Chenango County

Sherburne was formed from Paris, Oneida county, March 5, 1795, and its name is said to have been suggested by a member of the Legislature, who affirmed that the early inhabitants were in the frequent habit of singing the tune of Sherburne, which was a great favorite with them. It originally embraced the town of Smyrna, (Stafford,) which was taken off March 25, 1808. It was enlarged by the annexation of a small part of New Berlin in 1852. It lies upon the north border of the county, east of the center, and is bounded on the north by Hamilton, … Read more

The first settlement in Afton was made in July, 1786, by Elnathan Bush, who came in from Sheffield, Mass., with his family, then consisting of his wife and four children. They came as far as Cooperstown on horseback, and thence by canoe down the Susquehanna, leaving Cooperstown May 2, 1786. He settled on the west side of the river, opposite the forty acre island, known as Stowel’s Island, about two miles below Afton. This island and another near it, one of which contains ten and the other forty acres, had been cleared and cultivated by the Indians, and derive their … Read more

The surface of the country and the disclosures of the plow revealed to the early settlers of this town evidences of its occupancy prior to their advent, and partially indicated the character of its occupants. On the farm originally settled by Timothy Hatch, on the west side of the river, about a mile and a half north-west of the village of Sherburne, were the remains of caches, where corn had been buried; while in the field adjoining it on the north numerous arrow heads, stone chisels, hatchets and pestles have been disclosed by the plow. About four miles north of … Read more

The first recorded meeting was held at the house of Linus R. Hopson Oct. 12, 1850, by the “Sherburne Fire Engine Company.” Ira P. Barnes was called to the chair and B. W. Fay appointed secretary. A constitution and bylaws were then adopted and the following named officers elected: Isaac Plumb, Foreman; Deloss Burch, First Assistant Foreman; George Y. Knapp, Second Assistant Foreman; Byron Marks, Secretary; Sidney L. Starr, Treasurer. This company was disbanded June 7, 1858, and another organized under the same name June 9, 1858, of which T. H. Matteson was elected Foreman; L. N. Beers, First Assistant … Read more

Afton is situated on the south-east corner of the county and lies wholly within the original township of Clinton. It was formed from Bainbridge November 18, 1857, and derives its name from Afton Water, a small river in Ayrshire, England, immortalized by the Scottish poet Burns. (A somewhat bitter feud was engendered by the division of the town of Bainbridge and the discussions preceding it, and to give Afton a precedence over its rival, a name with an initial preceding the letter B was selected. From Rev. E. T. Jacobs’ article on The Rise and Present of Afton. ) It … Read more

The first lawyer in Afton was probably George Smith, who was here in 1830. He came in a young, single man and married a daughter of Henry Olendorf. He practiced here several years and removed to Norwich, where he died. He was the only lawyer of any note who located here until the present ones came in. The present (1882) lawyers are Jacob B. Kirkhuff, George A. Haven and Josiah D. Merritt. Jacob B. Kirkhuff was born in Stanhope, N.J., September 12, 1836. He read law in Red Creek, N. Y., with Jacob B. Decker, with whom he remained six … Read more

The first prominent lawyer in Sherburne was Roswell Judson, from Delaware county, who was admitted to practice June 10, 1835. He was elected county judge in 1847, and re-elected in 1851. He went west soon after the expiration of his judgeship. Francis S. Edwards practiced here a few years between 1840 and 1850. Ira P. Barnes, a native of Columbus in this county, was admitted June 13, 1839, and practiced here a few years about the middle of the century. George P. Avery, also from Columbus, was contemporary with Barnes. Alfred Nichols came from Earlville about the time Avery left. … Read more

Afton Lodge, No. 360, F. & A. M., was organized as Nineveh Lodge, January 11, 1855, at which time the first communication was held, and was chartered June 20, 1855. The name was changed June 24, 1862, when it was decided to remove the lodge from Nineveh, where the meetings had formerly been held, to Afton. The first officers were Harvey Bishop, Master; Platt Bishop, S. W.; C. G. Northrop, J. W.; Fenner Brown, Secretary; W. H. Scott, Treasurer; T. C. Healy, S. D.; J. Kelly, J. D.; Jesse Brown, Tiler; E. M. Brown and E. Badger, Stewards. Meetings are … Read more