The Edmeston Local/1900 article

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PUCKER STREET: Who can tell what gave rise to the bestowal of this name to this hamlet? Where is Pucker street? Well, sixty years ago when a lad ten years old was making trips with his parents from the Goodrich school district to Burlington Flats to visit his Grandparents he traveled this street under cloudless, balmy skies and through winter's blustry winds and high piled snows.

When the old bobtailed brown mare topped the hill out of Edmeston, N.Y., where the journey was about one half done, she would bravely strike into a trot through Pucker Street, down to the home of Denzil Robinson, where they turned into the road that led to Burlington Flats.

Pucker street was a very well kept and quite populous stretch of road, through fertile lands. The name of this street made an impression upon this lad's mind that even now brings clearly to his mental vision this bit of highway.

The first residence on the right hand of Pucker Street when leaving Edmeston, was the rather imposing home of William Northrup. Among those who resided on this street, there is now recalled the names of Daniel Kelsey, Mary Comstock, an old maiden lady, Barty O'Brian, a caretaker for Mary Comstock, and John Sawyer had had a mill in the village [w:hamlet (place)|hamlet] of Edmeston where he produced barrel staves and manufactured cherry wood levels for carpenters' and masons' use. James F. Pope resided for some time on this street, while he employed his time as tin and lead worker and also made trips about the country, mending household utensils, repairing clocks and purveying novelties, notions, etc., which he made, and flavoring essences of his own compounding.

Wesley Harrington, Martin Merrit and Rube Talbot were residents, as well as U. D. Payne, who lived near the cemetery that was established there about that time and which has now grown to be what Eddie Guest calls one of "God's Great Slumber Groves." I think if not the first, that among the first to be laid at rest in this beautifully located and well kept cemetery was Joseph Talbot.

At one time, near the home of John Talbot was a cheese factory, where several times I was given curd to eat before they were pressed into cheese, which at that age, I prized as a great delicacy. Later it was occupied as a cider mill but now stands idle.

John Talbot resided in a large well built house at the entrance to the fair grounds, where the "Peet Hook" fairs were held for many years, with large attendance. The east side of these grounds was bounded by the highway that turned off to take the traveler to Taylor Hill.

Beyond, lived Henry Wheeler and John Prisco, a great fox hunter, who had a son killed in the world war. Pucker Street also had a school house located on it, which is now used for other purposes.

When we got down near the bridge, where crossing of the Wharton Creek was made to enter "Burlington Hook," now called West Burlington, we found the home of Otis Parker and John Taylor's carding mill, where wool was formed into rolls about the size of your finger, which the ladies would spin into yarn.

Fortesque Anderson had a mill near here, where was made from hard maple wood the best designed and finished butter ladles the world has ever known. Robert Pierson, who has helped refresh our memory, was a workman in this factory.

Denzil Robinson, who lived on the farm where the road branches off which you may take to Burlington Flats, was one of the pioneer settlers and resided there until his death. His son Jared Robinson, conducted this farm from his father's death until he died, when it came into possession of Jared's son Floyd, who established a nursery for trees, shrubs and fruits, on it fertile acres; since floyd's death until now, it has been conducted by his widow and son.

The old brown mare in her bondage, made her way through the mud, dust and snows to Burlington Flats over this road, which now is laid down with concrete ands improved for the accommodation of motor driven vehicles. The radiator of the old brown mare never froze up and the only cranking that was done, was to sing out, ged-dap.