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Township Sections of Mini-Biographies
from
The History of Otsego County, New York
1740-1878
D. Hamilton Hurd
Published by Everts & Fariss, Philadelphia
MARYLAND
HOUGHTON- The first settlers near where Chaseville is now
located were Jotham HOUGHTON and two sons, Jerehamel and
Daniel. The latter was a captain in the war of 1812.
Two sons of Daniel reside in the town. Daniel D. resides at
Chaseville, and Eliphalet E. is a physician in the village of
Schenevus, where he has practiced nearly a quarter of a century.
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THOMPSON- The year 1794 witnessed the arrival of many
pioneers, prominent among whom were John THOMPSON and
his two sons John and James, from Columbia county. They
located near the foot of "Cromhorn." A son of John Thompson,
Jr., named John T., resides in Schenevus. He has represented
this town in the board of supervisors four terms, the first of
which was in the year 1848. James M., a son of John T., is a
merchant in the village of Schenevus; has officiated as supervisor
six terms, four of which were in succession.
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SPENCER- The grist-mill was built under the supervision of
Phineas SPENCER, a cousin of Israel and Eliphas, who was the
pioneer carpenter. He was a useful man in the vicinity, and
was not only the first carpenter, but the first mason, chair-,
cabinet-, plow-, and coffin-maker. It is said that during a
number of years he made the coffins for the surrounding
country, and would receive no remuneration for his labor.
These primitive burial-cases were usually made of pine boards,
and colored black by a solution of water with the ashes of
straw. The first death in the town was that of a step-daughter
of Phineas Spencer, the first wife of Josiah CHASE. Her
death occurred in the summer, and the remains were borne on
a bier by neighbors to the cemetery near Maryland Station, a
distance of seven miles. James WILSEY, who died in 1872,
aged ninety-two years, was one of the bearers. This was the
customary practice, as hearses were unknown, and it was withal
considered an act of respect.
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CHASE- In the early times the latch-string of almost every
cabin was out, where the traveler might find accommodation for
a night's rest, but the first regular public-house was kept by
Josiah CHASE, familiarly known as "Landlord Chase." This
was a log building, and occupied the site of the present
residence of J. T. Thompson, Esq. It is said that the strength
of "Landlord Chase's" lungs were such that he could be distinctly
heard a distance of three miles or more. In corroboration of
this statement, it is said that a little son of his one day mounted
a tame colt that was running loose in the pasture, and after
making several circuits of the field, much to the amusement
of the youngster, it redoubled its pace, and seemed about to
enter the adjoining woods. The father, witnessing the scene,
shouted, "Stick to him, 'Siah! Stick to him! Stick to him, 'Siah!"
and his voice was heard by those living three miles distant, in
the present town of Worcester.
Samuel T., a grandson of Landlord Chase, was a merchant in
the village of Schenevus nearly a quarter of a century. He died
in 1876, and his family are residents of the village.
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ROSE- Prominent among the pioneers who came into this
locality in 1795 were Nathaniel ROSE and Samuel HOTCHKIN.
The former opened a public-house near the Maryland station.
His sons were Jesse, Warren, Elon, Ithamer, Jacob, and Nathan.
Only one survives, Ithamer, who resides in this town. Jesse
was a leading citizen, resided at Chaseville. He was supervisor
as early as 1829, and officiated in that capacity five years, and
was also county clerk.
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An honored pioneer was Amos SPENCER, who, with his father,
came from Columbia county in about the year 1798, and settled
on the farm known as the Spencer homestead, west of Maryland
station, now occupied by two grandsons, Israel and Joseph
Spencer. His family consisted of the following, viz.: Ithamer,
Simeon, Deborah, Isaac, John, Nathan, Uriah, and Desire, the
wife of Sandford BABCOCK, and the only surviving member
of the family. The following children of these early settlers
are living: Horace, son of Simeon; Catherine, wife of E. S.
BURNSIDE; Olive R., wife of the late Henry L. MARBLE;
Amos D.; Caroline, wife of Hiram BANNER; and Mary, wife
of John M. TALMADGE,-children of Nathan. Children of
Uriah are Philip D.; Israel; Martha A., wife of Sanders GURNEY;
George M., John U., and Joseph.
The old house on the Spencer homestead, which was built by
Deacon Amos Spencer in a very early day, and occupied by him
as a tavern, is still standing, and the old sign is in the possession
of the family. It is of wood, about three feet square, painted red,
with white figures. On one side is a sword, and the inscription,
A. Spencer's Inn," and the other side of ornamented with an
"eagle" and the inscription, "A. Spencer, 1802." Amos Spencer
was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, having entered the
service at sixteen years of age.
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Edward GODDARD came into the town in about the year 1793,
and located on lands now owned by Peter BEDEAU, north of
Schenevus. He was an active an influential pioneer; was the
first supervisor of the town, and officiated in that capacity
successively until 1816, and at various times fourteen years.
His family consisted of the following, viz.: Warren, William,
Samuel, Betsey ,and Hannah. Warren is deceased. A daughter
of his, wife of Samuel HUBBARD, resides near the old
homestead. William is a resident of New Jersey; a daughter,
Lorancia, wife of I. SNACKHAMMER, lives in this town, one
in New Hampshire, and still another in New Jersey. Samuel
resides in Oneonta, and has two children, Warren and Elvira.
Betsey married Reuben FELLOWS; their children are Edward
R. Fellows, Mary, wife of Samuel H. DUNHAM, and Diania,
wife of Woodbury K. COOK. The children of Hannah, who
married Levi Y. BOARDMAN, are Edward, who resides in
Philadelphia, Levi, deceased, and Eliza, wife of S. H. GURNEY,
Esq., the present postmaster of Schenevus. Mr. Gurney has
discharged the duties of postmaster nearly twenty years, is a
present justice of the peace, and has represented his town in
the board of supervisors. Levi Y. Boardman resides in Schenevus,
and was supervisor of the town as early as 1846. Levi, deceased,
had also served as supervisor.
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Stephen BROWN was an honored pioneer who came from Albany
county in 1806, and located on lands now owned by Warren
BENNETT. His family consisted of Stephen, David, Amos H.,
Lucy, Abbey and Elmina. David died in Pennsylvania; Stephen
and Amos H. resided here until their death. The former died in
1872, and the latter in 1875. Amos H. Brown was one of the
leading men of the county. He was supervisor of Maryland
several years, and was also one of the judges of the court of
common pleas. He was one of the first merchants in Schenevus,
in copartnership with Hon. George W. CHASE. His family
consisted of the following members, viz.: Carlton, Harvey W.,
Hamilton, Emily A., Maria, and Elizabeth. Carlton and Harvey W.
are residents of the town, and both have served as supervisors;
Harvey W.. has also been sheriff of the county; Hamilton is
deceased; Maria married Julian FERREY, of Schenevus; and
Elizabeth is the wife of Chas. S. BROWN, of Detroit, Michigan.
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Ebenezer HOUGHTON was an early settler. His sons were
Ebenezer, Rufus, Jonas, and Joel. Edward, a son of Jonas,
resides in the town.
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Silas and Luther FOLLETT were worthy pioneers who emigrated
from the "Granite State" to this town in about 1794. Luther
settled in Schenevus, where a son, Halsey, still resides. The
latter has two sons and two daughters, viz., J. Henry Follett, a
surgeon-dentist, residing in Schenevus; Ashley, a physician in
Earlville, Madison county. One daughter is the wife of Fred E.
PAGE, and the other of Hon. Azro CHASE. Mr. Chase was
supervisor in 1874-75, and is a present member of assembly
from this county.
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The BURNSIDEs were also pioneers.
James BURNSIDE was a captain in the War of the Rebellion,
and died from fatigue in battle. He had two sons, Evert and
Samuel. They owned a farm together in the town of Bethlehem,
Albany Co., which they sold, and moved to Otsego County in
1800. Evert settled on the farm now owned by his grandson,
W. H. Burnside, two miles east of Cooperstown Junction, where
he (Evert) died in 1834. Samuel moved into Milford, near the
Susquehanna, at Colliersville, and was the father of General S. S.
Burnside, of Oneonta. When these brothers came there lived
between the now village of Maryland and the Susquehanna river
Jonathan MILKS, James MOREHOUSE, Nathan BARBER,
Amos SPENCER, and Cyrus BROWN. When Deacon A.
Spencer came, in about 1794, there was but one house, that of
James Morehouse. Evert Burnside had seven children,- Deborah,
wife of Leonard BAKER, of Milford, deceased; Nicholas,
deceased, of Illinois; James E., deceased, of Iowa; Evert S., now
a farmer adjoining the old homestead, where his son, W. H.
Burnside, lives; Margaret, wife of H. D. SPENCER, deceased;
Ann, wife of Jacob DIETZ, of Kalamazoo, Mich.; and Amos,
deceased, of Maryland. Evert S. has four sons. All live in town
near the Evert Burnside homestead.
John BURNSIDE came from New Scotland, Albany Co., in 1802
or 1803, and located on the WORDEN farm, now occupied and
owned by Joseph BLANCHARD. He had three sons,- "Big"
Gloud (a hunter), Samuel, and John. Gloud lived to old age,
and died in the State of Pennsylvania. A daughter, wife of
Edward HOUGHTON, lives in this town; Samuel died in 1836,
on the farm now occupied by his son, J. C. Burnside; John, Jr.,
had a large family; Samuel had a large family; James C and Sally,
wife of J. T. THOMPSON, of Schenevus, reside in this town.
Ephraim, father of De Witt Burnside, lived north of the village
of Maryland; was a cousin of Evert. Gloud T., (son of Thomas,
who settled near the Susquehanna soon after 1800) settled near
the Worden farm; had six sons,- Thomas, now of Otsego, Otsego
Co.; Isaac, of the State of Pennsylvania; Claudius, now of the
State of Wisconsin; and Wilson, of the State of Illinois; John
and Washington, the last two, now live in the town, north of
Maryland village.
[Note: see Biographies for Gen. S. S. & Thomas Burnside]
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"The first marriage," says A. Hotchin's History, "was that of Amizi
WHITNEY to Sally BOYNTON, and the next, Daniel SEAVER
and a daughter of Landlord CHASE; but the earliest record found
of a marriage is that of Samuel HOTCHKIN and Mary (then
called Polly) SPENCER, in January, 1804.
"The earliest records of a school taught was by Mary, or as then
called Polly SPENCER, near Maryland Station, and the second
by Luna CHAMBERLAIN.
The first birth is claimed to have been that of Warren GODDARD,
and the next that of Hannah SEAVER; but it is also said that
Leafy SEAVER was the first birth after the town was set off
from Worcester, and that she received her appropriate name from
the fact of her having been born in a leafy forest.
"The first death was that of John RICE who was killed by the
falling of a tree."
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BENEDICT- A prominent pioneer, and one closely identified
with the interests of the locality, was David BENEDICT, of
honored memory, who came from Danbury, Conn., and settled
here in about 1803. He was a large land-owner, being the
proprietor of 1000 acres of land in this vicinity. His son, Philor
Benedict, was also an enterprising man, and left an honored
posterity. His family consisted of the following: Clarissa, *wife
of E. BOARDMAN; D. E.*; Sarah A., widow of Seth H. CASE,
who resides in Schenevus; Elvira B., wife of Nathan CLARK,
resides in Illinois; Emily became the wife of L. W. KELLEY,
both of whom are deceased; Philor is a practicing attorney in the
village of Schenevus, and present district attorney of Otsego
County; Ada A., wife of M. M. CLARK, resides in Missouri.
The name of BENEDICT has been honorably associated with the
history of this place from the commencement of the present
century, and the house known as the Eastern or Benedict tavern
was kept by David Benedict in 1805, and prior thereto by his
brother Obadiah, from whom it derived its name, and retains it
to the present time.
* Deceased
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