Written previously numerous times, if new information relevant to any of the district schoolhouses is found the pages of the book remain open for any new inclusion of historical information. Such is the case with the District #16 - Brisben or #22 - Greene/Oxford. A phone message was directed to me by Mr. Tim Fowlston - Oxford, New York. In my article of February 11, 2011 wrote that the “Upper School” was moved and in late years ending up as a garage on the Francis Hill farm, south of Oxford on Route 12. Mr. Fowlston informed me that yes his garage was the old District #16 or #22 school. He then advised me that there was nothing inside that resembled the schoolhouse, however, there are two windows in the now garage which might have been part of the windows of the former schoolhouse. Permission was granted to me to photograph this garage (schoolhouse) for future use, if and when we have spring and no more snow. Perhaps at a later date this photo may be included in a future article.
The District #18 - East River Road had a long life as a district school being active from 1830 to 1941 (111 years) and finally was removed to the village of Greene and converted to a private dwelling. We will assume that over that lengthy period of time, changes were made to the building, both inside and out, all buildings have to be maintained or decay sets in and eventually they are demolished.
When this district was formed the commissioners were Samuel Williams, Levi Farr and Augustus Willard. Inspectors that same year were William Patterson, Orrin Sharp and A. Willard. All three of these gentlemen would go on for several years, at different periods of time, to serve the district in either Commissioner or Inspector. Other names that appear in the research of this district include Samuel Williams, Elisha B. Smith (pre-Civil War) Emmon Bouton, Robert Monetl, Arad Gilbert, Amos Gray, Jehial Spafford, the list goes on and on of the gentlemen of this area who so willingly served the educational purposes both for their children and their neighbor’s children.
In the research of the district’s lines this district was bounded by John BIy, Jr. and Harry Perry. Whether these two gentlemen owned land, each, on two sides of the formation of the district may be deciphered from the following district line changes. In 1831 the lots #28, 29,30, and 31 in the Juhel Tract were annexed to #18. Also the farms of James Smith, John Watson, the Toll House at the bridge #4 district and the farms of Gardner, Horton and Job BIy were annexed to District #18. As to the location the 1875 Atlas of Chenango County (Greene) does show the schoolhouse as being located on what is now County Road #32 not too far below the bridge that crosses the Chenango River from Brisben to the “East River Road.” As has been written above the schoolhouse was moved to the village. The next district line change occurred in 1847 when the farm of Elijah Rathbone was taken from District #4 and annexed to District #18 and again that same year lots #2, 3,45, and 46 which had not been included in any district were included with #18. Again in 1848 the east half of lot #4 occupied by Lester Manley was changed from District #15 to #18. In 1850 lots #41 and #41 of the Juhel Tract, lands of Richard Tremaine, Harley, Levi, Edmund Beardstey, Henry Manwarring and C.P. Blakesley were taken from District #8 (Greene & Coventry) and annexed to #18. Another change in lines occurred in 1852 when the farms of Orrin D. Carter were taken from #18 and given to District #4. Yet another change would occur in 1871 when from #18 and given to #41: beginning on east bank of river between 0. D. Carter and E.S.D. Spencer, north to lands of Nathan Smith, east to O.D. Carter, south to V. Watson, west between the 3 properties to highway on east side of river, and west to point of beginning. From a prospective point of view, was it necessary for all these district line changes?
In the deeds recorded at the County Clerk’s office in Book #158 page 181 in 1878 the following deed is recorded. F. S. Race sold to A. Hunt Smith, Ira W. Day and James R. Smith as Trustees of District #18, it was voted to move schoolhouse nearer to center of district. (Present site was leased from farm now owned by F. S. Race and reverted back to owner) Substituted for parcel of land situated on highway running from railroad back to River Bridge. Beginning in center of center of highway, west along line of Wm. B. Race 6 rods, north 4 rods, east rods to road, south to point of beginning (24 rods). There was no monetary amount included with this informational research and it is not known by this writer whether there was an exchange of money or was the land given? Perhaps future research will unearth this mystery!
Once again we return to the number of scholars who attended this school over the years, those figures ranged from a high of 91 (1832) to a low of 33 (1878). The last year that figures are available was 1881 when the students totaled 35.
Trustees over the years would include the names of Job BIy, Harry Perry, Gardner Watson, Johnson Earsley, Nathan Smith, Nicholas Race, S. Gibson, F. F. Brown, A. E. Johnson, A. Day, S. Race, Smith Race, J. W. Smith, A. Hunt Smith, W. W. Cohoon, Fred Cohoon, L. J. Beard, Myron Cohoon, Elmer Wheeler, L. J. Beard, Peter Padgett, Albert Niles, Earl Hall, J.S. Barnhart. C. L. Hill, Bordo Unger, Arthur English and Ray Harris to the year 1916.
From 1918 to the year 1940 when the school closed trustees would include Mrs. John Cohoon, Mrs. Peter Padgett, and Ray Harris in the above year with a special note “Schoolhouse almost new, painted green” Continuing on Emma Smith, C. L. Hill, Frances Miller, Curtis D. Lee and L. J. Beard’s names appear as serving. In 1940 when by that time there was only one trustee, Earl Hall, the school closed in 1941 and the trustees auctioned the building and equipment. Ivan Gilliand bought the schoolhouse for $125, then he old it to Harold Gillette in 1942. Mr. Gillette took the schoolhouse down and with the lumber built a small house on the east side of North Chenango Street, north of Julian Clinton’s.
The photo of District #18 which was taken in 1929-20 (we apologize for the faded photo) the teacher was Mrs. Lucy Bodurtha. Students in that photo included Charles Stringham, Charles Vigus, Minerva Dunham (Robbins), Wilma Dunham (Youngs) Marie Bodurtha and Inez Hill (Pollard). Homage however is due to the many teachers from the year 1886 to 1940-41 included Lillis Peterson (Jackson), May Smith (Salisbury), Mary Salisbury (Tillotson), Alta Rorpaugh, Rosadell Barrows, Nellis Smith, Ethel Wedge (Taft), Ethel Niles (Day-Youngs), Carrie Hoyt, Thelma Bolt (Rockwetl), Stella Daily, Hazel Tydings, Alice Tydings, Elizabeth Cohoon, Ruth Roberts, Mrs. Luther Bodurtha, Leona Matteson and finally Maud Paddleford.
An interesting note of history concluded this article as follows: “this school site originally belonged to the George T. Race farm and reverted back to it. In 1875 the schoolhouse was located on the East River Road just south of F.S. Race’s brick house. In 1878 it was moved to the south side of the Cady’s Mill Road west of the railroad tracks, closer to the center of the District. Today (1969) only a clump of trees marks the site.
Thus another chapter in the diversified history of the districts of Greene is closed with the usual request, that if you have information relevant to district schools whether it Greene or elsewhere, do not destroy it, pass it to a repository which will ensure that it is there for all to research when needed. Any “School Day Memories” would be greatly appreciated and may be mailed to news@evesun.com. Information will be duly acknowledged unless preferred to be anonymous.