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 […]
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
Afton is situated on the Susquehanna River, near the center of the town, and on the Albany & Susquehanna R. R., by which it is distant 28 miles from Binghamton and 114 from Albany. It lies mostly upon the west side of the river, and principally along the street running parallel with it. The hills
SHERBURNE was formed from Paris, Oneida county, March 5, 1795, and its name is said to have been suggested by a member of the Legislature, who affirmed that the early inhabitants were in the frequent habit of singing the tune of Sherburne, which was a great favorite with them. It originally embraced the town of
Levi Follett came from Winchester, N. H., in 1798 or ‘9, and settled in the south part of the town of Hamilton. He removed thence within a year about a half mile south, to the north edge of Sherburne. He bought of John Watts 50 acres on lot 41, to which he made subsequent additions,
The Sherburne National Bank was organized May 4, 1865, with a capital of $100,000, (all paid in) in shares of $100 each. The charter continues twenty years from its organization, and permits an increase of capital to any sum not exceeding $200,000. May 4, 1865, Joshua Pratt, Walter Elsbre, William Cook, Alonzo D. Gorham and
Sherburne is a pleasant little village with broad and handsomely shaded streets, and in some measure supplied with good substantial flag walks. It is situated a little south of the center of the town, east of Chenango River, on the line of the Utica, Chenango & Susquehanna Valley railroad. It is distant about 10 1/2
Hiram Burr Todd8, (Dyer7, Burr6, Samuel5, Samuel4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born July 26, 1848, Married twice, first, Elizabeth D. Ganoung, who was born July 3, 1854, died Dec. 11, 1888, in New Berlin, N. Y.?, he married second, Nov. 29, 1889, Mrs. Alice M. Starr. Mr. Todd writes from South New Berlin, N. Y., March
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
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
The first merchants in Afton were probably Sayres Burgess and Isaac Miner, who did business during the war of 1812 and a few years afterwards in a frame building which stood on the site of the store now occupied by Harris Briggs. Burgess lived and died in the town. His death occurred January 7, 1832,
This surname is also written Bourman, Boreman, Burman and in various other ways including Boardman in the earlier records. (I) Thomas Bowerman, as his descendants in this line spell his name, was born in England, and settled early in Barnstable, Massachusetts. He appears to have been in Plymouth as early as 1633, when he was
The Iroquois were not always the same fierce, rapacious and blood-thirsty people which they are now familiarly known to have been, but were once engrossed in the peaceful pursuits of the husbandman. Colden graphically relates the circumstances which led them in a measure to forsake that occupation, and involved them in a war with the
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
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
Prodigality was as much a characteristic of their feasts as their dances and other amusements, with which they were often associated, and like them are supposed to have had their origin in religion. They were often participated in by whole villages, sometimes even by neighboring villages, and in this way a vain or ambitious host
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
Capt. William Newton was born in Colchester, Conn., Oct. 15, 1786. His father, Asahel Newton, had served several years in the army of the Revolution. He was in straitened circumstances and had a large family of children, of whom William was the oldest, and on him devolved a large share of the burden of supporting
The Indian towns were generally but an irregular and confused aggregation of Indian houses, clustered together with little regard to order, and covering from one to ten acres. They were often fortified, and a situation favorable to defense was always chosen–the bank of a lake, the crown of a difficult hill, or a high point
HARRINGTON, Ruth Maria Todd8, (Charles7, Chauncey6, Jonah5, Stephen4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born Oct. 12, 1846, married Sept. 21, 1871, Adelbert Harrington, who was born Sept. 16, 1846, died March 22, 1902. They lived in Sherburne, N. Y. He was a farmer. Children: I. George Todd, b. March 4, 1873. II. Emily Adelaide, b. July 13,
