|
CHEMUNG COUNTY.
Call III Center and post Creefe. are p. offices. The first settlers were John Martin, from
Tompkins co., and Aaron Davenport, from N. J., who located in the s. w. corner of the town.1
CHEMUIG—was formed Feb. 28, 1789. Elmira was taken off in 1792, Erin in 1822, and
Baldwin in 1856. It is the s. e. corner town of the co. Its surface is a hilly upland broken by
deep and narrow valleys. Chemung River flows s. e. through the s. part, Wynkoop Creek flows
s. through near the center, in a deep valley bordered by steep hillsides. The soil on the uplands is
a gravelly loam, and in the valleys gravel mixed with alluvium. Broomcorn and tobacco are
largely cultivated. BrcdiVille, (Chemung p. o.,) on Chemung River, contains a church and
57 dwellings. It is a station on the N. Y. & Erie R. R. Oiemiing Center and Baldwin
are p. offices. The first settlement was made at Breckville, in 1788, by Elijah Breck, Capt. Daniel
McDowell, and William Wynkoop,—the first two from Penn.2 The first church (Bap.) was formed
in 1790, by Rev. Roswell Goff.3
ELMIRA—was formed from Chemung, as “ Newtown,” April 10, 1792, and its name was
changed April 6, 1808. Catharines Schuyler co., was taken off in 1798, Big Flats and Southport
in 1822, and Horseheads in 1854. It is situated s. of the center of the co. Ranges of hills occupy
the e. and w. borders, and a wide vailey extends through the center. The declivities of the hills
are generally steep, and their summits are 400 to 600 ft. above the valleys. The principal streams
are Chemung River, forming the s. boundary, and Newtown and • Goldsmiths Creeks. The soil
upon the uplands is a gravelly loam, and in the valleys a productive, sandy loam. Clmira.
(p.v.) is situated upon the Chemung, near the center of the s. border of the town. Upon an emi¬
nence 2J mi. e. of Elmira Tillage are the remains of an ancient fortification. It is protected on one
side by the river, and on the other by a deep ravine. An embankment 200 feet long, 14 feet wide,
and 31 feet high still extends along the rear of the fortification, and upon it large trees grew when
the whites first occupied the country. It was incorp. as “ Newtown” March 3, 1815, and its name
was changed April 21,1828. The people are largely engaged in manufacturing3 and in commercial
pursuits,5 for which the location of the place is admirably adapted. Besides the co. buildings, the
village contains 3 banks, 1 daily and 2 weekly newspaper offices, 8 churches, and a large number
of fine and commodious commercial buildings. It is also the seat of the Elmira Female College,®
the Elmira Seminary,4 the Elmira Academy,5 and a large water-cure establishment.6 The public
schools are graded and are in a flourishing condition. Pop. 8,308, of which 7,173 are within the
limits of the town, and 1,135 in the town of Southport. The first settlement was made by Col. John
Hendy and Christian Loop, who located on the present site of the village in 1788.10 Col. Hendy
|
8 The Elmira Academy, once incorp., is now a private institu¬
tion. It has an endowment of $10,000. New buildings for the
school are in process of erection. In 1858, 262 pupils were re¬
ported.
9 The Elmira Water-Cure is situated op the hill 1 mi. e. of the
village, commanding an extensive view of the valley and sur¬
rounding country. It contains accommodations for 110 patients.
10 Among the early settlers were John Konkle, James Cameron,
Wm. Seeley, Nathaniel Seely, John Muller, Caleb Baker,
Marks, Thomas Hendy, and Jqhn J. AcMody. Cornelius
Low kept the first inn, in 1791, at Newtown Point, .and
Cyrus Hallenbeck the first store, at about the same time and
place. The first gristmill was built by Wm. Dunn and Brin-
ton Parne, at the village in 1791, and the first sawmill, wool
carding and cloth dressing mill by Gen. Matthew Carpenter,
on the site of the present woolen factory. The following ao-
count of the first birth in town was given in the N. V.
Commercial Advertiser:—“One Saturday afternoon, about 4
o’clock, in the summer of 1788, while Col. John Hendy was
working on his log house, a.man and woman, both on horse¬
back, emerged from the Indian pathway and crossed the New¬
town Creek to his land. The man rode before, with a basket on
each side of his horse, and a child in each basket, while the
woman brought up the rear, having on her nag the goods and
chattels of the family; for they were man and wife. The hus¬
band rode up to Col. H., inquiring with much anxiety if there
was a doctor to be found in the vicinity. ‘ What is the matter V
said the veteran. ‘ My wife has got hurt by the stumbling of
her horse, and wants a doctor as soon as possible,’ was the
reply. ‘ That is very unfortunate,’ said the Col., ‘ for there is
no doctor in this wilderness.’ He had no shelter nor resting
place to offer them, save the ground, the pine trees, and the
canopy of heaven. They rode on a few rods, and stopped—for
they were obliged to stop—under the best shelter they could
find. On Sunday morning Col. Hendy met the man in the
woods, near the spot where they had conversed before, and, in¬
quiring how his wife was, was answered, ‘ She is as well as
could be expected.’ The Col. did not think again of the traveler
till Monday, when he sent his son to look after them. The boy
returned with the intelligence that they were getting ready to
start. ‘But how is the woman, my boy V said he. ‘The |
1
Among the other early settlers were N. Swick, Homer Tap¬
per, Edward Beebe, Jacob Bucher, Alanson Owen, John Woolsey,
and J. M. Barker, who located in the s. part. Jacob Bucher
kept the first inn on Post Creek, and Ostrander erected the
first saw and gristmills on the same stream. Reuben Beebe
died in the town in 1854, at the age of 105. His widow, Hannah
Beebe, was living,1858, at the age of 105. Mr. Beebe served as
a soldier in the Revolutionary army.
2
The first marriage was that of Guy Maxwell and Nellie
Wynkoop, and the first death, that of Wm. Bosworth. The first
inn was kept by Wm. Wynkoop, on Wynkoops Creek, and the
first store by Elijah Breck, at Breckville. Epinetns Owen erected
the first gristmill, on Wynkoops Creek. Wm. Wynkoop was from
Ulster co., and .settled at the mouth of the creek hearing his
name. Samuel Wallace, the first school teacher, was killed by
the Indians.
3
The principal of the manufacturing establishments are as
follows:—The Elmira Woolen Manufactory, employing 64 hands,
and turning out 230,000 yds. of cloth annually; the Phoenix
Furnace Iron Works gives employment to 40 men; the Elmira
Ax Factory to 25 men; and a barrel manufactory to 50 men.
Besides these, there are several flouring mills, a planing mill,
and other establishments.
4
and privileges granted to the other colleges in the State. It ex¬
tends to woman, opportunities for the highest culture. It is
5
beautifully situated upon an eminence a little n. w. of the vil¬
lage. The building is 230 feet long, with an octagonal center 70
6
feet in diameter and 4 stories high, flanked by 2 wings, each 80
by 50 feet, and 3 stories high, all erected at a cost of $80,000.
The catalogue of 1858 reports 188 pupils in attendance.
|
