News

The Village of Delhi Board of Trustees will be holding a Public Meeting, on September 9, 2026 at 6:00 pm, Village Hall, 9 Court St, regarding the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) grant.

by Marianne Greenfield, Delhi Historian

There are several reasons why a gravestone may not be in it’s original location. One scenario is when a family member dies they get their own gravestone. Then when another family member dies the family decide it’s time to erect a larger gravestone or monument where everyone’s name can be memorialized. Then the original gravestone may be removed and repurposed. I occasionally find those gravestones on the stone wall. 

Another situation may be due to removing remains to a different cemetery. In the late 1800’s there was an effort to remove all the remains in Old Delhi. A neighbor to the old burying ground, Attorney William Youmans, pursued litigation with the Village of Delhi for nearly 25 years, in an attempt to convince the Village to remove the remains of everyone buried in Old Delhi to Woodland Cemetery, which was organized in 1847. Old Delhi was the first secular burial ground in Delhi. The first burial ground was the Flats Cemetery, started 1799, by the Presbyterian Church, near where the Delhi golf course is now. The effort to move many of Delhi’s founding fathers and other dignitaries, like Osman Steele, Henry and Electa Leavenworth, was successful to some degree. No list remains with the names of people who are still buried in Old Delhi or the names of people removed to Woodland Cemetery. 

Woodland Cemetery was organized after legislation was enacted by the NYS Assembly in 1847, and it quickly became the “cool” place to be buried. Cemetery fashion changed with the Rural Cemetery Movement in the mid 1800’s. Early burial grounds near churches were called graveyards. Many farm families had their own burial grounds because they thought the farm would always be in the family. Burial grounds in villages, towns and cities were in out of the way places, away from people. Those burial grounds could be scary places, avoided by most people, due to overcrowding, grave robbers and epidemics of disease. Rural cemeteries were designed to be idyllic, peaceful places with open landscape, terraced hills, walking paths, trees and elegant monuments. The term changed from burial ground to cemetery, from the Greek word “koimeterion”, meaning resting place. 

Many abandoned gravestones were removed when they no longer marked a grave. The former Delaware County and Delhi Historian, Mr. John Raitt, told me there’s an old an gravestone in the foundation of his home. He believed it came from Old Delhi. A neighbor found a gravestone upside down in their back yard. Another person found an old gravestone on the floor of his barn. That one was confirmed to have been removed from Old Delhi when the remains of a Delhi founder, former Hessian Rev War Vet, George Fisher, were moved from Old Delhi to Woodland Cemetery. His family bought him a modern gravestone. George Fisher’s original gravestone was carved by Coffin Man and is now in the Collection at DCHA. 

Which brings me to the most recent abandoned gravestone story. My friend, Leanne Nabinger, lives near the West Delhi church cemetery, found an old gravestone leaning against a tree when she purchased her home a few years ago. I had the privilege of seeing the gravestone and hope to find the cemetery where it belongs. The lettering on the gravestone reads “Elizabeth B. Wife of RH Russell, who died Oct. 30, 1874 aged 27 yrs, 11 mos & 2 dys”. After a fruitless search online I enlisted the help of Ray LaFever, Bovina Town Historian and Archivist and Librarian at the Delaware County Historical Association and Frisbee House Museum. Ray quickly solved the “biggest Russell family mystery” by locating a relative, a great granddaughter of RH Russell, who was thrilled the gravestone was found. Sadly, we still don’t know where Elizabeth is buried. She may have died while traveling back from Missouri to Bovina, New York and was buried in an unmarked grave. RH Russell married again and moved to Michigan. Steve Fleming, West Delhi Church Cemetery, has agreed to place “Libbie’s” gravestone in the Russell family lot. Now we can take her gravestone back to her family.

The Village of Delhi has contracted with Sewer Specialties to do some preventative work on the following streets over the course of the next week or so: Delaware Avenue, Sheldon Drive, Park Place and Phoebe Lane. This should not cause any problems other than some traffic inconveniences. If possible, avoid driving on these streets.

The boil water notice has been lifted for the Village of Delhi streets: Crestwood Dr, Cuddeback Ave, Delview Terrace, Delview Terrace Ext, Edgerton St, Upper Franklin St, Meredith St, Phoebe Lane, Prospect St and Spruce St. Please follow the Department of Health’s instructions for after the boil water event. Please call the Village Clerk’s office with any questions at (607) 746-2258.

Due to a water main break on Sunday, July 19, 2026, a boil water notice has been issued, until further notice, by the Village of Delhi for the following streets: Crestwood Dr, Cuddeback Ave, Delview Terrace, Delview Terrace Ext, Edgerton St, Upper Franklin St, Meredith St, Phoebe Lane, Prospect St and Spruce St. 

Attached are boil water notice facts sheets from the NYS Department of Health.

Please call the Village Clerk’s office with any questions at (607) 746-2258 Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

ELM STREET
JULY 14, 2026
STARTING AT 6:00 AM

The Village of Delhi will be paving Elm Street Tuesday, July 14, 2026 (weather permitting) as a form of pavement preservation to help prolong the life expectancy of the paved surfaces of the roadways. Delays are to be expected and travel for traffic will not be allowed until the application to Elm Street surface has the proper time to cure and dry before traffic will be allowed return to the lane of travel. Dry time of the product can take up to, if not longer than a half hour before light traffic can resume therefore access in and out of driveways or parking lots will be prohibited while the paving project is taking place, so please plan according for limited access and availability to parking.

No parking will be allowed on Elm Street starting at 6:00 am until paving is completed and proper time to cure and dry has been given.

Please contact the Village Clerk’s office at (607) 746-2258 if you have any questions or concerns.

United States of America 250th Anniversary Celebration
1776 - 2026

This article will be my final Old Delhi Yarn sharing the stories of some of the Revolutionary War Veterans buried in Delhi. It’s been my privilege and honor to bring the stories of their lives and service to help us appreciate how much our Veterans have sacrificed for our country. The most famous words in America are “We The People”, the first words of the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States of America.

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America”.

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation, the festivals and fireworks are a testament to the love we have for America. We mustn’t give up hope for a better Union. Through many difficult times the American people have continued to work toward unity. We’ve carved out our place in history as pilgrims, settlers, warriors, politicians, patriots, peacemakers, authors, artists, farmers, builders, craftsmen, scientists and innovators.

We owe ourselves, and future generations, our commitment to the freedoms our forefathers envisioned. As we continue to hope for a nation of diversity, we still have a long way to go. The United States of America has always been a beacon of hope for people. We must not let the hope of freedom and equality for all people die on our watch. We continue to honor the sacrifice of all veterans who fought and died to keep our nation free from tyranny and oppression as we celebrate America’s 250th
anniversary.

The Village of Delhi will be applying crackseal to Elm Street, Edgerton Street, High Street and Franklin Street (from Main Street to Edgerton Street) on June 30, 2026 beginning at approximately 6:30 am.

Travel will be limited to one lane traffic while the work is being performed. Expect delays during the morning commute.

Please contact the Village Clerk’s office at (607) 746-2258 if you have any questions or concerns.

PVT James Redfield, Veteran, Revolutionary War and the War of 1812

When James Redfield was born on 27 June 1767, in Saybrook, New London, Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America, his father, Captain James Redfield, was 32 and his mother, Sarah Grinnell, was 28. He married Sarah Haines in 1790, in Saybrook Manor, Old Saybrook, Middlesex, Connecticut. He died on 19 August 1858, in Delhi, Delaware, New York, at the age of 91. He is recognized as a Revolutionary War veteran and buried at Woodland Cemetery, Delhi, NY. James Redfield is my double cousin, being related on both his mother’s and father’s sides, to John and Priscilla Alden, my 9th great grandparents, Mayflower 1620.

James Redfield biography by grandson of George Elliot Redfield, Life History and Whereabouts:
“At an early age y Grandfather became a cabin boy on an American Privateer, near he close of the Revolutionary War with England.  He continued to  follow the seas for eleven year thereafter.  About 1790 he married his first wife Sarah Haines of Weston, Conn.  and their only child James Grinnell Redfield was born November 9, 1792. In 1794 this wife died at Weston, Conn. and my Grandfather moved to Stanford, Delaware Co, New York where he became a farmer and married his second wife Abigal Barlow about 1795.  She died February 17, 1822 leaving the following children, born at Stanford, Delaware Co. NY: Sarah Redfield, Saba Redfield, Theophilus Redfield, Priscilla Redfield, John Redfield, Hugh Rose Redfield, Elizabeth Redfield, Jesse Redfield, Nancy Emily Redfield, William Ward Redfield.  All of the above except Elizabeth were married and the ten children had seventy their children (grandchildren of James)”. 

The Village of Delhi has a new water/sewer billing/payment portal; this new portal is a Citizen Action Center. The Citizen Action Center portal web address is below:

https://villageofdelhi.citizenactioncenter.com/sign-in

Every water/sewer account is set to receive a postcard bill, if you want to sign up for email billing or auto pay you will need to sign up for this new Citizen Action Center portal.

The attached PDF will walk you through signing up and using the Village of Delhi’s Citizen Action Center.

If you have questions please call the Village of Delhi Office at (607) 746-2258

**The old water/sewer portal does not work anymore, do not use it or any backdoor links that you used in the past**

LTC Thomas Farrington, 1735-1808 
Birth: Mar. 8, 1735 Andover Essex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay 
Death: Apr. 9, 1808 Delhi, NY

Thomas Putnam Farrington, born March 8, 1735 in Andover, Essex County, Province of Massachusetts April 9, 1808, was the son of Daniel Farrington of Andover, Massachusetts and Elizabeth Putnam, who was born in Salem, Massachusetts. His mother, Elizabeth Putnam, was a granddaughter of Ann Carr Putnam, the primary instigator which started the Salem witch trials hysteria.

Thomas Farrington served in the Revolutionary War under General Rufus Putnam. Thomas was commissioned a Lt. Colonel on January 1, 1777. Prior to that he was serving as a volunteer in the expedition against Canada and as a Captain in the 16th Continental Infantry. 

Thomas was cashiered (dismissed with dishonor) after he was accused of counterfeiting money. He placed a newspaper notice proclaiming his innocence, but he was remanded to jail after his court martial, to face civil charges. According to Thomas' pension papers, son March describes the counterfeiting incident as a “misunderstanding” between Thomas and his commander. Abigail Adams, wrote about the incident and more in a letter dated May 6, 1777 to her husband, future president, John Adams: 

“I must add a little more. A most Horrid plot has been discovered of a Bank of villans counterfeiting to a Great amount, no person scarcly but what has more or less of these Bills. I am unlucky enough to have about 5 pounds LM of it, but this is not the worst of it. One Col. Farrington who has been concerned in the plot, was taken sick, and has confessd not only the Counterfeiting, but as they had engaged and inlisted nearly 2 thousand Men who upon the Troops comeing to Boston were to fall upon the people and make a General Havock. How much mercifull God than man, in this providentially bringing to light these Horrid plots and Schemes. I doubt not Heaven will still continue to favour us, unless our iniquities prevent." 

General George Washington argued for Thomas to be executed, saying: 

“Whoever attempts to destroy their credit, particularly that of those, emitted by the United States, is a flagitious Offender & should forfeit his life, to satisfie the demands of public justice. In the case before us, the enormity of the crime, is aggravated in a peculiar manner by the post, Farrington held”. Despite Washington's call for execution, Thomas was only cashiered. 

Colonel Thomas Farrington settled in 1786 just above the village of Delhi, in a double log house. Putnam and Philip Farrington, his sons, came to Delhi with him. Three Farringtons were enumerated on the 1800 census in Dehli as heads of household: Thomas, March, and Putnam. 

Thomas’ second marriage was to Jerusha Hammond in 1776. Jerusha applied for a widow's pension based on Thomas's service in the Revolutionary War. Jerusha died November 11, 1840 in Meredith, Delaware County, possibly in the home of her stepson, March. There is no evidence the pension was awarded. In 1846, her family members applied for a pension on Thomas's record for themselves. I have no more information on that. 

Burial: Woodland Cemetery Delhi Delaware County New York, USA 
Plot: 204 
Sources: Geni.com, WikiTree, dcnyhisotry.org

View and download the Annual Drinking Water Quality Report 2025 here.

It is that time of year when people are getting ready to plant gardens and take care of their lawns. This is also true for the Delhi Community Gardens. Residents should be aware that the Village has boxes available for planting for individuals who do not have room on their own property to adequately or comfortably plant and tend their own garden box. However, before we can move forward with this in an organized and fair basis, we need someone to take a leadership role to administer this project. It would involve assigning boxes to those who wish to utilize them and to periodically monitor that the boxes are being maintained properly. Having some knowledge regarding gardening would be helpful. If you are interested in volunteering for this role, please see the mayor at Village Hall, 9 Court Street.

The Village of Delhi is seeking bids for a contractor to perform lawn mowing services for delinquent property owners in the Village of Delhi on a monthly basis as determined by the Village. MUST be insured. Bids should be received in the Clerk’s office by May 11, 2026 by noon.  For more information or to submit proposals and estimates, please contact the Village of Delhi, PO Box 328, Delhi, NY 13753, (607) 746-2258.  The Village accepts the right to reject any and all bids.

Kimberly Cairns
Village Treasurer