met in
the school-house of the village, and afterwards built a chapel on the
lot now occupied by a part of the Central Hotel. The clergy have been
as follows: Rev. Andrew Hall, 1839; Rev. Stephen Parker, 1855; Rev.
D.S. Tuttle, 1864-65; Rev. E.N. Goddard, 1865; Rev. Mr. Foote and Rev.
Mr. Ferguson, 1866-67; Rev. Mr. Lighthipe, 1870; Rev. Mr. Fitzgerald,
1873-74; Rev. J.H. Smith, 1874; Rev. J.B. Colhoun, 1875-78; Rev. J.B.
Hubbs, 1880-81; Rev. C.D. Flagler, 1882.--The society was organized
under the name of St. James church, April 7, 1870.

The "First Universalist Society of Oneonta" was formed Dec. 12, 1877.
The meeting house was built in 1878-79. The pastors have been Rev.
L.F. Porter, 1877-81; Rev. H. Kirke White, 1882--.

The Catholic society now numbers about three hundred. Services have
been conducted heretofore by Rev. J.J. Brosnahan, of Cobleskill, till
July, 1883, when the Bishop created a new parish at this place and
appointed Rev. James H. Maney (of St. Mary's Church, Albany), who is
now the resident pastor. The parish under the charge of the Rev. Mr.
Maney extends from the Cooperstown Junction to the Harpersville
Tunnel. This society is about to erect a church edifice on a lot
already purchased for that purpose.

The "Oneonta Union School" was organized in 1867. The sum of $5,000
was first voted for the purpose of building a schoolhouse, and
afterwards the sum was increased to $7,500. The building was finished
and school opened in 1868 with Wilber F. Saxton as principal. Mr.
Saxton resigned his position in 1870, and was then succeeded by
Nathaniel N. Bull as principal. In 1873 the needs of the school were
met by the building of a smaller schoolhouse in the lower part of the
district. In 1874 and in 1880 the main school building was enlarged to
accommodate the increased attendance of scholars. An academic
department was organized in 1874. The school is attended by about six
hundred pupils, and twelve teachers are employed. Mr. Bull is still
the efficient principal, and his labor is shared by competent
assistants.

The business industries and enterprises of the village consist of a
number of large dry goods and clothing stores, several shoe stores,
nearly a dozen grocery and provision stores, two or three bakeries,
confectionery establishments, flour and feed stores, several builders'
machine shops, three saw mills, three grist mills, furniture stores,
three large hardware stores, the railroad machine shop