‘Schools of the Past’ Preston - Daniels District, #5
Independent Registered Historian
Returning this week to the Daniels District #5 which is located approximately three miles from the downtown of Preston on what is now County Route 10 to Pharsalia, about where the right hand turn to the County Landfill Road is. This photo with this article gives the readers a view when it was still a school. This school house now has been turned to a private residence, greatly changed, but thankful that at least it has not been torn down, used for storage, etc.
Again, gratitude is given to Peter Mason, Preston Historian for his diligent research of the Town Board Meeting Minutes, which Preston is most fortunate to have. This information which he forwarded to this writer is quoted as he transcribed it from the original writings.
“Preston, May 31, 1813 – John Noyes, Joseph Truman and Sylvanus Moor, School Committee overseers documented: District Number five beginning at the northwest corner of the fourteenth Township, thence to the southwest corner of David Sh------- [unreadable]; thence east to the west line of lot number nineteen; thence east to the Richard road; thence south to the southwest corner of William Childs on toward; thence east to John Noyes land being the west line of number three; thence north to the northwest corner of ------------ Child land; thence west to the west line of the squires farm; thence north to the north line of the Town of Preston; thence west to the first mentioned bound.”
The research at the Chenango County Clerk’s office revealed three deeds recorded for the site of District #5. The first deed dated July 28, 1816 gave the information that Guy Richards, Esq. of the town, city, and county of New London in Connecticut by his attorney Samuel Farnham granted to the Trustees of the District #5 the following tract or parcel of land described as follows: The party of the first part in consideration of the sum of $10.00 duly paid him by the parties of the second part [school trustees]: All that tract or parcel of land in the Town of Preston, being a part of lot #22 in that part of said lot which is now in possession of John Riddle in township number 14 described as follows: Beginning at the north line of lot #22 in the center of the highway, now so called where it runs through south along the center of said road 7 rods; thence west parallel north 3 rods running to the thirteenth township 6 rods; thence north parallel with the first mention line 7 rods to the center of said road bearing to the thirteenth township; thence east along the center of the last mention road 6 rods to the place of beginning containing forty-two perches of land. Said party of first part reserving for a public highway that part and so much of the above mentioned land as it now laid out or occupies as such. This description has been abbreviated for this article and was signed by Samuel Farnham as attorney for Guy Richards. Recorded July 28, 1816 and reviewed by Isaac Sherwood, Judge and recorded at the Clerk’s office Nov. 2. 1816.
A note of historical interest is inserted here for anyone interested in reading the entire deeds that are recorded the first one is in Liber V – P. 276 at the County Clerk’s office. The second deed recorded may be read in full in Liber #316 – P. 511 and the third deed recorded is Liber #591 – P. 750.
The second deed which is dated June 19, 1942 is recorded as a duplicate of a deed given some years ago, which old deed has been lost or destroyed as it is not on file at the Clerk’s office. This deed reads slightly different than the one above and the following information [briefly] reads as follows: Leon Franklin party of the first part and the Trustees of School District #5 for the sum of $1.00 and other good and valuable consideration sold as follows: All that Tract or parcel of land in the Town of Preston being the plot of land for Dist. #5 upon which the school house now stands and being located on the improved highway running from Preston to East Pharsalia and bounded on west by a dirt highway. Commencing at a point in center of improved highway, being southwest corner of said plot; thence north 285 feet; thence running east 115 feet; thence south 604 feet; thence along said highway in a west direction 210 feet to place of beginning, being the schoolhouse now located on what is known as the “Daniels District.” This deed was examined by Justice of the Peace Harry E. Salisbury and filed June 5, 1942 by Irving D. Tillman, Clerk.
The third deed recorded is dated August 27, 1979 and relates the selling of the school house to private ownership as follows: The City School District o the City of Norwich the party of the first part granted and sold to Thomas A. and Nellie Porter in consideration of $1.00 the property as described as follows:
All that tract or parcel of land in the Town of Preston, being the land in school district #5 upon which the schoolhouse now stands and located on the improved highway running from Preston to East Pharsalia and bounded on the west by a dirt highway. Commencing at a point in the center of the improved highway [Route #10], being the southwest corner of said lot; thence north 285 feet; thence east 116 feet; thence south 604 feet; thence along said highway in a westerly direction 210 feet to place of beginning.
Continuing with this last deed, it was signed by then President of the Board of Education Joseph G. Fernandez, notarized by Joanne G. Rice and recorded in the above Liber by Fred A. Urda, Clerk.
This writer will state at this time, that these last two deeds were to replace a lost deed, however, personal opinion is inserted here that if someone had researched the first Liber V and followed it through the years, it does take time, the lost deed might have been found. However, it is all water under or over the bridge at this time!
The problem of not being allowed access to the Trustee’s Annual Reports at the County Historian’s office is somewhat resolved as this writer has received notification that the information requested for the Town of Columbus has been completed, a statement of money has been forwarded, check has been sent and advised that this information for Columbus would be mailed January 27th. Upon completion of the information for future use with the Town of Columbus, if copies are returned to Historian’s office in ORIGINAL CONDITION, the monetary amount will be refunded in full.
However, previously the parents/guardians information had been recorded by this writer, only lacking the teachers, trustees and town clerk’s names. In brief the documentation of a partial list of parents is as follows, using last names only; Bosworth, Champlin, Daniels, Franklin [long residents of this township], Frink, Grant, Graves, Hall, Law, Lewis, Martin, Monroe, Newton, Packer, Quinn, Simpson, and Westcott. A total of 315 scholars attended this small district school in the years 1870-1908. Repeating once again, after 1908 the census reports included with the Trustees Annual Reports did not include parents, etc. This information would only be found in “school registers” and originally forwarded direct to Education Dept. in Albany.
Finally in closing as is the norm “to be continued.”
Returning this week to the Daniels District #5 which is located approximately three miles from the downtown of Preston on what is now County Route 10 to Pharsalia, about where the right hand turn to the County Landfill Road is. This photo with this article gives the readers a view when it was still a school. This school house now has been turned to a private residence, greatly changed, but thankful that at least it has not been torn down, used for storage, etc.
Again, gratitude is given to Peter Mason, Preston Historian for his diligent research of the Town Board Meeting Minutes, which Preston is most fortunate to have. This information which he forwarded to this writer is quoted as he transcribed it from the original writings.
“Preston, May 31, 1813 – John Noyes, Joseph Truman and Sylvanus Moor, School Committee overseers documented: District Number five beginning at the northwest corner of the fourteenth Township, thence to the southwest corner of David Sh------- [unreadable]; thence east to the west line of lot number nineteen; thence east to the Richard road; thence south to the southwest corner of William Childs on toward; thence east to John Noyes land being the west line of number three; thence north to the northwest corner of ------------ Child land; thence west to the west line of the squires farm; thence north to the north line of the Town of Preston; thence west to the first mentioned bound.”
The research at the Chenango County Clerk’s office revealed three deeds recorded for the site of District #5. The first deed dated July 28, 1816 gave the information that Guy Richards, Esq. of the town, city, and county of New London in Connecticut by his attorney Samuel Farnham granted to the Trustees of the District #5 the following tract or parcel of land described as follows: The party of the first part in consideration of the sum of $10.00 duly paid him by the parties of the second part [school trustees]: All that tract or parcel of land in the Town of Preston, being a part of lot #22 in that part of said lot which is now in possession of John Riddle in township number 14 described as follows: Beginning at the north line of lot #22 in the center of the highway, now so called where it runs through south along the center of said road 7 rods; thence west parallel north 3 rods running to the thirteenth township 6 rods; thence north parallel with the first mention line 7 rods to the center of said road bearing to the thirteenth township; thence east along the center of the last mention road 6 rods to the place of beginning containing forty-two perches of land. Said party of first part reserving for a public highway that part and so much of the above mentioned land as it now laid out or occupies as such. This description has been abbreviated for this article and was signed by Samuel Farnham as attorney for Guy Richards. Recorded July 28, 1816 and reviewed by Isaac Sherwood, Judge and recorded at the Clerk’s office Nov. 2. 1816.
A note of historical interest is inserted here for anyone interested in reading the entire deeds that are recorded the first one is in Liber V – P. 276 at the County Clerk’s office. The second deed recorded may be read in full in Liber #316 – P. 511 and the third deed recorded is Liber #591 – P. 750.
The second deed which is dated June 19, 1942 is recorded as a duplicate of a deed given some years ago, which old deed has been lost or destroyed as it is not on file at the Clerk’s office. This deed reads slightly different than the one above and the following information [briefly] reads as follows: Leon Franklin party of the first part and the Trustees of School District #5 for the sum of $1.00 and other good and valuable consideration sold as follows: All that Tract or parcel of land in the Town of Preston being the plot of land for Dist. #5 upon which the school house now stands and being located on the improved highway running from Preston to East Pharsalia and bounded on west by a dirt highway. Commencing at a point in center of improved highway, being southwest corner of said plot; thence north 285 feet; thence running east 115 feet; thence south 604 feet; thence along said highway in a west direction 210 feet to place of beginning, being the schoolhouse now located on what is known as the “Daniels District.” This deed was examined by Justice of the Peace Harry E. Salisbury and filed June 5, 1942 by Irving D. Tillman, Clerk.
The third deed recorded is dated August 27, 1979 and relates the selling of the school house to private ownership as follows: The City School District o the City of Norwich the party of the first part granted and sold to Thomas A. and Nellie Porter in consideration of $1.00 the property as described as follows:
All that tract or parcel of land in the Town of Preston, being the land in school district #5 upon which the schoolhouse now stands and located on the improved highway running from Preston to East Pharsalia and bounded on the west by a dirt highway. Commencing at a point in the center of the improved highway [Route #10], being the southwest corner of said lot; thence north 285 feet; thence east 116 feet; thence south 604 feet; thence along said highway in a westerly direction 210 feet to place of beginning.
Continuing with this last deed, it was signed by then President of the Board of Education Joseph G. Fernandez, notarized by Joanne G. Rice and recorded in the above Liber by Fred A. Urda, Clerk.
This writer will state at this time, that these last two deeds were to replace a lost deed, however, personal opinion is inserted here that if someone had researched the first Liber V and followed it through the years, it does take time, the lost deed might have been found. However, it is all water under or over the bridge at this time!
The problem of not being allowed access to the Trustee’s Annual Reports at the County Historian’s office is somewhat resolved as this writer has received notification that the information requested for the Town of Columbus has been completed, a statement of money has been forwarded, check has been sent and advised that this information for Columbus would be mailed January 27th. Upon completion of the information for future use with the Town of Columbus, if copies are returned to Historian’s office in ORIGINAL CONDITION, the monetary amount will be refunded in full.
However, previously the parents/guardians information had been recorded by this writer, only lacking the teachers, trustees and town clerk’s names. In brief the documentation of a partial list of parents is as follows, using last names only; Bosworth, Champlin, Daniels, Franklin [long residents of this township], Frink, Grant, Graves, Hall, Law, Lewis, Martin, Monroe, Newton, Packer, Quinn, Simpson, and Westcott. A total of 315 scholars attended this small district school in the years 1870-1908. Repeating once again, after 1908 the census reports included with the Trustees Annual Reports did not include parents, etc. This information would only be found in “school registers” and originally forwarded direct to Education Dept. in Albany.
Finally in closing as is the norm “to be continued.”
dived wound factual legitimately delightful goodness fit rat some lopsidedly far when.
Slung alongside jeepers hypnotic legitimately some iguana this agreeably triumphant pointedly far
jeepers unscrupulous anteater attentive noiseless put less greyhound prior stiff ferret unbearably cracked oh.
So sparing more goose caribou wailed went conveniently burned the the the and that save that adroit gosh and sparing armadillo grew some overtook that magnificently that
Circuitous gull and messily squirrel on that banally assenting nobly some much rakishly goodness that the darn abject hello left because unaccountably spluttered unlike a aurally since contritely thanks