Recalling Old Days
Norwich and Norwich People of Nearly Seventy Years Ago
Chenango Union, August5 30, 1906
The Editor of the Union was recently privileged to have a very pleasant conversation with a Norwich lady, now eighty-five years of age, who has been a resident of Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] for sixty-four years, and who recalls many interesting incidents concerning Norwich in those days and the people who made up its business, professional and social life. Some of the facts gathered from this conversation have appeared in print in previous historical articles. Many interesting bits of personal history are new to the average reader. These facts are here given very nearly in the words of our informant, except that personal pronouns are omitted.
Norwich was very small then compared with what it is now [in 1906]. Broad street, which was then called Main; and East and West Main streets, which were then called East and West streets or sometimes River and Water streets, because one led to the Chenango and the other to the Canasawacta, were the principal streets. What is now Cortland street was called Mill street. Mitchell street and a part of Birdsall street were about the only other streets of the village in those days.
From Piano street down as far as Mrs. Beebe's, the houses were all here then, except the new Crumb house, but they have been remodeled. Below Mr. Beebe's there were only two houses, the little house next to Mr. Hall's in which Rev. Jabez Swan lived and the Coombes' farm house. On the other side of the street were the Louisa Brown house, the house where Dr. Brockhausen used to live, and the house where C.G. Nash lives. There was only one other house below that. The old Hiderhouse stood where the brick house now stands and Mr. Nelson Hale lived in what is known as the Owen house.
There was no Piano, Hayes, Elm, Locust, or any of those streets then. From Broad street to the Canasawacta creek was just a lot. Judge Mason owned from back of Judge Gladding's house clear to the creek. He sold to Mr. Hayes who opened Piano and Hayes street. All the south west quarter of the town has been built up since then and pretty nearly the same in the other parts of the town.
Benjamin Chapman was a leading merchant in the town. (Mr. Chapman came to Norwich in 1810 and opened a store in a building nearly opposite the American hotel. The building was moved onto East Main street before the Canal was built, and Mr. Chapman with his son and nephew went into business where Spaulding Bros. are now [in 1906]--Ed.)
Porter Wood was another successful merchant who occupied the wooden building across Lackawanna avenue from the Eagle, where the Star Clothing company now is [in 1906]. (He kept a dry goods store and sold out to John F. Hill--Ed).
On the corner where Fairchild & Bramer now are[in 1906], David Bedford had a store. Across the street was a store kept by Burr Andrews.
Over the Chapman store was a tailor shop run by Roswell Curtis, and Charles W. Olendorf was an apprentice to Mr. Curtis. (Mr. Curtis learned his trade of Burr Andrews--Ed).
On the East Side Park, where the Pagoda now stands, or a little east of that, was the old Baptist meeting house, where Elder Jabez Swan used to hold meetings. He was a great revivalist and the church used to be crowded. This old church was burned down and a new church built where it now stands, facing the other park.
There was an hotel on the corner where the Joseph Latham house stands. It was kept by Mr. Garlick. It was torn down when the Latham house was built. Jonathan Wells built the Latham house. Where J.O.H. Reed now lives was a house owned and occupied by John Clapp, who had his law office in a small building between there and the Latham house.
David Griffing built what is now the Norwich Club house. It was a beautiful place, a palace for those days. They had a house warming which was attended by many of their friends. The Cook house was standing and next to that, where Linn H. Babcock lives, was the Walter M. Conkey place. Then came the Griffing place and the home of Deacon Buttolph. Deacon Buttolph was a fine old gentleman and one of the leading members of the Congregational church. Dr. Daniel Bellows, a prominent physician, lived near where Mrs. Brooks now lives [in 1906].
John F. Hubbard was then publisher of the Norwich Journal. He sold it in 1847 to La Fayette Leal and James H. Sinclair, who combined the Journal with the Oxford Republican and called it the Chenango Union. Mr. John F. Hubbard, Jr., succeeded them, then Mr. G.H. Manning and the present proprietor.
The Mammoth Store was started where the Union office now is. It was run by Murray & Carter. They kept dry goods, groceries, etc., and made a great show. It was the best store in Norwich. That was 61 years ago.
The old burial ground was in the same place as now, only it has been added to. Where the Maydole monument is, near the north entrance and where the Rider monument is near the south entrance, were about the north and south boundaries.
Mr. Maydole was a blacksmith on East street then. He learned his trade in Oxford. He was a hard working, industrious man and in poor circumstances until he invented his hammer head. His shop was about opposite where the Palmer House is now. What is now the Palmer House was called the Temperance House.
There was no manufacturing here then.
There was a great rivalry between Oxford and Norwich in those days. They were pretty nearly the same size. The Oxford Academy was a famous school and some prominent men were educated there. The Court House fight made a bitter feeling and it was years before Oxford people could speak in a really friendly way to Norwich people when they met.
There was a stage line running from Utica to Binghamton, and the stage passed through here every day. The arrival of the stage was the event of the day and people used to go out to see it pass through. They used to commence tooting the horn when they reached the creek bridge coming from Binghamton and at the top of the hill by Mr. Newton's new house, coming from Utica. the Eagle Hotel was the stage house.
The Butterfields of Utica, and Ethan Clark, of Oxford, owned the Stage route, and Peter Clark, son of Ethan, was one of the stage drivers. Ethan Clark also kept the stage house at Oxford.
Gen. Henry DeForest kept the Eagle hotel which was burned down in 1849. His daughter lived where T.A. Jewell now lives. Gen. DeForest kept a splendid hotel and was a leading man here. After the hotel burned he built the house where Mrs. Marquis lives now [in 1906]. His daughter, Mrs. Babcock, was a beautiful and charming woman.
John Noyes kept the American Hotel. He married the widow of William Miller, a former proprietor of the hotel.
Mr. Rexford lived where Mrs. Campbell does now. Next to that was Dr. Henry Mitchell's house. He was the grandfather of Fred Mitchell. Where T.S Baker's store is, was Dr. Mitchell's yard. (Dr. Mitchell was a graduate of Yale in the class of 1808 and was a classmate of John C. Calhoun. He came here from Woodbury, Conn. He was a splendid physician and enjoyed a large practice in Norwich and the surrounding country, visiting his patients on horseback and often following blazed trails to reach them.--Ed)
Dr. Harvey Harris, son of John Harris, the pioneer of Norwich, and uncle of the elder -?- Harris, was another prominent physician. He lived on what is now the corner of North Broad and Rexford.
Nelson Pellett was the editor of the Telegraph. His brother, Elias Pellett, was the first proprietor.
Col. Randall lived where Mrs. Beebe's house now is. The house in which he lived is the house recently occupied by Judge W.F. Jenks. The removal of the house to its present site was quite an undertaking for those days.
John Tracy, of Oxford, was one of the most prominent men in this section. (He came from Norwich, Conn., in 1805 and in 1832 was elected Lieutenant Governor of New York State. he was also president of the Constitutional convention of 1846--Ed.). He lived where Mr. Van Wagenen now lives. Gerritt Van Wagenen, a revolutionary soldier also lived in Oxford. (He was a continental soldier before the revolution and was with General Sullivan at the storming of Quebec.--Ed).
The only artificial light in those days was from whale oil lamps and tallow candles. Kerosene oil was unheard of then. When it was discovered, it was considered a great thing,. There were no lights of any kind in the streets. our mothers and grandmothers used to dip the candles in a great round kettle, having a -?- to put the sticks on. They used to dip candles about twice a year and put them away to harden. Sometimes they made candles by pouring the tallow into molds. The molded candles were considered more aristocratic than the ordinary dipped candles.
There was only one public school in Norwich then. That was the Norwich Academy and it was a very good school and had competent teachers. There was also a select school for children kept by a Mrs. Rice on North Broad street.
Our informant remembers very well when George Dennison was hung in Norwich in 1833. She lived in Oxford and remembers the crowds of people who went through Oxford on horseback, going to the hanging. They came from miles below Binghamton (Dennison's trial took place in the old Presbyterian church, which stood on part of the site now occupied by the First congregational church--Ed.)
The execution was in an orchard right back of where the Cortland street school is and southwest of the St. Paul's church. Deacon Franklin was sheriff and had charge of the hanging. Rev. Mr. Bogue of the Presbyterian church offered prayer. (Other clergymen made speeches and the prisoner read an address warning young people against the evils of intemperance. When he had finished his address and the Sheriff had adjusted the noose about his neck, Dennison said "I have worn a more graceful necktie than this before." Then Rev. Mr. Bogue offered a prayer which was three-quarters of an hour long. Rev. Mr. Bogue lived in the house now occupied by William Mason.)
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