Schools of the Past: Greene Districts 22, Scoville and Towslee
Again the confusion continues with the numbering of the Greene School Districts, where we again have two districts of the same number! Why, that answer is lost to history. The historical information is somewhat scant however this writer will attempt to relay the information on hand. The Scoville District was formed in 1825 and approximately in 1849 it was closed. A comparatively short life span compared with the longevity of the previous districts that have appeared in this series of history relevant the Township of Greene. The Towslee District and a photo of this was thankfully saved for posterity was formed apparently about the year 1898 and remained open till 1943. This writer will assume that since the Scoville District had been closed nearly fifty years prior, the reasoning for using the same number for the Towslee District.
In the boundary lines, researched by the late Mildred Folsom Cochrane English (she married twice) she recorded that District #22 - farms of Gardner Watson and Nathan Smith. If there were any minutes kept of that what was usually an annual trustees meeting relevant to these two schools, it would be beneficial now if that information was available. The history of these two districts is to say the least confusing and it will be followed as well as it can be interpreted from the information available. Bear with this writer on these two districts!
In the assorted district line changes the following information was researched and documented. 1837 a new district #22 was formed: All of that part of #2 (East Greene/Brisben) east of Samuel Wheeler plus all that part of #22 west of Don Loomis, including the farm of Elisha Sanders, east half of lot 60 and the whole of lot 59/3T. Previous research recalls that #2 became #16 and then joint District #22 (Oxford/Greene). Was the old #22 the Scoville District? There are additional district line changes that have been documented in the article District #16 (Brisben) which was published in the February 24th edition of this publication and need not be repeated!
The deed research by Mrs. Cochrane English gave up the fact that in 1825 in book HH page 22 Jesse Scoville sold to Job BIy, Jr., Ezbon Corbin and Jesse Scoville as Trustees of District #22 for $5.00 the southeast corner of Scoville’s lot near Joseph Julian’s house, 69’ x 42’ front located on the west side of highway between Scoville and Jutland’s land for a schoolhouse site. The 1875 Atlas Map of Chenango County shows a schoolhouse located in the approximate vicinity of what is to be believed to be the Scoville District, however, from the historical information available that appears to be District #18 (East River Road) which was the subject of the article March 10th. Confusing to say the least as according to the 1875 map Joseph Juliand resided much closer to the Village of Greene and no indication is given of land being owned in that area of Greene as belong to Scoville.
SCOVILLE DISTRICT
It is regrettable that no photo exists of this early school however there was students, trustees listed which will be related below. As was related above this district by the above name was only in existence twenty-four years, however, the scholars, trustees, information begin with the year 1830 and continue to 1888 (confusing again to say the least). If we look at the 24 year span of this school we find in 1830 60 scholars to a low of 27 in 1841. From then on the student population ranged from 62 to 27 again. Trustees names found in this district listed were Peter Lansing, Esbon Corbin, E. Wheeler, D. Corbin, and E. Adams, C. F. Barnett, E. Adams, J. K. Watson, J. B. Wheeler, R. Combs, N. Judd, W. Gross, L. Darby, N. Leach and in the year 1888 R. Cline as sole trustee. In the last paragraph of Mrs. Cochrane English’s documentation is the notation that ‘The above District #22 was formed in 1825 and a schoolhouse built on the west side of the East River Road on the southeast corner of Jesse Scoville’s land near Joseph Juliand’s house. After 1837 parts of the district began to be annexed to #4 (Village) and apparently by 1852 was completely dissolved. The above Trustees name all appear in District #17 (Lansing) which was formed in 1871 and called the Lansing District. Confusing to say the least! Lost to history on this old district was it part of #2 which became #16 and later Joint #22 (Greene/Oxford), and where #17 come in except in the above paragraph? As related previously, confusion is the “name of the game.”
TOWSLEE DISTRICT
We are fortunate to have two photos of this district school, which written previously came in existence approximately 1898 and finally closed in 1943 and when these photos were taken shows the school with teacher and students and the other abandoned (1969) and you can view the overgrowth and the old farm machinery (drag) at the bottom of the photo. In checking again the 1875 map a school house does appear on what is now the King Road, and the question is: Is this the school site in the photo as the name of Towslee does appear as living in that vicinity.
Boundary lines and district line changes relevant to the name of Towslee District were not found and it is assumed that the previously written boundaries and deeds all relate to this district.
The trustees, collectors and clerks for this so named district information are documented from 1904 to 1940 (was this the actual last year of being an active school district)? The names of D. Towslee, W. E. King, C. L. Wade, J. W. Burrows, Frank Hotchkiss, Joseph McGowan, A. F. Cowles, Clayton Parsons, L. J. Benedict, Frank Hollenbeck, W. H. Edgerton, Miller Davis, Eugene Towslee, George Hackett, Grace Davis, Neal Hotlenbeck, Mary Edgerton, Henry Champion, and Harold Davis all appear as having served this district in assorted capacities.
Teachers who taught in this early schoolhouse include the following: Eva Lewis (1898-9), Charles N. King (1899-1900), Carrie Hoyt, Fred Bowers, Iva Birdlebaugh, Jennie Keough, Orville Cummings (1900-01), Florence Bryant (Rogers) who boarded at Art Cowles, Charlotte Smith (Cook, Clara Smith (Cline) (1905-1910), Ruth McNeil Ingraham (Roberts) (1924-25), Ruby Filer (1926-33) and finally Esther Curtis (1933-42).
With this we close another confusing chapter of Greene District school history with the usual plea, if you have information relevant to these district schools, either in Greene or elsewhere in Chenango County, do not destroy, forward it to a repository for safe keeping.
In the boundary lines, researched by the late Mildred Folsom Cochrane English (she married twice) she recorded that District #22 - farms of Gardner Watson and Nathan Smith. If there were any minutes kept of that what was usually an annual trustees meeting relevant to these two schools, it would be beneficial now if that information was available. The history of these two districts is to say the least confusing and it will be followed as well as it can be interpreted from the information available. Bear with this writer on these two districts!
In the assorted district line changes the following information was researched and documented. 1837 a new district #22 was formed: All of that part of #2 (East Greene/Brisben) east of Samuel Wheeler plus all that part of #22 west of Don Loomis, including the farm of Elisha Sanders, east half of lot 60 and the whole of lot 59/3T. Previous research recalls that #2 became #16 and then joint District #22 (Oxford/Greene). Was the old #22 the Scoville District? There are additional district line changes that have been documented in the article District #16 (Brisben) which was published in the February 24th edition of this publication and need not be repeated!
The deed research by Mrs. Cochrane English gave up the fact that in 1825 in book HH page 22 Jesse Scoville sold to Job BIy, Jr., Ezbon Corbin and Jesse Scoville as Trustees of District #22 for $5.00 the southeast corner of Scoville’s lot near Joseph Julian’s house, 69’ x 42’ front located on the west side of highway between Scoville and Jutland’s land for a schoolhouse site. The 1875 Atlas Map of Chenango County shows a schoolhouse located in the approximate vicinity of what is to be believed to be the Scoville District, however, from the historical information available that appears to be District #18 (East River Road) which was the subject of the article March 10th. Confusing to say the least as according to the 1875 map Joseph Juliand resided much closer to the Village of Greene and no indication is given of land being owned in that area of Greene as belong to Scoville.
SCOVILLE DISTRICT
It is regrettable that no photo exists of this early school however there was students, trustees listed which will be related below. As was related above this district by the above name was only in existence twenty-four years, however, the scholars, trustees, information begin with the year 1830 and continue to 1888 (confusing again to say the least). If we look at the 24 year span of this school we find in 1830 60 scholars to a low of 27 in 1841. From then on the student population ranged from 62 to 27 again. Trustees names found in this district listed were Peter Lansing, Esbon Corbin, E. Wheeler, D. Corbin, and E. Adams, C. F. Barnett, E. Adams, J. K. Watson, J. B. Wheeler, R. Combs, N. Judd, W. Gross, L. Darby, N. Leach and in the year 1888 R. Cline as sole trustee. In the last paragraph of Mrs. Cochrane English’s documentation is the notation that ‘The above District #22 was formed in 1825 and a schoolhouse built on the west side of the East River Road on the southeast corner of Jesse Scoville’s land near Joseph Juliand’s house. After 1837 parts of the district began to be annexed to #4 (Village) and apparently by 1852 was completely dissolved. The above Trustees name all appear in District #17 (Lansing) which was formed in 1871 and called the Lansing District. Confusing to say the least! Lost to history on this old district was it part of #2 which became #16 and later Joint #22 (Greene/Oxford), and where #17 come in except in the above paragraph? As related previously, confusion is the “name of the game.”
TOWSLEE DISTRICT
We are fortunate to have two photos of this district school, which written previously came in existence approximately 1898 and finally closed in 1943 and when these photos were taken shows the school with teacher and students and the other abandoned (1969) and you can view the overgrowth and the old farm machinery (drag) at the bottom of the photo. In checking again the 1875 map a school house does appear on what is now the King Road, and the question is: Is this the school site in the photo as the name of Towslee does appear as living in that vicinity.
Boundary lines and district line changes relevant to the name of Towslee District were not found and it is assumed that the previously written boundaries and deeds all relate to this district.
The trustees, collectors and clerks for this so named district information are documented from 1904 to 1940 (was this the actual last year of being an active school district)? The names of D. Towslee, W. E. King, C. L. Wade, J. W. Burrows, Frank Hotchkiss, Joseph McGowan, A. F. Cowles, Clayton Parsons, L. J. Benedict, Frank Hollenbeck, W. H. Edgerton, Miller Davis, Eugene Towslee, George Hackett, Grace Davis, Neal Hotlenbeck, Mary Edgerton, Henry Champion, and Harold Davis all appear as having served this district in assorted capacities.
Teachers who taught in this early schoolhouse include the following: Eva Lewis (1898-9), Charles N. King (1899-1900), Carrie Hoyt, Fred Bowers, Iva Birdlebaugh, Jennie Keough, Orville Cummings (1900-01), Florence Bryant (Rogers) who boarded at Art Cowles, Charlotte Smith (Cook, Clara Smith (Cline) (1905-1910), Ruth McNeil Ingraham (Roberts) (1924-25), Ruby Filer (1926-33) and finally Esther Curtis (1933-42).
With this we close another confusing chapter of Greene District school history with the usual plea, if you have information relevant to these district schools, either in Greene or elsewhere in Chenango County, do not destroy, forward it to a repository for safe keeping.
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