Marshall Historical Society

This farm is on lot #65 of the Brothertown Tract, on which Daniel Mossuck, a Brothertown Indian once lived in the late 1790's. After the Indians had migrated to Wisconsin, Ann and David Allen were hop raisers there in 1869. Other owners have been Ruth and James Keys; Laura and James H. Skinner, 1890-1919; and Edith and Richard Iles, 1919-1962.

While the Skinners lived there the farm was called Cradle Knoll Farm. Laura Skinner kept a flock of chickens and sold eggs to local stores. George H. Skinner married Harriet L. Buckingham April 20, 1940 by Rev. John VanZanten. Harriet was born in Deansboro Jan. 11, 1903, the daughter of Edward and Hannah (Evans) Buckingham. She died Aug. l7, 1971. George died Dec. 9, 1981.

Richard H. Iles married Edith Diehl in 1917 and operated a dairy farm on the 32 acres for 40 years, retiring in 1963. They raised a son, Ramon R. Iles, and a daughter, Olives (Iles) Hunter, on this farm.

Dirk and Doris Swarthout bought the place in the fall of 1963. Dirk, Doris and son Doug had long collected books, haunting auctions, estate sales and closeouts all around the countryside. They needed to sell some and that is how Berry Hill Book Farm was started. After Doug finished English studies at Utica College, he has transformed the Berry Hill Book Farm into a full time, prospering enterprise. Still quartered in the weathered, gambrel-roofed barn, the Book Farm has increased to a third floor with many, many volumes. People come from far and wide looking for a particular book and can quite often find it in the Berry Hill Book Shop.