Chronology of Edmeston, New York: 1870 through 1879
Now I have undertook
To give a true relation
Of all the business men
In this corporation.
And as I have leisure
And plenty of time,
It may appear better
To tell you in rhyme.
Our Pastor elder Flint
Will do what good he can,
Though his name sound hard,
He is a very nice man.
We have another priest;
His name is William Hiller,
And in the next house east,
Lives a retired Miller.
We have another clergyman
Who has come here of late,
Last Saturday was admitted
To the matrimonial state.
And there is Yankee Bootman,
Employing two new Hands,
Who are working in his basement,
Making ladies' fans.
And Hadams, the tailor,
'As 'ouses to 'ire.
He has rented his Hinn
To sell liquid fire.
The back of his store,
Is rented to Ray
But his other tenant
Has Galuped away.
And there is Dr. Spencer,
To whom we owe our lives,
Perhaps, too, our children,
And also our wives.
And there is Dr. Chambers,
Prescribes for every ill,
If you should have occasion,
Suppose you try his skill.
E. Bootman, the merchant
Is selling as low
As the make of the ground
Will allow him to go.
G.M.Pitts, the grocer,
Can with him compete,
For his store is on the lowest
Side of the street.
And Mr. E.Chamberlain
Has rented a store,
And is enabled to sell
About forty feet lower.
And the Bilyea Brothers,
Have another firm,
Foster has taken a partner,
And now its Homer’s turn.
The blacksmith at the west,
His name is Levi Brown.
Can shoe a horse the best
Of any man in town.
Can tell the best stories
Of any man his heft,
We have not had his equal
Since Peter Parker left.
And now at the east
Is C.L.Smith, the tinner,
He always likes a call
If it is not late to dinner.
And Hopkins and Son
Make the Wagons in town,
They are ironed by Ford
And painted by Brown.
They are fashioned in style,
And easy to draw,
for the extra touches
Are put on by T. Shaw.
G. Arnold is selling
New stoves that are good
For cash or old iron,
For watches or wood.
And if you want teaming done,
Apply to Pope's express,
He'll do it cheap as any one,
And perhaps a little less.
A market over the way,
Fresh meat and maybe sausage,
The stage runs every day
If you want a passage.
St.John is our esquire,
And Solomon surveyor,
We have a graded school,
And ought to have a mayor.
There is Ed Wales, the Miller,
I have nearly missed,
As clever a fellow
As ever ground a grist.
A rhyme for Dr. Palmer,
If I can begin it,
"To and from the fair ground
Every fifteen minutes."
H.Talbot, the cooper,
Makes firkins for sale,
And E.G.Waldo
Is selling stock ale.
We have an iron bridge,
And sidewalks in good style,
Where one can walk abreast,
I call it Indian file.
A good mechanic
Is Lewis Green,
Is the best we have
On a mowing machine.
And Ackerman and son
Are builders by trade,
Have a Sash and Blind shop
Where materials are made.
Mr. Douglas is a poet,
And also a tanner,
Can lecture on temperance
In a comical manner.
The tannery was owned
By Mr. D.T.Ross,
But he sold it to Spencer
Who now will be "boss".
Mr. William Joslyn
Is best boot maker,
And D.B. Reed
Is our village undertaker.
And A.J.Hecox
Makes shoes and boots,
Would like a young wife
If he could find one that suits.
Our sidewalks are noted,
I mean for their holes,
I think it should be voted
To make tham of poles. — G. W. Arnold
All these brave, hardy, adventurous, fearless, industrious pioneers endured many hardships and sacrifices while clearing the land and paving the way for our comfortable homes today. For a long time I have felt there is one important thing that should be done. The least we might do would we to see that all the old cemeteries where these brave pioneers ar buried, are put, and keep, in good order. That project has been carried through by many Women's Clubs. They deserve at least that memorial. "Royal blood is and inheritance. Noble blood, if it begets noble deed, is a blessing. But above and beyond all, is the inheritance of a pious, God-fearing, God serving ancestry." — Myrta Kelsey
Post office established at North Edmeston (11/30/1877); discontinued 2/15/1905. — Dorothy Scott Fielder
Edwin E. Sutherland postmaster, 1878; Israel Colegrove, 1887; Arba Talbot, 1895. (discontinued in 1905) — Flora Underwood
