New Hartford Historical Society

10/29/2026

Welcome to our final Throwback Thursday for October 2026. Today’s post recognizes a young man who fought in the Revolution and later settled in New Hartford.

Several Board members recently attended an after-hour tour of the Forest Hill cemetery. While there we learned of a young man who served in the Revolutionary War. Daniel Eells was just eighteen years old when he helped build the earthworks at Breed’s Hill (adjacent to Bunker Hill) the night before the famous Battle in June 1775. Had he not been ordered on a scouting expedition the following morning he would have surely fought in first major action of the war. He went on to fight in other battles and was with Washington’s troops when they were forced to retreat from New York City.

Daniel was born in Middletown Connecticut in December 1757. After the war he would return to Connecticut and build a house on land he inherited from his father’s homestead. In 1795. In December of that same year, he and his wife Martha and their six children would make the 3-week journey west to New York and settle in New Hartford. An arduous task to begin with but especially harsh when making the trek in wintertime.

They purchased a farm here where he would live until his passing in July of 1851 at 93. He survived by his wife and six children. Interesting side note, Daniel’s sister, Theodosia, made the trip west with him and his family. She too would remain in New Hartford until her passing in December of 1850 at the amazing age of 96! She was originally buried in the Old New Hartford Burial Grounds (today the site of Bradley Elementary). She was reburied in Forest Hill in September of 1932!

10/27/2026

Don't forget to get you tickets for The Baird Historic Tea. Try the teas of the Boston Tea Party.

Come taste the Teas of the Boston Tea Party paired with food with colonial roots.

10/22/2026

Welcome to our 4th Throwback Thursday post for October 2026. Today, to honor Ralph Humphreys and his family's 114-year legacy on Tibbitts Road, we are highlighting Ralph's Trucking Company.

Ralph passed just three days ago at 90 years of age. He was the grandson of Hugh Humphreys (1881-1958). Hugh immigrated from Carnarvonshire, in northern Wales, in 1905 and worked in NYC for several years. In 1912 Hugh would lease a farm on Tibbitts Road and begin a long and storied career in farming. His expertise in growing potatoes (among other crops) garnered national recognition. Ralph's father George and his uncle John would later run the farm. By then the farm was shipping out "truckloads" of crops. Hugh passed in 1958. At that time, Ralph was already a sharp businessman. He saw opportunity and just three short years later, in 1961, bought his first truck. Thus began the 40-year journey of R.B. Humphreys Trucking.

But trucking wasn't Ralph's only passion. He stayed busy developing, building and owning several manufactured housing communities and participating in many fraternal and community organizations as well as being active in his church.
After selling the trucking company and "retiring" in 2001, he hardly slowed down. Ralph would serve as New Hartford Town Supervisor from 2001 to 2005.

This past June, Ralph and Lois celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary. Quite an amazing accomplishment!

10/21/2026

The New Hartford Historical Society is deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of long-time Society member and former Town of New Hartford Supervisor Ralph B. Humphreys.

Ralph and his wife Lois were faithful members and staunch supporters of the Historical Society for many, many years. We wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to Lois and the entire Humphreys family.

View Ralph B. Humphreys's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

10/15/2026

Welcome to our Throwback Thursday for October 15, 2026. Today's post, in recognition of M.V.C.C.'s 80th Anniversary, covers the "Utica Country Day School". It was the precursor to M.V.C.C..

In the early 1920's, the administration of the former Utica Female Academy petitioned the state to change their name and relocate to a new campus with expanded curriculum for both boys and girls. The result was the Utica Country Day School. Built on 36.7 acres of land where today the Wedgewood Apartments and the Utica National Insurance headquarters are located. The land was purchased from the Yahnundasis Golf Club. The Day School comprised a building constructed in 1921 housing classrooms, laboratories, a gymnasium and an auditorium. They had an athletic field, seven tennis courts and an ice hockey rink as well. In 1936 they began planning the addition of a dormitory that would house 26 boys and thus be able to board students in the coming fall.

The school ran ads for the new school in the Summer and set up an enrollment office on Bank Place in Utica. Tours of the facilities were also made available by contacting the Headmaster at the school. The 1st graduate of the school was a Miss Evelyn Ferry. She was the daughter of Dr. Frederick C. Ferry, President of Hamilton College. She plans on attending Mt. Holyoke College in the fall.

The school would stay open for just two decades closing in 1943. The buildings and land were later purchased by the then Utica Mutual Insurance Company. They had plans to build a new headquarters for their rapidly expanding company. However, the State approached them when the need for more higher learning institutions arose, primarily for young veterans returning from the War. The property was leased to the State and the "NYS Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences" was born. The retail business management division will offer a two-year course on the post-high school level to an entering class of 180 to 190 students, mostly veterans. Ultimately, the enrollment is expected to total 300.

Today that Institute still exists. We know it by its new name: Mohawk Valley Community College.

10/10/2026

Register for the Baird Historic Tea. Early registration end of day on 10/10.

Come taste the Teas of the Boston Tea Party paired with food with colonial roots.

10/08/2026

Welcome to our 2nd Throwback Thursday post for October 2026. Today's post dates back 118 years shares an interesting connection between New Hartford and the Roscoe Conkling Park.

The October 1908 obituary of Richard M. Davies (1827-1908) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/160415869/richard-m-davies illuminates the amazing life of a gentleman born in Cardinghamshire (today Ceredigion) Wales nearly 200 years ago. He came to this country in 1832. His family settled in Utica where he received his education. He began working at a very early age and traveled extensively for many years to earn a living. Sometime around 1868 he and his wife Jane purchased a farm on Upper Third Ave. (today Valley View Road) in New Hartford. About a year before his death, he sold the property to Thomas R. Proctor, and the land became part of the Roscoe Conkling Park.

We stumbled upon this information while researching one of his children, Margaret Aldinger (1869-1947). We were recently gifted copies of correspondence between Margaret and several individuals (some serving overseas) during WWII. The digitized material included Margaret's photograph and her obituary. We would like to thank Pam and Don Backman for their donation to our archives!

10/01/2026

Welcome to out 1st Throwback Thursday for October 2026. Today's photo takes us back over 128 years and gives us glimpse into the landscape of the young Village.

The photo shows the burnt out remains of a stately home that once stood near where the Village Point Apartments is today. The attached article (we've included a copy with higher pixels) may be hard to read so we'll give you a brief narrative.

The "point" where Paris Road and Genesee Street meets today was then, according to the July 1898 article, was referred to as Paris Street and Clinton Street. The assumption is at the turn of the century Route 5 (which ran through the village) was called Clinton Street from the point heading west because the route took you to the Village of Clinton as well as to points further. Paris Street (now Road) was the route to the Town of Paris and points South. It would also be State Route 12 until around 1950 when the new Route 12 connected the top of Paris Road down to Genesee Street by where Utica National is today.

Back to the photo. The article captioned, "The Old Golden Place Destroyed Tuesday", reports the devastating fire and gives the property's history. It was reportedly built nearly 100 years prior by Joseph Sanger, nephew of New Hartford's founder Jedediah Sanger. It was later passed (?) to Orlando Eames Jedediah's grandson. Orlando's mother was Sarah (John) Eames, Jedediah's daughter. Orlando's wife and daughter would establish a lady's seminary there. In those days, schools were often called seminaries. Within a year of the seminary being established, Orlando, Sylvia and two of their daughters would die and the daughter of Rev. Dr. Pierce A. Proal, an Episcopal minister, assumed charge of the seminary until about 1850.

In 1863 David Van Waters “D.V.W.” Golden purchased the residence from Spencer Eames, Orlando and Sylvia's son. Ten years later, in July of 1873, Mr. Golden would pass away at home there. The property would then be possessed by Michael Mulligan of Paris Hill who resided in the home for several years before returning to Paris Hill. Mulligan would rent out the property, which again would be used for home schooling, for a number of years. The last owner of record was a George Parkhurst of Oriskany. The building sat vacant for a year prior to being destroyed by fire.

The article closes by stating a stranger was reportedly in town a day prior to the fire and made inquiries about the property. He is also alleged to have remarked that "the place would be in ashes some day".

09/24/2026

Welcome to our 4th Throwback Thursday post for September 2026. Today's photo takes us back to the early 1980's and the photo was "borrowed" from the late Alfred Gorney's page and was posted back in April 2018.

Today's photo is of a NYSW locomotive at the former Carparelli Bros., Inc. on Campion Road. Carparelli's dealt in cement and concrete and was in business from 1937 until 2019. The caption on the 2018 post read "Sand loading NYSW way Carparelli New Hartford 1980". Since sand is used in making concrete and concrete products, perhaps the picture is actually "off loading". Maybe some of our followers can share more information.

Today the property is occupied by Byrne Dairy

09/20/2026

Join us, November 7th for our Historic Tea, sponsored by The Flemma group at Baird.

Come taste the Teas of the Boston Tea Party paired with food with colonial roots.