1950
	
LOOKING BACK TO 1893

F H Young

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The writer recently took a ride to Unadilla Center 
through an area that sixty years ago was blessed with 
fertile valleys, tilled lands, well kept buildings and 
fine timber tracts - a very prosperous region. I was 
vastly moved by the changes that have taken place in 
little over half a century and this is the inspiration for a bit
of history.

Fifty-seven years ago, my father moved from the town-
ship of Franklin to a farm in this section then known as the
Caleb Palmer Place. It was located on the crossroad running
from the Upper Rogers Hollow Road to the Unadilla Center Road
and is the farm recently purchased by Lee Leizear. At the
time our family moved there, there were two well kept frame
houses and barns on the place. The first one on the east
side of the road was the original farm house into which we
moved and which has now gone from decay. The other house on
the west side of the road was built and occupied by Caleb
Palmer and his second wife, Caroline Youngs (my great-aunt) 
as long as they lived. This is the home in which the Leizears now live.

As I crossed the Martin Brook bridge in front of the present Arthur 
VerValen home, I was reminded that sixty years ago
a tannery stood just across the brook on the left hand side.
Spencer Eells' father built and operated the tannery as long as he lived 
and the son continued its operation until it was closed 

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On the right is the old Chestnut Hill Cemetery, as now.  Above
the tannery on the bank of Martin Brook stood a yellow house,
now the home of Mr. and Mrs. Orville Baldwin.  Next was a 
one-story house occupied by Jim Juncket for many years.  Mr. 
Juncket was a fish peddler whom older citizens may remember.  
In later years George Wolcott lived there and kept hogs.  
Living with him was Charles Wilson, an old crippled Sailor rich 
in sea stories.
	
Just above, across the brook, stood the Warren Cleaver home 
(now rebuilt) the birthplace of Guy and Charles Cleaver.  
Across again and up from the road is still standing a 
small wood-colored house, the home for many years of the late 
Mrs. Jones.
	
A little further along, we crossed a creek bridge again and 
at the right stood the residence of Mrs.  Amelia Teed.  
Later this home was burned down and rebuilt by her son, Amasa 
Teed, who lives there now.  Up on the bank, across from the Teed 
home, was an old abandoned mill in which lived Louis Carmichael.  
At one time Mr. Carmichael owned many acres farther along this 
road and the hill ahead was known as Carmichael Hill in those days.
	
Proceeding along, up on the left side stood a new house built and 
occupied by a carpenter named George Dunbar. Across and below 
the road just this side of the Village  Water Dams in the 
creek stood the house of John Webb, father of Frank Webb who 
lives there now. As I recall these Dams were built by a 
contractor named Kelly.

On up the road, we approach the old Fagan place, at one time 	
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occupied by the late Nelson Woodruff. Across the next creek
bridge and in the forks of the road, stood the old Meeker
School House where my father had formerly attended school.
One of his teachers was Frank B. Arnold.
	
We took the right hand fork of the road leading to Unadilla 
Center and was reminded that for half a mile there were
forests on each side of the road. Then we approached the 
place where Lyman Kimball lived. His wife was the former 
Clara Youngs, my father's sister. Right across the road was a 
good-sized farm occupied by a Mr. Salisbury. The house and 
barn were some distance off the road up in a lot and now 
long-gone. Above, on the right side of the road, was a small 
wood-colored house occupied by Frank Welton and his mother. 
This house too long ago fell down from decay.

For the next half mile, it was all open land until we come
to the Mills place where Ed DeForest lived and the farm is 
known by his name to the later generations. On the opposite 
side of the road stood the William Smith place, now vacant. 
His son was William Gilbert Smith. From this point to the 
four corners above, were dense forests on each side of the 
road.

At the four corners, the old Butternut road turned to the
right and a quarter of a mile along on it stood a house once
lived in by my Grandfather, Wheeler Youngs, who has been dead 
a many years. On down through the woods was the Hemingway 
place where William Webb lived and further along through more 
woods stood a log cabin owned by Horace Chapin.

Straight ahead from the Mills farm and forming one of the
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four corners, the Orrin Spencer farm was located about three
quarters of a mile along. As I remember, his son Herman met
an untimely death. A mile further along was the William Chapin 
home and this farm at one time was an outstandingly prosperous one.

The next home was that of the notorious Billy Gill Smith

and his family. Many stories have been told of his oddities 
and I will relate one of them. It seems that Billy purchased 
supplies in large quantities whenever he bought and, on one 
occasion, purchased a whole case of rubber boots. It did not 
come to his attention that the boots were of all different 
sizes but, to make use of them all, he wore out the larger 
sizes over the smaller ones. At one time, Billy went into the 
chicken business and his hen houses were built from hemlock 
slabs. There were many of them - infact so many of them that 
the place earned for itself the name of "Slab City" and “Hen 
Feathers”.  Laying all humor aside, he was free-hearted and a 
good neighbor who couldn't do enough for the folks who called 
at their door. He, as well as his whole family, were good 
musicians and many times the writer has been in the Billy 
Gill Smith home and entertained with music that sounded like 
a full orchestra.

Returning again to the four corners and proceeding to the
left, the first farm was that of Clemens Youngs, my Great 
Grandfather, who was then dead. He preached many times at 
Unadilla Center Church and was known as "Elder Youngs”. From 
records in our family, he settled there some time before the 
year 1832 and the date of his death as marked on his 
gravestone is 1883.

Beyond my Great Grandfather’s place lived my Grandfather, Wheeler
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Youngs, in a one-and-half story, red house that is long since
gone. I recall spending one winter's night with Grandfather
there many years ago when I slept in a room upstairs on a 
rope bed with a straw-tick mattress and feather bed. In the 
morning when I awoke, a line of snow was streaked across the 
bed but - I wasn't cold.

In memory we will next visit the Lester Haynes farm who
was then still living. Now his descendant, Lynn Haynes, is
occupying the farm. Lynn was an old school mate of mine and I
recall visiting there many times in the latter part of the 
last century, playing in the barns with Lynn and all of his 
brothers and a sister.
	
Now one goes along and passes the road that reaches down to
the place where stood my first home in this section as was
previously mentioned. On the right hand side beyond this road
was the farm owned at that time by Jarvis Smith who was the
grandfather of Stanley Earl and his sister Lena. 
Approximately one half mile above the Jarvis Smiths was a road to 
the east, down past Billy Gill Smiths which is now nearly 
impassable.

Beyond where the latter mentioned road turned off was the Juncket
place, then a prosperous farm owned and occupied by Owen 
Palmer.

The house and other buildings are now gone and the place is grown
up to a lot of brush and a bit of reforestation.

Next was a house, of which is fallen down now. At one
time my Mother's father, Gilbert Dix, lived there. And then 
the Buckley place. Old records reveal that the Buckleys were 
the first settlers in this section, about the year 1790. 
Herbert Earl lived on this farm when we first moved to the 
town of Unadilla.

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Next is the schoolhouse, now remodeled for a dwelling,
and then the Church that dates back to the early settlers.
Now, as then, the church holds a prominent part in community 
life.

I remember a member of the church choir, Lester Searles, with a
bass voice of a volume that filled the whole church. The 
pastor was none other than our retired druggist, Robert 
Homan, of Unadilla. I have heard "Bob” preach many times. 
Beyond the church stood the Lester Searles home.

Now one comes to Buckley's Four Corners as this part of
the road was then known.  On the southwest corner of the 
forks in the road stood Hack Fisk’s blacksmith shop. On the 
northwest corner was his residence, the birthplace of Flossie 
Fisk Engel who now resides in Unadilla. 

Going north on the west side of the road is the home now
occupied by Arthur Goebler. I do not recall the name of the
owner at the time of our story. Next stood a house and a 
creamery. The creamery operated with several men and did a 
thriving business for many years. On the same side of the 
road is still a stone house, one of the early dwellings of 
Unadilla Center, formerly the ancestral home of the 
historically prominent Fairchild family.  Fifty-seven years 
ago this was the home of B. C. Father) Fairbanks (who is a 
druggist at Sidney at the present time. The stone house is 
now owned and occupied by Adam Rudnitsky.

To return to the south east corner at Buckley's Corners -
there was located the Lester Searles store and the Unadilla 
Center Postoffice in one building. Dewain Burrows drove a 
stage and carried the mail from Unadilla. At the store, a 
farmer and his wife could buy items ranging from a spool of 
thread to a barrel of molasses.

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East from the store and on the crest of a hill overlooking
the hamlet of Unadilla Center is the cemetery which bears 
evidence that the community sent four soldiers to the defense 
of the Thirteen Colonies in the Revolutionary War. They were 
Joseph Batterson, Major Seth Rowley, Samuel Bartholomew and 
Joseph Reed.

Again in 1812 in the war against the British in defense of 
American rights, three soldiers from this community lost 
their lives and are buried there - John Fisk, Samuel Smith 
and John Smith.

Three ministers' gravestones are found among the others - Joshua
Rogers, Clemens Youngs and R. M VanSchoick.

North from the store on the east side of the road came first
the Card house, the Chapin Burrows and Curtiss farms and, 
lastly, the present home of Claud Chapin who is the only 
inhabitant known to the writer out of forty citizens living 
along these roads fifty four years ago who is now still 
occupying his home in this community.

A word about prices - At that time porterhouse steak could
be purchased at 18¢ per pound, sirloin at 16¢, round at 14¢,
dried beef at 20¢,pork chops at 14¢, salt pork cost 6¢, best 
butter at 25¢ per pound and bread at 5¢ per loaf. All other 
provisions carried prices accordingly.  Weekly board in 
Unadilla at either hotel was $4.00.  Chestnut coal was $4.00 
per ton, house rent $5.00 to $10.00 a month. A suit of 
clothes cost from $12.00 to $20.00 - a haircut and shave was 
30¢.

The lighter side of life was not as boring and dull as one
might think. Of course automobiles and state roads had not as 
yet come into fashion. There were no picture shows, bowling 
alleys,

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skating rinks, golf links or amuesment parks but things not known 
about were not missed. Social life consisted of gatherings in 
the neighbors' homes for parties, games, picnics and
socials. There was skating as well as riding down hill and
husking bees where any young man who found a red ear amongst
the corn was expected to avail himself of the opportunity to
kiss his best girl. The low two-wheel bicycle was in its hey-
dey in those days. Many ball games have been played in the lot 
across from the cemetery. All in all the folks got along very well 
and did not take to their beds from nervous exhaustion.

During those days old traditions flourished and were
passed on down from father to son - a neighbor was a  
neighbor and a friend a friend. Most people worshipped in 
some fashion, contrasted with today when one half of the 
world is at war with the other half and selfishness is the 
driving force of most activi ty. It makes one ponder deeply 
as to where it all will end.
	
As I look back over the years since 1893, my thoughts and
views have mellowed with their passing. People in those days
did not have it so hard and there was much to thank the 
Creator for. As time changes the picture, so must the way of 
life change and thus we march on and down through the 
corridor of history.


This was kept as close to the original as possible including spelling and grammar.