Needed Markers, Cows, Morse Girls & Pecksport.

I am sure we have all been depressed by the ups and downs of the weather and the news of the pandemic that is raging around us.  I myself am one!  

The weather had to be tough on animals also with it going from near zero to mid sixties and back again all winter. This got me thinking about milk production problems and  local cows, yes cows.

Few people realize the role the Town of Eaton has played in the history of the Holstein-Friesian breed whose relatives still dot the countryside today.  Many know of Gerrit Smith Miller and his famous cow, but few realize that the Chenango Breeders Association brought the first actual breeding herd here from Holland in the mid 1800’s. This herd was bought to Eaton via the last remnants of the Chenango Canal.  

The Chenango Breeders Association was formed by  group of mostly Eatonites that included Sylvester Burchard, Charles Payne and a very interesting man called by many Deacon (Alva) Cole.  Burchard and Payne wrote the rules the breed is judged by even today with Burchard's regarded as one of the best judges of the breed. (I have some of Cole’s and Burchard’s artifacts and pictures in the Old Town of Eaton Museum.) 

It is also interesting to note that the old Burchard Farm was the first dairy in Madison County. The Burchard's also had a cheese factory in Peck's Port... and Sylvester Jr. moved that building  (moving it crossed the street) when he first married. The main house shown above, and the cheese factory buildings are still standing today. 

Anna Burchard

Burchard Family and Friends

The young ladies Anna and Louise Burchard (we talked about in an earlier blog) were born and lived there in the main house. Since neither of the girls married this was always considered the homestead. Of course in those days women who became teachers seldom married.

Sylvester's wife was Allie Morse of the famous Morse family of Eaton, and the beautiful picture above shows Allie and girls and their carriage in front if the house, which unfortunately does not look as beautiful today.  I have many lovely pictures at the museum taken by  the girls who were avid photographers.  Their father did not really approve of women going to college and becoming teachers... but their cousin Cornelia... who married John Raymond the first president of Vassar... inspired them to attend with Louise working there for her entire life.  Anna became the head school master of a private school in New York City.

*Sylvester and the cattlemen referred to hops the new main crop of the area as "The Devil's Weed"...they were Baptists.