THE TOWN OF WINFIELD

Delivered Before the Herkimer County Historical Society, March 14, 1903.

In attempting to give for the benefit or entertainment of others a recital of matters that were of interest to me fifty years ago I am forcibly reminded of my own advancing years and the fact that although in much of my feeling and appreciation of the pleasant features of life, I seem to feel unreasonably young, still in my physical bearing and in the estimation of others I must be classed with the "Old Men."

The undertaking of such a recital of happenings and customs of fifty years ago, is made more difficult by a consciousness that many of the intervening events are already "Ancient History" and except such as have been of a very general interest already long forgotten. The personality of active men in the events of the County at that time is unknown to most of the people of the present day, and he should be well prepared who would hope to describe, briefly and entertainingly the happening in which so many distinguished and able men of former times took an active part.

Had I the foresight or the disposition to make a record of passing events which I have witnessed or have known by credible hearsay, I would now be in possession of the, to me, most interesting data of Herkimer County. Very much of the best and most interesting history of county has been allowed to go un-recorded, and the gathering is now difficult, of the materials for a limited but consecutive statement of how people lived in their daily lives, without Electric Cars, without Steam Transportation, without Electric Light, without the Telegraph, without the Telephone, without Gas, without Kerosene Oil, and without Coal, to omit a vast number of things which we of the present day consider indispensable to our living and earning a living. Surely it would have sorely frightened our grandparents, and perhaps our parents, to see a car moving rapidly without visible means of propulsion, or with an ear to a receiver to hear a familiar voice known to be miles away. I do not attempt to give you good history, but on the other hand fear that I must be tedious to those who never had the privilege of knowing the personality of many who were important factors in the county and county affairs of half a century ago.

I say hail to you and God speed you in your endeavors to preserve what you can and from different sources, and perhaps a historian may yet arise who will bring together the different fragments and compile a record that will be well worth preserving.

My recollection, as it appears to me, now, goes back with some clearness, at least as to some events, some fifty years, and perhaps the old School House and District School should have a place in my memory. The District Schools of the town were then under the supervision of a School Inspector, a most useful and important officer in those days; chosen from the most intelligent and best educated of the town, and they rendered faithful and efficient service. The best remembered of those who held that important office, were William McLaughlin and William Stuart, and later Prof. Leroy Bliss. Perhaps there could be no decided improvement upon the system while the schools were under a separate town system, and there certainly could be no improvement upon the men selected in our town. I went to school early, in what was then the Red School House in district number 3 on the turnpike in East Winfield. I have no recollection of thinking the school house small, but now when it is made larger by one fourth its former size, it seems to me to be very small indeed, and I wonder how so many pupils were ever gotten into the room at one time, or how once in and seated, order and comparative quiet could have been maintained, and good instruction given. In winter time the number in regular attendance was over one hundred and sometimes there were one hundred and thirty. Probably the arrangement of the seats was economical of room, though not according to the modern ideas of seats in a school room. A desk was placed against the wall at the proper height all around the room except some few feet at the door. Immediately in front of this desk was a bench on which the older scholars sat, usually facing the wall that they might use the desk for a rest for their slates and books. A lower seat in front of this was used by the smaller scholars, thus making a continuous row of two seats nearly all around the room. You can easily see that such an arrangement was economical of room, as the scholars sat close together when there was a large attendance.

It is easy to believe that the teacher must be a person of good "governing" qualification or no order or progress in study could be possible. In some of the classes recitation in concert was of necessity the order, otherwise it would not be possible for all to have an opportunity to recite during the day. Slates and slate pencils were used hardly one in forty being so extravagant as to carry a lead pencil though indeed we sometimes made a real lead pencil by melting lead and running it in a crack in the floor; it partially served the purpose though never so dark and plain as a lead pencil that we could buy at the store. Among so large a number in one small room it would be natural to suppose that without good order, the hum of so many studying, the occasional shifting of seats, the movement of slates, the noise of writing on a slate with a slate pencil, and so many of them, the recitations, the constant call upon the teacher, "please will you mend my pen," would make intolerable confusion. Really the old time school teacher was a person to be remembered with a wholesome respect. The perfect control of so many, imparting instruction impartially to all, and mending half a hundred pens daily, quill pens, for they had no other, would make one think now-a-days that he was leading rather a "strenuous life." Spelling had to be done by individual effort, all spelling at that day being oral, and woe to the unhappy one who may have inherited a dislike for set forms of words in common use. For a good speller it was about the happiest hour of the day, and the old time spelling schools were intensely interesting. Indeed they may be so at the present time, but some of us are older and may have forgotten how to spell some words, I am sure we have forgotten the catch words, or they have been partly changed. The place where these spelling schools were held was the school house; the hour of meeting, "early candle light;" and it was a candle light, and tallow candles at that. Frequent contests between neighboring schools added zest to the exercise and proud indeed were the winners. Debates also were frequently held in the school house and all important subjects discussed. The most successful debating society was in Cedarville and very properly so when such men as Rev. M. C. Brown, Rev. S. B. Loomis, Levi Smith, William Hosford, A. D. Fish and the Beckwiths as principal disputants, debated measures of interest in an able and interesting manner. The singing schools, also usually held in the school house, were quite as enjoyable as any of the functions held in those days. In district number 3 they were taught by Mr. Hubbard of Exeter, and Mr. Symonds and Mr. Washburn of Litchfield. For two winters a very large singing school was taught in the ball room of Hickox's Tavern on the turnpike, by Dr. Thomas Hastings, then of Clinton. Indeed, Dr. Hastings was leader of the choir of the Congregational church at East Winfield for some two years, and it was while the singing was under his direction that he that was afterwards Rev. Dr. Simeon North, president of Hamilton College, was ordained to the ministry in that place, and the singers were much elated when he said that he thought the music on that occasion was the best and most inspiring that he had ever heard.

The town of Winfield, or that part of the town of Litchfield that was afterward taken to form the town of Winfield, was originally settled by people who had come thence from the town of Litchfield, Connecticut. Among them were the Braces, the Eldred, Crosbys, Knights, Leachs, Hatfields, Harwoods, Browns and Merchants and Stewarts and Stuarts. The southern part of the town of Winfield, formerly a part of the towns of Plainfield and Richfield was settled for the most part by people from Vermont and Massachusetts, among whom were such men as Jonathan Bartlett, Larkin Smith, Thayer, Palmer, Chapin, McLaughlin and Day. My father came from Vermont as a school teacher, afterwards taking a wife from the Eldred family, and buying a farm from Joab Willis. Generally these early settlers had the advantages of good education which those states afforded, and they brought with them as is seen to this day, in their descendants, sturdy principles, and from the earliest days, a superior order of mind and culture was characteristic. The town, formed from parts of Litchfield, Plainfield and Richfield was named in honor of General Winfield Scott, then one of the heroes of different wars, and the first settlements were on the higher lands in the north and south parts of the town. Later, when the Cherry Valley and Manlius turnpike was laid out it traversed the more central part of the town, and thereafter the tendency of the population was to locate upon or near the turnpike. It was also called the Third Great Western Turnpike, the First Great Western leading from Albany being north of the Mohawk; the second being south of and near the Mohawk and the third being generally located on the high land south.

In my recollection the turnpike was much used, great loads of all kind of produce being drawn over it to Albany and goods for the merchants in the interior being drawn back. It was customary for teamsters to carry their own provisions and provender for their teams. The charges for such, at the taverns being very moderate, not more than one shilling and six pence for lodging and hay. Great droves of all kinds of animals, required for the city, cattle, sheep, swine and even turkeys were frequently to be seen.

Turkeys in large flocks were not bad to drive, except that in the after part of the day, if they neared an orchard, the turkeys were apt to take to the trees and no one could stop them; their day's march was ended. However, they were early to start in the morning and probably accomplished a fair day's journey in the day. The third great western turnpike, leading out of Albany, was laid out four rods wide, and six rods wide through the villages. This was necessary from the frequent droves and the large amount of travel. The road was worked the full width, that it all might be used. One of the most interesting and exciting sights in those days was the passage of the great four horse stages, usually loaded with passengers and at full speed. Then, as now, the roads in that part of the town were good, being well graveled and not very hilly; and it was the custom to 'make up' time, on the good roads in that section, so that we were often treated to the sight of a great coach, loaded inside and out with its four or six horses coming down the road at a full gallop, a sight well worth seeing at the present day. Then the drivers would pull up at the post-office with a flourish and within a very few inches of where they intended. I spell Driver with a capital D. for to us they were as much heroes as is the engineer of today of a fast train. Many and interesting their exploits, and the safety of their valuable cargo was always uppermost with them, and they had to make time if possible, in all kinds of weather and all conditions of the roads. Time was valuable then as now, and when the old Pioneer Line of Stages from Albany to Buffalo, "through in six days," had made that time for some years, a new line was established, the Telegraph Line, "through in four days," and "passing the principal points of interest by daylight," just as the Twentieth Century Limited now advertises the time from New York to Chicago reduced to twenty-four hours.

The Congregational Church of West Winfield was organized in the north part of the town, in 1797 and the church edifice built in 1800 on what has long been known as Meeting House Green. Later it was moved to nearer the center of the town, and placed near Hickox's Tavern, on the turnpike. In 1876 it was again moved, this time to West Winfield, where it now stands, a little modernized perhaps but not really improved, for no arrangement of seats can equal the original rectangular pews, especially for the delectation of the small boy on the occasion of a donation visit and oyster supper, and many would willingly pay the highest price they ever paid for a meal, if they could have one of the old fashioned oyster suppers, and have the oysters taste as they did then.

While the Congregational Meeting House was situated near East Winfield it was the favorite place for all large meetings. The building was about forty-five feet by sixty and had galleries on either side, and across the end opposite the pulpit, and a large audience could be comfortably seated. That meeting house and the Universalist Church at Cedarville was somewhat celebrated for having had many noted speakers in the interest of the abolition of slavery in the land. Such speakers as John R. Caswell, who illustrated his addresses with a slave, purchased in the south brought north and freed, and used as living and veritable evidences of the truth as he saw it, Gerrit Smith, Abby Kelly Foster, Wm. Lloyd Garrison, Wendell Phillips, "Ossawattamie Brown" and others thrilled vast audiences for a small town, with their eloquence. It is not easy at the present time to enter into the spirit of those occasions, but they were very exciting for all in those days, irrespective of political belief.

Under the direction of Dr. Thomas Hastings of sacred memory in music, a fine orchestra was organized, and I can but believe at this date that it really was fine. If my memory serves me right, there were two violins or fiddles as they were called, three flutes, two clarionettes, a bass viol and a double bass, and two or three horns. It is needless to say that after the usual very long sermon of those days the musical part of the service was the most interesting to the small boy. I remember thinking and wondering if that music was not like that in the great choruses in the time of David.

The great bell used to be rung as is now the Angelus Bell, at morning, noon and night. It was also rung or tolled at the time of the death of anyone in the neighborhood. The community living scattered apart, were thus in a short time informed of the probable death of any known to be seriously ill. The bell would be rung for a short time, time to give notice and then tolled slowly if an aged person had died, more quickly if the death was that of a young person, and then the age would be struck, stopping at the end of every ten strokes, and in this manner could be easily counted. While perfectly proper and perhaps natural to use some such method of announcing deaths, it seemed to strike one with awe as something almost supernatural. After the removal of the church edifice to West Winfield it was still used as a public hall for proper entertainments, and is to this day. Such as Theodore Tilton, Schuyler Colfax, Benjamin K. Bruce, Fred Douglass, Henry Ward Beecher, Mary Livermore, Adele Rankin, Lillie Devereux Blake and many other distinguished speakers have addressed large audiences in the town. In fact, the good citizens of the town, in the early days were intensely interested in the current events, and always paid a good speaker the compliment of a good audience and good attention, and to this day, that small town is able to successfully maintain a good course of lectures each winter season.

Up to the forties, the east part of the town seems to have had the larger part of the population, but a Mr. Walker, seeing the advantages of a water power, in the west part, built some mills, and for a time that part of the town was known as Walker's Mills. The mills brought some business to that locality, and other industries were installed, and West Winfield became the principal part of the town. Col. David R. Carrier, who had been associated with Benjamin Carver in a store and distillery at East Winfield, established a store at West Winfield, and other enterprises followed. A plank road was built from Utica, another was built south, opening up a good territory to be supplied, an Academy was incorporated, a bank organized, and West Winfield prospered. While these good things were enjoyed by West Winfield, East Winfield and other equally well favored towns, as to natural features, gradually languished and died commercially. West Winfield grew and attained its growth, as to numbers of population. The water power was not sufficient for any great enterprises, and there is only a tannery, a very large and good one nevertheless, a small boot and shoe factory. It is an important station on the Delaware and Lackawanna and Western Railroad chiefly because it is central to a large territory. The citizens however, keep up their interest in the school, and maintain several literary clubs, and live happily.

After Col. Carrier moved to West Winfield, Mr. Carver continued the store for a while at East Winfield but finally sold out and moved to Mohawk, where for several years and until his removal to Chicago he was the shrewd and able president of the Mohawk Valley Bank, of which Francis E. Spinner was the cashier. The building in which Mr. Carver had his store is now used as a horse barn, but the house in which he lived is used as a residence, and looks from the outside as it did when Samuel Remington took his bride thence. The distillery business at that time probably was profitable, as all who were engaged in the business seemed to amass wealth. There was another distillery in the north part of the town, owned and conducted by Ebenezer Morgan. Mr. Morgan became a man of means, and when the Herkimer County Bank in Little Falls was organized took some stock and was made vice president. Mr. Morgan was a shrewd man and knew how to accumulate and save property, but he would hardly pass a creditable examination in penmanship at the present day. It is related of him that some bills or circulating notes of the bank were sent to him to sign as vice president, and the place where he was to sign marked, and that he signed them top side down; it is also said that it made little difference, as no one could tell which side of his signature ought to be uppermost.

In 1869 I entered the employ of the First National Bank of West Winfield of which institution Col. David R. Carrier was president. Col. Carrier was a most genial gentleman of the old school, and he had a fund of anecdotes seldom equaled among men of my acquaintance. It was his usual custom to come into the bank once in each half day and he often had some interesting incident of earlier years to relate. It now seems to me that I must have been culpable that I did not transcribe them in permanent form. One related to General Spinner and his signature.

It seems that while in Washington upon a certain occasion during war times, while at breakfast, at Willards Hotel, Gen. Spinner observed Col. Carrier, and as he never forgot a citizen of Herkimer County whom he had ever met, he spoke with him asking if he could do anything for him, and incidentally if he would like to visit the different departments. He asked Col. Carrier to come around to his office and he gave him a letter to the provost marshall, then Col. Porter. Upon presenting the letter, Col. Porter entered into conversation with him in the course of which he asked about affairs in the section where he came from. Interested in his answer, he asked what part that might be; "the same as the writer of that letter" answered Col. Carrier, "who wrote that letter and who signed it" asked Col. Porter; upon being informed he ordered an escort at once but Col. Carrier thought it singular that an important officer of the United States Government, in Washington, should not know a signature so well known throughout Herkimer County, and so soon well known throughout the world, perhaps no less for its curiously convoluted characters than for the well known upright character of the writer.

Col. Carrier told me many interesting incidents concerning the early customs in the town. He said that the elections were formerly held on three days, the first Monday of November or February, and the Tuesday and Wednesday following. That it was the custom to choose one man to preside at all meetings held in the interests of the town, perhaps following the customsof some eastern states, and that that man was called the moderator. That on the Monday of an election the moderator and town clerk would take the ballot box to one part of the town, say the north part, and with the Justice of the Peace residing in that part hold an election, the three acting as a Board of Inspectors, the next day they would take the ballot box to another part, say the east part of the town and hold an election there, the third day, Wednesday, hold an election in the remaining part of the west part, when all the Justices of the Peace in the town would meet with the town clerk, and canvass the votes of the three days.

From this method of holding elections on three days, commencing on the first Monday, came the wording of notices when elections came to be held and completed in one day, "The Tuesday following the first Monday."

The man who served longest as Moderator, was Esquire Keith or Captain Keith as he was called. He was a man of fine presence and an excellent presiding officer. Another man who had peculiar qualifications which were recognized, was Schuyler Fisher, who was a model Clerk, and was Town Clerk for many years, and was Clerk of the Church as long as he was able to attend meetings and generally was clerk of any meeting at which he might be present, if a clerk was needed. He was a man of good attainments, clear headed in all but one particular; he believed he could produce perpetual motion and he made many machines for that purpose, but without success, and the nearest approach to that end was himself, as he was a man of very quick motions and he was never still, but was the most active man I ever saw.

Before the turnpike was abandoned, it was well cared for, being divided into divisions as railroads are divided into sections, each division being in charge of a superintendent, and he generally performed his duty faithfully and well. Two men and two horses and a cart, plough and scraper and necessary tools were kept on the road all the time, going over the division, from one end to the other, and doing such work as was best for the maintenance of the road and keep it in good condition at all times. After the building of the Utica and Schenectady Railroad some travel was diverted to the Mohawk Valley, but not enough to make any appreciable difference in the travel over the turnpike. The Railroad was a single track road, and the trains were not then run by a dispatcher, but each train was given a certain time for starting, and for passing any given point, but there was no other provision, except that if two trains were to meet at a certain point if one had not arrived, the other was to wait five minutes and then proceed. A train five minutes behind was to wait, but they did not always do this.

One of the worst accidents occurred at the curve between Herkimer and Ilion, caused by a head on collision. I remember the building of the plank road between Ilion and Cedarville. Before that was built the roads from the south, led over Elizabethtown Hill or over the hills in Litchfield; either way was bad for a large part of the year, and a large load could not be drawn up the hills. Cedarville was and is about one thousand feet higher than Ilion, and the hills on either side of the "gulf" were very steep. It remained for Eliphalet Remington to make possible a reasonable solution of the problem as to how to bring the great amount of travel and trade from Cedarville to Ilion. His idea was to build a plank road between Ilion and Cedarville following the stream, and thus having a uniform and comparatively easy grade. Through Mr. Remington's energy and liberality a company was organize and the road was built. The road, built at an expense of two thousand dollars a mile proved to be of great benefit to Ilion and the Mohawk Valley, as well as a great convenience to those living at Cedarville and at places south; stimulated in part by the good road, but chiefly by the enterprise of the Remingtons who gave employment to many skilled mechanics, Ilion took on a new growth, and without doubt has exceeded all expectations of the earlier citizens of the village. I remember when a white tavern stood on one corner of Main Street, the principal and at that time the only street leading south, and there was a watering trough or tub in the center of the meeting of the two streets. I remember also when Eliphalet Remington made a personal guaranty, to Dean Richmond, then President of the N. Y. Central R.R. that at least three passengers should take the cars at that station daily, if one train each way would stop at the station. He never had any deficiency to make up, and the station has proved to be of great convenience to thousands.

The southern part of the county was at all times fully alive to questions of National Policy, and was well known for the interest of the people in the condition of the slave. The attitude was one rather of opposition to the extension of slavery than of disturbing existing conditions, though I have heard that there were several stations of the Underground Railway in the town where runaway slaves were kindly treated and helped on their way to Canada and freedom. In those days many public speakers who have since achieved a national reputation for eloquence, have addressed large audiences in Winfield and Cedarville. Those days are now so far past and conditions have so changed that it is almost if not quite impossible to fully enter into the spirit of those meetings.

The temperance cause also very early had strong support in that section, and the Washingtonians were an important and interesting organization, that did much for the cause of Temperance. It is very doubtful if there has since been any better element in the temperance work. Before the "forties" it was customary for all to keep strong drink on hand, and it would have been an unheard of breach of etiquette if the minister calling, should be allowed to depart without a 'hot toddy.' Spiritualism also had its advocates, and hardly had the news come that the spirits of the departed were communicating with their friends on earth in Rochester, than their presence in Winfield was made known by mysterious rappings, which none but the finer organisms could interpret satisfactorily. The American party had its advocates too, and although never gaining much strength in Winfield, still in the county there was sufficient strength to elect a County Judge and a Member of Assembly, on the American or Know Nothing Ticket. "Put none but American on guard" was the telling battle cry, more effective then than it could possibly be in these days of perhaps a little more enlightenment. We had in our town and at Cedarville, temperance speakers, abolitionist speakers, know-nothing speakers, lectures upon Chemistry, Physical Culture, Phrenology, Homeopathy, Hydropathy and some others.

I have some recollection of the songs used in the Harrison Campaign, the songs were so stirring and so in accord with the popular sentiment of that part of the county that the songs remained long after the candidates in whose honor or otherwise they were composed and sung had been elected or defeated. "Tippecanoe and Tyler too" was a taking refrain and was not forgotten even years after the hero of Tippecanoe had passed away and Tyler had succeeded to the Presidency.

I have a misty recollection of shouting for Polk and Dallas and of hearing that other refrain and incentive to a scrap, "James K. Polk of Tennessee, the biggest fool I ever see." I remember somewhat of the presidential election when Franklin was elected, and more of the campaign when the "Pathfinder" Col. John C. Fremont, the pioneer of Republican candidates made such a dashing and gallant struggle against James Buchanan. Col. Fremont, famous for his explorations in the West and his interesting love affair, and wedding with Jessie Benton, created more enthusiasm than I had ever before known in politics, and I counted it great good fortune once to see Col. and Mrs. Fremont and his dashing Chief of Staff, Major Zagoni, and in my eyes they were all that I had supposed them to be. I was also one of the many who gathered In Utica to see Abraham Lincoln on his memorable journey to Washington, to enter upon his arduous duties as President and will never forget the calm, earnest, good look of that brave man.

In addition to the few names I have mentioned, of persons who have been men of influence for good in Winfield, might be named, Alonzo Wood, Walter Palmer, Dr. Loomis Warner, Dr. James M. Rose, Green Thomas, Samuel A. Green, Peter Morgan of West Winfield, and Dr. Nathan Spencer, Nathan Harwood, Ira Hatfield, Dean and Alfred Burgess, Giles and H. D. Alexander, William Barnes, Almond Crandall, Henry Clark, John Crowell, George Round, Deacon Stephen Jones, who in anti-Masonic times told a committee from the church that he was an old man and in all probability should never again visit his lodge on account of his age, but that he should never withdraw from the order of Free and Accepted Masons, and that they might go along and expel him from the church if they wanted to. Jonathan Jones, Jonathan Bartlett, Emery Bartlett, Jared and Harry Green, Jacob Leach of East Winfield, Sanders Dodge, Anthony Williams, a lineal descendant of Roger Williams of Rhode Island, Emer Angell, Bernard Crim, George and Loring Tillson, Charles Brown, Joel Merchant of Chepachet, Levi Smith, Abijah Beckwith, Alonzo and Amanser D. Fish. The Eastons, Holcombs and Hosfords of Cedarville, and so many others that we while young were taught to look up to with respect on account of their integrity and sound principles, all these have left an enduring impress upon their descendants and successors in that good town and many who have found their line in places remote always turn with affection to the town of their birth and early love. I am blessed with a good memory or fairly so, but I do not remember all, and some have been a long time dead, and it is a far call.

A little in evidence of the fact that the town of Winfield has been a good nursery of citizenship, and perhaps somewhat of business, may be in an inspection of the names of some who have been native to the town or have lived in the town for a time, chiefly in youth, when the best impressions are made. Benjamin Carver, for some time president of the Mohawk Valley Bank, H. D. Alexander, cashier of the same, Dean Burgess, president of the same, James B Rafter, president of the same, and a trusted lawyer of acknowledged ability, Alexander W. Haslehurst, cashier, and now president of the First National Bank of Herkimer, Clarence McCreery, cashier of the same. George A. Hardin, who arrived at the highest distinction as a jurist, and financier, vice president and manager of the National Herkimer County Bank, Ebenezer Morgan, one time vice president of the same, George Tuckerman, whom Winfield claimed, president of the Ilion Bank, B. Frank Carver, at one time cashier of the Ilion Bank, and it is possible that I have even now overlooked some, the list is large and respectable. No defalcations nor mis-management, but in each case the administration has been admirable, even in very adverse circumstances.

Among lawyers where will be found any more worthy of confidence and trust? After Judge Hardin, Charles Burrows, Charles J. Palmer, K. E. Morgan, James Conkling, James B. Rafter, mentioned before, Charles Bell, John D. Beckwith, Charles D. Thomas; have I left out any? In business, Charles R. Huntley, now like K. E. Morgan and our Billy Baker, occupying positions of the greatest responsibility in larger cities, like Buffalo and Chicago.

I would like to pay a fitting tribute to the old West Winfield Academy. My paper is already too long and the Academy like Fairfield Academy deserves especial mention. I am of those who believe that the old academies fulfilled an important mission in the educational interests of the state if not even in the economy of the state. West Winfield Academy, like Fairfield Academy and Whitestown Seminary, gave the best instruction in a through manner, and their graduates who like to honor those most excellent institutions are legion. While the Union Free Schools are under good management and make it possible for all to obtain a fairly good education, the academies of a generation ago brought out and encouraged the best there was in such as attended.

Source: "Papers Read Before the Herkimer County Historical Society Covering the Period From September 1902 to May 1914, Volume 3"
Compiled by Arthur T. Smith, Secretary of the Society
Citizen Press, Herkimer, 1914

Myron McKee's reminisicences were prepared by volunteer Dick Nabinger. Dick's namesake family came to Herkimer County in the mid-19th century:

"My family search in Herkimer county centers around Nabingers with side trips to Miller and any other connections that I come across. My great grandfather, Jacob C. Nabinger married an Emma G. Miller in Herkimer Co. somewhere. Jacob came to Herkimer sometime between 1849 and 1852 when he was five years old with his father Andreas. I have the bare information back to Germany but only a bare start and hope to find more in Herkimer County." Dick Nabinger

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