Moses WADSWORTH

New Hartford Submitted by Barbara Andresen From ROMAN CITIZEN newspaper, Rome, Oneida , New York, Wednesday, Dec 4, 1850 NEW HARTFORD Early Settlement -- Soil -- Products -- Inhabitants -- Manufactories and business of Former Years. The town of New Hartford was one of the first settled towns in the , this town and Whitestown were settled about the same time in 1787 or 1788. Judge Sanger bought a tract of land in what was then a wilderness and about the same time the Messrs. Williams, three families of Kelloggs, two of Risleys, two of Olmsteads, Hurlburt, Butler, Shepard, Beach, Kilborn, and Higby, with a few other, commenced the settlement of the town, and being the best of land it was soon taken up by actual settlers from the New England States, men who were brought up to the habits of industry, on the rocky soil of the Eastern States, could not fail in making rapid progress towards compotency and wealth, with such a soil as New Hartford is celebrated for. The town is well watered by the Saquoit and other streams, giving it many fine mill privileges that are well improved. It is peculiarly adapted to English grain of all kinds, and a fine town for fruit, with a noble breed of cattle as any town in the except Vernon. The inhabitants retain the character of the first settlers in maintaining the institutions of Religion and learning, diffusing happiness to families and neighborhood, making the best of society in every district. The village of New Hartford is pleasantly located four miles south-west of Utica, on what was formerly the great Western Turnpike and before the building of the Erie Canal and great Western Rail Road was the great thoroughfare for all the travel west. The town contains at this time, 4847 inhabitants, is six miles square, and has in its bounds a larger number of manufacturies than any town in the --the principal ones are Burr Stone Mills, Cotton Capron or Utica Cotton Mills, Howell's two factories New Hartford Mill, Washington, two factories belonging to F. Hollister, of Utica, a splendid stone building, Rodgers & Spencer's large machine shop and foundary Chadwick & Son's Eagle Mills Cotton Factory, Clark's Cotton Mills on the Oriskany Creek, one of the best built factories in the country, making in the whole ten in number besides a large number of other mechanics located in its borders doing a heavy amount of business. In 1816 New Hartford village (before the Erie Canal was built) was doing a large merchantile business the Messrs. Wilbur & Stanton, and a few other merchants transacted as heavy a business as any merchants in the , and the village was in a thriving and growing condition. The building of the Canal diverted trade and travel so that for a number of years the village lost its appearance of thrift then it formerly enjoyed; but, within a few years the manufacturing about it and its excellent farming land has given it the appearance of renewed vigor and beauty. It has some splendid farm houses and country seats showing wealth and taste in their construction. The first male born in the town is now living near Washington Mills. What a change he has seen

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