Edmeston, New York
Edmeston is a town located in Otsego County, New York. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 1,824.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 115.5 km² (44.6 mi²). 115.4 km² (44.5 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.11% water.
History
The following excerpt is from the Gazetteer of the State of New York by J. H. French. Published by R. Pearsall Smith Syracuse, N. Y. 1860.
- EDMESTON -- was formed from Burlington, April 1, 1808. It lies upon the W. border of the co., N. of the center. The surface is an elevated upland, broken by numerous irregular valleys. The highest elevations are 400 to 500 ft. above Unadilla River, which forms the W. boundary. Wharton Creek flows across the S. E. corner. Mill Creek and several other small streams take their rise in the town. Smiths Pond is a small sheet of water in the N. E. corner. The soil is a sandy and clayey loam. Edmeston Center (Edmeston p.o.) contains 3 churches, a grist and saw mill, and tannery. Pop. 275. West Edmeston, ((p.v.,) on Unadilla River, and partly in Brookfield, (Madison co.,) contains a church and 35 houses. South Edmeston, (p.v.,) on the Unadilla, contains 30 houses. Of the first settlement in town, authentic data of the precise date are wanting. It was made, however, on Unadilla River, during the interval between the close of the French War, in 1763, and the commencement of that of the Revolution, in 1775, by Col. Edmeston, an officer of the French War, and Percifer Carr, a faithful soldier who had served under him.¹ The first church (Bap.) was formed at Taylor Hill, March 8, 1794; Rev. Stephen Taylor was the first preacher.²
- ¹At the close of the war, Col. Edmeston, for his military services, received the grant of a tract of land covering a large portion of the town on which he made the first settlement. At his death the lands fell to heirs and minor children residing in England, from whom no safe title could be obtained for many years,--which greatly retarded the settlement of the town. During the Revolution, the hired men of Mr. Cary were killed while at work, his barn burned, his property destroyed, and himself and family were taken prisoners by the British and Indians and detained to the close of the war. Abel De Forest and Gideon De Forest were among the early settlers on the Unadilla; Aden Deming and James Kenada, at Edmeston; and Stephen Taylor, on Taylor Hill, where the first school was taught. Rufus Graves kept the first inn; and James Kenada erected the first gristmill, both at Edmeston Center.
- ²The census reports 5 churches; 2 Bap., 7th da. Bapt., M. E., and Univ.
Town History, provided by Robert Nonenmacher, Town of Edmeston Historian[1].
The town of Edmeston, in Otsego County, extends to the West as far as the Unadilla River (a line that was established by the 1768 treaty of Fort Stanwix between the British and the Iroquois, signed by Sir William Johnson ). The town's name came from the brothers, Robert and Col. William Edmeston, who had been granted 10,000 acres of land in what is now the northwest corner of the [town]. The settlements of West Edmeston and South Edmeston are situated in the Unadilla Valley, while the hamlet of Edmeston lies in the Wharton Valley. Earlier settlers came from New England; for most of the settlers, it was planned as a stopover on their way west. A strong Baptist influence came with the settlers. Universalists, Methodists and Roman Catholics soon arrived.
Largely rural by nature, dairy farming was the main industry. Cheese factories, creameries, livery stables, blacksmith shops, tanneries, etc. were created. One room schoolhouses were scattered throughout the [town]. By damming the creeks, power was created for foundries and mills. Hop growing and maple syrup production were seasonal [ocupations]. Each hamlet developed business districts and became self sufficient. By the late 1800s, and the beginning of the 1900s, trains were introduced. Then cars, busses and trucks arrived on the scene. Dams were washed out and electricity became available. The hamlets evolved into bedroom communities. The one room schoolhouses closed and the Central School was developed in the hamlet of Edmeston.
Today residents go in all four directions for employment. The New York Central Insurance Company (in Edmeston) not only provides positions for many of the locals, but also for hundreds that commute into the community each day. On the Eastern side of the town is the Pathfinder Village (home for Down Syndrome residents) that provides more employment.
The population of the town has not increased drastically through the years; it still remains largely rural. Organizations like the local Rotary Club, American Legion and Fire and Emergency Squads have active volunteers that provide community needs in lieu of governments in the hamlets. Edmeston Central School is the center of activities.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, the town of Edmeston contained:
The population density was 15.8/km² (40.9/mi²). There were 821 housing units at an average density of 7.1/km² (18.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was:
There were 658 households out of which:
The population spread of the town of Edmeston was:
The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.6 males. In the town of Edmeston, median income:
The per capita income for the town is $17,507. 13.6% of the population and 8.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty,
Population Distribution (2000 Census)
| Age | Total | %T(*) | Male | %M(**) | Female | %F(**) |
| All | 1824 | 100.0 | 912 | 50.0 | 912 | 50.0 |
| 18+ | 1330 | 72.9 | 657 | 36.0 | 673 | 36.9 |
| 21+ | 1282 | 70.3 | - | - | - | - |
| 60+ | 352 | 19.3 | 166 | 47.2 | 186 | 52.8 |
| 62+ | 324 | 17.8 | - | - | - | - |
| 65+ | 265 | 14.5 | 126 | 47.5 | 139 | 52.5 |
| 75+ | 118 | 6.5 | 49 | 41.5 | 69 | 58.5 |
| 85+ | 25 | 1.4 | 9 | 36.0 | 16 | 64.0 |
(*) percent of total population (all ages)
(**) percent of population in age bracket