Visit to North Norwich - 1884

Visit to North Norwich, Chenango Co., NY

Chenango Union, January 31, 1884

Mr. Editor:  With your permission we would like to occupy a small amount of space, not that we wish to intrude or be conspicuous, but simply place ourselves on a level with our esteemed local correspondents, and ask in a good-natured way a few favors.

 

Would say, to commence, that we reside in a remote corner of the town, yet we sometimes take a ride over the hills and enjoy the bracing air of these wintry days on our way to the village of North Norwich.  We have been amused lately in reading the locals from that section, and thought it would pay to drive over and see what our friends were about.

 

As we arrived at the brink of the hill overlooking the valley, a change came over us.  Having prepared our mind for the worst from previous impressions made by reading locals, we were surprised to see how quiet and pleasant the valley of the Chenango seemed to be.  What a splendid place to locate the county buildings!  It seemed to be a desirable place to live, upon a good road, with excellent railroad facilities, and a pleasant drive to the more prosperous towns on either side.  This, we could see, was purely an agricultural valley.  Before us the village, where the county court was held, alternate with Oxford, from 1806 to 1809; and tradition says the county seat would have been located here had the liberality of one of its citizens been equal to those of Norwich.  This was the home of General Obediah German, a Member of Congress from this district, whose broad acres are now owned by many different individuals, and his descendants are unknown  The Hunt farm, now owned by D.F. Bissell, is located on the east side of the river upon which was once a hotel and distillery, and also the mills now owned by L.E. Carpenter.  A glance takes us to the farm of Abram PerLee, a soldier of 1812, now owned by his son, Isaac B., whose fine Holstein cattle look well.  Next, the farm of Edmund G. PerLee, once a Member of Assembly from his county, now owned by M.D. Firman, who has added much to its looks by way of repairs.

 

Down the river is the farm of Samuel Titus, one of the pioneers, who is upwards of ninety years of age.  A little beyond is the Bockee farm, now owned by Lorenzo Reynolds, and still further down is the Smith Titus farm, owned by his son, Captain Platt.  In the distance is Plasterville.  The first settlement was made in 1794 by Joseph Lathrop and A. Mead.  The mills once owned by Theodore Miller, are located here, and owned by George Brown, who does a lively business.  To the north we see the Dan farm, owned by J.W. Sturges, where the first cost of 250 acres was $25.  Next, the farm of Samuel Bentley, settled by Ebenezer Hartwell.  He married Rachael Mead in 1795--the first marriage in town.  Still farther we see Sherburne Four Corners.  Here the Western Oracle, by Abraham Romeyn, was published in 1803.  This was the first paper published in Chenango county--a single octave sheet, containing a few advertisements and a little news, relating to our affairs with France.  It was discontinued in 1808.  Thus we note from a distance, some of our early settlers.

 

On our way to the village we passed one of the most beautiful cemeteries seen in a country town. It shows public spirit.  At the grocery once kept by Richard Gorton we found Charles S. Brookins ready to wait upon customers in the same line.  We missed PerLee Shaw, and found Deloss Fowlston, a merchant from Norwich, had arrived.  He comes in advance of the county buildings, in order to obtain a good location.  The village, they expect, will move in the spring.  L.M. Wheeler was very busy.  At the hotel we partook of a good dinner, and enjoyed the music very much. We called at the postoffice and found things in order, and also an efficient clerk. After getting Garre Tanner to set a shoe, we started for home, with a determination to come back and buy a farm, if we could "buzz" the editors and get them to use their scissors freely, or prevail upon the "locals" to "shorten up," and not give everything and everybody away. 

 

Moral:  If you have no items that people can read, and at the same tie appreciate, don't write; and much more, waste time counting fingers.  It is bad enough for people to be afflicted, without having the "local" tell of it.

 

East Hill, Jan. 4, 1884