LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the incor-
poration of the Village of Oriskany to be celebrated December 14, 2014

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to honor and commem-
orate the distinguished histories of the communities which comprise the
noble body of this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commem-
orate the 100th Anniversary of the incorporation of the Village of Oris-
kany, in Oneida County, New York, to be celebrated with a ceremony
Sunday, December 14, 2014, at the Oriskany Fire Department; and
WHEREAS, Officially incorporated in December of 1902, Oriskany,
initially known as Oriska, was founded in the early 1800s; and
WHEREAS, Situated on the rich alluvial plain of the Mohawk Valley, the
Village of Oriskany's earliest traces of settlement was a large village
of Oneida Indians, a tribe of the Iroquois nation, who named the area
Oriska, the place or stream of nettles; and
WHEREAS, Before the Revolutionary War, much of what is the present
village of Oriskany was owned by the Fauconnier Family, and then passed
to the DeLancys; and
WHEREAS, In 1785, Gerrit G. Lansing came to survey the Oriskany
Patent; recognizing its beauty, fertility, and potential, he returned in
1802 and purchased 400 acres of the Oriskany Patent; and
WHEREAS, The first settler was Ephraim Webster, who came in 1784 as an
agent, to handle relations with the Oneidas and to establish a trading
post; and
WHEREAS, In February of 1811, the Oriskany Manufacturing Company was
incorporated which manufactured 200,000 pounds of wool, creating 120
jobs for the area; and
WHEREAS, On July 4, 1817, the Erie Canal was begun in the City of
Rome, New York, and in October of 1819, the channel of the Erie between
Rome and Utica was filled with water from the Oriskany Creek; and
WHEREAS, In 1825, the Erie Canal was officially opened from Albany to
Buffalo, New York; for Oriskany, it was the beginning of growth and
development as the village catered to the demands of the canal travel-
ers, and from the canawlers, as well as families of the men who main-
tained the canal; and
WHEREAS, Six years after the canal opened, Oriskany factories employed
more workers, had a larger capital, and used more wool than any other
woolen mill in New York State; and
WHEREAS, In this early period, several important developments occurred
including, the first school was built in 1810; the first post office,
1820; in 1830, St. Peter's Episcopal Church was founded and a brick
school was constructed; in 1835, the Presbyterian Church was built; and
during the next decade, a Welsh Methodist Church was founded; and
WHEREAS, Moreover, in 1839, the Utica Syracuse railroad was built; and
in 1854, a four room frame school was erected and used until 1892 when
the larger brick Union school was built; and
WHEREAS, From 1856 to 1857, the Oriskany Manufacturing Company's mill
site was purchased and established into a furnace, which became known as
the Buell and Merriman Malleable Iron Company; and
WHEREAS, In October of 1879, the Buell and Merriman Malleable Iron
Company moved to Rome, New York, and a new company, The Oriskany Mallea-
ble Iron Company, Limited, began processing iron products in January of
1880; and
WHEREAS, In 1886, the Oriskany Malleable Iron Company, Limited moved
its operation to the site of a the Mohawk Valley Cider Mill and built

their iron works foundation; one year later, the two companies doubled
their size and became a major employer and main-stay for the Village of
Oriskany; and
WHEREAS, Other important industries which could be found in Oriskany
in the late 1880s included the raising of hops, the shipping of thou-
sands of bushels of potatoes, a steam operated grist mill, a broom
factory, and the Oriskany Knitting Company; and
WHEREAS, After several serious fires, the citizens of the Village of
Oriskany saw the need to organize the Oriskany Independent Fire and Hose
Company, and in 1903, a fire house was constructed; and
WHEREAS, In 1914, the Village of Oriskany was incorporated with Edwin
H. Salisbury elected the first president in January of 1915; and
WHEREAS, In 1931, the Oriskany School became centralized, and one year
later a new school was built; today, with several additions, it serves
as the junior-senior high school; and
WHEREAS, In 1933, Route 69, a state highway from Rome to Utica was
created as the bed and tow-path of the Erie Canal through the Oriskany
Village; and
WHEREAS, In the early 1800's, William Green had a beautiful home which
later was acquired by Charles Waterbury; in 1946, this landmark became
the property of Henry Trinkaus, who with his five sons, turned it into a
beautiful restaurant to become one of the finest dining places in
Central New York; over the years, its Christmas display of lights and
decorations has been seen by many people from all over the State; and
WHEREAS, Today, under the able leadership of Mayor Donald F. Rothdien-
er, the Village of Oriskany continues its commitment to enhancing the
quality of life of its citizens, ensuring a positive business, institu-
tional and educational climate, and providing all essential services;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the incorporation of the Village of
Oriskany to be celebrated December 14, 2014, recognizing the signif-
icance of the role it continues to play in the life of the community of
the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Mayor Donald F. Rothdiener, Village of Oriskany.