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CHENANGO COUNTY. 229
1793. Guilford was taken off in 1813, and a part of Coventry in 1843. It is an interior town,
lying a little s. of the center of the co. Its surface is divided into two parts by the valley of the
Chenango. The hills bordering upon the river are 500 to 800 ft. above the valleys. Chenango
River flows s. w. through the w. part in a valley averaging about 1 mi. in width. It receives Eddy
and Padget Brooks from the e., and Fly-Meadow, Mill, and Ludlow Brooks from the w. The soil is
a shaly loam upon the hills, and a gravelly loam and alluvium in the valleys. Oxford, (p. v.,)
upon the Chenango, in the n. part of the town, incorporated April 6, 1806, contains 6 churches,
the Oxford Academy,1 a hoe factory, sash and blind factory, carriage shop, grist and saw mill, and
plaster mill. Pop. 1,218. Soutll Oxford is a p. o. in the s. w. corner; and Cliesliireville
a p. o. near the s. line. The first settlements were made in 1790, by Benjamin Ilovey.2 The first
preacher was Rev. Uri Tracy, (Presb.,) in 1792.® .
PMARSAEIA—was formed from Norwich, as “ Stonington,” April 7, 1806. Its name was
changed April 6, 1808. It is an interior town, lying n. w. of the'center of the co. Its surface is a
rolling and hilly upland, occupying a portion of the watershed between Chenango and Otselic
Rivers. The latter flows through the extreme n. w. corner. Canasawacta, Genegantslet, and
Brackel Creeks take their rise near the center. The soil is a shaly loam.' Pharsalia, (p. v.,)'
in the w. part, contains 12 houses; East Pbarsalia, (p.v.,) in‘the s., 2 churches, 2 gristmills,
a sawmill, and 15 houses. North Pharsalia is a p. o. • The first settlement was commenced
in 1797, by John Randall, on Lot 48.4 John Peck was the first settled minister. There are three
churches in town; Bap., F. W. Bap., and Presb.
PITCHER 3—was formed from German and Lincklaen, Feb. 13,1827. A part of Lincklaen
was annexed in 1833. It lies upon the w. border of the co., n. of the center. Its surface consists
principally of two high ridges 500 to 800 ft. above the valleys. Otselic River flows s. e. through
the center. Brackel Creek flows s. w. through the s. part. The ravines of the streams are narrow
and are bordered by steep hillsides. The soil is a shaly and gravelly loam. Pitcher, (p. v.,)
upon the Otselic, s. w. of the center, contains 3 churches, a woolen factory, and 25 dwellings.
North Pitcher, (p. v.,) upon the Otselic, n. e. of the center, contains 2 churches, 2 sawmills,
a hame factory, fork factory, and about 20 dwellings. Pitcher Springs (p. o.) is a hamlet e.
of the center.6 South Pitcher is a p. o. John. Wilson and Schuyler settled in 1794
or ’95.4 The first religious services were held by Rev. Seth Williston, in 1797.®
PLYMOUTH—was formed from Norwich, April 7, 1806. It is an interior town, lying n. of
the center of the co. Its surface is a hilly upland, broken by deep ravines. Canasawacta Creek,
and its e. and w. branches, flow s.e. through, deep and narrow Valleys and form a junction near
the center of the town. Southwest of the center are 2 small' ponds, covering an area of 100 to
150 acres each. The soil is a gravelly and clayey loam. Plymouth",5 (p.v.,) n. of the center,
contains 3 churches and 150 inhabitants; South Plymouth, (p.o.,) in the s.e., a gristmill
and 10 houses. Thh first settlement was commenced about 1794, by some French families.10 The
first church (M.E.) was organized about 1806 ; and the Rev. White was the first preacher.6
PRESTON—was formed from Norwich, April 2, 1806. Macdonough was taken off in 1816.
A part of Norwich was taken off in 1808, and a part of the same town was annexed in 1820.
6 Named from Nathaniel Pitcher, Lieutenant Governor of the
State.
6 Pitcher Springs, formerly quite a watering place, was named
from the sulphur springs. located there. It is now almost de¬
serted.
I Among the other early settlers were Ebenezer Wakely, Benj.
Fairchild, Jonathan Chandler, George Taylor, Silas Beebe, Jonas
Hinman, Abijah Rhines, Simon Peet, Millard, and Elijah
Fenton. The first child born was a son of Silas Beebe, in Nov.
1796; and the first marriage, that of John Wilson and Polly
Hinman, May 16, 1799. . Ebenezer Wahgbr taught the first
school; Benj. Fairchild kept the first inn, Muben Root the first
store, and John Lincklaen built the first mills.
8 The census reports 6 churches in town; 2 Cong., 2 M. E.,
Bap., and Union.
8 Formerly called “Frankville
10 Among the early settlers were John Raynor andG. D. Jeffrey,
(Frenchmen,) James Bumford, Nathan Wales, John Miller, Col.
Wm. Munroe, Silas Holmes, Dan’l Prentiss, Jas. Purdy, Judah
Bement, and R. D. Dillaye. The first death was that of_
Blowers; Elizabeth Bowdish died about the same time. Clarissa
Brooks taught the first school, in 1800 or ’01; Charles Babcock
kept the first inn, and John Raynor the first store. Col. Walker
Prentiss built the first mill, and John Thorp the first woolen
factory, at an early day.
II There are 4 churches in town; M. E., Bap., F. W. Bap., aud
Cong.
1
This institution for many years bore the highest reputation
of any academy tt. of the Hudson. Many distinguished citizens
of the central portions of the State received their academic edu¬
cation at this place.
2
Among the other early settlers were Elijah Blackman, Eben
Enos, John Bartle and 6 sons, Peter Burgot, John Church, Theo¬
dore Burr, Benj. Loomis, Samuel Farnham, Charles Hurst, John
Holmes, John McNeil, Dan'l Tucker, Francis Balcom, Wm. and
Henry Gordon, and Thos. McAlpine. The first child born was
Ellis Loomis, in May, 1792; the first marriage was that of Peter
Bartle and Tabitha Loomis,’in May, 1795; the first death was
that of a child of Peter Burgot, and the first death of an adult,
3
individually, oh.“Panther Hill,” in 1793; John Bartle kept the
4
and Peter Burgot built the first mill, on Mill Brook.
5
M. E., Presb., Prot. E., R. C., and Univ.
6
Sanford Morgan, on Lot 36, John Weaver, on Lot 28, Daniel Deni¬
son,on Lot70, Lodo wick Weaver, on Lot 32, JoshuaWeaver and
David Davis, on Lot 69,—all from Conn. The first birth was that
of Denison R. Weaver; the first marriage, that of Jabesh Brown
and Ketura Brown; and the first death, that of Mrs. Nehemiah
Lewis. Aruna Wait taught the first school. The first tavern
and store were kept by Sanford Morgan, on Lot 36; the first
mill was built by Asa Weaver, on Lot 27, on Canasawacta Creek. (
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