Town History

They say the first person to come into the Milford area was a squatter named Carr but he didn’t stay long. Before him, a Richard Smith from New Jersey conducted a survey of the Otsego Patent area. After stopping at the settlement of Cherry Valley, he continued through the Milford area, conducting the survey for potential land speculation in 1769. Before him, archeology has shown that native Americans had been in the area since 11,000BC.

Matthew Cully and his son David came to the Milford area in 1772, searched for a good site to settle and began a settlement near present Milford Center in 1773. The Revolutionary War disturbed the peace of the area but Major Matthew Cully and his sons returned to find their cabin still standing in 1783. After some improvements, they sold the settlement to Thomas Mumford in 1784 and he had a grist mill going by 1786. Mumford also constructed the first frame house in that area in 1795. Matthew Cully remained in the area until his death December 13,1813, and is buried in the Milford Cemetery.

The first town meeting was held on April 5, 1796, at the home of Isaac Collier. The town was originally organized as the Town of Suffrage and incorporated parts of the present Town and City of Oneonta. The first Town Supervisor was James Moore and the first Town Clerk was Scott Henry. In May 1800, a re-organizational meeting was called to order at Eaton’s Tavern (present site of Springbrook) and a proposal by Col. Joseph Mumford was approved to change the town’s name from Suffrage to the Town of Milford. A petition was drawn up and approved by the State Legislature. The same officers remained.

There are numerous first settlers and numerous first establishments and events which occurred throughout the history of Milford. For a more complete documentary record contact the Milford Town Historian Sandra Bullard at 607 286-9948 or [email protected] or Jim Havener, President of the Greater Milford Historical Association at 607 286-7038.

The following are just highlights:
1785, Isaac Collier settled in Colliersville and Moses and Noah Ford were the first settlers in Milford Village.
1787, Peter VanAlstine, the first doctor in the Milford area lived in Colliersville. Levi Adams and Stukley Whitford establish themselves at Edson Corners.
1788, James McCollum establishes the first tavern in Milford Village and David Cully has the first grist mill on Eddy Creek.
1789, The first bridge over the Susquehanna at the mouth of Cherry Valley Creek. David, Matthew and John Cully purchase 430 acres (Lot 63) along the Susquehanna from Sam Allison.
1790, The first school district is organized in Milford by James Moore. Increase Niles was the first teacher. The first bridge across the Susquehanna at Colliersville. 1791, A road is opened between Mt. Vision (Quakers Corners) and Edson Corners.
1793, Thomas Mumford donates the land for the Milford Cemetery. Rev. Reed hold the first religios service near Milford.
1794, The first school is established in Milford Center. Isaac Edson starts a store and tavern at Edson Corners. Previously he started the first store in Milford Village. 1798, William Stevens settles on a farm purchased from Micah Haskins 1/2 mile below Portlandville. He was the father of Ezra Stevens, local historian, who wrote about the early events in the Milford area.
1804, John Edson and son Jacob settle in Edson Corners with son Isaac. They build a store, tavern, hotel, ashery and gun room. Jacob acted as the town’s first lawyer.
1806, Isaac Colliers son Peter and Jared Goodyear build a dam across the Susquehanna near the site of the present dam. It is the first dam between the Otsego lake and Tidewater.
1808, The Sayre Family moves to Milford from Greene County and between 1808 and 1810 erect the Sayre House, currently the home of the Greater Milford Historical Association.
1810, The first Post Office in Milford.
1816, The Colliersville Homestead is build by Peter Collier.
1822-23, The first Post Office in Colliersville.
1829, The Town of Oneonta created taking part of the southwest corner of the Town of Milford (Richardson Hill).
1831, Daniel Winsor becomes the first Town Justice of the Peace.
1832, A covered bridge erected at Colliersville. It was in use until 1929.
1834, The Portlandville School District organized.
1840, A corner store was built at the southwest corner of Main St, Milford Village. George Kirby was the first merchant. Later the store was called ‘Crowley’s’ and is currently ‘The Corner Store’.
1846, The ‘Lutheran Hearald’ started. The first newspaper in Milford.
1869, The Cooperstown and Charlotte Valley RR opens passenger service between Cooperstown Junction and Cooperstown.
1873, David Wilber moved his hops business to Oneonta. About 1845 he had a log cabin built on the Crumhorn and by 1855 had over 250 acres of hops under cultivation.
1890, The Village of Milford incorporated. George Bissell was the first President and W.B. Hanover the first Treasurer.
1893, Village of Milford Water Works started as well as the first Hose Co. 1894, The Milford Cemetery Association started.
1901, O.A. Weatherly established ‘The Famous Pineapple Cheese Company’ in the ‘Crumhorn Creamery’, a plant taken over from David Wilber.
1903, Ezra Stevens completes “Early History of Milford”.
1907, The Hartwick Light and Power Company built the current Goodyear Lake Dam at the site of the former dam and mill. It supplied power to the Oneonta, Cooperstown and Richfield Springs Electric RR (trolley). Passenger service ended late 20s and freight ended 1940.
1908, A two room school house built in Portlandville.
1917, Milford voted for the Suffrage Amendment 110 to 89.
1919, ‘The Milford Tidings’ purchased by the Cooperstown ‘Freeman’s Journal’. The ‘tidings’ was the name given to the ‘Milford News’ when that was purchased in 1889. The ‘Tidings’ is on microfilm at the Milford Free Library.
1922, George Wilber purchases the current Wilber Park and presents it to the Village.
1923, The Milford Free Library opened.
1927, Milford became one of the first centralized school districts in NYS. A new brick school was built and Floyd Rasbach was the first Principal.
1930, The Goodyear Lake Grange is organized. In 1934 they purchased the Christian Church in Portlandville (the current Milford Town Hall).
1932, Portlandville School District #3 joined the Milford Central Schoiol District. A new bridge was built in Portlandville replacing the 1869 bridge.
1934, Passenger service on the D&H between Cooperstown and Colliersville is discontinued. On June 14th, Eva Coo murdered Harry Wright on the Crumhorn.
1937, Eggleston Enterprises (business of Niles Eggleston) moved the the Sayre House, home of his Grandmother. Niles published numeous periodical articles and wrote a complete history of the Eva Coo murder trial.
1941-42, Deane Winsor founded the ‘Milford Macs’ semi-pro baseball team and coached the team for 50 years.
1944, O.A. Weatherly sold the Pineapple Cheese factory to the Dairymen’s League. William Crowley purchased the Corner Store.
1946, The Milford Rotary started.
1947, The Milford summer recreation program started in Wilber Park. A frozen food locker is built at the south end of the village, now Jackie’s Restaurant.
1962, Gordon Hammond begins a 25 year career as the Superintendent of the Milford Central School.
1963, The first woman mayor of Milford elected – June Hotaling. First annual Flea Market-Antique Show by the Milford Rotary.
1969, NYSEG closed the power station at the Goodyear Lake Dam.
1971, BOCES opened their occupational center 1 1/2 miles east of the Village of Milford.
1974, D&H freight train carrying propane tanks derailed and exploded near Cooperstown Junction causing serious injuries to over 50 firemen and bystanders. NYSEG offers the Goodyear Lake Dam for sale – no takers.
1975, The Sayre House deeded to The Greater Milford Historical Association. A stop light replaced the blinking light in the Village of Milford.
1979, A grant was awarded by the US Dept. of Energy to make over the hydro-electric plant on Goodyear Lake. The power plant re-opened in 1980. NYSEG was to buy the power it generated.
1983, The Portlandville School closed for good.
1986, James Seward of Milford elected to the NYS State Senate. Milford School District voters approve construct on new 6 million dollar school.
1988, November 19, the new Milford Central School is dedicated. 430 students.
1989, The first woman inducted into the Milford Rotary was Charlotte Koniuto.
1991, Deane Winsor retired from the ‘Milford Macs’. The ballpark was named ‘Deane Winsor Field’ and the ‘Macs’ became the ‘Otsego Macs’.
1995, Anton Remy died at 78 after retiring in 1976 from a 35 year career coaching at the MCS. The gymnasium at the new MCS and the Anton Remy Basketball Tournament were dedicated in his name.
Cooperstown Brewing Company established at the former O.A.Weatherly Co. milk station.
2002-2003, A new bridge across the Susquehanna at Portlandville replaced the 1932 bridge.
Jessie Eichler, longest elected town clerk retired. She was first elected in 1981. She passed away in 2010.
2006, June – major flooding in the Milford and surrounding areas caused flood plain re-evaluation.
2011, August – Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee hit the area and cause extensive damage in NYS.