Historic Sketch, 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, December 23, 1876

In our anxiety to unravel the tangled skein woven into the Presidential web, caused an error in the final disposal of the Joseph Medbury family sketch, which we proceed to correct.  It should be:  He left no children which are now living in New Berlin and the old homestead is in the possession of others.  But two of his sons are yet amongst the toilers of the earth.  His son Joseph Medbury a gunsmith in his young days went to Rochester, made his trade profitable and accumulated wealth and prosperity and enjoys the character of a respected and influential citizen in the city of his adoption.  Another son, Sylvester [Medbury], in early life, wended his way from his ancestral home into Columbus, Ohio, where fortune smiled and bade him welcome and partake of her bounties, which he now enjoys.

Barnet and Caleb Hill, two brothers, also Michael Philips, were first settlers on the wild lands lying between the Silas Burlingame lot 77, now part of our village site and the Jabez Arnold lot.  Caleb Hill died, giving his farm to his children and from them it is passed away.  The Michael Philips farm is now [in 1876] owned by Darius Atherton, now one of the assessors of New Berlin.  The Barnet Hill farm is yet in the ownership of his descendants.  Mr. Barnet Hill was a prudent, industrious farmer and was several terms one of the overseers of the poor.  He performed the duty with caution and humanity.

Reeve and John Dilley were brothers and settled on a wild lot next west of one of the Simmons lots west of the Great Brook.  Reeve was by trade a carpenter and after making some clearings on his lot, he occasionally continued to work at his trade among the more thrifty farmers changing their old family log houses into good substantial framed dwelling abodes.  John kept a tavern many years after the country round about became sufficiently settled to warrant the establishment of such a luxury to the traveling community and an accommodation for town meetings and sometimes elections.

Asa Williams settled on a wild lot some little distance from the Dilley's towards Norwich.  He was a frugal and industrious farmer and was sometime a justice of the peace in the days of Federal party supremacy over the Democratic party, he being a somewhat distinguished Federal politician and likewise otherwise qualified for the office.  He received his appointment from the Council of Appointment and officiated to the satisfaction of all reasonable litigants, for his decisions were impartial to unreasonable litigants.  The old adage might apply":  "Ne'er he who feels the halter draw, / Has a good opinion of the law."

Nehemiah Leach settled on a wild woodside hill lot beyond Asa Williams location, which was known in after years as the Leach hill.  He was an enterprising business farmer.  

Simeon Odle was an early settler on a wild lot in the neighborhood somewhat south of the Leach hill.  He was a good farmer and one of our active town officers in the early days of town affairs.

William Mayhew and his brother, John Mayhew settled on a lot near one of the Simmons lots on the Great Brook and cleared up their farms and left them to their heirs.

Isaac Sherman settled on the brook running into the Great Brook west of the Mayhews and built a sawmill on his farm which was a valuable affair to the early settlers.  It was among the first sawmills erected in the town and furnished much valuable pine lumber.  His descendants are yet in possession of the farm [In 1876].

Isaac and Abner Burlingame, brothers, settled on a lot next north of one of the Simmons lots on the Great Brook.  They were thrifty farmers.