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WYOMING COUNTY. 713
waterpower, and contains a woolen factory, flouring mill, and 3 churches. Pop. 637. East
China is a p. o. The first settlement was made in 1808, on Lot 28, by Silas Meech, from New
England.1 The first religious services were conducted by Rev. John Spencer, at Arcade, in 1812.
The first church (Cong.) was formed at Arcade, by Jno. Spencer, July 24, 1813.2
COVINGTON—named from Gen. Leonard Covington—was formed from Le Roy (Genesee
co.) and Perry, Jan. 31, 1817. A part was annexed to York (Livingston co.) in 1823. Pavilion
(Genesee co.) was taken off in 1841. It is the n. e. corner town of the co. The surface is a
moderately hilly upland, broken by the deep ravines of the streams. Oatka Creek flows through
the n. w. corner, and receives as tributary Pearl Creek, which flows n. w. through near the center.
Wide, fertile alluvial flats extend along Oatka Creek. The soil of the uplands is generally a
gravelly loam. Covington Center, (Covington p. o.,) in the n. part, contains 20 dwellings;
Pearl Creels., (p. v.,) in the n.w., contains 15 dwellings; La Grange, (p.v.,) near the s.
line, a church and 20 dwellings; and Peoria, (p. v.,) near the E. line, 15 dwellings. The first
settlement was made in 1807, in the w. part, by Jairus Cruttenden, William Miller, and John and
William Sprague, all from New England.3 The first religious services were held at the house of
David Norris, in 1814, by Rev. Mark Norris, from Vt.1
EAGEE—was formed from Pike, Jan. 21,1823. It occupies a central position on the s. border
of the co. Its surface is a hilly upland, broken by the deep ravines of the streams. Nearly the
whole drainage is through Wiscoy Creek and its branches. Cold Creek takes its rise in the s. e.
part of the town. The hills bordering upon the streams are very steep, and their summits are 400
to 700 ft. above the valleys. Eagle Lake, a small body of water in the s. w. part, has no visible
outlet. The soil is a clayey and gravelly loam. Eagle Village, (p. v.,) in the s. w. part of the
town, contains a church and 20 dwellings. Eagle, (p.o.,) in the n.e. part, is a hamlet. The
first settlement was made in town in 1808, on Lot 8, by Silas and Wm. Hodges, from Cayuga co.5
There are 3 churches in town; M. E., F. W. Bap., and Christian.
GAINESVIEEE—named from Gen. E. P. Gaines—was formed from Warsaw, as “Hebe,”
Feb. 25, 1814. Its name was changed April 17, 1816. It is an interior town, lying s. e. of the
center of the co. The surface is an upland, slightly undulating and broken by the valleys of the
streams. Oatka Creek flows through the n. e. part, and East Coy Creek through the s. w. The
soil on the hills is a thin, dark loam underlaid by hardpan, and in the valleys a fertile, gravelly
loam. A good quality of building stone is quarried in the N. part of the town. Gaines¬
ville Creeli, (Gainesville p. o.,) on East Coy Creek, near the center of the town, contains a
female seminary,6 3 churches, and about 300 inhabitants. East Gainesville, (p.v.,) a station
on the B. & N. Y. City R. R., contains 20 houses. Gainesville Center and Newburgh
are hamlets. The first settlements were made at Gainesville Creek in 1805, by Wm., Richard,
and Chas. Bristol, from Columbia co., a.nd Elnathan George, from Vt.7 The first religious meeting
was held in 1809. The first church (Presb.) was formed in 1815.8
GENESEE FAEES—was formed from Pike and Portage, (Livingston co.,) April 1, 1846.
It lies on Genesee River, in the s. e. corner of the co. A nearly perpendicular rocky bluff, 100 to
300 ft. high, borders upon the river, and from its summit the country spreads out into an undu¬
lating upland. The celebrated Portage Falls, in the Genesee River, are opposite this place.® The
soil is a sandy and clayey loam. Portage ville, (p. v.,) on Genesee River, contains 5 churches
and several mills. Pop. 561. The B. & N. Y. City R. R. crosses the Genesee, near the village, by
a bridge 800 ft. long and 234 ft. above the bed of the river. This bridge was built at a cost of
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6 Alanson, son of Silas Hodges, was the first child born, Oct. 13,
1809. The first inn was kept by Dan Beach, the first store, by
Elijah Hyde, and the first sawmill was erected by Amos Huntley.
6 The Gainesville Female Seminary was established in 1855,
by Misses Hardy and Eldridge, and other citizens of this place.
The school is on the plan of the Mount Holyoke (Mass.) school.
The buildings will accommodate 100 boarding pupils and 150
day scholars.
7 John Patterson and James Cravath, with others, settled in
1806. Pamela Patterson was the first child born, in 1807. The
first school was taught in Dec. 11, by Benj. Cole. The first inn
was kept at the Center, by Benj. Hoag, in 1815; and the first
store, by Lewis Wood, in the Yates settlement, in 1816. Wheel-
ock Wood erected the first sawmill, in 1809, on Oatka Creek;
and John Card and Benj. Mallory, the first gristmill, in 1825,
at Gainesville Creek.
8 The census reports 5 churches; 2 M. E., and 1 each Cong,
Bap., and Univ.
9 See page 710. |
1
Ichabod Sanders, Samuel Nichols, Silas and Leonard Parker,
Jacob Jackson, Wm. Barnes, Amasa and Alfred Kilbourn—most
of them from Vt.—settled in the town in 1809. The first child
born was a daughter of Jacob Jackson, and the second a son of
Samuel Nichols, both in 1810; the first marriage was that of
Silas Meech and Lydia Parker; and the first death, that of Mrs.
A. Kilbourn, in the spring of 1812. Itebecca Parker taught the
first school, in 1811; Silas Parker kept the first inn, in 1812,
and the first store, in 1815. Maj. Moses Smith built the first saw¬
mill, in 1811, and Col. Duel Rowley the first gristmill, in 1810.
2
The census reports 5 churches; Cong., Bap., P. W. Bap.,
M. E., and R. C.
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