Historic Sketch of the Settlement of 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, November 18, 1876

Richard Stoneman a stranger from the city of London, or its neighborhood, arrived in New Berlin [Chenango Co. NY] about the commencement of the present century in search of a new home and finally in the course of his wanderings, purchased a few acres of land of Artemas Herrick, on the north-west corner of his lot 74 and made to himself a dwelling place in that secluded nook, where he lived a retired life the rest of his days, seeking but little intercourse with society.

He possessed intellectual accomplishments of a superior order, and it was supposed that in his native land he had occupied a higher station in old England's aristocratic society than is to be found amongst our New England Yankee equality folks.  His wife was an amiable woman, and the family were highly esteemed.

After the decease of Mr. Stoneman, his wife successfully managed the domestic affairs and trained up the children, who became useful members of society.  One daughter married Asa Pope, then a resident of the village.  He owned the premises where now [in 1876] Mr. Phelps lives on North Street and built the dwelling house thereon.  Mrs. Pope was much esteemed for her social and amiable qualities.  Some years after her decease Mr. Pope sold the premises and went to Sherburne [Chenango Co. NY] where he lived the rest of his life.

The Stoneman boys while yet young men, emigrated into the Western States and the grandson of Mr. Stoneman, George Stoneman, Junior became a student in the military school at West Point, where he graduated and continued in the United States service.  When the Rebellion broke out, he was promoted to the office of General of Cavalry, in which capacity he made successful raids through the rebel country with his squadrons and did good service to his country and taught Southern traitors that Northern valor was superior to Southern pride and arrogance. At the close of the war, he was put upon the retired list and went to lower California and is engaged in agriculture.

John Simmons and Stephen G. Simmons were brothers, and their native place was the city of New York.  Their father was a wealthy citizen and the owner of the several lots in New Berlin and Columbus known as the Simmons lots amongst the early settlers of those towns.

John Simmons, in the beginning of the first settlement of New Berlin, came up from the city and settled on his father's lot 75, adjoining the Anderson lot on the north, and his brother, Stephen G., about the same time, settled on his father's lot 78, adjoining the Burlingame lot on the south.

Mr. John Simmons and his brother Stephen found that a city education was not adapted to the agricultural pursuits of backwoodsmen, however, they were both robust, strong young men, and floundered along, clearing up their farms and raising crops as best they might.  Mr. John Simmons, after making some improvements, sold his farm to Mr. Thomas Steere, a Rhode Island farmer, who emigrated from that State with his brother-in-law Charles Harris who purchased the north part of said Simmons lot and Steere the south part, except a piece of land on the east end of said lot adjoining the river, which Simmons had previously sold, to Levi Blakeslee and also a piece on the west end of the lot which Simmons had sold to Jeremiah Goodrich.  Mr. Steere and Mr. Harris were practical farmers and brought the Simmons farm into a good state of cultivation.

Mr. Harris, a few years before his death, fell a considerable distance onto his barn floor from a hay loft and received a lasting injury to his spine, which rendered him a cripple, confined to his bed the remainder of his life.  In his case, the old maxim, necessity is the mother of invention, received a practical illustration.  While lying in this monotonous and helpless condition, he learned and practiced the art of making hair fish lines, for which he found a ready and profitable market, for in those days, our woodland streams were well stored with speckled trout, and the river with pickerel, and fishlines were in good demand.

Mr. Harris left his farm to his wife, who, sometime after her husband's death, sold it to Welcome Arnold, now a citizen of this village.  Thomas Steere left his farm to his children on his decease and after passing through the occupancy of seven owners, it is now [in 1876] owned by Warren Reynolds, a son-in-law of Welcome Arnold, who has lately erected a large, commodious and splendid dwelling house on the old dwelling house grounds, superior no doubt, to the mansion owned by the Simmons family in the city of New York, when the son, John, left his father's house to become a resident on the Simmons lot in New Berlin. 

Such has been the change of time within the memory of old people.  Stephen Simmons sold his farm and moved West many years ago.  It is now [in 1876] owned by Mr. A.J. Barney a respectable farmer.  No member of the Simmons family now remains in New Berlin and the Simmons property, both in New Berlin and Columbus, has long since passed out of the family.