The Times-Journal

The first issue of the Cobleskill Times appeared April 14, 1877, but was known as the Cobleskill Herald. The first owners were Johnson and Roberts of Oneonta, who saw an opportunity to establish a new paper in a rapidly growing county. The Herald championed the Republican cause and the venture succeeded despite Cobleskill and Schoharie County were heavily Democrat.

The original paper was four pages and eight columns in width. 1200 people resided in Cobleskill at the time. Miles G. Graham purchased the paper a few years later. As stated previously, the paper was pro-Republican, but it was noted as mild until 1883, by which time it represented a more vigorous political policy. In 1883 Charles T Conover bought the paper. Mr. Conover was a native of Esperance.

Mr. Conover put the paper on firmer grounds thanks to his ability to write fluently and well. He improved the paper fiscally. A year later, though, Conover left the paper, and moved to Seattle to invest in real estate. R. S. Keyser was the next owner of the paper, but after some time he became the principle of the Middleburgh High School, and he place his brother, Lynn, in charge. Things went terribly, and in 1885 Erwin B. Hard bought the paper.

Mr. Hard was a newspaperman. He was well trained, energetic, and a hard worker. Soon after he bought the newspaper he changed it’s name to the Cobleskill Times. In 1892 new equipment was bought for the paper. Hard lead the paper to prosperous times. The next publisher was Frank A. Linster, who became such in 1905. Linster purchased the first linotype machine for the paper, marking a great step forward-1908. The old way was setting the type by hand and typewriter.

Soon after, a group of fifteen people bought the paper, hoping to voice a strong pro-prohibition statement. But they soon realized that they couldn’t run a paper on sentiments alone, which lead to the sale of the paper to George W. Jones in 1915. But Jones found the paper too much trouble and sold it to Joseph R. Browne. Under Mr. Browne’s leadership, the paper did well, even during the hard days of WWI.

On August 4, 1919, Charles L. Ryder purchased the paper. Mr. Ryder, who had also published the Cherry Valley Gazette and the Sharon Springs Record, merged these papers with the Cobleskill Times. A paper, called the Schoharie County Journal, merged with the Times in 1946, to form the Times-Journal. The Ryders owned the paper until, well, at least 1976.

Western Schoharie County History

One can easily derive Summit’s name by looking around the county, for the county has many summits. Mount Wharton stands a little to the west of the town, where the clouds embrace it, given it’s height. Mt. Wharton got it’s name from it’s owner, J. B. Wharton. Upon this mountain presides a “sheet of water”. The book goes out of it’s way to note the beauty of this entity.

Seymour Boughton was a resident of Summit, who moved there from Charlotteville. Boughton was the youngest of nineteen, yes nineteen, children, and, at about the turn of the 18^th century, he moved with his father to Charlotteville. In Charlotteville, he built the Van Buren house, which was used as a tavern. Boughton framed and painted his house by himself, to which his neighbors thought that he was “bent on wasting his property”. The tavern was the first framed house in town. Mr. Boughton died on June 11, 1872.

According to legend, the lake in Summit was named Utasayantho. A story that surrounds the lake concerns an unwed Indian squaw. This squaw gave birth to a child upon the bank of the lake. Chiefs of the tribe consulted with each other, then threw the child into the lake. For a long time, the lake was called “Jack’s lake”, but as time progressed, it was given the appropriate name of “Summit Lake”. Interestingly, it is said that Johnson and Brant stopped at the lake in 1780, relaxed, and even did some fishing.

Summit was settled after the Revolution. People who settled here were mainly from the Hudson river counties, and the “eastern States”. A man by the name of Levi Ives owned a distillery in Summit. This establishment was nationally famous, for many people from around the country ordered liquor from Ives.

To the west of Summit is a valley by the name of Charlotte. In the valley flows the Charlotte river. Along the stream there was an ancient Indian path. Along this path, POWs of the Revolution walked, on their way to Canada. Four miles south of the valley lived a man named Service. Although being neutral, in many cases, he was accused of being disloyal to the Whig cause. An order for his arrest was given, and a patriot party went to get him. Upon arriving, they put forth a letter, which they said proved his “disloyalty to the Continental cause”. He refused to go, and threw an ax at the patriots and ran. He was shot whilst he ran. One of the men who killed Service was Tim Murphy.

The book says “nothing of importance occurred in this part” until a school was built in 1850. The school was built for 300 children. In 1852, additions were built, and the school was then able to hold over 500 students. In 1867, the school burned down.

The first church in the valley was the First Baptist Church. The book lists church officials of the First Baptist. Other churches in the area were: the Second Baptist Church, the Reformed Church of Eminence, the Methodist Episcopal Church of Summit, the Free Methodist Church of Charlotteville, the Lutheran Church of Summit, and the Lutheran Church of Beard’s Hollow.

Lying in what is now Richmondville, was Beard’s Hollow. It was founded in 1794 by Killian Ritter. In 1800 there was a business which revolved around the manufacture of grindstones. Another hamlet was Lutheranville, which was called also “Tar Hollow”. During the Anti-rent wars, it is believed, that a deputy sheriff was “treated to a good coat of tar and feathers”. Another little hamlet that existed was “Dutch Hill”, which received it’s name because of the nationality of people who resided there. In 1851, it was renamed Eminence. The first town meeting of Summit was held in March of 1820.

Can you imagine a mountain named after you, like Mr. Wharton’s? Imagine three hundred years from now, a mother points and tells her son with an air of excitement, “Look, there’s Mount Laraway.”

The vote that counted.

A campaign that wasn't supposed to be

In a township of just 1,600 voters, the race for Town Supervisor in little known Richmondville New York, put a whole new meaning to the phrase, "every vote counts". Just a few weeks ago, a small, yet hot blooded town of 3,000 citizens, was in the midst of one of the most interesting elections one person could ever encounter.

Supervisor John Barlow (R) wasn't supposed to be running for re-election, as the death of his beloved wife of decades and the loss of his leg because of diabetes, painted a bleak picture for the future of the longtime Councilman and one term Supervisor, however, due to lack of another Republican to run for the seat, Barlow decided to run for another term, and perhaps his last two years in public office.

Local Republicans were concerned with the electoral chances of Supervisor Barlow, as his ability to campaign was limited, and the campaign consisted of a few advertisements in the paper, a local appearance touting local Republicans seeking elected office, final weekend campaigning of a few supporters, and a last minute mailer to the voters of Richmondville.

Facing off against John Barlow was Scott Bennett, an inexperienced Councilman whom was just elected to the Town Board in 2008, the longtime Democrat was running a strong campaign, however, with the 2009 economic recession affecting Americans all across the Nation, experience was golden for candidates across the board.

With the 2009 elections nearing, the Supervisor election was expected to be a nail biter, as the longtime Republican councilman who was elected as Supervisor with under 50% of the vote in 2007, because of fractures amongst left-of-center voters, would tout his years of service to the Town, and the experience he could provide during these tough times, something his Democratic opponent could not offer.

Election day

Its amazing, candidates will spend hundreds to thousands of dollars on a local election over the timeline of months, and it all comes down to just fifteen hours of voting. The polls opened as a beautiful morning was just beginning, however, nightfall would bring a long night of wondering as Republicans and Democrats watched the results stream in.

Turnout was respectable, however, those who remained on the sidelines must have regretted their choice of ignoring an important local election, with the closest election I have ever witnessed.

With all votes counted, Supervisor John Barlow trailed his Democratic opponent by a margin of just two votes, with dozens of absentee ballots yet to be counted. The feeling was unrealistic, that such an important election, could come down to so few voters, a wake up call for those who dismiss their sacred vote, a vote secured through two hundred years of Americans fighting for freedom.

Two weeks later, the local Board of Elections counted the last of absentee ballots in the Richmondville Supervisor election, the full measure of a the American vote was realized on this morning, as it was announced Supervisor John Barlow was re-elected to the highest office in this small town, by just one vote.

346 citizens voted for John Barlow, 345 citizens voted for his Democratic opponent, 80 citizens skipped this election while filling out their ballots, and one vote was void.

What to learn from this election

The next time someone declares "your vote doesn't count", I want you to remember the Supervisor election in a little town, the United States Senate election in Minnesota, and the close Congressional elections in both of New York's special elections in 2009.

Your vote does count, please don't waste it.

On a side note, the 2009 election was not just a great testament to the value of the American vote, but it appeared as though John Barlow was revitalized, as though a man was born anew. Another testament of this election, never give up, even during the worst of times.

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Interview: Les Hendrix

Jumping in Pools is going to begin a segment of interviews of local folks. We're honored to have our first interview be of Lester Hendrix, of Schoharie. Mr. Hendrix and his wife Anne have worked tirelessly for the people of the area. Known for his advocacy concerning the safety of the Gilboa Dam, Les received the T-J Star Award. Mr. Hendrix also has solar panels on his roof, doing a small part to help solve our energy dependence. Please check out Les' website at www.schoharietattler.com

So without further ado:

1. What is the largest problem facing the country today?

A. The Second Great Depression, a/k/a the Bush Depression, is the most visible manifestation of a massively complex problem for which I have no moniker. Irresponsibility, lack of discipline, selfishness, greed, and short-sightedness have given us government operated by legislators who juggle special interests and offer no more than short-term solutions. Is the problem the people, or some of the people, or other people, or all the people? Is it corporations? Governments? Attitudes? The Bush Depression is merely the manifestation of a problem that's too large to scope.

2. What is the largest problem facing Upstate New York and how would you solve it?

A. See answer to No. 1 above. There is no single solution. Constitutional reforms including reorganization of government, term limits, and revoking many special interest laws, might be a small starting point. But government alone is only part of the problem. Possibly the biggest part, possibly not.

3. Would you support wind technology in Schoharie County?

A. In what manner? Do you mean, would I support having one or more large "wind farms" in the county? I am favorably inclined but would want to look at the specifics. I am favorably inclined to expansion of stone quarries, but not the particular expansion proposed in Schohaire.

4. What is the most exciting thing you see happening in the County in 20 years?

A. Either watching grass grow or reading "The Iliad and the Odyssey," I'm not sure which.

5. What about in the country as a whole?

A. I don’t want to think about it because we’re on a long down slope.

6. What issue that is not talked about should we be concerned with?

A. I think all the things we should be concerned about are talked about, but not necessarily enough – and seldom with open-enough minds. Among the things we need to be most concerned about (alphabetically because I do not care to rank them) are energy, environment, government, integrity, morality, and public mindset.

7. What's the most interesting thing about having a website?

A. I enjoy exploring the various web technologies.

We'd like to thank Mr. Hendrix for participating and send our best wishes.

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News of the Schoharie Valley

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The Gilboa Dam

As everyone is well aware, the Gilboa Dam has been making headlines as of recent. Among the papers which have held the story is, of course, our own Times Journal, the Daily Star, the Times Union, and the New York Times. But, other than knowing the dam is etcetera years old, few people are privy to the history of the dam.

The hamlet of old Gilboa was founded March 16, 1848. Through it’s history of seventy years, it would contain an ice cream parlor, a tannery, a creamery, a foundry, a tinsmith, a blacksmith, a cotton mill, and a grist mill. Furthermore, it held two hotels, three churches, and a two-roomed schoolhouse. Before the dam was constructed, Gilboa was a trade center for southern Schoharie County.

Now, the proposal for a dam to serve New York City was not a new idea. Actually, a bill was proposed in 1906, then again in 1912, for the construction of a dam in Schoharie County. Both were rejected. But between 1912 and 1916, the Schoharie Creek was found to have a creek bed of solid rock, so when a bill was proposed in 1916, the state authorized the construction of the Prattsville Dam, which was subsequently changed to the Gilboa Dam.

Old Gilboa was doomed. The state set up three commisions to condemn buildings, the first of which was a church. The moving of people and the condemning of buildings did not happen instantly. Rather, people were allowed to stay in their homes for a few years after construction began, but it was evident that in a short amount of time, they would have to move.

As construction continued, workers took residence nearby, and stone quarries were opened. Bodies and tombstones were placed at different locations, obviously they didn’t want dead bodies floating in their water supply. Tunnels were constructed to take the water to New York City. In 1927, construction of the dam was finished, and water first went over the top of the dam on October 20, 1927.

Now it has come to today. For 78 years the state has done nothing to the dam, and for 78 years the dam has been eroding. Not that the state hasn’t noticed the old dam. Actually the state had plans to strengthen the dam... in 2010. But this was before the New York City Department of Environment Protection said it was “concerned with the integrity” of the Gilboa Dam. Now there are plans to drill holes in the dam, and reinforce it with steel cables, which will strengthen the dam until it is redone. If the dam was to break, parts of Esperance, Central Bridge, Schoharie, Middleburgh, Fulton, Breakabeen, Broome, North Blenheim, Conesville, and Gilboa would be flooded. This is according to the map given in the November 16^th issue of the Times Journal.

Since the story first broke in October, the state’s been going crazy to calm citizens, holding meetings, making evacuation “plans” for the citizens effected, and the state has even set up a website dedicated to the dam. The address of which is www.gilboadam.info. In November the mayors of Schoharie, Middleburgh, and Esperance sent letters to state representatives, including Hillary Clinton. The letters ask for an assessment of the dam, and what repairs are needed.

Little real action has been taken, and the main thing we can do is hope and pray that the Gilboa Dam stays strong and faithful, until it can be redone.

Bibliography

1. David Avitabile. “Dam Concerns Grow”. Times Journal. November 16, 2005.

2. Lester E. Hendrix. The Sloughters’ History of Schoharie County. April, 1994.

Schoharie County's Paper

We all know the Times Journal. Local paper, news source, and so on. Most, however, don’t know even a brief history of it.

The first issue of the Times Journal appeared April 14, 1877, but it was named the “Cobleskill Herald”. The Herald was first owned by two men named Johnson and Roberts. Johnson and Roberts lived and worked in Oneonta, but they saw an opportunity to establish a new newspaper in a, then, rapidly growing county. Originally, the Herald triumphed the Republican cause, but the paper was successful, even though Cobleskill and Schoharie County were heavily Democrat.

At first, the Herald was four pages and was eight columns in width. After a few years, a man by the name of Miles G. Graham bought the paper. Although the paper was pro-Republican when it started, it was only mild. When Mr. Graham bought it, though, he made it vigorously Republican. In 1883, Charles T. Conover bought the paper. Mr. Conover was a native of Esperance.

Mr. Conover was a fluent and articulate writer, so therefore he was able to place the paper on firmer grounds. Also, Mr. Conover put the paper on firm grounds because he placed large amounts of money into it. Only a year later, though, Conover left the paper and moved to Seattle to invest in real estate. R. S. Keyser was the next owner of the paper. Keyser said that he had always wanted to write, but after just a few months he became the principle of the Middleburgh High School. Keyser placed his brother, Lynn, in charge. Lynn had little experience with management and things went terribly. In 1885, Erwin B. Hard bought the paper.

Mr. Hard was an ideal newspaperman. He was well trained, energetic, and a hard worker. Soon after he bought the paper he changed it’s name to the “Cobleskill Times”. Hard led the paper through prosperous times. The next publisher of the paper was Frank A. Linster, who became such in 1905. In 1908 Linster bought the first “linotype” machine for the paper, making it easier to print and set type, as compared to old machines that were set by hand.

Soon after 1908, a group of fifteen people bought the paper, hoping to voice a strong pro-prohibition statement. They soon realized, though, that the paper couldn’t run on sentiments alone, which led to the sale of the paper to George W. Jones in 1915. Jones found the paper to be to much trouble and sold it to Joseph R. Browne. Under Mr. Browne’s leadership, the paper did well, even during the hard days of World War 1.

On August 4, 1919, Charles L. Ryder purchased the paper. Mr. Ryder, who had also published the Cherry Valley Gazette and the Sharon Springs Record, merged these papers with the Cobleskill Times. In 1946, a paper called the “Schoharie County Journal” also merged with the Times, which formed the Times Journal.

The Journal was in the Ryder family until 1979, when Richard Sanford purchased it. In July of 1992, Jim Poole became owner and publisher of the paper. Currently, the paper has a circulation of 7200, with a readership of over 21000.

Although it has passed through many hands and many names, the Times Journal still stands today. If I were you, I’d go to a local store, right now, and buy a copy.

Bibliography

June 30, 1976 edition of the Times Journal.

David Avitabile

Schoharie County is Born

Chapter 4 talks about the time during which Schoharie County was formed. It also talks about the Schoharie Creek, it’s towns, it’s courthouses, war, and a bunch of other things.

On April 6^th, 1795 Schoharie County was formed out of parts of Albany and Otsego. Appropriately it’s name was derived from the Schoharie Creek. In Indian, “Schoharie” means flood wood. Thanks to the formation of the county, the name “Schoharie” was set, compared to spelling such as Schorie, Shore, Scorie, and Schoharry. In 1801, the county’s boundaries were defined. Also, in 1836 a portion of Greene County was annexed to the county.

The Schoharie Creek is rare and unique in the fact that it flows northward. Although the Creek and it’s tributaries have flooded many times, the first recorded event of such was in 1784. In fact, the flood was so bad that residents of the county petitioned the legislature for tax exemption.

When the county was formed it consisted of six towns: Schoharie, Middletown, Cobleskill, Bristol, Blenheim, and Sharon. In 1801 Middletown was changed to Middleburgh, and Bristol was changed to Broome. There are sixteen towns in our county. The first town formed in our county was, of course, Schoharie, and the last was Richmondville, formed from Seward and Cobleskill.

Our first courthouse was built in 1800. After it was burned in 1845, by a prisoner trying to escape, a second was built. After this one was burned, our current stone building was built in 1870. In 1830, a farm was purchased, and the structure that stood on the property was used as a “Poor House”. When the text was written, a building built in 1838 served as the Poor House and the poor who lived there were called Sloughters, hum.

Upon the outbreak of the War of 1812, the people of Schoharie County heavily bore hatred against the British for their heinous acts during the Revolution. Many of these people joined in the fight against the British. People from Cobleskill and Sharon assisted in the destruction of British stores in Canada and the repulsion of British troops at Ogdensburgh. Some, but only a few, died in battle and by disease.

The state of New York created a constitution for the state in 1777. This constitution proved defective, and a new one was created at the “Second Constitutional Convention”, held in 1821. Three delegates from the county were sent. A topic discussed at the convention was an ct to disenfranchise Tories. Originally, an act was created in 1784, but it was repealed in 1787.

In 1842, the only governor from Schoharie County was elected. Governor William Bouck’s first message to the state was very lengthy, during which he spoke of key issues, including, slavery, federal vs. state government, popular sovereignty, railroads, and the Eire Canal.

From 1840 to 1845, land owned in the southern part of the count, by the Livingstons, was not payed for. The Livingstons refused to pay rent to the County Sheriff. Things got hectic as a anti-rent war loomed and one sheriff was even killed. John S. Brown, a sheriff, asked the state, and got, over a hundred men to enforce the law. In March of 1845, he marched through Middleburgh, Fulton, Blenheim, and Broome. This showed that the state was not fooling around, and peace was restored.

The Schoharie County Railroad was built in 1867, and was vital to small town economic survival. The railroad cost $100,000 to build, and connected Schoharie with the Central Bridge station. While the railroad was being built, Howe’s Caverns were discovered. This became a huge tourist attraction, the most popular in the county.

A natural feature of the county is it’s mineral springs. These springs, most famous at Sharon, are said to have “curative” properties, said to exist because of sulfur in the water. This same sulfur gives Sharon it’s, well, distinctive smell.

Although the county was constantly at work, education was not forgotten. As the county increased in size, and when neighborhoods were settled, schools were built and improved upon. Also not forgotten was religion. As population increased, so did churches, and, when the text was written, there were 75 churches in the county.

The first newspaper in the county was the “American Herald”, which was published in 1809. Other newspapers include: The Schoharie Herald, The Schoharie Budget, The True American, and the Cobleskill Herald, which later became the Times Journal. Most of these papers were political, but after state and national papers arose, many small-town papers died out. Also discussed in the chapter were crimes including: counterfeiting, murder, theft, and trespassing. The chapter also states a lot of statistics, including population.

196 years ago was when the first paper of the county was published. Wouldn’t it be interesting to know what the headline was?