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CHENANGO COUNTY.
It is the central town of the co. Its surface is a high, rolling upland, divided into two distinct
ridges. The summits of the hills are 200 to 800 feet ahove the Chenango Yalley at Norwich. The
principal streams are Fly-Meadow Creek and Mill Brook, flowing s. into the Chenango. The soil
is a gravelly and slaty loam,—in many places stony and hard to cultivate. It is generally well
adapted to grazing. Preston Corners, (Prestonp.o.,) in the n. part, contains 2 churches
and 105 inhabitants.' The first settlement was made on Fly-Meadow Creek, in 1787, hy James
Glover, who erected the first gristmill, in 1788-89.1 The first church (Bap.) was formed in 1806,
hy Elder Haskall, the first preacher.2 ,
SHERBFME—was formed from Paris, (Oneida co.,) March 5, 1795. Smyrna was taken
off in 1808, and a part of New Berlin was annexed in 1852. It lies on the n, border of the co.,
e. of the center. • The highest summits are 200 to 500 feet above the valleys of the streams,
Chenango Biver enters the eo. from Madison and flows in a s. e. direction through the town,
receiving Handsome and Mad Brooks and several other tributaries. The soil is chiefly a
gravelly and slaty loam, hut some portions of the valley lands are a sandy loam. The Che¬
nango Canal passes through the valley parallel to the river. On the bottom lands of the river
hops are extensively grown. Sherburne, (p.v.,) on the Chenango, s. of the center, was incorp.
April 16, 1830. It contains 6-churches, the Sherburne Academy, and several manufactories. Pop.
about 1200. Earlville, (p.v.,) on the line of Madison co., contains 441 inhabitants, of whom
208 are in this town. Joseph Gutherie settled in the valley of the Chenango, near Sherburne
Village, in 1792. Major Brooks, one of the “ Shay’s men,” is supposed to have been there a
year or two earlier.3 The first religious services were held hy.a number of families from New
England, who purchased the s.w. quarter of the 9th township, (Sherburne,) and settled on it in
March, 1793.4
SMITHTTEEE—was formed from Greene, April 1, 1808. It lies on the w. line of the co.,
s. of the center. The surface consists of high ranges of hills, with narrow valleys extending n.
and s. It is drained s. hy Genegantslet and Ludlow Creeks and their tributaries, and several
other streams flowing into the Chenango. The soil is a gravelly and clay loam in the valleys, and*
a clay and slaty loam on the hills. Slhithville Flats, (p.v.,) on Genegantslet Creek, in
the s. w. corner, contains 4 churches, 3 sawmills, a gristmill, and 315 inhabitants. East Smith-
ville, on Ludlow Creek, near the e. line, contains 2 churches and 18 dwellings. The first settle¬
ment was made in the valley of the Genegantslet, in 1797, by Robert Lytle, from Ireland.4 The
first church (Bap.) was formed in-1805, by Elder Gray, the first preacher.6
SMYRNA—was taken from Sherburne, March 25, 1808, as “ Stafford.” Its name was
changed April 6 of the same year. It is the central town upon the n. border of the co. Its sur¬
face is a broken and hilly upland, the highest summits being 500 to 800 feet ahove the valleys.
The principal stream is Pleasant Brook, flowing s. e. through near the center. Cold Brook and
several other small streams flow through portions of the town. These streams mostly flow through
narrow valleys bordered hy hillsides, the largest portions of which are too steep for cultivation.
The soil is a gravelly and shaly loam. Smyrna, (p.v.,) upon Pleasant Brook, near the e. line,
was incorp. April 20, 18,29. It contains 3. churches, a gristmill, 2 tanneries, and 320 inhabitants.
The first settlement was made by Joseph Porter, in 1792.7 The first religious society (Friends) was
formed at an early period.8
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ruling Power while on a perilous and tedious journey through
the wilderness to their new homes. The census reports 9
churches; 2 Bap., 2 M. E., F. W. Bap., Cong., Prot. E., Univ.,
and Union.
6 Jos. Agard and Eppaphes Sheldon, from Litchfield, Conn.,
bought out the log house and improveme'nt of Mr. Lytle in Feb.
1798, moved in their families, and became the sole residents of
the town. They were joined in 1798-99 by Edward Loomis, who
settled on Ludlow Creek, Simeon Neal, Robt. Williams, Asa
Straight. Dan’l Phillips, Capt. Samuel A. Skeel, John Young, and
John Palmer. The first child born was Jane Loomis, May 2,
1800; the first marriage, that of Jason Smith and Hannah Rora-
paugli, in 1807; and the first death, that of a son of Georgo
Shaddock, in 1799. Capt. John Palmer kept the first inn and
store and erected the first distillery. Timothy Scoville built tho
first sawmill, in 1805, and Nicholas Powell the first gristmill, in
1809.
6 The Census reports 4 churches; 2 M. E., Bap., and Univ.
7 Among the other early settlers were Jos. Collins. Jos. Bil¬
lings, Joshua Talcott, David Wilbur, and John Parker. Tho
first gristmill and clothing works were erected by Collins & Bil¬
lings, in 1795.
8 The census reports 5 churches in town; Bap., E. W. Bap.,
Cong., M. E., and Friends. |
1
David Fairchild and his sons John and Amos settled at Pres¬
ton, Comers in 1795; Randall Billings and Silas Champion, from
Conn., at Preston Center, in 1796; Jonas Marsh, from Mass., Col.
Gurdon, and Dudley Hewitt, in 1799. Among the other early set¬
tlers were Sam’l and Clark Lewis, Rev. Hazard Burdick, David
Eccleston, Jonas Marsh, Champlain, Wm. Packer, Abra¬
ham Avery, and Wm. Walsworth. The first child born was Fanny
Billings, July 16, 179g; the first marriage, that of Capt. Lyon
and Widow Crandal*n 1798; and the first death, that of an
infant child of Geo. Crary. The first school was taught by Wm,
McAlpine.who surveyed the Livingston Patent in 1798 and sub¬
sequently the Morris Tract. Jonas Marsh kept the first inn, in
1800 ; Jas. Glover kept the first store and erected the first mill.
2
The census reports 5 churches; Bap., F. W. Bap., Seventh
Day Bap., Presb., and Univ.
3
8 A company from New England, consisting of Nath’l Gray,
Joel Hatch, Abraham, James, and Newcomb Raymond, Joseph,
John, and Eleaznr Lothrop, Cornelius Clark, and Joel Northrop,
with their families, settled in 1793. The deed of their purchase
is dated in June of that year.
4
meetinghouse, and on the succeeding Sabbath met in it, after
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