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hometown history

Hometown History: January 29, 2026

110 YEARS AGO: James P. Butts, a veteran of the Rebellion, a leading contractor and builder, and for many years a resident of Oneonta, died at five o’clock this Thursday morning at his home, 61 Elm Street, Oneonta. He had been in failing health for several years and for the last twelve weeks had been confined to the house and for two weeks to his bed....…
January 29, 2026

Hometown History: January 22, 2026

110 YEARS AGO: The death of Newton Emmons occurred at a few minutes before 12 o’clock on the night of Tuesday, January 18 at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lester F. Emmons on the Emmons homestead about three miles east of this city. Mr. Emmons was born in the city of Oneonta on January 13, 1870...…
January 22, 2026

Hometown History: January 15, 2026

110 YEARS AGO: The Reformed Smoker (Poetry)—“Father on the first quit smoking; now the household has the grumps. There’s naught of mirth or joking; everybody’s in the dumps. We can see Dad gamely trying to be of the higher type; we can hear him softly sighing as he eyes his old clay pipe. We approve good resolutions...…
January 15, 2026

Hometown History: January 8, 2026

110 YEARS AGO: Influenza is spreading over the United States from coast to coast in the most serious epidemic ever known, taking a large toll in lives and causing economic loss by incapacitating workers in all walks of life. In New York the disease is widely spread. There is a marked increase in pneumonia mortality...…
January 8, 2026

Hometown History: January 1, 2026

65 YEARS AGO: President-Elect Kennedy is reported to have assurances of support from U.S. Representative John J. Rooney of New York for the appointment to a high ambassadorial post of least one career diplomat instead of a wealthy political contributor. Rooney is Chairman of the House subcommittee on State Department appropriations...…
January 1, 2026

Hometown History: December 25, 2025

110 YEARS AGO: Christmas Day—The greatest photo-dramatic production ever seen on the screen will be the attraction at the Oneonta Theatre on Christmas Day when Geraldine Farrar, the celebrated operatic prima donna will appear in a film version of her famous opera “Carmen,” produced by the James L. Lasky Company.…
December 25, 2025

Hometown History: December 18, 2025

135 YEARS AGO: Local News – Seldom, if ever, has the sanitary condition of Oneonta been more satisfactory than at present. Seldom too, has health been so good. There is said to be not a single case of typhoid or other contagious or infectious fever...…
December 18, 2025

Hometown History: December 11, 2025

90 YEARS AGO: “The Grange stands four-square against the legalized liquor traffic and will fight to the last ditch this greatest of all destroyers,” Fred J. Freestone, master of the New York State Grange, declared in his address opening the business session of the 63rd annual convention of the organization at the State Armory here in Oneonta yesterday. “We should remember that while the nation has repealed prohibition, the Grange has not done so,” he said. Mr. Freestone further asserted…
December 11, 2025

Hometown History: December 4, 2025

110 YEARS AGO: The city council, at a special meeting held Tuesday evening passed a resolution directing the calling of an election for the purpose of voting on a proposition to appropriate the necessary funds for the purchase of a building and site for the Oneonta Public Library...…
December 4, 2025

Hometown History: November 27, 2025

135 YEARS AGO: The amount of bounty paid by the Town of Unadilla on woodchucks’ tails amounts to $257 and some odd. At 10 cents the tail, it accounts for 2,570 hapless chucks that lost their tails and their lives...…
November 27, 2025
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PUTTING THE COMMUNITY BACK INTO THE NEWSPAPER

For a limited time, new annual subscriptions to the hard copy of “The Freeman’s Journal” or “Hometown Oneonta” (which also includes unlimited access to AllOtsego.com), or digital-only access to AllOtsego.com, can also give back to one of their favorite Otsego County charitable organizations.

$5.00 of your subscription will be donated to the nonprofit of your choice: Friends of the Feral-TNR, Super Heroes Humane Society, or Susquehanna Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 

Visit our “subscribe” page and select your charity of choice at checkout