Butternuts, New York
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Butternuts is a
town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...
located in Otsego County,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 1,786. The Town of Butternuts is located in the southwestern part of the county, and is west of Oneonta.


History

Butternuts is generally believed to be named for three butternut (a.k.a. white walnut) trees growing from one stump that originally marked the corner of the townships of what is now New Lisbon, Pittsfield and Morris when this entire section of the county was surveyed by Richard Smith before the Revolution. Said tree was depicted as the corporate logo of the Butternuts Woolen & Cotton textile firm but was cut down by the Lull family to build their log cabin. In 1787, Abijah Gilbert and Jacob Morris, early owners of land in the county, were among the first who settled the town, Morris giving Gilbert land of his choice as payment for his services. Ample waterpower sites allowed for many industries in addition to agriculture that benefitted by the wide fertile valley floor along the Butternut and Unadilla. The town was established from part of the Town of Unadilla in 1796. The north part of Butternuts was annexed to form the Town of Morris in 1849, and additional territory was taken from the Town of Unadilla in 1857.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the town has a total area of , of which is land and 0.02% is water. Butternuts Creek is an important stream flowing through the town. It was named by early settlers, who noted some unusual butternut trees growing near it.
New York State Route 51 New York State Route 51 (NY 51) is a north–south state highway in the central part of the U.S. state of New York. The highway runs generally in a southwest to northeast direction from NY 8 in the hamlet of Mount Upton to n ...
is a north-south highway in Butternuts, and was one of the first concrete-paved highways in Upstate New York, starting from Mt. Upton northwards ''circa'' 1919. The Butternut Creek flows diagonally through the town, from Morris to the creek's
confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
with the Unadilla River in the southwestern corner of the town.


Butternuts town lines

*The northern line borders the Town of Morris in Otsego County. *The eastern line borders the Town of Otego in Otsego County. *The southern line borders the Town of Unadilla in Otsego County. *The western line lies along the
Unadilla River The Unadilla River is a river in the Central New York Region of New York State. The river begins northeast of the hamlet of Millers Mills and flows generally south to the village of Sidney, where it converges with the Susquehanna River, which d ...
, bordering the towns of
Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
and
Guilford Guildford is a town in Surrey, England. It gives its name to the Borough of Guildford, the Diocese of Guildford and the Parliamentary constituency of Guildford. Guildford, Guilford, or Gildford may also refer to: Places Australia * Guildfor ...
in
Chenango County Chenango County is a county located in the south-central section U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 47,220. Its county seat is Norwich. The county's name originates from an Oneida word meaning 'large bull-thistle ...
.


Demographics

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 1,792 people, 715 households, and 502 families residing in the town. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 33.1 people per square mile (12.8/km2). There were 902 housing units at an average density of 16.7 per square mile (6.4/km2). The racial makeup of the town was 97.32%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.78%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.39% Native American, 0.22%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.45% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.84% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.17% of the population. There were 715 households, out of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.7% were non-families. 24.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 2.98. In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 5.2% from 18 to 24, 25.4% from 25 to 44, 29.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males. The median income for a household in the town was $40,536, and the median income for a family was $45,368. Males had a median income of $31,473 versus $25,446 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the town was $19,223. About 6.6% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 10.7% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over.


Communities and locations in Butternuts

*Church Corners – A location on the northern town line. *Copes Corner – A
hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
southwest of Gilbertsville on NY-51, most noted for a county-owned campgrounds on the Butternut Creek, once site of a proposed flood control dam that would have flooded Gilbertsville and much of the valley. *
Filer Hill Filer Hill is a mountain in the Central New York Central New York is the central region of New York State, including the following counties and cities: With a population of about 773,606 (2009) and an area of , the region includes the Sy ...
– An elevation east of Rootville. *Freer Corner – A hamlet east of Gilbertsville near the eastern town line. * Gilbertsville – The Village of Gilbertsville is located on NY-51. Listed on the historic register, it was formerly called "Butternuts." *Heslops Corner – A hamlet northeast of Gilbertsville located at the junction of County Highways 4 and 8. *Hugheston Corner – A location near the southeastern corner of the town. *Mallory Corner – A location near the southern town line. *Rootville -- A location southeast of Gilbertsville, located on County Highway 5, north of Wells Bridge, once a busy hamlet founded by Major Charles Root, a cheese manufacturer who operated many small factories around the region a century ago. *Toll Corner – A hamlet east of Gilbertsville on County Highway 8.


Notable people

*
Winchel Bacon Winchel Dailey Bacon (August 21, 1816March 20, 1894) was an Americans, American farmer, abolitionism, abolitionist activist, and Wisconsin pioneer. He was a prominent American Baptist Churches USA, Baptist layman in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and repr ...
: abolitionist farmer and teacher who served in the
Wisconsin State Assembly The Wisconsin State Assembly is the lower house of the Wisconsin Legislature. Together with the smaller Wisconsin Senate, the two constitute the legislative branch of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Representatives are elected for two-year terms, ...
– farmed and taught in Butternuts, and married a local girl, before moving to Wisconsin * Samuel B. Garvin: lawyer, judge,
United States Attorney United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal c ...
and
New York County District Attorney The New York County District Attorney, also known as the Manhattan District Attorney, is the elected district attorney for New York County (Manhattan), New York (state), New York. The office is responsible for the prosecution of violations of New ...
– native of Butternuts * Jared Comstock Gregory: mayor of
Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th-lar ...
and thrice Democratic nominee for
Congressman A Member of Congress (MOC) is a person who has been appointed or elected and inducted into an official body called a congress, typically to represent a particular constituency in a legislature. The term member of parliament (MP) is an equivalen ...
– born in Butternuts *
Elisha Mills Huntington Elisha Mills Huntington (March 29, 1806 – October 26, 1862) was Commissioner of the United States General Land Office and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Indiana. Early life Huntington was ...
: lawyer,
Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...
state legislator, state and federal judge, and Commissioner of the U.S. Land Office – native of Butternuts *
Isaac Van Duzen Reeve Isaac Van Duzen Reeve (29 July 1813 Butternuts, New York, Butternuts, Otsego County, New York – 31 December 1890 New York City) was a soldier in the United States Army during the 19th century. He rose to the rank of colonel, and retired a few yea ...
:
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
officer who fought in the
Seminole Wars The Seminole Wars (also known as the Florida Wars) were three related military conflicts in Geography of Florida, Florida between the United States and the Seminole, citizens of a Native Americans in the United States, Native American nation whi ...
, the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War, also known in the United States as the Mexican War and in Mexico as the (''United States intervention in Mexico''), was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848. It followed the 1 ...
and the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, rising to
brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
– born a native of Butternuts, New York * Jesse C. Smith: lawyer,
New York State Senator The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature; the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Its members are elected to two-year terms; there are no term limits. There are 63 seats in the Senate. Partisan compo ...
, and brigadier general who was a commander at the
Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...
– native of Butternuts * Joseph G. Thorp: lumberman and member of the
Wisconsin State Senate The Wisconsin Senate is the upper house of the Wisconsin State Legislature. Together with the larger Wisconsin State Assembly they constitute the legislative branch of the state of Wisconsin. The powers of the Wisconsin Senate are modeled after t ...
– born in Butternuts *
E. C. Walker Edward Carey Walker (July 4, 1820 – December 28, 1894) was a politician from the U. S. state of Michigan. Biography Walker was born to Stephen and Lydia (Gardner) Walker in Butternuts, New York, and prepared for college at Hamilton Academy. At ...
: lawyer, politician and
University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
regent A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
in
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
– native of Butternuts


References


External links


Early history of Butternut Valley


{{authority control Towns in Otsego County, New York