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190 CA.TTARAUGUS COUNTY.
FARMERSVFLEE—was formed from “Ischua,” now Franklinville, March 29, 1821. It
lies on the e. border of the co., n. of the center. The surface is a hilly upland, forming the water¬
shed between the streams flowing n. w. into Lake Erie and those flowing e. into Genesee River
and s. into Allegany River. The highest point, near the center, is 800 to 900 feet above the R. R.
at Olean. Mud Lake, in the sr. part, covering an area of about 30 acres, discharges its waters N.;
and Ischua Creek flows s. through the w. part. On the uplands the soil is chiefly a vegetable
mold resting on clay, shale, and slate; in the valleys, a gravelly loam. Farmersville, (p.v.,)
near the center, contains 2 churches and 17 dwellings. Fairview is a p. o. The first settle¬
ment was made by Peter and Cornelius Ten Broeck and Richard Tozer,—all from Otsego co.,—on
Lots 4 and 36, in 1817.1 The first religious meeting was held by Rev. Eliab Going, (Bap.,) at the
barn of Levi Peet, in 1821. The census reports 2 churches; Bap. and M. E.
FRAVMXIVVELEE—was formed from Olean, June 16, 1812, as “Hebe.” Its name was
changed to “ Ischua,” April 17, 1816; and to Franklinville, March 3, 1824. A part of Perrys-
burgh was taken off in 1814, Ellicottville, Freedom, and Yorkshire in 1820, Farmersville in 1821,
and Lyndon in 1829. It is an interior town, lying n.e. of the center of the co. Its surface is un¬
dulating and hilly. It is drained s. by Ischua and Great Yalley Creeks and several other small
streams. The soil is clay and gravelly loam. Franklinville, (p.v.,) on Ischua Creek, in the
n.e. corner of the town, contains 2 churches, 2 sawmills, and 370 inhabitants; Cadiz (p.v.) a
church and several mills. Pop. 165. The first settlement was made at the village'of Franklin-
ville, by Joseph McClure, originally from Vt., in March, 1806.2 The first church (Bap.) was
formed in 1823. There are 3 churches in town; Bap., Presb., and M. E.
FREER©—was formed from “Ischua,” now Franklinville, April 13, 1820. A part of
Yorkshire was taken off in 1844. It is the n. e. corner town of the co. The surface is a rolling
or moderately hilly upland. Clear Creek and the s. branch of Cattaraugus Creek are the principal
streams. Beaver Lake, in the s. part, Fish Lake, in the e., and-Scum and Laws Lakes, in the
center, are small ponds. The soil is a clay and gravelly loam. Several quarries of good build¬
ing stone are found in different parts of the town. Sandusky, (p.v.,) on Clear Creek, in the sr.
part, contains 2 churches, a gristmill, and 2 sawmills. Pop. 175. Elton, (p. v.,) near the s. w.
corner, contains a church and 14 dwellings. Freedom is a p. o. The first settlements were
made in 1811, by Warren Stanley, Ezekiel Reynolds, from N. II., and Earl Lawyer, Rufus Met¬
calf, and Enoch Howlett, from Vt.® The first religious meeting was held at the house of Rufus
Metcalf, in April, 1813, by Elder P. Root. The first church (M. E.) was formed in 1820.*
GREAT VALLEY—was formed from Olean, April 15, 1818. “Burton,” now Allegany,
was taken off in 1831, and Carrolton in 1842. Part of Allegany Reservation was taken off in
1847. It is an interior town, lying a little s. of the center of the co. Its surface is a mountainous
and hilly upland. The highest summit, near the s. w. corner, is 1,300 feet above the river. The
declivities are generally very abrupt, and many of them are too steep for cultivation. Allegany
- River flows through the s. w. corner, and receives as tributary Great Yalley Creek. The soil upon
the highlands is a hard clay mixed with disintegrated slate and shale; and in the valleys a gravelly
loam. Lumbering is the leading pursuit, five-sixths of the surface being still covered with forests.3
Great Valley Station, (Killbuck p. o.,) at the mouth of Great Yalley Creek, in the s. part,
contains 18dwellings; and PetR (Great Valley p. o.) 11. Settlement was commenced at the
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1811, and moved in with their families in the spring of 1812.
The first child born was Rufus Metcalf, jr., Dec. 24, 1812; and
the first death of an adult was that of Peter Davis, Dec. 17,1816.
Elihu Daggart -and Sally McKee, and Sylvester Davis and Miss
Daggapt, were all married at the same time, in 1817. The first
school was taught in 1816, by Jemima Clark. Enoch Howlett
kept the first inn and the first store, in 1824. He also 'erected
the first sawmill, in 1821, on Clear Creek. Dr. Elihu Cruttenden
erected the first gristmill, on the same stream, in 1822.
■4 The census reports 5 churches; 2 Bap., F. W. Bap., Calv.
Meth., and Univ.
6 On Lot 19, about 1 mi. e. of the center of the town, is a place
known as the “ Breathing Well.” About 1850, Nicholas Flint
attempted to dig a well; but, after reaching a depth of 25 feet
and obtaining no water, he abandoned the undertaking, hut
stoned up the well, hoping that water might come. Noticing a
current of air proceeding from the well, he inserted a pump log
in it, and covered it 'up, except the end of the, log. A current
of air is continually blowing either into or out of the well; and
a whistle placed in the hore of the log has been heard half a mi.
The current is sometimes steady in one direction for a whole
day, and sometimes it changes every hour. |
1
Levi Peet and Peleg Robins, from Otsego co., settled on Lots
86 and 3, in 1817. The first child born was Addison, son of
Richard Tozer, in 1817; the first marriage, that of Peter Ten
Broeck and Polly Tremain; and the first death, that of Mrs.
Magdalene Adams, Nov. 7,1820. The first inn was kept in 1817,
by Richard Tozer, and the first store by Jacob Comstock, in
1828. James Worden erected the first sawmill, in 1824, on the
outlet of Mud Lake.
2
Mr. McClure was an agent and surveyor of the Holland.Land
Co., and located his lot in 1805. He was a leading man in the
town for many years, filled the principal tpwn offices, served
3
* These settlers made improvements and put up log houses in
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