The soil of this town is a rich loam; has been productive of excellent crops of grain, and is now giving encouraging returns in dairying.

The first settler in this town was Joseph Perkins, who came from Connecticut in 1805; settled on the east half of lot 14; and sometime in that year opened a public house where John Jacobs now lives.

Settlements were slow for several years David Smith came in 1815 and located at the site of the village, near the present burial ground, where he lived until 1828, and then moved away.

139, where he lived until 1828, when he sold to Julian and Richard Carter and removed to Camden, Oneida county, and died there.

He soon afterward sold out to John Moore and purchased lot 105, where he lived until shortly before his death, which occurred at Amboy Center.

He also built the first grist mill in the town in 1824; it had one run of stones and was used only for coarse grinding; it stood about three-fourths of a mile east of Amboy Center.

The first school house was built in the winter of 1822—3 about two miles east of the present village of Amboy Center.

The few settlers prior to 1822 made such improvements as their circumstances permitted, and waited patiently for the arrival of more neighbors.

They dwelt in a forest, off from the main line of travel, and were forced to depend almost wholly on themselves Among the settlers who came in between 1821 and 1825 were John G. Howard and William Henry from Rhode Island, Horace Foote from Clinton, Gilbert Albee, Asa Brown, and Archibald Chapman.

Ephraim Mowrey came to the town before 1822 and in that year opened the first regular hotel at the Five Corners, on lot 26, in a double log house.

Some other settlers prior to 1830 were Frederick Ambrose, who was the first town clerk; Anson Abels, one of the first assessors; Ephraim and Joshua L. Smith; and John Jamison, who became a prominent citizen, and died about 1885, leaving four sons and two daughters.

Nathaniel Williams, Dorastus Green (supervisor in 1832—4), Alvin Cranson, Daniel Whitlock, Sylvanus Coon, G. W. Sergeant (born here in 1828, father of G. W. Sergeant, a prominent citizen, and still living), John Hess, Esick Look, Levi and Garrett Nichols, and others, all performed their part in subduing the wilderness, administering public affairs, and making substantial homes for themselves and their children.

6, in Scriba's Patent, was a part of Williamstown; but now the inhabitants felt that their convenience as well as the importance of their community demanded a separate town organization.

Three other meetings were held and the question argued when finally Frederick Ambrose suggested “Amboy,” from the town of that name in New Jersey.

Five days later the first town meeting was held and the following officers elected: Sage Parks, supervisor; Frederick Ambrose, town clerk; Anson Abels, Sylvanus Coon, P. A. Kidelle, assessors; Josima L. Smith, Truman M. Kinne, Dorastus Green, commissioners of highways; Alvin Cranson, collector; Sage Parks, Ephraim Smith, James Edmonds, commissioners of schools; John Jamison, Nathaniel Williams, Frederick Ambrose, inspectors of common schools; Anson Abels, John G. Woodward, overseers of the poor; Alvin Cranson, John Edmonds, John J. Wheeler, constables; Daniel Whitlock, Julian Carter, Sylvanus Coon, justices of the peace.

The town officers for 1894 were as follows: Supervisor, Joseph Pero; G. W. Sergeant, clerk; Irving F. Brown, justice of the peace; David H. Tuttle, assessor; Andrew Brown, commissioner of highways; Fred Jamison, overseer of the poor; William R. Spoon, collector; constables, G. Lewis, Eugene Hall, William J.

Brown, Jesse D. Kinney; inspectors, D. B. Lewis, William P. Kinney, John Hall; sealer of weights and measures, George Patchin; excise commissioner, Stephen Williams, Jr. Of later settlers in this town may be mentioned George D. Wells, who came here in 1845, and died in the town leaving four daughters, one of whom is the wife of David Warner; James Leigh, whose sons Henry H. and Nathan H. now live on the homestead at what is called "North Amboy"; Peter Spoon, who was the first settler on the village site, where he took up fifty acres of lot 104 in 1822, and died in the town; Thomas J. Lewis; Ezra Spoon, who moved here in 1843 from Herkimer county; Warner Spoon, a brother of Peter; Hugh Wasson and his father; James and William Brown and Royal Tuttle; Robert Hall, who came about 1833, owned the grIst mill at West Amboy several years, and died in town; George Lewis, a captain in the old State militia; Thomas Flanigan, who settled about one mile west of the "Five Corners"; and Arnold Simmonds, Hubbard Warren, Malcolm McIntyre, James Fails, Nathaniel Wheeler (who located on what has been dubbed "Mud Hill "), F. H. Berry, James and John F. Clelland, William H. Ellis, W. H. Fifield, Noel A. Gardner, Thomas Laing, Dr. Joseph Pero, Thomas Quinn, E. D. Rolland, Stephen Williams, Peter Ackley, Asa Brown, and John, Matthew R., and Thomas H. Nichols.

Samuel Whaley settled near Amboy Center about 1848 and died in town at the age of eighty-three.

John Garber located on the old Mexico road at an early day and kept hotel there many years, and also manufactured potash.

The town authorities were prompt and liberal in voting the large bounties that were paid to volunteers and in other ways gave support and encouragement to the soldiers in the field.

Here the character of agriculture has changed considerably since the early years, when crop raising was largely the dependence of the farmers.

Hops were formerly raised to some extent, but in later years dairying has largely taken the place of other pursuits; cheese-making forming the chief part of the industry.

Following the close of the war and while there were still extensive timber forests in and near the town, quite a number of mills were built and put in operation.

The school buildings and sites are valued at $2,615; assessed valuation of districts, $159,586; public money received from the State, $832.36; raised by local tax, $513.52.

Arthur Simmons at an early period had a saw mill here, while Alfred, his brother, carried on for a few years an extensive general business.

The small village of Amboy Center is situated as its name indicates, in the central part of the town.

Among the postmasters have been Clay Short, F. M. Tousley, George W. Sergeant, David Wilson, Seymour Spoon, William E. Lewis, and John W. Whaley, present incumbent.