Senate Resolution No. 853 BY: Senator GRIFFO COMMEMORATING the 200th Anniversary of the Town of Annsville, New York WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to honor and commemorate the distinguished histories of the communities which comprise the noble body of this great Empire State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Town of Annsville, New York, to be celebrated with a myriad of events on August 11-12, 2023; and WHEREAS, The Town of Annsville is located in Oneida County between Camden and Rome, the foothills of the Adirondacks and Tug Hill, including the Hamlet of Taberg; and WHEREAS, In 1793, John W. Bloomfield traveled from New Jersey up the Mohawk Valley beyond Fort Stanwix to oversee some surveying for a relative; the following year he returned and, with others, invested in a 6,000 acre tract of Scriba's Patent; and WHEREAS, John and his wife built a log cabin on the site of what is now Annsville Elementary School in 1794; they were the first settlers in the town which bears the name of John's wife, Ann; the large, white, pillared house across the street was built in 1822-23 by John's cousin, Joseph Bloomfield; and WHEREAS, John W. Bloomfield built the first sawmill and gristmill in the Hamlet now known as Taberg; in 1809, the Oneida Iron and Glass Manufacturing Company began its operation, and in 1811, a blast furnace was built for the production of pig iron; it is also said that shot and shell were produced here for the War of 1812; and WHEREAS, Charcoal was used in the production of pig iron and residents of Annsville, particularly those living on Coal Hill Road, burned wood to make charcoal which they sold to the iron company; this is where Coal Hill got its name; and WHEREAS, Elias Brewster of Connecticut settled in Annsville in 1806, having lived in Western since 1790; he began clearing land and building a cabin for his family which arrived in April of 1807; Adam P. Campbell and Nicholas Armstrong settled on the meadows in 1805 or 1806, during which time a man by the name of Wade settled on the Forks; and WHEREAS, Dan Taft and a man by the name of Jones settled near where Vincent Taft now keeps a public house; for a number of years, Dan Taft kept a noted tavern on the same premises; the old Taft Hotel stood two and one-half miles southeast of Taberg on the state road and was destroyed by fire in about 1867; and WHEREAS, In June of 1803, four brothers, Benjamin, Jonathan, James and Abraham Morton, came from Springfield, Massachusetts, and settled in Northern Annsville; in 1805, Jonathan and Samuel Stanford arrived, and Peter Abbott, a Revolutionary War veteran from Windham, Vermont settled there in 1806; Daniel Miller from Granville, Massachusetts also settled up north in 1804 on a farm subsequently occupied by John Whiffen; his brother, Eliakim Miller, purchased a farm in 1814; and WHEREAS, The Town of Annsville was officially formed from the surrounding towns of Lee, Florence, Camden and Vienna on April 12, 1823; the first town board meeting was held on March 2, 1824, and Benjamin Hyde was elected the first supervisor; and WHEREAS, The early settlers of Annsville were rugged individualists clearing land, planting crops, and building cabins to survive; when this was done, new needs arose which called for working together as one for common causes; they founded fire brigades, built roads, and established schools and churches; they raised families and formed cultural, social and spiritual organizations; they worked to create a sense of community with values of tolerance, patriotism and moral courage; and WHEREAS, This same sense of community and shared values are reflected in the people and organizations found in Annsville today; and WHEREAS, A truly charming community, there is a special comfort in the safety of a small town where the streets are named after familiar people and landmarks; and WHEREAS, Of historic origin, and remaining fruitful over the ebb and flow of decades of growth and change, the Town of Annsville continues to provide the quintessential quality of life for its residents; and WHEREAS, The residents of the Town of Annsville have a bright outlook for the future of their community, which remains a beautiful place in which to live, work and raise a family; and WHEREAS, In recognition of Annsville's rich history and enduring contribution to the State of New York, this Legislative Body is proud to pay tribute to this spirited town upon the occasion of its 200th Anniversary; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to commemorate the Bicentennial of the Town of Annsville, New York, recognizing the significance of the role it continues to play in the life of the community of the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the Bicentennial Committee of the Town of Annsville, New York.