History of Madison County, State of New York

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1872 Excerpt: ...were not long in finding it to be a pleasant and advantageous village site. There was the tavern of Payne, on the southeast corner; on the opposite corner, southwest, (the present site of the post office, ) stood a large, old fashioned, low, framed house, which was not lathed and plastered, and had a huge Dutch chimney in the center, with fire-places in every room around it. Burnet Galloway had a cabinet shop in the north part of this house, and Alexander McElwain kept tavern in the other part. A store was kept by a Mr. Dudley. There was, also, a blacksmith and several other mechanics at this point. After 1813, the Muller village went down, and Slab City began to rise. In 1815, by an act of Legislature, Township No. 6 was set apart from DeRuyter. The inhabitants were unanimous in their desire to have the town named Washington, in honor of our first President; but the Legislature objected, as there were several other towns of Washington in the State; so, on the recommendation of that body, the people accepted the illustrious General's christian name, thus giving us Georgetown. The first town officers were: --Capt. William Payne, Supervisor; Dr. E. Whitmore, Town Clerk; Ebenezer Hall and Elijah Brown, Assessors. 'Squire Seth Smith of the village, and 'Squire Alvord, were two of the first Justices appointed. This town had been previously honored by appointments to office of its citizens, when it was a part of DeRuyter. Eleazer Hunt was Justice of the Peace for that town, appointed in 1806; Daniel Alvord and Josiah Purely were Justices in 1808, and Ezra Sexton in 1810. John F. Fairchild moved into town in 1817, and kept a store on the northwest corner in Georgetown village. He afterwards kept tavern on the southeast corner. The first sto...