Norwich, Chenango Co. NY Reminiscences

 Reminisces of Norwich, Chenango County, New York

Chenango Telegraph, March 27, 1872

Editors of the Chenango Telegraph

Gentlemen:  You are giving much pleasure to many inhabitants of Chenango and adjoining counties by publication of Mr. Randall's charming reminiscences of the Chenango Valley.  His facile and graceful pen is serving up, in a very interesting manner, many amusing incidents which occurred amongst the hard-working, good natured, shrewd people who cheered one another, in early days, when all were struggling for existence, in an almost unbroken wilderness. Privation, want, wild beasts and Indians, abounded; and time alone can gild the shadows, which crossed the pathways of the first settlers of this beautiful valley.

Mr. Randall's memory is wonderful, and but few things escape him, certainly nothing of importance; and therefore, in some future number, he may allude to that celebrated "certificate," given by a distinguished Judge, as to the efficacy of a remarkable medicine, then recently introduced to the public by a learned Doctor Root, but not a Root Doctor.

At an early day, as long ago as 1806, nearly 70 years ago!!, there was a struggle between the rival villages of Oxford and Norwich for the location of a Court House, then about to be built, and an old paper, in my possession, throws some light upon the means used by the advocates of the Norwich location.  Norwich was successful and the paper referred to, of which I send you a copy, shows how willingly large sums were contributed to circulate petitions, and for such "other purposes," as a committee thought proper, for obtaining the "buildings aforesaid."  Legislation had not then become debauched, for there was no "Tweed" to corrupt members by the shameful use of money, feasts and entertainments.

Norwich got the Jail and has ever since enjoyed a monopoly of all the county hangings, which may account for the excellent class of citizens residing in your thriving town.  Bad fellows were driven off, if not hung, and if they went to Oxford, were immediately clapped into the Academy, an institution of which the people of Oxford have been justly proud, for it has done much towards forming as refined and cultivated a Society as can be found.  Truth requires us to say, that the citizens of Norwich, tho' prosperous and happy, with their Jail, and its efficient administration, were not entirely satisfied, as they saw their rival educating all their own children, and calling others from surrounding and distant Countries; so, they got up another subscription paper, built an Academy, endowed it liberally with library and philosophic apparatus, and stand prepared to educate or hang, as circumstances require.

(COPY)

We, the subscribers, promise and agree to pay into Peter B. Garnsey, Stephen Collins and Silas Cole, such sum as we shall place opposite our names, for the purpose of circulating petitions through the county, to obtain the Court House and Gaol at the Village of Norwich, and such other purpose as the above committee shall think expedient and proper for obtaining the buildings aforesaid.

Isaac Cornell	£0.16.0	Silas Cole	$20.00
Esoch Allen	$1.00	Peter B. Garnsey	$30.00
John Harris	$3.00	Hascall Ransford	$15.00
John Bowen	$1.00	Casper M. Rouse	$10.00
Edward Wait	$1.00	Frederick Hopkins	$5.00
Silas Higbe	$5.00	Sam’l Hull	$1.00
John Adams	$1.00	James Birdsall	$5.00
William Ransford	$1.00	Ames M. Smith	$1.00
Asel Steere	$5.00	Joseph Brooks	$1.00
Perez Randall	$5.00	Blinn Harris	$5.00
Seth Garlick	$10.00	Josiah Miller	£0.16.0
Jonathan Johnson	$10.00	John Bottom	£0.12.0
Benj’n Edmunds	$10.00	Hezekiah Brown	$3.00
Josiah Dickinson	$10.00	Jesse Sapham	$1.00
Joel Crane	$1.00	Alexander McCutter	$1.00
Eleazer Skinner	$2.00	Joseph Sheffield	$1.00
Nathan Whipple	$5.00	Edward Goodrich	$1.00
Nathan Parker	$2.00
Stephen Steer	$1.00

 On the back of this venerable paper are numerous endorsements showing where the several subscriptions were paid.  The first one read thus:  "Red'd Dec. 3, 1805, of Casper M. Rouse, Esq., one dollar and fifty cents, on his within subscription."

It is not known to me that of this Band of Pioneers, a single one remains.  They believed in law and order, and therefore, from their common poverty, built Church and Court House.  

They did not travel in thundering rail cars, but with toilsome step traversed the wilderness, now one continuous garden.

May those who follow in their footsteps emulate their virtues, cherish their memories, and tread lightly on the mounds, where "The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep."