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CHEMUNG COUNTY. 221
was the pioneer in the valley of the Chemung, and one of the most prominent of the early settlers.
The first preacher (Presb.) was Rev. Nathan Culver.1
ERIBf—1was formed from Chemung, March 29, 1822. A part of Yan Etten was taken off in
1854. It extends from near the center of the co. to the n. border. Its surface is a hilly upland
broken by the deep and narrow valleys of the streams. The principal streams are Winkoop,
Bakers, Baldwin, and Newtown Creeks. Upon Bakers Creek, in the s. part of the town, is
a fine sulphur spring. The soil is a medium quality of gravelly loam, and is best adapted to
grazing. Considerable lumber is still manufactured, little more than one-third of the surface
beifig under improvement. Frin; South Erin, and State Road are p. offices. The first
settlement was made in 1817, by Robert Park and John Bonfield.2 There are 2 churches in
town; Presb. and M. E.
HORSEHEARS3—was formed from Elmira, Feb. 17, 1854. It is an interior town, lying
near the center of the co. The surface is rolling and level in the w. and hilly itt the e. The
summit level of the Chemung Canal at Horseheads Tillage is 443 ft. above Seneca Lake, and the
summits of the hills are 200 to 400 feet higher. Its principal streams are Newtown Creek and its
branches. The soil is generally a good quality of gravelly loam. Considerable attention is paid to
raising tobacco, and, in 1857, 1000 acres were devoted to this crop. Horseheads (p. v.) was
incorp. May 15,1837, as “ Fairport,” and its name was changed April 18,1845. It contains 2 steam
flouring mills, a plaster mill, a gang sawmill, and 3 churches. Pop. 1000. The Chemung navigable
feeder from Corning intersects the canal at this place. Breesport (p.v.) contains 2 churches
and 18 dwellings. The first settlement was made at Horseheads in 1788, by Nathan Huntington.4
The first church (Presb.) was formed by Rev. Daniel Thatcher; the first settled minister was Rev.
Ethan Pratt.5
SOUTHPORT—was formed from Elmira, April 16, 1822. It is the s. w. corner town of the
co. Its surface is mostly a hilly upland broken by the deep valleys of the streams. Chemung
River, forming most of the n. boundary, is bordered by wide, fertile alluvial flats. Seely Creek,
the principal stream, receives as tributaries South, Bird, and Mud Lick Creeks; Hendy Creek flowrs
along the n. border. The soil upon the hills is a slaty loam, and in the valleys a fine quality
of gravelly loam. Wellshurgh, (p.v.,) on the Chemung, in the s.e. corner of the town, con¬
tains 2 churches and several mills and manufacturing establishments. It is a station on the N.Y. &
E. R. R. Pop. 365. Southport (p. v.) contains 2 churches, 2 mills, a woolen factory, and 44
houses. Webbs Mills (p. o.) is a hamlet, and Seely Creeli is a p. o. The 3d ward of El¬
mira., containing a pop. of 1135, is on the s. bank of the Chemung in this town. The first settle¬
ment at Wellshurgh was made by Green Bentley in 1788 and Abner and Henry Wells in 1789.
Abraham Miller located at Southport in 1789.6 The first church (Bap.) was formed at Wells-
burgh, in 1790; Rev. Roswell Goff was the first preacher.7 On an eminence known as Fort Hill,
near .the Chemung, in the w. part, are the remains pf an ancient fortification, supposed to have
been French.
VA1V ETTE1V—named from James B. Yan Etten—was formed from Erin and Cayuta, April
17, 1854. It is the n. e. corner town of the co. Its surface is a hilly upland, Cayuta Creek flows
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woman, eh ? oh, the woman has got a hahy; and I guess she
wants another' basket to put it in.’ ” The child whose birth is
told above was Clark Winans, jr. The place was surveyed, in
1788, by Jas. Clinton, Gen. John Hathom, and John Cantine
Conis; and the first lands were sold at 18 pence per acre. In
179fi, a council with the Indians was held under a tree on Lake
St., just e. of the present site of the courthouse. About 1200
Indians were present. Nathaniel Seely, the first patentee, of
Elmira Village, sold to Moses De Witt, who sold to White;
and in 1794 White sold to Guy Maxwell and Sami. Hepburn.
1 The census renorts 8 churches; 2 M. E., Bap., Cong., Presb.,
Af. M.E., Prot. E.‘ and B.C.
2 Among the other early settlers were Jesse L. White, Isaac
Shoemaker, Alexander and John McKay, Thomas Baker, Wm.
and Robert Stewart, John and James Hallenbeck, B. Sperry,
Thomas Van Houton, Philip Thomas, J. Boyn, Robert McDowell
and his son Barnum, and Andrew Austin, Joseph, Daniel, and
Samuel Vaughn. The first death was that of Mrs. Thomas
Baker. The first school was kept on Newtown Creek, and the
first sawmill was erected at the same place by J. and J. McMillen.
8 This name was derived from the following incident. While
Gen. Sullivan’s army was encamped at this place, some 30 or 40
worn-out horses were shot. The Indians afterward gathered
the heads and arranged them on the sides of the path, and the
locality became known as the Horseheads. |
4 John Breese (from N.J.) settled at the same place in 1789,
and Jonathan S. Concklin, Nathaniel Huntington, Asa Guilder-
sieve, and a family named Gilbert, in 1791. Soon after, a com¬
pany from Orange co., among whom were James, Ebenezer, and
John Sayre, purchased a tract of 1400 acres, covering the site o-f
the village, and settled on it. The first child born was Susanna
Concklin, in 1792; the first marriage, that of Wm. Dunn and
Mary Sayre; and the first death, that of Susanna Concklin,
Amelia Parkhurst taught the first school at, the village. ATin-
cent Concklin kept the first inn, in 1822, and Westlick & Dunn
the first store. The first gristmill was erected by' Lewis Breese,
e. of the village.
6 The census reports 5 churches; 2 M. E., 2 Bap., and 1 Presb.
6 Col. Abraham Miller was from Penn. He served with dis¬
tinction as a captain in the army of the Revolution, and was ap¬
pointed First Judge of Tioga co. by Gov. Geo. Clinton, in 1791.
The first birth was that of Eunice Kelsey, and the first death,
that of Stephen Kent. The first school was taught by Caleb
Baker; the first inn was kept by Win. Baldwin, and the first
store by Wm. and Henry Wells, on the river at Wellshurgh.
The first sawmill was erected by Col. Abraham Miller, on a
branch of Seel}7 Creek; the first gristmills were erected by David
Griswold and Solomon Bovier, and the first factory by Charles
Evans, at Southport.
i The census reports 5 churches; 2 Bap., 2 M. E., and Presb, |
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