The arrival of the first recorded family in Guilford is told in the book, Ox Carts Along the Chenango by Roy Gallinger. This story has been told many times especially around Christmas time. Let me share with you again the events which led to THE FIRST CHRISTMAS IN GUILFORD.

A man by the name of John Dibble was given a 100 acres of land by the government to settle. John, his wife Loretta, and their four small children set out in the winter of 1795 to settle their new land. John decided to settle in the winter due to the fact that travel in the forest by ox cart was nearly impossible except when the ground was frozen. He also could not afford to spend a year preparing a home before they came as other settlers did. The winter was here but the pioneer started early thinking he would reach his land before the dead of winter really set in.

The easiest way to travel from their home in Connecticut was to go to Albany and then down the Unadilla River over a fairly level valley. However, he had to go beyond the township to a place near where Sherburne is today to transact business with a settler. That detour involved 20 miles of travel over hills to reach the settler. It was a few days before Christmas now and the winter became bitter.

The Dibble family suffered horribly on their way to their land. As the ox cart crossed the frozen Chenango River outside of Sherburne the ice gave and they fell through the ice losing most of their possessions but managed to save their lives. Most of their goods that they salvaged were wet and they were freezing cold with their wet clothes. John built a fire to dry out their clothing and remaining goods. He was lucky that some of the gunpowder did not become wet for more danger lied ahead.

Friendly Indians told them of the direction to follow to reach their land. They felt confident again but still saddened by their loss. They were hungry with little food left so they decided to camp for the night. In the morning another disaster hit them. One of their oxen had died in the night. That night was Christmas Eve . They were close to their destination yet so far away it seemed.

Timber wolves picked up the sent of the dead oxen and they started howling, moving ever closer to the camp. Quickly they packed, knowing that they had to get away from the dead ox as soon as they could. With only one ox left they had to leave the heaviest of their goods including their tent. How would they survive the next night?

Tired and hungry they continued on slowly with John helping the ox along. They wondered if the wolves would follow them. On and on they went without a rest. As they reached the top of a hill a miracle happened. In the valley was a clearing and a cabin stood in the middle of it. It was abandoned and the Dibbles went in and built a fire. It is not known who left it. The owner never returned.

It was a sunny Christmas morning when they found their home and the first Christmas present - to sleep at last that night in safety. With the remaining gunpowder John supplied his family with venison and the family gathered wood to heat their cabin for the winter. The first family had settled in what is now called the town of Guilford on Christmas day in 1795.

Thomas Gray

Guilford Town Historian

Dec. 1997