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SENECA COUNTY.
corner town in the co. Its surface is mostly inclined toward the w. and N., a small portion only
lying e. of the summit. The bluff bordering upon Seneca Lake is 150 to 250 ft. above the surface
of the water; and the highest part of the central ridge is 500 ft. higher and about 1,200 ft. above
tide. The principal streams are Mill Creek, flowing n. w. through near the center, and Sheldrake
Creek, in the n. w. corner. Mill Creek separates the highlands into two distinct ridges, the decli¬
vities being very abrupt. Upon this stream are several fine cascades. Lodi Falls, where the creek
leaps down the precipitous bluff which borders upon the lake, are 125 ft. high. The water has
worn a deep and irregular channel in the shale rocks one mi. back from the face of the bluff. The
soil is principally a gravelly loam mixed with the disintegrated rocks. Lodi, (p. v.,) in the n.
part, contains 2 churches, a gristmill, and 380 inhabitants; Townsendvllle, (p. v.,) in the s. e.
part, a church and 20 dwellings. Lodi Center (p.o.) is a hamlet. Lodi Landing'is on
Seneca Lake, at the mouth of Mill Creek. The first settlement was made by Geo. Eaussett, from
Penn., who settled in the s. w. part in 1789.1 There are 5 churches in town.2
OVII9—was formed March 5, 1794. Hector (Schuyler co.) was taken off in 1802, and Covert
in 1817. It lies s. of the center of the co., and extends from Seneca to Cayuga Lake. Its surface
consists of an arable ridge, 600 ft. above Seneca Lake and about 1,100 ft. above tide, descending
from w. of the center toward the lakes. The bluffs upon the lakes are 20 to 50 ft. high, and
nearly perpendicular. A great number of small streams flow into both Cayuga and Seneca Lakes,
the principal of which are. Sheldrake, Osborn, Groves, and Barnum Creeks on the e., and Sixteen
Falls Creek on the w. These streams have all worn deep, ragged ravines in the yielding shales.
They are frequently interrupted by cascades, and in summer are nearly dry. The soil consists
principally of clay and gravel intermixed with sand and the disintegrated rocks. Ovid, (p, v.,)
near the sr. line, contains a courthouse, co. clerk's office, 3 churches, the Ovid Academy,3 a steam
mill, and ax factory, and about 650 inhabitants. Ovid Landing is just over the town line in
Romulus. Slieldralie Point, (Sheldrake p. o.,) a steamboat landing upon Cayuga Lake,
contains a church, steam sawmill, boat yard, and 168 inhabitants. Ovid Center contains 20
houses. Hidders Ferry, (p.o.,) near the s.e. eorner, and Scotts Corners, near the
center, are hamlets. The first settlement was made in May, 1789, by Andrew Dunlap, from Penn.,
who located on Lot 8, in the n. w. part of the town.4 The first religious services were held at the
house of Abraham Covert, in 1794. The first settled preacher (Ref. Prot. D.) was John Lindsley,
in 1800.5 The New York State Agricultural College and farm are located on the n. line of this
town, w. of the village.5 In the s. part of the town are the remains of an ancient fortification.7
ROMULUS—was formed March 5, 1794. Layette was taken off in 1800, and Varick in 1830.
It lies s. of the center of the co., and extends from Seneca to Cayuga Lake. Its surface is rolling
or moderately hilly and has a general northerly inclination. The high bluff from Ovid extends into
tlie s. border of the town, where it drops down abruptly about 200 ft. The land slopes from the
center downward to the e. and w. The streams are small and generally flow in deep channels.
The surface is smooth, except along the. courses of the streams, and is nearly all arable. The soil
is a fertile, gravelly and clayey loam. Romulus, (p. v.,) on the line of Yarick, contains a church,
steam sawmill, female seminary, and 36 dwellings. Hyatts Corners, in the s. e., contains 20
dwellings. Romulus Center is a p. o. Wliitneys Landing is a station upon Cayuga Lake;
and Cooleys and Freleiglis Points and Ovid Landing are stations upon Seneca Lake.
The first settlement was made by David Wisner, in 1789. There is but one church (Bap.) in town.
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triple marriage in 1793 was the first in town. The parties were
Joseph Wilson and Anna Wyckoff; Abraham A. Covert and
Catherine Covert; and Enoch Stewart and Jane Covert. They
were obliged to cross Seneca Lake to find a justice authorized to
perform the ceremony. Benj.Munger taught the first school, in
1795 ; John McMath kept the first store, in 1797, and the first inn,
in 1800; and B. Boardmau erected the first mill, in 1793, on Lot 2.
6 There are now in town 7 churches; 2 Presb., 2 M. E., Ref.
Prot. D,, Bap., and R. C.
« This institution was incorporated in 1863; and the buildings
are now in process of erection. They were designed by S. E.
Hewes, of Albany, and consist of a main building 90 ft. front and
132 deep, having a wing on each side 84J hy 60, and transverse
wings 58 hy 128. It is designed to accommodate about 400 stu¬
dents. The firm contains 600 acres.
10n Lot 29, within i mi. of the S. line of the town, and ex¬
actly on the dividing ridge between the two lakes, once existed
a mound or fortification of an irregular, elliptical form, in¬
closing about 3 acres, and surrounded by an embankment of
earth, which in 1801 was about 3 feet in “height, with a base 5
to 8 feet in width. The present proprietor, George Bo Dine, with
his father, removed here in 1802, and built a house within the
inclosed space, where he has since resided until within a few |
1
Mr. Faussett brought in his family in 1790. Jas. Jackson, from
Penn., settled in the n. w. part in 1789; Silas Halsey, from L. I.,
near Lodi, in 1792. The next- year his sons and sons-in-law
and their families, numbering 18 persons, came in. The first
child bora was a daughter of Geo. Faussett. Peter Smith kept
the first inn, and Silas Halsey built the first gristmill, iu 1794
2
3 M. E., Bap., aud Ref. Prot. D.
3
sin 1855 the name of this institution was changed to the
Seneca Collegiate Institute.
4
The first settlers, mostly from Penn, and N. J., followed the
trail of Sullivan’s army and located in the w. part of tho town.
Among them were Wm. Dunlap and Joseph Wilson, from Penn.,
Peter Smith, from N.J., and Henry Wharton, in 1789; Abraham
Covert and his son Abraham A.,.from N. J., in 1790; Elijah
5
he sold out and removed to Lysander, Onondaga co., and laid the
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