The Utica, Chenango Valley and Susquehanna Railroad (now a branch of the D. L. and W. system) touches the northwest corner of this town, with a station at North Brookfield. The Unadilla Valley Railroad skirts the eastern border, connecting on the north by Bridgewater with the road above mentioned, and on the south at New Berlin with the Ontario and Western road. Brookfield was not bonded in aid of any railroad and at the present time has no bonded indebtedness. The construction of the Chenango Canal through neighboring towns and the building of the railroads had the customary influence, as seen in all towns without very large business centers to which may be drawn the trade and other interests of smaller places. While they gave to the inhabitants far better facilities for travel and transportation, they at the same time made it easier for the people to reach the larger purchasing markets at Utica and elsewhere, thus diverting expenditures elsewhere, instead of to local tradesmen.

    The later detailed history of Brookfield, following that given in Chapter IV relates chiefly to the decline of certain industries, the establishment of others, the changes in mercantile establishments, and the general development at and near the several villages of the town.

    Clarkville (or Brookfield) is the largest village in this town, and is the only one incorporated. It is pleasantly situated on the Beaver Creek, which flows southeasterly across the central part of the town, a little northeast of the center of the town, and for many years after its inception was called Bailey's Corners, from Eli S. Bailey, who settled here in about 1812, having then resided in the creek valley three or four years. At the time of his settlement on the site of the village there was nothing to distinguish it from the surrounding farming country, but the first store was built just previous to the opening of the war of 1812, by Reuben Leonard, founder of Leonardsville, a building that stood for three quarters of a century. The first saw mill, built by the pioneer Oliver Babcock, father of Ethan and Oliver, in 1795, was running, and in 1815 the first public house was built by Ethan Babcock, and kept by him until 1822. A frame school house was built about 1805, but school had doubtless been taught a few years earlier. The post-office at this point was not opened until about 1820, with the name Beaver Creek, and Joseph Clark, from whom the name Clarkville is derived, was the first postmaster. He settled here in 1810, held the offices of town clerk, supervisor, and justice of the peace, each of them for a long term. He served in the war of 1812 and rose to the rank of colonel before the close of the war. He was elected judge of the Court of Common Pleas, in which office he served ten years, and in 1824 was elected to the Assembly and re-elected in 1828, and for the third time in 1835. In 1839 he was elected to the State Senate. Throughout his life Mr. Clark was a prominent and highly respected citizen of Madison county. In the office of postmaster Mr. Clark was succeeded by Andrew Babcock, whose successors have been Varnum Crumb, Maxson Clark, jr., Lucius P. Clark, John T. G. Bailey, Benjamin Gorton, Richard Stillman, who held the office more than twenty years and died in the service. He was followed by A. J. Stillman, whose successors have been Charles J. Elliott, H. L. Spooner, F. D. Rogers and H. L. Spooner again. The name of the village was changed from Bailey's Corners to Clarkville at the time of its incorporation in April, 1834, after a spirited contest, at which time there was a population of about 400.

    In the old store built by Reuben Leonard, before mentioned, Sheffield Collins traded many years and until his death. He also kept the first tavern succeeding Ethan Babcock, which stood on the site of the Clarkville hotel. Mr. Collins also manufactured potash, as was customary with enterprising merchants of the early years. Among other early merchants were Henry Holmes, who was associated with his brother; Chester Palmiter, who was in business several years and until his death in August, 1837. Varnum Crumb was in business for a time, Andrew Babcock many years, succeeding which he was associated with John T. G. Bailey, who was the eldest son of Dr. Eli S. Bailey, the pioneer. They occupied the store in which A. J. Stillman now carries on business. Nathan Brownell traded a number of years and to near the time of his death, when he was succeeded by his sons, Nathan and Putnam C. Mattison Clarke, who had been engaged in hat trade, and as proprietor of a hotel, became a merchant about 1840 and continued fifteen years. Leroy Babcock succeeded Andrew Babcock about 1857, and sold to Frederick Foot. A. W. Mowry, who came from West Winfield, was a general merchant from 1859 more than twenty years. Laurens Babcock began as a general merchant in 1864, with Henry Keith as partner, whose interest he purchased at the end of four years. John T. Stillman, a native of this town, who began dealing in hardware in 1867, purchasing the stock of his brother, William, is still in business. A. J. Stillman, present general merchant, has been in business since 1868. The drug business, now represented by A. C. Miller, was formerly conducted for more than ten years by M. A. Saunders, who had as partner about six years L. A. Saunders. F. D. Gould, H. H. Elliot, A. C. Tuttle and M. H. Brown are in the grocery trade, the latter also having a bakery. D. F. Main has a hardware store, and the furniture and undertaking is carried on by L. W. Babcock and J. Slater. C. A. Wright is a harness maker, and R. Dennison shoemaker. William Crane, W. M. Clarke and C. Morgan carry on blacksmithing. In connection with operating the saw mill, W. M. Crane has a flour and feed store. Adelbert Crandall operates a wood repair shop, and H. A. Fitch has a photograph gallery. E. A. Pope is jeweler and G. L. Whitford is a merchant tailor.

    In December, 1871, Calvin Whitford established the banking house which is still in existence under his management associated with his son, Edward C. Whitford.

    Succeeding the early mills here, a carding mill and a foundry established by Joseph Clark, a tanning business was begun by Jonathan Babcock which was very successful during many years, while bark was easily obtainable. The old tannery building is now a repair shop used by Samuel Jordan. The grist mill now owned by William Crane was built by Mr. Jordan in 1865 on the site of a building erected in 1854 by a stock company for the manufacture of agricultural implements, for which purpose it was used about ten years. Mr. Jordan acquired the property and about 1860 put in a run of stones and carried on milling in connection with the implement manufacture until 1863, when the latter business was discontinued. He also continued tanning until after 1880.

    The hotel before mentioned as having been built in 1815 by Ethan Babcock, subsequently passed to possession of Joseph Clark, who sold it in 1843 to his son-in-law, Henry Keith, who kept the house many years as the Central Hotel. He was succeeded by the present proprietor, Lyman Brown, who changed the name of the house to Brown's Hotel.

    Succeeding Dr. Eli S. Bailey, the first physician in Clarkville, was his son Silas who studied with him and practiced many years, a part of the time with his father. A. E. Wallace practiced a few years and was succeeded by Dr. Catlin, who came from Winfield and about two years later removed to Ohio. Dr. Griswold was in practice from about 1845 to 1879, when he removed to Poolville. Augustus L. Sanders was in practice a number of years and until his death, and the same is true of Dr. Nelson B. Parr. Albert C. Rogers practiced several years and removed to California. The present physicians of the village are Dr. O. W. Bushyte, and Dr. H. C. Brown.

    Thomas J. Yaw practiced law in Clarkville from about 1830 until his death in 1863. Pardon Davis practiced a short time at about that period. George W. Gray was in practice a few years about 1845. Henry M. Aylesworth, now of Leonardsville, began practice here in April, 1867, and left the place in December of the same year. Samuel D. White practiced from 1857 to 1866 and removed to Hamilton; contemporary with him was William H. Davis. George M. Havens practiced here about a year in 1844-5 and in later years was in New York. Sherman Daboll came from Rensselaer county when young, studied law in New Berlin, practiced here several years and removed to Michigan. Barna J. Stimson was in practice from 1867 to 1874 and removed to Hamilton. Frederick Clarke, a native of this town, studied with Mr. Daboll, began practice about 1876 but soon afterward removed to Cazenovia. Israel Wilkinson was in practice a short time about 1858. D. B. Stillman practiced a number of years and is now State excise commissioner. N. A. Crumb, a native of this town, came from Canastota in 1891 and is the only practicing lawyer in the village.

    A new creamery was established in 1898 by Dart & Wallace.

    The Brookfield Courier was founded in 1876 by Frank M. Spooner, who was for several years associated with his father, H. L. Spooner. In 1883 they sold the paper to W. E. Phillips and B. G. Stillman, jr., who conducted it until the following year when the Messrs. Spooner purchased Phillips's interest and the firm name of Stillman & Spooner was adopted. In 1898 F. M. Spooner assumed the management of the Afton Enterprise and H. L. Spooner continued with Mr. Stillman as at the present time. The paper is a four-page weekly and ably represents its district.

    Clarkville has always been foremost in the establishment and promotion of educational facilities. The Brookfield Academy, which is more fully described in the Educational Chapter was originally a free school, the house being built by subscription, and the academy incorporated in April, 1847. In 1875 Union Free School District No. 32 was established and in November of that year the following were elected trustees: A. J. Stillman and Thomas A. Crandall for one year; Samuel Jordan and Enos Russell for two years; John T. Stillman for three years. The old academy was adopted as the academical department of the Union Free School. On December 21, 1875, the board was instructed to sell the district school house and apply the proceeds to repairing the academy. At the first meeting of the Board of Education, Enos Russell was chosen president; Arthur J. Stillman, clerk; Charles Lamb, treasurer. Calvin Whitford succeeded Mr. Lamb in the following month, Mr. Lamb declining to serve. James H. Messenger was the first principal of the school. In 1876-7 the academy building was sold to the Catholics and a new school building was erected on the site of the former school house. The churches of the village are described in Chapter IV.

    The first incorporation of the village of Clarkville took place in 1834. A reincorporation was effected under the general law and H. L. Spooner was elected the first president; he has served several terms in that capacity. Other presidents have been P. Fitch, A. J. Stillman, and Herbert E. Kingsley, the present incumbent.

    The question of establishing a water supply for the place is under agitation at the present time. The village hall and the opera house were burned in 1898, and the fire would doubtless have spread to large proportions had it not been for a great fall of snow.

    Leonardsville, where Reuben Leonard settled before the century opened, and built mills and in every way was conspicuous in aiding the development of the locality, is beautifully situated in the valley of the Unadilla, near the center of the eastern border of the town, and is a station on the Unadilla Valley Railroad. The building of the early mills and the excellent water power at that point soon attracted settlers and a hamlet gathered about where manufacturing industries of various kinds and stores and taverns were established. Hazzard P. Clarke, an early settler, began making hoes and scythes, in connection with his general blacksmithing business about 1810, and continued the work in a small way until 1820, when he sold out to Samuel Brand, whose sons became prominent as merchants in later years; Brand came from Hopkinton, R. I., about 1815, settling near Edmeston, and in 1820 removed to Leonardsville. He was a capable and enterprising man and greatly increased the business, which he continued to about 1848, when he sold to his son, Nathan V. Brand. The latter was succeeded by the firm of Nathan Brand & Co., who, in 1852, sold to the Leonardsville Manufacturing Company. This organization acquired also the grist and saw mills then owned by Luke and Thomas Hoxie; a horse rake factory and wagon shop, then operated by John Babcock & Co.; a foundry and machine shop, then operated by M. W. & H. C. St. John. All of these proprietors and operators joined their interests to form the company. To these industries was added a manufactory of agricultural implements and the whole was placed under management of Washington S. Greene. The company continued until 1858 when a dissolution took place and the several branches of business were thereafter carried on separately for certain periods, excepting the manufacture of agricultural implements, which was discontinued. The two mills and the building in which the agricultural implements were made were burned in 1856; but the latter and the saw mill were at once rebuilt and a new grist mill was completed in about two years. This mill had already been once rebuilt by Samuel Brand in 1829. The second rebuilding, just mentioned, was by Thomas W. Stearns, who succeeded to its ownership after the dissolution of the Leonardsville Manufacturing Company. Mr. Stearns sold it to Williamson, Adams & Co., who in 1871 transferred it to Edwin Whitford. It is now operated by B. C. Steers. The saw mill was built on the site of the one burned by Thomas W. Stearns, who sold it in 1869 to Hamilton J. Whitford, Myron Anthony, and Charles H. Williamson, the last named selling his interest to his partners in 1877. They continued its operation several years. It is now operated by Albert Whitford. The horse rake factory and wagon shop passed to possession of Erastus A. Greene, and the building was burned and rebuilt by him. He continued the manufacture of rakes in a small way a number of years. In recent years the manufacture of agricultural implements has been carried on, principally for filling contracts, by H. D. Babcock. The old fork factory, before mentioned, passed to Milton W. St. John, H. D. Babcock, Van Rensselaer Hawkins, and John Babcock, who built the present structure after the other was burned, for a hoe factory; this business continued only one year, about 1874, by H. C. Rogers, as agent for Charles W. Rogers and Charles H. Williamson, who rented the building. The property was then acquired by Milton W. St. John, and a general foundry and machine shop business was conducted by him until his death and afterwards by his widow.

    In 1891 a company was formed with the title of the Otsego Furnace Company, for the manufacture of a heating furnace with that name. Among those prominently interested in this company were H. D. Babcock, J. O. Wheeler, I. A. Crandall, A. W. Daggett and G. C. Rogers. The financial stringency of 1893 contributed to cause the failure of the enterprise, which it had been hoped would prove of great and lasting benefit to the village. A reorganization of the company is contemplated.

    The Leonardsville Canning Company was formed in 1894 and built a large structure near the railroad station and equipped it with modern appliances for extensive canning of corn. From fifty to sixty hands are employed in the season and the large product finds a ready market. H. D. Babcock is president of the company.

    A cold storage plant is operated by G. H. St. John, who is a large buyer of produce. C. K. Burdick, E. Quinn, and A. Meaker are blacksmiths, and C. H. Williamson, C. K. Burdick, W. H. Burdick, I. Parks, and A. Marshall carry on wagon making.

    The first store in this town, which was opened by Reuben Leonard, has been noticed. It was in the building occupied three-quarters of a century later for the same purpose by Nathan V. Brand, but had been removed from its original site. Mr. Leonard was also a tanner, a distiller, and made crude potash, carrying on a large business many years, until his failure about 1830. Ethan Burdick was a merchant contemporary with Leonard, beginning a little later and failing earlier. His store building was burned about 1868. David and Charles O. Munson were successors of Burdick in the same store and continued there and in another building until the death of the latter in July, 1831. David afterwards sold to Otis Eddy, and he after trading a few years sold to James Van Valen. About 1846 he sold to William H. Brand, who took his brother, Nathan V., as partner in 1848. Six years later William H. sold his interest to his brother, but from 1864 to 1868 they were again associated. After a second separation Nathan V: Brand continued in business a number of years.

    Dennis Hardin opened a store about 1820 and continued it many years; he was a native of Connecticut and was during several periods associated with his brother Daniel, who came from Winfield in 1837, and was during one period connected in business with his nephew, Henry B. Hardin. Charles R. Maxson carried on a large mercantile business a number of years, and James H. Brand and Edwin Clark built a store and engaged in clothing trade about 1853; the building was subsequently occupied by F. P. King and was burned in 1862. Samuel Collins erected another store building which was occupied successively by him, William H. Brown, A. M. Griffin, and H. W. North. Irving A. Crandall, a native of Brookfield, bought out Daniel Hardin in 1867, in company with H. B. Kinney, whose interest he purchased at the end of the first year. Mr. Crandall is still in business as a general merchant. O. D. Bassett began business as a druggist in 1874, and continued a number of years. Arthur W. Crandall and Owen Tully began as boot and shoe dealers in 1875, buying out A. B. Spaulding. Other present merchants are E Frank Champlain, drugs, groceries and bakery; W. W. Coon, groceries; O. O. Saunders, general store; W. D. Crandall, hardware; and Miss Arvilla Burdick, millinery. A furniture and undertaking business is carried on by E. L. Worden, and a meat market by Elmer Ellsworth, who buys poultry and eggs.

    Reuben Leonard built the first public house in the village soon after 1800. It was enlarged in 1857 and burned about 1870, when Smith M. Palmer was proprietor. In 1860 Dennis Hardin built a hotel which was first kept about two years by Hiram Buell. It had other landlords and is now kept by W. L. Switzer.

    The first postmaster was Reuben Leonard, who was probably succeeded by Dennis Hardin, who held the office many years and was followed about 1845 by George W. Hinckley. In 1849 Nathan V. Brand was appointed, and was succeeded in 1857 by Nathan T. Brown. James H. Brand was the next incumbent and was followed in 1861 by Nathan V. Brand. Irving A. Crandall was appointed in 1873 and held the office twelve years, when he was succeeded by J. E. Coon, and he by O. Tully. Mr. Crandall was then again appointed and is now in office.

    The first physician who is known to have practiced in this place was a Dr. Farrell, who came near the beginning of the century. He built a house in 1806, in which Russell Maxson resided in late years. Dr. Welcome Clark was an early physician and practiced until about 1826, when he removed to Whitestown and was succeeded by his brother Ray, who studied with him and practiced till about 1838. Dr. Pliny Robinson came from Otsego county and bought out Dr. Ray Clark, practicing until a few years before his death in 1868. Hiram S. Crandall practiced many years and until his death. S. C. Maxson was in practice several years and is now an eye and ear specialist in Utica. Dr. Oscar Lemuel Southworth, now the only physician in the village, has been in successful practice many years.

    Two attorneys find occupation in their profession here in the persons of Henry M. Aylesworth, who has been in practice more than twenty years, and Adon P. Brown, a later comer. Anson Harder came from Little Falls about 1853, as the first attorney, but remained only about three years. Arthur R. Pope also practiced for a time.

    The large business interests of Leonardsville, when the prospects for the future were brightest, demanded bank facilities, and the Leonardsville Bank was incorporated on February 27, 1858, with a capital of $100,000. At about the close of the Civil war it went under the national system and was subsequently merged with the Ilion National Bank at Ilion. The first officers and directors of the bank were Nathan T. Brown, president; Luke Hoxie, vice-president; Dennis Hardin, cashier; John C. Wheeler, teller and bookkeeper. These men, excepting the last named, with Ezra K. Hoxie, Washington S. Green, Vinson R. Howard, John Rogers, Nathan Brainard, Christopher Langworthy, Wait Clark, Samuel L. Brown, and Noyes Stilhnan, were the directors, and were prominent citizens of that period.

    When the Leonardsville Bank was discontinued, Dennis Hardin established a private bank under the same name, which he continued until his death, June 3, 1873.

    The old district school in Leonardsville was superseded in 1875 by the Union Free School in Joint District No. 13 in the towns of Brookfield and Plainfield. The vote in favor of this change, taken at a meeting held October 16, was forty-six to twenty. Edwin Whitford, Charles H. Williamson, Daniel Hardin, Henry M. Aylesworth, and Luke Hoxie were elected a Board of Education and $1,000 was voted to build a school house, which was accomplished in the following year. W. H. Southworth was the first principal of this school. Edwin Whitford was the first president of the Board of Education; H. M. Aylesworth, secretary; John O. Wheeler, treasurer.

    The churches of Leonardsville are both noticed in Chapter IV. The oldest one, the Seventh Day Baptist, is prosperous and in 1895 the society improved its house of worship at a cost of about $1,800. The present Methodist church building is the one erected in 1876.

    Well up in the northwest part of the town, on a tributary of the Chenango and in the midst of a rich hop-growing region is the small hamlet of North Brookfield. A mile distant is a station on the branch of the D., L. & W. Railroad, where there is a milk station under local management of George Eagan, handling 5,000 pounds of milk a day, which is mostly bottled and shipped to New York, and a grocery kept by John Kenyon in a building that was formerly a cheese factory. In this vicinity settled early the Terry, Morgan, Livermore, Faulkner, Fitch, Gorton, Miner, and other pioneer families, members of which became prominent in the town. A negro named Laban Alby long resided here in early years, kept the only tavern and was widely known. From this fact the place became known as "Nigger City," a name that still to some extent clings to it. Samuel Marsh opened a store in 1804 a little more than a mile southeast of the village site, on a road that was at that time a prominent thoroughfare, but was abandoned before 1860. After four or five years of trade Marsh failed, was imprisoned for debt and died, in the jail at Whitestown. Samuel Livermore opened the first store in the village on the site of the Parks (now Snow's) Hotel about 1809, was in business several years, and then removed to a farm in the town and later to Allegany county. His successor as a merchant was a Mr. Mills who was in business about five years. Laban Alby, the negro, kept a grocery from about 1815 to 1844, besides his hotel, which he built about 1844; he was also a blacksmith, which business he relinquished when he commenced keeping his hotel. He removed to Norwich in 1864 and died there. Isaac Marsh kept a store from about 1836 to 1860, having at different times partners in Solomon Gorton, Albert Beebe, David Fisk, and Daniel Bennett, 2d. He built the store subsequently occupied by Dr. L. A. Van Wagner. Asahel P. Treat began as a merchant about 1855 in the store afterwards occupied by S. A. Fitch, and continued to his death in 1866. J. V. R. Livermore began trade about 1850 in company with Lucius E. Beebe, and at the end of five years retired to a farm. Five years later he bought out Mr. Beebe and associated himself with D. S. Bennett, whose interest he purchased three years later. He took his son as partner, the connection continuing about five years. After an interval of about three years another son, Charles O. Livermore, was taken in and the firm continued until January, 1879, when the son purchased his father's interest and continued until about 1893. This is now the Hibbard & York store. S. A. Fitch purchased the Treat store of Mrs. A. P. Treat in 1868 and continued in trade a number of years. This store is now conducted by W. T. Squyers. Dr. Lewis A. Van Wagner began a drug business in 1876, buying out E. C. Bennett and doing business in connection with the practice of his profession. He sold out to L. D. Conger and removed to Sherburne. This store was afterward burned.

    After about 1850 this small village showed encouraging indications of business activity and growth. Wagon making in particular was extensively carried on by Fitch & Boon and by King & Cheesbro, and by Orson S. Gorton, who for twenty- five years was a large manufacturer. There are now three small shops owned by H. N. Avery, S. D. Ramsdell and L. O. Hatch.

    The North Brookfield grist mill was built in 1860 by Timothy H. Peck and operated by him until 1868 when it passed to possession of Hiram Collins; it is now run by Arvillo Kling and Walter C. Payne. The first mill in this vicinity was built about 1808 by a Mr. Balcom. It stood a few rods west of the later one and ultimately went to decay. The first mill on the site of the existing one was built in 1845, some of the timber from the old one being used in it; it was burned in the year preceeding the erection of the present mill. Two steam saw mills are in operation, one by Myron H. Forbes and the other by Frank Risley.

    A cheese factory was established here which was for some time owned by Henry P. Keith, which is now operated by L A. Wager. John Gray and Albert Morgan are blacksmiths and James Humphrey shoemaker. The three general stores of the place are now kept by W. T. Squyers, Hibbard & York and John E. Kenyon. The hotel, which was kept a number of years by W. S. Parks, is now conducted by M. E. Snow, and the Cedar Valley House by Hiram Loomis. Emery D. Morgan is postmaster.

    Gilbert Birdsall, a graduate of the medical department of the University of Buffalo in 1863, at once began practice in this village and still continues.

    The district school at North Brookfield was changed to a Union Free school in 1881. The first Board of Education consisted of Thomas R. Gorton, Allen Risley, A. J. Marsh, O. M. Gorton. The principal of the school was W. E. Phillips, the present one being Homer T. Case, who is assisted by two teachers. A special building for the school was erected in 1882; it is a frame structure with sightly grounds and beautiful shade trees. The present board is as follows: Gilbert Birdsall, J. F. Garrett, W. T. Squyers, C. E. Mason, Henry Edwards, A. Kling and Paul Cheesbro.

    A Baptist church has long been in existence here and is now under the pastorate of Rev. James Smith. A Universalist church was established more than forty years ago, but no regular services are held. The Catholic church, erected in 1893, is under the pastoral care of Rev. S. J. Cannane of Oriskany Falls.

    South Brookfield is a small hamlet about five miles south of Clarkville on Beaver Creek, where a considerable business interest was gathered in early years. The place has also borne the name of Babcock's Mills, from the fact that a grist mill and saw mill were built there early in the century by the Babcock family, as stated in earlier pages. There is excellent water power here and a number of industries were established to make use of it. George W. Bentley formerly manufactured furniture quite extensively, obtaining his hard woods from neighboring forests and having them sawed in the mill. The post office here was established in 1845 with J. Deloss Clarke postmaster. He held the office more than twenty-five years and was succeeded by Eli Maxson. The present postmaster is Frank Huntington, who also conducts the only store, succeeding Henry Brown, who was postmaster for a term. William and Roswell Randall were very early merchants here and later in Cortland, N. Y., where they became very wealthy. They were succeeded by Adin Burdick, Herman A. Hull, J. Deloss Clarke, and perhaps one or two others. The old grist mill had many proprietors, finally passing to Willis De Long after having been rebuilt by John Eaton. It is now operated by Corry Maxson. A creamery was established here in 1879 by Abel Avery, which is still in operation. Perry Warren was a former blacksmith, a business now carried on by George Aylesworth.

    In the west part of the town, where there was an early, numerous and thrifty settlement of Quakers, the locality taking the name of Moscow, and where the Collins brothers, Job, Peter, and Joshua, sons of Joseph Collins, and Gideon and Thomas Kenyon, Solomon and Hezekiah Collins, James Larkin, and others settled early, there were small mercantile establishments and minor manufacturing industries in early years, all of which have passed away. A Quaker meeting house was built there about 1820 and the Collins families carried on harness making, blacksmithing, and wagon making, and Albert Button kept a store. When a post-office was established there it was given the name, De Lancy, in honor of John De Lancy; the office has been abandoned.

    A part of the small village of West Edmeston (Otsego county) lies within the limits of this town. It is in the south part and on the Unadilla and has about 150 population. A grist mill and saw mill are in the town of Brookfield and have long been owned and operated by Truman Maxson. Orson Champlain and Albert Felton are merchants and with a few shopkeepers are on the Otsego side of the river.

    The dairy interest in Brookfield developed several cheese factories, some of which have been mentioned. One was established in 1863 by D. M. Brown about two miles east of Clarkville, and was owned by him twenty or more years. E. D. Lamb was formerly extensively engaged at Unadilla Forks in the manufacture of cheese, with a number of factories extending from De Lancy to Edmeston. These were established in 1863 and had a capacity of 5,000 pounds of cheese daily. But, as before stated, the opening of the railroad has made a vast change in the dairy policy of the town incident upon the shipment of milk to distant markets.

    What was known as the Welcome Scott grist mill, saw mill and cider mill, were situated in the northeast part of the town and were started in 1835. The mills were built by Levi and Welcome Scott, the first named selling his one-third interest to Nathan Brown in 1842. In the following year Mr. Brown sold out to Welcome Scott, and for about forty years thereafter he was sole proprietor.

    Among the prominent and successful farmers of this town may be mentioned J. H. and A. D. Chesebro, Leroy Larkin, A. E. Kenyon, J. F. York, J. G. Garrett, A. Faulkner, D. L. Fish, W. A. Payne, Ambrose Keith and William Stanbro.

    In the town of Lebanon, situated centrally on the southern border of the county, the settlement and growth of which down to about the year 1810 has been fully described in Chapter VII, development since that time has been confined almost wholly to the clearing and improvement of farms, the gradual change from the mixed agriculture of early years to the raising of hops and dairying, the moderate growth of the small villages of Smith's Valley and Lebanon, the establishment of churches, schools, etc. Indeed, there has been a considerable decline in population in the town during the last eighty years and at the present time the number of inhabitants is little if any greater than in 1810. Although there was no very valuable water power in the town, aside from that on the Chenango River flowing through the east part, which was made use of by the building of the first grist and saw mills at Smith's Valley, there were still a number of early mills and a few other industries on the small streams tributary to the Chenango. As the forests disappeared under the axes of the settlers, making saw mills of lesser importance and also serving to greatly diminish the volume of the streams, many of the early mills went to decay.

    The establishment of the first mills in the town, as the reader will remember, dates back to 1798, when Elisha Wheeler built a grist mill on the west side of the Chenango at Smith's Valley, which was soon followed by the erection of a grist mill by his brother Daniel on the east side of the river about a mile above Smith's Valley. Another grist mill was built about a mile and a quarter east of the site of Lebanon village as early as 1810 and a saw mill near by. The grist mill is still in existence and is now operated by George W. Phillips. In the north part of the town a mile from Smith's Valley was an early saw mill which has gone to decay. About a mile and a half west of the site of Lebanon village were two saw mills built many years ago, one of which was last operated by Clinton Stowell. He also operates a carding machine near by which has been in existence many years. Mr. Stowell is also largely engaged in the cold storage business. There was a small saw mill a mile above South Lebanon, and another a mile below that point, the latter dating from about 1867 and built by Martin Torrey, both of which are idle and in decay. About a mile southwest of Smith's Valley is a saw and a planing mill, and a cheese box factory, built about 1860 by Erastus Clark and still operated by him.

    Justus Smith was the first person to sell goods in this town, as stated in Chapter VII, and the first one to occupy a regular store was Jonathan Thayer, jr., son of Jonathan, the pioneer of 1800. That store was about two miles west of Lebanon village and was opened about 1808; he soon afterward removed it to the village where he occupied the Gilbert store, which was built by Sylvester Thayer, son of Jonathan, jr., in 1834. The first store was removed at that time and is the historic structure now constituting the rear part of the store of Irving Collins. Jonathan Thayer was in business until his death in 1830.

    Orson and William L. Sheldon were in trade a year or two in the Gilbert store when the latter withdrew. Orson continued a few years longer when he sold to Curtis Hoppin, whose son in-law, Joseph A. Norton carried on the business from about 1845 to 1853. At that time Edwin M. Lamb became associated with Hoppin, whose interest was purchased by Joseph D Avery in 1859. Mr. Lamb withdrew in 1864 and Avery continued alone another year, when the business was closed and the stock sold at auction.

    In the latter part of 1865 Benjamin Baker, who came here a little earlier from Washington county, began trade in the Gilbert store and continued about two years. From 1866 to 1869 Erastus Wellington, nephew of David Wellington, who was an early settler in Nelson, was in business in this store, and was succeeded by Milton E. Danforth, who soon took as partner Isaiah S. Head ; the firm of Head & Danforth continued until July, 1870 ; they built a new store and failed just as it was ready for their use. This building was then occupied by Pike & Seymour, merchants, and by the late S. W. Seymour, who succeeded the firm.

    The firm of Pike & Seymour, above mentioned, consisted of Leroy B. Pike and Silas W. Seymour, the former of whom established the business in November, 1871, with Abraham Martin as partner. Martin withdrew in the next year and in 1873 Messrs. Seymour & Pike were associated and continued until the withdrawal of Mr. Pike.

    Irving Collins established a flour and feed store in 1889 to which he later added a general stock of goods and is still in trade. W. S. Niles is a dealer in hardware and boots and shoes, succeeding Niles Brothers on the death of I. Newton Niles in May, 1898. Their general stock of goods was taken by Frank D. Lyon, who is still in trade. J. H. Poole has a boot and shoe stock and C. M. Henry a blacksmith shop.

    A hotel is still kept in the old building, before mentioned, and has had numerous proprietors down to the incumbency of George M. Currier, present proprietor of the Currier House. Horace A. Campbell, son of the pioneer Charles Campbell, built the upright part of this hotel about 1834 for a store in which he did business a few years and then converted it into a tavern, of which he was proprietor until about 1853. He was succeeded by Henry A Leet, who kept the tavern and also sold goods until his death in 1861.

    The old saw mill at Lebanon village is now in use as a store house by L. Ballard. The dam is destroyed. This mill was purchased in 1878 by L. D. Pope and E. M. Washburn of S. K. Hawkins, who operated it about three years and rebuilt it during the first year. The first tannery in the village was established by Thomas Bright in 1838, who operated it until 1841 when it passed to Alanson Bishop, who sold it three years later to Sylvester Thomson; he was afterwards associated with Lyman D. Swan. They changed the location to the present site in 1854 and continued business until about 1863. Subsequent proprietors for short periods were Jarvis A. Head and Lester Hayward, Solomon Baker, James Deyo, Sullivan E. Sabin, Samuel C. Gates, Roswell Whitman, who repaired it and sold it in 1875 to Anton Pfeiffer, who was associated with his son Joseph from 1875 until his death in 1878. The building burned in 1884 and was rebuilt in the following year. The tanning business was abandoned and the building was used for a time as a saw and grist mill but is now idle. It is owned by F. B. David and T. A. Beach.

    The post-office at Lebanon was established about 1815 with Jonathan Thayer postmaster. He held the office until his death in May, 1830, when he was succeeded by his son Sylvester, who held it till 1833, and was followed by Orrin Thayer, second son of Jonathan. He was succeeded by Horace A. Campbell about 1836. Later officials have been Orrin Gilbert, William L. Sheldon, H. A. Campbell, Edwin M Lamb, Reuben S. Hall, Joseph D. Avery, Milton E. Danforth, Charles W. Brasse, John D. Gilbert, who was in the office until 1876, since which time Silas W. Seymour has been postmaster in Republican administrations and James Mosher in Democratic administrations.

    The first physician in Lebanon was Joseph Stowell, a Massachusetts school teacher who settled about 1800 in the southeast corner of the town and practiced until his death about 1832. He was succeeded on the homestead by his son Kittridge.

    The second physician was Dr. Constant Merrick who settled about 1803 on Billings Hill and removed to the village about 1806, practicing until his death in July 1838. Dr. John Clark settled in 1806 on lot 45 where he resided until his death at the age of ninety-five years. Dr. Erastus B. Burroughs settled in the village in 1827 and gathered about him a number of students whom he located in surrounding places for the purpose of increasing his patronage to consultations. Among these students were Albert G. Purdy, who located first in Eaton, removing thence to Oneida; Milton Burnett, a native of Georgetown who settled at Morrisville and eventually removed to Oneida; Frederick Bradley, a native of Georgetown; Ralph Shepard, also a native of Georgetown, both of whom settled in Michigan; James Stewart and others. Dr. Burroughs went to Florida in 1841 to improve his health, returned in 1842 and died in 1843. Dr. Lyman O. Horton, a native of Hamilton, settled in the village in 1843, practiced about ten years and removed to Illinois. Dr. John Baker and Cyrus his brother, homeopathists, were contemporary with Horton and practiced in company from about 1848 to 1853 and removed to the west part of the state. Dr. Frank D. Beebe practiced from 1855 to 1863, removing to Hamilton, Dr. E. Lamb Root taking his place. Dr. James Mott Throop began practice in the village in 1866 and continued many years. The only present physician is Dr. M. D. French who has been in practice about four years.

    The Congregational church of Lebanon was organized October 2, 1802, as the Third Congregational Church of Christ in the Town of Hamilton. The records of the society in early years are very meagre, but a pastor was probably not settled before July, 1825, when Rev. Preston Cummings was called and served about two years. Succeeding pastors were Rev. S. Scott, called in 1831; Rev. Jeremiah Pomeroy for a short period; Rev. William B. Tompkins, 1836-89. During his pastorate the church building which was erected in 1825 a mile north of the center was removed to the village. In 1840 Rev. G. W. Finney was called to the joint pastorate of this and the Georgetown churches. Later pastors have been Reverends Redfield, Copeland, Wyn Root, G. M. Smith, T. A. Wadsworth, C. Barstow, W. W. Warner, Abisha Scofield, Ovid Miner, E. D. Reed, J. D. Woodruff, Ward Batchellor, Seward M. Dodge, and perhaps a few others. Since its removal the church building has been greatly improved, the gallery taken out, new seats and windows put in, etc. Rev. Hugh Ivey is the present pastor.

    The early settlement and industries established at Smith's Valley on the east border of the town have all been described. The place at the present time possesses very little business importance, containing only two stores, one conducted by George Waite and the other by Riley Arnst, the post-office and a milk station on the railroad. For a long period previous to the building of the railroad the little village was a quiet country hamlet, but with the opening of the railroad a considerable impulse was given to business enterprises. J. Dayton F. Smith began mercantile trade in 1870, was associated with his son Adon N. Smith from 1873 and sold about 1874 to Charles E. Montgomery. A year and a half later he sold to Sidney Dayton Smith, who continued business several years. E. C. Bixby kept a grocery for some time after 1877. A cheese factory was built in 1863 by a stock company composed of M. M. Campbell, A. L. Brown W. C. Russell and D. B. Shapley; this is not now in operation. The first postmaster here after the opening of the railroad was Peter L. Beers. Among his successors have been Henry T. Robinson, J. D. F. Smith, C. Montgomery, Sidney D. Smith. Mary C. Hutchings has been postmistress about ten years past.

    The Baptist church of Lebanon resulted from the efforts of Thomas Jeril, then residing in Georgetown, who was converted during a revival experienced between 1808 and 181 1 under the labors of Elder Hosmer of Lebanon. Mr. Jeril prepared a room in his dwelling for meetings. A band of twenty-seven members was finally recognized as a church by a council June 26, 1816, and Mr. Jeril was ordained pastor. A meeting-house was erected in the winter of 1819 about 100 rods south of the site of the present church. The latter was completed early in 1835. Among the pastors who have served this church since Elder Jeril, who resigned in 1836, were Elders Washington Kingsley, Benjamin Putnam, E. D. Reed, Daniel Hascall, E. D. Reed, C. V. Patterson, George B. Simons and a few others. An old Baptist church located a mile and a quarter northeast of Lebanon village, built many years ago, was removed to the village in 1889 and rebuilt. The society is in a fairly prosperous condition and the pulpit is supplied from Colgate University. About a mile east of the village of Lebanon was formerly a Universalist church, which had a precarious career for some years, and is now used as a store house by S. B. Yates.

    The little hamlet of South Lebanon, situated in the southeast part of the town, contains at the present time a general store kept by Sidney Catlin, a steam saw mill operated by Charles Bills, a blacksmith shop by Cornelius Downey, and a school house. Samuel Benedict was a former wagonmaker here and Stephen J. Wedge a blacksmith. The first merchant was W. H. Williamson, a native of Lebanon, who came from Hamilton about 1871 and sold out in 1876 to Lewis H. Wedge. The saw mill was originally built about 1860 for a carriage shop by Sidney Bills, and in 1871 was converted to its present use. An addition was erected by Mr. Bills, which was built for a cider mill in which was subsequently placed a feed mill. It is operated by steam. About the close of the first quarter of a century a Methodist society was formed and a church built at this point which was used a number of years but finally declined and the building has been demolished.