VILLAGES

EAST CHATHAM

COLUMBIA COUNTY

NEW YORK

By Capt. Franklin Ellis³⁰⁵

1878

     North of New Concord, on Steeny creek, is East Chatham.  It is an important station on the Boston and Albany railroad, and has an active business, which has been created principally by the railway.  There are several good business blocks, and about four hundred inhabitants.  The early settlers in this locality were Garrett M. Rowe, Obadiah Preston, Joshua Gifford, Noadiah Gillett, and M. Vanderpoel.

     Peter Crandell had the first store.  He was followed in trade by Baldwin Bros., Jesse D. Flint, and others.  The different branches of trade are at present well represented by good stores.  In one of them is kept the post-office, by O. Palmer.  It was established at this point about 1840, and was first kept by J. C. Chapman, on the West Stockbridge railroad.  Previously to that time it was kept at New Concord.  Samuel Foot was one of the first to open a public-house, occupying the site of Palmer's store.  Eleazer Davis was also an innkeeper.  Besides the half-dozen stores, the village contains two taverns, two churches, a good school-house, and a fair supply of mechanic shops.

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