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TIOGA COUNTY.
The county poorhouse, a stone building, is located near Owego, upon a farm of 62 acres, which
yields an annual income of $600. The average number of inmates is 62, and the whole number
of rooms for their accommodation is 15. No school is connected with the establishment, and no
means are provided for religious instruction.
The principal works of internal improvement are the N. Y. & E. R. R., extending along the river
valley through Owego, Tioga, and Barton; and the Cayuga & Susquehanna R. R., extending from
Owego northward through Tioga and Candor to Ithaca.1 These roads furnish ample facilities for
transportation, and bring the products of the county into close proximity to the Eastern markets.
Three weekly newspapers are now published in the co.2
The first settlement in this county was made upon the Susquehanna intervales, soon after
the Reyolution, by emigrants from the Wyoming Yalley in Penn. These settlers originally came
from Conn. and Mass., and left Wyoming in consequence of troubles growing out of the Indian
hostilities and of controversies in regard to title. They located here before the Indian title to the
lands was extinguished. The greater part of the present territory was comprised in the Boston
Ten Towns. The title of this tract, comprising 230,400 acres between Chenango River and Owego
Creek, was vested in the State of Mass. in 1786, and in 1787 it was sold to a company of 60 per¬
sons, mostly residents of that State. The greater part of the proprietors immediately took posses¬
sion of these lands; and thus it happened that the county was filled up with a New England popu¬
lation while the fertile region of Western New York was yet an unbroken wilderness.
BARTOI—was formed from Tioga, March 23, 1824. It lies w. of the Susquehanna, in the
s. w. corner of the co. Its surface is generally hilly. A small portion of level land lies along the
s. border. The highlands on the w. rise abruptly from the valley of Cayuta Creek, and are divided
into two ridges by the valley of Ellis Creek. Their summits are broad and rolling and generally
covered with forests. The highest points are 400 to 600 ft. above the river. The soil is a rich
alluvium in the-valleys and a sandy or gravelly loam upon the hills. A sulphur spring is found
on Ellis Creek, near the center of the town. Waverly, (p. v.,) situated upon the Erie R. R., in
the s. w. part of the town, was incorp. in 1854. It contains the Waverly Academy, 5 churches, and
several manufactories. Pop. 1,067. Factory ville, (p. v.,) on Cayuta Cr%k, 1 mi. e. of Waverly,
contains 180 inhabitants; and Barton, (p.v.,) near the s.e. corner, on the Susquehanna, 30
dwellings. Nortla Barton is a p. o. Halsey Yalley (p. o.) is a hamlet in the sr. e. part, on
the line of Tioga. The first settlement was begun by Ebenezer Ellis and Stephen Mills, who
located in this district in the year 1791.3 There are 10 churches in town.4
BEIHLIkSIIIflE—was formed from Tioga, Feb. 12, 1808. Newark was taken off in 1823, and
Richford in 1831. It lies upon the e. border of the co., sr. of the center. Its surface is mostly a
hilly and broken upland, with a mean elevation of 1,200 to 1,400 ft. above tide. A high hill, with
steep declivities, lies e. of the center of the town. The streams are the East and West Branches
of Owego Creek and their tributaries. The soil in the valleys is a sandy and gravelly loam, and
upon the hills it is a tough clay and hardpan. Berkshire (p. v.) contains 3 churches and 34
dwellings. East Berkshire and Wilson Creeli are p. offices. The pioneer settlers of
the town were Daniel Ball and Isaac Brown, who came in 1791A Rev. Seth Williston conducted
the first religious services in town.6
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The Owego Times, under which title he still continues
its publication.
Tlie Waverly Advocate was commenced at Waverly
Village in 1852 by F. H. Baldwin. It is now published
by Baldwin & Polley.
The St. Nicholas, a monthly literary magazine, was published
about 1 year in 1853.
3 Among the other early settlers were Benj. Aikens, Ezekiel
Williams, John Hanna, Wm. Bensley, Luke Saunders, James
Swartwood, Charles Bingham, Layton Newell, Lyon C. Hedges^
Philip Crans, Justice Lyon, John Manhart, Ste. Reed, and Silas
Wolcott. A number of these were from the Wyoming Valley,
and some of them from the adjoining towns of this co. George
W. Buttson erected the first sawmill, at Barton Village.
4 5 M. E.,'2 Bap., Prot. E., Cong, and R. C.
6 Among the first settlers were Stephen and Samuel Ball, Peter
Wilson, and Josiah Ball, from Stockbridge, Mass., in 1792-93.
John Brown, Capt. Asa Leonard, Eben. Cook, Daniel Carpenter,
Consider Lawrence, David Williams, Joseph Waldo, Nathaniel
Ford, Abel, Azel, and Nathaniel Hovey, Jeremiah Campbell, and
Samuel Collins,—all from Berkshire co., Mass.,—came in soon
after. W. H. Moore kept the first inn and store; David Wil¬
liams erected the first mill; and Miss T. Moore taught the first
school.
6 The census reports 4 churches; 2 M. E., Cong., and Bap. |
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This road cost $500,000, and it was sold, in 1852, for $4,500.
8 The American Farmer was commenced at Owego in 1810
by Stephen Mack. In 1813 it was sold to Stephen B.
Leonard, who changed its name to
The Owego Gazette, and continued it until 1835, when he sold to
J. B. Shurtliff. In 1841 the office was burned, and the
paper was discontinued a short time; Dut soon after it
was resuscitated by E. P. Marble, and in 1843 it was
sold to Thomas Woods. In 1844 it was changed to
The Tioga Freeman, John Dow, publisher, and in a few years
was discontinued. A local party dispute having arisen,
another paper, called
Tlie Owego Gazette, was started in 1844 by H. A. Beebe,
and the two papers were published under the same name
for several months. In 1845 Thomas Peasall became
proprietor, and in 1846 the paper was sold to David
Walter .and son. In 1848 it again passed into the hands
of H. A. Beebe, by whom it is still published.
The Republican was published 1 year at Owego in 1833 by-
Chatterton.
The Owego Advertiser was commenced in 1836 by Andrew H.
Calhoun, and was continued by him until 1852, when
he sold to Powell & Barnes, who changed its name to
Tht Southern Tier Times. In 1854 Wm. Smyth purchased the
establishment and changed the name of the paper to
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