History of Norwich, Chenango County

History of Norwich

    The first settlement in the present town of Norwich was made in 1788 the year in which the Indian title to this section was extinguished by Avery POWER, who came before the title was extinguished and squatted on lands for which he afterwards paid, at the rate of three shillings per acre, by services rendered the government surveyors, who laid out this tract in 1789 or '90. The farm he took up was early known as the Indian fields; for, with the exception of some fifteen or twenty acres lying upon the side hill, it had been cleared and cultivated by the Indians, and apples trees in bearing, planted by the latter, were then growing upon it. Latterly it is better known as the RANDALL farm, from its subsequent occupant. It contained the whole of lot 39 (250 acres,) and an additional thirty-six acres. It is located a mile south of Norwich village, lying on both sides of the river, but mostly upon the west side, lot 39 cornering near the residence of Homer JOHNSON. His log cabin stood a little east of the canal, near the barn on the Jeduthan NEWTON place, formerly owned by John Randall. Mr. Power was possessed of a hardy, bold and venturesome spirit, which made him restive under the restraints imposed by civilization.
    He was a sort of compromise between the savage Indian and civilized white man. He soon pined for the wild associations which the locality of his settlement was rapidly losing, and in 1800 he sold to John Randall, and removed to the Western States, receiving for his farm and improvements $4,100. His removal was doubtless hastened by the misfortune which overtook him; for he lost in as many weeks three daughters after a brief illness, all of whom were buried on the Burlingame farm on the east side of the river, the yard being still preserved. These deaths were supposed to have been the first in the town. His daughter, Lucy Power, was the first child born in the town.* His was the first dwelling house and, says Clark, the first tavern, ** in Norwich.
    [* There is some question as to who was the first male child born in the town. French's Gazetteer of the State of New York states that it was Marcus COLE; while Dr. Harvey HARRIS, of Norwich, who was born August 3, 1795, and claims to be the fourth child born in the town, says that Horace, eldest child of Hascall RANSFORD, was the first. Marcus COLE, he believes, was born in 1794, and Horace RANSFORD in 1791; but the records of the Ransford family show that the latter was born July 23, 1794.]
    [** Mr. CLARK says, "Power's habitation was opened as a kind of inn for the entertainment of whites and savages, but chiefly for the accommodation of the latter." The RANSFORD family claim that Hascall Ransford kept the first inn. French's Gazetteer of New York says Benjamin EDMUNDS kept the first inn. Unquestionably, however, Mr. Raynford's inn was much larger and much more worthy of the name than any that preceded it.]
    David FAIRCHILD is supposed to have been the next settler in the town. He located near the south line of the town, near what was once known as GATES' tavern. He soon after removed to the central part of the town of Preston, where he was killed about 1805, in a log trap, set for bears. He was a noted hunter and trapper.
    The third settler is supposed to have been Silas COLE, who came with his wife from Connecticut, on horseback, both riding one horse. He took up all that part of the village of Norwich lying east of South Main street, between the points where East street intersects and the Canasawacta crosses South Main street. It afterwards formed the farms of Elder Jedediah RANDALL and Judge STEERE, on the former of which he settled. Mr. Cole built the house afterwards owned by Judge YORK for a tavern; and when the first militia muster was advertised to take place in Norwich he made extensive and expensive preparations to entertain the expected multitude, which was even greater than was anticipated, but, owing to the numerous hucksters, who supplied the wants of the large crowd, the tavern keepers failed to receive their expected patronage. Mr. Cole thus became involved and was obligated to sell his fine farm, which he did, and removed with his family and three children, Marcus, Lucius and Minerva, about 1806, to Sugar Creek, Ohio, where he died.
    Capt. John HARRIS and William SMILEY came in company from Voluntown, Conn., in 1789. HARRIS took up land that year and returned in the fall for his family. SMILEY brought his family with him, and settled on the west side of the river, two miles below Norwich, on the farm afterwards occupied successively by Stephen COLLINS, Elias BREED, who held it a great many years, and John FRYER. He built that year on the site of the residence recently occupied by John Fryer, a log house, which Dr. Harris says was the second dwelling house in the town. This is the farm on which the sulphur spring before referred to was located. Smiley sold about 1796-'8, to Stephen COLLINS, and went west with his family. COLLINS came in at that time from Connecticut, and about 1806, built the present house on that farm. He kept tavern there, and also the toll-gate on the turnpike from Utica to Binghamton, which was built about 1800. About 1810, he sold to Elias BREED and removed from the town with his family.
    BREED came from Stonington, Conn., and continued to reside on the farm till his death, Dec. 6, 1849, aged 67. His wife, Elizabeth R., also died there, Oct. 22, 1868, aged 84. There were succeeded on the farm by their children William and Jane, wife of John FRYER, the latter now living in Norwich village and the former on the homestead.
    William married a daughter of James PACKER, in the south-west part of Norwich, and is also still living. [Charles, who is demented, and is living in the village; Elias S., who married Sarah, daughter of Roswell ENOS, and died in the town, of cancer in the neck, Feb. 1, 1842, aged 38; Noyes P., who married a VANAMBURGH and was accidentally killed Dec. 12, 1835; and Samuel, who married Julia BENNETT, from the locality of Oswego, and is living in St. Paul, were children of Elias BREED's.]
    Captain John HARRIS was born on Nantucket Island, Mass., about 1753. He followed the sea and ran a packet between New York and Liverpool till the opening of the Revolutionary war, when he removed to Voluntown (now Sterling,) Conn., where, in 1776, just one month before the Declaration of Independence, he married Tamer, daughter of William RANSFORD, a native of Voluntown, Conn., where they resided till 1790. Captain Harris, as before stated, came to Norwich in 1789, and took up 256 acres, extending from Broad street to the river, and from the south bounds of the American Hotel property to the north line of the TERWILLIGER place, in the north part of the village. Having arranged with Avery POWER and William SMILEY to build him a log cabin he returned in the fall for his family, which he brought in the following January, with two yoke of oxen, attached to a long sled, on which were placed goods and family supplies. His family rode in a sleigh, drawn by a span of horses. They stopped one night at the house of John EASTWOOD, a noted Methodist, who had then made a settlement on the Unadilla in Guilford.
    The journey from the Unadilla to Norwich occupied two days. His family then consisted of his wife and six children, Blin, Abby, John, Squire, Tamer and William.
    The house, which he expected to find ready for occupancy, was not begun. He quartered his family with that of William SMILEY until he rolled up his log-house, which, with the aid of his brothers-in-law, Hastings and William RANSFORD, who accompanied him in the settlement, in 1790, occupied only four days. Smiley's house contained only one room, and in this he, his wife and two or three children, Harris, with his family and two brothers-in-law, lived in the most democratic manner, making their beds upon the floor. Harris' house was something of an improvement on this, as it had two rooms. It stood just north of the brook which crosses the main street near the brick brewery, between that and the orchard on the REXFORD place; but no trace of it remains. The orchards referred to was set out by Harris between 1790 and 1797. The house was replaced in 1808 by a frame structure, which was removed in the spring of 1836, to the corner above the residence of Dr. Harvey Harris, for which it made way, and in 1850, it was again removed to the canal, where it still stands, being still occupied as a residence.
    Harris was principally engaged here in surveying. He surveyed and divided the 10th township (North Norwich,) which had been bought by some eight or nine individuals. [Among them were Jonah PIER, ---- DAN, Jacob GROW, Thompson MEAD, Abram and Edward PERLEE, and Isaac BOCKEE, from Nine Partners, Dutchess county.] He laid out immediately after coming in, the road which now forms Broad street in the village of Norwich and then extends north from the Canasawacta two and a half miles in a straight line and from thence north to Sherburne and south to Oxford. This was the first road in the old town of Norwich, and in the north part of the county, probably the only one then in the county, except the old military, or Chenango, road in the south part of the county, and possibly the Unadilla river road. Harris and his wife both died on the homestead, the former of dropsy, in 1797, and the latter, February 18, 1835, aged 76. Subsequent to Harris' death, she married Samuel HULL, from Stillwater, Saratoga county, who also died here, Dec. 13, 1830, aged 88. Harris had two children after he came here Harvey and Annie. [Of Harris' children: Blin married Charlotte BENNETT, from Connecticut, and settled on the north part of the homestead farm, where Andrew PELLET now lives, where he and his wife died, the former, Nov. 8, 1844, aged 65, and the latter, July 30, 1850, aged 63. They left two children, Blin, who married Polly ROSS, and practiced medicine in Norwich from about 1849 till his death, Jan. 31, 1864, aged 55, leaving five children, and Angeline, who married B. Frank BROWNING. Abby married Henry FINCH and removed to Oswego, where both died, having ten children, only three of whom are living, Dolly, who married a Methodist minister, Eunice, who married a lake captain and removed to California ,and Julia, who married ---- HUTCHINSON, of Oswego. John, who married Maria, daughter of Thomas PRENTIS, of Plymouth, and died in March, 1877, aged 91. He was twice married. His second wife, Polly, daughter of Solomon WAIT, of Preston, is still living in New Berlin; only one of his six children is living, Rebecca, widow of Edward, son of Ansel BERRY. Squire was a bachelor and lived with his brother John, died in New Berlin Dec. 25, 1875, aged 91. Tamer married Pardon BARNES, and after his death, in Norwich, where they settled, Calvin RICHARDSON, with whom she removed to Kingston, Penn., where she was taken sick, returned to Norwich and died. William died when about ten years old. Harvey, who was born in Norwich, where he still resides, August 3, 1795, and practiced medicine in his native village, from 1818 till about 1870 (see "Physicians in Norwich,") married, in 1822, Philada, daughter of Truman ENOS, they had six children: Abbie, Truman, Hannah, Augusta, Harvey, George, William. Annie married Archibald CLARK and settled and died in Norwich village, where the widow of Benjamin GARDNER now lives. They left four children, three of whom are now living-Julia, Andrew and Charles.]
    Hascall and William RANSFORD, before referred to, were brothers and natives of Voluntown, Connecticut, from whence they removed to this county. They came on foot. Hascall was born February 10, 1766, and came at the age of twenty-four years. He took up 150 acres of land, to which he subsequently added, a mile north of the village. The farm, the larger part of it, is now occupied by J. Dakin REED. R. A. YOUNG, occupies that part of the farm which lies east of the river. A portion of the west side is occupied by his daughter Fanny, wife of Anthony LAMB. It is still known as the Ransford farm, having remained in that family till within some twelve or fifteen years.
    He worked two summers and spent his winters in Ballston. The second winter he brought in his parents, William and Abigail, the former of whom was born in Old Plymouth, Massachusetts, July 3, 1728, and the latter in Hillingsby, Connecticut, Feb. 25, 1726. His father died July 2, 1814, aged 85, and his mother, May 6, 1811, at the same age. At this time (1792) his worldly possessions consisted of a span of horses, a sleigh and forty dollars in money. With the latter he bought a yoke of oxen. He sold one horse and the other went to make the first payment on his land. July 12, 1792, he married Fanny, daughter of Matthew GRAVES, who was born in Conway, Massachusetts, December 21, 1775.* He had previously made a small clearing on his land and built a log shanty in which he soon after commenced keeping tavern. This, his family claim, was the first tavern in the town. The house stood on the east side of the road, about twenty-five rods south of the residence of the widow LAMB, about the locality of the gate across the road leading to the bridge which crosses the canal in that vicinity. About 1799, he built a frame house, which stood on the hill opposite the log house, on the west side of the road. This was torn down some twenty or more years ago, by George MULLIGAN, who used the frame in the construction of his present residence in the north part of the village.
    That was the second frame house in the village.** Haskell died on the farm on which he first settled June 30, 1839, aged 73, and his wife, on the portion then occupied by his son William, December 20, 1859, aged 85. He represented Chenango county in the Assembly in 1814. Numerous descendants are living in the locality of his settlement.
    [Hascall RANSFORD's children were: Horace, Abigail, Hannah, Hascall, Matthew, Graves, Horace (the second by this name), William, Fanny, Louisa Frances, Charles and Hiram.
    Horace was born July 23, 1794, and died Sept. 4, 1795. Abigail, born Jan. 22, 1797, married Dr. Elisha WALES, of Norwich, and died June 21, 1814. Hannah, born Oct. 17, 1799, after the death of her sister Abigail, married Dr. Elisha WALES, who died in Norwich, Oct. 19, 1819, aged 27. She died Oct. 6 1874, aged 76. Hascall was born May 12, 1800, married Eliza, daughter of General Thompson MEAD, and settled in the north edge of Norwich village, where he died. His wife died in Norwich village. Matthew Graves was born June 8, 1802, and married Sophia, daughter of John T. WASSON. She died Dec. 6, 1872. Matthew, who still resides in Norwich village, claims to be the first child born in a frame house in Norwich. Horace was born June 18, 1804, and died April 21, 1816. William was born July 5, 1806, and married Laura, daughter of John PELLET. He settled on the homestead and lived there till within some fifteen years, when he sold the farm and removed to Wood's Corners, where both he and his wife reside. Fanny was born March 12, 1809, and married Anthony LAMB. They settled on a part of the homestead farm, where she still resides. Louisa Frances was born June 14, 1811, and died Aug. 31, 1813. Charles was born Jan. 18, 1815, married Esther, daughter of Roger BISSELL, and settled on some sixty acres in the village. He afterwards bought a farm two and a half miles above the village, where both now reside. Hiram was born April 1, 1817, and died Dec. 27, 1828.]
    [* This was the first marriage contracted in the town. The ceremony was performed by Joab ENOS, who was made a Justice for that occasion, as there was no clergyman or other person authorized to solemnize marriages nearer than Tioga Point, to which place Mr. Ransford at first proposed to go. Mr. Enos was ignorant of the ceremony, and was aided in its performance by John HARRIS, who stood at his back and prompted him. ENOS came in that year (1792) from Windsor, Conn. and was then living on the east side of the river, on the Charles BURLINGAME farm. He removed two or three years after to Oxford, where he was afterward elected County Judge, which office he held when the county was organized. He continued to reside there till his death. Among his children were Henry, Eben, who died June 27, 1808, aged 43, Jerusha, who married Joshua BURLINGAME, father of Charles Burlingame, the surveyor, and died Jan. 20, 1835, aged 58, and her husband, Dec. 22, 1852, aged '84, and Polly, who married Levi SHERWOOD, all of whom are dead.]
    [** It is generally supposed that this was the first frame hose in the town; but the first was built by Matthew GRAVES, in 1798, the year in which SMITH's saw-mill was built. It stood on the west side of South Board street, about midway between the canal and creek. It was removed some twenty years ago to its present location, near the creek. It is the last house but one on the west side of that street, from the village toward the creek.]
    William RANSFORD settled on 190 acres on the east side of the river, at Wood's Corners. The farm has since been divided between two grand-daughters: Henrietta, wife of William K. LOOMIS, a wheel-wright in Norwich, and Jennette, wife of M. J. REESE, who is now living on the homestead. He married Hannah, daughter of Josiah BROWN and both died on the farm upon which they had settled. He died Oct. 26, 1826, aged 27. They had five children, three sons and two daughters. [These were William, who married Emily PHELPS, and lived an died on the homestead farm; Josiah, who was a bachelor, and also died on the homestead farm; Lucy, who married Wm. G. MILLER, a wheelwright, of New Hartford, settled in Norwich village, where he died Aug. 12, 1843, aged 45, and after his death removed to Plymouth, where she died Aug. 20, 1862, aged 59; Abby, who married Horace HAMILTON, and settled near Mead's Pond in North Norwich, where both died; James, who married Betsey HAMMOND, and settled, lived and died on the homestead farm (Sept. 3, 1874, aged 69,) where his widow now lives with her daughter, Mrs. M. J. REESE. The homestead was divided between James' daughters.]
    Jacob and Joseph SKINNER, brothers, came in from Hebron, Conn., in 1790. We are not advised where Jacob first settled, but after the death of Timothy JOHNSON, about 1794, he occupied the farm taken up by the latter about 1795.
    JOHNSON came from Sterling, Conn., and settled on the flats between the road and the river, on the west side about half a mile north of the village of Norwich. Johnson was the first adult person who died in the town. His wife died in Connecticut. He had two sons, Heman and Jared, the former of whom married, settled and died in Plymouth, the latter settled and died in North Norwich.
    SKINNER occupied that place only a few years. He soon after removed from the stone mill, to the crest of the west hill, where he built a log house and afterwards a frame structure, in which both he and his wife died, the former June 3, 1847, aged 80, and the latter, (Phebe,) Feb. 1, 1842, aged 72. They left two sons and a daughter. John, who married a daughter of Job STAFFORD,* and settled and died in the north-east quarter of Norwich; Reuben, who removed when young and single to Chautauqua county; and Hannah, who who married a BREED and settled first on the homestead and subsequently in Guilford.
    * Job STAFFORD came from Connecticut about 1794 or '5, and settled in the east part of Preston, where both he and his wife died. Another daughter, Amy, married Whitman WILLCOX, who came from Connecticut about 1794, and settled on the east side of the river, about two miles south of Norwich, where both died.
    Joseph SKINNER settled on the east side of the river, about a mile above Norwich village, on the farm now occupied by Clarissa, widow of Joseph Skinner, Jr. He was a young, single man, and came on foot and alone, with fifty cents in his pocket, carrying on his back a bundle, done up in a handkerchief, and containing his possessions. He bought sixty acres of land, and built a log cabin on the river bank. Being out of provisions, he borrowed some corn of a neighbor, who preceded him in the settlement, took it to Oxford and had it ground. On returning he borrowed of the same kindly neighbor a spider, in which to bake his bread, which, he said afterwards, was the sweetest he had ever tasted. The following year (1791) he married Lois TRAIN, daughter of Oliver Train, who came in about this time with the family of Martin TAYLOR, from Whately, Mass. Her father never came to this country. He soon afterwards removed to the village. Skinner and his wife died on the farm which he first took up, the former April 16, 1854, aged 86; the latter, Nov. 2, 1839, aged 71. [Their children were: Isaac, who married Polly HASCALL, settled first in the locality of King's Settlement in North Norwich, subsequently lived in various places, and finally removed to Ohio, where he died July 4, 1877; Justin, who died at the age of three years; Otis, who married a Miss RANDALL, settled first in Norwich, and afterwards removed to Sherman, Chautauqua county, where he died; Charles, who married Nancy MAIN, settled on a part of the homestead farm, afterwards removed to Plymouth, where he died; Aretas, who married Henrietta DAY and settled in Sherman, Chautauqua county, where he died; Daniel, who married Ruamia A., daughter of Henry PIKE, of North Norwich, settled near the river bridge at Wood's Corners, where he kept tavern a good many years, and after the death of his wife, Oct. 9, 1844, aged 33, married her sister, Lovisa A, and removed to North Norwich, where she died December 27, 1868, aged 46. He married for his third wife, Mary Ann, widow of William DODGE, and afterwards removed to Kings Settlement, where he died Feb. 11, 1874, aged 65: William, who married Mary Ann, daughter of Dennis BALLOU, settled in Plymouth, where he practiced medicine till within a few years of his death at Portland, Chautauqua county; and Joseph, who married Clairssa, daughter of Nehemiah BROWN, of Cortland, and settled, lived and died on the homestead, Oct. 8, 1879, aged 64. Not one of the eight children are living, but few of the descendants are living here. They are mostly in the West. The grandchildren who are living in the county are: Isaac W., son of Joseph, Jr., in Norwich; Leonard, in Kings Settlement, Lovisa, in Norwich, and Mary, wife of Wm. CHAFFE, in Plymouth, children of Daniel; Clara, wife of Cornelius PRESCOTT, and William, both in Plymouth children of Dr. William.]
    Nicholas PICKETT and Major Thomas BROOKS were settlers of about this period, 1790-91. PICKETT located on the east side of the river, on what was afterwards known as the PENDLETON farm. He sold out after a few years and removed West. Major BROOKS settled on the west green in Norwich village, on which he built a log shanty. He removed at an early day to the south-east corner of Plymouth, to the farm now occupied by Ambrose BRYANT. He was killed by the fall of a tree, August 20, 1822, at the age of 61 years. Lucy, his wife, died on that farm Dec. 31, 1827, aged 71. Major Brooks was a Massachusetts man. He was a Revolutionary soldier, and also participated in Shay's Rebellion, a fact which he always admired and justified. His children mostly scattered and removed from the town. [They were Thomas, a bachelor, who removed to and died in the Southern States; Clitus, married, lived and died in the locality of Ithaca; Thesius, who married and lived and died on the homestead farm; Clara, a maiden lady, who died on the homestead; Cassius, who married a daughter of Amos MEAD, (nicknamed "Horseneck Mead," from the name of the place from whence he came in New England, to distinguish him from Amos MEAD, who came from Dutchess county and settled in North Norwich,) and settled on the north part of the homestead farm, and afterwards removed to Michigan.]
    Settlements were made about 1791 or '2, by Matthew GRAVES, Martin TAYLOR, and Colonel William MONROE.
    Matthew GRAVES came in from Hatfield, Massachusetts, and settled in the south part of Norwich village, on the John RANDALL, Jr. farm, where he lived till about 1813, when, being advanced in years, he went to live with Dr. Jonathan JOHNSON, his son-in-law, on the opposite side of the road, where Dr. William H. STUART now lives. The house in which he lived on the first farm, a small frame structure, is still standing on the CONKEY farm, having been removed to the locality of the canal, and is still occupied as a tenement house. He died at the residence of his son-in-law, Hascall RANSFORD, August 17, 1824, aged 86. His wife (Hannah MORTON) died on the old homestead March 28, 1813, aged 69. Their children were all born in Massachusetts. The eldest daughter married and remained there. [His children were: Charles, Israel, Fanny, Hannah and Dexter. Charles married and settled on one hundred acres below the homestead farm. He and his wife died there. Israel married a WELLS, from Massachusetts, and settled on a farm next north of his father's. His house stood on the site of J. H. LATHAM's residence. He removed to the north-east quarter of this town; afterwards, about 1812, with his family to Virgil; and subsequently to live with his son, Ovid, in Chautauqua county, where he died. Fanny married Hascall RANSFORD. Hannah married Dr. Jonathan JOHNSON, who settled opposite her father's, where Dr. William H. STUART now lives, and practiced medicine here till near his death (See "Physicians in Norwich.") Dexter married a KENDALL, and settled in the village, where he carried on a distillery for some time. He removed to Chicago about 1820. Both he and his wife died in the West.]
    Martin TAYLOR was from Massachusetts, and was implicated in the Shay rebellion. On the night of the day that the rebellion was quashed he mounted his horse and rode to Utica and thus escaped by proving an alibi. He returned to Massachusetts, and in 1791, squatted on the west side of the river, opposite the covered bridge which crosses the river at Norwich, where Joseph SKINNER now lives. About 1804-'6, he removed to Wood's Corners, and from thence, during the war of 1812, to Chautauqua county. His sons Jared and Erastus, his only children, were engaged in the battle of Queenstown, in which Jared was shot through the leg. He afterwards joined the family in Chautauqua county.
    Col. William MONROE enlisted as a drummer boy in the war of the Revolution, at the age of fourteen years, and served through that war. He came here from Windsor, Conn., and squatted on the east green in the village of Norwich. He built a log-house near the corner of Main and Broad streets, intending to take up land.
    When the Twenty Townships were offered for sale by the State, certain of the settlers in this locality employed Capt. John HARRIS to attend the sale and purchase the lands in which they were interested; but Leonard M. Cutting, of New York, by bidding a penny an acre more than Mr. Harris was authorized to bid, secured the lands in the 15th township, and designed making them lease lands. The determined opposition of the settlers, however, defeated his plan, and saved Chenango county from those bitter feuds and clandestine violence which, for many years previous to 1846, agitated some of the eastern counties in this State. Avery POWER was the only one who had a title to his lands. The other settlers expected to purchase directly of the State, but Cutting forestalled them.
    In 1793, Mr. Cutting, whom Dr. Harris described as a man small in stature, but big in feeling, visited the town and endeavored to induce those who had settled here, to the number of some twenty-five or thirty, to accept leases. He visited the homes of the different settlers, among them that of Monroe, who was away from home. From there he went to John SHATTUCK's,* to which place Monroe followed him, on being informed by his wife of Cutting's visit. There Monroe, who was a large, powerful man, weighting about two hundred pounds, got into an altercation with Cutting, during which the latter called Monroe a liar. Near the door stood a swill barrel, made from a hollow button-wood tree, and provided with a brass-wood bottom. Monroe seized Cutting and doused him into this, remarking as he did so, "You young stripling! Call a Revolutionary soldier a liar, will you!" and emphasized his remarks with a repetition of the act, sousing poor Cutting, with his ruffled collar and cuffs, up to the neck in the barrel. Cutting, thoroughly discomfited, returned to New York as soon as his clothes were suitably washed and dried, and soon after sold the township to Dr. John Stiles, of Elizabeth, N.J., and Anthony LAMB, of New York, the latter of whom sold the last of his lands on the east hill some ten years ago. Messrs. Stiles and Lamb obviated the objectionable feature with regard to rents, but advanced the price of lands to twenty shillings per acre. This was a grievous disappointment to the occupants of the lands, who expected to purchase them for three shillings per acre. Many on learning that efforts were being made to make them lease lands became discouraged and threatened to leave the lands and abandon their improvements; but Dr. Stiles came on and pacified them by making the above offer on long time. All the first settlers were poor, and many required a long time to lift the burden of indebtedness. Capt. John Harris, so Dr. Harris informs us, was the only one of the first settlers who paid anything down on their purchases.
    *[This we get from Dr. Harvey HARRIS who is unquestionably the best living authority regarding the earlier history of the town. The Shattuck family fix the date of Shattuck's settlement was 1797.]
    In the meantime, Colonel Monroe, fearing a suit for trespass, removed to and bought the south-east corner lot in the town of Plymouth, where he built a log house and lived, he and his wife, till their death. The place on which he settled is now owned by Benjamin FRINK, son of Benadam Frink, to whom it was sold by Orsamus,* son of Colonel Monroe, a good many years ago. Colonel Monroe was twice married. His second wife was the widow of Benjamin PRENTICE, who also died on the homestead. He had two sons by his first wife, and one son and three daughters by his second.
    [The children by his first wife were William and Barney. William married a daughter of Zebulon MONROE and settled on a part of the homestead farm. He afterwards removed to Preston, where he and his wife died. Barney married and settled in Preston, where both he and his wife died. His children by his second wife were: Orsamus or Virgil, (?) who settled on the homestead, which he sold to Benadam FRINK; Sally, who married Dudley WILLIAMS, of Plymouth, where she died, and he still lives; Emily, who married Dwight DIMMOCK and settled in Michigan; and Harriet, who married Lewis BROWN, of New Berlin, and where both are still living.]
    *This same authority gives this name as Virgil in another connection. Which is correct, or whether it is a double name and both are correct, we are unable to state.]
    John WAIT came in about 1792 or 1793 and settled about a half mile north-west of Norwich village, on some one hundred acres which now forms a part of Dakin J. REED's farm. He died Sept. 28, 1801, aged 57, and Mary, his wife, the latter in Preston, June 18, 1842, aged 94. His children were: William, who married Nancy, daughter of Josiah BROWN; Judy, who married a carpenter and settled in Preston, where both died; Electa, who married and soon after moved west; Chester, who removed when young to Michigan; and Polly, who became John HARRIS' second wife, and is now living in New Berlin.
    {See John WAIT (same person) in Preston early settlers; mentions another son, Solomon}
    Josiah BROWN, Manasseh and James FRENCH, James GILMORE and John McNITT joined the settlements about 1793 or 1794.
    Josiah BROWN came from Massachusetts, and settled at Wood's Corners [These corners derive their name from Kimball WOOD, who , kept tavern there some twenty or thirty years, and whose father, Thomas Wood, settled in the town in 1797.], on the east side of the river, about a mile and a half above Norwich, on the farm afterwards occupied for many years by James THOMPSON. There Brown and his wife died. [Their children were: Joseph, who married Clara HEDDY, settled in Hamilton, afterward removed to Norwich village, where he died; Edward, who is living at North Norwich; Hannah, who married William RANSFORD; and Nancy, who married Wm. WAIT, a carpenter, who settled at Wood's Corners, where both died, and died Aug. 9, 1825, aged 44, and his wife, Dec. 11, 1857, aged 78.
    There was ANOTHER Josiah BROWN, who settled a little later, about 1794 or 1795, on the farm next below the cemetery in Norwich village, where his grandson, Hezekiah Brown, now lives. [Their children were: Hezekiah, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Silas COLE, and settled on the homestead, which he occupied till his death, Oct. 24, 1847, aged 69, when he was succeeded by his son, who now owns it, and where the former's wife died Feb. 22, 1866, aged 83; Richard, who died at Plattsburgh during the war of 1812, in which he served as a physician; Joseph, who married Martha FITCH, settled just south of the canal, on a part of the homestead farm, where his wife died Dec. 21, 1850, aged 71, and he at North Norwich Jan. 30, 1871, aged 87; William, who married Mary W. JOHNSON, of Kings Settlement, settled on the homestead with his brother Joseph, where his wife died March 6, 1827, aged 31, afterwards married Julia, daughter of General Thompson MEAD, of North Norwich, where they now live; and Charles, who married a daughter of Asa PELLET.]
    Manasseh FRENCH, a Baptist minister, and the first clergyman in Norwich, settled about a half mile below the Norwich village cemetery. He was a plain, unaffected preacher, and removed soon after to Cayuga county, and became the pioneer preacher in the town of Sennett in that county. He was one of the constituent members of the Sennett Baptist church, which was organized September 12, 1799, and was its first pastor, serving in that capacity till 1808. He settled on fifty acres of land in the town of Sennett.
    James FRENCH, a brother of Manasseh's, settled about the same time in the north-east quarter of Norwich, on the farm now occupied by his grandson, Eben French. He and his wife died there. His son James, who married a daughter of Lemuel WELLS, succeeded him on the farm, where his wife died, and lived there till some four years ago, when, having married for his second wife Polly, daughter of Willard SMITH, an early settler in Norwich, he removed with her to the village of Norwich, where he died in the spring of 1878, and his second wife the following spring. Another of French's sons was living till recently in North Norwich.
    James GILMORE settled about two and a half miles from Norwich village, on the farm now occupied by John SHATTUCK, where he died Feb. 18, 1821, aged 77, also his wife and sister Esther, a maiden lady, the latter of whom lived to exceed a hundred years. His daughter, Submit, married Col. Stepehn L. AVERY, who settled on the Gilmore farm, and after her death, March 30, 1847, removed to Norwich village, and subsequently, after seven or eight years, to the locality of Earlvile or Hamilton. Colonel AVERY came in about 1816 from Stonington, Conn., with his brother, Roswell R. Avery and another brother, who was a bachelor. Roswell was a wagon-maker and settled first on the south-east corner of the east green, and afterwards where his daughter, the widow of Porter CLARK, now lives, east of the canal on East Main street. Mary Ann and Cornelia, also daughters of Roswell, are living with the widow CLARK. Roswell died March 1, 1871, aged 79, and Mary, his wife, Sept. 28, 1843, aged 43.
    John McNITT, of Irish descent and a Revolutionary soldier, settled nearly a half mile south of Polkville, on the farm now owned by ---- TURNER, son of Deacon Turner, of Norwich, where he and his wife died. He came in with his wife and two sons, James and John, the latter of whom removed to Rock River, Ill. James married Ruth JOHNSON and settled on the hill a mile and a half south-east of Polkville, where he died Nov. 22, 1862, aged 77, and his wife, July 4, 1871, aged 78.
    Settlements were made by Hezekiah PELLET and Elisha SMITH about 1794; by Alexander McCULLOUGH, E. GREEN and Jedediah SPRAGUE, about 1796; by John and Daniel SHUTTUCK, Stephen STEERE, Thomas WOOD and Amos BOWEN in 1797; by Joshua BURLINGAME previous to that year; and by Uriah AVERY and the ALDRICHes, Stephen HENRY and the PHILLIPs about 1798.
    Hezekiah PELLET came from Canterbury, Conn., his native place, and settled on the east side of the river, where he took up a large tract of land, which, at his death, embraced two valuable farms. The homestead farm is now owed by Matthew RANSFORD, and on that Hezekiah died March 20, 1816, aged 58. His wife (Mary,) after his death, lived with her son John, who succeeded his father on the homestead, which he retained for a number of years. He finally sold to Matthew RANSFORD and removed to the village, where his mother died April 17, 1845, aged 84. After Mr. Pellet's death his oldest son, Archibald, came into possession of the other half of the farm, which is now occupied by Peleg PENDLETON and his half- brother, the former of whom is a grandson of Hezekiah Pellet's.
    [His children were: Archibald, who married Lavina GIBSON, from the western part of the State, to which locality he removed a few years ago, and died while on a visit to his only son John, in the West.
John married Annor, daughter of Chauncey GARLICK, an early settler in Norwich, who died April 7, 1841, aged 43; he subsequently married the widow Perces WAGNER, and died in the village, where she still resides. Nancy married William R., son of Samuel HAMMOND, and died April 23, 1823, aged 30, and her husband, Dec. 2, 1820, aged 37. Another daughter married Roger BISSELL, who settled about two miles above Norwich, near Mead's Pond, on the farm now owned by Charles HALL. Betsey married William PENDLETON, who settled on the homestead of his father, who was an early settler in the town. Esther married Joseph Henry MOORE, (a grandson of John MOORE, who was shot dead in his garden, in the infamous massacre of Glencoe, Ireland, his native place,) who was born Aug. 25, 1800, settled about 1820 at Norwich; she died in 1869, and he in Feb. 1860, aged 58; they had eleven children, eight of whom lived to maturity. Three daughters are now living in Norwich village: Sarah, wife of Benjamin FRINK; Esther, wife of Christopher FRINK, brother of Benjamin; and Josephine Henrietta, wife of Hon. John F. HUBBARD, Jr. Editha married Elias P. PELLET, eldest son of Asa Pellet, who was for a number of years publisher of the Chenango Telegraph, and died July 24, 1838, aged 31.
    Deacon Elisha SMITH came from Hatfield, Mass. [another authority says he came from Connecticut], and succeeded Col. William MONROE on the GUERNSEY farm, occupying at first the log house built by Col. Monroe on the west green in Norwich village. He built, in 1798, the mills on the west bank of the Canasawacta, in the locality of the present stone mill, known as the Guernsey mill. [Clark's History of Chenango County says this grist-mill was the first constructed in the present limits of Chenango county. This is far from being true, as there were several which ante-dated it, two by least nine years.] The saw-mill was built first, and the lumber for it was obtained from New Berlin. He soon after, about 1799, built the house now occupied by William B. GUERNSEY, which stood originally on the site of the liberty-pole. About 1804, Deacon Smith sold out to Peter B. GARNSEY and removed to the north-east quarter of Norwich, to live with his son William, where he and his wife died. Smith came in with his wife, Abigail CHURCH, and five children, Reuben C., William C., Lois, Martha, and Jotham. [Reuben married the widow Mary WHEELER and settled in the north-east quarter of this town. He removed about 1819, to Bristol, Ontario county, where he and his wife died. William married Dorothy, daughter of John SHATTUCK, and lived and died in the northeast quarter of this town, where he raised a large family, only three of whom are living in the town: Erasmus, Asa and Louisa, the latter of whom is the wife of T. J. HASKELL a dentist in Norwich. Lois married Elijah, brother of Colonel William MONROE, who removed about 1818 to Phelps, where both died. Martha married David SHATTUCK, March 28, 1799. (See account of John SHATTUCK.) Jotham was a bachelor and lived with his father and brother, William, with the latter of whom he died.]
    Alexander McCULLOUGH was a Revolutionary soldier and came from the New England States. He settled in the south-west part of the town, on the farm now owned by Daniel M. HOLMES, where he and his wife died. He had three sons, Alexander, who married in Preston and moved west; John, who married Rebecca, daughter of Casper M. ROUSE, and removed to Chautauqua county; and William, who went west and married there.
    Judge Stephen STEERE came from Chepachet, R.I., and in company with Capt. Edward GREENE and Jedediah SPRAGUE, from the same State, purchased the south-west quarter of Norwich, on which they settled, STEERE about a quarter of a mile above the White Store, where William T. MORSE now lives, near the railroad bridge which crosses the small brook above White Store, GREENE about a mile below White Store where his great-grandson, Adolphus Greene, now lives; and SPRAGUE, about a mile north of White Store, where Douglas BURLINGAME now lives. They were the first settlers in the locality of White Store. Greene and Sprague continued to reside where they settled till their death. Capt. GREENE died April 22, 1824, aged 67, and Prudence, his wife, Dec. 9, 1814, aged 59, leaving seven children, all of whom are dead. [These were Arthur, who settled on the homestead farm, and afterwards removed to Pennsylvania; Edward, James, Jesse, Hannah, who married Joseph WOOD; Elcy, who married William ARNOLD; and Abigail, who married Arthur BURLINGAME, and died July 13,1866, aged 84, and her husband, June 30, 1833, aged 57.]
    SPRAGUE had three sons, all of whom are gone. [Arthur, Charles, and Obediah, the latter of whom died in Pennsylvania. The former two settled here, and Charles died here February 4, 1828, aged 35, but Arthur afterwards went West.]
    Judge STEERE soon after removed to Norwich village and located on fifty-six acres of the Silas COLE farm and seventy acres bought of John HARRIS. His first house stood between the residences of John CONKEY and the daughters of Abiel COOK, on East Main street, and about two years after, he removed just north of the south canal bridge where, says Dr. HARRIS, he attempted to erect a frame house, before the mills at Norwich were built. The frame was hewed pine, and the clapboards were rived and planed. This, says the Doctor, though a shanty, was the first frame structure in the town. Soon after the mills were in operation he built anew, about two rods south of the residence of the widow FITCH. [Dr. Harris fixes as the date of Steere's settlement about 1791 or '2. Data in possession of the family, though they do not definitely determine it, refer it to the year 1797. The above incident serves to strengthen Dr. Harris' supposition.]
There he and his wife (Rizpah) died, the former in 1816, and the latter in 1810. Steere had been a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in Providence, R.I. Here he was engaged in land speculations. Steere brought in his wife and family with an ox team. The journey occupied three weeks. His son Smith says they were obliged to cut a road from Butternuts to the Unadilla. Steere had ten children. [Judge Steere's children were: William, Richard, Mark, Stephen, Timothy, James, Simon, Thomas, Rizpah and Smith. Dr. Harris adds the name of Asahel, whom Smith Steere did not name, and omits that of William, who, together with Richard, remained in Rhode Island. Mark married in Rhode Island, and did not come to Norwich till after 1812. He kept for several years the Eagle Hotel in Norwich, which was built about 1799 or 1800, by his brothers, Stephen and Asahel, who came in with their father. Stephen was a bachelor, and bought about fifty acres in the locality of the Midland depot, which, at his death, he deeded to Smith Steere, son of his brother Smith, with the latter of whom he lived. He died Dec. 24, 1865, aged 90. Timothy married Cyrenia, sister of Willard SMITH, the latter of whom came from Rhode Island about 1795 or '6, and settled a little north of the village. He (Smith) kept a butcher shop in a barn near where the jail stands, and afterwards removed to a farm near Polkville, where he died in the spring of 1879, aged about 95. Timothy Steere settled on his father's homestead, and afterwards removed to South New Berlin, and died there, he and his wife, on the place now owned and occupied by his sons, Stephen and Timothy. Jane married Dr. Daniel BELLOWS, and settled on the Unadilla river below Holmesville, where he practiced his profession till about 1855, when he removed to Norwich, and practiced there till his death, March 6, 1866, aged 70. After his death his wife went to live with her friends in Greene. She died May 18, 1874, aged 81. Simon was a cripple. He studied medicine with Dr. Jonathan JOHNSON and removed to Ohio, where he died. Thomas went to Ohio with Simon, but returned, married Polly, daughter of Jesse BROWN, and studied medicine with Dr. Henry MITCHELL. He kept a drug store in Norwich three or four years, from about 1812, and removed to Michigan, where he died. Rizpah married James BIRDSALL, who was for many years a lawyer in Norwich, commencing practice here soon after 1800 and continuing till about 1839, when he removed to Fenton, Michigan, where both he and his wife died. He was a Representative in Congress from this State from 1815 to 1817, and represented this county in the Assembly in 1827. Smith married Phebe McLEAN, widow of Charles Wm. RANDALL, and lived in Norwich with his brother Stephen till the death of the latter, and since then with his son, Smith Steere. His wife died in 1869. Smith Steere, Jr.; Betsey and Julia, daughters of Mark; and Frances, wife of Thomas CRANDALL, daughter of Timothy, are the only grandchildren living in the village. Four are living on the Unadilla in New Berlin, Stephen, Asahel, Timothy and Elizabeth, all children of Timothy.]
    John and Daniel SHATTUCK, brothers, came from Farmingham, Mass., and settled in Norwich village. John married June 29, 1775, Ruth PHELPS, of Phillpston, who died of consumption in Conway, April 26, 1788, aged 30. He married for his second wife, about 1788, the widow Cranston, who died in Phelps, N.Y. He did not take up land in the village; but about 1800, or soon after, in conjunction with his son David, took up a hundred acres on the west side of the river, about two and a half miles below the village, where his great-grandson, John Samuel Shattuck now lives. In the winter of 1804, he removed to Phelps, with his wife and son Daniel, and died there. David, after his father's death, also removed to Phelps and took with him the rest of the family. [His children by his first wife were: David, Dorothy, Ephraim, Jonathan, and a child born March 11, 1788, and died March 14, 1788; and by his second wife, Daniel, and two which died unnamed, one June 12, 1789, the other Feb. 26, 1854. David was born April 22, 1776, married Martha, daughter of Elisha SMITH, and died in Phelps, Jan. 10, 1811, leaving two children: Leroy, who was born in Norwich, March 9, 1800, and still lives there; and John, who was born March 18, 1810, and died Dec. 13, 1877, in Norwich. Dorothy was born Oct. 19, 1779, and married William C., son of Elisha SMITH. They settled, lived and died in the northeast quarter of this town. They raised a large family, only four of whom are living, three in Norwich-Erasmus, Asa and Louisa, wife of T. J. HASKELL, a dentist in Norwich. The fourth is living in New York. Ephraim was born Oct. 11, 1782, and married Sarah HILL, who was then keeping house for her brothers, who came here from Massachusetts about 1804 or '5, settled in the east part of the town, and removed to Salina about 1810 or '11. Ephraim settled in North Norwich, from whence he removed about 1826 to Fulton, where he died. Jonathan was born July 14, 1785. He did not marry. He was killed by a saw-log in April, 1809.]
    Daniel SHATTUCK came with his family, consisting of his wife, Elizabeth WASHBURN, and three children, a son and two daughters. He was a carpenter and mill-wright and carried on his trade in the village till about 1803, when he removed to Phelps, where his wife died. He died of cholera in Canada West, where he went to build a mill. His children were Reuben, who was born Nov. 22, 1778, married in 1800, Bethaniah JOSSLYN, and removed to Otsego county where he died, leaving no children; Olive, who married Hatfield COOPER, of Humphrey, Cattaraugus county, where they settled; and Lydia, who married Samuel COOPER, who died at sea. She afterwards married David WHEELER, who settled in Ontario county, where she died in 1848.
    Thomas WOOD was a native of Sapatic, R.I., from whence he removed to Thompson, Conn., where he married Mercy, daughter of Samuel KIMBALL, with whom he removed in the spring of 1797 to Norwich. He settled about four miles east of Norwich, where he took up 250 acres, the farm now owned by Buel BARNES, son of Asa Barnes, who owned the farm a good many years. In 1805, Wood sold to Esek SMITH, who came in at that time from Rhode Island, with his son William and the latter's family, consisting of his wife and four or five children. The elder Smith lost his wife in Rhode Island. The Smiths removed some ten years after to Pennsylvania. Mr. Wood, after selling his farm in Norwich, removed to North Norwich, to the farm on which his son Marmaduke now lives. He took up 122 1/2 acres on lot 79, on which he resided till his death, April 3, 1813, aged 45. His wife, Mercy, also died on the place August 16, 1845, aged 71. They had seven children, two of whom were born before they came here. [These were: Kimball, Phebe, Marmaduke, Porter, Thomas, Alvira and Adeline Orinda, the latter of whom died unmarried Sept. 7, 1838, aged 26. Kimball married Laura WAIT, daughter of Wm. Wait of Norwich, and settled near Plasterville, near the homestead in North Norwich, where his widow still lives. He kept tavern there, and from him the locality is known as Wood's Corners. Phebe married Joseph CHAPEL, a cabinet-maker, who settled in Norwich, and died Nov. 8, 1861, aged 77. Marmaduke was born in Norwich in 1798. He married Jerusha, daughter of Chesebro RANDALL, with whom he has since lived on the homestead in North Norwich, during a period of seventy-four years. Porter, who was born Sept. 29, 1801, married Sabra, daughter of Pardon BROWN, and settled in Norwich village, and died Dec. 10, 1859. Thomas removed in 1826, at the age of twenty-one, to Michigan, where he married, lived and died, in 1865. Alvira went to the locality of Grand Rapids, Mich., and died there soon after marrying.]
    Amos BOWEN came from Gloucester, R.I., in 1797, and settled a mile and a half south-west of White Store, on the farm now occupied by his grandson, Francis Bowen, where he died Jan. 31, 1866. He was born Feb. 6, 1774. He married in Connecticut, Rebecca, daughter of Gilbert SALISBURY, who was born March 24, 1776. He came here immediately after marrying. His wife also died on the homestead, March 20, 1858. They had five children, all of whom were born here. [Amos Bowen's children were: Rensselaer, Ollis, Roxana, George W., and Almira. Rensselaer married Asenath, daughter of Olney WINSOR, and settled on a farm adjoining his father's on the north, where his son-in-law, Joseph G. CURTIS, now lives. He removed to White Store, where he now lives, in 1869. His wife died June 2, 1874, aged 74. Ollis married Roxana, daughter of Paris WINSOR, and settled on a farm adjoining his father's on the south, in the town of Guilford. He afterwards removed to Rockwell's Mills, where he died February, 1879. Roxana married Harvey BRANT and settled near Guilford village, in which both now live. George W. married Clarissa, daughter of Calvin CHAMBERLIN, and settled on the homestead, which he sold some eight or nine years ago to his son, Francis. He then removed to Rockwell's Mills, where he now lives. His wife died in March, 1879. Almira died at the age of about nine years.]
    Gilbert SALISBURY, BOWEN's wife's father, came here from Killingly, Conn., about 1802 or 1803, and settled about one and one-half miles west of White Store, where William HULL now lives, on the farm owned by George PHETTEPLACE, where he died March 5, 1824, aged 85, and Rebecca, his wife, June 13, 1809, aged 57. They left several children but none of them are living. One grandchild, Uri MALLORY, is living in Norwich.
    Joshua BURLINGAME settled on the farm now owned and occupied by his son Charles, and died there Dec. 22, 1852, aged 84.
    Uriah AVERY came from New York, and settled on a part of the John RANDALL farm, where his granddaughter, a maiden lady named Cary, now lives, on the west side of South Broad street, about twenty rods south of the canal bridge, where he died August 25, 1843, aged 82, and his wife, Sibyl, August 14, 1838, aged 80. He was a saddler and harness-maker, the first in the settlements, and carried on that business till his death, or so long as he was able to work.
His daughter, Eliza married a son of Judge CARY, of Oxford, and lived and died in the same house. Cary died in Oxford, previous to his wife, while on a visit to his father's. His son William was clerk for one of the Lyttles, merchants in New York.
    The locality known as the Rhode Island settlement in the north-west part of the town was settled about 1798, by the ALDRICH, HENRY and PHILLIPS families, who came from Rhode Island. A Mohegan Indian who had been friendly toward the white people came with them, and continued to reside there till his death. There were five families of Aldriches, one of Henrys, and three of Phillipses.
    Benjamin ALDRICH settled on the farm now occupied by his two grandsons, sons of Samuel, where he and his wife died. He had three sons, Nathan, George and Samuel, the former of whom was married when they moved in. He settled on the farm next adjoining his father's on the north, and afterwards removed to Greene, where both he and his wife died. A son and two daughters are now living in Greene. Sarah, another daughter, married EVANS, and settled and still lives in the locality of her father's first settlement. Her husband died there. George married and removed to Chautauqua county. Samuel married Sarah KEITH and settled on the homestead, where his wife died. He afterwards married Eliza CHILDS and removed to Norwich village, where he died. His widow still lives there.
    Gardner and Noah ALDRICH, brothers, and Benjamin Aldrich, were all three cousins of the Benjamin Aldrich just named, and were all married when they came in. Gardner settled on a farm still occupied by a member of his family, and afterwards removed to Plymouth. Noah settled on a farm adjoining his brother's, and removed about the same time to Plymouth, where both died. Benjamin settled on the hill about a mile west of Norwich village, where he and his wife died. He had three daughters, each of whom married a CRANDALL, Joseph, William and Latham, and all of whom are living, two in Norwich and one in Plymouth.
    Stephen HENRY settled on a farm adjoining that of Nathan ALDRICH on the north. It is now occupied by Benjamin FRINK. He afterwards removed to Norwich village, where he and his wife died. He had one son and two daughters. Stephen, the son, settled and died in the Kings Settlement in North Norwich. One daughter married Deacon Levi BROOKS, and settled in Plymouth, where they died. The other married a shoemaker named WARNER, now living in Norwich village. She died in Pharsalia, or the west part of Plymouth, where they were then living, some ten years ago.
    Rufus, Nathan and Owen PHILLIPS were brothers. The latter two removed soon after to Plymouth. Rufus, who was married before he came, settled among the ALDRICHes. He afterwards removed to Norwich village and lived in the second house north of the Catholic Church, where he and his wife died. They had three daughters. One married a man named HINMAN and moved north; another married Charles PARKER, a wagon-maker in Norwich village, where both died; and the third, Eliza, who was a maiden lady, lived and died on the homestead.
    Settlements were made by John RANDALL and Hezekiah BROWN in 1800; by Nathan PENDLETON, the GIBSONS and Casper M. ROUSE, about 1800; and by Jacob REYNOLDS previous to that year.
    John RANDALL was born in Stonington, Conn., March 24, 1754. He married in his native place Nov. 7, 1775, Mary, daughter of John and Mary (PRENTICE) SWAN, who was born in Stonington, Conn., Nov. 29, 1757. In 1797, he removed thence with his family consisting of his wife and nine children to Pharasalia, and from thence in 1800, to Norwich, where he purchased of Avery POWER 286 acres of land located south of the village, for which he paid $4,100. The farm, which embraces some of the most valuable and productive lands in this section, is still known as the Randall farm, and is owned in part by his descendants. He was one of the constituent members of the First Baptist Church of Norwich, of which his brother, Rev. Jedediah Randall, was the first pastor. His wife died March 29, 1813, aged 55. May 3, 1816, he married, at Stonington, Conn., Hannah Mary, widow of his brother, Roswell Randall, and daughter of Rev. Nathaniel and Hannah (STODDARD) AVERY, who was born in Stonington, Conn., in 1764, and died in Norwich, Oct. 9, 1938, aged 71, preceded by her husband, who died Oct. 7, 1818, aged 64. He had thirteen children, the first ten of whom were born in Stonington, Conn., the eleventh at Pharsalia, and the last two in Norwich. They were John, Denison, Charles, Paul, Perez, Samuel, Elias, Martha, Roswell, Esther, Lucy, Hannah and Jedediah Wheeler.
    John was born March 1, 1776, and married at Stonington, Conn., Nov. 25, 1806, Hannah, daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth (HALE) SNOW, who was born at Brookfield, Conn., Feb. 18, 1786, and died March 12, 1855, at Norwich, where all their nine children were born, and where John died Sept. 9, 1754.
    Colonel Denison was born Oct. 25, 1777, and married at Stonington, Conn., in 1801, Betsey STEWART, who was born at Stonington, Conn., in 1780, and died in Clarkson, N.Y., May 21, 1861. Denison succeeded to the occupancy of the house and farm in Pharsalia owned by his father prior to his removal to Norwich, and resided there till his death Oct. 18, 1824. He represented this county in the Assembly in 1812. He had ten children, all of whom were born in Pharsalia.
    Capt. Charles was born Jan. 25, 1780, and married at Stonington, Conn., Jan. 29, 1804, Keturah, daughter of Captain Nathan and Amelia (BABCOCK) PENDLETON, who was born at Stonington, Conn., Dec. 5, 1782, and died at Norwich, April 28, 1811. November 7, 1811, he married at Norwich, Mary, sister of his first wife, who was born at Stonington, Conn., Dec. 16, 1786, and died at Norwich, Dec. 26, 1817. Sept. 3, 1818, he married at Norwich, Abigail, daughter of George and Edith KING, who was born at Cambridge, N.Y., Nov. 2, 1789, and died at Norwich, Aug. 26, 1844. Dec. 8, 1846, he married at Earlville, Mrs. Dolly PARDEE, daughter of Nathan and Dolly GEER, who was born in Chesterfield, Mass., Jan. 1, 1792. He had twelve children, all of whom were born in Norwich. Captain Charles followed his father and the other members of the family to Pharsalia in May, 1798, then in his nineteenth year, with three yoke of oxen, crossing the Hudson at Catskill. He was three weeks on the road. In 1800 he accompanied his father to Norwich. In 1812, he went with the regiment of Col. Thompson MEAD, as Lieutenant, to the Niagara frontier. He was converted, with thirty-two others, Jan. 17, 1817, baptized and united with the Baptist church in Norwich, of which he was chosen deacon Jan. 2, 1819, a position he acceptably filled nearly fifty years. After spending a few years in Norwich village, engaged, in company with Truman ENOS, in the manufacture of leather, he retired to a farm on the east side of the river, opposite to that of his father on the west, which he cultivated till a few years preceding his death, when he removed to the village and died there April 1, 1872.
    Paul was born April 12, 1782, and married in Norwich in 1807, Charlotte COLLINS, who was born at Stonington, Conn., June 19, 1785, and died at Falmouth, Ky., May 13, 1814. June 4, 1816, he married at Falmouth, Ky., Elizabeth SWING, who was born in New Jersey, Jan. 1, 1793. They had nine children; the first two were born in Norwich, the next five at Falmouth, Ky., and the younger two at Rushville, Ind., where he died.
    Perez was born April 6, 1784, and married at Norwich in 1808, Betsey, daughter of Benjamin and Eunice (PARKER) EDMUNDS, who was born at Woodstock, Conn., in 1787, and died at Norwich, Sept. 9, 1813. In 1816, he married Ruby, daughter of William and Welcome JOHNSON, who was born at Canterbury, Conn., Dec. 25, 1796, and died at Norwich, May 12, 1865. He had thirteen children, all of whom were born in Norwich. Perez represented this county in the Assembly in 1818. He was appointed County Clerk of Chenango county March 6, 1819, and, with the exception of the years of 1820, and 1831, '32 and '33, continued to discharge the duties of that office satisfactorily till his death, March 29, 1838.
    Samuel was born May 10, 1786, and married at Norwich, in 1813, Sally WHAPLES, who died at Henderson, Ill., in January, 1850. He died at Providence, Ill., Feb. 24, 1851. They had five children, all of whom were born in Norwich.
    Elias was born August 3, 1788, and died in Norwich, Feb. 17, 1803.
    Martha (Patty) was born August 27, 1790, and married at Norwich, Dec. 8, 1811, James W., son of James and Huldah GAZLEY, who was born in New York City, July 23, 1784, and died at Cincinnati, Ohio, June 8, 1784. She died in Cincinnati, Dec. 24, 1817.
    Roswell was born Oct. 10, 1793, and was married at Pharsalia, Nov. 20, 1826, to Lydia BROWN, who was born at Stonington, Conn., January 16, 1803, and died at Pharsalia, March 14, 1831. Roswell died Sept. 5, 1839.
    Esther was born January 14, 1796, and was married at Norwich, July 17, 1817, to Charles, son of Collins and Mary (RANDALL) YORK, who was born in Stonington, Conn., July 22, 1793, and died in Norwich, April 10, 1873, where Esther also died Nov. 21, 1873.
    Lucy was born July 30, 1798, and died at Pharsalia, May 9, 1799.
    Hannah was born March 24, 1802, and died at Norwich, January 12, 1827.
    Jedediah Wheeler was born May 17, 1804, and married at Rushville, Ind., in 1828, Lucinda, daughter of John and Elizabeth PERKINS, who was born in Rushville in 1808, and died in Orange, Ill., November 13, 1865. He died at Knoxville, Ill., February 1, 1861.
    Hezekiah BROWN, a native of Rhode Island, came in 1800, from Sterling, Conn., where he married Elizabeth COLE, a native of the latter place, bringing his wife and one child, Harry, who died soon after coming here. He settled on the farm next south of the cemetery, which is now owned by his youngest child, Elisha, where he died Oct. 24, 1847, aged 69, and his wife, Feb. 22, 1866, aged 83. He was a Justice of the Peace. [Their children were: Harry, Henry V., Betsey, Mary Ann, Jesse C., Emeline, Lucy R., Hezekiah, Susan B., and Elisha. Henry V. married Elizabeth, daughter of Elias BREED, and resided in Norwich till within two or three years of his death, when he removed to Illinois, where he died June 10, 1862, aged 53. Betsey married H. B. KENYON, a Baptist minister, and died in Ira, Cayuga county, leaving twelve children, who are scattered over the country. Mary Ann married Lynde G. WELLS and settled in Pharsalia. They subsequently removed to Pitcher, where she died Oct . 6, 1879. She had eight children, four of whom are living. Jesse C. married Rebecca BYINGTON and settled on a part of the homestead farm; afterwards went West. Emeline married Jonathan SLATER and settled in North Norwich, where they are now living. They have two children, both of whom are living: Edwin R, in Ulster county, and Mary B., wife of James YARNS, in North Norwich. Lucy R. married Bela HIBBARD and settled in Pittsford, Monroe county, where they lived till his death, after which she removed to Rochester, where she now resides. Hezekiah married in Pittsford, N.Y., and removed to Illinois. His wife died while on a visit in Pittsford. He afterwards married Mary WOODRUFF, of Pittsford, with whom he is now living in Michigan, to which State he removed a few years since.
    Susan B. married Thomas H. PRENTICE and settled on the Canasawacta in Norwich village, where they now reside. They have two children, both of whom are living: Ralph H., in Illiinoios, and Adella E., wife of Sydney D. HAYWARD, in Norwich village. Elisha married Nancy TEEPLE, of Schoharie county, with whom he is now living on the homestead farm, on which they settled. They have no children.]
    Nathan PENDLETON came in from Stonington, Conn., his native place, soon after 1800, and settled on the east side of the river, about three miles below Norwich village, on the farm now owned by the widow of Peleg Pendleton, who died there in July, 1866. His land lay on both sides of the river. He brought in his wife, Amelia BABCOCK, a native of Stonington, Connecticut, and seven children, three girls and four boys, leaving five in Connecticut. Two of the latter, Isaac and Keturah, both of whom married in Connecticut, came in afterwards, Isaac, in 1811, and Keturah, some years previously with her husband, Charles RANDALL, son of John Randall, to whom reference has been previously made. Nathan and his wife died on that place; so also did two sons, Peleg and Simon, and one daughter, Amelia, his eldest child, who was a maiden lady, and died at the age of eighty-seven. Nathan Pendleton survived his first wife, and after her death married Rhoda GAVITT, who also died on the homestead. Not one of the family is left, neither of those who settled here, nor of those who remained in the east. The last one, William Pendleton, died in Norwich, July 17, 1878, aged 83. Two of his daughters became wives of Charles RANDALL, Keturah and Mary. [His other children were: Sally, who married John LANGWORTHY and lived in Connecticut, till some twenty-five years ago, when they removed to Alfred, N.Y., where they died; Charlotte, who married Christopher BROWN, and settled in Connecticut, where both died; Nathan, who married Phebe COLE, and also lived and died in Stonington, Conn.; Isaac, who married Bridget, daughter of Peleg STANTON, of North Stonington, Conn., and in 1811, removed to Oxford, and settled on a farm in the north edge of that town, which is now owned by his son, Stanton Pendleton, of Norwich, where she died in 1832, and he some ten years later; Simon, who was a bachelor; Catharine, who married, lived and died in Oxford; William, who married Betsey PELLET, and after her death, Rhode WADE, (the latter of whom is living with her daughter Ellen, wife of Isaac WILBER, in Norwich;) Peleg, who married Lucy BABCOCK, from Mystic, Conn., and settled, lived and died on the homestead farm in Norwich, where his widow now resides. Fourteen grandchildren are living in the county. Robert A. STANTON, a lawyer in Norwich, married Elizabeth, only daughter, and surviving child of Nathan and Phebe Pendleton.]
    Chauncey GIBSON, who was originally from Connecticut, came from Duanesburgh with the family of his father, John Gibson, and settled on the east side of the river, near Wood's Corners, on the farm now owned by Matthew RANSFORD, where his father and mother died. Chauncey removed some twenty years since to South New Berlin where he and his wife died. [His children were Stanford, who married a daughter of Thomas HALL and settled at South New Berlin, where for some thirty years he practiced medicine; Harriet, who married Ira LINCOLN, and settled in Norwich village, where her husband carried on the painting business till her death, when he removed to Ohio, where he still lives; Schuyler, who was a Universalist minister, and located and died in the Western Reserve; and Polly, who married Henry BENNETT, a lawyer in New Berlin, where he died and she still lives. Mr. Bennett was a Representative in Congress from this State from 1849 to 1859 continuously.]
    William GIBSON, brother to Chauncey, came in about the same time from Ballston, Saratoga county, where, being a wheelwright, he was engaged in the manufacture of spinning wheels, an article which was in large demand at that day. He settled on a farm adjoining Chauncey's, and carried on the wheelwright business till his death, when his brother Chauncey, who was also a wheelwright, succeeded him, and continued it until his removal to New Berlin. William's wife was a sister to Hascall and William RANSFORD. She died at her brother Hascall's, with whom she went to live when her husband was taken sick. [Their children were: Alex., who married, and settled near Hascall RANSFORD's, from whence, after five or six years, he removed to Genesee county; Betsey, who married Samuel HUMPHPREY of Duanesburgh, where they settled and died; Katy, who married in Genesee county; William who died a bachelor, in Norwich; Hannah, who married Lester Clark and settled in Adrian, Mich., where she died and he still lives.]
    Casper M. ROUSE came from the New England States and settled on the site of Norwich village cemetery , where he lived a number of years. He removed to Sugar creek about 1820. He was State Senator while residing in this county from 1812 to 1815; he also held the office of Side Judge and Justice. He was the Senator for whose alleged bribery State Treasurer David Thomas was tried in Norwich in 1812. [See page 12] His children were Dr. Austin, Erasmus, John and Rebecca, who married John McCULLOUGH, the latter three of whom went west with their father. Austin married Jane E. PERKINS, daughter of Erastus Perkins, an early tavern keeper in Oxford. He studied medicine with Dr. Henry MITCHELL in Norwich and commenced practice in Oxford in 1820, continuing there till his death August 27, 1866, aged 70. His wife who was born May 2, 1806, also died in Oxford, September 28, 1875.
    Jacob REYNOLDS, brother to Sullivan Reynolds, who was interested in the mill property at Rockwell's Mills at an early day, came from the east the latter part of the last century, and settled about a hundred rods south of White Store, where Egbert MYRES now lives, where he died April 1, 1837, aged 79. His first and second wives died on the same place, Sarah*, November 15, 1807, aged 51. His third wife, Amy, died in the house now occupied by Rensselaer BOWEN, at White Store, January 29, 1846, aged 73. He left two children by his third wife, Jacob and Alma, the latter of whom married Edward WOOD, both of whom are living in Onondaga county.
    {* only listed one name under "first and second wives"}
    Families named SHIPPEY, PETERS, MONROE, BALLOU, COOK and PHETTEPLACE from Rhode Island, settled in the south part of the town, near the line of Guilford about 1800.
    Thomas SHIPPEY, settled one and one-half miles south-west of White Store, where David FIELDS now lives, and died there March 12, 1823, aged 75, and Hannah, his wife, Dec. 6, 1838, aged 86. [Among Shippey's children were, Eliakim, who died Oct. 15, 1834, aged 52, and Lydia, his wife, July 23, 1866, aged 80; Ezekial, Philemon, who died Dec. 3, 1842, aged 53, and Sally, his wife, Sept. 9, 1847, aged 41; a daughter who married Emer ALDRICH; Paul, who died April 20, 1813, aged 27, and Duty, who died April 25, 1822, aged 28.]
    Wilmarth PETERS settled about three miles south-west of White Store, and died there Feb. 3, 1864, aged 79. He was twice married and both wives died on the same place, the first, Rhoda, April 12, 1807, aged 32, and the second, Polly, March 2, 1854, aged 73. [He had four children: Hannah, who married Philip PHETTEPLACE, deceased, and is now living in the south edge of Norwich; Lydia, wife of Peter GIBSON, living a little below Mt. Upton. One son, Ira died in Norwich; the other went to Pennsylvania.]
    David MONROE settled and died on the farm on which his son John afterwards lived and died. The elder Monroe died May 30, 1809, aged 70, and Mary his wife, Sept. 11, 1833, aged 86. His son John married Phebe COLEGROVE, and died July 19, 1865, aged 91. His wife died March 8, 1862, aged 86. Celaney WINDSOR, daughter of Olney Winsor, and widow of John MONROE, grandson of David Monroe, is living a little below Polkville, with her son Wellington, where her husband died in March, 1879.
    Sylvanus BALLOU settled one and one-half miles west of White Store, where David B. PHETTEPLACE now lives. He afterwards removed to Smithville, where he died Dec. 1, 1857, aged 90, but was brought to White Store for interment. Mercy, his wife, died in Norwich, July 3, 1822, aged 59. Rev. Daniel Ballou, a Universalist minister now residing in Utica, is a son of his. He had two other sons, one of whom, Amasa, went west, after the death of his wife, Cyrene, Oct. 31, 1842, at the age of 32 years.
    Gideon COOK settled two miles west of White Store, where ---- EGGLESTON now lives, and died there Sept. 6, 1813, aged 67. Jane, his wife, died Jan. 10, 1816, at the same age. [George, Sylvanus, Daniel, John, Richard and Elijah were sons of his. He had daughters, one of whom married Joshua WINSOR. George died April 13, 1859, aged 82, and Selanah, his wife, March 28, 1848, aged 69. Sylvanus died Sept. 1, 1868, aged 81, and Mary, his wife, April 29, 1860, aged 70. Daniel married Wate SHELDON. He died April 29, 1868, aged 78, and his wife, April (13?), 1837, aged 36. Richard died Dec. 20, 1852, aged 71, and Sarah, his wife, August 12, 1853, aged 67. Elijah died Feb. 16, 1815, aged 31.]
    Elijah COOK, brother to Gideon, settled three-fourths of a mile west of White Store, where Eddy Cook, a great-grandson of Gideon's, now lives, and died there. He had a large family of girls, who married and moved away. One, Orpha, who married Joseph MAY, returned after her father's death, and died here Jan. 25, 1866, aged 80, and her husband, March 17, 1862, aged 82. Another daughter, Amanda, married Otis WINSOR.
    David, Philip, Thomas and Samuel PHETTEPLACE were brothers. David settled three miles south-west of White Store, where his son Jonathan now lives. There he and his wife died. He had two wives. His first was Zeruah, daughter of George BOWEN, whom he married in Rhode Island; the second was Betsey TUCKER. Both died here. Jonathan, Noyes and David B., children by his first wife, are living in Norwich. The children by his second wife are all gone. Philip settled on a farm adjoining David's on the south. Both he and his wife died there. None of their children are left. Thomas settled about three miles north-west of White Store, where Philander GREEN now lives. He afterwards removed to Cortland county and died there Oct. 21, 1858, aged 80. Lillies, his wife, died April 2, 1861, aged 80.
    David, Philip and Thomas married sisters. Philip's wife was named Judith. Thomas had a large family, only one of whom is living in this locality, Emeline, widow of Jesse MATTESON, in Norwich village. Samuel settled just above Holmesville, where Charles BRITT now lives. One child is living in Norwich, Lydia, widow of Harry BURLINGHAM, who died Nov. 23, 1854, aged 52.
    Peter B. GARNSEY [This was the original orthography. At present the family spell the name GUERNSEY] , a native of New Lebanon, Columbia county, studied law in the office of Chancellor Walworth, and was admitted as an attorney Nov. 5, 1795, and as a counselor, Feb. 7, 1800. The former certificate is signed by Chief Justice Yates, and the latter, by John Lansing, Jr. He married at New Lebanon, Dec. 25, 1797, Mary SPEIRS, daughter of Dr. Speirs, a prominent merchant of New Lebanon, and removed immediately thereafter to Oxford village and engaged in the practice of his profession. [His children were: Peter B., Jr., Polly, William G. and Lavinia. Peter B. was born Jan 3, 1799. He married Mary BELLAMY of Catskilll and settled in Norwich village, occupying the house now occupied by John CRAWLEY, the jeweler, which then stood on the site of the Congregational Church. He died there April 15, 1829, owning at his death the carding machine in Norwich village, which was built by his father. He had only two children, Augustus, who died in childhood, and William B., who married Jane M., daughter of David MAYDOLE, with whom he is now living in the old Peter B. Garnsey homestead. Polly was born April 30, 1801, and married Dr. John THOMPSON. They settled in Sharon, N.Y., and in 1835 returned to Norwich, where both died. She had seven children all of whom lived to maturity; James G., who married a daughter of Dr. David Y. FOOTE, settled in Norwich village, where both still live, and was a State Senator from the 23rd District in 1874 and '75; Mary, who married Wilmot SCOTT and removed to Galena, Ill., where she died; Lavinia, who married Judge Frank BEEBE, of Minneapolis, where she died, leaving two daughters; Ellen Harriet, who married Judge John WALDRON, a miller and land holder in Iowa; Cynthia, who married Abel COMSTOCK, a resident of Smyrna, where she died; Ella, who married Caleb THOMPSON, a cousin, and a resident of Dubuque; and Sarah, who married Rev. I. H. RIDICK, a Methodist minister, of Au Sable, Mich., where they now reside. William G. was born Jan. 6, 1809. He was a bachelor and was engaged in farming and milling. He died in Norwich village. Lavinia was born July 17, 1811, and died unmarried in the home of her father.
    James G. Thompson, son of Dr. James and Polly Thompson, was Treasurer of Chenango county from 1854 to 1857, and Clerk, from 1857 to 1871. William B. Guernsey, son of Peter B. Guernsey, Jr., was a captain in the 89th N. Y. Regt.; and lieut.-colonel and subsequently colonel in the 126th U. S. colored troops.] He removed thence soon after 1800 to Norwich village and purchased of Elisha SMITH the old Col. MONROE place with the mill and other property added by Deacon Smith. This purchase included all that part of the village laying west of Broad street, north of Benjamin CHAPMAN's store and south of Henry street, extending across the Canasawacta, nearly to the crest of the west hill. Here he engaged, in addition to his legal practice, in the milling business. He was also interested with Thomas MILNER in wool carding and cloth dressing at Wood's Corners, one and one-half miles above Norwich village. Mr. Milner subsequently kept store for a number of years on the corner now occupied by COMSTOCK's clothing store. [Thomas Milner died Nov 26, 1843, aged 65, and Elizabeth, his wife, August 13, 1825, aged 42.]
    It would appear from information received from Mr. William B. Guernsey that when Mr. Garnsey bought the place the grist-mill built by Deacon Smith was not standing. The saw-mill built by the latter stood a good many years. Mr. Garnsey built near it a grist-mill, which stood until the present mill on the east side of the creek was built, in 1836, when it was converted into a saw-mill and used as such for several years. Mr. Garnsey, in 1832, sold the mill property, together with all his other property, except the homestead, to his son William G. Guernsey, and retired from active business. He died in the house now occupied by William B. Guernsey, near the court house. It originally stood on Broad street, where the liberty pole now stands, and was removed by him to its present location in 1807, to make room for the court house and jail. Having promised a site for the county buildings if they were established in Norwich, a determination which he was instrumental in securing, he donated the ground on which the court house and jail now stand, and the west park which fronts them. This house, whose external appearance indicates a modern structure, is one of the oldest of Norwich's ancient landmarks, having been built about, perhaps a little earlier than 1800. The house is substantially as it then stood, the frame and rooms being precisely the same. It has been modernized by new casings, outside coverings, etc.
    Peter B. Garnsey was one of Norwich's prominent and substantial citizens, and contributed in no small measure to the prominence it now enjoys in the county. Mr. Clark says of him:- "Perhaps no citizen was so closely identified in his lifetime with the early growth and prosperity of the village of Norwich as Peter B. Guernsey. Himself and his heirs after him have been extensive land owners in the heart of the village. Mr. Guernsey was a lawyer by profession, but early relinquished his calling for active business pursuits. The characteristics of Mr. Guernsey's mind were strong, natural sense and untiring perseverance under difficulties that never intermitted. He was one of the many early settlers who literally died in the harness." [History of Chenango County.]
    Settlements were made at a early day by Samuel HAMMOND, Rev. Jedediah RANDALL, John WELCH, Lemuel SOUTHWICK, Lobden JAYNES, Jonathan COLEGROVE, Jonathan THORNTON, Capt. James THOMPSON, Capt. Ana WINSOR, Benjamin SHELDON, Maj. Samuel MAY, and Gideon MANN.
    Samuel HAMMOND settled in the north part of the village of Norwich, and lived in the house now occupied by Thomas LILLIS, which then stood on the site of Mr. CORNELL's residence. He was engaged in farming, and resided there till his death, which occurred Dec. 2, 1821, at the age of 63 years. His wife, Polly, also died there, five days later, (Dec. 7, 1821,) aged 62. [He had one child, William R., who married Nancy, daughter of Hezekiah PELLET, and lived on the homestead, where he died Dec. 2, 1820, aged 17, and his wife, April 12, 1823, aged 30. William R. left four children, all of whom are living in Norwich, three of them in the village, viz.: Samuel R., a bachelor, now living with B. B. ANDREWS; Lovina, wife of B. B. ANDREWS, a banker, merchant and tanner in Norwich village; Mary, widow of E. W. HOUCK; and Betsey A., widow of James RANSFORD, now living just outside the village, across the Chenango.]
    Rev. Jedediah RANDALL was born in Stonington, Conn., March 20, 1758. He was the first pastor of the Baptist church in Norwich, and in the two-fold capacity of preacher and farmer, was a vaulted and highly esteemed citizen. His farm, in the south part of the village, is now mostly cut up into village lots. He died here Feb. 22, 1844, aged 86, and Martha, his wife, Oct. 29, 1848, aged 88.
    John WELCH was a blacksmith, and settled in the west part of the town, on the farm now occupied by Hiram HALE and Cyrus BROWN, where he and his wife died. Nathaniel Welch, who removed west at an early day, was a son of his.
        Lemuel SOUTHWICK settled on the hill, about a half mile east of Polkville, on the place now occupied by Mr. GRANT. He removed from the town with his family at an early day.
    Lobden JAYNES was a mason. He settled first in the Rhode Island settlement in the north-west part of Norwich, and after a few years removed to the town of Plymouth. He was the chimney builder of this section of country.
    Jonathan COLEGROVE settled about four miles north-west of White Store. He early removed to Pennsylvania and died there October 8, 1812, aged 76, but his remains are interred at White Store. He was an early teacher in this locality, and is recollected to be an austere one, though a man of good ability.
    Jonathan THORNTON settled in the same locality as COLEGROVE. He was a stone mason and worked at his trade in connection with farming. He died March 9, 1847, aged 82; and Freelove, his wife, November 10, 1851, aged 88.
    Captain James THOMPSON settled about four miles west of White Store, and afterwards removed to Polkville, where he died March 10, 1873, aged 90. Nabby, his wife, died where he first settled, July 16, 1851, aged 63. He was twice married. None of his children are left here. Smith, his son, went west; and Polly, his daughter, married Daniel HUNT and both lived and died in this locality.
    Captain Ana WINSOR, who was distantly related to Colonel Stephen Winsor, settled two and one-half miles west of White Store, where George MEDBURY now lives. He died there Dec. 30, 1820, aged 71; and Amey, his wife, August 28, 1834, aged 82. Washington, a Baptist minister, Adin and Angel, were sons of his, but all removed from the town.
    Benjamin SHELDON settled about three miles south-west of White Store, where Delancy PHETTEPLACE now lives, and died there July 18, 1816, aged 65. Sarah, his wife, also died there Feb. 15, 1835, aged 85. Benjamin and Luke Sheldon were sons of his. The former lived and died on the homestead, August 25, 1824, aged 37. The latter settled and died in Guilford, near VanBuren's Corners, Sept. 7, 1851, aged 72. His wife, Mercy, died July 27, 1836, aged 59. Joseph May, who married Orpha, daughter of Elijah COOK, Daniel, whose widow is living in Guilford, and Asa, who went to Ohio at an early day, were sons of his. Joseph and Daniel settled and died in this locality; the former March 17, 1862, aged 82, and his wife, Jan. 25, 1866, aged 80.
    Gideon MANN settled on the farm on which Benjamin SHELDON, Sr., afterward settled, but removed at an early day. Caleb and Olney were sons of his. Caleb settled a mile and a half above White Store, and died there August 19, 1828, aged 46.
    George KNAPP joined the settlements in 1804. He came from Rhode Island, and settled on the south line of the town, on the farm on which his daughter Mary, the widow of John SHATTUCK, now lives, and died there some thirty years ago. He married in Rhode Island a Miss RATHBUN, and came with his wife and two children, Anna and George, the former of whom married Charles HATCH and removed to Cattaraugus county, where she now resides. Her husband died there. George married Betsey, daughter of Captain LYON (who settled at an early day on Lyon Brook, which derives its name from him,) and settled and died in Guilford. His widow is still living on the homestead. Mary SHATTUCK is the only one of the children living in this locality.
    Asa PELLET came from Canterbury, Conn., in 1805, and settled in Norwich village, on the place now occupied by John Haynes, and owned by Mrs. S. H. BARNES. His occupation was that of a farmer. He purchased of Judge Stephen STEERE about two hundred acres of land, the farm originally settled by John SHATTUCK, on which he resided till his death, which occurred July 2, 1838, aged 71. He imported soon after his settlement the first merino sheep brought into Chenango county, and was extensively engaged in raising wool. He married in Canterbury, Abigail PORTER who died in Plymouth, Feb. 7, 1864, aged 82, while visiting her son Asa, who resided in that town. They had nine children, two of whom were born in Canterbury.
    [They were: Elias P., William Burnham, Harry, Harriet, Asa, Abigail, Nelson, Julia and Justine. Elias P. married, Feb. 7, 1830, his cousin Edith Ann, daughter of Hezekiah PELLET. Elias settled on that portion of the homestead farm which is now occupied by the widow of John, son of Hezekiah Pellet, and there he died, Jan. 8, 1840, aged 36, and his wife, July 24, 1838, aged 31. They left only one child, Elias Porter, who married Petrona P. SALCEDO, a Spanish lady, and is now U. S. Consul to Barranquilla, U. S. of Colombia. The only other child was De Witt, who died at the age of four years. Wm. Burnham was a bachelor and lived in Norwich village. He was officially connected for some fifty years with the Bank of Chenango, as clerk, teller and cashier, retaining this connection till his death, Jan. 10, 1873, aged 68. Harry married Lucinda SEXTON, daughter of George Sexton, of Norwich, and settled at White Store, where he was engaged in farming. He subsequently removed to Norwich village, there his widow still lives, and died there March 12, 1865, aged 55. Harriet married Samuel Howe BARNES and settled on the homestead farm, where she still lives. He died Nov. 14, 1860, aged 52. They had six children. Asa married Olive MAUDEVILLE, of Ohio, and settled in Plymouth, where they now reside. They have two children. Abigail married Charles E. BROWN, son of Joseph Brown, of Norwich, where they now live. They have no children. Nelson married Melvinia BOWEN, daughter of Ira Bowen, of Homer, and settled in Norwich. He died Oct. 16, 1853, aged 35. His widow and two daughters, Florine M. and Grace B., wife of John B. HALL, of Guilford, are now residing in Norwich village. Julia married Charles Wagner WEBSTER, and settled in Fort Plain, where they died; she thirteen years ago, and he, October 5, 1879, aged 62. They had six children, four of whom are living, all in Fort Plain. Justine married Charles Winter OLENDORF and settled in Norwich. They have one daughter.]
    Lemuel WELLS came from Massachusetts about this year (1805), and settled in the north-east quarter of Norwich, and died there, he and his wife. They had seven children, all sons. [They were: Rufus, a bachelor, who lives with his brother, Gordon Wells, on Silver street in Norwich, the latter of whom married Mary TANNER, and has no children; Wright, who married a daughter of James FRENCH, and is now living on the homestead; Lemuel, who is living opposite the homestead; Reuben, who married a daughter of Palmer EDMONDS and settled about a mile south of his father, in the SNOW district, where he still lives; Solomon, who married in Guilford and settled in that locality; and another, the youngest, who removed from the town at an early day.]
    Palmer EDMONDS came from Rhode Island about 1805 or 1806, and worked on shares for seven or eight years a part of the William RANSFORD farm. He afterwards bought a farm in the north-east quarter of this town, and died there, he and his wife.
Truman ENOS came to Norwich in 1806, and established a tannery which he carried on about forty years. He died at Norwich village, May 11, 1869, aged 91 years. He had three wives, Lendy TRAIL, who died April 29, 1815, aged 35; Betsey CAMPBELL, who died July 2, 1817, aged 26; and Abby PARMELEE, who died Jan. 14 1862, aged 69.
    James PACKER, a native of Groton, Conn., came in from Guilford, Vt., in 1806, and settled about three miles south-west of Norwich, on the farm now occupied by his grandson of the same name. He look up a hundred and fifty acres on lot 52, on which he resided forty-five years, and raised a family of twelve children. In 1851 he removed to Norwich village, and died there Dec. 7, 1867, aged 83. He married Mary BILLINGS, a native of Groton, Conn., who died on the homestead farm June 16, 1826, aged 40. He afterwards married Eunice LEWIS, of Norwich, by whom he had one child. She died in Norwich, June 29, 1868, aged 89. [His children were: James, Jr., who died young, Feb. 23, 1820; Charles, who married Sarah LEWIS, who lived and died in Corning, April 2, 1877; Amos B., who married Sarah MOORE and lived and died on the homestead farm, March 17, 1858; Horace, who married Mary Adelia TISDALE, (who died May 25, 1847, aged 23) and is now practicing law in Oxford; Ruamy A., who married Matthew O. WELLS, and died on the homestead soon after her marriage, April 10, 1833; Nelson, who married Mary McDOUGALL, and is practicing medicine in Wellsburgh, Penn.; Mary P., who married Wm. D. GILBERT, and lived and died at Corning, Aug. 18, 1848; Marcia Caroline and Martha Emeline, twins, the former of whom married William R. BREED, of Norwich, where she now resides, and the latter, Ezra B .BARNETT, and lived and died at Norwich, July 21, 1853; Elizabeth B., who married Elias P. PELLET, of Norwich, and after his death, Nathan PENDLETON, of Oxford; James Henry, who died in youth; and Sarah L. W., second wife of Daniel M. HOLMES, of Norwich, where both are now living.]
    The south-east part of the town was settled by families from Rhode Island, among them the COOKs, WINSORs, THOMPSONs, AINSWORTHs and JENNISONs, who came about 1816 or '18, except the Cooks, who came about 1799, and the Winsors, about 1800. Numerous descendants of these families are now living in that locality.
    John, Richard, Daniel and Laban COOK were brothers, and all came in with families and settled on adjoining farms. John had two sons, both of whom are living on the homestead. Richard and Laban had no children. Daniel had two or three daughters. Olney, Joshua, Ziba and Washington WINSOR were brothers, and each had families when they came in. The locality is known as the Cook settlement.
    Merchants: - The first merchant in Norwich was Dr. Joseph BROOKS, an educated physician, but not a medical practitioner. He opened a store about 1798-1800, in a building which stood on the site of the residence of Hon. B. Gage BERRY, on the south corner of North Broad and Pleasant streets. He occupied the house both as a residence and store, using the front room for the latter purpose. He traded two or three years, and then commenced keeping tavern in a building which stood a little north of the American Hotel, which he continued till his death, which resulted from consumption March 10, 1813, at the age of 41 years. Lot CLARK married his widow.
    Two Englishmen,-Sharp and Thomas MILNER, commenced trading soon after Brooks discontinued, in a building which stood about fifteen rods north of the residence of the widow LAMB, a half mile north of the village. They continued till 1810, and afterwards started a woolen factory and distillery at Wood's Corners, on the west side of the river, which they continued several years. Milner afterwards commenced trading again and continued till his death, Nov. 26, 1843. Sharpe removed to Otsego county.
    Joseph S. FENTON, who was a member and leader of the Congregational church of Norwich, commenced trading here about 1810, and continued as late as 1823 or 1824. Asa NORTON and Perez RANDALL also commenced trading about 1810. Norton was from Butternuts. He traded till about 1816 or 1817, when he went west. Randall was a son of John RANDALL, and was associated one year, 1814, with John HARRIS, brother of Dr. Harvey HARRIS. Cyrus WHEELER, Porter WOOD (the latter of whom traded till his death. Dec. 10, 1859, and was for some years in company with Thomas MILNER,) David E. S. BEDFORD and Charles YORK, who was in company a year or two with Cyrus WHEELER, were early, prominent merchants.
    Benjamin CHAPMAN, who was born in Connecticut in 1791, came from Durham, Greene county, in 1810, and settled in Norwich village, where he has since resided. He was employed first as a clerk for Zeno ALLEN, who came from Durham that year, and opened a store in a building which stood nearly opposite the American Hotel, which was removed to East Main street before the canal was built, and converted into a residence, for which purpose it is now used. Allen did business here only two or three years, when he removed to Sacket's Harbor and died there. Mr. Chapman clerked for him during his stay, and then for Ira WILLCOX, of Oxford, who was engaged in trade there, and opened a branch store here, which he continued two or three years. In 1815, Mr. Chapman commenced business for himself in the building, which has since been enlarged, and is now occupied by his son, William H. Chapman, and nephew, William Porter Chapman, who succeeded him in the business, and are now doing business under the name of W. H Chapman & Co. Benjamin Chapman retired from active mercantile business about 1853. His son, William H., then changed the stock to drugs, but two years later, in 1855, changed back again to dry-goods. William Porter Chapman, who had clerked for William H. Chapman, since the spring of 1856, became his partner in 1865.
Postmasters: - The post-office at Norwich was established in the latter part of the last century. Hascall RANSFORD was the first postmaster, and kept the office in his log cabin, which answered the double purpose of residence and tavern. The mail was carried on horseback from Cooperstown once a week. John STEARNS was the first mail carrier. After a few years the mail was brought from Utica, still on horseback, and the office was removed to the village. About 1808 the mail was brought by stage from Utica, twice a week. The present postmaster is James K. SPAULDING. [We have been unable to obtain a satisfactory list of the postmasters of Norwich; there is no record of them, and the statement of individuals most likely to know them are so indefinite and contradictory as to be worthless.]
Physicians: - The first physician both in the village and town of Norwich was Jonathan JOHNSON, who was born in Canterbury, Conn., Jan. 13, 1770, studied medicine in Pomfret in his native State, and came to Norwich from Ballston, Saratoga county, on horseback, about 1794. He boarded with Matthew GRAVES, and on the 28th of December, 1797, married his daughter Hannah. He located in the south part of the village, opposite John RANDALL, on a part of the Silas COLE farm, and soon after his marriage built the house now occupied by Dr. W. H. STUART, where he spent the greater part of his life, and died Sept. 27, 1837 aged 67. His wife died April 17, 1874, aged about 96. [Their children were: Homer, John, Erasmus Darwin, Jedediah and Emily. Homer was born Oct. 31, 1800, and married Roxana, daughter of Daniel SKINNER. He settled on the farm on which he now resides, on the east side of the river, a little below Polkville. His wife died there May 9, 1862, aged 56. John was born August 8, 1806, and died Oct. 2 1824. Erasmus Darwin was born May 30, 1808, and died unmarried July 9, 1862. Jedediah was born Nov. 14, 1810, and died April 18, 1811. Emily was born Dec. 18, 1816, and is living with her brother Homer. Homer had ten children, five sons and five daughters.]
    Dr. Johnson practiced here till his death or until ill health incapacitated him shortly previous to that. His first surgical operation, if not the only one he ever performed, occurred about 1798, when, by the aid of a Dr. Upham, from Pennsylvania, who was passing through this valley on his way to the north, he amputated the leg of Levi SKINNER, at Wood's Corners. Skinner's leg was crushed a little below the thigh by a falling tree, The operation was performed with a razor for an amputating knife and a forked wire for a tenaculum. The operation, notwithstanding the rude implements used, proved successful. There was then no surgeon nearer than Cherry Valley, where Dr. Asa WHITE was then located. Dr. Johnson made no pretensions to being a surgeon.
    Dr. Henry MITCHELL, who came here, in 1806, from Coventry, to which town he had removed a year or two previously from Connecticut, and who was the second physician to locate here, did not commence the practice of surgery till 1818. After that he performed nearly all the capital operations in surgery in the county for several years, and some in the adjoining counties.
    Henry MITCHELL, who, as we have seen, came to Norwich in 1806, arriving here on the day of the great eclipse, came originally from Woodbury, Conn., where he was born in 1784. He was graduated from Yale College in 1803, in the same class with John C. Calhoun, and had just completed his medical studies when he came here. He continued to practice here till his death, Jan. 12, 1856, at the age of 72, though he did not practice much during the last few years of his life. His duties as a physician during the early years of his practice were extremely arduous. His ride was large, extending into adjoining counties, and he visited his patients on horseback, threading the dense forests by means of blazed trees. He was for many years the leading surgeon in the county, and made hernia a specialty, becoming eminently proficient in its treatment. He was highly educated and moved in the best professional circles. He represented this county in the Assembly in 1828, and was a member of Congress from 1833 to 1835. He married here, Rowena, daughter of Nathan WALES of Plymouth, who died June 3, 1835, aged 42, having borne him seven children.
    [These were: Charles, Henry, Julia Maria, Harriet B., John, Mary A., Jane and Catharine, the latter of whom died April 18, 1830, at the age of six years. Charles Henry married Mariett RIDER. He studied medicine with his father and practiced the first two years in Oswego, and subsequently for four or five years, till his death July 27, 1841, aged 28, in Norwich. Julia Maria married Judge Samuel B GARVIN, whose parents were residents of Butternuts. Harriet B., married Col. John WAIT who settled in Norwich, where he practiced law some twenty years, and till his death, Nov. 2, 1868, aged 58. His wife died in Norwich, May 28, 1837, aged 21. John married Caroline FOOTE, daughter of John Foote, of Hamilton, and settled in Norwich, where he and his wife still live. Mary A. married Col. Samuel R. PER LEE, who settled in Norwich, where he was engaged in mercantile business some ten years. He afterwards engaged in the forwarding business, which he continued till the close of the canal, having during this time spent three years in the army, first as Adjutant and Quartermaster, afterwards as Lieut.-Colonel and after the death of Col. Smith, as Colonel of the 114th Regt. He was seriously wounded in the neck in the battle of Opequqn, with a minnie ball, and in the side with a fragment of a shell. After leaving the service he was brevetted Brigadier-General, for "gallant and meritorious service during the war." He is now engaged in the produce business in Norwich. His wife died in Norwich. Jane married Thomas MILNER, for several years a merchant in Norwich, who after her death married Lottie TALCOTT.]
    Harvey HARRIS, son of John Harris, a pioneer settler in Norwich, was born in Norwich, August 3, 1795, and commenced the study of medicine in 1814, with Dr. Henry MITCHELL. He attended lectures at the New York Medical College in 1816 and was licensed by the State Commissioners in 1817. He commenced practice in New Berlin in March of that year and remained there one year, when he removed to Norwich, where he practiced till within about ten years, and where he still resides. Ill health compelled him to withdraw from practice and advancing years prevented his resuming it. In 1832, in the absence of Dr. Mitchell, he performed his first capital operation in surgery, that of trephining, on ---- SOULES of the town of Plymouth. The operation was successful.
    Dr. JONES came here about 1830 and practiced about a year; but failing to secure a remunerative practice he removed to Texas, of which State he afterwards became Governor. Patrick HARD, a nephew of Henry Mitchell's wife, studied with Dr. Mitchell and practiced in company with him one year, about 1831 or '32, when he went to Oswego. William BAXTER practiced here about two years while Mitchell was in Congress-1833-'35.
    Andrew BAKER was born in Berkshire county, Mass., August 28, 1805, and removed about 1830 to Allegany county, and thence to Howard, Steuben county, where he engaged in shoemaking and studied medicine with Dr. A. B. Case. He subsequently attended Geneva Medical College, where he was graduated in 1836, in which year he commenced to practice medicine in Bath. In 1842 he removed thence to Norwich, where he practiced till his death, Dec. 14, 1863.
    Daniel BELLOWS removed from Rhode Island to South New Berlin in 1821, and practiced there till 1846, when he removed to Norwich, where he practiced till within a year or two of his death, when he became incapacitated by apoplexy, which terminated fatally March 6, 1866, at the age of 70. Nancy, his wife, died May 18, 1874, aged 81. Hi son, Horatio Knight Bellows, who was born in New Berlin, Nov. 5, 1823, received an academic education in the academies at Hamilton and Gilbertsville, and pursued his medical studies with and under the direction of his father, was graduated from the Medical Department of the University of New York in 1847, in which year he commenced practice in Norwich. He has enjoyed an extensive practice. In January, 1879, debilitated by the severe mental and physical labor connected with his profession, he was attacked with cerebral amamia which has finally resulted in probable cerebral softening, from which he now suffers.
    Blin HARRIS, son of Blin Harris, and grandson of the pioneer, John Harris, studied medicine with his uncle, Dr. Harvey Harris, and went west, practicing three or four years in Erie, Penn. He then returned to Norwich, about 1849, and practiced till his death, Jan. 31, 1864, aged 55. He married Polly ROSS, by whom he had five children, all of whom are living, four in this county, Mary, Angeline, Blin and Charlotte, the latter in New Berlin, and the former three in Norwich.
    George W. PALMER came from Madison county about 1850, having then just graduated in Homeopathy. After one or two years' practice he returned to Madison county, near Hamilton, where he has since practiced. He was the first Homeopathist to locate in Norwich, after Dr. BRUCHHAUSEN. Dr. Hiram HURLBUT, a botanic physician, came from Fabius, N.Y., July 13, 1845, and practiced till his death, Nov. 16, 1877. Charles CHURCH, formerly of Norwich, attended lectures in Philadelphia and New York, and graduated at the latter place in 1871. He commenced practice in Norwich immediately after graduating and remained three years, when he removed to Passaic, N.J. R. B. PRINDLE came from Coventry some six years and has since practiced here, though he now devotes his time mainly to other business. Guy WESTCOTT, an electrician, and a native of Norwich, practiced here some two years about four years ago. There have been other physicians who staid {sic} for short periods, but did not become prominent in the medical practice of the village.
    The physicians now practicing here, in addition to those named, are, Casper BRUCHHAUSEN, Charles M. PURDY, James J. WESTCOTT, Harris H. BEECHER, Geo. W. AVERY, Stephen M. HAND, William H. STUART, Daniel J. MOSHER, Edwin C. ANDREWS, James H. WESTCOTT, Leroy J. BROOKS, Samuel J. FULTON, Wm. H. RANDALL, and Emma Louise RANDALL.
    Casper BRUCHHAUSEN was born in Frankfurt on the Main, Prussia, Aug. 25, 1806, and was educated in Frankfurt College. He immigrated to Philadelphia, where, in 1839, he commenced the study of homeopathy with Dr. Charles Frederick Hoffendahl, a graduate of the University of Berlin, who removed in 1840 to Albany, where Dr. Bruchhausen continued his studies with him. He afterwards pursued his studies with Dr. George W. Cook, of Hudson, and subsequently went to New York and placed himself under the instruction of Drs. Frederick Gray, and A. Gerald Hull, who were then the principal practitioners of the homeopathic school in New York city. The latter was then editor of The Homeopathic Examiner, published in that city. August 12, 1842, Mr. Bruchhausen removed to Greene, and from thence after about nine months to Oxford, where he remained five years, from 1843 to 1848. The latter year he removed to Norwich, where he has since practiced.
    Charles M. PURDY was born in Norwich, Aug. 16, 1826, and was educated in the academies of that village and Oxford. He commenced the study of medicine in 1846, with Dr. Andrew BAKER, of Norwich, and attended lectures in Albany Medical College that and the succeeding year. He was licensed by the State Medical Society in June, 1847, and commenced practice that year in DeRuyter. He removed thence after six months to Norwich, where he has since practiced, the first year in company with his preceptor, Dr. Andrew Baker.
    James J. WESTCOTT was born in Eaton, N.Y., Sept. 1, 1826, and was educated in the common schools of his native town. He commenced the study of medicine in 1852, with his father-in-law, Dr. Hiram HURLBUT, of Norwich, and in 1855, entered the Syracuse Medical College, where he was graduated in 1857. He commenced practice that year in company with his preceptor, Dr. Hurlbut, with whom he continued two years, and has since practiced here.
    Harris H. BEECHER was born in Coventry, where his father, Parson Beecher, settled in 1806. Having been incapacitated for manual labor from an injury producing painful and protracted lameness, at the age of sixteen years he was sent to Oxford Academy, where he remained four years, teaching at intervals to defray a part of the expense necessarily incurred. Being somewhat advanced in a college course, which he could not pursue for lack of funds, he turned his attention to medicine as the business of his life. His medical studies were pursued in Coventry under the instruction of different practitioners, and subsequently in Binghamton in the office of Dr., now Prof. Davis, of Chicago, teaching in the meantime not having been wholly relinquished. In the latter part of 1847 he was graduated in medicine at Castleton, Vt., and in the spring of 1848, located at North Norwich, where he practiced till December, 1861, when he removed to Norwich, where he has since practiced, with the exception of some three years spent in the army, which he entered in 1862, as Assistant Surgeon of the 114th Regiment, at the organization of that regiment, serving in that capacity till the close of the war and the disbandment of the regiment. For nearly nine months he was on duty by order of Gen. Banks at the United States Marine Hospital at New Orleans, and also for several months in charge of a post-hospital at Berwick City, La., containing a large number of wounded from the battle-field of Bisland. Before leaving the Marine Hospital for the famous Red River campaign, he was presented by the soldiers of that hospital with an elegant gold-headed cane and other valuable tokens of their appreciation and regard. In the Shenandoah Valley, during the closing year of the war, he was the most of the time the only medical officer with his regiment in the field.
    While yet young Dr. Beecher exhibited quite a literary taste, and early commenced writing on miscellaneous subjects for the newspaper press, which, in the midst of other duties, he has continued more or less constantly to the present time. His "Army Correspondence," published mainly in the papers of his district, was eagerly sought for and read with interest. After the war, desiring that the noble deeds of his brave comrades should live in history, as well as in the hearts of a grateful people and surviving friends, he published, in 1866, a "Record of the 114th Regiment, N. Y. S. V.." embracing nearly six hundred pages, dedicated to his lamented Colonel, Elisha B. SMITH, and all his fallen comrades, and graphically delineating, as the title page indicates, "Where it went, What it saw, and What it did." He has also spent much time and made considerable progress in gathering facts and data for a Memorial Record, portions of which have been published, of all the deceased soldiers in the late war from Chenango county. He has on various occasions given carefully prepared addresses, embracing medical, agricultural, scientific and political subjects. He takes a deep interest in educational matters, having held the position of School Superintendent, long serving as a trustee of Norwich Academy, and President of the Board.
    As a physician he stands high. He passed a highly satisfactory examination before the Medical Board, and was recommended by the Surgeon-General of the State. He is a bachelor. He represented Chenango county in the Assembly in 1874, serving on the Committees on Public Health, Public Education and Joint Library.
    George W. AVERY was born in Sherburne, March 9, 1827, and received an academic education in his native town. He commenced the study of medicine in 1847, with Drs. Devillo WHITE and E. S. LYMAN, of Sherburne, and Profs. Alden MACH and James H. ARMSBY, of Albany. He was graduated from the Albany Medical College in January, 1850, and immediately thereafter commenced practice in Rochester, where he continued till May, 1861, when he entered the army as Surgeon of the 13th N. Y. Vols., and remained with that organization till it was mustered out two years after. He was afterwards for one year Surgeon of the 11th Heavy Artillery. After leaving the service he resumed practice in Norwich, where he has since continued. In April, 1865, he received a commission as U. S. Examining Surgeon for pensions, which he still holds. He was elected Coroner of Chenango county in 1870, serving three years, and again in 1877, still holding that office. He was for thirteen consecutive years Treasurer of the Chenango County Medical Society, an office he now holds, and was only relieved from its duties to assume those of President of the Society for one year.
    Stephen M. HAND was born in New Lebanon, N.Y., March 8, 1830, and was educated in the common schools of his native town and in Massachusetts, where and in Columbia county, his father was an itinerant farmer, working farms on shares. He removed to Broome county with his parents in 1844, and there attended the Academy at Binghamton. He commenced the study of medicine with his uncle, Dr. S. D. Hand, of that city, remaining with him one year. He then entered the office of H. H. Child & Son, the former of whom was President of the Berkshire Medical College, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He pursued his studies there two years and in the meantime attended lectures in that college, where he was graduated November 22, 1853. He commenced practice in Windsor, Broome county, in 1855, and remained there nine years, with the exception of one year spent in the Union army as Surgeon. In March, 1864, he removed to Norwich, where he has since practiced.
    William H. STUART was born in German, November 4, 1839, and was educated at the Academy at Cincinnatus. He commenced the study of medicine in 1858, with Dr. A. D. Reed, of Cincinnatus; attended medical lectures at the University of Vermont, at Burlington; and was graduated from the Albany Medical College December 24, 1861. He commenced practice at Smyrna, in January, 1862, and some six months later received an appointment as Assistant Surgeon in the 28th N. Y. Vol. Infantry, and in 1863, at the expiration of the term of service of that regiment; he received a like appointment in the 143d Regiment, though he did duty with it only ten days. He was assigned to duty in the Hospital of the 1st Division, 20th Army Corps, where he remained till the disbandment of the regiment at the close of the war. After leaving the army, in 1865, he located at Earlville, where he practiced six years, and then removed to Norwich, where he has since practiced.
    Daniel J. MOSHER was born in Laurens, N.Y., September 8, 1839, and was educated at the University of Michigan, at Ann Arbor, and at Detroit Medical College, and was graduated from the latter in June, 1869. He had previously studied medicine with Dr. H. K. BELLOWS, of Norwich. He entered upon the practice of his profession in Norwich, in 1869, and has since continued here. Dr. Mosher was a medical cadet in the army about six months in 1863, and about four and a half years in the navy, from 1863 to 1867.
    Edwin C. ANDREWS was born in Sherburne, Feb. 2, 1834, and educated at the Academy at Homer. He commenced the study of medicine in 1863, with G. W. Davis, of Seneca Falls, and was graduated at the Philadelphia Medical College in the spring of 1870. He commenced practice at Seneca Falls in 1866, previous to graduating, and continued there till March, 1870, when he went to New York City, and from there he removed the following June to Norwich, where he has since practiced.
    James H. Westcott was born in Norwich, June 27, 1850, and educated at the Academy in his native village. He commenced his medical studies with his father, James J. Westcott, of Norwich, about 1868, and in the fall of 1871 he entered the Philadelphia University of Medicine and Surgery, where he was graduated the following year. He commenced practice in Norwich in 1872, in company with his father, continuing with him till after the spring of 1876, when he went to Binghamton and studied with his uncle, Dr. John E. HURLBUT, an oculist and aurist in that city. He returned to Norwich in September of the same year.
    Leroy J. BROOKS was born in Norwich, August 2, 1849, and received his literary education at the Academy in Norwich and the High School in Rochester. In the spring of 1868 he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Horatio K. BELLOWS, of Norwich, with whom he remained one year. He completed his studies in Bellevue Medical College Hospital in New York, where he was graduated in March, 1872. After spending a year in practice in that hospital he removed to Norwich, where he has since practiced.
    Samuel J. FULTON was born in Sherburne, July 20, 1825, and was educated at Michigan University. He commenced the study of medicine in Pontiac, Mich., in 1845, with Dr. Amos Walker. He entered the University of Michigan in 1842, but was compelled to relinquish his studies by reason of inflammation of the eyes, which disabled him from reading for three years. In 1848 he entered the Western Homeopathic College [This was the second Homeopathic Institute in the country, the first, and then the only other, being at Philadelphia.], at Cleveland, now the Homeopathic Hospital College and was graduated from there in March, 1850. In the winter of 1850 and '51 he was demonstrator of anatomy in that institution. After practicing in various places in the Western States he removed to Binghamton and engaged in other business, expecting to discontinue the practice of medicine; but by solicitation he removed thence to Norwich in August, 1876, and took the place of Charles A. CHURCH, who had removed to Passaic, N.J.
    William H. RANDALL was born in Williamsport, Pa., Dec. 18, 1855, and received his early education in the Academy at that place. He commenced the study of medicine at Williamsport, in 1875, with Dr. Thomas Lyon, and in the fall of 1876, he entered Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, where he was graduated in the spring of 1878, March 15th. He commenced practice at Trout Run, Pa., and after six months received an appointment on the clinical staff of Jefferson Medical College Hospital, where he remained till March, 1879, when he removed to Norwich.
    Emma Louise RANDALL, who is a great-grand-daughter of John Randall, who settled in Norwich in 1800, was born in Norwich, November 13, 1849, and was educated at Norwich Academy and Vassar College, Poughkeepsie where she took a special course. She commenced the study of medicine in the fall of 1874, with Dr. H. K. BELLOWS, of Norwich, and soon after entered the Woman's Medical College of the New York Infirmary, founded in 1869, by Emily and Elizabeth Blackwell, who were the first lady physicians in this country. There she took a four years' course and was graduated May 22, 1878. After practicing a year in the hospital and dispensary connected with that College, as assistant physician, she returned to Norwich, where she is now practicing. She is the first lady physician in Chenango county.
Lawyers: - [We are sensible that the list of early attorneys in Norwich is incomplete, a fact which we must attribute to the inability or indifference of those whom we consulted.] The first lawyer who located at Norwich was James BIRDSALL, who came from Dutchess county soon after 1800, and was admitted to practice October 15, 1806. He practiced here several years and married here Rizpah, daughter of Judge Stephen STEERE, with whom he removed about 1839 to Fenton, Mich., where both died. He was an active and leading politician in this county, and was a Representative in Congress from the 15th District from 1815 to 1817, and a Member of Assembly from this county in 1827. He was one of the first directors of the Bank of Chenango, and was elected its attorney Oct. 6, 1818. On the creation of the office of Vice-President of that institution, Sept. 16, 1823, he was elected to fill it; and March 15, 1825, he was elected Cashier, holding that position till 1833.
    David BUTTOLPH and Peter B. GARNSEY were also lawyers here about this period. Buttolph, who was licensed June 15, 1808, came from Dutchess county soon after BIRDSALL, with whom he formed a law partnership which continued five or six years. About 1838, Buttolph retired to a small farm of some fourteen acres, on the Canasawacta, about one and one-half miles above Norwich, where he resided till his death, which occurred some ten years ago, in Charleston, S.C., while on a visit to his son David, who was a Presbyterian minister in that city. He was an active politician and a prominent attorney at an early day. He married Urania Lyman, of Durham, Conn., who died from bleeding at the lungs April 3, 1827, aged 35. He afterwards married Esther, widow of Deacon Joseph KELSO [Died April 19, 1826, aged 44.], who died May 19, 1859, aged 76. He had one other child, Jane, who was an invalid, and died August 19, 1875, aged 48.
    GARNSEY was admitted November 5, 1795, and had practiced previous to coming here, in Oxford. Soon after coming to Norwich he was mainly engaged in manufacturing enterprises. [For further information regarding Mr. Garnsey see page 319-under Peter B. Garnsey.]
    James W. GAZLEE, who was licensed June 16, 1809, came here from the East about that time, but removed after a year or two to New Orleans. He was a man of good ability, and married here, Patty, daughter of Capt. John RANDALL.
    Nathan CHAMBERLIN was admitted October 13, 1813, about which time he came here from the east part of the State. He married here a daughter of Judge Robert MONELL, of Greene, and after practicing five or six years removed to New York where he died. Lot CLARK was admitted to practice June 11, 1816, and was one of the leading Republican politicians here about 1820. He practiced here till about 1830, when he removed to Lockport. He was the father of Hiram C. CLARK, author of the History of Chenango County, of 1850, who also practiced here a little between 1850 and '60, and died a few years ago in New York.
    Smith M. PURDY, son of Abner Purdy, an early settler in North Norwich, studied law with James BIRDSALL, of Norwich, and was licensed February 10, 1819. He practiced the first year in Sherburne, and from thence removed to Norwich, where he practiced till his appointment as First Judge of Chenango County, January 11, 1833. He was elected County Judge in June, 1847, the first person elected to that office in Chenango county under the Constitution of 1846, which made it elective. He was a Representative in Congress from the 22nd District from 1843 to 1845; and was one of the most prominent lawyers of his day in Central New York. He died March 28, 1870, aged 73. He married Prudence, daughter of Newman GATES, of Norwich, who still survives him, and is living in Norwich with her son, Dr. Charles M. Purdy.
    Abial COOK was a prominent cotemporary {sic}of Purdy's, and was admitted on the eighth of January of the same year.
    Charles A. THORP came from Gilbertsville in 1820, on the twelfth of October of which year he was admitted. He practiced one year in New Berlin, and from thence removed to Norwich and formed a law partnership with David BUTTOLPH, which continued several years. He was a smart, active lawyer, and removed about 1865 to the Mississippi, below Galena, Ill., where he now resides. John CLAPP, who was admitted Oct. 10, 1822, was associated in practice with Lot CLARK. In their office Hon. Daniel S. DICKINSON commenced to read law in 1826.
    Benjamin F. REXFORD, whose parents had settled at an early day in Sherburne, removed from thence in 1833 to Norwich, having then just completed his studies and been admitted on the 12th of June of that year. He was a prominent lawyer and stood at the head of his profession in the county. He practiced here till his death in the fall of 1872.
    Samuel Bostwick GARVIN, whose father was an Episcopal clergyman and a fine linguist, finished his law studies with John CLAPP, of Norwich, where he practiced a short time. From here he removed to Sherburne and from there to Utica, where he enjoyed a lucrative practice.
    Sherwood S. MERRITT was born Sept. 4, 1817, and was admitted about 1841. He was a close student and industrious lawyer, and practiced in company with Judge PURDY, and afterwards with Henry M. HYDE. He died March 16, 1869.
    Harvey HUBBARD was born March 29, 1821, and admitted about 1822. He was afterwards in partnership with Robert O. REYNOLDS, who was admitted Oct. 17, 1835. He was a fine scholar and writer, and his tastes led him to prefer literature to the legal profession. He became the editor of the Chenango Union, and published some works of prose and poetry. He died Sept. 14, 1862.
    Kimball H. DIMMICK was admitted about 1843 or '44, and practiced quite extensively in the bankruptcy courts. He was appointed Brigadier-General of militia about 1848 or 1849, and raised a company for the Mexican war. He went to California and afterwards became a Judge at San Jose in that State.
    Philander B. PRINDLE, who was admitted Feb. 13, 1835, was a man of large acquirements, an accomplished gentleman, and a safe adviser. To him all referred for facts in politics and history of this State. He was Clerk of the Assembly in 1840, '41, '47, '48 and '49, and has been pronounced the best the State ever had. He died in February, 1868.
    Henry M. HYDE was admitted about 1842 or '43, and practiced in company with George M. SMITH, who was admitted June 11, 1834. He was a man of brilliant talents, a fine speaker and successful advocate. His health failing he removed to New York, or Brooklyn, and after some years died there.
    B. Gage BERRY was born in Norwich, Oct. 10, 1830, his father, Ansel Berry,* having removed to this town from Dansville in 1826. He was educated at Norwich Academy and Cazenovia Seminary and in 1852 commenced the study of law with Benjamin F. REXFORD, of Norwich, with whom he remained two years, and with whom he practiced one year after his admission, in 1854. Failing health induced him to go to Sing Sing, where he received an appointment as clerk in the prison at that place. After the expiration of a year, he returned to Norwich and formed a law partnership with John WAIT (who was admitted Feb. 10, 1836,) which continued under the name of Wait & Berry till 1861, when Mr. Berry acquired a half interest in the Chenango Telegraph. In 1864 he acquired the remaining interest, and has since been its publisher, having been associated since Jan. 1, 1876, with John R. BLAIR, of Cambridge, N.Y. He was for four years Secretary of the New York and Oswego Midland Railroad; and for six years Clerk of the Board of Supervisors of Chenango county. He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Senatorial District Committee in 1862; and was Deputy Provost marshal in 1863-'64. He has often represented his party in State conventions; was a member of the Republican State Committee in 1862; and alternate delegate to the National Republican convention at Philadelphia which nominated Grant for the Presidency in 1872. He represented Chenango county in the Assembly in 1878.
    *[Ansel Berry was born in Norwich, Conn, Nov. 28, 1805. His parents died while he was in his infancy, and he went to live with his eldest sister Mrs. Nathaniel UFFORD, whose family soon removed to the Black River country, thence to Onondaga county, and finally to Tompkins county. In 1826, he married Miss Lorinda GAGE, and immediately removed to Norwich, where he resided till his death, July 10, 1870. Giving up the farm, he entered the establishment of David GRIFFING and learned the hat trade. After finishing his apprenticeship, being without means, he sought a co-partnership with Thomas MERRILL, who was then engaged in the hat business at Sherburne Four Corners, and with whom, in 1830, he opened a hat store in Norwich village, continuing after the retirement of Mr. Merrill in 1854, when, other business growing upon his hands, he sold out his store. In 1856 he was elected to the Assembly from this county. He was also several times elected to the office of coroner, supervisor and village trustee. After the death of his wife, July 27, 1835, at the age of 33, he married her sister Hannah, who still survives him on the old homestead in Norwich. He had two children, both by his first wife, Edwin R., and B. Gage, the former of whom was born May 22, 1828, and died Dec. 10, 1870.]
    Samuel S. RANDALL was educated in Oxford Academy in 1823, and Hamilton college in 1824-5. From 1825 to 1830 he pursued the study of law in the office of Clapp & Clark in Norwich, and was admitted Feb. 9, 1831. After practicing several years in Pitcher, New Berlin and Norwich, in 1836-37 he was appointed deputy journalizing clerk of the Assembly. In May, 1837, he was appointed to a clerkship in the office of the State Superintendent of Common Schools, continuing in it as General Deputy Superintendent, till the fall of 1846, when he resigned on account of ill health. He returned again in the spring of 1849, after a brief absence in Virginia. In 1851 he was appointed to a clerkship in the War Department at Washington, which he exchanged in 1853, for that of City Superintendent of Public Schools in Brooklyn. In June, 1854, he was elected Superintendent of Public Schools in New York City, and held the office by successive biennial elections till June, 1870, when he resigned. In November, 1873, he was appointed Inspector of Common Schools for the Eighth School District, composed of the 22d and 24th wards, and the appointment was renewed in November, 1876.
    The attorneys now practicing in Norwich village are William N. MASON, Horace G. PRINDLE, Hamilton PHELPS, Isaac S. NEWTON, Eliur H. PRINDLE, Deloss M. POWERS, David L. FOLLETT, David H. KNAPP, Geo. W. MARVIN, Calvin L. TEFFT, Henry M. TEFFT, George M. TILLSON, Robert A. STANTON, George W. RAY, Albert F. GLADDING, Charles SHUMWAY, Edward B. THOMAS, Elmore SHARPE, John W. CHURCH, Willie B. LEACH, William F. JENKS, Euclid B. ROGERS, Frank B. MITCHELL, Charles H. STANTON, Clarence G. COOK, George Abraham THOMAS, Issac F. TIFFANY and James E. NICKERSON.
    William N. MASON was born in Preston, Feb. 13, 1820, and was educated at Oxford Academy. He commenced the study of law in 1838 with Messrs. COOK & WAIT, of Norwich, and afterwards pursued his studies with John WAIT, their successor. He was admitted in October, 1841, and entered upon the practice of his profession in Norwich that year, having since continued it here. He has been longer in practice in the village than any other attorney located here. He has held various minor offices, among them that of Justice for some twenty years, having first been elected to that office in 1850. Before the adoption of the Constitution in 1846, he was Supreme Court Commissioner and Master in Chancery. He has also held the office of United States Commissioner. He was elected Special Judge of Chenango county immediately after the law was made to apply to this county, (act of July 11, 1851,) and held that office till 1860. [The Civil List says he was elected in 1855.]
    Horace Gerald PRINDLE was born in Newtown, Conn., Jan. 6, 1828, and was educated in the common schools of Unadilla, (to which town his parents removed in 1836,) and the Academy at Gilbertsville. He commenced the study of law in 1844, with Henry BENNETT, of New Berlin, with whom he remained four years and four months. He subsequently pursued his legal studies in the office of Benjamin F. REXFORD, of Norwich, where he has practiced since his admission in 1848. He was elected County Judge in 1863, and held the office continuously fourteen years. He was superintendent of Common Schools in Norwich in 1851-2, and Justice from 1852, to 1856.
    Hamilton PHELPS was born in New Berlin, Oct. 12, 1823, and was educated in the New Berlin and Norwich Academy. He commenced practice of the law in 1844, with Charles A. THORP, of Norwich, where he commenced immediately after his admission in 1848 or '9, and has since continued. He was elected Special County Judge in 1860.
[Civil List. Mr. Phelps says he was elected in 1855.]
    Isaac S. NEWTON was born in Sherburne, May 18, 1825, and received his early education at the district schools and the academy of that town. He was graduated from Yale in 1848, and that year commenced the study of law with Rexford & Newton, of Norwich, the latter of whom was his brother. He afterwards pursued his legal studies in New York city, with Nathaniel B. Blunt, and for six months in Illinois and Wisconsin. He was admitted in December, 1850, having commenced practice in Sherburne, in April, of that year. In February, 1853, he removed to Norwich, where he has since practiced. He was District Attorney from 1854 to 1860.
    Elizur H. PRINDLE was born in Newtown, Conn., May 6, 1829, and was educated at Homer Academy. He pursued his legal studies with his cousin, H. G. Prindle, of Norwich, and was admitted in January, 1854. He commenced practice in Norwich, where he has since continued. He was elected District Attorney in 1859, and held that office until his election to the Assembly in 1863. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1866-7; and was a Representative in Congress from the 19th District in 1871-3.
    Deloss M. POWERS was born in Norwich, Nov. 10, 1831, and educated in the Academy of his native village. He entered the Albany Law School in 1856, and was graduated there the following year. He commenced practice in 1858, in Norwich, where he has since continued. He was for four years Clerk of the Board of Supervisors.
    David L. FOLLETT was born in Sherburne, (where his grand-parents were pioneer settlers,) July 17, 1836, and educated at Cazenovia. In 1856 he commenced the study of law, pursuing his studies with Messrs. Rexford and Kingsley, of Norwich. He was admitted in January, 1858, and in May following entered upon the practice of his profession in Norwich, where he has since continued it. Having been appointed Assessor of Internal Revenue for the 19th District of New York, he held that office until it was abolished by Congress. In 1874 he was elected Judge of the Supreme Court for the Sixth District, an office he still holds. [His associates in this office are: Douglas Boardman, of Ithaca, William Murray, Jr., of Delhi, and Clora E. Martin, of Binghamton.]
    David H. KNAPP was born in Guilford, June 27, 1836, and was educated in the academies of Norwich and Binghamton. He commenced his legal studies in the spring of 1857, with Isaac S. NEWTON, of Norwich, and pursued them with him till his admission in May, 1859. He practiced the first year in Chicago and returned from thence to Norwich, where he has since practiced, having been associated from 1870 to 1874 with E. H. PRINDLE, and for the last two years with George W. Ray, who was also a member of the firm of Pindle, Knapp & Ray. He was Justice from 1862 to 1870; and was elected District Attorney in 1874, serving one term of three years.
    George W. MARVIN was born in Dryden, Tompkins county, September 22, 1829, and was educated at the Academy in Jamestown, N.Y. He commenced the study of law in 1846, with his brother, Judge R. C. Martin of Jamestown, and after studying a year or two engaged in teaching, continuing that vocation several years. He resumed his legal studies with Isaac S. NEWTON, of Norwich, and was admitted in May, 1861. He then commenced and has since continued practice in Norwich.
    Calvin L. TEFFT was born in Edmeston, N.Y., March 1, 1852, and was educated at Winfield Academy and Cooperstown Seminary, principally the latter. He commenced the study of law about 1859, having pursued his studies for eight seasons during the intervals of teaching in Otsego county. In 1860 he entered the office of Judge Burke, of Elyria, Ohio, where he remained during the summer of that year. In 1861 he entered the office of Wait & Berry, of Norwich, continuing his studies with them till his admission in November, 1861. He commenced practice in 1862, in Norwich, where he has since continued. He was Loan Commissioner in 1864 and '5; and was District Attorney in 1866, '7, '8, and again in 1872, '3 an '4.
    Henry M. TEFFT was born in Edmeston, N.Y., November 30, 1839, and was educated in the academic department of Madison University and the academies at Homer and Norwich. He pursued his legal studies with David L. FOLLETT, of Norwich, commencing in 1862, and was admitted in 1865. He commenced practice immediately after his admission, in Norwich, where he has since continued.
    George M. TILSON was born in Richfield, N.Y., May 7, 1841, and was educated in Cazenovia Seminary. He commenced the study of law in December, 1861, with Isaac S. NEWTON, of Norwich. In 1862 he entered the army as Captain of Co. K, of the 161st N. Y. Vols., serving two years. On returning from the army he resumed his studies with Mr. Newton. He was admitted in May, 1866, and that year commenced practice in Norwich, where he has since continued, having been associated with his preceptor from 1868 to 1873. He was for four years, 1869-73, postmaster of Norwich.
    Robert A. STANTON was born in Norwich, April 29, 1838, and was educated in the academies of Norwich and Oxford. He commenced the study of law in 1859, with Horace PACKER, of Oxford, and afterwards pursued them with Judge Dwight H. CLARKE, of that village. In May, 1861, he entered the army and served till July, 1864.
    [He enlisted as Lieutenant of Co. C, in Sickles' Excelsior Brigade of U. S. Vols., which was mustered as the 72d N. Y., though it was composed of men from various States who enlisted with the exception that the organization would be on the same footing as regulars. By this change he became a private. He was promoted to Quarter-Master- Sergeant in the 74th N. Y. Vols., to which he was afterwards assigned, in 1861; and successively to 2d Lieut., (in April, 1862,) 1st Lieut., (Dec. 19, 1862,) and Captain, (March 9, 1863,) in the same regiment.]
On returning from the army he resumed his legal studies with Rexford & Kingsley, of Norwich, and was admitted in November, 1865. He commenced practice January 1, 1866, in Norwich, where he has since continued. He was elected Justice in 1865, and resigned after executing the duties of that office two years. He was elected District Attorney in 1868 and served one term.
    George W. RAY was born in Otselic, Feb, 3, 1844, and was educated at Norwich Academy. He commenced to read law with E. H. PRINDLE, of Norwich, in March, 1866, and was admitted in November, 1867, in which year he commenced practice in Norwich, where he has since continued.
    Albert F. GLADDING was born in Pharsalia, Dec. 9, 1842, and was educated in the district schools of his native town and Norwich Academy. He commenced to read law, August 22, 1866, with David L. FOLLETT, of Norwich, and was admitted in May, 1869, in which year he commenced practice in Norwich, continuing in the office of his preceptor as assistant till 1874. He was a Justice one term from Jan. 1, 1872, and in 1873, was appointed Deputy Collector of Internal Revenue, which office he still holds.
    Charles SHUMWAY was born in Guilford, June 10, 1847, and educated at the Academies of Norwich and Cortland, principally the former. He read law with Messrs. MERRITT & PRINCLE, of Norwich, commencing in 1868, and after the death of S. S. MERRITT, (March 16, 1869,) continued with his partner, E. H. PRINDLE. He was admitted in December, 1871, and commenced practice in Norwich, where he has since continued.
    Edward B. THOMAS was born in Cortlandville, N.Y., Aug. 4, 1848, and educated at Cortland Academy and Yale College, graduating at the latter in 1870. During the winter of 1864-'65, he read law in the office of Ballard & Warren, of Cortland, and in the summer of 1868, with Judge Hiram CRANDALL. After leaving college he resumed the study of law with Judge William H. Shankland, of Cortland, and was admitted Nov. 16, 1870. He commenced in Cortland, where he remained till April 2, 1871, when he removed to and has since practiced in Norwich.
    Elmore SHARPE was born in Smithville, July 21, 1844, and educated at Oxford Academy and Collegiate Institute, where he was graduated in the fall of 1866. In 1867 he commenced the study of law, devoting to it such time as could be spared from the active duties of farm life. March 26, 1871, he entered the office of Hon. Benjamin F. REXFORD, of Norwich, and was admitted Nov. 15th of that year. He practiced in the office of his preceptor till the death of the latter in the fall of 1872. His principal business is that of a claim agent.
    John William CHURCH was born in Norwich, April 15, 1846, and was educated at Norwich Academy and Hamilton College, graduating in the Law Department of the latter institution in 1872. He had previously, in 1868, read law in the office of Robert A. STANTON, in Norwich, and after graduating, established himself in practice in that village. He was Deputy U. S. Marshall from 1867 to 1870; and was elected District Attorney in 1877. [His grandfather, Capt. John CHURCH, who was a Revolutionary soldier, came from Newfane, Vt., about 1810, and settled in the west part of the town of Pharsalia. Being advanced in years, he removed after a short time to Norwich, where he died July 13, 1824, aged 68. His wife also died there. They had two children, William H. and Hezekiah, the latter of whom removed to Addison, N.Y. and died there unmarried. William H. married Harriet D., daughter of Timothy BOSWORTH, and settled in Pharsalia. He afterwards removed to Norwich village, where he and his wife died, leaving five children, four of whom are living, two in this county, Caroline, wife of Albert F. GLADDING, a lawyer in Norwich, and John M. CLARK, the subject of the above sketch.] {believe should be John W. CHURCH instead of CLARK.}
    Willie B. LEACH was born in North Norwich, May 11, 1851, and was educated at Norwich Academy and Cornell University from which he was graduated in 1871, in November of which year he entered the law office of Hon. E. H. PRINDLE, of Norwich. He was admitted in November, 1876, and commenced practice that year in Norwich.
    William F. JENKS was born in Burlington, N.Y., Aug. 29, 1831, and was educated in the common schools of his native town. He commenced the study of law in the spring of 1851, with Gorham & Foster, of Burlington, and completed his studies with Cutler Field, of Cooperstown. He was admitted in August, 1853, and in the fall of that year commenced practice at Friendship, N.Y., continuing there till the following year, when he removed to New Berlin, and from thence in January, 1875, to Norwich, where he has since practiced. He was Supervisor of his native town one year; and in 1877, was elected County Judge and Surrogate of Chenango county, which office he still holds.
    Euclid B. ROGERS was born in Norwich, March 1, 1852, and educated at Norwich Academy and Madison University. He read law with Isaac S. NEWTON, of Norwich, commencing in 1871, and afterwards with Chapman & Martin, of Binghamton. He was admitted in 1876, and commenced practice in Norwich.
    Frank B. MITCHELL was born in Norwich, Sept. 19, 1852, and educated at Williston Seminary, at East Hampton, Mass., and Yale College. He entered the latter institution in 1871, and was graduated in 1875. In 1875 he entered the Columbia Law School of New York and was graduated there in 1877, in the spring of which year he was admitted. He commenced practice that year in St. Louis, and after a year and a half removed thence to Norwich.
    Charles H. STANTON was born in Trenton, N.Y., entered Hamilton College in 1868, and was graduated there in 1872. He took a partial law course there, and in 1874, he entered the law office of Robert A. Stanton, of Norwich. He was admitted as attorney in January, 1878, and as counselor, in September, 1879.
    Clarence G. COOK was born in Hartwick, N.Y., Feb. 19, 1853. He was educated mostly at a select school in Hartwick, and subsequently spent one year in Hartwick Seminary. Entering the law office of Luther I. BURDITT, of Cooperstown, May 1, 1875, he pursued his studies there a year, and subsequently a year with James H. KEYES, of Oneonta, completing them with Isaac S. NEWTON, of Norwich. He was admitted as an attorney in May, 1878, and as a counselor, in September, 1879. He was elected Justice in the spring of 1879. [He removed in the early part of October, 1879, to Richmondville, N.Y.]
    George Abraham THOMAS was born in Norwich, Sept. 10, 1847, and was educated at Norwich Academy and Madison University. He commenced the study of law in 1872 with H. G. PRINDLE, of Norwich, and was admitted as an attorney in May, 1878, and as a counselor, in 1879.
    Isaac F. TIFFANY was born in Knoxville, Penn., Nov. 5, 1857, and educated at Hornellsville Academy. He commenced the study of law Aug. 31, 1876, with E. H. PRINDLE, of Norwich, having for the two preceding years been clerk for E. P. PELLET, then and now United States Consul to Barranquilla, United States of Colombia. He completed his studies with Mr. Prindle and was admitted Sept. 5, 1879.
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