Historical Sketch of the Settlement of the Town of New Berlin
By John Hyde
New Berlin Gazette, New Berlin, NY, February 24, 1877
The manners, customs and habits of the pioneer farmers who settled in the wilds of New Berlin were in accordance to a community making their homes on the confines of civilization and every individual family dependent on their own resources, expedients and perseverance for success. The men and women toiled and worked, and good improved farms were the rewards for their labor.
Hospitality made pleasant their log cabin firesides to the strange sojourner and the neighbor. Reading meetings on Sundays were held at some convenient place and a sermon from some printed volume of ancient sermons was read. Psalms in old-fashioned ways and tune were sung and prayers were offered up in the serenity of the Christian's faith.
Instruction in the elemental principals of common school education was provided without the legislative aid of a school code examination to ascertain a teacher's qualifications. If the teacher understood the art of reading, writing and simple rules of arithmetic, he was considered capable of teaching the farmers' children of that generation how to read, write and speak the English language with propriety and to instruct the youth in figures sufficiently to enable them to add, subtract, multiply and divide correctly enough to keep fair and honest estimates in their dealings and transactions. Webster's spelling book, a book of reading lessons, the New Testament, Roots Arithmetic and Dwight's Geography comprised the school children's books of instruction and with the addition of a bible, a complete family library of that period.
No post office was within one or two days journey of the settlement and newspapers and periodicals were not. But, however, in after years when the forest paths became somewhat passable, a postman on horseback with old fashioned saddlebags stuffed on one side with newspapers, on the other side laden with his luncheon appeared among the subscribers from a far-off distant printing office. His tin horn echoing amongst the forest trees announcing his approach was a more charming sound to the expectant ear than the family dinner horn to call the laborer from the field to his noonday meal.
Next came tradesmen, manufacturers and mechanicians with merchandise and tools and settled in and about the village. Captain Samuel Munroe was a worker in iron, erected his shop on the south side of the East Street and commenced the trade of a blacksmith about the beginning of the present century [1800s]. His shop and house stood on the premises now owned [in 1877] by Mrs. Chapin the widow of Benajah Chapin, deceased. He was a middle-aged man when he came to New Berlin with his wife and children. At his death he left his homestead property to Lines W. Munroe, his son who carried on the business of chain making and some other branches of work in wood. He was a good and faithful mechanic to his employers. His wife was General Welch's sister. He obtained the rank of Captain in the militia service and made a good officer to train and drill soldiers on the peace establishment according to Steuben's military drill book. He died leaving his estate to distant relatives, having no children to inherit.
Jacob Brewer, another blacksmith settled on the opposite side of the street. The old blacksmith shop is still standing, a wreck of its former usefulness. Mr. Brewer obtained the rank of Colonel from a regular promotion through the grades from a soldier up, made a good appearance on horseback at the head of his regiment of militia soldiers, for he was a portly man. He moved over into the town of Pittsfield i[Otsego Co. NY], and from there he went into what was called the Broken Stream country, towards Lake Ontario.
John Pike, also a blacksmith, purchased the old shop and carried on the blacksmith business several years. He also married a sister of Gen. Welch. After his wife deceased, he sold his house and shop and afterwards married Widow Harris, who owned the house and blacksmith shop built by Orsamus Clark, deceased, on North Street and carried on the blacksmith business at that shop until his last sickness. The premises are now owned [in 1877] and occupied by Widow Howard. Mr. Pike was an ingenious worker in iron. When he first came to New Berlin, he worked several years in the old cotton factory machine shop. He held the office of a Justice of the Peace for one or two terms. He had the reputation of being an excellent workman in all the different branches of his trade.
Lewis Winslow (who built, owned and occupied the house where Mrs. Munn, widow of William Munn, deceased, and daughter of Mr. Winslow, now lives [in 1877]), was a carpenter and worked at his trade up to the time of his decease. He built many of the old dwelling houses in and out of the village. He was a good workman and gave general satisfaction to his employers.
A Mr. Tammany had a tailor shop and worked at the trade of a tailor on the place where now [in 1877] Mr. Spencer, widow of Albert Spencer, resides. He was the first tailor who set up that trade in New Berlin.
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