Chenango County NY

Rexford Falls of Sherburne New York

At his death March 27, 1875, Nelson C. Rexford, a son of the pioneer, Benjamin Rexford, devised to the town the falls property on Mad brook, about a mile east of Sherburne village, on the road from Sherburne to Columbus, including some three or four acres extending along the banks of the stream. February 15, 1876, the town accepted the devise and resolved to designate the falls as Rexford Falls. The falls are about seventy-five feet in height. Below them the steep, rocky banks of the stream rise to a height of nearly a hundred feet and form a narrow … 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 Jonas H. Brooks

JONAS H. BROOKS A LEADING, representative young man of Albany – a banker by profession – who is identified with the commercial interests of the city, is Jonas H. Brooks. He was born at Rutland, Worcester County, Mass., on the 5th of January, 1848. He comes from a long line of New England ancestry, which dates back to the formation of the Massachusetts colony in 1630-1. He is of the eighth generation of this strong and sterling old race in this country. The parents of Jonas H. Brooks are Moses Brooks and Sophronia Greenwood. His grandfather was Jonas Brooks of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Jeremiah Purdy

Jeremiah Purdy came from Dutchess county and settled at Sherburne Four Corners, where Milton Bentley now lives, and resided there till he had become advanced in years. Benjamin and Israel Ferris were brothers, though the latter settled in North Norwich, about a mile above the village, on the Dalrymple farm. Benjamin settled about a mile west of Sherburne village, where Morris Buell now lives.

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

Iroquois Domestic and Social Life

We purpose giving in this chapter some of the more prominent features of Indian domestic and social life, which furnish the best index to their true character. The Indian, viewed as a distinct branch of the human family, has some peculiar traits and institutions which may be advantageously studied. They furnish the key to those startling impulses which have so long made him an object of wonder to civilized communities, and reveal him as the legitimate product of the conditions attending his birth, his forest education, and the wants, temptations and dangers which surround him. They show him also to … Read more

Biography of Charles J. Buchanan

CHARLES J. BUCHANAN AN industrious and accomplished Albany lawyer, who has already gained no little distinction in the legal profession, and whose record in our civil war was most honorable, is Charles J. Buchanan, now of the well-known firm of Moak & Buchanan. Of Scotch-Irish ancestry – an ancestry noted for its strong mental and physical powers – he was born at New Berlin, Chenango County, N. Y., on the 27th of December, 1843. In the common schools of his native town, and in the New Berlin academy, amidst the richness and quietude of rural life, his school-boy days were … Read more

Tuscarora Incorporated into the Confederacy

From the conquered nations they exacted tribute, and drew conscripts for their armies. The Tuscaroras, who resided in Carolina, were incorporated into the confederacy in 1715, and thereafter they were known as the Six Nations. From the extent of their conquests, the number of their subject nations, and the tribute and military aid rendered them by the latter, they have been called the “Romans of the New World.” When we reflect that of their own warriors they could bring into the field barely 2,000 braves, and with this number subjugated nations numerically more than twice as large, and spread terror … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James Anderson

James Anderson settled in the south-west part of the town, on the farm now occupied by Roderick Fuller, where he died April 14, 1832, aged 62, and his wife, Electa Kelsey, Sept. 2, 1848, aged 74. His son Stephen also died in this town May 2, 1853, aged 55. Richard Jackson settled at a very early day at Sherburne Four Corners, where his father kept a tavern. He died in the first house north of the corners, Jan. 17, 1821, aged 67, and Sarah, his wife, Oct. 20, 1834, aged 74. John Smith settled on the Cyrus Hartwell farm, where … Read more

Taounyawatha – Deity of the Forest

This was a part of the broad domain of the Iroquois Confederacy,   which extended, in general terms, from the Hudson to the Genesee, and from the north to the south boundary of this State. This confederacy was composed of the following nations, located in the following order from east to west, the Mohawk, (Ganeagaonos,) Its origin is buried in the obscurity of vague tradition and was unknown to civilized nations in 1750. on the river which bears their name, the Oneida, (Onayotekaonos) Onondaga, (Onundagaonos) Cayugas, (Gwengwehonos) and Seneca, (Nundawaonos) mostly adjacent to the lakes which bear their names. The traditions … Read more

Oneida and Cayuga join the Iroquois Confederacy

“The Oneida and Cayuga,” says Gallatin, “are said to have been compelled to join [the confederacy.] Those two tribes were the younger and the three others the older members.” Zinzendorf, speaking of the Iroquois, says “the Oneidas and Cayuga are their children.”–Indian tribes of North America. “By the early French writers, the Mohawks and Oneidas were styled the lower or inferior Iroquois; while the Onondagas, Cayuga and Seneca, were denominated the upper or superior Iroquois, because they were located near the sources of the St. Lawrence. The Mohawks, who are commonly supposed to be the first nation in the confederacy … Read more

Town Officers of Sherburne New York

The first town meeting was held at the house of Timothy Hatch the first Tuesday in April, 1795. Isaac Foote was chosen moderator, and the following named officers were elected: Orsamus Holmes, Town Clerk; Isaac Foote, Supervisor; John Hibbard, Joseph Simons, Josiah Lathrop, Assessors; Eleazer Lathrop, Constable and Collector; John Guthrie, Constable; Joseph Porter, Samuel Picket, Overseers of the Poor; Joel Northrup, Abner Calkins, James Raymond, Stephen Parker, Joseph Guthrie, Overseers of Highways; Newcomb Raymond, Pound Keeper; John Lathrop, James Guthrie, Timothy Hatch, Commissioners of Highways; Joel Hatch, Ichabod Munger, Fence Viewers. The following list of the officers of the … Read more

Biography of Richard Church

Richard Church came in from Brattleboro, Vt., in the fall of 1788, and settled on the east side of the river, one-half mile below Afton, on the place now owned by the heirs of Levi Church and Andrew Johnston and Joseph Angell, the latter a son-in-law of Billings Church. He was a son of Col. Timothy Church, a Vermont sufferer, who did not settle here, but acquired land as such, on 300 acres of which Richard settled, and which, after the latter’s death, in the spring of 1813, was divided between two of his sons, Billings and Levi, Billings’ portion … 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

Fire Department Sherburne New York

The first recorded meeting was held at the house of Linus R. Hopson Oct. 12, 1850, by the “Sherburne Fire Engine Company.” Ira P. Barnes was called to the chair and B. W. Fay appointed secretary. A constitution and bylaws were then adopted and the following named officers elected: Isaac Plumb, Foreman; Deloss Burch, First Assistant Foreman; George Y. Knapp, Second Assistant Foreman; Byron Marks, Secretary; Sidney L. Starr, Treasurer. This company was disbanded June 7, 1858, and another organized under the same name June 9, 1858, of which T. H. Matteson was elected Foreman; L. N. Beers, First Assistant … 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

Iroquois Ceremonies

Among the Iroquois, and, indeed, all the stationary tribes, there was an incredible number of mystic ceremonies, extravagant, puerile, and often disgusting, designed for the cure of the sick or for the general weal of the community. Most of their observances seem originally to have been dictated by dreams, and transmitted as a sacred heritage from generation to generation. They consisted in an endless variety of dances, masquerading, and nondescript orgies; and a scrupulous adherence to all the traditional forms was held to be of the last moment, as the slightest failure in this respect might entail serious calamities. Dreams … Read more

War of the Rebellion in Sherburne New York

The record of the legislative action taken by this town with reference to filling its quotas during the late war is too meager and incomplete to possess any historic value in that connection. From other sources, however, we learn some of the results of that legislation. The town of Sherburne furnished in aid of the suppression of the Rebellion 236 soldiers and 20 seamen, 49 of whom were natives of the town; 1 ranked as Assistant Surgeon, 3 as Captain, 9 as Lieutenant, 1 as Sergeant Major and 13 as Sergeant; 176 enlisted for three years, 12 for two years, … Read more

Banks of Afton New York

The first bank in Afton was established in the winter of 1875, by Carver & Crassaus, who did business only one winter, in the building now occupied as a saloon by Brower & Hunt. They were from Bainbridge and continued their residence there. E. M. Johnston & Co.’s Bank (private,) located in Willey’s Block, was established Jan. 1, 1876, by Enos M. Johnston and Devillo C. Church.