Part 2
Part 2
The first wedding in the township was on June 20, 1824, when Wooster Benjamin married Loretta Johnson. The ceremony was performed by Rufus Houghton, Justice of the Peace of Andover. The first death in the township was that of Nathaniel Johnson, which occurred on June 28, 1825. There being no cemetery yet established at Cherry Valley, the burial was in the cemetery at West Andover.
School was first held in a log house during the winter of 1828-29 and was taught by Mrs. Hannah Clark, wife of William A., the first store keeper. It gave way to the district schools, which were six in number, two on the Creek Road, one on the Hayes Road a mile east and north of the center; one in the northwest quarter of the township about a mile west and a mile and a half north of the center; one in the southwest part of the township about a mile south and two miles west of the center, and one at the center. There was also one on the town line road which was shared by Cherry Valley and Wayne.
These schools were later all combined into two one-room schools, located on Piper Road and at the center, the latter now being the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Myron Vesey. These schools were discontinued when the children attended New Lyme-Deming School on a tuition basis, which system prevailed until Cherry Valley joined with New Lyme in uniting their efforts on a consolidated school basis.
There was still another general store which opened at the corner of Rts. 90 and 6, the one of George E. Hatch who first came to the township about 80 years ago as the Baptist minister. He started his store in what is now Harrison Giddings' garage, which, when the store moved out,became the home of Addison Clark for awhile and the Macabee Hall for many years. The Hatch store that many will remember best is now the warehouse, turned around, with the present store front being a new addition.
The leading business concern today is that of Lyle Piper & Son, which conducts a large modern slaughtering plant, wholesale meat freezing and packing operation.
Methodists held the first religious services in the township, beginning about 1825, and these were conducted by Elder Davis in one of the homes.A small church was built, which was replaced by the one still standing and in use at the center. The first building still stands, hut it has been moved often and at one time was used as a horse barn. The Baptists were organized about 1840 and a church was erected on the northwest corner of the square, across the road from the Methodist Church, but regular services were discontinued about 1920. It was torn down about 1945.
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Religious denominations took strong stands in former years against card playing, the use of liquor, and dancing. Many young people signed pledges never to drink liquor, and Mrs. Alice B. Lindsley told of an experience she had in connection with dancing. She came to Cherry Valley from Richmond as the young bride of Arthur Lindsley. She played the piano and he the violin and they liked to play together. Dances used to beheld at the Town Hall and one time when they were having a "Social"there, the young folks came to the Lindsleys and asked them to play. They were glad to, but as soon as they started to play, the minister and his wife who were sitting at the back of the room got up and left in great disapproval. This was a strange experience for Mrs. Lindsley whose great grandfather had played the violin and taught all his daughters to dance, and whose grandmother had said that she had had "her head rapped more than once with a violin bow when she didn't go right."
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Cherry Valley was set off as a township in June of 1827 by the County Commissioners on the petition of Aanson J. Giddings and others, being split from the township of Andover. The first elections were held at the home of Josiah Creesy on July 4, 1827. The first officers of the township were: William Andrews, William Benjamin and Henry Krumm, Trustees;Henry Krum, Township Clerk; Josiah Creesy, Treasurer; John Burget and William Benjamin, Fence Viewers; John Woodworth and William Andrews,Overseers of the Poor; A. J. Giddings, Constable, and H. Krum and H.Lyman, Supervisors. The first Justice of the Peace, elected the following spring, was John Woodworth.
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The first Town Hall burned, to be replaced by the one which still stands on the southwest corner of the center. At one time all the squares had a fence around them -- good solid ones they were too -- made of oak, with 4 x 4 posts and a 3 x 4 railing which was beveled into the posts and bolted. However, these are gone now.
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We wish to thank Mrs. Louise Andrews, Mr. A.W. Tinker, Mrs. Alice B. Lindsley and Mr. George E. Hatch for the material which they so kindly contributed.
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Page 2: Cherry Valley, Part 2 This page
The first wedding in the township was on June 20, 1824, when Wooster Benjamin married Loretta Johnson. The ceremony was performed by Rufus Houghton, Justice of the Peace of Andover. The first death in the township was that of Nathaniel Johnson, which occurred on June 28, 1825. There being no cemetery yet established at Cherry Valley, the burial was in the cemetery at West Andover.
School was first held in a log house during the winter of 1828-29 and was taught by Mrs. Hannah Clark, wife of William A., the first store keeper. It gave way to the district schools, which were six in number, two on the Creek Road, one on the Hayes Road a mile east and north of the center; one in the northwest quarter of the township about a mile west and a mile and a half north of the center; one in the southwest part of the township about a mile south and two miles west of the center, and one at the center. There was also one on the town line road which was shared by Cherry Valley and Wayne.
These schools were later all combined into two one-room schools, located on Piper Road and at the center, the latter now being the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Myron Vesey. These schools were discontinued when the children attended New Lyme-Deming School on a tuition basis, which system prevailed until Cherry Valley joined with New Lyme in uniting their efforts on a consolidated school basis.
There was still another general store which opened at the corner of Rts. 90 and 6, the one of George E. Hatch who first came to the township about 80 years ago as the Baptist minister. He started his store in what is now Harrison Giddings' garage, which, when the store moved out,became the home of Addison Clark for awhile and the Macabee Hall for many years. The Hatch store that many will remember best is now the warehouse, turned around, with the present store front being a new addition.
The leading business concern today is that of Lyle Piper & Son, which conducts a large modern slaughtering plant, wholesale meat freezing and packing operation.
Methodists held the first religious services in the township, beginning about 1825, and these were conducted by Elder Davis in one of the homes.A small church was built, which was replaced by the one still standing and in use at the center. The first building still stands, hut it has been moved often and at one time was used as a horse barn. The Baptists were organized about 1840 and a church was erected on the northwest corner of the square, across the road from the Methodist Church, but regular services were discontinued about 1920. It was torn down about 1945.
​
Religious denominations took strong stands in former years against card playing, the use of liquor, and dancing. Many young people signed pledges never to drink liquor, and Mrs. Alice B. Lindsley told of an experience she had in connection with dancing. She came to Cherry Valley from Richmond as the young bride of Arthur Lindsley. She played the piano and he the violin and they liked to play together. Dances used to beheld at the Town Hall and one time when they were having a "Social"there, the young folks came to the Lindsleys and asked them to play. They were glad to, but as soon as they started to play, the minister and his wife who were sitting at the back of the room got up and left in great disapproval. This was a strange experience for Mrs. Lindsley whose great grandfather had played the violin and taught all his daughters to dance, and whose grandmother had said that she had had "her head rapped more than once with a violin bow when she didn't go right."
​
Cherry Valley was set off as a township in June of 1827 by the County Commissioners on the petition of Aanson J. Giddings and others, being split from the township of Andover. The first elections were held at the home of Josiah Creesy on July 4, 1827. The first officers of the township were: William Andrews, William Benjamin and Henry Krumm, Trustees;Henry Krum, Township Clerk; Josiah Creesy, Treasurer; John Burget and William Benjamin, Fence Viewers; John Woodworth and William Andrews,Overseers of the Poor; A. J. Giddings, Constable, and H. Krum and H.Lyman, Supervisors. The first Justice of the Peace, elected the following spring, was John Woodworth.
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The first Town Hall burned, to be replaced by the one which still stands on the southwest corner of the center. At one time all the squares had a fence around them -- good solid ones they were too -- made of oak, with 4 x 4 posts and a 3 x 4 railing which was beveled into the posts and bolted. However, these are gone now.
​
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We wish to thank Mrs. Louise Andrews, Mr. A.W. Tinker, Mrs. Alice B. Lindsley and Mr. George E. Hatch for the material which they so kindly contributed.
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Page 2: Cherry Valley, Part 2 This page
