OTSELIC¹ was formed from German, March 28, 1817. It lies upon the north border of the county, west of the center, and is bounded on the north by Georgetown, south by Pharsalia, east by Smyrna, and west by Lincklaen. Its surface is hilly and consists of high ridges, which have an elevation of 500 to 800 feet above the Otselic, and are broken by ravines through which flow several small streams tributary to the Otselic, which is the principal stream. It flows in a south-westerly direction through the central part of the town, through a deep and generally narrow, rugged valley, which presents many features of romantic beauty. Further south the valley loses much of its rugged grandeur and spreads out into broader and more picturesque plains. Mann brook, flowing south-east, and Middletown brook, flowing north-west, empty into the Otselic at nearly the same

    Joel Buckingham was born in the town of Georgetown, Madison Co., June 30, 1816, and is the son of Reuben and Caty (Cook) Buckingham. The former was a native of Saybrook, Conn., and was born the 5th of August, 1787. The latter was born in Vermont, August 20, 1791. They were married August 4, 1811. Reuben came to Georgetown with his parents who were among the earliest settlers in the town; Caty Cook came to Otselic with her aunt, at an early day. They were farmers, and their history was the same as that of all settlers in a new country. They had a family of ten children, as follows: Nathan, Julius, Solomon, Joel, Edmund, Lovina, Jedediah, James, Mabel and Reuben P., five of whom are still living, viz: Joel, Edmund, Lovina, Jedediah and Mabel. These children received an extremely limited education, their parents being able to give them such advantages only, as were afforded by the common schools of their town.

    Reuben died Jan. 14, 1859, aged seventy-one years, and his wife, Caty, died Oct. 20, 1879, aged eighty-eight years.

    Joel spent his early years at home working on the farm and occasionally attending school winters. The winter he was twenty years old he engaged with Lewis Merrill to drive a stage from Truxton to McLean, on the line from Utica to Ithaca. The next year he drove from Madison to Richfield Springs, on the line from Albany to Syracuse, and continued on this route two years. He then returned to the first mentioned route and drive there a short time. He then engaged in farming, having bought a farm of 85 acres in Otselic. In 1841, the 8th of July, he was united in marriage with Sally M., daughter of Elias and Sally (Maxham) Card, of Otselic. They were natives, the former of Madison county, and the latter of Massachusetts. She was born the 11th of February, 1824. Mr. Buckingham continued farming about nine years. He then run a portion of a line of stages from Utica to Pitcher, about four years, and then returned to farming, and continued in that business until 1865. He built the cheese factory at Otselic, in 1867, and operated it till 1871. He then went to DeRuyter, and built a factory there in 1875. He was engaged there in the manufacture of cheese some three years before and three years after he built the factory at DeRuyter. He then came back to Otselic and has been very largely engaged in the manufacture of butter and cheese up to the present time; operating as many as four factories at the same time. The factory at Otselic has received as high as 21,000 pounds of milk in a single day, and the business is very large during the entire season.

    Mr. Buckingham is a democrat in politics and has held several town offices, such as town clerk, collector and constable and was postmaster at Otselic four years under Gen. Taylor's administration. In religious sentiment he is a Universalist.

    To Mr. and Mrs. Buckingham have been born four children whose names are as follows: Jenette, born May 7, 1845, married David Newitt, of DeRuyter, Jan. 29, 1873; Cassius M., born Nov. 23, 1848, married Emma L. Jaquith, of Otselic, March 22, 1871; Clayton A., born Oct. 23, 1852, unmarried; and Arthur A., born Oct. 31, 1856, died March 16, 1862.

point, but in opposite directions, and these with the upper waters of the Canasawacta, which flows south-east, parallel with the latter, form an almost continuous valley, through which the Auburn Branch of the Midland Railroad extends, crossing the Otselic on an immense trestle. This valley intersects that of the Otselic a little north of the center of the town and divides the town into four unequal quarters.

    The town is underlaid by the rocks of the Portage and Ithaca groups. The soil upon the hills is a shaly loam, and in the valleys a rich alluvium. It is strictly an agricultural town, dairying forming its chief industry. There are four creameries in the town: one at Otselic, known as the Otselic Creamery, which was built in 1867, by Joel Buckingham, who has since owned it; another at South Otselic, known as the South Otselic Creamery, which was built some fifteen years ago by Milton and Morrell Ufford; a third at Upper Beaver Meadow, which is owned by William McAdam and David Vandeveer, and receives milk from about 600 cows; and a fourth on the west line of the town, known as the Rhode Island Creamery, which was built in the spring of 1877 by Wm. Preston, who managed it till his death, April 29, 1879, since which time it has been owned by his widow. It receives the milk from 275 cows. The Otselic Creamery is said by some to be the largest, and by others the second largest, in the State. The greatest quantity of milk received in any one day is 21,161 pounds. Milk is now received from a trifle less than 900 cows. The South Otselic Creamery is owned by Beebe & Reese. The factory came into possession of Edgar Beebe in the spring of 1874. He sold a half interest to Orlando J. Reese, April 1, 1879. This creamery receives milk from 600 cows.

    The population of the town in 1875 was 1,567; of whom 1,518 were native, 49 foreign, 1,558 white, 9 colored, 804 males and 763 females. Its area was 23,845 acres; of which 16,797 were improved, 5,153 woodland, and 1, 895 otherwise unimproved. With the exception of Plymouth it has the largest quantity of unimproved land of any town in the county. The cash value of farms was $876,295; of farm buildings other than dwellings, $147,260; of stock, $149,600; of tools and implements, $36,000. The amount of gross sales from farms in 1874 was $99,317.

    There are eleven common school districts in the town. During the year ending Sept. 30, 1877, there were eleven licensed teachers at one time during twenty-eight weeks or more. The number of children of school age residing in the districts at date was 433. During that year there were eight male and thirteen female teachers employed; the number of children residing in the districts who attended school was 379, of whom 10 were under five or over twenty-one years of age; the average daily attendance during the year was 215.373; the number of volumes in district libraries was 301, the value of which was $87; the number of school-houses was 11, all of which, with the sites, embracing two acres and thirty-two rods, valued at $370, were valued at $3,462; the assessed value of taxable property in the districts was $716,952. The number of children between eight and fourteen years of age residing in the districts at that date was 137, of whom 116 attended district school fourteen weeks of that year.

    Receipts and disbursements for school purposes:--

    SETTLEMENTS.---The settlement of this town was later by several years than in the towns bordering the Chenango and Unadilla rivers, and was slow after it was commenced. As late as 1824, when most of the latter towns and some of the towns more remote from those rivers had nearly attained their maximum population, the population of Otselic was only 525, about one-third of what it is at present.

    The first settlement was made in 1800 by Ebenezer Hill, who was originally from the New England States, but came here immediately from Syracuse, or "Salt Point," and settled at Otselic, where he built and kept for some ten or twelve years the first tavern in the town. It occupied the site of the tavern burned there April 4, 1879, was in fact that tavern. He built there soon after his settlement a saw-mill, which stood near and on the west side of the Otselic, about twenty-five rods below the bridge which crosses that stream in the village of the same name. This was probably the first mill erected in the town, though another authority says the first was erected by James Rush.²   It did not stand long. There has not been a mill there for sixty years or more. Hill's first wife died in the East, leaving two daughters, Lydia and Sally, the former of whom married Nathaniel Hotchkiss, who settled in the town at an early day and after his marriage removed to Canton, where both died. Sally married Ephraim Warner, who came from Granby soon after 1800 and settled a half mile below Otselic. They had two sons and two daughters, the former of whom went west. One of the daughters, Huldah, married a man named Kinney, with whom she is now living in Otselic. After Warner's death, Sally married Edwin House, with whom she removed to Indiana, and there died.

    David Stoddard is said to have been the next settler in this town. He was born in Litchfield, Conn., Nov. 15, 1773, and being an "only son," received a double portion in the distribution of his father's estate, June 21, 1793. The latter year he married Dorcas, daughter of Seth and Lois (Blodgett,) Kent, who was born in Westfield, Conn., Dec. 21, 1756, and died Oct. 11, 1830, aged 74. He settled in Litchfield, and in 1803 removed thence to Otselic. He took up wild land in the locality of Hill's settlement, enough to make a large farm, which he cleared and cultivated successfully; at the same time doing an extensive business in buying and driving cattle, by which he gained a handsome competence. Mrs. Stoddard was a woman of remarkable courage and executive ability. She took the entire management of the large farm during the absence of her husband while driving cattle to market; and often while the farm was new and uncleared she had to leave the little log house in the night to drive off the wolves that were trying to reach her calves and sheep. He died in Groton, May 15, 1858. They had four children, Aaron, David D., Harmon and John J., all of whom were born in Litchfield, Conn. They all married and settled in Otselic, where all died except David, who removed in Nov., 1859, to Mazeppa, Minn., where he died June 1, 1870. Originally a Whig, he became one of the pioneer abolitionists, casting in 1840 the only vote of that party in the town. Aaron was a farmer and drover, and died Dec. 2, 1846. Harmon succeeded to the homestead farm in Otselic and died there May 2, 1873. His widow still lives on that farm. John J. died Feb. 1, 1839, aged 39. Five grandchildren are living in this county, viz: Noyes, Maria, wife of Henry Sherman, Cordelia, wife of Eli Truman Card, and DeVer, children of Harmon, all in Otselic; and William son of David, in Pitcher.

    Other early settlers were Reuben Buckingham, William and Thomas S. Fish, Josiah Wolcott, William Cross, William Hurlbut, William Cook and William Smith, all of whom settled in the northern part of the town, and Elias Benjamin, Buell Warner, Benoni Parce, Lewis Cook, Æneas Thompson, John and James Warner, Abraham Fairchild, William Greene, James Rust, Benjamin Eastman, Dr. Abijah Kinney, in the southern part.

    Reuben Buckingham settled on the west side of the Otselic, a little more than half a mile below the village of that name. He died Jan. 14, 1859, aged 71. William and Thomas S. Fish were brothers and settled at Otselic village. The latter removed a few years previous to his death to Georgetown, where he died May 30, 1860, aged 74. William removed to Ohio. Avery Fish, son of Thomas S. Fish, is still living in Otselic. Josiah Wolcott settled about a mile and a half west of Otselic, on the old turnpike. The place has since been divided by Henry Sherman who now lives where he settled. He afterwards removed to South Otselic and died there. Josiah and a daughter who married Welcome Phillips were grand-children of his. William Cross came from Saratoga county previous to 1808, and settled on the farm now occupied by Andrew Shepardson. He afterwards removed to the south part of the town and died there. None of his family are left here. William Hurlbut settled on the flats in Otselic village. He removed from the town at an early day. One of his sons was a physician in Norwich. Elias Benjamin settled at South Otselic, near the Baptist church. He also removed from the town at an early day with his family.

    Buell Warner was a brother of Ephraim Warner before referred to, and, like him, came from the New England States. He settled about 1810 on 100 acres at South Otselic, where Silas Hill now lives, and removed about 1818 to a farm about a half mile south-west of Otselic, where he died about 1830. He had several children who married and settled in this town and DeRuyter, and some of whom afterwards went west. Not one is left here. Timothy Warner, another brother of Ephraim's, a native of Granby, came from Sandersfield, Mass., in 1816, and settled a half mile north of South Otselic, where George Matthewson now lives. He married in Sandersfield, Hannah Holman, a native of England, and raised his family there. He died Jan. 25, 1835, aged 69, and his wife, March 23, 1855, aged 94. They had six children, Timothy, Huldah, Chauncey, Hannah, Asher and Roswell. Timothy settled on the homestead and died there Feb. 18, 1863, aged 69. Hannah, Asher and Roswell are still living in Otselic. Hannah is the widow of Lorrin Cook, of New Marlborough, Mass., who settled and lived for fifty years on the farm now occupied by Wallace Neal in the east edge of Lincklaen, and removed in 1871 to South Otselic, where he died April 30, 1878, age 80. She taught in 1817, the first school in the town. The school house stood near the residence of Judson E. Parce, in South Otselic. It was a frame building, erected for the purpose, and was afterwards removed to the west side of the creek, to the site of the present school house in that village. It was burned about 1830. Previous to 1817 there was no organized school district in the town, and only fourteen children of school age; two of these were only three years of age. One of the two, Zenas Cook, son of Lewis Cook, afterwards became a Universalist minister. Hannah taught only one term. Martha, the mother of the Warner brothers, came in with Timothy and lived with him till her death, Oct. 30, 1825, aged 87. Their father died in Tolland, Mass.

    Lewis Cook came from Marlborough, Mass., about 1810, and settled on a hundred acres at South Otselic. His house stood near where the residence of David B. Parce now stands. He returned to Massachusetts with his family about 1827. Cook came in company with Æneas Thompson, who married his sister, and settled opposite the creamery, about a half mile below South Otselic, near where Silas Hill now lives. He also returned to Massachusetts. William Greene settled in South Otselic and died or removed previous to 1816. Benjamin came from Hopkinton, N. J., and settled in Westmoreland, where he married Sally Presho, of Massachusetts, and worked in a furnace. In 1817 he removed to South Otselic, where there were then only three or four houses. He soon after removed to the ridge road and about 1838, to the place now occupied by his sons Lewis and Woodal and daughter Phebe, where he died Sept. 21, 1854, and his wife, Aug. 5, 1870. The three living on the homestead are unmarried and are all there are of the family living. William Cook came from Hadley, Saratoga county, in 1808, and settled near the cemetery in the north part of the town, where Andrew Shepardson now lives, and died there. His wife died in 1824 in Georgetown, where she went to live with her niece Caty, wife of Reuben Buckingham, who came in with Cook. Cook had no children. Dr. Abijah Kinney came from Hartford, Conn., about 1806, and settled near the creek in Otselic village. About 1822 he removed to the place now occupied by his son Ogden, where he died Aug. 10, 1848, aged 77, and Vasti, his wife, Nov. 23, 1843, aged 67. His children were Tudor and Ogden, both now living in Otselic, the latter on the homestead, Lorenzo, who lived and died in this town Sept. 22, 1851, aged 40, Laura, who lived and died in the town, Wesley, who removed to Milwaukee and is now living there, and Marvin, who went west and married and died there.

    South Otselic is finely situated in the valley of the Otselic, surrounded by lofty eminences. It lies in the south-west corner of the town, and is equi-distant ten miles from Georgetown and DeRuyter, with the former of which it is connected by daily stage. It contains two churches, (Baptist and Methodist,) a district school, one hotel, five stores, a saw-mill, a grist-mill, two blacksmith shops, kept by J. S. Potter and Lamb & Thompson, a shoe shop, kept by Elihu P. Thompson, a harness shop, kept by Lewis J. Cook, two wagon shops, kept by L. V. Huttleston and J. L. Kenyon, a tannery, an edge tool manufactory, which gives employment to one person besides the proprietor, Alpheus Sanderson, a jeweler shop, kept by William Sowter, Jr., 64 families and 242 inhabitants.

    MERCHANTS.---The first merchants in South Otselic were Samuel and William Messenger, sons of Arvina Messenger, an early settler in Lincklaen, in which town they were born. They opened a store in the summer of 1830 in the store now occupied by Frank E. Cox, which then stood on the site of James Brow's barn. They did business about three years and returned to Lincklaen. Columbus C. Burr, a merchant in Manlius, bought the store property and sold it to John F. Cooper, who had clerked for him. Cooper removed the store to the corner just north of the present hotel and commenced trading about 1834, the year after the failure of the Messengers, and continued some five years. Luther Bowen and his son Wells H., formerly of this town, bought out Cooper and traded in the same building till about 1847, when the former sold to Mirtalu N. Waldron, of Pharsalia, who traded in company with the latter, under the name of Brown & Waldron, some five years, when he sold to his partner, who became associated with Dr. James K. Bowen, his brother, and they erected a new building on the site of the Parce store, into which they moved about 1851. About 1858 they sold to Wells B. Ufford. Wells H. Bowen removed to Kansas and is now living in Atchison. Dr. Bowen removed to Missouri, where he died.

    J. Parce and his sons David B. and Dwight, the latter of whom died in the army, traded about three years from about 1856. David B. Parce and J. Floyd Thompson commenced business under the name of Parce & Thompson, in the same store, about 1859, and continued till the death of Thompson, at Norfolk, Va., while a captain in the army, July 5, 1864. About 1865, Parce bought Thompson's interest and continued till Oct. 4, 1877, when the store was burned. He immediately erected the present building on its site, but was taken insane just as he was about to restock it. He had an insurance of $5,000 on the stock and building, but the policies proved to have been forged by the agent. This loss in connection with others resulting from bad debts is supposed to have occasioned his mental malady. He was one of the best and ablest business men the village has ever had. The building is an exceptionably fine one for a village of its size. Its cost was $5,000. It is three stories high, the upper story being fitted up for a public hall. Mr. Parce's nephew, Judson E. Parce, who had been a clerk for his uncle for many years, succeeds him in the business.

    The other merchants now doing business here are, S. Wheeler & Son, (Sylvester and Hiram S., the former a son of Daniel Wheeler, an early settler in Lebanon,) hardware merchants, the successors to a business established in 1854, by Avina Messenger and Hiram S. Wheeler; John Wildman, Jr., grocer and druggist, who commenced business in December, 1866, in company with his brother Albert J. Wildman, and continued till May, 1873, when they divided their stock, the latter taking the dry goods and clothing department, which he also continued to the present time; John P. Newton, a native of Otselic, general merchant, who commenced in December, 1872; and Frank E. Cox, grocer and druggist, who is a native of Otselic, and commenced business Oct. 15, 1878.

    POSTMASTERS.---The post-office at South Otselic was established in 1830 or '31. Dr. Norman Ford was the first postmaster and held the office a great many years. He was succeeded by James Clarke. Dr. Wyckoff held the office a short time; and David B. Parce from 1861 to June 2, 1879, when his nephew, Judson E. Parce, the present incumbent, was appointed.

    PHYSICIANS.---The first physician at South Otselic was Norman Ford, who came from Delhi, Delaware county. He was born in Franklin in that county, August 20, 1800, and received his medical education at Fairfield Medical College. He removed to South Otselic in 1824, and in 1826 married Mary J., daughter of Jonathan Beach, of Lincklaen. He removed to Iowa to live with his children in 1870, having given up practice some five or six years previously. He died at Algona, Iowa, August 22, 1879. He was an excellent physician, well read, but his usefulness was impaired by spinal disease which crippled him from childhood and for some years before his death rendered him unable to walk more than a few steps at a time, and then only by great exertion.

    Dr. Wyckoff came from Delaware county about 1849 and after practicing one or two years went west. LaFayette Avery came from Preston about the time Wyckoff left and practiced till the fall of 1859, when he removed to LaGrange, Mo., where he now resides. Irving G. Reynolds came from Georgetown about 1870 and practiced till his death Nov. 24, 1876.

    The present physicians are James T. Jameson and DeWitt C. Crumb, the latter of whom was born in Preston, Sept. 2, 1845, graduated from Buffalo University Feb. 20, 1871, practiced 5 ½ years in Preston and removed thence to South Otselic in 1876.

    James T. Jameson was born in Yorkshire, England, August 22, 1812, and was educated at the grammar school in Manchester, where most of his early life was passed. There in 1828, he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Richard Thomas Hunt. He was licensed December 4, 1834, by the Apothecaries Hall, London, and graduated at the Royal College of Surgeons in London, Nov. 8, 1839. In 1868, he removed to South Otselic, from Lincklaen, where he has since practiced, though but little except as counsel during the last few years.

    LAWYERS.---The first lawyer at South Otselic was Silas Warren, who came from the town of Columbus about 1850 and practiced here till he entered the army, about 1863. He died of chronic diarrhea contracted while in the army soon after the close of the war. He never returned here to practice. F. M. Benjamin, a native of Cortland county, came from Cincinnatus in 1863 and practiced till about 1866 or '7, when he returned to Cincinnatus, where he is now practicing. The only present attorney, Morell F. Ufford, was born in Pitcher, January 1, 1843. He was admitted in May, 1868, and commenced practice at South Otselic in August of that year.

    MANUFACTURES.---The South Otselic Mills are owned and operated by James Brown. They were built about thirty years ago by Edward and Daniel Brown, brothers, by whom they were operated some ten years, when the present proprietor bought Edward's interest, and soon after Daniel's, which he sold to William H. Tracy, repurchasing it of Tracy some ten years ago. It contains three runs of stones which are propelled by water from the Otselic. The saw-mill adjacent to it was built by the same parties who built the grist-mill, over thirty years ago. It is now owned by Frank Smith, who bought the property of the widow of William Tracy, in December, 1878. It occupied the site of the saw-mill built by James Rust. Mrs. Lorrin Cook, of South Otselic, recollects that the ditch which conducts the water from the creek, was being dug in 1817 while she was teaching school. The mill was probably built that or the following year.

    The tannery at South Otselic was built about twenty-five years ago by Elihu Thompson, on the site of one built by him in 1838. Mr. Thompson carried on the tanning business until 1866, when he sold the property to John, E. M. and J. Nicholas Fisher, brothers, who are the present proprietors. The tannery contains 25 vats. About 5,000 calf skins and 2,500 sides of upper leather are tanned annually.

    HOTELS.---The Gothic House at South Otselic was built some thirty years ago by John P. Taylor, and has changed hands about as many times as it has been years built. The present proprietor, S. Farrington Wilcox, took possession in the spring of 1879.

    The first tavern in this village was kept by Dr. Norman Ford, in the building, a part of which is now occupied as a residence by Miles Newton. He kept tavern there some fifteen years. The house was built by Dr. Ford for a residence in 1828. He subsequently built an addition and fitted it up for a tavern.

    CHURCHES.---The South Otselic Baptist Church.---At a meeting held in the school house in South Otselic, Saturday, April 27, 1844, for the purpose of forming a Baptist conference, there were present Elder William Holroyd, Levi Messenger, Luther Bowen, John Taylor, Ebenezer Bentley, Daniel Bentley, Stephen Holroyd, Ebenezer Holroyd, John Holroyd, I. T. Jameson, John Chambers, Martha Bowen, Mary Miller, Elizabeth Miller, Elizabeth Chambers and Lucina Fisher. Elder Holroyd was chosen moderator and John Chambers, clerk. A declaration of faith and church covenant were adopted; and Luther Bowen, E. Bentley and John Chambers were appointed a committee to call a council which convened at the school-house in South Otselic, Wednesday, May 15, 1844, and recognized them as a church. E. Bentley, John Chambers and William Tyler were chosen trustees May 25, 1844 and the former was appointed deacon June 1, 1844. Sept. 6, 1844, the church was admitted to the Chenango Baptist Association which met at Greene.

    The church edifice was built about this time, and by contributions from individuals without regard to denominational preference; for it is recorded April 5, 1845, that the Methodists by request were allowed to occupy the meeting house on the afternoon of each alternate Sabbath, and June 22, 1845, its use was granted to the Universalists "one-half day in a month without any limitation of time."

    August 31, 1845, the membership had increased to 42. William Holroyd, who had served them as pastor from the organization of the church, closed his labors May 1, 1846, and was succeeded the first Sabbath in May of that year by Rev. Holland Turner, at a salary of "$150 for the year ending May 1, 1847, with the privilege of being absent three or four Sabbaths." He served them until May 11, 1850, when he was dismissed by letter. May 1, 1851, Rev. A. Knapp commenced his labors here.

    Elder Knapp was granted a letter April 23, 1854, and June 10, 1854, it was voted to give a call to Rev. William B. Morey, who was granted a letter in April, 1856. Cyrus S. Crain commenced his labors March 15, 1857, and was ordained by a council convened at the request of this church Oct. 28, 1857. August 13, 1859, at the request of the Lincklaen church, it was resolved to hold meetings at the Lincklaen church every alternate Sabbath for the present, and that Elder Crain be requested to preach. Elder Crain's resignation was accepted Jan. 8, 1861. There seems to have been an interval of two years during which there was no settled pastor. The pulpit was supplied by Elders Hayden and Seely, but to what extent the records do not show. April 11, 1863, the church voted to apply to the convocation for aid in supporting preaching. May 9, 1863, it was voted to engage Elder G. E. Flint as pastor. He presented his resignation Feb. 12, 1865. May 13, 1865, a call was given Elder J. F. Stark and accepted. He was voted a letter April 15, 1866. It does not appear from the records that there was any settled pastor or regular meetings from that time till the spring of 1869, when Mr. Perkins, a student of Hamilton, commenced preaching, and continued six months. A series of meetings of a month's duration, were held in January and February, 1869, attended by Elders Way and A. M. Bennett.

    Occasional services were held up to Sept. 3, 1870, by Elders Reed, of Lebanon, Way, Rev. Dr. Eaton, of Hamilton, J. Storrs, Morey and W. J. Erskine. At that date Rev. A. LeRoy commenced preaching and continued till Aug. 13, 1871. Then followed another interval, when the church was without a pastor, till April, 1872, when Elder Clark was hired to preach once in two weeks for one year for $125 and a donation. About the same time Rev. J. Storrs was engaged to preach the other half of the time "for $150 or more." In December, 1872, as Elder Storrs wished to be released from his engagement, arrangements were made with Elder Clark to preach the rest of the year every Sunday. Occasional services were held by Revs. J. H. McGahen, C. S. Crane and J. B. Grant till June 6, 1873, when the services of the latter were secured till April 1, 1874, for $450 and donation. Jan. 11, 1874, he was re-engaged on a salary of $650, without donation. Mr. Grant closed his labors Sept. 1, 1875, and was succeeded by Rev. H. C. Leach, the present pastor, who commenced his labors as such the last Sunday in September, 1875.

    In 1874, the church was repaired at an expense of $1,013.36, and was rededicated Nov. 24, 1874, by Rev. L. M. S. Haynes, of Norwich.

    September 9, 1876, the church voted to organize at the annual meeting, Oct. 7, 1876, under the new church trustee law passed May 15, 1876, and at that time H. S. Wheeler, James Brown and Franklin Brown were elected trustees.

    The following named persons have been elected to the office of deacon: E. Bentley, June 1, 1844; S. Wheeler, Aug. 31, 1844; John Wildman, Jr., Feb. 14, 1869; C. P. Warner, April 12, 1879.

    The present membership is 47; the average attendance at Sunday-school, 76; the whole number, 167.

    SOCIETIES.---South Otselic Lodge, No. 659, F. and A. M., was organized August 1, 1867. The first officers were: Frank Benjamin, W. M.; E. G. Frink, S. W.; Jerome Levisee, J. W.; Eugene Terrell, Treasurer; Eneas Fenton, Secretary; D. S. Ford, S. D.; Hiram S. Wheeler, J. D.; Ralph Smith, Tiler. The lodge numbers 65, and meets every Saturday evening in the Parce Block, in South Otselic.

    The Worthy Masters since the organization have been: F. M. Benjamin, Hiram S. Wheeler, James Brown, A. J. Cook, E. D. Parce, N. W. Stoddard, Curtis Kenyon, A. N. Wheelock and George Lamb.

    Otselic is situated on Otselic Creek in the northeast part of the town, on the stage line from Pitcher to Georgetown, and is distant seven miles from South Otselic and three and one-half from Georgetown. It contains one church, (M. E.) a district school, one store, a cheese factory, three blacksmith shops, kept by Philaster Soles & Son, Warren Holmes and Alonzo D. Tuttle, a wagon shop, kept by Daniel Dye, a cooper shop, kept by C. M. Doty, and a population of 77.

    MERCHANTS.---The first merchant in Otselic and in the town was George Coley, who came here with his father, William Coley, an Englishman, who was a colonel in the American army during the Revolutionary war and settled in Otselic, where Hiram Dutton now lives, and died there Nov. 30, 1843, aged 85, and Sibyl, his wife, Jan. 26, 1824, aged 66. George Coley, who was keeping tavern on the site of the one recently burned there, opened a store in that building in 1812 and traded till about 1830, when he went to Otsego county. He subsequently returned to Otselic, and engaged in farming, and afterwards went West.

    Lorenzo and Wesley Kinney, natives of Otselic, commenced mercantile business about 1832, and continued some two years. Amaziah Parker, from Pompey, succeeded them and stayed some five years. He removed to Cuyler. Samuel Griffith came from Otsego county about 1840 and after trading about two years went West.

    Elizur Goodrich, who formerly resided in the town, opened a second store about 1850, and continued three or four years. Franklin Russell, from Boston, succeeded Goodrich and traded about two years.

    Josiah P. Davenport, the present merchant, came from Georgetown, his native place, and commenced trading here in 1862.

    POSTMASTERS.---Asa Pritchard is believed to have been the first postmaster at Otselic. He held the office as early as 1812, probably earlier, in his dwelling, and till his death, July 30, 1838. He was succeeded by Orrin Stetson, who held the office some five or six years. Nathan Buckingham next held it some four or five years. Sprague Barber, the present incumbent, succeeded Hiram D. Stanton, on his death, April 24, 1864.

    PHYSICIANS.---The first physician at Otselic was Abijah Kinney, who came from Hartford, Conn., about 1806. He never practiced much here, however, being chiefly engaged in farming. Dr. Whitmore, of Georgetown, and Henderson, of South Otselic, practiced here for several years, but never settled here. Norman, John and _______ Baker, three brothers, from Seneca county, practiced here in succession two or three years each from about 1850. Dr. Wilber, from Smyrna, practiced here about a year after the Bakers left. Dr. Hiram Scranton came from Pharsalia, his native place, about 1840, and practiced some eight years. James Stanbro, a native of Otselic, commenced practice here about 1854, and continued till within a year or two of his death, in April, 1879. Dr. Truman practiced here about a year about 1858.

    Alexand Purdie, who was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, July 12, 1792, was graduated at the Edinburgh Medical College in 1812, and subsequently at the King's College, London, where he practiced till September, 1853, when he emigrated to New York, and thence after six months to Utica, where he practiced some fifteen years. He removed to Piqua, Miami county, Ohio, and thence in 1861 to Otselic, where he practiced until disqualified by age. He still resides in Otselic. His son, Dr. Alexand J. N. Purdie, was born in Manchester, England, August 25, 1824, and was graduated in surgery in the King's College, London, in 1849, and in medicine at Edinburgh Medical College in 1852. He emigrated to New York in 1857, and in 1858 removed to Cincinnati, Ohio. A year later he removed to Otselic, where he has since practiced.

    The only other physician here is James I. Mason, who was born in Palermo, Oswego county, August 4, 1848, removed to Otselic in December, 1863, was graduated at the Eclectic Medical College, of New York city, Feb. 18, 1870, and commenced practice here in April of that year.

    The Second Methodist Episcopal Church of Otselic, located at Otselic, was organized March 27, 1861, at the district school-house, their accustomed place of worship, and Gilbert Stanton, Elizur Goodrich, Ogden Keeney, James Palmer and Charles N. Drew were elected trustees. Their house of worship was built about the time the society was organized. A class had been formed previous to this, but the records give no information regarding it.

    Otselic Center, as its name implies, is situated near the center of the town, about four miles above South Otselic. It contains a Free-Will Baptist church, a district school, a blacksmith shop, kept by Truman Duncan, and eight or ten houses. There is a store here which was built and opened by Chauncey Duncan, who was the first merchant here, about the time the railroad was built through the town. The post-office was established at the same time, and Chauncey Duncan has held the office since it was established. Mr. Duncan sold the store to Deloss Parker, the present merchant, some four years ago.

    The Free-Will Baptist Church at Otselic Center was organized Dec. 27, 1837, at what was known as the Watkin's school-house, which was situated two or three miles south of where the church was afterwards built, and where meetings were previously held, but how early cannot now be ascertained. The original members were eight in number, viz: David Hutchins, Olive Hutchins, William Watkins, Hannah Watkins, Fanny Allen, Olive Thompson, James S. Thompson and Amanda Thompson. It was incorporated as The Otselic Free Communion Baptist Society, April 12, 1841, and Lewis D. Thompson, Jr., James House and Oliver Warner were elected trustees. Their church edifice was erected in 1842, the inhabitants providing the material of different kinds and performing voluntarily much of the labor connected with its construction.

    The following named persons have served the church as pastors, but there is no record of their terms of service. Revs. Solomon Howe, William S. Byer, L. D. Howe, son of the first pastor, Eli Card, A. G. Abbott, H. S. Ball, E. P. Nagus, J. M. Allen, G. R. Foster, and J. W. Barr, the latter of whom is the present pastor. The Howes, Byer, Abbott and Nagus are dead.

    The present number of members is about 40; the average attendance at Sabbath-school is about 20.

    Three from this church have been ordained to the work of the gospel ministry. One of these is dead, one has left the ministry and the other is the present pastor. There is now one licentiate.

    Beaver Meadow is a post-village on the Auburn Branch of the Midland Railroad, five miles north-east of South Otselic, containing one church (Christian,) a district school, one hotel, kept by Albert Sumner, two stores, kept by Thurlow Johnson and H. R. Webb, a saw-mill and grist-mill, with one run of stones, operated by steam, and owned by Miles & Miller, a shoe shop, two blacksmith shops, kept by S. C. Butts & Son and Asa Finch, and a population of about fifty.

    Upper Beaver Meadow situated about a mile above Beaver Meadow, contains one church, (Baptist,) cone store, kept by S Crumb, one hotel, kept by George Crandall, a cheese factory, a blacksmith shop, kept by Charles Matthews, and some four dwellings. It is a station on the Auburn branch of the Midland Railroad. The post office, which was established here in 1870, was removed to Beaver Meadow in 1877. James Stanbro held the office here from the time of its establishment till its removal to the lower village, when Albert Sumner was appointed and still holds the office.

    The Beaver Meadows derive their name from the existence at a former day of a beaver dam across the stream at the lower village, which overflowed the flats covering about a hundred acres, between the two villages.

    The first merchant in this locality was A. W. Ray, who did business several years about thirty years ago. Henry Stanbro, James Crandall, Crandall & Sears, J. W. Levisee, Prentice Lamb, W. S. Cox & Son and possibly others have done mercantile business here.

    In July, 1833, a terrific hurricane passed over this and adjoining towns, sweeping the country south-west to north-east. Its track was a mile win width. It blew lock trees in the central part of this town. It was more especially severe on the centre road in Pharsalia, where it blew a child lying upon a bed through an open window.

    Joel Buckingham was born in the town of Georgetown, Madison Co., June 30, 1816, and is the son of Reuben and Caty (Cook) Buckingham. The former was a native of Saybrook, Conn., and was born the 5th of August, 1787. The latter was born in Vermont, August 20, 1791. They were married August 4, 1811. Reuben came to Georgetown with his parents who were among the earliest settlers in the town; Caty Cook came to Otselic with her aunt, at an early day. They were farmers, and their history was the same as that of all settlers in a new country. They had a family of ten children, as follows: Nathan, Julius, Solomon, Joel, Edmund, Lovina, Jedediah, James, Mabel and Reuben P., five of whom are still living, viz: Joel, Edmund, Lovina, Jedediah and Mabel. These children received an extremely limited education, their parents being able to give them such advantages only, as were afforded by the common schools of their town.

    Reuben died Jan. 14, 1859, aged seventy-one years, and his wife, Caty, died Oct. 20, 1879, aged eighty-eight years.

    Joel spent his early years at home working on the farm and occasionally attending school winters. The winter he was twenty years old he engaged with Lewis Merrill to drive a stage from Truxton to McLean, on the line from Utica to Ithaca. The next year he drove from Madison to Richfield Springs, on the line from Albany to Syracuse, and continued on this route two years. He then returned to the first mentioned route and drive there a short time. He then engaged in farming, having bought a farm of 85 acres in Otselic. In 1841, the 8th of July, he was united in marriage with Sally M., daughter of Elias and Sally (Maxham) Card, of Otselic. They were natives, the former of Madison county, and the latter of Massachusetts. She was born the 11th of February, 1824. Mr. Buckingham continued farming about nine years. He then run a portion of a line of stages from Utica to Pitcher, about four years, and then returned to farming, and continued in that business until 1865. He built the cheese factory at Otselic, in 1867, and operated it till 1871. He then went to DeRuyter, and built a factory there in 1875. He was engaged there in the manufacture of cheese some three years before and three years after he built the factory at DeRuyter. He then came back to Otselic and has been very largely engaged in the manufacture of butter and cheese up to the present time; operating as many as four factories at the same time. The factory at Otselic has received as high as 21,000 pounds of milk in a single day, and the business is very large during the entire season.

    Mr. Buckingham is a democrat in politics and has held several town offices, such as town clerk, collector and constable and was postmaster at Otselic four years under Gen. Taylor's administration. In religious sentiment he is a Universalist.

    To Mr. and Mrs. Buckingham have been born four children whose names are as follows: Jenette, born May 7, 1845, married David Newitt, of DeRuyter, Jan. 29, 1873; Cassius M., born Nov. 23, 1848, married Emma L. Jaquith, of Otselic, March 22, 1871; Clayton A., born Oct. 23, 1852, unmarried; and Arthur A., born Oct. 31, 1856, died March 16, 1862.

1880 History
Chenango Co, NY Page

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