The Old Yellow Tavern of Norwich, NY - Part 2

The Old Yellow Tavern, and Allied History of Norwich

C.R. Johnson

Norwich Sun, March 13, 1920

Part 2

The second tavern in Norwich [Chenango Co., NY] was built by Silas Cole, who took up the land of the southeast quarter of the village, between South Broad street and the river, and East Main street and the creek, and built a spacious house for a home and a tavern at what is now 93 S Broad street, and much of the Hickok house of today [in 1920] was part of the Cole tavern and was built for that purpose.  Not more than a year after, Cole sold the whole tract to Judge Steere and the house ceased to be a tavern.  This was in the last years of the 18th century.

 

About 1805-6, Benjamin Edmonds moved to Norwich from Woodstock, Conn.  His family consisted of a wife whose maiden name was Eunice Parker, and a daughter Betsy, who was born in Woodstock in 1787, and was therefore about 20 years of age when the family took up their residence in Norwich.  Benjamin Edmunds had been a Revolutionary soldier and soon became quite a prominent citizen in the new home, where the family rapidly grew in esteem and made many friends and acquaintances among the sturdy citizens of Norwich.  In religious faith they were Universalists, which sect claimed a large following in this part of the state, though there was no church organization in this section. Several years later a church was built in Oxford; and, I think, one in Preston; and several families living on the west hill and on the road to Preston became very enthusiastic adherents of the faith, and though sometimes a preacher of the doctrine would come into the vicinity and hold meetings for some weeks, they did not seem to awaken much enthusiasm.

 

Mr. Edmunds set about building a house, and to this end he bought from Judge Steere a good sized lot on South Broad street, and built a good sized house on it.  The location we now know as 43 and 45 South Broad street, the residence of H. Oscar Hale and his son Charles F. Hale.  In due time the house was finished and the Edmundses occupied it.  Very soon a romance started in it.  Betsey, the daughter of 20 summers, was a very nice young lady.  Perez Randall the fifth son of John Randall Sr., who bought the Avery Power farm, was a very capable young man of 24.  He was educated at the Clinton, Oneida county, academy, and at this time was a merchant in Norwich.  A mutual attraction sprang up between these two young people which resulted in an engagement, and they were married in 1808, in the new home, and took up their abode in it.  E'er the year rolled around a son was born to them, and to him was given the name of Samuel Sidwell Randall.  They had four children, two of which died quite young, and the mother died in Sept. 1813, aged 26.  In 1816 Perez Randall married Ruby, the only sister of Ralph Johnson, so when Mr. Johnson married Mary, daughter of Charles Randall, in 1829 it brought about some peculiar relationships.  Perez Randall was a younger brother of Charles, therefore he became brother-in-law to Mr. Johnson, and he was both great uncle and uncle to Mr. Johnson's children.  Aunt Ruby became great-aunt to them likewise.

 

To be continued