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OTSEGO COUNTY.
Portlandville (p.v.) contains a tannery, other factories, and 2 churches. Milford (p.v.)
contains 2 churches, 2 tanneries, and other factories. Pop. 250. The first settlement was made on
the Susquehanna, about 1770, by a squatter named Carr. As the settlements made at that period
were broken np by the border wars which followed, little or no progress was made until the close
of the Revolution.1 The first religious services (Cong.) were held near Milford Village, in 1793, ■
by Rev. Reed, the first preacher. The census reports 6 churches.2
MORRIS—was formed from Butternuts, April 6, 1849. A part of Pittsfield was annexed in
1859. It lies upon the w. border of the co., s. of the center. Its surface is a hilly upland, divided
into two principal ridges by Butternut Creek, which flows s. w. through near the center. The
w. ridge terminates in a series of steep bluff's bordering upon Unadilla River, which forms the w.
boundary of the town. The soil upon the uplands is composed of clay, gravel, and disintegrated
slate, and in the valleys of gravelly loam. Eouisville, (Morris p. o.,) on Butternut Creek,
contains 4 churches, a cotton factory, 2 tanneries, a gristmill, and several other manufacturing
establishments.3 Pop. about 500. Maple Grove is a p. o. The first settlement was made
about 1770, by Andre Renouard, at Elm Grove.4 The first church (Bap.) was organized Aug. 28,
1793; Rev. John Lawton was the first preacher.5
HEW LISBON—was formed from Pittsfield, April 7, 1806, as 11 Lisbon.” Its name was
changed April 6, 1808. It is an interior town, lying w. of the center of the co. Its surface is a
hilly upland, divided into several ridges by the deep ravines of the streams. The highest sum¬
mits are 300 to 500 ft. above tbe valleys. The principal streams are Butternut Creek, flowing s.
through the w. part, and Otego Creek, in the e. Gilberts Lake is a small sheet of water on the
s. border. The soil upon the uplands is a clay and slaty loam, and in the valleys a gravelly
loam. Garrattsville, (p. v.,) on Butternut Creek, contains a church, gristmill, sawmill, and
tannery. Pop. 192. Xoblesville (New Lisbon p. o.) contains a church, gristmill, and 25
dwellings. Hew Lisbon Center and Stetsonville are hamlets. The first settlement
was made in 1775, by William Lull and Increase Thurston.6 The first church (Bap.) was formed
on West Otego Creek, in 1804, by Elder Micah French. A Cong, church was formed near
Noblesville, April 21, 1805, by Rev. Wm. Stone.7
OHEOHTA—was formed from Milford, Otego, and Huntsville. Its name was changed
April 17, 1830. It is the central town upon the s. border of the co. Its surface is a hilly upland,
broken by the deep valley of the Susquehanna, which extends n. e. and s. w. through the s. part.
Otego Creek and several small streams flow into the Susquehanna from the n. A range of hills
500 ft. high extends along the s. e. bank of the Susquehanna. The center and n. part are hilly,
and broken by narrow and irregular valleys. The summits are 150 to 300 ft. above the valleys.
The soil is gravel, slate, and clay on the uplands, and gravelly loam and alluvium upon the river
bottoms. Oiieonta, (p. v.,) in the s. part, on the Susquehanna, was incorp. Oct. 14,1848. It con¬
tains 4 churches, a newspaper office, carriage factory, 2 iron founderies, a tannery, gristmill and saw¬
mill. Pop. 678. West Oneonta (p.v.) contains an iron foundery and 15 cbvellings; Oneonta
Plains, (p. v.,) 2 churches, a distillery, and 12 houses. Henry Scramling and John Youngs settled
in town previous to the Revolution.8 The first religious association (Presb.) was formed at Oneonta
Village, in 1786; Rev. Alex. Conkeywas the first settled preacher; the church was built in 1816.9
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6 Among the other early settlers were S. W. Park, Moses
Thurston, Hughey Marks, O. Park, William Pierce, Brook,
John Johnson, William and John Garratt, all in the vicinity of
Garrattsville. Elnathan Nobles was among tho first settlers at
Noblesville; from him the place derives its name. Joseph
Balcom and John Stewart were among the first settlers at
Stetsonville. In 1778 the first settlers were driven off by the
Indians and tories. Their buildings were burned and their
crops destroyed. After the close of the war, all the first settlers
returned to their improvements. Sally Thurston was the first
child born in town; James McCollum taught the first school:
Charles Eldredge kept the first inn, in the s. part of the town;
and William Garratt the first store, at Garrattsville. Louis De
Villier, a Frenchman, erected the first mill.
7 The census reports 3 churches in town; Bap., Cong., and
M. E.
8 Aaron Brink, Frederick Brown, and James McDonald were
among the early Bettlers at Oneonta Village. James Youngs
settled at the mouth of Charlotte River; Baltus Kimbell, N. of
the village; Abraham Houghtaling, also Elias Brewer and
Peter Swartz, in the N. part of the town, in 1786; and Josiah
Peet, on Oneonta Creek. The first birth was that of Abraham
Houghtaling 2d, in 1786. Aaron Brink kept the first inn, and
Peter Dininey the first store. John Vanderworker erected the
first gristmill.
9 There are 7 churches in town; 3 M. E., 2 F. W. Bap., Bap.,
and Presb. |
1
Matthew Cully, from Cherry Valley, and George Mumford
settled near Milford Center in 1783. Abraham and Jacob Beals,
and a family named Ford, all from Mass., settled at and near
Milford Village in 1784. Henry Scott, from Ireland, settled a
little N. of the village in 1786. The first child born was David
Beals, in Sept. 1786; the first marriage, that of James Brown
and Rhoda Marvin, in 1788; and the first death, that of Mrs.
Beals, about the same time. Increase Niles taught the first
school, in 1790. Matthew Cully and Isaac Collier kept the first
inn, below Milford Village, and Isaac Edson the first store, at the
village, in 1794. The first gristmill was erected by David Cully,
in 1788, and the first sawmill by Matthew Cully, in 1792-93.
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2 M. E., Presb., Bap., Christian, and Friends.
3
The Butternuts Cotton and Woolen Factory was erected at
the village of Louisville in 1812. It employs constantly over
50 hands.
4
Benjamin, Joseph, Caleb, Benjamin, jr., and Nathan Lull
and Jonathan Moore, from Dutchess co., settled in town in
1773. Ebenezer Knapp. Jacob Morris, and Andrew Cathcart
were also among the early settlers. The first marriage was
that of Joseph Lull and Martha Knapp, in 1776. The first inn
was kept by Sturgess Bradley, and the first store by Louis and
Paschal Franchot, at Louisville. Louis De Villier erected the
first gristmill, on Aldrich Creek, and Paschal Franchot, John C.
Morris, and A. G. Washburn the first factory.
5
The census reports 5 churches; Bap., Friends, Prot. E., M.E.,
6
and Univ. A part of Pittsfield was taken off in 1859.
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