Senate Resolution No. 496
BY: Senator AKSHAR
COMMEMORATING the 200th Anniversary of the Town of
Colesville, 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 Colesville, in Broome,
County, New York; and
WHEREAS, Robert Harpur was born in Ireland in 1733; during the
Revolutionary War, he was a member of the convention that drew up New
York State's first constitution; he served in the State Assembly for
several years and was Deputy Secretary of State from 1790-1795; he
surveyed much of New York in the 1780s and was awarded 15,360 acres of
land of what became the Town of Colesville; and
WHEREAS, Robert Harpur built what is believed to be the first grist
mill in the area; he also established Harpur College, known today as
SUNY Binghamton; and
WHEREAS, Revolutionary War veteran Nathaniel Cole arrived in the
area in 1795; he was a direct descendant of Mayflower Pilgrim, Stephan
Hopkins; Nathaniel settled just south of present-day Harpursville and
the site is still called Cole's Hill; and
WHEREAS, Nathaniel Cole and his son built a tavern in 1800 on the
corner of what is now Colesville Road and Watrous Road; the Colesville
Post Office was established at the tavern in 1806, and Nathaniel Cole,
Sr. became the first postmaster; a schoolhouse and a church were also
built later and this small settlement at the crossroads of Cole's Hill
became the original Colesville; and
WHEREAS, When the township of Colesville was formed in 1821, it was
named in honor of Nathaniel Cole, Sr.; and
WHEREAS, The first church, St. Luke's, was built in 1828; today, the
building still stands and serves as a museum of local history; once a
year, a church service is held; and
WHEREAS, Saint Luke's Academy was built in 1857, complete with a
tower and a bell; at one time, it had 20 pupils enrolled; in 1890, the
school closed, and the building was sold; in April of 1977, it burned to
the ground; and
WHEREAS, The First Colesville Baptist Church was built in 1846 near
the Riverview Cemetery; they later built a larger church at another
location and the old church building is now Bethal Chapel; and
WHEREAS, The first Methodist Episcopal Church was built in 1845;
this church served for 75 years before a new church was built in 1920,
which is still used today; and
WHEREAS, In 1814, the first schoolhouse was built in the Town of
Colesville; the town had several one room school houses in its hamlets;
Perch Pond schoolhouse is currently being restored, and the Doraville
Schoolhouse, which was moved from its original location to the property
next to the Town Hall, currently serves as a museum; and
WHEREAS, The hamlets that were part of the Town of Colesville
included: Ouaquaga, New Ohio, Center Village, Doraville, Sanitaria
Springs, Nineveh, Vallonia Springs, Unitaria, Tunnel, East End, Belden,
North Colesville, and West Colesville; and
WHEREAS, Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon Church, lived in
the Town of Colesville when he was a young man before he moved west; and
WHEREAS, Johnny Hart, the BC cartoonist, was a long-time resident of
Nineveh until his death; and
WHEREAS, Remaining fruitful over the ebb and flow of decades of
growth and change, the Town of Colesville continues its commitment to
enhancing the quality of life of its citizens, ensuring a positive
business, institutional and educational climate, and providing all
essential services; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Town of Colesville, New York,
recognizing the significance of the role it continues to play in the
life of the communities of the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Town of Colesville, New York.
