Historic Sketch, New Berlin, Chenango Co. NY

Historic Sketch of the Settlement of the Town of New Berlin

by John Hyde 

New Berlin Gazette, New Berlin, NY, September 16, 1876

Captain Samuel White

Captain Samuel White was a native of one of the eastern states and came to New York State and settled on the farm now [in 1876] owned by the White family, about the year 1793.  This farm in the north part of Lot 76 [--?--].  His first house was made of logs in backwoodsman style.  He afterwards built a small, framed house with a quaint scalloped piazza on the front where often congregated the youngster of former times in youthful merriment.  There are yet living old men and old women who can attest the happy hours that they have passed in that dear old place in social intercourse with the family.  Capt. White, after he cleared up his farm, entered into an extensive business of apple raising.  He transplanted from a distant nursery one thousand young apple trees mostly grafted and covered the whole hillside of his farm with the orchard which in after years furnished inhabitants far and near choice and valuable fruit.  The orchard being on high elevated ground, when in spring blossoms presented a gorgeous view in appearance amid the surrounding forest scenery in that then almost unsettled and unbroken wilderness and viewed in the distance resembled a vast flower garden.

Captain White was much respected by his acquaintances.  He died in 1814 at the age of 50 years.  His wife died in 1844 at the age of 75 years.  Captain White left sons and daughters to inherit the fruits of his labor and to their mother's protecting love, and they grew up to become useful members of society.

Widow White was an estimable old lady.  She belonged to that domestic class of women who made pleasant and cheerful their family homes in the bygone days of the early settlers, and could enjoy a sleigh ride on an ox sled drawn by a yoke of oxen, seated with her little children on bundles of straw, of an evening to visit a distant neighbor, winding along the path amongst and around the pine and other forest trees over the ground where now stands New Berlin village.  Such pastimes of riding on ox sleds were the common mode of traveling on otherwise impossible roads in former times.  Lyman White, the eldest boy was a clerk for Mr. Joseph Moss in the store at Burlington [Otsego Co. NY] and afterwards was a partner with Mr. Moss in the sale of goods at that place.  Mr. White married a daughter of Col. Deming, an extensive farmer in that vicinity.  Their son John Tracy White is the cashier of the first National Bank of New Berlin [in 1876].

Polly White the eldest daughter of Capt. White married, Col. Rouse Clark, who was a carpenter by trade.  Col. Clark owned and lived in the house now [in 1876] owned and occupied by his wife's sister, Almira White and worked at that business several years.  Many of the village dwelling houses are the workmanship of his hands.  He was an ingenious workman and accumulated considerable property by his industrious habits.  His ten-hour system was to commence work early in the morning and leave off at sundown in summer and at five o'clock in the morning and leave off work in his joiner shop at nine o'clock in the evening in winter.  So was the general rule of all mechanics in the days of the first race of settlers.  Consequently, industry had its reward.  Mrs. Clark was much respected for her amiable and sociable disposition.  She was ranked high in the old-fashioned school of industry.

Col. Clark, on the organization of the Arkwright Cotton Factory Company, was appointed agent of the company, which agency he successfully performed with advantage to the stockholders and benefit to himself and sustained the character of an honest man.  When he went into the cotton cloth manufacturing business, he sold out his homestead in the village to Alanson White, his brother-in-law, and moved over onto the factory grounds, where he resided until his death in 1845, at the age of 54 years.  His wife survived him seven years and died at the aged of 67 years.  They left one son and one daughter.  The son, William [White] is a banker and lives in one of the western states. The daughter married A.L. Prichard, a lawyer and afterwards a broker, in company with his brother-in-law, William Clark, and now resides in the city of New York engaged in other business.