Profile of the Village of Middleville
Herkimer County, NY
Including the 1888-89 Village Directory
by Jane Dieffenbacher
Village of Middleville Historian
Middleville, NY
Middleville is a village of approximately 600 people. The West Canada Creek passes through the village. The east bank is in the Town of Fairfield and the west bank is in the Town of Newport. When the New Englanders first settled in the Royal Grant area, they chose the highlands, and the hill communities developed first. It was supposed that the lowlands around the West Canada were marshy and subject to flooding.
In 1806, people began to settle in the valley area because of the demand for water power. Sheffield Kenyon purchased the land that was to become Middleville this year and soon two public houses and two blacksmith shops were built. Mills followed and by 1810, Middleville was ready for its first bridge across the West Canada. This was a wooden bridge built by Jacob Wilsey, who also built the first building of the Fairfield Academy.
The community was named Middleville and by 1814, industry was booming. The Herkimer Manufacturing Company erected a large stone building for manufacturing wool, cotton, flax, and iron products. A tannery was started by John Wood. These industries brought many people seeking work to Middleville and a number of Polish families settled in the area.
In 1880, railroad service reached Middleville and in 1888, an iron bridge replaced the fourth wooden bridge across the creek.
A water system was needed for the thriving community and in 1890 the Village of Middleville was incorporated to provide a solution. Soon a reservoir and water mains were constructed.
Middleville has an active volunteer fire department, a library, and three churches in 1998. The churches are Methodist, Roman Catholic, and Episcopal. Children attend the West Canada Valley Central School in Newport. The village has three parks, a bank, a few restaurants, and a couple of stores. Only one industry remains in the village and most people work in Mohawk Valley communities. A quiet but friendly place to live, Middleville is within easy reach of the Adirondacks and the city of Utica.
Middleville Directory
From the Herkimer County 1888-9 Directory, published by Lant & Silvernail.
Abbreviations Used in This Directory:
Ab. above; al. alley; ave. avenue; bel. below; bds. boards; b. or bet. between; c. or cor. corner; ch.
church; ct. court; ft. foot; h. house; hd. head; la. lane; opp. opposite; n. near; r. rear; rd. road; R.R.
railroad; sq. square; N. north; E. east; W. west; S. south; s. side.
Alexander Herman D., laborer, house W Main.
Autenrith Jacob, currier, house Summit.
Autenrith Thomas H., currier, bds Summit.
Autenrith Wm. E., currier, bds Summit.
Bailey Alonzo E., house W Main n grist mill.
Ballue John, currier, bds Hotel de Taber.
Barry Arthur, card room hand, bds 8 Mill Place.
Barry Dennis, emp. knitting mill, h 8 Mill Place.
Barry Elizabeth, trimmer, bds 8 Mill Place.
Barry Michael, laborer, bds 8 Mill Place.
Barry Patrick, railroader, bds 8 Mill Place.
Beach William F., laborer, house W Main.
Bluet Charles E., railroader, house Summit.
Boynton William, tanner, house Main.
Brady William F., livery, bds Churchill House.
Brassel Michael, mason, bds Hotel de Taber.
Brennan William, spinner, bds Bridge.
Brickwood Samuel, currier, house Summit.
Bullock Watts, emp. knitting mill, house W. Main.
Bullock William W., currier, house W Main.
Burns Edward M., IGeo. H. Thomas & Co.) h Main.
Burrows James H., currier, house Summit.
Cahoon Benjamin L., laborer, house W Main.
Cahoon Jackson B., laborer, house W Main.
Cahoon Lorenzo D., carpenter, W Main.
Churchill Jacob, (pro. Churchill House,) church cor Main.
Clark James, emp tannery, house Platform Rd.
Clark Thomas, emp. tannery, house Main.
Coe Adelbert E., cutter, house Summit.
Coe A.S., furniture and undertaker, Bridge, h Main.
Coe Edwin L., painter, house Summit.
Coffin Damon, laborer, house 14 Mill Place.
Corey Erwin W., music dealer, house Main.
Countryman J.P., tanner, house Bridge.
Crim A.B., principal, house Main.
Crist D.B., grist mill W Main, house Main.
Crist Jacob J., house Main.
Crist Morgan C., house Main.
Crossett Newton, laborer, h W Main n grist mill.
Crowley Thomas, spinner, bds Bridge.
Daniels Charles, farmer, house Main.
Davis David B., shoemaker, Bridge, house do.
Denk John P., carpenter, house W Main.
Dibble, farmer, house W Main bel grist mill.
Dickins Abram E., carpenter, house Summit.
Dickins Addison, laborer, house Summit.
Dickins Charles W., overseer, bds summit.
Dickins George, farmer, house Summit.
Dickins Howard, laborer, bds Summit.
Dickins J. Henry, saw mill, W Main, h Summit.
Dickins Warren W., hostler, bds Summit.
Dickins William H., grocer, Bridge, h W Main.
Dickins William W., clerk, house W Main.
Dixon George F., laborer, W Main n grist mill.
Dixson Charles, laborer, house W Main.
Donahue Mary, finisher, bds Main.
Drake E.W., (pro. Drake House,) W Main.
Dufresne Malinda, emp. knitting mill, 11 Mill Place.
Dufresne William, boss carder, h 11 Mill Place.
Durst John, carpenter, bds. Bridge.
Earl Charles, farmer, house Main.
Earl Charles, Jr., laborer, bds Main.
Earl Paul, tanner, house Summit.
Edsall I. S., physician, W Main, h do.
Enos Alfred, carpenter, bds Main n bridge.
Farmer James D., teamster, house Summit.
Farmer Wolcott G., clerk, bds Summit.
Ferrell Allen, emp. tannery, house Main.
Farrell Frank, laborer, house n railroad track.
Farell John, tanner, house Main.
Farrell Thomas T., laborer, house W Main.
Farrington Clarence, emp. tannery, house Main.
Farrington hudson B., tanner, house Summit.
Farrington Varnum P., bds W Main n grist mill.
Farrington, V.S., Justice of the Peace and Justice of Sessions, house W Main.
Fenner Helen, (widow Edward), h W Main.
Feney Michael, laborer, bds 10 Mill Place.
Fields John, farmer, house Main.
Fitzsimmons John, emp. tannery, bds Platform Rd.
Flannagan John, spinner, bds Bridge.
Ford Alby W., bee keeper, house Main.
Ford Aldis D., farmer, house Main.
Foster George W., laborer, house Church.
Francis William, currier, house Main.
Franklin B.W., gen. store, Main, cor Bridge house do.
Gibbons Mrs. J.E., milliner, Main, house do.
Gigler John, spinner, house 16 Mill Place
Gordon Lyman, finisher, bds Main.
Gribben Thomas, emp. tannery, house Church.
Griffiths Jennie, winder, bds Main.
Gristle Charles, bds Summit.
Griswold Fred., emp. knitting mill, bds Hotel de Taber.
Griswold, George W., house Main.
Griswold Harriet, (widow Walter) bds Hotel de Taber.
Griswold Russell, salesman, bds Main.
Griswold Walter, house Main.
Hadcock Matilda, (widow S.) house Summit.
Hadcock William, laborer, house Summit.
Hall Loren, bds W. Main n grist mill.
Hamlin Charles W., physician, Main, h do.
Hardigan Eugene, emp. tannery, bds church.
Harris Charles E., carpenter, h W Main n grist mill.
Harris Fred, carpenter, house Main ab Church.
Harter Madeline, house Summit.
Hartnet Daniel, tanner, house W Main.
Hawkins S.B., farmer, house Main.
Helmer John, emp. tannery, house Main.
Hendricks Clarence, spinner, bds 10 Mill Place.
Herkel B., tanner, bds Main.
Herkell Mary, dressmaker, 1 Bridge.
Hotel de Taber, (pro. F.F. Taber) W Main cor Summit.
Irvin Stephen, laborer, house Platform Rd.
Jackson D.G., salesman, bds Main cor Bridge.
Jackson George, miller, house W Main n grist mill.
Jackson, H.E., (W.W. Mosher & Co.) h Main cor Bridge.
Jones Fred, house Main.
Kanata Knitting Mills, (Nelson & Lansing, props.) Mill Place.
Keefe Miss Bid, finisher, bds Bridge.
Kelley Frank, carpenter, house Summit.
Kelley Frederick, currier, house Summit.
Kempton Henry W., farmer, house Middleville.
Kenyon Varnum S., ticket agent, H.N. & P.R.R., house Main.
Kernan Edward, emp. tannery, bds church.
Kiefe Nancy, seamer, bds Hotel de Taber.
Kimball Harrison, emp. tannery, house Church.
Kirley Edward, carpenter, house Main ab Church.
Knowles William, currier, bds Bridge.
La Due Stephen, tanner, house Summit.
Lake Charles I., currier, bds Bridge.
Lake Elizabeth L., boarding house, Bridge.
Lansing W.F., (Nelson & L.) bds Bridge.
Laraway John, hardware, W Main, house do.
Legg, Cornelius C., laborer, bds Main.
Lewis Frank, laborer, house Main ab Church.
Linton Ed., laborer, bds Church.
Linton John, gardener, house Church.
Lonsdale Harry, painter, bds Bridge.
Mahar Mary, emp. knitting mill, bds Hotel de Taber.
Mason Warren C., house Church.
Max George J., pool room, Main cor Church.
May Mary, boarding house, Main.
May William, meat market, Bridge, h Main.
McCarty Timothy, laborer, house W Main.
McGraw Robert, house Main.
McKinley Edward, emp. tannery, house Church.
McMahon Mary, finisher, bds Churchill House.
Meagher Jeremiah, boss spinner, bds Drake House.
Megerell William T., clerk, bds Main cor Bridge.
Michalak Con, tanner, house 15 Mill Place.
Michalak Valentine, laborer, h 18 Mill Place.
Miller Elizabeth (widow F.) house Church.
Minon Patrick, laborer, house Platform Rd.
Mitchell Henry, miller, bds Church cor Main.
Molineux Frank, paints and oils, Bridge, h Main.
Molineux John, engineer, house, Main.
Molineux John, Jr., bds Main ab Church.
Molineux John T., book-keeper, bds Main.
Molineux William, bds Main ab Church.
Morris Charles, finisher, h Main n Bridge.
Morris James B., teamster, house W Main.
Mosher W.W. & Co., gen. store, Main c Bridge.
Mosher W.W., (W.W. Mosher & Co.) h Mian cor Bridge.
Mower Francis M., currier, house Main.
Mumford John, barber, Bridge, house Bridge.
Murphy Mary, mill operator, bds W Main.
Murphy Thomas, spinner, house 13 Mill Place.
Murphy William, boss knitter, bds Churchill House.
Nelson & Lansing, knitting mills, r Bridge.
Nelson E.J., (N. & Lansing) bds Bridge.
Newman William, laborer, house W Main.
Nichols Bradford W., house Main.
Nolan Edmuind, boss dyer, h 12 Mill Place.
O'Conner Ella, mill operator, bds W Main.
O'Hara John, farmer, bds Main.
O'Hara Michael, shoemaker, Church cor Main, h do.
Parkhurst Charles, currier, bds Hotel de Taber.
Parkhurst Hamilton, house Main.
Parkhurst William D., saw mill, house Main.
Parry E. & sons, general blacksmiths, h W Main.
Parry Edward, (E. Parry & Sons) bds W Main.
Parry Evan, (E. Parry & sons) house W Main.
Parry Rowland, (E. Parry & sons) h W Main.
Peck Lyman, laborer, h W Main n Grist mill.
Perkins Clara, finisher, bds W Main.
Perkins Frank A., butcher, bds Drake House.
Perkins Geo. W., meat market, Mill Place, h Church.
Pfeifer Peter C., laborer, house 6 Mill Place.
Plantz Frances K., (widow Philip) house Main.
Post Henry, carpenter, house W Main.
Raitle John, emp. tannery, bds Church.
Reese Deloran C., carpenter, house Church.
Reynolds Julia, (widow) house W Main.
Richardson John, laborer, house 17 Mill Place.
Robinson George B., laborer, house W Main.
Roche Henry T., general store, Bridge, house Bridge.
Rourke Bryan, watchman, house Bridge.
Rourke Ella, finisher, bds Bridge.
Rourke Frank, boss dryer, bds Bridge.
Rourke Jennis, bds Bridge.
Rowlett John, house Main.
Saults Mary, mill operator, bds Hotel de Taber.
Scanlon Michael, elevator runner, bds 9 Mill Place.
Service Philip, carpenter, house Church.
Sheldon Albert, balcksmith, house Main.
Sheldon Fred G., salesman, bds Main.
Sheldon William A., balcksmith Main, house do.
Shumway Charles A., cheese factory, Main.
Sikes Lila, (widow Harvey) house W Main.
Smith Alma, bds W Main.
Smith Mrs. C.D., dress maker, house Summit.
Smith Fred., laborer, bds W Main.
Smith Fred A., assistant sawyer, bds W. Main.
Smith Henry, tanner, bds Main.
Smith Mary A., dress maker, bds Summit.
Smith Rebecca, (widow J.) house W Main.
Sodelesky Con, railroader, house 18 Mill Place.
Stanton Patrick, railroader, house Church.
Stephens Rev. Nassau, Rector Episcopal Church h Main.
Stevens James, laborer, house n railroad track.
Stewart John A., butcher, house Main.
Stock Edward, tanner, house Main.
Sweet John, laborer, house Bridge.
Sweet Ray, tanner, house Church.
Taber Charles, laborer, house Summit.
Taber Elizabeth, (widow Walter) house Main.
Taber F.F., (Pro. Hotel de Taber) W Main cor Summit.
Taber George B., laborer, house Main n Bridge.
Tabor John, farmer, house W Main bel grist mill.
Telephone Office, (B.W. Franklin's store) Main cor Bridge.
The Kanata Knitting Mills, (Nelson & Lansing props.) r Bridge.
Thomas Frank J., house Bridge.
Thomas George H. & Co., tanners and curriers, Bridge.
Thomas George H., (George H. Thomas & Co.) h Main.
Thornton William, tanner, house Summit.
Todd Charles T., mason, house Main.
Todd Eugene, mason, bds Hotel de Taber.
Todd, John, mason, bds Hotel de Taber.
Vale Maurice, railroader, house 7 Mill Place.
Waite Mary E., (widow C.) house Summit.
Walker Mrs. Jennie, dressmaker, Bridge.
Walker Lewis W., teamster, house W Main.
Ward Henry L., farmer, house Main.
Warner Jeremiah, laborer, house Platform Rd.
Warner Luther J., laborer, bds Platform Rd.
Watson James, washer, house 9 Mill Place.
Watts Levi, tanner, house W Main.
Whitaker Emer, fireman, house 10 Mill Place.
Whiting Arthur, carpenter, h Main ab Church.
Whiting Frank, tinman, house Main ab Church.
Whiting Irving, bds Main ab Church.
Whiting James F., hardware, Bridge, h Main.
Whiting James F., clerk bds Main.
Whitney Rev. Herbert, pastor universalist, h Main.
Widdowson, Almira, (widow John) h Church.
Williams William, night watchman, h Church.
Wilson charles, carpenter, house Church.
Winsor George, house Church.
Wood Elizabeth B., (widow George) h W Main.
Wood Fred. A., laborer, house Summit
Wood Nettie E., house Summit.
Woodworth Thomas J., laborer, W Main n Grist mill.
Wooster Joseph, cashier, house Main.
Young A.D., salesman, bds Main cor Bridge. |
Source: This profile was written by, and the directory was transcribed by Jane Dieffenbacher.
Copyright © 1998 Jane Dieffenbacher. Jane Dieffenbacher is official historian of both the
Town of Fairfield and the village of Middleville. Jane is also the editor of "Middleville, New York,
The Story of a Village", published by the Village of Middleville in 1990.
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