Contained within the Village of Middleburgh’s archives is a series of leather-bound books that document public business throughout the municipality’s 144-year history. The first two pages of the first entry in the oldest book details the public notice and accompanying election results that incorporated the Village of Middleburgh.
On Saturday, April 16, 1881, 258 ballots were cast: 180 (69%) were in favor of incorporation, while 78 (31%) were opposed. Among the names listed throughout this entry are longtime families within the Village of Middleburgh: Snyder, Young, Danforth, Badgley, Wells, and more.
Only weeks after incorporation was approved by the first Village residents of Middleburgh, W.H. Engle was elected as the first President of the Village Board of Trustees, which is a position now known as Mayor. Engle’s brief tenure is captured through a handful of entries entitled, “President’s Office,” which predominantly recount early Board Meetings and the first regulations of our Village community.
