Some Bainbridge “Firsts”
by Charles Lord, Town Historian; edited by Helen Birkmann
Settler
Elnathan Bush came in 1784, went back to Sheffield, Massachusetts for his family and returned in 1786.
Settlement
Bennetsville–Caleb Bennet and brothers soon after 1786.
Vermont Sufferer to arrive
Asahel Bixby in 1787.
Grist Mill
Caleb and Reuben Bennett before 1790.
Doctor
Gershom Hyde came before 1790.
Marriage
Charles Bush and Joan Harrington 1794.
Death
Elnathan Bush 1791.
Town Meeting
16 Feb 1791. Town of Jericho.
Town Supervisor
Phineas Bennett.
First President
(Mayor)Richard W. Juliand
Change of Town Name
15 Apr 1814 from Jericho’ to Bainbridge.’ In 1813, an uncompleted church being built by the Congregational Society of Cilicia (the present site of the Presbyterian Church) was destroyed by an arson fire. The word of this spread into the surrounding areas, and residents of Jericho doing business were getting tired of being mocked. An application was made to the State, and the name was subsequently changed to Bainbridge,’ after Commodore William S. Bainbridge, a naval hero of the war of 1812.
Church Society
Congregational Society of Cilicia 30 Apr 1793 (now the United Presbyterian Church)
Town Tavern
William Guthrie 1793 “Kirby Flat”
Village Tavern
Luther Thurston 1793 corner West and North Main.
Frame House
Joseph Bush 1800 (this is the Jim Singmaster residence opposite the turn to Bainbridge-Guilford road)
Village House still existent
Griswold house, 1804, 50 West Main Street, residence of Mayor Jim Winn. Bridge 1804, built for Major DeZeng by Henry Evans.
Newspaper
The Bainbridge Eagle, 1845, John Hunt, publisher.
Bank
The Phoenix Bank of Bainbridge, 1853, James Banks, president.
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