Afton New York

Biographical Sketch of Daniel Hyde

Daniel Hyde came in from Claverack, Columbia county, in 1801, and settled two and one-half miles north of Afton, at what is known as Ayrshire or North Afton, on the farm now occupied by Edward Wilkinson, where he died. His children were: Edward, who married Lydia, daughter of Nathan Bateman, and settled in the same locality, and who afterwards removed to Masonville and died there; Daniel, who married a woman named Graham, and settled in Ashtabula county, Ohio, where he died; Chauncey G., who married Lucretia, daughter of Amasa Newton, and settled and died near the old homestead; Elijah, who … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Johnston

William Johnston, a Revolutionary soldier, came in from Hartwick, Otsego county, in 1807, and settled a half mile south of Bettsburgh, on the farm now occupied by Devillo Dutton. He took up 50 acres in Broome county, on the line of Afton, and bought about one and one-half acres in Afton, the title to which proved defective. He subsequently purchased it of Asa Stowel. He afterwards removed to the town of Sanford, in Broome county, where he died February 10, 1843, aged 91, and Deborah, his wife, April 14, 1843, aged 81. He had six children, only one of whom … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David Pollard

David Pollard came in from Norwich, Conn., in 1790, and settled on the east side of the river, one mile below Afton, on the place now occupied by William Landers. He made a small clearing and built a log cabin and then sent for his family, consisting of his wife Polly, and six children. He died here December 30, 1830, aged 85, and his wife June 9, 1821, aged 69. His children were Polly, who married Richard Church, Lucy, who married William Olden, Cynthia, who married Heman Kelsey, Thomas, who moved to Seneca Falls some fifty years ago and died … Read more

Biography of Henry Pearsall

Henry Pearsall came from Long Island about 1787 and settled in the north-east part of Afton, one-half mile west of what was known as the Middle Bridge, which went off in a freshet a number of years ago and was not rebuilt. Having built a small house in the woods, he brought in his family, consisting of his wife, Anna Simmons, and one or two children. The house thus erected answered the double purpose of a dwelling and shop, for he followed his trade till his death. About 1809 he removed to the north line of the town of Bainbridge, … Read more

Settlers of the Town of Afton New York

The first settlement in Afton was made in July, 1786, by Elnathan Bush, who came in from Sheffield, Mass., with his family, then consisting of his wife and four children. They came as far as Cooperstown on horseback, and thence by canoe down the Susquehanna, leaving Cooperstown May 2, 1786. He settled on the west side of the river, opposite the forty acre island, known as Stowel’s Island, about two miles below Afton. This island and another near it, one of which contains ten and the other forty acres, had been cleared and cultivated by the Indians, and derive their … Read more

History of Afton New York

Afton is situated on the south-east corner of the county and lies wholly within the original township of Clinton. It was formed from Bainbridge November 18, 1857, and derives its name from Afton Water, a small river in Ayrshire, England, immortalized by the Scottish poet Burns. (A somewhat bitter feud was engendered by the division of the town of Bainbridge and the discussions preceding it, and to give Afton a precedence over its rival, a name with an initial preceding the letter B was selected. From Rev. E. T. Jacobs’ article on The Rise and Present of Afton. ) It … Read more

Physicians of Afton New York

William Knapp, who lives at Bainbridge, is believed to have been the first physician who practiced in this locality. He removed to Elmira. Dr. Nathan Boynton, who was located at Bettsburgh, and Drs. Starkey and Root, who studied with Boynton, and the latter of whom practiced in company with him at Bettsburgh, practiced here at an early day. They all removed to Elmira. Abraham Benton, brother of Orange Benton, studied medicine with Dr. Boynton at Bettsburgh and settled in the village on the east side of the river, where he practiced several years nearly fifty years ago. He was a … Read more

Mary Helen Todd Sprague of New Berlin NY

SPRAGUE, Mary Helen Todd8, (Jared7, Chauncey6, Jonah5, Stephen4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born July 20, 1845, died Jan. 17, 1896, married July 7, 1868, James Munroe Sprague, who died Oct. 8, 1893. He was principal of a school in Afton, N. Y. Mrs. Sprague has lived in or near New Berlin, N. Y. all her life. Children: I. Jared Asa, b. May 20, 1873, m. Jan. 15, 1896, Gracia B. Austin. Issue: (1) Mary Elizabeth, b. Jan. 25, 1897, m. Dec. 5, 1917, Wilbert Layng; (2) Helen Seely, b. April 27, 1907. II. Henry Dewayne, b. Feb. 26, 1877, d. July … Read more

Churches of Afton New York

The first church in the town was of the Presbyterian order. It was organized in 1802, by Rev. Daniel Buck, who was the first pastor, in the log school-house, which stood on the east bank of the river, within the limits of the present village of Afton and was the first school-house in the town. That church disbanded about forty years ago, but is perpetuated in a measure by the Presbyterian Church of Nineveh, which was organized in 1831, largely by members from this. Many of the members of this church had united with the Universalists, who were a numerous … Read more

Biography of Atherton, Cornelius

Cornelius Atherton came in from Pennsylvania in 1803 or ‘4. He was born in Cambridge, Mass., in 1736, and was the fourth in descent from Gen. Humphrey Atherton of Boston, from whom all the Athertons in America are descended. He married Mary Delano and with her removed to Amenia, Dutchess Co., N. Y., in 1763. He was a blacksmith by trade, and having discovered the process of converting iron into American steel, in 1772 he entered into a contract with the Messrs. Reed, merchants of that place, to superintend the erection of steel works, to be constructed by them, and … Read more

Biography of Daniel S. Buck

Daniel S. Buck was a noted hunter. He took 300 acres of land for which he paid with the bounties received for the destruction of wild animals, $60 for each wolf and $75 for each panther, of the latter of which he killed eleven in one year. He made hunting his business while game lasted and some seasons made more than his neighbors did at lumbering. While in Afton we spent an evening very pleasantly with his genial son Noble, who is now well advanced in years, listening to the recital of his father’s adventures while on hunting expeditions; but … Read more

Schools of Afton New York

Receipts And Disbursements For School Purposes Amount on hand Oct 1, 1876 $ 14.36 ” apportioned to districts 1,926.04 Proceeds of Gospel and School Lands 102.47 Raised by tax 2,251.58 From teachers’ board 384.00 From other sources 290.36 Total receipts $4,968.81 Paid for teachers’ wages $4,184.38 ” ” libraries .67 ” ” school apparatus 10.84 ” ” ” houses, sites, fences out-houses, repairs, furniture, etc. 278.05 Paid for other incidental expenses 453.11 Amount remaining on hand Oct. 1, 1877 $41.76 The Union Free School District No. 12, of the town of Afton, was formed a joint district August 8, 1874, … Read more

Biography of Hezekiah Stowel

Hezekiah Stowel, to whom reference has been made, was a Vermont sufferer, and came in from Guilford in that State in 1786, and settled at Bettsburgh, on 220 acres on lot 63, on the east side of the river, and was the pioneer settler on the site of that village. He subsequently removed to the west side of the river, where he is buried, probably at the time he made the exchange with Elnathan Bush. He lived and died in the locality. It is not known that he lived on the place exchanged with Bush in Bainbridge. His children were:–Asa, … Read more

Town Officers of Afton New York

The officers elected March 2, 1858, were as follows: Daniel A. Carpenter, Supervisor; Edgar Garret, Clerk; Hiram Willey and Morris J. Madge, Justices; William Corbin (William Corbin did not qualify and John Carr was appointed in his place March 16, 1858), Robert M. Littlefield and Jackson W. Poole, Assessors; Albert Pratt, Commissioner of Highways; Thomas Yale and George F. Hard, Overseers of the Poor; Eli M. Shay, Collector; Luman C. Pollard, William Corbin and James Poole, Railroad Commissioners (Before the division of the town, Bainbridge had issued bonds for $60,000 in aid of the Albany & Susquehanna Railroad, and $30,000 … Read more

Lawyers of Afton New York

The first lawyer in Afton was probably George Smith, who was here in 1830. He came in a young, single man and married a daughter of Henry Olendorf. He practiced here several years and removed to Norwich, where he died. He was the only lawyer of any note who located here until the present ones came in. The present (1882) lawyers are Jacob B. Kirkhuff, George A. Haven and Josiah D. Merritt. Jacob B. Kirkhuff was born in Stanhope, N.J., September 12, 1836. He read law in Red Creek, N. Y., with Jacob B. Decker, with whom he remained six … Read more

Hotels of Afton New York

Cook’s Hotel was opened in December, 1878, by Nathaniel M. Cook, the present proprietor, who in that year converted it to its present use from a saloon which he had kept there since 1872. The Central House is owned by Richard Munson and kept by Miles Parsons, who became the proprietor in April, 1879. The Sullivan House was built about fifty-six years ago by Josiah and Alfred Wright, brothers, and is now owned by Erastus Sullivan, who has kept it since March 10, 1869. He came here from Oneonta, his native place, in 1845. A hotel which stood on the … Read more

Chenango County, New York Genealogy

This collection was extracted from the History of Chenango and Madison Counties, New York. The genealogy data we’re providing below is specific to the Chenango County portion of the book, except for the Native American History. It presently contains only the towns of Afton and Sherburne.

Lodges and Societies of Afton New York

Afton Lodge, No. 360, F. & A. M., was organized as Nineveh Lodge, January 11, 1855, at which time the first communication was held, and was chartered June 20, 1855. The name was changed June 24, 1862, when it was decided to remove the lodge from Nineveh, where the meetings had formerly been held, to Afton. The first officers were Harvey Bishop, Master; Platt Bishop, S. W.; C. G. Northrop, J. W.; Fenner Brown, Secretary; W. H. Scott, Treasurer; T. C. Healy, S. D.; J. Kelly, J. D.; Jesse Brown, Tiler; E. M. Brown and E. Badger, Stewards. Meetings are … Read more

Biography of Oliver Easton

Oliver Easton came in from Wilmington, Vt., in 1809, and settled on Long Hill, where Matthew Long, from Vermont, with a large family of grown-up children, was the first settler at an early day. Easton settled on the farm now occupied by his grandson, Henry Devillo Easton, about three miles north-west of-Afton. He leased 60 acres of gospel lands, which he occupied till his death December 11, 1839, aged 74. Delight, his wife, died January 5, 1860, aged 86. He carried on farming and lumbering, mostly the latter. His children were eleven in number: Chauncey, who married Lucinda, daughter of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Judge Peter Betts

Judge Peter Betts came in as early as 1803 and settled at Bettsburgh, to which place he gave his name. He was a large land-holder, and opened there in 1805 the first store in the town, which he kept till his removal to Bainbridge, about 1820-’25, where he was also engaged in mercantile business. He represented this county in the Assembly in 1804-‘5, again in 1808, and again in 1811. He was born in Norwalk, Conn., January 17, 1772, and died in Bainbridge, June 19, 1849. Eliza, his wife, died February 9, 1819, aged 40. His children were: Peter, Sally, … Read more