NEVERSINK  — From Revolutionary War raids to the founding of neighboring towns, Neversink’s earliest chapters are coming into sharper focus thanks to the work of Town Historian Roger Edwards.

In an update to Supervisor Chris Mathews and the Town Board at Wednesday evening’s meeting, Edwards outlined months of research aimed at re-establishing the community’s historical records,  particularly surrounding the 1778 Graham Massacre at Chestnut Creek. The project is part of preparations for the 2026 National Semiquincentennial, celebrating 250 years since America’s founding.

“Many accounts of the massacre have been written over the years, often with conflicting details,” Edwards said. “I’ve compared each version side by side to determine what’s possible and what’s not.”

So far, the only universally agreed fact is that an attack occurred at the confluence of the Pepacton Stream and Chestnut Creek, when a force of Native Americans and Tories sympathetic to the British ambushed colonial troops led by Acting Lt. John Graham. Edwards is continuing to investigate the causes of the raid, the transformation of once-friendly Native groups into wartime adversaries, and the events that brought the violence to an end.

Edwards has also worked with the Time and the Valleys Museum to prepare historic sites for the anniversary, including the Graham Monument in Neversink and the Palen Tannery site in Claryville. With approval from Mathews, needed repairs at the monument—including a reinforced flagpole base and new flag—were completed by Joe Bagley and Ernie Degastonguay.

Beyond the massacre, Edwards’ research has uncovered key documents, including the 1798 state law creating the Town of Neversink, as well as legislative acts that later established the Towns of Rockland and Fallsburg. Copies of each have been added to the town’s permanent records.

The historian has also compiled extensive files on the town’s first settlers, including Henry Reynolds, Neversink’s first supervisor, and John Hall, its first permanent resident. Military muster rolls, colonial correspondence, including letters from Gov. George Clinton and Gen. George Washington, and lists of 18th-century residents are now part of the town’s archives.

“I’ve been very busy the first half of 2025,” Edwards said. “And I’m looking forward to more fun during the rest of the year.”

Thanking Edwards for the report, Mathews noted that  as soon as Edwards came on board, some of their first debates consisted of how many people actually died in the Battle of Chestnut Woods.

Edwards recalled that the colonel on the site the day after the massacre stated “all soldiers were present and accounted for except for three”. He also noted that the state (of New York) goes by that number, believing it to be the average.

Mathews also questioned if three could be considered a massacre which Edwards confirmed was the truth.

“There’s quite a few problems that developed in researching this because there’s so much that has never been reported. There’s so many conditions surrounding this whole thing,” noted Edwards. “That’s what has taken me so long in trying to weed out all of this [information] and trying to put it together in a form that is recognizable. My impressions is that there were real heroes in that massacre.”