Blacksmith Shop
Date: 1827
Origin: New Berlin, Chenango County, NY
Builder: Peleg Field
Original owner: Field, Peleg (1776-1857/8)
Info: The Blacksmith Shop originally served the New Berlin area. Today the blacksmith shop represents the trade and activity of the 1840s. It has two stone forges just as the original shop did. One was brought from Cooperstown when the shop first opened and the other was built in 1981. In addition, there are smaller forges made of cast iron and wood. The Farmers’ Museum built the enormous bellows that help fuel the fires.
Today the blacksmiths make iron hooks in the stone forge, sharpen hand made nails at the grinding stone, and hammer wrought iron items such as door handles at an anvil. The work produced here can be seen all over the Crossroads Village and is available for sale at the museum stores.
Provenance: The Farmers’ Museum acquired the building from Charles H. Mitchell, New Berlin, NY through a donation.
*Charles H. Mitchell bought the property from Sarah E. McCormack on September 17, 1934.
*Sarah E. McCormack was willed the property on November 20, 1931 after her husband Arnold McCormack’s death.
*Arnold McCormack bought half of the property from Bessie Hawkins on June 13, 1929 to gain full ownership of the property.
*Arnold McCormack and Bessie Hawkins inherited the property from their father John W. McCormack on August 25, 1912.
*John W. McCormack gained the property when Esther McCormack (his wife) died without a will.
*Esther McCormack bought the property from her husband John W, McCormack on September 17, 1894 for $1000.
*John W. McCormack bought the property from Albert A. and his wife on November 18, 1879 for $1100.
*Albert A. Smith bought the property back at a public auction of Perry Warren’s property on August 17, 1874 for $1030.
*Perry Warren bought the property from Almon Babcock for $1700 on April 1, 1871 (this sale included other property).
*Almon Babcock bought the property along with other properties for $3500 from Lorenzo and Lauro K. Jaquith on November 11, 1870.
*Lorenzo K. Jaquith bought the property from Albert and Elizabeth Smith for $2000 on April 1, 1869.
*Albert Smith bought the property in 1867. There are two deeds that state this. One says he bought Sophronia Mathewson’s claim to the property for $20 on May 22. The other states that the property was sold for $1400 by Jason E. Mathewson a special guardian acting on behalf of Willie Mathewson, an infant under 21 years of age.
*Sophronia A. and William Mathewson received ownership of the property from their father John W. Mathewson – no deed recorded.
*John W. Mathewson bought the property from Peleg Field on May 1, 1850 for $1300.
*Peleg Field bought the property from Elisha P. Willcox for $72 on May 6, 1825. He then built the blacksmith shop of the premises.
