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SCHUYLER COUNTY.
MX1—was formed from Catlin, (Chemung co.,) April 17, 1835. It lies upon the w. side
of Catharines Creek, and extends from the head of Seneca Lake to the s. bounds of the co. The
surface is mostly a rolling and hilly upland, the summits being 400 to 700 ft. above the lake.
It is drained by Catharines Creek and several smaller streams. The soil is principally a fine
quality of gravelly loam. A little s. w. from the head of the lake is a deep glen in the hills, bor¬
dered by perpendicular rocks 200 ft. high. A small stream runs through it, forming a series of
beautiful cascades. Watllins,2 (p. v.,) upon the line of Reading, at the head of Seneca Lake,
was incorp., as “ Jefferson,” April 11, 1842, and its name was changed April 8, 1852. It contains
a courthouse) 5 churches, a newspaper offi.ce, and several manufacturing establishments. It is a
lake, canal, and k. r. station; a daily steamboat plies upon Seneca Lake between this place and
Geneva. Pop. 1,084. Beaver Dams, (p. v.,) in the s. w. corner, contains 2 churches, several
manufactories, and 28 dwellings; Townsend, (p.v.,) near the w. line, contains 1 church,
several mills, and 36 dwellings ; Crawford Settlement, (Moreland p.o.,) near the s. line,
contains 2 churches and 26 dwellings. The first settlements were made near the head of the lake
and along the valley of Catharines Creek, about the commencement of the present century:®
The first church edifice (Bap.) was erected in 1833, at Townsend.3
HECTOR—was formed from Ovid, (Seneca co.,) March 30, 1802. It is the s.w. corner
township of the Military Tract and the n. e. corner town of the co. Its surface, is a rolling
upland, its highest summits being 500 to 700 ft. above Seneca Lake. The bluffs bordering upon
the lake are 100 to 300 ft. highland nearly perpendicular. It is drained by a large number of
small creeks flowing into Seneca and Cayuga Lakes. Hector Falls, upon a small creek in the
s. w. part of the town, is a cascade made by the stream flowing down the bluff which borders
upon the lake. The soil is a clay, sandy, and gravelly loam, in some places underlaid by hard-
pan. Perry City, (p.v.,) upon the e. line of the town, contains a Friends’ meeting house and
120 inhabitants; MedAlentmrgll, (p.v.,) situated 2 mi. s. w. of Perry City, contains 3 churches,
2 sawmills, a flouring mill, and 338 inhabitants; Reynolds ville, (p.v.,) near the center of the
town, contains a church and 117 inhabitants; Reimettstolirgll, (p.v.,) in the s. part, contains
a church, 4 saw and shingle mills, 1 gristmill, tannery, and 25 dwellings; Rurdett, (p.v_,) in
the s. w. part, contains 3 churches, a woolen factory, agricultural implement factory, iron foundery,
gristmill, sawmill, tannery, and 360 inhabitants; Peacll Orcliard, (Hector p. o.,) in the n. w.
part, contains 3 churches and 34 dwellings; Polltville, in the n. w. part, contains a
church and 16 dwellings; Searsburgli (p. o.) contains 2 churches and 10 dwellings. Nortll
Hector and Cayutaville are p. offices; and Steamburgli is a hamlet. John Livingston
and Wm. Wickham settled in 1791, in the n. w. part of the town, on the bank of the lake.5 The
first church (Presb.) was formed by Rev. Mr. Stewart, at Peach Orchard, in 1809.®
ORANGE—was formed from Wayne, (Steuben co.,) Feb. 12, 1813, as “■Jersey.” Its name
was changed Feb. 20, 1836. A part of Hornby (Steuben co.) was annexed April 11, 1842, and a
part of Bradford, (Steuben co.,) April 17, 1854. It is the s. w. corner town in the co., and is
bounded on the e, by tbe pre-emption line. Its surface is a rolling and hilly upland, broken by
the deep and irregular valleys of the streams. Meads Run, flowing s. w., forms the principal
drainage. The soil is chiefly a gravelly loam. Monterey (Orange p. o.) contains 3 ehuiches,
a gristmill, and 301 inhabitants. Sugar Hill is a p. o. in the n. e. part. The first settlements
were made in 1799, by Abraham Rozenback and Samuel Scomp, n. e. of Monterey.4 The first
church (M.E.) was formed by Rev. Peregrine Hallett, the first preacher.8
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Betsey Livingston; and the first death, that of Wm. Wickham.
The first school was taught at Peach Orchard, hy John Living
ston. Wm. Wickham kept the first inn, near Peach Orchard,
and John B. Seeley the first store, at Hector Falls. The first
gristmill and carding machine were put in operation at the
same place, by Sam’l B. Seeley.
6 The census reports 20 churches in town; 7 M. E., 3 Presb.,
3 Bap., 2 Wes. Meth., 2 Friends, O. S. Bap., Prot. E., and Chris.
Cong.
7 Henry Switzer, from N. J., settled on Switzer Hill, in 1802,
and D. Hewitt, from Rensselaer co., N. Y., was the first settler at
Monterey, in 1811. Abner and Thos. Hurd, and Brigham Young,
the Mormon leader, were early settlers in the N. E. part of the
town. Sami. Chapman, Wm. Wilkins, Wm. De Witt, Andrew
Fort, Danl. Curtiss, and Jedediah Miller settled on Meads Run
in 1811. Elsie Switzer was the first child born. The first school
was taught hy Dan’l McDougali, in 1819, near Monterey. Thos.
Hurd kept the first inn, in 1816, at Monterey, and Walter Hurd
the first store, S. w. of the same place.
8 The census reports 4 churches in town; 2 Bap., Presb., and
M. E. |
1
Named from Ex-Senator John A. Dix.
2
Named from Dr. Samuel Watkins, an early settler in the
village.
3
The census reports 10 churches; 3 Bap., 3 M. E., 2 Presb.,
4
Caleb, and Chauncey W., from Canaan, Conn., settled on Mili¬
tary Lots 20 and 21, in 1794; Richard Ely and Grover Smith, a
little N. of Peach Orchard, and Daniel Everts, s. of the same
place, in 1795,—all from Salisbury, Conn. The first child horn
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