228    CHENANGO    COUNTY.

through near the center. Mathewson Pond is near the w. border. The soil is a shaly loam, occa¬
sionally intermixed with clay. New Berlin, (p. v.,) upon the Unadilla, in the n. e. part of the
town, was incorp. April 17,1816. It contains 4 churches, the New Berlin Academy, a newspaper

• office, paper mill, cotton factory, tannery, and several minor manufactories. Pop. 740.. South
New Berlin, (p.v.,) upon the Unadilla, in the s.e. part, on the line of Otsego.co., contains 2
churches, a large tannery, and 285 inhabitants. Holmesville, in the extreme s. e. corner,
contains a tannery and about 20 houses. New Berlin Center is a p. o. Ambler Set¬
tlement is a hamlet in the s. part. Daniel Scribner settled upon the Unadilla in 1790.¹ The
census reports 8 churches.² Hon. Henry Bennett, who has been elected to Congress five successive
terms from this district, resides in New Berlin Tillage.

NORTH NORWICH—was formed from Norwich, April 7, 1849. It is an interior town,
lying n. e. of the center of the cq. Its surface consists of the valley of Chenango Biver and the
high rolling uplands which rise upon either side. The summits of the hills are 200 to 600 feet
above the valley. It is drained by Chenango River, Cold and Fly Brooks, and several other small
streams. The soil is a gravelly and slaty loam, in some places mixed with clay. North Nor¬
wich, (p.v.,) upon the Chenango, contains 3 churches, several mills, and about 150 inhabitants.
It is an important village upon the Chenango Canal. Kings Settlement is a p. o. in the E.

• part; and Plasterville, a hamlet in the s.w. . Jos. Lothrop and A. Mead located on Loti, in
1794.³ The first church (Bap.) was formed in 1796; Elder Eleany Holmes was the first preacher.⁴

NORWICH —was formed from Union (Broome co.) and “Jericho,” (now Bainbridge,) Jan.
19, 1793. Pharsalia, Plymouth, and Preston were taken off in 1806, New Berlin, and a part of
Columbus, in 1807, and North Norwich in 1849. A part of Preston was annexed in 1808, and a
part taken off in 1820. It is the central town upon the e. border of the co. Its surface consists of
two high, rolling ridges, separated by the valley of the Chenango. The highest summits are about
500 ft. above the valleys. Chenango River flows s. through the w. part. It receives the Canasa-
Wacta and several other streams as tributaries. Unadilla River forms the e. boundary. The soil
up6n the uplands is a shaly and gravelly loam, and in the valleys*a gravelly loam and alluvium.
Norwich, (p.v.,) upon Chenango River, in the n. part, was incorp. April 16,1816, It contains
the co. buildings, 5 churches, the Norwich Academy, 2 banks, 2 newspaper offices, a piano forte
factory, 3 carriage factories, 2 tanneries, 2 blast furnaces, a hammer factory, planing mill, foundery,
machine shop, 2 sash and door factories, and plaster mill. Pop.’2,430. White Store, (p. o.,) on
the Unadilla, contains a church, gristmill, and 10 houses. The first settlement was made in 1788, by
Avery Power.⁵ The first religious services were held by Rev. Manasseh French, in 1793 or ’94.⁶

©TSEIilC⁷—was fofmed from German, March 28, 181*7. It lies on the n. border of tbe co., w.
of the center. Its surface is hilly, consisting of high ridges 500 to 800 ft. above the valley
of Otselie Creek, which are broken by the ravines of the streams. Otselie Creek is the principal
stream, and flows s. w. through the center of the town. Several small streams are tributaries of
the Otselie. The soil on the hills is a shaly loam, and in the valleys alluvium. Otselie, (p. v.,)
in the n. part, contains 100 inhabitants; South Otselie, (p.v.,) in the s. w. corner, 1 church
and 225 inhabitants. Settlement was commenced about 1800, hy Ebenezer Hill.⁸ The first preacher
was Stephen C. Nicholas. There are 4 churches in town; 2 Bap., F. W. Bap., and Christian.

OXFORD—was formed from Union (Broome co.) and “Jericho,” (now Bainbridge,) Jan. 19,

1

Among the other early settlers were Nath’l and Joseph Med-
bery, who located upon Great Brook; Thos. Sarle, who located
®n the Unadilla; Samuel Anderson, Silas Burlingame, Jeremy
Goodrich, Levi Blakeslee, Chas. Knapp, and Joseph Moss, who
located upon the present site of the village. The first child born
was Louisa Bancroft, in 1797; and the first marriage, that of
Dan’l Williams and Phila Parker, in 1794. Josiah Burlingame
taught the first school; DanTScribner kept the first inn; Levi
Blakeslee the first store; and Job Vail built the first mill.

2

* 2 Bap., 2 Cong., 2 M. E., F. W. Bap., and Prot. E.

3

⁸ Among the other early settlers were Judge Joel Thompson,

Jeremiah and Abner Purdy, and Benj. Eerris, from Dutchess co.,
in 1795; and Jesse Bundell, Jacob Grow, Gen. Obadiah German,

Ebenezer Hartwell, and James Purdy, in 1796,—all of whom
settled at the village and along the valley of the Chenango.

The first child born was Amos Mead, jr., Sept. 12,1794; the first
marriage, that of Ebenezer Hartwell and Rachel Mead, in 1795;
and the first death, that of Mrs. Abner Purdy, in 1796. Thomas
Brooks taught the first school; Amos Mead kept the first inn,
in 1803, and Gen. Obadiah German the first store. Benj. Hart¬
well built the first gristmill, in 1803.

4

The census reports 4 churches; 2 M. E., Bap., and Univ.

5

6 Among the other early settlers were David Fairchild, Silas