Chenango County

Previous to the division of the town of Bainbridge, the village and postoffice at Afton were known as South Bainbridge. The first postmaster was probably Albert Neely or Joseph P. Chamberlin, at least fifty years ago. Josiah Wright succeeded Chamberlin about 1830. Next was Zaccheus Smith, who came here from Delaware county and kept hotel in the Sullivan House. He held the office till about 1840, and was succeeded by Murlin Jackson. Cornelius Atherton was appointed about 1855 or ‘6, and was followed in 1861 by Lewis Post, who held it till his death February 12, 1863, aged 54, when … Read more

The first postmaster was James Elmore, who was appointed in January, 1801, and who was succeeded as early as 1805 by Sylvester Scoville, who was succeeded in 1829 or ’30 by Harry N. Fargo, who held the office till his death April 28, 1836, when Alexander Holmes received the appointment, and was succeeded in 1841 by William C. White, in 1845 by Edmund Shaw, in 1849 by Elisha J. Pratt, who held the office only a few months in that year, and was succeeded in May, 1849, by Elijah S. Lyman, who held the office till 1853, when Edmund Shaw … Read more

The first town meeting was held at the house of Timothy Hatch the first Tuesday in April, 1795. Isaac Foote was chosen moderator, and the following named officers were elected: Orsamus Holmes, Town Clerk; Isaac Foote, Supervisor; John Hibbard, Joseph Simons, Josiah Lathrop, Assessors; Eleazer Lathrop, Constable and Collector; John Guthrie, Constable; Joseph Porter, Samuel Picket, Overseers of the Poor; Joel Northrup, Abner Calkins, James Raymond, Stephen Parker, Joseph Guthrie, Overseers of Highways; Newcomb Raymond, Pound Keeper; John Lathrop, James Guthrie, Timothy Hatch, Commissioners of Highways; Joel Hatch, Ichabod Munger, Fence Viewers. The following list of the officers of the … Read more

Afton is situated on the Susquehanna River, near the center of the town, and on the Albany & Susquehanna R. R., by which it is distant 28 miles from Binghamton and 114 from Albany. It lies mostly upon the west side of the river, and principally along the street running parallel with it. The hills which bound the valley upon the east side are somewhat precipitous and largely covered with primitive forest or second-growth timber; while upon the west they are more rolling and susceptible of cultivation. It contains five churches, (Baptist, Episcopal, M. E., Universalist and Presbyterian,) a Union … Read more

Sherburne is a pleasant little village with broad and handsomely shaded streets, and in some measure supplied with good substantial flag walks. It is situated a little south of the center of the town, east of Chenango River, on the line of the Utica, Chenango & Susquehanna Valley railroad. It is distant about 10 1/2 miles from Norwich and five from Earlville. It contains six churches, (Congregational, Baptist, M. E., Universalist, Catholic and Episcopal) a Union Free School, with academic department, one newspaper office, (The Sherburne News) a National bank, a cotton factory, sash and blind factory, a carriage factory, … Read more

The record of the legislative action taken by this town with reference to filling its quotas during the late war is too meager and incomplete to possess any historic value in that connection. From other sources, however, we learn some of the results of that legislation. The town of Sherburne furnished in aid of the suppression of the Rebellion 236 soldiers and 20 seamen, 49 of whom were natives of the town; 1 ranked as Assistant Surgeon, 3 as Captain, 9 as Lieutenant, 1 as Sergeant Major and 13 as Sergeant; 176 enlisted for three years, 12 for two years, … Read more