Miscellaneous - Changes in Bainbridge, 1909

Changes in Bainbridge

Letter from J. Wheeler Smith, who is 90 Years Old

Bainbridge Republican, Aug. 19, 1909

 

We acknowledge the receipt of a letter from J. Wheeler Smith, our venerable townsman giving a few reminiscences of Bainbridge in days gone by.  Mr. Smith is in his 90th your, but endowed with alertness and mental acumen, who keeps up interest in the events of the day and is able to write poetry and contributions for the newspapers.  He is a remarkable man in being able to use his ability so late in life.  Mr. Smith writes as follows:

 

Dear Sir:--Having been for the past 80 years a resident of this town [Bainbridge, Chenango Co., NY], the changes that have taken place in that time, seem worthy of note.

 

In the first place, with respect to your village:  The railroad at that time was not even talked of; the barns and stables of the Central House were on West Main street about where C.M. Priest's store is now located.  Your merchants were Northrup & Tyler, succeeded in a few years by W.W. Davis, afterward by Davis & Sherwood.

 

Your millers were John Newton and Jehiel Evans; your foundry by Moses Burgess at the upper end of West Main street; your jeweler and water repairer, was Richard Griswold; your lawyers, were Mr. Sayre and Henry A. Clark; your blacksmiths, A.B. Smith and Mr. Phinney, Sr., your old men were R. Juliand, E.J. Kidder, John Newell, Ezra P. Church, Doctor Freiot, Mr. Bishop, Joseph Bush.  The old men of the Presbyterian church were A.B. Smith, Mrs. Allison, Giles Smith; your physicians were Blin S. Sill and R.D.L. Evans, who alone of all, is still among you and keeps his end of the evener well ahead against all new comers.

 

But the west part of the town has more particularly come under my observation as I am a resident there.  In the Baptist congregation but one person remains who was a member of it then; and that is Dea. Normal Loomis, who was then a lad of 10 or 12 years.  The older representatives of that congregation were Job Ireland, Philander Loomis, Sr., James Lane, Dea. Martin Post, Dea. R.C. Fosbury, Israel Lyon; while other old men of the place were Thomas Aylesworth, Thomas Nichols, Charles and Samuel Lyon, Marshall Newton, and John Davis and Jacob and Thomas Ireland.

 

The Methodist church at West Bainbridge was represented by such men as Aaron Boothe, Hull, and Lyman Bush, Nelson and John Ireland, all of whom have gone to people the city of the silent dead.

 

Other changes that mark the progress of interesting improvement sin the world's history, are more patent to the observer of today; such as our improved mail facilities, our telephone and telegraph conveniences, our better roads, etc., all tend to mark a closer interest between neighbors, and between localities that once seemed so far apart.  The new interest thus developed in each other's affairs, is largely intensified, and the grand era of "peace on earth, good will to men" seems gradually drawing near;  And although well along in my 90th year, my fingers are still employed in writing, and my eyes in reading the news of the day, and I am interested in the activities of this busy world.  Yours with respect--J. Wheeler Smith.