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SULLIVAN COUNTY. * 645
ning,1 and dairying constitute the employments of the people. Forestbnrgh (p. o.) contains 10
houses, Oaklandville 15, and Martwood 10. Settlement commenced before the Revolu¬
tion, and recommenced in 1795 on Mongaup River. Zephaniah and Luther Drake were pioneers in
the s. w. part of the town, and Elisha Smith near Oakland,2 Rev. Isaac Thomas (Meth.) was the
first preacher'.3 ,
FREMONT—was formed from Callicoon, Nov. 1, 1851, and named in honor of John C.
Fremont. It lies in the extreme w. part of the co., upon the bank of the Delaware. Its surface
is broken and hilly, the summits rising 600 to 1000 feet above the valley and 1500 to 1800 feet
above tide. Its waters are Basket and Hankins Creeks, a great number of smaller streams, and
numerous small lakes, the principal of which are Long Pond, Round and Basket Ponds in the n.,
Lox Pond in the e., and Trout Pond near the center. A large share of the surface is still a wilder¬
ness and is too rough for tillage. Tanning and lumbering form the principal employments v.f the
people. Fremont Center (p.v.) contains 141 inhabitants, and ©toeralmrgii (Fremont
p. o.) 20 houses. Fong1 Eddy (p. o.) is the Basket Station on the N. Y. & E. R. R. Han¬
kins is a station on the same r. r. The first settlers were Joseph Green, at Long Eddy, John
Hankins, at Hankins Depot, Benj. Misner, at Long Pond, and Zach. Ferdon, at Round Pond.4
HIGHLAND—was formed from Lumberland, Dec. 17, 1853. It is an interior town, lying
in the s. part of the co. It is named from the character of its surface, which consists of high
ridges between Delaware and Mongaup Rivers, 600 to 1,000 feet above the canal at Barryville and
1,200 to 1,600 feet above tide. There are a great number of small lakes in town, the principal of
which are Big Pond and Wells Pond on the n. line, Mud and Hagan Ponds in the e., York
Pond in^the s.w., Washington Pond, used as a canal feeder, and Blind, Little, and Montgomery
Ponds near the center. The people are chiefly engaged in lumbering and the rudiments of farm¬
ing. Barryville, (p.v.,) a canal village, contains 25 houses, and Eumberlaadi (p.v.) 15.
The first settler was John Barnes, who located at Narrow Falls.5 Rev. Isaac Sargent (Cong.) was
the first preacher, about 1797.6 The battle of Neversink, in the Revolution, took place within the
limits of this town.7
LIBERTTi-was formed from Lumberland, March 13, 1807, and Callicoon and a part of
Thompson were taken off in 1842. It lies n. of the center of the eo.,,.upon the watershed between
the Mongaup and Beaver Kil. Its surface is rough and broken. Walnut Hill, s. of Liberty, is
1,980, and Libertyville 1,467, feet above tide. The n. and w. parts of the town are still covered
with forests. The principal sheets of water are Lillie Pond in the n., and Broadhead Pond near
the center. The soil is good, but stony; and the people are chiefly engaged in lumbering, dairying,
and tanning.8 Eiberty (p. v.) contains 364 inhabitants, Parksville (p. v.) 40 houses, and
Eiberty Falls (p. v.) 25. Botoertsanville and Stevensville are p. offices. The Liberty
Normal Institute, at Liberty, is a flourishing academic institution.9 Stephen Russell (from Conn. t
settled near Liberty, in 1793 or ’94.8 Rev. Wm. Randall (Bap.) was the first preacher.9
L1JMBERLAID—was formed from Mamakating, March 16, 1798, embracing all the co.
w. of Mongaup River and s. of the present n. lines of Liberty and Callicoon. From it were erected
Liberty m 1807, Bethel in 1809, and Highland and Tusten in 1853. Its surface is rugged and
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long and bloody, and resulted in the retreat of the Americans
with the loss of 44 killed. In 1822 the bones of the slain were
collected and interred beneath a monument at Goshen, An ad¬
dress was delivered on the occasion by Gen. Hathern, who had
taken a leading part in the engagement.
8 About 106,000 sides of leather are annually manufactured in
this town.
8 Incorp. by law, April 12,1848; the Hon. John D. Watkins,
the founder, being sole corporator.
10 Among the other first settlers wrere Nathaniel Pinney, Josiab
Whipple, and Nathan Staunton, who came from Preston, Conn.,
in the spring of 1795, and settled on lot 12; John Groton and
Edward Swan, who settled on lot 3; Ebenezer Green, On lot 4;
Isaiah Whipple, on lot 10, of tract known as the 3000 acre lot; and
Stephen Benton, who located at Benton Hollow. Aviar Whipple
taught the first school, at Blue Mountain Settlement; Roswell
Russell kept the first inn, Stephen Russell the first store; and
Chas. Broadhead built the first grist and saw mill, on the moun¬
tain, in 1797. The first child born was Sally Staunton, in 1797;
the first marriage, that of David Rowland and Aviar Whipple, in
1797; and the first death, that of Sally Staunton, or a son of Wil¬
liam Aby, in 1798. The first house was erected about half a mile
s. of where the Presb. ch. now stands. Most of the first settlers t
afterward removed west.
11 The census reports 4 churches; 1 Bap., 2 M. E., and 1 Presb. |
1
About 100,000 sides of leather are annually manufactured in
this town.
2
8 Miss Moore taught the first school, at Drakestown; S. Co-1
3
Among the other first settlers were John Carpenter, Wm.
Seeley, N. Patterson, and Wm. Randall, at Beaver Brook; and
Benj. Hayne at Handsome Eddy. John Carpenter employed
Nath’l Wheeler to teach the first school, before the public schools
were organized. G. Eerguson kept the first inn, in 1830, and
Phineas Terry the first store, in 1828. N. Patterson built the
first sawmill, on Beaver Brook.
4
8 There are no church buildings in town.
5
* Sarah Phillips taught the first school; John Ranfiesen kept
6
the first inn, and John Hawkins kept the first store and built
7
the first sawmill. About one-third of the population are Ger¬
mans. The census reports 1 church; R. C.
8
1 This battle took place on the n. side of Beaver Brook, on lot
17 of the 7th div. of the Neversink Patent. The scene of the
action is the top of a hill 3 miles from Barryville and half a
9
mile n. w. from Dry Brook. The battle took place between a
party of tories and Indians, under Brant,—who were retreat¬
ing, after having destroyed the settlement of Nevers'nk,—and a
party of American militia, who pursued them. The battle was
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