Our History

Gorhams to Receive Century Family Farm Citation

Newspaper article, 1971

1770-80s

Pvt. Peter Newman I of the Westchester County Militia, 3rd and 4th Regiment, served in the Revolutionary War. For his service, he received a land grant in Upstate New York.

A Revolutionary War Land Grant

1816

The Year Without a Summer

Due to the volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora in present day Indonesia that spread ash and gasses into the atmosphere and blocked the sun, many farms across the northern hemisphere -including New England - experienced crop failures and food shortages. It snowed every month of the year in Central New York. Over 100,000 people in Western Europe, New England, and parts of Asia died of starvation. This accelerated settlement west of the original colonies in search for better opportunities.

Peter Newman gifted his land grant to two of his sons, Peter J and Ebenezer, to each split and settle the over 500-acre-grant in the Kuyahoora Valley. Peter J, our direct ancestor, settled on the land we now call home.

1818

In 1818, Peter J married Elizabeth "Betsey" Burwell. Betsey was born in Poland in 1798. Together they had 8 sons. Their 6th son, Peter J Newman Jr., born in 1832, continued to run the farm.

Peter J & Betsey (Burwell) Newman

1850s

Peter Jr & Mary (Newberry) Newman

Peter Jr married Mary Jane Newberry between 1850-52. Mary was born in Poland in 1833 and according to census records, she was a houseworker on the farm where she met Peter. After marriage, they had 4 children together. The farm was passed down to their first and only son, Howard Monroe Newman, born in 1853.

1884

Howard & Hattie (Buell) Newman

Howard married Hattie Ella Buell in 1884. Hattie was born in Saratoga Springs in 1860 but her father had been born in Herkimer County which connected her back to the area. Together, Howard and Hattie had 3 children. Their middle child, Elsie Hattie Newman, born in 1887, was the next generation to take over the farm.

1911

Bruce & Elsie (Newman) Gorham

Elsie married Bruce Shaw Gorham in 1911. Bruce was born in Ridgeway, Ontario, Canada in 1886. Elsie went to college in Buffalo and met Bruce there. In 1911 he arrived in the United States and married Elsie. Together they had 4 children. Their last child and only son, John Peter "Pete" Gorham, born in 1928, continued to run the farm.

In the 1920s, the farm started maple syrup production and in 1934 the sap house was built. It still stands today and we hope to revitalize it and continue syrup production in the future.

1957

Pete & Barbara (Chrisman) Gorham

Barbara Chrisman was born in Herkimer in 1934 At the age of 14, she started training as the only female farrier in the state of New York. She and her mother, Gladys, showed horses across the eastern states and had a stable for training and boarding horses. Barb and Pete met at a General Herkimer Riding Club Harvest Dinner Dance in 1955 and were married by '57.

In 1961, the cow and hay barn burned down and was replaced the same year, luckily no cows were hurt. The new barn featured the first milking parlor-tie stall barn combination in Herkimer County and no hay storage above the cows. This was to help prevent a lightning strike fire from threatening the cows if it ever happened again. In 1962, their daughter, Lori Gorham, was born. After the barn was completed, Barb insisted that a new house was needed to match the barn. In 1967, the old farmhouse was torn down and replaced by a Farm Journal Magazine Ranch House. In 1971, the farm was finally recognized as a Century Farm by the New York State Agriculture Society.

1996

Scot & Lori (Gorham) Burritt

Lori married Scot Burritt in 1996. Scot was born in Poland and they met at a Kuyahoora Valley Ambulance Corps. Harvest Dance in 1991. Together they have two children, Katherine and Peter.

Today

After graduating from high school, Peter Burritt attended Cornell University for a degree in Agricultural Sciences with a concentration in soils and sustainability. Our farm turned into his "personal test site" for the classes he was taking in school. With that, we began our venture into no-till and soil conservation. We also changed the cover crop and crop rotation schedule and have seen success with the changes.

In 2020, we started growing sweet corn and other vegetables that we sold in a roadside stand. In 2023, beef cows were introduced and with our expanding catalog of items for sale, we drew up plans for our new storefront. We have now founded the farm under Burritt Farm Markets LLC with intent to sell our products and other locally produced goods.