
 execution, that they became convinced that it was, to 
 say the least, of doubtful propriety, and all things consid- 
 ered, inexpedient. When we recollect that our wise 
 legislators saw fit to pass such a law, and the Governor 
 of the State to sanction it by his signature, we cannot 
 wonder that men, having the fear of God before their 
 eyes, should feel it to be their duty, by all lawful means, 
 to carry it into effect. Whatever censure we are dis- 
 posed to pass upon them for their misguided zeal, must, 
 with equal, if not with greater force, apply to the law- 
 making power. 
 
 Soon after the organization of the town and county. 
 
40 - HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 Joel Hatch was appointed Justice of the Peace, as suc- 
 cessor to Esquire Gray, whose age and infirmities ren- 
 dered it expedient that he should resign. Esquire 
 Hatch was retained in that office some fifteen or sixteen 
 years. He was the subject of many jokes and anecdotes 
 among the people, ready on any occasion and every 
 emergency, with a well timed story, or an appropriate 
 anecdote. At home, in any company, free, frank, and 
 sociable — never disconcerted at any blunder or mishap 
 that might light upon his shoulders. With fastidious- 
 ness or the toilet, he had little or no affinity. Plain in 
 matter and manner — fearless and original — backed by a 
 strong mind and a retentive memory — well posted in 
 all public measures, civil or religious — remarkable for 
 recognizing any individual with whom he had been ever 
 so slightly acquainted — once anchored upon any import- 
 ant principle, you might as well attempt to "batter 
 down the rock of Gibralter with a pocket poistol," as 
 to move him from his moorings. No matter with how 
 renowned a politician, or how celebrated a divine he 
 was conversing, if he differed with him upon any point, 
 he was ready to charge in battle array, in a tumbling 
 rather than a rolling manner, with arguments and opin- 
 ions so unique and original, as to command attention 
 and win respect. His style and manner, when aroused, 
 was that of the rasp, rather than the polishing file. 
 
 In the early days of his public career, (1808,) a vote 
 to divide the Eighth and Ninth Townships, which, until 
 then had formed the town of Sherburne, was, after 
 strenuous opposition from influential men, under consi- 
 derable excitement, obtained. As the Legislature was 
 then in session, it was considered advisable to appoint an 
 agent to go forthwith, and present a petition for an act, 
 authorizing the division. Esquire Hatch, was, accord- 
 
HISTORY OF SHEEBURNE. 41 
 
 ingly appointed. On arriving at Albany, he presented 
 his petition in due form before the Legislature, where he 
 found that a strong array of opposition was organized. 
 After some time had been spent upon the question, by 
 the members, one of them remarked, " Perhaps the dele- 
 gate can give us some information upon the subject, let 
 us hear him." He arose at once, and was entering into 
 the merits of the case, in his peculiar manner, riveting 
 the attention of the house to such a degree, that the 
 opposition became annoyed ; and in order to break him 
 down, raised the question of his right to address the 
 House, wishing to know if Esq. Hatch was a member, 
 &c. This interruption, and these remarks, were received 
 by him as an infringement upon his right of petition, for 
 the obtaining of which, he had shouldered his musket in 
 the Revolutionary War. It aroused the spirit and energy 
 that had carried him to the tented field. His sten- 
 torian voice instantly rang through the hall — " I came 
 here with a petition from the people ! I am one of the 
 people ! I have a right to be heard, and I will be heard !" 
 He was heard in silent attention and evident delight, by 
 the House. The object of his mission was soon accom- 
 plished to his own, and his constituents' satisfaction. 
 
 The first two lawyers, who settled in the town, with 
 the view of practicing their profession, were Jonathan 
 Pettit, and Ezra Osborn. Their company, as lawyers, 
 was looked upon with jealousy, as tending to promote 
 rather than allay the spirit of litigation. Nearly, if not 
 quite, their first debiit at a regularly contested suit, was 
 before Esq. Hatch, who was frequently under the influ- 
 ence of somnolency ; but when spoken to, was instantly 
 aroused. The testimony finished, the lawyers com- 
 menced their pleadings. Esq. Osborn having completed 
 his, Esq. Pettit began speaking in reply. The afternoon 
 d2 
 
42 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 being warm and sultry, he soon discovered the magis- 
 trate nodding upon the bench. Being ambitious to 
 acquit himself with honor, and establish his fame for 
 legal lore, he thus addressed him : " I would thank the 
 Court to keep awake, as there are some very important 
 points which I wish to present for its consideration. 
 " Go on, go on, the Court will hear you." Esq. Pettit 
 proceeding, was again annoyed, by observing rather 
 more whalebone elasticity in the neck of the Justice 
 than he thought compatible with the dignity of his sta- 
 tion, or consistent with the due appreciation of his argu- 
 ments, and renewed his request for the special attention 
 of the Court. Esq. Hatch, arousing from his lethargy, 
 with his accustomed promptness and vivacity, replied : 
 " Never mind, never mind, I decided the case more than 
 an hour ago ; but I thought I would let you earn your 
 dollar ;" which so disconcerted him, that he sat down, 
 observing, " Then, all I can say will be of no avail." 
 Judgment was rendered in favor of his client. 
 
 After Esq. Hatch had served a few years as a magis- 
 trate, a number of Associate Justices were appointed, 
 among whom was Stephen Benedict. He was his anti- 
 pode in matter and manner. The contrast was instruct 
 ive and amusing. One, bold, defiant, and determined ; 
 the other, mild, attractive, and winning— one inviting, 
 rather than shunning, responsibility — the other, avoid- 
 ing it if possible, but never shrinking from it, when 
 necessary. Two men apparently more uncongenial, are 
 seldom associated together, yet, no two individuals, in 
 public business, ever harmonized better. 
 
 Others, in various parts of the town, were, from time 
 to time, appointed as their associates and successors, of 
 some of whom, honorable mention might be made, but 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 43 
 
 their increasing numbers renders the attempt inexpe- 
 dient. 
 
 The following incident may be taken as a sample of 
 the moral integrity of the town officers at that day: 
 At a state election, a certain individual oifering his 
 vote, one of the board who knew him to be an illegal 
 voter, began to question him, when an unscrupulous par- 
 tizan whispered in his ear, " He is one of our party." 
 The reply was, " I know no party here." He turned 
 away, saying, " Upon my word, this is the most honest 
 board I ever knew." 
 
 JUDGES. 
 
 The first Court of Common Pleas, held in Chenango 
 county, was convened at the school-house, in the town 
 of Hamilton, near the residence of Elisha Payne, June 
 1798. Madison county, at that time was part of Che- 
 nango. Isaac Foote, of the Eighth Township, now 
 Smyrna, presided as First Judge, and held the office ten 
 years.* 
 
 In 1808, Joel Thompson, of Sherburne, succeeded 
 him, and remained upon the bench several years, and 
 was also a member of the Legislature. In 1813, John 
 Gray, jr., of Sherburne, took a seat upon the bench, as 
 Associate Judge. Tilly Lynde, also in 1816 , and Philo 
 Robinson, in 1841. 
 
 The first jail limits in the county, were established by 
 
 * Judge Foote, was the first member of the Legislature from this 
 region. He was appointed to represent the interests of the people in 
 this vicinity, when it was included in the county of Herkimer. He 
 held a distinguished place in the public eye, and won their confidonco 
 and respect to such a degree, that all felt that the " Ship of State " 
 would bo safe with such men on board. 
 
44 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 the Court of Common Pleas, July 1799, at Sherburne 
 Four Corners, adjacent to the residence of Josiah Eur- 
 dy, occupying an area of three acres. The jail of the 
 county was at Whitestown, until 1808. 
 
 CIRCUIT COURT. 
 
 The first Circuit Court was held on the 10th of July, 
 1798, in the Academy in the town of Oxford. James 
 Kent presided. There was no business transacted at this, 
 nor the second terra, for want of litigants. 
 
 STORE. 
 
 The first Store was opened by James Elmore, about 
 one and a half miles north of the village, on the farm 
 now owned by Asa Foote, jr. He also hung out the 
 first sign for an Inn, and built the first framed house in 
 the town. He was the first Post Master appointed in 
 the place. His commission bears date January, 1801, 
 signed by Joseph Habersham, Post Master General. The 
 first painted house in town was James Sherburne's. 
 
 CARDING MACHINE. 
 
 The first Machine for Carding Wool, was erected by 
 Simeon Paddleford, in 1804, one mile below the village, 
 on the Chenango river. It is said that this was one of 
 the first two Carding Machines, brought into this coun- 
 try. It was at the same place that the first establish- 
 ment, in the Ninth Township, for fulling and dressing 
 cloth, was set up by Aaron Mills. Before that time, 
 Joseph Collins had a fulling mill in operation, in the 
 Eighth Township, now Smyrna, which, probably, was 
 the first mill of the kind ever erected within the present 
 bounds of Chenango county. The first settler in the 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 45 
 
 Eighth Township was Joseph Porter, who came in the 
 same year as the Twenty Proprietors. 
 
 WOOLEN FACTORY. 
 
 The first Woolen Factory was erected by William 
 Newton, in 1812, on the Handsome Brook, one mile 
 north of Sherbm-ne village. It was twice bm-ned down 
 and then abandoned. 
 
 Joel Hatch's Machine Shop, was built the same year, 
 on the same dam. The first Turning Lathe in the town, 
 and probably, in the county, was set up by him, for the 
 purpose of turning the various parts of Spinning Wheels. 
 It consisted of a spring-pole, fastened over head, near 
 the chamber floor. A cord attached to one end of it, 
 then wound around the article to be turned, the lower 
 end fastened to a foot-piece. Pressing this with the 
 foot would cause the stick to revolve a number of times. 
 On releasing the pressure, the spring pole would return 
 to its former position, causing the stick to roll alter- 
 nately, backwards and forwards. It was on such lathes 
 that he and his master did their turning, and they were 
 unacquainted with any other until a later day. 
 
 Ox carts and sleds were the only vehicles they had 
 for their accommodation, for several years. Their cart- 
 wheels were many of them, made of one piece, cut from 
 a large oak tree, with a hole bored through the centre, for 
 the axle. Their cart and wagon wheels, when ironed at 
 all, had the tire in pieces, spiked across the joints of the 
 felloes. Whole tire were unknown at that day. Jacob 
 Rees introduced the first two horse wagon into the to\\Ti. 
 
 The first white male born in the town, was Lorenzo 
 Hatch. I am aware that this is claimed for Justin 
 Guthrie. He was born, per family record, in 1*792, and 
 
46 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 Lorenzo Hatch, in 1793. The first settlers came in 
 
 1792, and it was the uniform testimony of all who were 
 then residents, that in that year, the wife of Abraham 
 Raymond was the only white female in the town. The 
 first white female infant was Abigail Raymond, born in 
 
 1793. She now lives in Oregon.* 
 
 The first death was a child of Nathaniel Austin, which 
 was occasioned by its being scalded in maple syruj). The 
 first death among the proprietors, was Joel Northrup. 
 The last was Joel Hatch. 
 
 PHYSICIANS. 
 
 The first Physician was Dr. Lacy. He tarried but a 
 short time. Dr. Asa White settled very early. He was 
 eminently a practical man, possessing energy and skill 
 to such a degree, that no other physician could success- 
 fully compete with him. In the early days of his ride, 
 he was called to visit a patient, residing about ten miles 
 distant. His path led him through a dense forest, of 
 about six miles. Midway, some pioneer had com- 
 menced the erection of a log-house, which was so far 
 completed as to be ready to receive the roof — a narrow 
 doorway had been cut through one side. Receiving a 
 bushel of corn, as part compensation, for his services, 
 the Doctor set out on his return. Night overtook him 
 soon after he entered the woods, when he was sere- 
 naded and followed by a pacli of wolves ! Hurrying for- 
 ward, he led his horse into the half-finished house, took 
 a seat with his bag directly over the doorway, and 
 defended himself and horse, by swinging a long pole 
 backwards and forwards, until the dawn of day — the 
 
 * She, with her husband, crossed the Eocky Mountains, some 25 
 years ago, on horse-back. 
 
HISTOKY OF SHEBBUENE. 47 
 
 wolves most of the time, in close proximity, making 
 demonstrations of a determination to force their way 
 into the inclosure. He died in 1818. His son, Devillo 
 "White, took his ride, and maintains the ascendency to 
 this day, and ranks among the first of his profession in 
 the county. In 1804 or 5, the typhus fever prevailed 
 extensively through the town, causing more deaths, in 
 proportion to the number of inhabitants, than any sick- 
 ness that has prevailed before or since. It was gener- 
 ally attributed to the malaria arising from the decay of 
 vegetable matter, as about that time, stumps and fallen 
 trees, were very much rotted and began to crumble 
 away. The effect of this was more marked in this town 
 than elsewhere, because so great a number commenced 
 simultaneously the work of clearing, the decay, and con- 
 sequently the miasma, pervaded all parts of the town 
 about the same time. Aaron Mills was the first person 
 prostrated with this fever. He recovered. It was 
 observed that strong robust constitutions, were as hable 
 to be attacked with it as any others, and some thought 
 more so. 
 
 Dr. Asa White was the principal physician. In his 
 management of this disease, he followed the standard 
 medical works of that day, which directed the free use 
 of stimulants, particularly wine and Peruvian bark. The 
 fatality which accompanied this mode of treatment, was 
 attributed to the virulence of the disease, until the sup- 
 ply of bark, in this and neighboring towns, became 
 exhausted. When, to the surprise of all, those cases 
 which were, from necessity, treated without the stimu- 
 lant, succeeded best. After this. Dr. White abandoned its 
 use, (but not without opposition, from others of his pro- 
 fession.) The fever soon became a manageable disease 
 in all this region, which was, for a time, more or less 
 
48 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 exposed to it from the same cause. It was a difficult 
 matter to obtain the requisite assistance to administer 
 to the necessities of the sick. There were instances of 
 persons riding eight or nine miles, to relieve some fami- 
 lies only one night, and returning the next day, at the 
 imperative call of urgent cases near home. It was no 
 uncommon event, to travel four or five miles for watch- 
 ers, and convey them home the next morning. Their 
 comforts and accommodations at that day, were exceed- 
 ingly limited. Many of them had but one room in their 
 houses, in which, four or five sick persons might be 
 lying at the same time, at one end of the room, in the 
 various stages of the disease, and the necessary cooking 
 going on at the other. 
 
 Rumors of this sickness circulating abroad, checked 
 the tide of emigration for a time, and retarded the 
 increase of the settlement. 
 
 SCHOOL HOUSE. 
 
 The first School House erected in the town, was 
 located about one and a half miles north of the village, 
 near the bridge on the Handsome Brook road. It was 
 in later times designated " The Quarter School House." 
 No trace of it now remains. The district embraced the 
 whole town. Many would have to travel between three 
 and four miles to reach it. The pupils sometimes num- 
 bered between ninety and one hundred per day. From 
 this district, others from time to time were formed, until 
 the number had increased to twenty. The second 
 School House was built, about one and half miles west 
 of the village, near the residence of Daniel Newton. 
 This district included all that part of the town lying on 
 the west side of the river. Select Schools were early 
 established and well patronized, especially during the 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBUENE. 49 
 
 winter months. About 1840, a building of moderate 
 pretentions was erected, and a charter for an Academy- 
 obtained, which was maintained, with more or less fluc- 
 tuations, until 1847, w^hen a Union School was organized 
 by combining four districts, and locating the school in 
 the village. This drew many from the Academy, who 
 would otherwise have attended, which had the efiect to 
 cause it to run down, and the corporation to give up 
 its charter. After the Union School had been con- 
 tinued about thirteen years, the distance, scholars living 
 out of the village, were obliged to travel, and other 
 causes combining, induced the old district, commonly 
 known as the "quarter," by mutual consent, to with- 
 draw, and they were accordingly set back as an inde- 
 pendent district in 1859. 
 
 GOSPEL AND SCHOOL LANDS. 
 
 The act, authorizing the Surveyor General to survey 
 and locate the Tw^enty Townships, was passed February 
 25, 1789, and among other provisions, required him to 
 mark two lots of 250 acres each, as near the centre of 
 the Township as might be, to be reserved for religious 
 and school purposes. These were afterwards sold by 
 the State, to speculators, without proper reservations^ 
 The intelligent and religious emigrants, who had taken 
 up farms within the towns, remonstrated, and petitioned 
 the Government with such energy and perseverance, 
 that in 1811, the law-making power appropriated forty 
 lots of 250 acres each, near Oneida Lake, which were 
 divided among the towns interested ; and, as far as I 
 am advised, have been sold, and the interest generally 
 appropriated to the support of Common Schools. 
 
 The lot awarded to Sherburne, was situated in the 
 town of Sullivan, Madison county. Joel Hatch, Esq., 
 
60 HISTORY OP SHERBURNE. 
 
 was appointed agent, to superintend the sale of these 
 lands. It was twenty-three years after the passage of 
 the law, appropriating these lands for the purposes above 
 mentioned, before they became the absolute property of 
 the towns, which was in 1814. 
 
 The Permanent Fund, belonging to the town, for edu- 
 cational purposes, is one thousand and eight hundred 
 dollars, which is secured by Bond and Mortgage. 
 
 LIBRARY. 
 
 The settlers, before their removal to the Valley of the 
 Chenango, feeling the importance of general informa- 
 tion, and appreciating the necessity of providing the 
 means of acquiring it, for the rising generation, formed a 
 company, raised from their scanty means the sum of ten 
 dollars, and appointed an agent to purchase suitable 
 books, to form the neucleus of a future Public Library. 
 This was styled Federal Library, and was maintained 
 about thirty years. It had increased to nearly five hun- 
 dred volumes, when, to the surprise and mortification of 
 those who had maintained it from the beginning, a few 
 individuals, who were mostly recent settlers, at an annual 
 meeting (which was thinly attended) taking advantage 
 of this circumstance, without regard to honor or moral 
 honesty, ruthlessly voted to dissolve the same, and 
 divide the books among themselves, thereby excluding 
 all who had neglected to pay their annual tax at that 
 meeting, from any participation in the division. The 
 whole affair was a disgrace to the actors, and ought to 
 go down to posterity as a monument to their shame. 
 
 WEDDING. 
 
 The first Wedding in the town was John Hibbard's, 
 which took place about two years after the settlers came 
 
HISTOKY OF SHERBURNE. 51 
 
 into the valley. There was no Clergyman, Justice of 
 the Peace, or other officer legally qualified to adminis- 
 ter at the altar, nearer than North Norwich, seven miles 
 below — no carriage roads nor carriages, except ox-carts. 
 There was then no alternative, but a ride on horse-back. 
 Mr. Hibbard accordingly applied to Joel Hatch, saying, 
 *' Mr. Hatch, I want to get your horse to go to North 
 Norwich; Betsey Sartel and I have concluded to get 
 married, and I want to go to Esq. Purdy's and have 
 the slop over with." He took his intended bride behind 
 him, rode down to North Norwich, and, as a conse- 
 quence, they came back husband and wife. The first 
 fruit of this marriage, was a pair of twins. 
 
 Joel Hatch, Esq., being called upon, by Mr. Tillotson, 
 to perform the marriage ceremony for him, referred him 
 to the Rev. Roger Adams, who was the first settled 
 preacher in the place. Mr. Adams readily complying 
 with his wishes, mounted his horse, rode three or four 
 miles over the hills into the north-east quarter of the 
 town, through such roads as the primitive condition of 
 the country furnished, and duly pronounced them hus- 
 band and wife. The ceremony ended, the bride-groom 
 inquired the amount of his fee. Mr. A. replied, " I never 
 charge anything — they pay what they please." He 
 thanked him heartily, adding, *' If Esq. Hatch had mar- 
 ried me, I'll warrant it would have cost me a dollar." 
 The divine waited on the magistrate the next morning, 
 and notified him that his popularity was on the wane. 
 Two or three weeks after, the bride-groom presented 
 Mr. Adams with a new wash-tub. 
 
 PARTY-RIDE. 
 
 "When their sons and daughters began to mingle in 
 social glee, as young gentlemen and ladies must and will, 
 
52 HISTORY OF SHEEBUENE. 
 
 regardless of all inconveniencies that arise from the want 
 of carriage roads, of splendid carriages, and correspond- 
 ing equipages, they resolve to have a ride on horse-back, 
 and go four or six miles tlirough a newly cut road, to 
 make a call upon a neighbor, as every family, for miles 
 around, are near neighbors, and well acquainted with 
 each other. 
 
 Every beau must furnish a horse for himself, and one 
 for his lady, equipped with a side-saddle. In default of 
 an extra horse, a pillion must be provided, lashed behind 
 his own saddle, and his lady ride behind him. 
 
 Thus equipped, each young gentleman starts for his 
 lady ; arriving at her father's house, he finds her tidily 
 rigged in garments of her own manufacture, from the 
 spindle to the loom. She is soon ready, and climbs 
 upon the top of some newly cut stump, or recently fallen 
 log. The horse is led along side, for her to mount. At 
 the moment she springs, the horse makes an unexpected 
 movement, and she leaps to the ground ; nothing daunt- 
 ed, she remounts, and makes another attempt, perhaps 
 with better success ; off they start for the appointed ren- 
 dezvous, merry and laughing. 
 
 The scattered cavalcade gradually concentrates, until 
 the whole troop greet and congratulate each other, in 
 anticipation of the pleasures before them. They fall 
 into line, chattering and giggling like a flock of black- 
 birds — plunge into the wild forest — picking their way 
 among old logs, stumps, and mud-holes, as best they can 
 — now bowing their heads close to their horses' necks, 
 to dodge an over-hanging half-fallen tree — now hauling 
 to the right, and now to the left, to avoid this and that 
 pool of mud and water — closely hugging some obtruding 
 half trimmed log, in imminent danger of being precipi- 
 tated into the mire below — now unhorsed by some pro- 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 53 
 
 truding limb, with pride and spirit remounting, onward 
 they move — now on the verge of some unbridged stream, 
 they plmige down its short steep bank, calculating their 
 chance of being precipitated over the heads of their 
 horses into the stream below — now splashing through 
 and defacing the crystal waters at their feet — now doubt- 
 ing whether they shall be able to ascend the opposite 
 and steeper bank, without coming out minus their horses, 
 and themselves sprawling in the mud and water in the 
 rear. The ladies dismount, and by the aid of bushes, 
 and the help of each other, are enabled to ascend to the 
 top. The young men, more delighted than otherwise, 
 address themselves to their sport, eager to show their 
 prowess. One of their number plunges forward, shout- 
 ing and cheering his horse — which flounders and flounces, 
 sending a due quantity of mud and water into the air, 
 without partiality to horse or rider — the rest follow suit, 
 with like success. With merriment they examine their 
 wardrobe — " My shoes are full of mud and water," cries 
 one — " So are mine," they all in chorus cry, with a vocif- 
 erous laugh — right glad that their white stockings were 
 left at home, if such an article as summer hose was own- 
 ed by any of them. Their shoes are emptied of their 
 contents, and, together w^ith their feet, washed in the 
 running stream — their pantaloons undergoing similar 
 ablutions, especially near their feet — faces and hands not 
 forgotten. 
 
 After gathering some of the wild flowers that adorn 
 the banks of the stream, they mount their horses, and 
 with more intense glee, move on. A beautiful spotted 
 fawn is discovered crossing their path. " ! catch him, 
 catch him !" from the lips of one and all. Some spur 
 their horses in chase, others dismount, in hot pursuit 
 they shout and rend the air with their cries, spurred to 
 e2 
 
54 HISTOEY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 vigorous intensity, by the excitement the race and the 
 occasion inspire. They soon lose sight of him, give 
 over the chase, and resume their ride, vivaciously relat- 
 ing their personal adventures in the scene. 
 
 At length they rein up to a stout fence, made of large 
 round logs, a few rods beyond which stands a well built 
 log-house, looking as aristocratic as any in town. Dis- 
 mounting, they let down a pair of bars, made of round 
 poles, leap with agile step, their closely packed ends, 
 and wend their way along a narrow grass plat, bounded 
 on one side by a huge fallen tree, on the top of which, 
 small poles and brush are piled, to guard and keep back 
 intruding cattle from the garden, in the midst of which 
 stands the mansion they are seeking. They rap : the 
 response, " Come in," is quickly answered by a pull 
 at the latch-string, and shove at the door, revealing 
 the good woman of the house, busy with her cards, and 
 her daughter "with cheerful industry filling every corner 
 of the room, with the well understood music of the spin- 
 ning wheel. The " How do you do ? and how do you 
 do?" ended, the cards and wheel cleared away, the 
 twig broom doing duty, the dust from the cards disap- 
 pears, and they are seated with as much pleasure and 
 heartiness, as ever reigned in any mahogany furnished 
 parlor of the present day. " Where are the men-folks ?" 
 one of the young gentlemen inquires. "They are down 
 at the lower end of the clearing — I will send for them." 
 " No, we will go ourselves and see how they are getting 
 along." Seizing their hats, they are guided to the spot, 
 by the " Whoa — haw — gee !" that echoes through the 
 surrounding wood. They find them busy, rolling half- 
 burnt logs into heaps. The usual compliments ended — 
 *' We will finish this log-heap, and then go the house." 
 " That's right — we will help you ;" and at it they go 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 65 
 
 with right good will. One seizes a lever, ready at any 
 moment to lend a helping hand. Here is a large log, 
 evidently requiring more strength to roll than the far- 
 mer and his two stout sons possess. It must be cut 
 before it can be moved. One throws ofl" his coat, seizes 
 an ax, and mounts the log. Knowing that every blow 
 will be strictly scrutinized according to the well known 
 rules of the art, he takes pride and pleasure in display- 
 ing his talent on this occasion.' He having finished one 
 side, another, with equal ambition, mounts and finishes 
 the other. Then their united strength rolls it to its des- 
 tined place. 
 
 Their task ended, they return to the house, where, 
 instinctively, they seat themselves around the door, 
 under some shade, on logs, stumps, or whatever else is 
 at hand, discussing their progress and plans for the future 
 among themselves. Let us see what is going on in the 
 house. The tea-kettle is hung over the fire — the kind 
 mother says, " Come, my daughter, you make some 
 short-cake." The guests with one united voice, volun- 
 teer their assistance, for the spirit of industry, and help- 
 one-another, reigns in-doors as well as out. Suiting 
 their actions to their words, all are in lively motion, 
 inquiring with exhilarated chatter, " Where is this ? and 
 where is that ?" 
 
 Here is the dish containing the ashes of burnt corn- 
 cobs, the use of which they all w^ell understand. In its 
 stead, at the present day, pearlash, saleratus, or soda 
 are substituted. The short cake in due quantity and 
 quality, is soon swelling before the fire. The materials 
 for the sweet loaf are paraded, which, after a full inter- 
 change of opinions, are maturely compounded in the 
 most approved manner ; and having been subjected to the 
 process of baking, it is temptingly ready for the table. 
 
56 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 Now for the tea, what shall we have for tea ? " We 
 have been out for some weeks." " So have we, and so 
 have we," echoes from more voices than one — " there is 
 none to be had in town." 
 
 After discussing the respective merits of sage, burnt 
 crust, roasted acrons, evans-root, and parched-corn, the 
 decision is made in favor of crust coffee. " Shall we 
 sweeten it in the pot, or let each prepare it to suit his 
 own taste ?" The latter method is resolved upon. A 
 cake of maple sugar, by no means diminutive in size, is 
 produced. " Shall we cut it into small pieces ?" " No, 
 let each one shave it off to suit himself" These impor- 
 tant matters all settled, the table set out, noses counted, 
 mathematical calculations made, it is decided that the 
 cross-legged pine-table must be enlarged, or divide the 
 guests and set the table twice. " Here are a couple of 
 wide boards, lay them upon the table, then there will be 
 room for all." " That's it ; see how nice they suit." 
 
 The iron-bound chest is ransacked with care, until 
 tw^o neatly folded diaper table-cloths are produced, 
 which, after being duly admired for their evenness 
 and figure, (for mothers, at that day, well knew how to 
 make " fine twined linen,") are spread upon the table. 
 Pewter plates and dishes, in whose polished surfaces, 
 your disturbed hair could be seen and rectified, together 
 with wooden plates or "trenchers," to make up the 
 required number, are arranged in order. In quick suc- 
 cession, the variously prepared viands, grace the table. 
 The ham and eggs, dough-nuts, &c., which, if I have 
 neglected to mention, they had not forgotten to furnish. 
 The tea — no, crust-coffee — poured out, the gentlemen 
 called, the table surrounded, all standing, the blessing 
 asked, they take their seats. 
 
 The gentleman of the house, as was the custom of 
 
mSTOKY OF SHEEBUENE. 57 
 
 those times, takes the meat, and after cuttmg it into 
 small pieces, returns it to the middle of the table. 
 " Help yourselves." All are busily engaged, at what 
 their hands find to do. The good man of the house, 
 casting his eye around, perceiving that all have finished 
 their repast, rises to his feet. In respectful reverence, 
 they all imitate his example, and return thanks for all 
 mercies received, and soon after address themselves to 
 preparations for their return, as there is no time to be 
 lost. The usual parting compliments ended, they are 
 soon in the saddle, and under a shower of good wishes 
 for their safe arrival home, set forward in high spirits. 
 
 After the most difficult part of their road has been 
 surmounted, the deepening gloom, and the declining 
 sun, have the efifect to cause, in sympathetic harmony, 
 their united voices in soft melodious strains, to echo 
 in song. Suddenly, '' The bird of wisdom," perched over 
 their heads, mingles his intense, unearthly note, causing 
 an involuntary shudder, succeeded by peals of laughter, 
 and the cry, " Who's brought up in the woods to be 
 scared to death by owls !" Gradually they relapse into 
 a moody, monotonous state of mind, when, instinctively, 
 they place a wider space between each couple, as if to 
 enjoy each their own partner's exclusive company. Their 
 horses, by some invisible means, appear quite inclined to 
 closer contact than usual, and their riders manifest no 
 objection to be placed in nearer proximity to each other, 
 and are soon engaged in all manner of chit-chat, evi- 
 dently to their own satisfaction — now discussing the 
 prospective marriage of this, and now of that couple, and 
 perhaps their own. 
 
 Thus with slow and measured step, quietly they move 
 along — none in a hurry — all in a little world of their 
 own — deeply intent upon its internal organization. As 
 
58 HISTORY OP SHEEBUENE. 
 
 the setting sun begins to entangle itself among the tree- 
 tops, they find themselves sooner than they are aware, 
 and than they desired, awakened from their pleasing 
 reverie, by their arrival at her father's house. Dis- 
 mounting, they pause for a moment on the steps, and 
 are engaged in close, low-toned conversation — whether 
 to renew their vows, or pop the main question, I will 
 not attemj^t to decide, nor intrude upon their privacy, 
 but leave them to their anticipations and dreams of 
 future joy and happiness. 
 
 BRIDGE. 
 
 The first Bridge across the Chenango river, was built 
 near the junction of the Handsome Brook, to accommo- 
 date foot passengers. Teams forded the stream a short 
 distance below. It consisted of only one large tree in 
 width, and three of them in length, leveled on the upper 
 side with the hewing ax. Stakes driven a few feet apart 
 near the outer edges, were interwoven with withs, to 
 protect women and children from falling into the stream. 
 A woman by the name of Lathrop, rode across the bridge 
 with a child in her arms, to the astonishment of her 
 friends and neighbors, in safety. It was considered a 
 hazardous undertaking, even to lead a horse over the 
 structure. A Frenchman, rather than ride through the 
 river, made the attempt, when, imfortunately, the horse 
 fell upon the bridge, with his feet dangling on both 
 sides, and was prevented from falling into the water by 
 the stakes and withs, which held him there, until the 
 neighbors could be rallied, from a quarter to one mile 
 around, in sufiicient numbers to lift and support the 
 horse across the remainder of the bridge, which, with 
 considerable difficulty, and great exertion, they were 
 enabled to accomplish. 
 
HISTORY OP SHERBURNE. 59 
 
 ARK. 
 
 In 1803, there was built and launched into the Che- 
 nango river, near the first bridge above the village, a 
 boat, called by the inhabitants, an "Ark," for the pur- 
 pose of conveying lumber down the river, with the 
 expectation of finding a profitable market at Baltimore, 
 in Maryland. Nathaniel Austin, and his brother, em- 
 barked in this enterprise. The anxiety of the people to 
 make the river available for purposes of navigation, was 
 such, that they voted a tax upon the town, to clear it of 
 obstructions. The launching of the Ark was a gala day. 
 Men, women and children turned out to witness the 
 performance. When the famous Ark was afloat, they 
 must have a ride. Like the Ark of old, it was soon 
 filled with living creatures, even to the dog. With tow- 
 ing, setting and pulling by the willows, they were ena- 
 bled to ascend the river towards half a mile, when, like 
 boys after tugging and hauling their sleds to the top of 
 the hill, they were well paid for their toil, by riding 
 down again. It was freighted chiefly with pine staves 
 and shingles, which did not prove as remunerative as 
 they anticipated ; and they found more difiiculty in 
 keeping the channel of the river than they expected, 
 especially when it was on the rise. There were one or 
 two other Arks built, for similar purposes, near the 
 south line of the town, one of which was freighted with 
 grain, which became damaged during the voyage, and 
 was a total loss. Mr. Austin and his son Seymour, while 
 on this expedition, were both attacked with the yellow 
 fever, with which Mr. A. died,* his son recovered and 
 returned home. 
 
 * Mr. Austin was compromised by Shay's Rebellion in Massachu- 
 setts, and was taken and sentenced to be hung. While confined in 
 
60 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 CHENANGO CANAL. 
 
 The Chenango Canal, running from Utica to Bing- 
 hamton, nearly through the centre of the town, was 
 commenced in 1833, forty years after the town was set- 
 tled, and completed in 1837, at a cost of |1,'73'7,'703. 
 When the bill of 1833 became a law, there was great 
 rejoicing through the valley. In Sherburne, old boats 
 were dragged from the river, mounted on runners, and 
 drawn through the streets, by from four to six pairs of 
 horses, with flags and streamers flying, drums, fifes and 
 other musical instruments playing, which, together with 
 the shouts and hurrahs from those assembled, gave 
 unmistakable evidence of the joy that event occasioned. 
 
 When we contrast the present with the past, we can- 
 not wonder at the enthusiasm manifested by the people. 
 Their market was at Albany. Such was the condition 
 of the roads in the primitive days of the settlement, that 
 it usually required from nine to thirteen days to perform 
 the journey, with loaded teams. For every cwt., the 
 cost of transportation would be from seventy-five cents 
 to one dollar fifty cents, besides freight from New York 
 city to Albany. Now, even from New York, the expense 
 is only from twenty-five to fifty cents, leaving a saving 
 to the people, of from fifty cents to one dollar on every 
 
 prison at Springfield, Mass., his wife came the night before he was to 
 have been executed, to make a farewell visit. She exchanged her cloak 
 and hood \v'ith him, and in the evening tv/ilight called to the keeper 
 to be released. Her husband walked out unsuspected and made his 
 escape. She remained quiet until he had time to get beyond dan- 
 ger of being recaptured, when she called again to be released. The 
 jailor, finding he had no legal authority to detain her, she was allowed 
 to depart. Mrs. Austin lived in town an honored and respected widow 
 thirty years or more. She always maintained a modest reserve whea 
 any allusion was made to the above transaction. 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 61 
 
 cwt. exported or imported. Mr. Zacheus W. Elmore, 
 who was an early merchant, relates that when he came 
 into the place, 1801, he brought the second two-horse 
 wagon into the town, and that he broke two axles be- 
 tween here and Albany, and was nine days on the road. 
 
 THE PRESS. 
 
 The first News])aper published in the town and county, 
 was the " Western Oracle," by Abraham Romeyn, at the 
 Four Corners, in 1303. It was a single octavo sheet, 
 containing few advertisements, and but little domestic 
 news. Its pages wore in most instances, occupied with 
 public documents, chiefly relating to the affairs of our 
 nation with the French. 
 
 The next was the " Olive Branch," printed on West 
 Hill, by Phiuney Fairchild, May 1806. In 1808, John 
 F. Fairchild became the sole proprietor. 
 
 The " Republican Messenger " made its appearance in 
 1810, pubished by Jonathan Pettit and James Percival, 
 in the village of Sherburne. 
 
 The " Sherburne Palladium " was issued in 1836, by 
 J. W. Marble, in the village. 
 
 " Sherburne Transcript " succeeded in 1855, published 
 by James M. Scarritt. All these were ephemeral in 
 their existence. 
 
 CENSUS. 
 
 According to the Census of 1800, seven years after its 
 first settlement, Sherburne contained 1.282 inhabitants. 
 
 In 1810 2.520 
 
 1814 2.607 
 
 1820... 2.609 
 
 F 
 
C2 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 1825 2.493 
 
 1830 2.601 
 
 1835 3.108 
 
 1840 2.791 
 
 1845 2.680 
 
 1850 2.623 
 
 1855 2.776 
 
 The Census returns of 1855, give the cash value of 
 farms $1,039,734. 
 
 Improved acres 20.702, unimproved 5.544 acres. 
 Cash valuation of stock $169,867. 
 Tools and implements $38,332. 
 
 There were 523 framed houses and 1 log, 2 stone 
 buildings (should read 5) and 5 brick. 
 
 According to the Census of 1830, there were 2.601 
 inhabitants. In five years, 1835, owing to the influx of 
 foreigners, occasioned by the building of the Chenango 
 Canal, they amounted to 3.108, being an increase of 508. 
 After the public works were completed, many of these 
 settled in the town. In 1355 there were 183 Irish, 27 
 English, and 14 Germans, amounting to 224 foreigners 
 then residents in the town. 
 
 Clark, in his history of the county, quoting from the 
 Census returns of 1830, says, "There were four slaves set 
 down in the enumeration, as belonging to Sherburne, 
 and that no other town in the county contained any per- 
 sons held in servitude ; and that three of the slaves held 
 in Sherburne, 1830, had attained to the age of one hun- 
 dred years." This is news to me. I have seen the day 
 when I knew, and could name every individual residing 
 in the town, and never knew but one person held as a 
 slave, and he was only nominally such, having been 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 6S 
 
 brought in by a Dutch family some twenty years after 
 the settlement was commenced. The head of this family 
 was heir to certain property, held upon condition that 
 he should maintain the colored person in question, during 
 his life, as he was judged incapable of acting for him- 
 self. Not one of the Twenty Proprietors ever owned % 
 slave, No resident, w^hite or colored, ever attained to 
 the age of one hundred years. 
 
 The settlers showed a marked zeal in establishing and 
 fostering the Common School, the importance of which 
 they deemed second only to the moral and religious 
 training of the rising generation, with which it should 
 go hand in hand, in order to prepare them for usefulnesa 
 in their day, and enable them to form correct principles 
 for their guidance in the management of public affairs, 
 eventually to rest upon their shoulders. In reviewing 
 the result, the honorable manner in which her sons and 
 daughters have acquitted themselves, in every station 
 they have been called upon to occupy, leaves Sherburne 
 no cause to blush. For general intelligence, they would 
 not suffer in comparison with an equal number in any 
 community. Pass through the States and Territories of 
 the Union, Sherburne has representatives in nearly, if 
 not quite, two-thirds of these ; go to the shores of the 
 Pacific, behold they are there ; enter our halls of legis- 
 lation, her sons have been found here ; look into the pul- 
 pit, many of them stand there, proclaiming the news of 
 salvation through a crucified Redeemer, to a lost and 
 ruined world ; turn to India's burning clime, there lie the 
 mortal remains of one who, in obedience to her Saviour's 
 commands, left father and mother, kindred and country, 
 the wife of Rev. Mr. Little, an honored Missionary of 
 the American Board;* cast your eye upon the judicial 
 
 * Amelia, daughter of Wm. Newton, 
 
64 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 bench, they have had seats there ; survey the Bar, many 
 of them are filling that with honor and profit to them- 
 selves, and it is to be hoped, without detriment to the 
 communities in which they reside ; pass not by our Col- 
 leges and Seminaries of learning, for they are there occu- 
 pying the highest and most responsible stations ;* turn 
 your telescope upon Jupiter's belts or Saturn's rings, 
 behold ! some of them, in imagination, have wandered 
 there — 
 
 " Could plan new worlds without the least misgiving, 
 But on this planet couldn't make a living." 
 
 Would you learn more ? Wrap close your mantle of 
 fur, steer for the frozen regions of tlic north, and among 
 the tumbling mountains of ice, inquire of those who 
 strike the harpoon — more than one of them are there. 
 
 GRADUATES OF COLLEGE. 
 
 Raymond Dixon graduated at Yale in 1807, and was 
 the first citizen of the town, and probably of the county, 
 who graduated from any College. He became a preacher 
 of the gospel — died in 1861. Abraham Dixon, Yale, 
 a lawyer, honored with a seat in the State Senate ; John 
 H. Lathrop, Yale, Chancellor of the University of Wis- 
 consin ; Hubert A. Newton, Yale, Professor of Mathe- 
 matics in Yale College ; Isaac LaFayette Cushman, 
 Yale, no profession — honored with a seat in the New 
 York Legislature ; Julius W. Hatch, graduate of Hamil- 
 ton, Lecturer on Astronomy ; Columbus Foster, gradu- 
 ate of Union, fiirmer ; Charles Babcock, Yale, no pro- 
 fession ; Alvin Lathrop, Hamilton, teacher. 
 
 ♦John H. Lathrop, Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin; 
 Hubert A. Newton, Professor of Mathematics, Yale College. 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. Q$ 
 
 CITIZENS WHO BECAME PREACHERS OF THE GOSPEL 
 
 Ebenezer Raymond, graduate of Union ; Eleazer La- 
 throp, and Isaac Adams, graduates of Hamilton ; Caleb 
 Johnson, graduate of Hamilton, died before he had com- 
 pleted his Theological studies. Lyman S. Rexford and 
 "William Robinson, graduates of Yale ; Nathaniel Smitli, 
 
 graduate of ; Blackleach Gray, ; Jared W. 
 
 Fox, Shubel Carver, Jonathan Copeland, Hiram Leo, 
 
 graduates of Oberlin ; Israel Foote, graduate of , 
 
 Episcopal Rector ; Smith Curtis, Union. 
 
 SHERBURNEITES ADMITTED TO THE BAR. 
 
 John H. Lathrop, Joseph Guthrie, Benj. F. Rexford, De 
 Witt Rexford, John Babcock, Joseph Benedict,* Pitt 
 Lynde, Oliver M. Benedict, Warren Newton, Isaac New- 
 ton, Nathaniel Foote, Wm. Hopkins, Wm. Lathrop, 
 Julius K. Rose, David Follet, Herchell Hatch. 
 
 GEOLOGY. 
 
 From the Geological Report of the State, published 
 in 1 842, by Lardner Van Vexem, we copy what relates 
 to the town of Sherburne : 
 
 The lowest rocks of the county are those belonging 
 to the Hamilton group, (named after Hamilton in Madi- 
 son county.) It contains the TuUy limestone, tlie Gen- 
 esee slate, the Portage, tlie Ithaca, the Chemung and the 
 Catskill groups. The whole of the Hamilton group is con- 
 fined to the towns of Sherburne and Smyrna, and a strip 
 extending along the Unadilla river, through Columbus 
 and New Berlin, below the village of which it passes 
 under the higher rocks. It is well exposed along Hand- 
 
 * Author of " Beuedict'8 Treatise." 
 f2 
 
66 HISTORY OF SHEKBURNE. 
 
 some Brook, to the north east of Sherburne village, 
 exhibiting a mass from sixty to one hundred feet thick, 
 chiefly of the dark colored shale of the group, and 
 abounding in its characteristic fossils. The falls in the 
 creek are over the shale, which extends towards the 
 mouth of the creek, and is lost under a covering of allu- 
 vion and soil, being the most northern part of the Che- 
 nango Yalley where seen. The same mass makes its 
 appearance to the east of the village of Smyrna, beyond 
 which, at a lower level, are those of the upper rocks of 
 Hamilton Seminary, and of Ladd's quarry, on the Canal, 
 above Sherburne. The ridge, from Madison county, 
 composed of the Hamilton group, appears to incline 
 rapidly near Sherburne, so as to admit the Sherburne 
 flags to appear at the level which they present, at less 
 than two miles below the village. 
 
 Portage and Ithaca Groups. — Numerous quarries 
 are opened in all the towns in this group, for building 
 stone, and for flagging. The better kinds of the latter 
 occur in the lower part of the group. Several points 
 south of Sherburne were examined, among which was 
 Mr. Skinner's quarry, where the flags were large and 
 smooth, but the quantity of shale and slate upon them 
 was considerable. At Church's quarry, about two 
 miles from the village, they were more accessible, but 
 not so good. The opening here is about twenty feet in 
 depth upon a hillside, rising about forty feet above the 
 valley, and showing dark blue or blackish slaty shale, 
 with the sand stone. 
 
 On page 160, he says: "Though but" little is exposed 
 of the group in the county, there are four points of 
 interest. The first is Ladd's quarry on the canal, near 
 Madison county line, and is the continuation of the 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 67 
 
 raDge of West Hamilton. The quarry is rich iu many of 
 the fossils of the group. 
 
 " The next point is the falls and banks of Handsome 
 Creek, (should read Sulphur Springs Creek,) north of 
 Sherburne. The water falls for sixty or more feet, and 
 the sides of the Creek expose about one hundred feet of 
 the finer kind of shale." 
 
 On page 234, speaking of Sulphur Springs, he says : 
 " A Sulphur Spring issues from the slate of the Hamil- 
 ton group, at the foot of the Falls, on Handsome Brook, 
 near Sherburne." 
 
 Locating the Falls and Spring on Handsome Brook, 
 is an error. They are on a stream, east of the village 
 of Sherburne, called promiscuously Sulphur Spring, 
 Harris or Mad Brook, which enters the Chenango river, 
 about one mile below the village — the Handsome Brook 
 nearly one mile above. 
 
 CLIMATE. 
 
 When the trees of the forest reigned monarchs of the 
 soil, they exerted such controlling influence over the 
 winds and storms of this valley, as to give them a differ- 
 ent character from those of the present time. The rays 
 of the sun being obstructed by these masses of foliage, 
 rarefaction could only take place when the sun shone 
 with its greatest warmth, at which time the humidity 
 which had been collecting during cold and cloudy days, 
 was taken up and condensed in large quantities. In 
 these days, when a greater extent of the surface of the 
 earth is exposed to the direct rays of the sun, evaporor 
 tion goes on with more constancy and uniformity, and 
 the sky is oftener overcast with clouds of less density, 
 which discharge their contents in the form of rain or 
 
68 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 snow, in much smaller drops or finer flakes, forming a 
 noticeable contrast with storms of former times. Tho 
 ^arly showers would generally be seen rising in the 
 western horizon, in a dark lowering cloud, advancing 
 with greater or less rapidity. All knew that this por- 
 tended a violent rain, and no time was to be lost in seek- 
 ing a shelter from the drenching torrent. These clouds 
 were frequently accompanied by flashes of lightning 
 and peals of rolling thunder, far exceeding in sublimity 
 those of the present day. The forest trees, acting as con- 
 ductors, rendered the electrical phenomena compara- 
 tively harmless. Accidents from this cause were almost 
 unknown for twenty years or more, if we except rare 
 cases, where men or cattle imprudently took shelter 
 under tall trees. When the outpouring was over, the 
 sun shone out as suddenly as it had been obscured, in 
 brilliant contrast with the gloom which before prevailed. 
 
 Sudder showers of rail., are not novi so marl<er! and 
 frequent, they are more ur-zling, and an approaching 
 shower is not, as a general rule, so distinctly foreshad- 
 owed by the appearance of the clouds. When the snow 
 had covered the ground at the commencement of winter, 
 it usually remained three months or more, and the inhab- 
 itants could and did rely upon having good sleighing 
 for that length of time, with the exception of what was 
 termed " the January thaw," which was almost as regu- 
 lar and certain as if governed by fixed laws — usually 
 taking place about the middle of the month, and con- 
 tinuing two or three weeks. Those thaws are now more 
 varying and uncertain. Sudden thaws during the winter 
 months, are more frequent; as a natural consequence, 
 winter grain is more liable to be injured by freezing and 
 thawing, causing its cultivation to be in a great measure 
 abandoned. 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 69 
 
 Between the middle of October and the fifteenth of 
 November, there used to be from nine to eighteen days 
 of mild, balmy sunshine, usually termed Indian Summer, 
 or smoky days. Their beauty and genial influence waa 
 such, that their advent would be hailed with unusual 
 delight. The peculiar features of that period are now 
 less marked, and have changed their character and dura- 
 bility, to such a degree, as scarcely to attract attention. 
 
 According to the State census of 1855, four-fifths of 
 the area of Sherburne have been brought under cultiva- 
 tion. Along the banks of Chenango river, from the 
 north line of the county to its junction with the Susque- 
 hanna, Ave now rarely see trees of primitive growth. 
 The consequence is, that an unobstructed avenue is left 
 for winds to circulate up this valley, from south, to north. 
 South winds, (such as we experience at the present day,) 
 were unknown to the early settlers. Their severest 
 storms were from the north-east, and the prevailing wind 
 from the north-west. Both these appear now to be 
 modified by the increasing prevalence of those from the 
 south. The northeast winds have nearly disappeared, 
 are less intense, and of shorter duration ; the west and 
 north-west are more fitful, and at times assume the char- 
 acter of a tornado, whose general direction is from west 
 to east. Early settlers remember the time when the 
 seasons were more uniform — when the snow as it fell 
 upon the tops of stumps, would heap in cones twelve or 
 more inches from base to apex, and stand there for days 
 and even weeks, before the wind would disturb them. 
 
 As the country becomes cleared, our rivers, brooks 
 and rivulets have less water in them, than when their 
 margins were skirted with trees. Manj|||f them, which 
 now are dry most of the time in summer, would then 
 contain more or less water throughout the year, and 
 
70 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 many of our " mouutain streams " would flow more 
 months than they now do weeks. 
 
 It is supposed by some, that the cold winds from our 
 northern lakes, especially Ontario, exert an influence 
 upon the climate of this valley. This was more or less 
 the case, in the early days of the settlement, when the 
 prevailing winds were from that direction. But the 
 south wind at this day overpowers and drives these 
 back.* There is one peculiarity in the snow storms of 
 Sherburne at the present time, which, probably, has 
 some connection with the winds from the lakes. The 
 snow falls decidedly deeper, near the north line of the 
 town, than south of it. Sherburne is bounded north by 
 the county of Madison, through Avhich runs in an east 
 and west direction, a range of hills, nearly, if not quite, 
 one thousand feet above the waters of the Ontario, and 
 extending westward, nearly the whole length of the 
 lake, and easterly along the valley of the Mohawk river. 
 The cold winds, as they sweep over the northern seas, 
 are rolled against and along the northern slope of these 
 hills, where numerous clearings admit the rays of the 
 sun, which warm their sides and tops to such a degree, 
 as to rarefy the air from the lake, and cause its currents 
 of mist to ascend into the cold regions of the clouds, 
 when they are borne in an eastern direction by their 
 own impetus, until checked by the south winds of the 
 Valley of Chenango, near its head, where they are con- 
 densed into snow and fall to the earth near the south 
 line of Madison county. As the trees of the forest daily 
 diminish, and the changes in the to]>ography of the val- 
 ley gradually advance, and as the habits, manners and 
 customs of the ^ople, rise in the scale of refinement and 
 
 * Ontario, at the nearest point, is 80 or 90 miles north-west. 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. Yl 
 
 extravagance, many of the " ills that flesh is heir to," take 
 a new form, and require a corresponding change of medi- 
 cal treatment ; and, although there are no diseases pecu- 
 liar to this valley, the hardy, robust constitutions of early 
 days, are seldom seen. The above mentioned prevalence 
 of south winds, undoubtedly is the chief agent in prduc- 
 ing these results. We have reason to believe that this 
 will be modified by the multiplication of fruit and shade 
 trees, and that the increasing value of timber, will so 
 check its wanton destruction, that the Valley of Che- 
 nango will continue to maintain its celebrity, as a healthy 
 and agreeble place of residence. 
 
 LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE. 
 
 Sherburne is situated in 42 degrees and 44 minutes 
 north latidude ; 1 degree and 36 minutes east longitude 
 from Washington ; 96 miles west of the capitol of the 
 State; about 90 feet lower than the head waters of 
 Chenango river in Madison county ; and 546 feet above 
 the level of the Erie Canal, at Utica 
 
 INDIANS. 
 
 The Valley of the Chenango, had from time immemo- 
 rial, been the red man's hunting and fishing ground, and 
 he continued it as such, until agricultural improvements 
 banished the bear, the wolf, and deer from the valley. 
 
 The Oneida Indians were the occupants when the emi- 
 grants first came into it. They were a quiet, peaceable, 
 inoffensive race. Men, women and children, soon became 
 80 accustomed to their ways and manners, that the effect 
 of their presence was that of pleasure, unalloyed with 
 the least dread or fear, provided they were not under 
 the influence of intoxicating liquors. 1 never knew an 
 instance of complaint against any of them, for petty pil- 
 
72 HISTORY OF SHEEBURNE. 
 
 fering. The productions of the field, garden and hen- 
 roost, were more secure from their depredations at that 
 day, than from those of the white people at this. In 
 summer they roamed up and down the banks of the 
 Chenango, in quest of game. 
 
 In the winter, they built wig-wams in the vicinity of 
 the settlers, and manufactured baskets and splint brooms, 
 to sell to the inhabitants for provisions to sustain them- 
 selves, until the opening spring, when they resumed- 
 their accustomed practice of hunting and fishing. 
 
 They exhibited considerable skill and ingenuity in 
 making baskets and brooms, which were almost the 
 only articles of manufacture they would attempt, and 
 was usually done by the squaws. Their brooms were 
 made generally of black-ash staddles, between two and 
 three inches in diameter, pounded the length of the 
 brush, until the grains would separate, and then split 
 into fine strands ; or of w^ater beech, or birch, peeled 
 into fine shreds, and then bound together with strips of 
 the same. 
 
 The settlers would frequently make them small pre- 
 sents of articles of provisions, which the children were 
 very fond of conveying, and receiving their thanks in an 
 unknown tongue, or in half English and half Indian dia- 
 lect, which to them w^as quite amusing. 
 
 They appeared to have very limited fastidiousness in 
 their intercourse with the inhabitants. If they wished 
 to enter your house, the first you would know, the door 
 would be noiselessly opened and their heads unceremo- 
 niously thrust in, and in a low tone they would ask : 
 "Want to buy broom?" receive your answer, and 
 walk away with a fixed monotonous countenance, which 
 seldom changed. They scrupled not [secretly if they 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 73 
 
 could, to spy what was going on in your house, through 
 any crevice they could find. The wife of one of the 
 settlers, at a very early day, was seated before the fire, 
 which was built against a few stones piled upon each 
 other, in order to protect the building from igniting — 
 large holes between the logs and stones being inclosed. 
 She was waiting the return of her husband until dark- 
 ness had spread its curtain around, with two small child- 
 ren playing before the fire, when she discovered an 
 Indian peaking, close by the fire, into her apartment^ 
 without any apparent attempt at concealment. With a 
 little natural excitement, she cried " peak-a-boo !" when 
 he quietly retired. 
 
 They were a shrewd people, not easily outwitted. A 
 young gentleman of my acquaintance related, that after 
 the war of 18] 2, as he was sitting on the piazza of an 
 Inn, a young Indian came and seated himself by his side, 
 in an easy, familiar manner, saying, "How do? how do? 
 Don't you know me ? Ain't you Colonel P. ? Did'nt 
 you command me at the battle of Queenstown ?" "!N'a, 
 I never was in the army." " Me thought you was CoL 
 P. — he brave warrior — he handsome man — you look just 
 like him," tapping upon his shoulder, *' now treat — now 
 treat." 
 
 They would often be seen paddling their canoes along 
 the river, which they used extensively for the purposes 
 of navigation. They kept it free from obstructions, from 
 Smith's Valley, in the town of Lebanon, Madison county, 
 to its junction with the Susquehanna river. Their 
 canoes were constructed of pine logs, made so thin and 
 light, and so skilfully proportioned, that they would 
 glide over the water with admirable grace and rapidity, 
 and could easily be carried upon their shoulders from 
 place to place. Their intercourse with the inhabitants 
 
14 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 was peculiarly brief. They were never known to linger 
 around their dwellings, in loaferish idleness for one half 
 hour — their business or curiosity was soon satisfied, and 
 they would depart as unceremoniously as they came. 
 
 INDIAN RELICS. 
 
 On the farm originally settled by Timothy Hatch, 
 about one mile and a half north-west of the village, on 
 the west side of the river, 30 or 40 rods from its bank, 
 are to be seen, four or five round excavations in the earth, 
 from four to six feet deep, measuring about the same in 
 diameter at the top, lying close to each other ; on the 
 edges of which were large trees standing, comparing in 
 height and size, to the average dimensions of those com- 
 prising the rest of the forest, which consisted mainly of 
 hard maples, and was occupied thirty or forty years for a 
 sugar orchard. 
 
 While I was spending a few hours at their boiling 
 camp, the celebrated Abraham Antoine, (who, a few 
 years after, was exec; ad at MorrisviUe, Ma iison county, 
 for the murder of one of his own race,) wao seen 
 approaching. It was proposed to invite him to go and 
 examine these, and see what he would say about them, 
 to which he readily consented. After looking at them 
 a moment, and running his eye up to the top of the trees 
 standing upon their edges, he said : " It's a place where 
 Indian bury corn great while ago." The trees have 
 been cleared away, and the place more or less since 
 plowed over. 
 
 In an adjoining field, on the north, which has been 
 long under cultivation, many stone arrow heads have 
 been plowed up ; also stone chisels, hatchets, pestles 
 for pounding corn, &c. ; and as late as 1846, a stone of 
 a peculiar red color was found in the same field. It was 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 75 
 
 about three eights of an inch thick, five inches long, 
 rounded at each end, three inches broad at one, and two 
 at the other, with a hole near the narrowest end, about 
 half inch in diameter, and polished quite smooth on each 
 surface. It is said that no stone of the same species was 
 ever obtained this side of Mexico. It was undoubtedly 
 worn for an ornament. 
 
 When they were constructing the Chenango Canal, 
 which is on the opposite side of the river, human bones 
 were exhumed, which, with a few exceptions, would, on 
 exposure to the atmosphere, crumble into dust. 
 
 INDIAN FORTIFICATION. 
 
 About four miles north of Sherburne village, and one 
 mile west of the Handsome Brook, are the remains of a 
 structure worthy the examination of antiquarians. It is 
 an embankment of coarse gravel, built in the form of a 
 horse-shoe — the open ends towards the north. It is 
 about four rods wide between the outer ends, and seven 
 or eight rods deep to the centre of the bow. From the 
 lowest point in the centre, to the highest part of the 
 embankment, is full twenty-five feet. There are embank- 
 ments running from each extremity of the bow ; the one 
 easterly, fifteen or twenty rods long, terminating in a 
 swamp ; that on the west side is much longer, ending at 
 the foot of a hill, nearly in the same range with the 
 other, but disconnected from the main structure, by an 
 opening two or three rods wide. In the front of the 
 whole, is a low swampy piece of ground of small extent. 
 
 A gentleman by the name of Champlin, who for- 
 merly owned the farm on which it is situated, says he 
 has frequently plowed upon the top of the bank, and 
 thinks it is three or four feet lower than when he first 
 
76 IIISTOEY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 saw it, and that flint arrow points were frequently found 
 in its vicinity. Finding arrow points is verified by other 
 witnesses. 
 
 It remains an open question, whether this is a natural 
 or artificial structure. If artificial, for what purpose? 
 It was originally crowned with trees corresponding in 
 dimensions with those of the surrounding forest. The 
 small extent of the area enclosed within its walls, is a 
 serious draw-back to the supposition that this was an 
 Indian fortification. In whatever light we view it, we 
 cannot but consider it as a curiosity. 
 
 WILD ANIMALS. 
 
 Wild animals were Bears, Wolves and Deer, which are 
 BOW entirely extinct. The last wild bear seen in town, 
 was met and killed with an ax, one mile north of the 
 Tillage in the Handsome Brook, by Lorenzo Hatch, the 
 first white person born in the town. 
 
 Eli Marsh used to relate, that early one morning, he 
 heard a hog squealing, in a manner so unusual, in the 
 woods near his house, that he took his gun and sallied 
 out to ascertain the cause. He soon discovered a large 
 bear sitting ' in state ' upon his haunches, in conscious 
 pride of power and dignity, holding the hog upon the 
 ground ; and on every exertion to free himself from his 
 clutches, Bruin was cuffing him, first on one side of his 
 head, and then on the other. This he would repeat at 
 every attempt of his captive to extricate himself from 
 his grasp — the slightest motion would bring the paw of 
 his majesty about his ears with such force, that from 
 necessity he would drop his head upon the ground, and 
 remain as quiet as the nature of his situation would 
 admit. 
 
 Mr. Marsh was enabled to advance so near the animal, 
 
HISTOBY OP SHEEBURNE. 1*1 
 
 on account of his attention being wholly drawn to his 
 victim, as to get a close shot upon him, which he gave 
 with such effect as to bring him to the ground. The 
 porker, for a moment, appeared to be in a quandarj 
 about the sudden relaxation of the grasp of his captor; 
 slowly raising his head, and cautiously making a move- 
 ment, he walked off a few feet, halted — looked round as 
 if wondering what it all meant — turned back, grabbed 
 him. by the ear, gave one indignant shake, accompanied 
 by a significant grunt — then apparently satisfied that he 
 had shown proper resentment, wheeled about and start- 
 ed for the farm house upon a run. This bear measured 
 over seven feet in length, and was killed within, or near 
 the corporate bounds of the village. 
 
 Wolves. — Wolves were more numerous and trouble- 
 some, frequently making sad havoc among flocks of 
 sheep, so much so, that the town voted from year to 
 year, a premium of ten dollars a head for every full 
 grown Avolf killed, until their depradations ceased. The 
 last wolf killed in town, was by Smith M. Purdy, Esq. 
 
 Pantheks. — I never heard of one being seen in the 
 town, but certain effects and frights which were now 
 and then encountered, were supposed to have been 
 caused by the panther. Young cattle were sometimes 
 found killed, under circumstances which led to the belief 
 that they had been slain by some ferocious animal, other 
 than the bear or wolf.* 
 
 * Since writing the above, Mr. Benjamin Church has informed mo, 
 that while passing through a piece of woods, one and a half miles 
 east of the village, at a late hour one rnoor.-light winter's evening, ho 
 distinctly saw a panther in the path directly before him, reared upon 
 his hind legs. By swinging his hat, and giving as shrill a shout as 
 he could, he so frightened the animal, that he gave a sudden spring, and 
 f2 
 
78 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 Deer. — Deer were occasionally taken for twenty or 
 thirty years, and the recollection of the saddle of venison 
 smoking upon the table, would almost reconcile us to 
 the idea of a return to the days of Nimrod, log-houses, 
 and spinning wheels again. 
 
 Beaver. — Beaver were in a few instances caught hj 
 the Indians, but soon disappeared. 
 
 Otter. — Otter were more plenty, and occasionally 
 taken, forty or fifty years after the settlers came in, but 
 at this day few traces of them are to be seen. 
 
 Hedge Hogs. — A few hedge-hogs were killed, at an 
 early day, but have long since been exterminated. 
 
 Foxes, Raccoons and Rabbits. — Foxes, Raccoons 
 and Rabbits are yet caught, but comparatively rare. 
 
 Flying Squirrels. — Flying Squirrels were frequently 
 seen, but at this day seldom if ever. 
 
 Skunks. — Skunks were not original inhabitants. 
 They did not honor the town with their company, until 
 some fifteen or twenty years had elapsed. 
 
 Venomous Reptiles. — Of Venomous Reptiles, none 
 were ever known in the town. 
 
 BIRDS, 
 
 Quails. — Quails were repeatedly seen in flocks at an 
 early day, but are now extinct. 
 
 Black Birds. — Black Birds, in large bodies, would 
 grace our forests, but now in greatly diminished num- 
 bers, and generally of a smaller species. 
 
 disappeared in the woods. His first leap was found by measurement 
 the next day to have been twenty feet. 
 
HISTORY OP SHERBURNE. 79 
 
 Wild Pigeons. — Wild Pigeons in successive flocks, 
 would be seen for hours at a time, passing overhead 
 with great rapidity, but now their visits are few and far 
 between. 
 
 Wood Ducks. — Wood Ducks would often be seen 
 making their nests, in bodies of old decaying trees, but 
 now seldom, if ever. 
 
 Partridges. — Partridges were plenty and frequently 
 caught, but now in diminished numbers. 
 
 Hawks. — Hawks were daily seen in considerable num- 
 bers, sporting on the wing for hours at a time, a circum- 
 stance which, at the present day, has no parallel. 
 
 « 
 PRODUCTS OF THE SOIL. 
 
 The trees of the forest consisted of Beech, Birch, 
 Hickory, Ash, Elm and Basswood, with large Oaks, 
 white, black and red, standing here and there, in tower- 
 ing grandeur like so many aged sentinels ; and tall and 
 stately Pines, which, if now standing as they then stood 
 on certain localities, would sell for more than the lands 
 they occupied, with all their improvements. On the hills, 
 were Hemlocks, interspersed with orchards of sugar 
 Maples, on which the inhabitants depended for their 
 main supply of sugar for a number of years. Chesnuts, 
 although more or less plenty in the lower part of the 
 county, are unknown in the town, excepting on a few 
 lots bordering upon the towns of North Norwich and 
 New Berlin. The Whortleberry also, is rarely seen 
 north of the southern boundary of the town. 
 
 Apple-trees were found near the river, which were 
 supposed to have originated from seed accidentally scat- 
 tered by the Indians, and bore fruit for half a century. 
 The Apple and Pear, improve as the country grows 
 
80 HISTORY OP SHERBDRNB. 
 
 older. The Peach and Quince never did thrive in this 
 
 locality. 
 
 Thorn-apples, of three-fourths of an inch in diameter, 
 were not uncommon, which the inhabitants frequently 
 cooked. The largest kinds were of rich, yellow color. 
 When ripe they exhaled an agreeable odor. This fruit 
 appears to come to its greatest perfection in the shade, 
 for, as soon as the lands are cleared around them, they 
 rapidly diminish in size and odor, and become unpala- 
 table. 
 
 Meadow Plums of good quality were numerous. 
 
 The Gooseberry, smooth and prickly, together with 
 Black Currants of a nauseous flavor, abounded on the 
 flats. 
 
 A few Red Currants were found, supposed to have 
 been scattered by birds or Indians. 
 
 Wild Onions were , plenty, on the low grounds near 
 the river, in beds of various dimensions — their bottoms 
 seldom exceeding half an inch in diameter — and were 
 frequently gathered and cooked by the inhabitants. 
 They are now extinct, or nearly so. 
 
 Leeks were very numerous and annoying to dairy 
 women, on account of the nauseous and disagreeable 
 flavor imparted to the milk, when, in grazing, the cows 
 fed upon their tops. It would taint their butter to such 
 a degree that it could not be eaten, without first biting 
 a piece of the root. In eating milk, in any form, all 
 all would resort to this, before that otherwise delicious 
 article could become palatable. They are almost, if not 
 entirely, eradicated. 
 
 The Ginseng, Sweet Scisley and Tallow roots, were 
 
eiSTOBY OF SHERBURNE. 81 
 
 often met with, but at this day, it is doubtful whether a 
 root of any of them can be found. 
 
 Potatoes. — Humbolt, in the history of his travels in 
 South America, remarks that the Potatoe was before the 
 arrival of the Spaniards, in use in Chili, Peru, Quito and 
 New Grenada, and seems to think those countries the 
 original source of it ; and adds that Sir Walter Raleigh 
 found it in Virginia, in 1584, and raises the question, 
 whether it was introduced there, from the North or 
 South ? One thing is certain, they were found in the 
 town of Sherburne, by the emigrants, in various locali- 
 ties — the root under, rather than over, half inch in 
 diameter. Conversing witli an octogenarian,* who has 
 resided in the town since 1795, he remarked, "that 
 Potatoes were so plenty that no one need have starved, 
 in the season of them, if he had nothing else to live 
 upon," adding they were small. They covered the 
 ground extensively, on both sides of the river, and 
 around the mouth of the Handsome Brook. Abra- 
 ham Raymond's family, by repeated plantings, obtained 
 fair sized Potatoes from them, which, after they had 
 come to maturity, were gathered promiscuously with 
 others, and no further notice taken of them. Cornelius 
 Clark, also raised from the Potatoe plant found on his 
 lot, full sized Potatoes, which became part and parcel of 
 his supply, from year to year. They were exterminated 
 mainly, by cattle feeding upon their tops. At that early 
 day, every rood of ground reclaimed from the forest, 
 must be appropriated to raising grain, roots and vege- 
 tables, to sustain themselves and their cattle through 
 the winter. For a number of years, they were obliged 
 to cut trees, on the buds and small twigs of which, by 
 
 Asa Northrop. 
 
aa HISTORY OP SHERBURNE. 
 
 '* browsing," their cattle were enabled to eke out a pre- 
 carious living. Their only resource in summer, was to 
 strap a bell on the leading cow and let their cattle run 
 at large in the woods ; as a consequence, in grazing, 
 they would crop the Potatoe plant, and by so doing, 
 destroy the blossom which produced the seed, from 
 which the root was annually propagated. The Potatoe 
 being so near the top of the ground, would be annihi- 
 lated every winter by freezing, which accounts for their 
 diminutive size, being reproduced only from the ball 
 each year. The inhabitants, understanding but little of 
 its early history, or the philosophy of its propagation, 
 generally discarded it as a useless weed, and would 
 allude to it only as the wild Potatoe. 
 
 DISTILLERIES. 
 
 There have been nine or ten Distilleries and one Brew- 
 ery established in the town, all of which, save one, it is 
 generally believed, have proved to their owners, an 
 unprofitable investment. One was burned down ; one 
 man lost his life in another, by being scalded with steam. 
 Three or more of the owners of these establishments 
 died drunkards. 
 
 The town has wiped the stigma of manufacturing 
 " fire water " from her escutcheon, about twenty years, 
 and the county for nearly the same time. According to 
 the State Census of 1855, there was not a Distillery in 
 the county of Chenango. The following extract from 
 Spaiford's Gazetteer, of the State of New York, pub- 
 lished in 1813, may not be inappropriate here: "While 
 the people of the county are entitled to credit for their 
 Common Schools and social regulations, they ought to 
 exclude a multitude of small Distillers. No invidious 
 discrimination prompts this remark too generally neces- 
 
HISTORY OF 6HEKBURNK. 83 
 
 eary throughout the State, but thinking and sober men 
 would do well to consider the tendencies of these little 
 establishments, and observe their effects in a neighbor- 
 hood. Will they fail to contract habits of drinking 
 more than is conducive to health or comfort, when a 
 jug of whiskey is constantly at hand, or can be had in a 
 few minutes, fresh from the Distillery ?" Clark, in his 
 history of the county, remarks: "As Mr. S. compli- 
 mented our citizens highly, in 1813, except they patron- 
 ized Distilleries, and as they had not one of these estab- 
 lishments in the county, in 1845, it follows, we must be 
 an unexceptionable people, in this latter year. Long 
 may we continue so." 
 
 The pioneers considered it very essential to their 
 health and comfort, to have ardent spirits with them, in 
 order to " warm them when too cold, or to cool them 
 when too hot." Accordingly they purchased a barrel 
 of rum in company, and brought it into the valley the 
 first year when the twenty proprietors came on to make 
 a beginning, and left it in the care of Abraham Ray- 
 Tnond, who placed it outside of his shanty, and built a 
 roof over it of bark and brush. This building you will 
 recollect, was near the mouth of the Handsome ]>rook, 
 and on the east side of the river. A daughter of Mr. 
 Raymond's, only seven years of age at that time, relates 
 to the writer sixty years after, that she had somehow 
 imbibed the idea that liquor was very bad for the 
 Indians, and that she had no fear or dread of their pres- 
 ence, if it was kept from them. Hearing them paddling 
 their canoes along the river, and expecting a visit from 
 them, she flew to the rum barrel, and covered it up in 
 the best manner she could, and watched the issue as if 
 her life depended upon the result. Their swarthy vis- 
 ages — their half clothed bodies — their tomahawks and 
 
84 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 knives suspended from their belts, were all harmless in 
 her eyes, provided they did not discover the hidden 
 barrel. They landed, walked up to the hut, and looked 
 around, but finding no one there except Mrs. Raymond, 
 and two or three small children, quietly returned to their 
 canoes and departed ; the girl, in the mean time, con- 
 gratulating herself for her prudence and discretion, as 
 having thereby saved herself and mother, from the tom- 
 ahawk and scalping knife ! At that day, the use of 
 intoxicating liquors was almost universal. It would be 
 considered a breach of hospitality, not to present the 
 bottle to their friends and neighbors at almost every 
 interview, especially if they were rendering assistance 
 as laborers or otherwise. It had grown into a proverb? 
 " as bad as a raising without rum," which they frequently 
 applied, when they wished to draw a disparaging com- 
 parison. Whenever they assembled to assist at the 
 raising of any building, before they commenced opera- 
 tions, the bottle or jug must be passed around, each 
 drinking directly from its mouth, and handing it to his 
 neighbor, if this had been neglected, they would take 
 their places and wait the order to " Heave O ! heave !" 
 when, witfi much apparent exertion, they would not be 
 able to make any progress. The master workman would 
 call for the bottle, after which, they were able to finish 
 their work with ease and alacrity. 
 
 If my recollection does not fail me, there was but one 
 of the twenty proprietors, who might be considered as a 
 subject of '' king alcohol," and he not sottish and brut- 
 ish, but occasionally under his power, although there 
 were too many of that class in town. In 1815, the town 
 voted to petition the legislature, to pass laws " to 
 prevent men from drinking," (intoxicating liquors.) I 
 believe nothing furilier was done about it at that time, 
 except to forwai'd the petition. 
 
HISTORY OP SHERBURNE. 85 
 
 It is not to be disguised that they paid too much tri- 
 bute to his majesty^ by allowing themselves to go in the 
 way of temptation, not duly considering that his ranks 
 are always recruited from the sober and temperate part 
 of community. 
 
 CHURCH. 
 
 The fathers, rdth their families, arrived Saturday 
 night, March, 1793. They assembled for public relig- 
 ious worship, on the second Sabbath after; and it has 
 been continued by them and their descendants, without 
 intermission from that day to this, whether they had 
 the preaching of the Word or not. A Congregational 
 Church was organized the 6th day of July, 1794, by 
 Rev. Mr. Campbell, consisting of the following indivi- 
 duals : Nathaniel and Bethiah Gray, Elijah and Sarah 
 Gray, Abraham and Betsey Raymond, Timothy and 
 Ruth Hatch, Josiah Lathrop, Eleazer Lathrop, Mabel, 
 w^fe of Newcomb Raymond, and Ruth, wife of Joel 
 Hatch, Melissa, wife of James Raymond, Ezra Lathrop 
 and Mariam his wife. Nathaniel Gray and Abraham 
 Raymond, Avere chosen Deacons. Although the above 
 differs from the printed list of the members of the First 
 Church, it is believed to be as correct as can be obtained. 
 The records having been burned, positive accuracy 
 cannot be claimed. March 15, 1798, the society was 
 incorporated The First Congregational Church and 
 Society of Sherburne. Eli Marsh, Joel Northrup and 
 Orsamus Holmes were elected Trustees. This was the 
 first church and society formed in this region. There 
 were only three churches organized previous to this in 
 western New York, and these but one year earlier.* 
 
 * Hotchkin's History. 
 H 
 
86 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 Rev. Blackleach Burritt preached the first sermon in 
 the town and county, 1792 — he tarried but one week. 
 It was thirteen years after their arrival, before they had 
 a settled pastor. During these years, this and other 
 churches subsequently formed in this region, were occa- 
 sionally supplied and counseled, by missionaries sent 
 and supported by churches in Connecticut and Massa- 
 chusetts. They would be received w^ith marked atten- 
 tion and unusual delight. Their advent would be hailed 
 as an era, long to be remembered. Messengers would 
 be sent in every direction, untill all, however scattered 
 or remote, had heard the 7iews. Such was their hunger- 
 ing and thirsting to hear the living preacher, that, at the 
 time appointed, the women and the aged would be seen 
 on horse-back, slowly wending their way among the 
 trees of the forest ; and pedestrians of both sexes and 
 all ages filling up the picture, until they arrive at the 
 place appointed. " Their house of worship has no tall 
 spire pointing to heaven — no bell to summon the people 
 to prayer — no ceiled walls, nor cushions filled with soft- 
 est down." Its walls are round logs, its roof of boards, 
 or perhaps of bark. When their increasing numbers 
 require a more commodious building some newly erected 
 barn would be substituted, until school houses were 
 built. Rev. Nathan B. Darrow was the first minister 
 employed by the peoj^le. He 'was engaged to preach 
 one year, and also to teach a w.inter school, which num- 
 bered for weeks, over ninety scholars per day. lie set- 
 tled in Homer, Cortland county, Feb. 1 803. Four or five 
 years after, he removed to Ohio, where he died many 
 years since. ^ 
 
 During these days, peace and harmony prevailed in 
 the church. It would almost literally be said, that they 
 saw "eye to eye;" but alas for poor human nature! 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 87 
 
 when meeting and school houses began to be topics of 
 conversation, they found here an entering wedge of dis- 
 cord; they could not be agreed upon their location, 
 especially the meeting house. Enough was said and 
 done to demonstrate that they, in common with the rest 
 of human kind, possessed selfish and depraved natures. 
 They had their failings, who has not ? 
 
 The Chenango river, dividing the town nearly through 
 its centre, those on the west side argued that the church 
 ought to be built there, in order to accommodate the 
 people of Smyrna, which was at that time part of Sher- 
 burne. Those on the east side contended that the town 
 would in time be divided, and in that case the house 
 would be quite one side of the centre of business and 
 population. A council was called, many arguments 
 advanced pro and con, but all to no purpose. In 1802, 
 those on the west side of the river withdrew, joined 
 with Smyrna and formed a Church, styling themselves 
 The Second Congregational Church and Society of Sher- 
 burne. They built a house of worship on what is known 
 as West Hill. This w^as the first house erected for relig- 
 ious worship within the present bounds of the county of 
 Chenango. Rev. Joshua Knight was their first and only 
 settled preacher. Four or five years after, the Eighth 
 and Ninth Townships were divided — the Eighth taking 
 the name of Smyrna. From this time, the Church and 
 Society began to wane. The death of Mrs. Knight, and 
 the marriage of Mr. Knight to her daughter, who had 
 lived in his family, and had uniformly addressed him as 
 her " father," resulted in his speedy dismissal from his 
 Church, and accelerated its removal to the village of 
 Smyrna. It is creditable to the Church and Society, 
 that this affair caused no division among them. Although 
 Mr. Knight labored strenuously in his own defence, he 
 carried no party with him. 
 
88 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 Those on the east side of the river, which are the pre- 
 sent Church, located their house one and a half miles 
 north of the village, in 1803 or 4, near the residence of 
 Asa Foote, jr. In 1810 it was removed to the village. 
 After it had been moved about half the distance, the 
 interest taken in the operation was such, that the ladies 
 must have something to do about the matter. Accord- 
 ingly, one beautiful morning, they were assembled, 
 and placed themselves at the levers, the word was given 
 to 'heave,' when the building was seen to move some feet, 
 amidst lively cheerss from the gentlemen around. How 
 much help they had from some unobserved corner, it 
 may not be necessary to relate. 
 
 They worshiped in this house, nine or ten years, before 
 it was lathed and plastered, or in any measure done off 
 inside. The seats, at first, were loose boards, in their 
 rough state, resting on blocks. Even the pulpit had 
 never seen the smoothing plane, if we except the top 
 shelf or table, and the seat. For two or three years, it 
 was not glazed around the galleries, and for the first one 
 or two winters, some of the windows were not even 
 boarded up. A certain clergyman from abroad, who 
 occupied the pulpit, (which was nearly on a level with 
 the gallery,) one stormy winter's day, after he had 
 closed the service, thus addressed the congregation : 
 " It is a shame for any people to let their minister stand 
 in his pulpit, with the winds blowing directly upon him, 
 while they are secured from the storm below. You 
 ought, at least, to do as much as to board up the wind- 
 ows in the galleries." This hint was duly attended to 
 before the next Sabbath day. 
 
 It was over twenty years, before stoves were intro- 
 duced. The only provision for their comfort, was foot- 
 stoves, which were filled with coals, before they left 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 89 
 
 home. At intermission, they would resort to the near- 
 est dwellings, to warm themselves before their ample 
 fire-places, and replenish their dishes of coals for the 
 afternoon service. They occupied this house for more 
 than half a century. While yet a few of the venerable 
 fathers remained, the subject of building a new house 
 was gently broached ; but out of deference to their 
 strongly expressed attachment to the old house, and 
 the cherished associations connected therewith, the 
 subject was waived, until the last of them had been 
 "gathered to their fathers," which was in 1855. Their 
 successors, in 1857, erected a new house, better adapted 
 to their circumstances and the times, which was dedi- 
 cated m June, 1858. 
 
 The first settled pastor was Rev. Roger Adams. He 
 was installed August, 1806. An interesting revival, by 
 which the church was quickened and enlarged, followed 
 as the fruit of his labors. Mr. Adams' voice failing, he 
 was obliged to relinquish preaching, and was accord- 
 ingly dismissed in 1809. 
 
 His education was limited. He was modest and unas- 
 suming. His style and matter were plain, forcible and 
 convincing. He was not a great, but a good man, win- 
 ning the affections of all who knew him, and well calcu- 
 lated to foster and promote union among brethren. 
 
 Their next settled pastor was Rev. Abner Benedict, 
 who was installed in 1811. During his ministry, there 
 were thirty or forty added to the church. He left in 
 1813. He was the antipode of Mr. Adams, having the 
 advantage of a good education. He was much inclined 
 to hold forth the terrors of the Law, and harp (exces- 
 sively, perhaps,) upon predestination and election. He 
 was a Boanerges. His matter and manner would often 
 h2 
 
90 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 startle weak minds, and offend those less favorably 
 inclined, creating for him warm friends, or strong 
 opposers. 
 
 Rev. John Truair, their third settled pastor, was 
 installed 5th July, 1815. During his ministry, in 1816, 
 there were about one hundred added to the Church. In 
 1819 and 20, there was another addition of one hun- 
 dred and nine. He was dismissed in 1820. 
 
 Mr. Truair was a self-made man, and of Spanish 
 descent. (His father, when quite a lad, emigrated to 
 this country, and was sold for a limited period, to pay 
 his passage.) He possessed a fearless, untiring energy, 
 and unaided, persevered until he had acquired a good 
 academical education. His natural talents were of a 
 superior order. He was apt and appropriate, on any 
 emergency. He spoke with a rolling eloquence, that 
 would rivet the attention of his audience at times, to 
 such a degree, that you may almost hear the dropping of 
 a pin. At the close of a rousing discourse, one of his 
 hearers remarked to another, as they were leaving the 
 house, " I hate to hear a man preach as if he was mad." 
 This coming to the ears of Mr. T., he announced as his 
 text the next Sabbath morning, " I am not mad, most 
 noble Festus, but speak forth the words of truth and 
 soberness." In the pulpit, he had few superiors ; out of 
 it, some felt that he was not as careful as he ought to 
 be, to avoid, at least, the appearance of evil. A mother 
 in Israel, one of his admirers, remarked, " He ought to 
 go into the pulpit, and stay there." 
 
 Rev. I. N. Spraguc was installed June 7, 1825. Dis- 
 missed Sept. 7, 1834. In 1831, there were about ninety 
 added to the chuich, by the blessing of God upon his 
 labors. Dec. 14, 1827, his dwelling-house, together with 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBtJBl^fi. 91 
 
 most of its contents, including the book of Records and 
 Sacramental Vessels, belonging to the chm*ch, was pro- 
 videntially destroyed by fire. In consequence of this 
 calamity, the church and community are deprived of 
 many of the statistics and facts relating to its history, 
 for the first thirty-three years. A committee was ap- 
 pointed by the church to remedy this misfortune in the 
 best manner practicable. Their report is, undoubtedly, 
 the most reliable history of that period, which can be 
 obtained. 
 
 George E. Delevan was installed pastor of this church, 
 14th of March, 1838, and was dismissed in 1839. 
 
 Amos C. Tuttle was settled October 30, 1845, and dis- 
 missed September, 1853. During his ministry, the 
 church enjoyed two interesting revivals, by which there 
 were about eighty added to its communion ; and passed 
 through a trying ordeal, arising out of the anti-slavery 
 excitement. About sixteen of their number presented 
 a petition to be dismissed from her watch and care, in 
 order to form themselves into a separate body, assign- 
 ing as a reason why they wished to withdraw from her 
 fellowship, that the church would not conform to their 
 views of the matter, religious or political, accompanied 
 with such demands and ultimatums, that out of self-re- 
 spect and due regard to her obligations to the Great 
 Head of the Church, she refused to grant their request. 
 
 In the early part of the excitement, the church had 
 explicitly defined her position, by passing a series of 
 resolutions upon the subjct of slavery, which are record- 
 ed in the following words : 
 
 " Whereas, The subject of Slavery is one of deep and intrinsic import- 
 ance to every American Christian, and is now agitating the public 
 mind throughout the land, we, as a church, feel it to bo both our dutf 
 
92 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 and privilege to make a public expression of our views in reference tx) 
 it. Therefore 
 
 '■^Resolved, That we consider the enslaving of one part of the human 
 family by another, as a gross violation of the most precious and sacred 
 rights of human nature — as utterly inconsistent with the law of God, 
 which requires us to love our neighbor as ourselves — and totally 
 irreconcilable with the spirit and principles of the gospel of Christ, 
 which enjoins that ' All things whatsoever that ye would that men 
 should do unto you, do ye even so to them.' Slavery, we believe, 
 creates a paradox in the moral system. It places rational, accounta- 
 ble and immortal beings in circumstances w^here they have not the 
 power of moral action. It makes them dependent on the will of 
 others, whether they shall receive religious instruction — whether 
 they shall know and worship the true God — whether they shall enjoy 
 the ordinances of the gospel — whether they shall perform the duties 
 and cherish the endearments of husbands and wives, parents and 
 children, neighbors and friends — whether they shall preserve their 
 chastity and purity, or regard the dictates of justice and humanity. 
 Such are some of the consequences and evils of slavery — consequences 
 and evils not imaginar}' — not arising from an abuse of the institution, 
 but which connect themselves vrith its very existence, and are insep- 
 arable from it. If, in any instances, the slave does not suffer aU these 
 evils, as we believe there are many, it is owing to the humanity of 
 the master, rather than to any inherent righteousness in the system 
 itself. The slave is deprived of his natural rights, degraded as a 
 human being, liable, to have inflicted upon him all the hardships and 
 injuries which inhumanity and avarice may suggest. Such being the 
 system of slavery, we regard it as a sin against God and man, and do 
 feel it to be our duty to use our honest, earnest and unwearied endea- 
 vours in all suitable ways, to remove its evils from our land and 
 throughout the world. 
 
 '■^Resolved, That, holding as we do, that American Slavery is a sin 
 against God and man, we cannot invite to our pulpit a minister who 
 is actually a slaveholder, and approves of the system ; nor invite to 
 our communion an individual holding a Uke relation to the system. 
 
 ^^ Resolved, That, great as we believe the evils of slavery to be. and 
 much and earnestly as we desire its removal, we do not beheve that 
 its evils would be mitigated, or its abolition hastened by gatherings 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 93 
 
 for political eflfect on the Sabbath, and therefore we cannot approve or 
 countenance gatherings for such purposes, on that sacred day. 
 
 '^Eesolved, That, as a church, we do not feel called upon to express 
 an opinion of any system of political action for the removal of slavery, 
 believing, as we do, that its political bearings should be settled by us 
 as citizens, in connection with our fellow citizens, and not as an 
 ecclesiastical body." 
 
 The church adopted these resolutions, with the 
 expectation that they would satisfy all parties, and 
 produce peace and concord among the brethren. In 
 this they were disappointed. About forty withdrew, 
 formed themselves into a separate body, thereby break- 
 ing the covenant by which they were bound to the Great 
 Head of the Church and his people, erected a house of 
 worship, labored with zeal to build themselves a place 
 and a name, but to no purpose. They speedily ran down, 
 sold their house, and are scattered, more or less, through 
 the land, and generally remain isolated from all church 
 relations, like sheep without a shepherd. Five only have 
 returned, after the lapse of fourteen or fifteen years, to 
 the bosom of the church, which they had repudiated. 
 
 Rev. Archibald McDougal was installed February 14, 
 1854. Dismissed 1860. 
 
 The church, at an early day, was accustomed to assem- 
 ble all the children of its members, at the commencement 
 of every nev/ year, for the purpose of having close per- 
 sonal conversation with each, upon the subject of their 
 souls' concern and future well being. They continued 
 this practice until their increasing numbers rendered it 
 impracticable, when Sabbath schools took their place. 
 It was a general custom among them, to require their 
 children to commit to memory the Assembly's Short 
 Catechism. Nothing short of great accuracy in the 
 answers would be accepted. With few exceptions, they 
 
94 HISTORY OF SHEEBURNE. 
 
 entered, early in life, some branch of the vineyard of the 
 Lord, and are useful members of the Church and State, 
 an honor to their parents, honored and esteemed by the 
 communities in which they reside. 
 
 The present number of communicants, is one hundred 
 and sixty five ; and of Sabbath school scholars, one hun- 
 dred and ten. 
 
 BAPTISTS. 
 
 The first Baptist Church was founded June 24, 1802. 
 It consisted of twenty-four members, of whom, one only 
 is now living. Their first house of worship was erected 
 in 1818, east of Earlville, on the dividing ridge between 
 the Chenango valley and the Handsome Brook, near 
 the south line of the town of Hamilton. About 1836, 
 they mutuall}^ agreed to divide and locate the church at 
 Earlville.* Those living in that vicinity continued their 
 relations with the first church. Those on the east side 
 were organized as the Second Baptist Church of Sher- 
 burne, Oct. 7, 1836, with twenty members. Their num- 
 ber increased to one hundred and fifteen in four years, 
 and was then diminished in one year, by emigration, to 
 sixty-five. They now number eighty-seven. 
 
 * They sold their house to Henry Waters of Earlville, who removed 
 it to the bank of the Chenango Canal, where it was converted into a 
 store-house. Some years after, the conversation among a party of 
 young men, turning upon the smgular and quaint variety of articles 
 with which Mr. "Waters had surrounded himself, one of the number 
 offered to bet that no one could inquire for anything in his store, which 
 he could not produce. Anotlier accepted the wager — revolving in 
 his mind what impossible article of merchandise should save the stake 
 — "Have you any pulpits for sale, sir?" Mr. W. promptly led him 
 to an out building, where, in the midst of kindred rubbish, he dis- 
 played to the astonished youth, and his intensely amused companions, 
 the article inquired for, standing entire. 
 
HISTORY OP SHERBURNE. 95 
 
 They erected their house of worship, in the village, 
 in 1837, at the cost of about $2,300. 
 
 METHODISTS. 
 
 The Methodist Church was organized in the village 
 of Sherburne, March 12, 1839, by Rev. James P. Backus 
 and Ebenezer Colson. They built their house of wor- 
 ship in 1 840. They now number eighty-three members. 
 
 FREE COMMUNION BAPTISTS. 
 
 The Free Communion Baptist Church, was organized 
 as a branch of the Plainfield Church, Feb. 8, 1809, by 
 Elder Strait, Deacons Fuller and Crumb, jr., and Messrs. 
 Spicer, Fitch and other brethren. They chose Elder 
 Strait their pastor, and Ephraim Mo wry church-clerk. 
 They received, on that occasion, eighteen into their fel- 
 lowship by baptism. From this time they had a succes- 
 sion of pastors, and frequent additions were made until 
 1819, when, by mutual consent, a council of ministers 
 and delegates, from churches in their connection, was 
 called to dissolve their relations with the parent church. 
 This council consisted of Elder William Hunt, from 
 Plainfield; Elder Benjamin Rowland, Exeter; Elder 
 Easterbrooks, Brookfield ; Deacon William Phelps, New 
 Berlin ; and Deacon Hart, from Plymouth. They met at 
 the school-house, near Stephen Tillotson's, on the 2d 
 day of June, 1819. Elder William Hunt was chosen 
 moderator, and Royal Bryant clerk. The council after 
 due consideration, organized them into a separate church, 
 which contained forty-eight members. Elder Hunt gave 
 the solemn charge. Elder Easterbrooks the right hnnd of 
 fellowship, and Elder Rowland made the concluding 
 prayer. Stephen Tillotson and Stephen Tinker were 
 Deacons, Robert Dart church clerk. 
 
96 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 About this time, Elder Benjamin Rowland, was chosen 
 pastor, and occupied the pulpit seventeen years. During 
 his ministry, there were frequent revivals. In 1820, there 
 Avere fifty-five added to the church. Occasional additions 
 were made from year to year, until 1831, when there 
 was another revival, and sixty-seven were added. 
 
 About this time, they obtained a charter from the 
 Legislature, and were incorporated Free Communion 
 Baptists of the State of New York. They erected a 
 house of worship, at the cost of about $500. 
 
 From 1831, the church continued to prosper — revivals 
 were frequent, and large accessions were made. Deaths, 
 exclusions and emigrations, have reduced their number 
 at present, to about one hundred. Elder Rowland's suc- 
 cessors, in the pastoral office, were : Elders Lotheridge, 
 Mathers, Brown, Clark, Russel, Gardner, Moore, Cook, 
 Lewis, and J. M. Darling, who is the present j^astor. 
 
 Two of their members have become preachers of the 
 gospel, viz.; William Lothridge, ordained July 9, 1831 ; 
 and Daniel Mather, in 1837. 
 
 EPISCOPALIANS. 
 
 The Episcopalians were organized into a church, by 
 the Rev. Russel Wheeler, in July, 1828. 
 
 Its first male Members^ were — Thomas Kershaw, H. 
 N. Fargo, Amasa Skinner, Asa Foote, Ezra Griffin. 
 
 First Wardens. — Thomas Kershaw, H. N. Fargo. 
 
 First Vestry. — Amasa Skinner, Alexander Holmes, 
 Reuben Davie, Elijah E. Merrill, Peter J.Davison, Wm. 
 Rees, Asa Foote. 
 
 Their first Rector was the Rev. Edward Andrews, 
 who was engaged to officiate one fourth of the time, for 
 one year, from the first of Sept., 1828. 
 
HISTORY OP SHERBURNE. 9*7 
 
 They erected their church edifice in 1831, at the cost 
 of about ^2.500, including the bell.* 
 
 In 1882, Bishop Onderdonk made them their first paro- 
 chial visit, and confirmed thirty-six. 
 
 In 1832, the Rev. John-W. Woodward, supplied the 
 parish one half of the time. In August of the same 
 year, the Rev. Liberty A. Barrows was employed as 
 Rector, one half of the time. By a subsequent arrange- 
 ment, he continued to serve the parish until 1838, when 
 he resigned. In January, 1838, the Rev. Thomas J. 
 Ruger, succeeded him, and occupied the pulpit six months. 
 In June, 1839, the Rev. Thomas Tow^el, filled the vacan- 
 cy. In Feb., 1842, the Rev. Liberty A. Barrows was 
 recalled, and continued until 1846, w^hen he resigned. 
 In May of the same year, the Rev. W. D. Wilson was 
 chosen Rector, and continued the same until 1850. On 
 the 8th of May, that year, the Rev. Levi H. Corson was 
 chosen Rector. During his ministry, on the 19th June, 
 1850, the records of the church and society were burnt, 
 and the above minutes were collected by him, from 
 the best information that could be obtained. May 8, 
 1854, he resigned. The Rev. Thomas Applegate suc- 
 ceeded in July, 1854. He resigned Oct. 1, 1855. Rev. 
 G, L. Foote became Rector, April 1, 1856, and continued 
 until April, 1858. May, 1858, the Rev. Joshua L. Bur- 
 rows became Rector, and still officiates as their pastor. 
 
 In 1 85 8, their church communicants numbered seventy. 
 The number of families belonging to their society was 
 fifty-eight, containing one hundred and thirty adults, and 
 
 * Trinity Churcb, in New York, contributed 500 dollars; Jo!in 
 "Watts, of New York, (a large land-holder in the north-east quarter,) 
 $500 ; Amasa Skinner, Thomas Kershaw, and H. N. Fargo, each $iOO, 
 And others smaller sums, according to their several abilities. 
 I 
 
98 HISTORY OF SHERBURXE. 
 
 fifty children ; in all one hundred and eighty. Sabbath 
 school pupils thirty. Moneys raised for missionary and 
 benevolent objects $131 60. 
 
 UNIYERSALISTS.* 
 
 The Universalist Society of Sherburne, was organized 
 on the 25th day of August, 1849, by the friends of the 
 cause, who met at the brick school-house, situated east 
 of the Academy, in the village of Sherburne, which 
 building was previously purchased by them, to be used 
 as a place of public worship. The meeting was organ- 
 ized, by appointing the Rev. James S. Sherburne, as 
 Moderator, and Isaac Plumb, as Secretary. The Rev. 
 Alfred Peck, oiFered a prayer ; and a Constitution for 
 the government of the society, was presented by the 
 Rev. C. L. Shipman, for consideration, which waa 
 adopted. Alberto Sabin, Naham Starr and Lnther K. 
 Murdock, were elected Trustees ; and Elijah S. Ly- 
 man, was elected Secretary. Rev. James S. Sherburne, 
 Naham Starr, Richmond White, Alfred Sabin, Alberto 
 Sabin, Elijah S. Lyman, William C. White, Luther N. 
 Murdock, and Isaac Plumb, were present and partici- 
 pated in the proceedings of the meeting. 
 
 The society held religious services at this house, until 
 the year 1856, when they purchased the meeting-house, 
 in the village of Sherburne, known as the Free Church, 
 a neat and commodious building, which they still occupy 
 for religious worship. 
 
 ROMAN CATHOLICS. 
 
 After the completion of the Chenango Canal, a num- 
 ber of foreigners, chiefly Irish, remained in the town. 
 
 * Communicated by Isaac Plumb, Esq. 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 99 
 
 They were soon organized into a church, professing the 
 Roman Cathohc faith. 
 
 In 1858, they purchased the house belonging to the 
 First Congregational Church and Society of Sherburne, 
 and haA^e preaching once in two or three weeks. If I 
 am rightfully informed, there is not an American born 
 citizen, except their own children, united with them. It 
 appears to be the policy of their Priests, to keep them 
 isolated as much as possible, from all religious or educa- 
 tional intercourse with the Protestant community. 
 
 LAST OF THE ORIGINAL PROPRIETORS. 
 
 Josiah Lathrop was one of the original proprietors of 
 the south-west quarter ; and was three years in the service 
 of his country, during the Revolution. He and Joel Hatch 
 were the last survivors of that band of pioneers. It was 
 a curious coincidence that their birtjl days should be the 
 same day and month, the 29th of August, although Mr. 
 L. was seven years the senior. It v/as their custom to 
 meet at each other's houses, alternately on that day, and 
 have a social visit with each other, and their offspring, 
 to the fourth genei-ation. It was a grand sight to behold 
 these venerable men, " o'er whose grey locks four score 
 and ten winters had shed their frosts and snows," sit 
 side by side, and recount the reminiscences of the past. 
 They had seen sixty winters pass over the valley, since 
 their first arrival, and now found themselves the only 
 survivors of all their compeers. Together they had gone 
 through the trials and vicissitudes of tlieir country, " in 
 the times that tried men's souls." They could contrast 
 the present with the day they first beheld the Valley of 
 Chenango in its primitive glory, when it was only the 
 residence of the roving Indian, the wild bear, the prowl- 
 
100 HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 
 
 ing wolf, and the bounding deer. When Tvith slow and 
 steady perseverance of the ax, swung by their own arm, 
 they beheld, one after another, the trees of the forest 
 fall crashing to the ground. Now, in their stead, the 
 expanded landscape, dotted with comfortable dwellings, 
 surrounded by lawns of luxuriant grass, and fields of 
 waving grain, spreads itself out before them. With hearts 
 overflowing with joy and gratitude, they saw temples 
 erected to the living God, filled with worshipers from 
 Sabbath to Sabbath — flourishing schools around them — 
 prosperity and internal improvements exceeding their 
 most sanguine anticipations. Every bosom would swell 
 with grateful emotion towards them and their associates, 
 for all the toils and hardships which they encountered in 
 laying the foundation for these results : all would be dis- 
 posed to honor them, not only as soldiers of the Revolu- 
 tion, but as soldiers of the Cross — to regard them not 
 merely as aged citizgns, but as sages " whose words were 
 words of wisdom, which it would be safe to follow." 
 
 These fathers, and the greater portion of the early set- 
 tlers with them, have gone the way of all the earth. The 
 last of this band was Joel Hatch, who survived Mr. 
 Lathrop, about one year; and was one of the' first to 
 explore and settle in this town, and the last to leave it. 
 He died March 26, 1855, in the 91st year of his age. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 What people have received a greater legacy from their 
 forefathers, than the people of Sherburne ? The boon of 
 freedom, from tyrany and oppression, almost every one 
 of the original, and many of the early settlers with them, 
 were personally active in obtaining, which, together with 
 the beautiful landscape that adorns the banks of the Che- 
 
HISTORY OF SHERBURNE. 101 
 
 nango, as a well watered garden, and was made such by 
 the sweat of their brow, they have bequeathed to us. 
 These organized churches, religious and literary institu- 
 tions, so prominent in our midst, after being watered by 
 their tears, and nourished by their prayers, they have 
 handed over into our hands for safe keeping. May wo 
 ever have their namea in grateful remembrance, imi- 
 tating their virtues, and transmitting this inheritance 
 unimpaired to our posterity. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGB. 
 
 Animals, "Wild, 76 
 
 Ark 59 
 
 Baptists, 94 
 
 Birds, 78 
 
 Bridge, 58 
 
 Burritt, Rev. Blackleach 15 
 
 Carding Machine, 44 
 
 Census, 61 
 
 Chenango Canal, 60 
 
 Climate, 67 
 
 Church, 85 
 
 Circuit Court, 44 
 
 Citiz-ens who became preachers, &c., 65 
 
 Conclusion, 100 
 
 Deer, 78 
 
 Distilleries, 82 
 
 Episcopalians, 9G 
 
 First Family, 11 
 
 First Justice of the Peace, 34 
 
 First Lawsuit, 35 
 
 Krsfc Payment of Lands, 31 
 
 First School, 32 
 
 Free Communion Baptists, 95 
 
 Geology G5 
 
 Gospel and School Lands, 4V 
 
 Graduates of GoUegee 64 
 
 Grist Mill, 26 
 
 Hftwka, 79 
 
104 TABLB OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Indians, 71 
 
 Indian Fortifications, 75 
 
 Indian Relics 74 
 
 Introductory Remarks, 5 
 
 Judges, 43 
 
 Last of tho Original Proprietors, 99 
 
 Latitude and Longitude, 71 
 
 Lawyers, first in Town, 41 
 
 Library, 50 
 
 Log-houses, 19 
 
 Marriage, first in town, 50 
 
 Methodists, 95 
 
 Panthers,.' :.. 77 
 
 Pkrty Ride, "...... ' 51 
 
 Physicians, ., . - 46 
 
 Pigeons, Wild, 79 
 
 Pioneers, ..... , .' '7 
 
 Potatoes, 81.' 
 
 Products of the Soil, 79- 
 
 Roman Catholics, 93, 
 
 School Houses, ■ 43-- 
 
 Sherburnoites admitted to the Bar, 65- 
 
 Skunks, '. .' 78 
 
 Store, ...*!... 44 
 
 Tho Press, 61 
 
 Town Meeting, .- . •. 82 
 
 Univorsalists, 98 
 
 Wedding, .......■..,..;............ .■ .' 50 
 
 Wild Animals, ; 76 
 
 Wolves,^ -. •.'.... '. i ;... 77 
 
 Woolen Factory, ...,.,..,. ^ "45 
 
 ^J 92 8 
 
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