Otsego NY, Early Town Records

The History of Otsego, NY
Early Middlefield Town Records

By Holice and Debbie

THE FIRST TOWN-MEETING The first town-meeting in Middlefield was held Aug. 4, 1797, and resulted in the election of the following officers:
Supervisor	Samuel Griffen
Town Clerk	Thomas Jones
Commissioners of Highways	Andrew Wilson, Stephen Smith, And Moses Rich
Commissioners of Schools	Samuel Griffen, Lewis Edson, and Robert Campbell
Assessors	Robert Dickson, William Binn, and George Boid
Overseers of the Poor	Daniel McCollum and Obadiah Dunham
Constables	Abraham Fling, and Abner Dunham
Collector	Abraham Fling
Fence Viewers	Daniel Rice and John Smith
Pound Master	William Binn
Overseers of the Highways	Isaac Green, Oliver Buel, Ebenezer Bennett, Oliver Stetson, Nathaniel Harley, Nathaniel Gallop, Oliver Gibbs, John Sweet, George Boid, Daniel Temple, Samuel Killpatrick, Thaddeus Brookins, James Ingalls, Timothy Walker, Abijah Barnum, Cornelius Hendrix, and Jonathan Bennett
Overseers of the highways appointed by the commissioners,, Nathan Pierce, Jonathan Smith

Ordinances passed as law in and for the town of Middlefield, April 4, 1797:

1^st. "That horses and sheep shall not be commoners.
2d. "That hogs shall not be commoners from the first of April until the first of November.
3d. "That all marks of cattle, etc., shall be recorded in the town-records that have not previously been recorded in the town of Cherry Valley."

1799, May 29:

A fine of twelve dollars and a half, secured to the postmasters by Moses Rich by note, William Cook, of Cooperstown, bail for said fine, obtained before James Ingalls, Esq., for the said sum of $12.50.

Town of Middlefield Recorded by order of

County of Otsego James Ingalls, Esq.

Account of excise arising from licenses given to the following persons, A.D. 1799:
James Ingalls	$5
Andrew Carmen	5
James Horth	5
Nathan Pearce	5
Moses Rich	5
William Rice	5
Total	$30
Attest: Samuel Griffen, Supervisor March 25, 1799.

An account of the road district in the town of Middlefield, as laid out by the Commissioners, Feb. 14, 1798:
No. 1	"Beginning at Cooperstown bridge, end four rods north of James Ingalls."
No. 2	"Beginning four rods north of James Ingalls, end at the bridge near Andrew Carman’s."
No. 3	"Begin at the bridge near A.C. bridge, and ends at C. Valley Lines."
No. 4	"Beg. At the S. Road, near Phineas Wilson’s, and at Springfield line."
No. 5	"Beg. At the St. road near Sam’l Anderson’s, ends at Spr. Lines."
No. 6	"Beg. At the St. road a few rods N. of James Horth’s, ends at Spr. line."
No. 7	"Beg. At the St. road between James Ingalls’s and Abel Parker’s, ends at Robert Riddle’s."
No. 8	Beg. At the St. road, running by John Cook’s, Sam’l Killpatrick’s. and to C. Valley line."
No. 9	"Beg. At the St. road, near Sam’l Anderson’s. ends at the long Patent road near Ephraim Brookins’."
No.10	"Beg. At road No. 9, ends at the N. line of Wm. Rose’s farm."
No.11	"Beginning at the State road, near Hosea Brown’s, end at Nathan White’s house, on long Pattent."
No.12	"Beg. At C. Valley line, runs down the long Pattent to Moses Rich’s barn."
No.13	"Beg. At a bridge near James Murphy’s, end at the N. line of John Thomas’ farm."
No.14	"Beg. At N. line of John Thomas’ farm, end at the Se. line of Middlefield."
No.15	"Beg. At the house of Arnold Burrells, ends at the Se. line of Middlefield, W. side C. V. creek."
No.16	"Beg. At Moses Rich’s Mill, end at C. Valley line, E. side of C. Valley creek."
No.17	"Beg. At the St. road, near Mrs. Butt’s farm, ends at the crotch of the road near Bower’s saw-mill."
No.18	"Beg. At the s. road near Bower’s field, ends at the crotch of the road near Thomas’ tract."
No.19	"Beg. At the School-house, end at the bridge below Bower’s saw-mill."
No.20	"Beg. At the bridge near Thomas’ tracts, ends at Jeremiah Irons."
Moses Rich, Andrew Wilson, Stephen Smith Commissioners of Highways.

"The Commissioners of Excise or the town of Middlefield have Licensed Moses Rich to keep an Inn or a Tavern, which I’ve sent’d to the Poor-Masters five dollars.

"Samuel Griffen, Supervisor.
"Middlefield, May 26, 1798."

"Statement of excise or poor money in the town of Middlefield,

July 10, 1797:

"On hand at present, 20 pounds 18 cents.

"Samuel Griffen, Supervisor.

"To be Recorded."

The proposition of school money from the State for the town of Middlefield, forty-one pounds thirteen shillings. Also, twenty-one pounds
Twelve shillings raised by said town, making in the whole the sum of sixty-three pounds and five shillings.

As certified by the Supervisors of the County of Otsego,

Entered August 22, 1797.

"The commissioners for the town of Middlefield have licensed four persons to keep inns or taverns, for which they pay five dollars each, the whole twenty dollars.

"Samuel Griffen, Supervisor.
"March 2, 1798."