Guilford in 1874

Guilford in 1874

Chenango Union, July 2, 1874

A correspondent of the Syracuse Daily Courier, who is visiting this section of the State, give his views upon Guilford, in this County [Chenango Co., NY], its business and its leading business men.  We condense from his interesting article the following:

 

This village is located on the Midland railroad, some eight miles south of Oxford, and is beautifully situated among the fertile hills of Chenango County at the foot of Guilford lake.  This is a small place but alive with business.  I do not remember when I ever visited a more side-awake little town.  Most of the business places here and also most of the dwelling houses are situated on one street and that street is about one-third of a mile in length.

 

Here is one grist mill, one furnace and machine shop, three dry goods stores, one hardware store, one drug store, one grocery store, three blacksmith shops, two boot and shoe shops, one hotel, two wagon shops, one cabinet manufacturing shop, one saw mill, one door and blind factory and three churches.  There are some six hundred inhabitants here. The following are the business men of the place whom I became acquainted with: 

 

Mr. W.H. Hull who is the proprietor of the Guilford house.  Mr. Hull is a young man much esteemed by the citizens here, and he keeps one of the best of country hotels.  I found everything at this house in "apple pie order."

 

Mr. Frederick Young is a well-to-do farmer.  He has a fine farm some two miles from the village under the best of cultivation.

 

Mr. David Ogden is the mail carrier of the place and is a first-class shoemaker.  He does general custom work.

 

Mr. John Market is the leading blacksmith of the place.  He is so crowded with business that he desires to employ immediately a first class horse shoer.  No other need apply.

 

Mr. A. Bradbury is the proprietor of the Guilford iron works located in the upper portion of the town.  This is an extensive manufacturing establishment.  Here they make a specialty of manufacturing "the latest improved Teed and other first-class water wheels."  They also manufacture the best variety of planers and matchers.  I learned that Mr. Bradbury is a first-class business man who has the entire confidence of the community.  Mr. A.P. Merchant in the same works manufacturers "Merchant's Patent Doweling Machine."  This machine has an extensive sale.

 

Messrs. Winsor & Dexter I found to be the leading merchants of the place. Their store is one door west of the Guilford House.  Here they keep a large variety of the best quality of dry goods, groceries, hats and caps, and every other kind of goods that can be found in any country store.

 

Messrs. Bunnell & Brown are the hardware and tin dealers of the place. They sell stoves and make a specialty of manufacturing the "iron clad milk pans."  These are considered the best pans made. The farmers all seem to know this and they therefore patronize this firm extensively.

 

Mr. Edward Bradley is the energetic proprietor of the mill and Bradley Cold Spring Creamery.  Here they manufacture some of the finest butter and cheese that is made anywhere.

 

Mr. G.H. Delavan is doing a good blacksmithing business in the lower portion of the village and Mr. G.B. Margraf is building wood works of wagons in an adjoining shop, and together they are manufacturing the best of wagons and sleighs. They are both first class workmen.

 

Mr. R.E. Smith, Jr. is known to everybody in the vicinity as one of the best of harness makers.  He is a young, enterprising man who is bound to succeed.  All the "horse men" know him as one who can make the best of harnesses.

 

Mr. W.G. Haynes is about to open a new grocery store in the lower part of the village.  He intends to keep the best quality of goods and sell them at "bottom prices."

 

Mr. H.M. Sherwood I found to be an intelligent, pleasant gentleman farmer.  He has two fine farms for sale, near the village. He will exchange them for other property.  One is a farm of seventy acres and the other one hundred and twenty-five acres.  Both near the depot.

 

Messrs. Haynes & Miller have a large carpenter shop and are preparing to manufacture doors, blinds and sash.  They are now erecting a planning mill and also putting up a shingle machine.  They are just such men as will make a village lively. 

 

Mr. A. Norton is the man who is manufacturing by machinery, butter tubs, pails and butter workers.  He is extensively patronized by the wealthy farming community who live in the vicinity.

 

Before closing this notice, I desire to inform the readers of the Courier that there is a fine water power running through this town, admirably adapted for manufacturing purposes.  Here is a splendid place for live young mechanics to commence business. The land is good and cheap, and the farmers about here are rich and liberal.  I consider such a town as this far preferable to a western town in the far west for a young man to commence business.