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262 DELAWARE COUNTY.
Brooks, are tributaries of the Delaware. These streams all flow through narrow ravines bordered
by steep, rocky hills nearly perpendicular. The valley at the junction of the two branches is 922
feet above tide, and at the mouth of Beaver Kil it is 1018 ft. above tide. The summits are 1000 to
1500 ft. above the valleys. A large portion of the surface is still covered with forests. The soil
upon the uplands is a hard clayey loam, scarcely susceptible of cultivation. Lumber, leather,
shingles, and staves are largely manufactured. Maiacoclij1 (p. v.,) at the junction of the two
branches of the Delaware, is an important trading and r. r. station. Pop. 502. Stocliport
Station and Eordsvllle are r. r. stations ancl p. offices. East Branch, (p.v.,) at the
mouth of Beaver Kil, contains 2 churches and 20 houses; and Harvard, (p-v.,) 3 mi. above E.
Branch, 15 houses; Partridge Island, on the e. branch, at the mouth of Rieds Brook, and
Cadosia Talley, (p. o.,) on Hawks Brook, 3 mi. above Hancock, are hamlets. Before the Revo¬
lution two families settled in town; but they soon after left and never returned. The first perma¬
nent settlement was made soon after the close of the war by families from Dutchess co.2 In 1784,
Canope, a friendly Indian, was treacherously killed in this town by Ben Haines.3 The first reli¬
gious meetings (M. E.) were conducted by Rev. Titus Williams.4
IIARPERSFIEED5—was formed March 7, 1788. Franklin was taken off in 1792, Kort-
right in 1793, and a part of Stamford in 1834. It is the n. e. corner town of the co. Its surface
is a rolling upland, constituting a portion of the high plateau region stretching westward from the
Catskill Mts. The principal streams are head branches of the w. branch of the Delaware, in the
s.; of Middle Brook, in the center; and of Charlotte River, in the n. The valleys are usually
narrow, and bordered by gradually sloping bills arable to their summits. The soil is a shaly
and slaty loam of good quality. The quality of the soil, and the great abundance of pure soft
water which issues from the hillsides, render this co. one of the finest grazing regions in the State.
Marpersfield, (p.v.,) near the e. line, contains 20 houses. North Harpersfield (p. o.) is
a hamlet. Eergnsonville (p. v.) lies on the line of Davenport, Nor til Rortright (p. v.) on
the line of Kortright, and Stamford (p.v.) on the line of Stamford. This town formed part of a
large purchase made from the Indians by the Harpers in 1768.6 In 1771, Col. John Harper and
David Hendry surveyed this town, and a small settlement was made soon after. One of the first
settlers was Samuel Claxton, a tory. Several murders were committed by tories and Indians
during the war, and the settlement was abandoned. In 1784, Col. John, Capt. Wm., Col. Alex.,
and Joseph Harper returned, and began the first permanent settlement.7 Rev. John Lindsley
conducted the first religious services, at an early period. There are now two churches in town,
Bap. and Presb.
KORTSIGHT 8—was formed from Harpersfield, March 12, 1793. A part of Delhi was
taken off in 1798, a part of Meredith in 1800, a part of Davenport in 1817, ancl a part of Stamford
in 1834. It is an interior town, lying n. e. of the center of the co. Its surface is a hilly upland,
broken by narrow valleys and ravines. The mean elevation of the town is 1700 ft. above tide, and
the highest summits attain an elevation of 2400 ft. The streams are the w. branch of the Delaware,
forming its s. boundary, and its tributaries, and several small tributaries of Charlotte River,
draining the n. half of the town. The hills are steep, but are generally susceptible of cultivation.
The soil is a dark, shaly loam, well adapted to pasturage. Bloomville (p. v.) is in the s. w. part
of the town. Pop. 184. Kortright Center (Kortright p. o.) contains a church and 25 houses.
North Kortright (p. o.) and South Kortright (p. o.) are farming neighborhoods. Set-
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6 On the 2d of April, 1780, a party of 14 persons, under Capt.
Alex. Harper, was sent from Schoharie to Harpersfield for the
purpose of making maple sugar and watching the disaffected
in that quarter. On his return, Capt. H. was taken prisoner by
a party of tories and 43 Indians. Of the party he had left, 3 were
killed and the rest taken prisoners. The representation made
by Capt. Harper concerning the strength of the Schoharie settle¬
ment saved it from destruction at that time.
7 Roswell Hotchkiss, and Levi and Jedediah Gaylord, settled
with the Harpers near the center of the town. Josiah Seely,
Matthew Lindsley, Sam’l and John Knapp, -2 Hamiltons,
Washburn, Isaac Pierce, Stephen Judd, Sam’l, Eliab, and
John Wilcox, Richard and John Bristol, Abijah Baird, Byron
Mcllvaine, David and John McCullough, Isaac Patchin, Win.
Lamb, Caleb Gibbs, and Wm. McFarland were among the early
settlers. Rebecca Harper, born Jan. 8,1783, was the first birth
after the war. Rev. John Lindsley is believed to have taught
the first school. A gristmill, erected about 1775 by Col.
Harper, was burned by the enemy, and was rebuilt soon afta*
the war.
8 Named from Lawrence Kortright, the patentee. |
1
Formerly “ Shohakin,” or “ Chehocton,” said to signify the
union of streams. A plank road extends from this place to
Walton, a distance of 2i J mi.
2
Among the first settlers were Dr. Elnathan Gregory and his
son Samuel, John Barber, Daniel Bouker, Henry Ruff, Timothy
Rine, Chris. Ruff, Dennis Hitt, Gilbert, Leonard, (from
New England, who settled on Reeds Flat,) John Hitt, John and
Richard Biddlecon, Ebr. Wheeler, Wm., Jos., John, and Sam’l
Mallory, (near Partridge Island,) Josiah Parker, Geo. Hanks,
and Jones, (at Hancock Village.) The first hirth was that
of Elisha, son of Dan’l Bouker, May 11, 1792; the first marriage,
that of Abm. Sprague and Polly Parish, in 1791; and the first
death, that of Lieut. Day. John Gregory taught the first school.
3
Gould’s Hist. Del. Co., p. 184.
4
The census reports 6 churches; 3 M. E., and 1 each Bap.,
Cong., and R. C.
5
Named in honor of Col. John Harper, a proprietor and
pioneer settler. The family consisted of John and his wife
Abigail and nine children,—Wm., James, Mary, John, Joseph,
6
Alexander, Abigail, and two others. The brothers were ardent
7
patriots of the Revolution and active defenders of liberty.
8
J'beir names are intimately associated with our State history.
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