USA > New York > Tioga County > Owego > Early Owego, N.Y.; some account of the early settlement of the village in Tioga County, N.Y., called Ah-wa-ga by the Indians, which name was corrupted by gradual evolution into Owago, Owego, Owegy and finally Owego > Part 1
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REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY FODLIV LIDNANI
3 1833 01150 3494
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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
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EARLY OWEGO. N.y.
Some account of the early settlement of the Village in Tioga County, N. Y., called Ah-wa-ga by the Indians, which name was corrupted by gradual evolution into Owago, Owega, Owegy, and finally Owego.
KG 974.7 KIN
By LeRoy Wilson Kingman.
Published at the Owego Gazette Office, Owego, N. Y. 1907.
78 8190 17B
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2027461 .
Only fifty copies of this book are printed, of which this is number 38
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GENEALOGICAL DEPARTMENT
IOPSISOS
ТИЗМТЯЛЯЗО ЛАПРОЛАЗИЗА
PREFACE.
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The publication of the matter in this book was begun in the Owego Gazette of May 30, 1907, and ran . through several successive issues. It is reprinted here with the same type that was used in the newspaper. It corrects a few errors made by previous writers and adds some new information relative to the early settlers that has not before appeared in print. It contains infor- mation obtained thirty years ago from early residents, and may be useful to some future historian who may desire to write a complete and satisfactory history of the village of Owego.
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EARLY OWEGO.
The Documentary History Relative to the Burning of the Indian Vil- lage in the Evening of August 19, 1779, by Soldiers of the United Expeditions of Generals Sullivan and Clinton, Previous to their Combined Attack upon the
Indian Settlements in West- ern New York, in One of Which Regiments Was James McMaster, Who Afterward Was the First White Man to Settle Permanently at Owego-Excerpts from the Journals of the Officers in the Va- rious Regiments Relating to Their Sojourn at This Point.
The earliest event known in his- tory relating to the village of Owego is its destruction by fire. in 1779. The village consisted of about twen- ty substantial log houses, built by the Indians. The coming into the Susquehanna valley of the de- tachment from Gen. Sullivan's army in August of that year caused the Indians to desert their homes + and when the soldiers came there was not a red man in sight.
In order to break the power of the Indians under Brant in this state, the continental congress de- cided to make the campaign a na- tional one, and it was placed under . the direction of Gen. Washington, who sent one division under Gen. John Sullivan from Easton, Pa., across the country to the Susque-
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hanna river, and thence to ascend the river to Tioga Point (now Ath- ens, Pa.) The other division was commanded by Gen. James Clinton, a brother of the then governor Geo. Clinton. Gen. Clinton was at this time in command at Albany. He was directed to march up the Mo- hawk river to Canajoharie, crossing from there to Otsego lake, and going thence down the Susquehanna river to Tioga Point, where the expeditions were to unite in a combined attack on the Indian settlements in west- ern New York.
Gen. Clinton had between 1,500 and 1,800 men, 220 boats, and pro- visions for three months. When Gen. Sullivan reached Tioga Point August 13, 1779, Clinton had not reached there and being apprehen- sive that Clinton might be in dan- ger, he detached Gen. Enoch Poor, with 900 men and eight day's pro- visions, to proceed up the river, as a reinforcement to Gen. Clinton in case of attack.
Gen. Poor's detachment reached Owego (then called Owegy) August 17 at 2 p. m. The next day at 6:30 a. m. it proceeded up the river to Choconut (now Union), where it en- camped and waited until Clinton's army arrived there at 9 a. m. Aug- ust 19. At 11 o'clock that day the march of the entire body of troops began, and it arrived here at sunset. The same night the soldiers set fire to and burned the Indian village. The next day the troops remained here all day, as it rained violently, and they suffered considerably, as. they had no tents.
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August 21 the soldiers proceeded to Tioga Point. Thence the entire army marched to ,Newtown (El- mira), where the battle of Newtown was fought August 29 and the power of Brant and his Indians was de- stroyed.
It has always been believed, and has been so printed, the authority being some of the early residents of this village, that the old Indian village was situated on the north bank of the Susquehanna river, be- low William street. This is perhaps incorrect, as there is documentary evidence that the old Indian village was on the west side of the Owego creek in the present town of Tioga.
Among the officers of Gen. Clin- ton's army was Lieutenant (after- ward Major) Erkuries Beatty. . In his journal of the expedition, which is in archives of the New York his- torical society, he notes its arrival Aug. 19 at Owego "about sundown after a very fatiguing march of 22 miles." The journal continues as follows:
"Friday 20 Rained . a lit- tle last night and Successively all this Day therefore did not move: Went a party down to Owego town which lies one mile lower down and burnt it consisted of about 20 houses. "Saturday . 21st-Clear weather this morning but a very heavy fog. marchd of a little after 7 o'clock forded Owego creek which is reck- oned one third of the Susquehanna at this place,it was about three feet Deep & about 50 Yards Wide went thro' the ruins of . Owego .town . crossed a pretty large brook went 12 Miles halted at a small Brook one hour for refreshment."
From this it would seem probable
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that the Owego creek was wider at its mouth than it is now and that the Indian village was on the west side of the creek.
In Clinton's army Lieut. William McKendry was quartermaster in Col. Alden's Sixth Massachusetts regi- ment. · In his journal, which is in possession of the Massachusetts his- torical society, he writes under date of August 19:
* * the army proceeded on and ar- rived at Owago about sunset this is a large Indian Settlement and fine land-Encampt at this place, this is the Indian town that Serjt. hunter was carried to that was taken 10th Novr. last below Cherry Valley on this same River as he was returning with his Scout-heavy rain this night, the Genl. detached a party and sent them and burnt the town at this place About two miles up a little Creek."
Major Beatty says that the troops "marched through the ruins of Owago town" after having crossed the Owego creek on their way down the river, while lieutenant . McKen- dry says the town was burned "about two miles up a little creek." This is a little confusing.
Many other officers in the armies of Sullivan and Clinton kept jour- nals in which were noted proceed- ings of each day. Many of these journals have been preserved and deposited by the descendants of the officers in the collections of various historical societies. The following are excerpts from some of these journals relating to the events of August 17-20,: 1779, covering the brief period of the sojourn of the troops in Owego:
The following is from the journal
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of Dr. Jabez Campfield, surgeon in Spencer's Fifth New Jersey regi- ment, owned by the New Jersey his- torical society.
"17 Aug., 1779-The detachment marched [12 miles] to an Indian settlement about 1 mile below Owe- go and encamped on a beautiful plain covered with grass; just be- low we came on the plain, the de- tach't crossed a stream of water, on which Owego is situated a mile above these places were all deserted last spring, their inhabitants only a few.
"Aug. 19-This morning 9 o'clock Genl. Clinton joined us with upwards of 200 Boats and about 700 Infantry, who marched by land-2 pieces of cannon in ye boats; hisw hole number it is said consists of 1,500 men. 11 o'clock we marched for Owego & arrived there at sonset. A party was sent out, who burned the town of Owego. The few inhabitants, who . remained there had gone of the day before we arrived"
"Genl. Clinton has burned all the towns on or near the river in his way down
"Aug. 20-A heavy rain came ou last night, which prevented our march this day."
From the journal of Major Jere- miah Fogg, of Col. Poor's New Hampshire regiment:
"17 Marched, at 6 o'clock, passed through exceedingly good land, and at 2 o'clock arrived at Owegy, late- ly inhabited by the savages, but on the destruction of Onondaga it was abandoned, as were all the settle- ments on the river above Tioga. This is a pretty piece of land through which runs- a. creek about three rods wide. A small party were. sent up to explore, and about a mile up the creek found 9. horses, but no Indians."
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"19th. Marchea at eight . o'clock.
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but soon met a sergeant from Gen. Clinton, with a letter informing us that his army would be at Choco- uut brook by five o'clock. ' Conse- quently we countermarched, and be- fore night arrived at Owegy, and burnt 19 houses. Gen. Clinton had about 1,800 men, 208 boats, and one month's salt provision, with two Oneida Indians'
"20th. Rained violently, which rendered: it exceedingly bad for men without tents. . Remained on the ground all day"
From the journal of Lieutenant- Colonel' Henry Dearborn, command- ing the Third New Hampshire regi- ment:
"17th We march'd early this morn- ing proceeded 12 miles to Owagea an. Indian Town -- which was do- serted last Spring after planting. About town is a number of fruit trees & many . plants & herbs that are common in our ' part of the country here is a learge body of clear Intervale cover'd. with grass Our march to day has been . very severe & Fategueng especially for the left Column (to which { belong) as we had to pass several difficult steep hills & bad Morasses. *
"19th Our troops ware put in motion very early this morning af- ter marching about. one mile Genl. Poor receiv'd an express from Genl Clinton informing him that the lat ter expect'd to be here by 10 o'clock a. m. in consequence of which we retur'd to our old incampment where Genl Clinton Joined us at 10 o'clock with 2.000 men including Officers boaumen &c He has 208 batteaux with provisions Ammuni- tion etc after mutuil congratulations &. Complyments the whole pro- ceeded down the river to Owagea & Intrepid. This evening the town. of Owagen was made a bone fire to grace our meeting Our gen- eral course from Tiogea to Choco- nut is about N. East.
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."20th We have a very heavy rain to-do & no tents but we are obliged to ride it out"
From the journal of Captain James Norris, of the Third New Hamp- shire regiment, in possession of the. Buffalo historical society ..
"17 We marched Early this Morning Proceed 12 Miles to Owa- gea an Indian Town which was De- serted last Spring . after Planting. About the town is many Fruit Trees and many Plants, and Herbs, that are Common in our part . of the Country; Hear is a large body of clear Intivale Covered with. Grass, Our March to day Very Survear and Fatigueing Esspecelly for the Left Colm (to which I belong) as we had to pass Several Steap Hills and Morasse ?-
"19 Our Troops were put in Mo- ·tion very early this Morning after . Marching about one Mile Gen'l Poor Received an Exspress from General Clinton Informing him that the lat- ter exspected to be hear by 10 o'clock a. m. this day . in Conse- quence of which we Rteurn'd to our Old Incampment where General Clin- ton Joined us at 10 o'clock : with two Thousand . Men-Including Offi- cers; Boatsmen &c. he : has two hundred and Eight Beautoes with Provisions Ammunition &c after Mu- tural Congratulations , and Comple- ments the whole Proceeded down the River to Owagea and Incampt this evening,the town of Owego was made a burnfire. of to Grace our Meeting."
It will be noticed that . with the exception of the spelling the jour- nals of Lieut .- Col. Dearborn and Captain Norris are almost exactly alike, word for word.
From the journal of Capt. Daniel Livermore, captain in Third New Hampshire regiment, owned by the
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New Hampshire historical society, the following is taken:
"Tuesday, August 17. This day the troops march early. I march .on the flank guard. The country is very mountainous, with some fertile valleys. At 4 pm we arrive at a considerable Indian town, called Owago, 14 miles. Here is a very good tract of land both sides of the river. The town consisted of about twenty houses, which we destroyed, to- gether with considerable Indian corn, whch is in the milk just fit to roast The town appears to have been evacuated but a little time. 14 miles.
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"Thursda, August 19. This morn- ing we hear another gun up the river, but, no intelligence arriving, the troops are ordered to march. and proceed about one . mile, when our spies, sent off last evening,meet "us with intelligence of Gen. Clin- ton's being near.
We then return .to the place of our last encampment. At 10 a. m. Gen. Clinton" arrives with about- boats and 1,500 men. We imme- diately proceed on the march for Tiego. At sunset arrive at the old encampment at Owago,and encamp:"
James McMaster, who was the first white settler in the village of Owego, first came here as a soldier m the Second New York regiment in the . Sullivan expedition. The colonel of the, regiment was Philip VanCortlandt.
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A .Chronology of the Settlement of Owego Village Previous to the Year 1830, with Some Account of Amos Draper, the Indian Trader, Who Was the First Settler Here in the Spring of 1787, and of His Descendants and His Brother, Jos. Draper.
The years in which some of the earliest settlers came to Owego and its vicinity are given below. This includes the business and profes- sional men who came here as late as 1830 and previous to that year. The date of the arrival of many others is not accurately known, so they are not included in the list, which is as follows:
1787.' Amos Draper.
1788. James McMaster, John Mc- Quigg, Jesse MeQuigg.
1789. Ephraim Wood, Joseph Gas- kill.
1790. Capt. Lemuel Brown, Eman- uel Duel.
1791. Col. David Pixley, Capt.
Luke. Bates, Abner Turner, Mason Webster, Moses Ingersoll.
1792. Capt. Mason Wattles, Dr.
Samuel Tinkham, John Hill.
1794. Joel Farnham.
1795. Dr. Elisha Ely. 1799. Stephen Mack, Ephraim
Wood, Nathaniel Sackett ..
1800. Thomas Duane, Eleazer Dana.
1801. John Hollenback, Gen. John Laning, John H. Avery, Nathaniel Catlin.
1802. John Pumpelly and his sons, James, Charles, Harmon, and Williani Pumpelly; Noah Goodrich, Eliakim Goodrich, Gen. Ansel Good- rich.
1803. Elizur, Geo. L., and Charles
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Talcott, Daniel ".Cruger, Jr., Capt. Sylvenus Fox.
1804. Gen. Oliver Huntington, Joseph Berry.
1805. William, Nathan, Anson,and LTermon Camp, Major Horatio Ross, Jonathan . Platt.
1806. Caleb Leach, Ephraim Leach, Stephen B. Leonard.
1808. Capt. David Fleming, Gen. Robert Fleming.
1809, John R. Drake.
1810. . Dr. Godfrey . Waldo.
1811. Dr. Jedediah Fay.
1812. Richard E. Cushman.
1814. Isaac Lillie, John Ripley.
Col. Henry McCormick.
1815. Stephen Strong.
1816. George W. Hollenback, Dr. Joel 'S. Paige.
1817. Col. Amos Martin.
1818. Lorenzo Reeves, Elisha
Bundy, Abner. Beers, David Beers.
David Turner. 1819. John Carmichael.
1820. Ziba. A.
Leland, Erastus Meacham.
1821. Robert S. Bartlett and his sons, Joseph, Isaac L., and Robert S. Bartlett, Jr.
1822. James, Almon. S., and Sam- uel Archibald.
1823. Gurdon Hewitt.
1824. Dr. Ezekiel B. Phelps, Col ..
Benoni B. Curry.
1825. Asa H. Truman, Ezra S. Sweet.
1826. John M. Greenleaf.
1827. Edward R. Warner.
1828. James Cameron, Thomas Farrington, Francis Armstrong, Al- anson Munger, Edward Raynsford, James N. Eldridge.
1829. Dr Ezekiel Lovejoy, Aaron.
P. Storrs, John Dodd, Albert . R. Thomas, Charles C. Thomas, Jacob Hand.
1830. Charles and Printice Ran- som, Lyman Truman, Chester Dana.
AMOS DRAPER.
The first white settler at what is how the village of Owego was Amos Draper, who came here as a trader
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among the Indians and who by his .integrity obtained . their . friendship. and confidence and had great influ- enice over them. He was a son of Major Simeon Draper, who was one of the "forty"' settlers at Kingston, Pa., in the Wyoming valley under the Connecticut claim, and who set. tled there in 1768.
Amos Draper had been living a few years, in a temporarily construct.' ed house on the south bank of the Susquehanna river on the flat called the old Mersereau flat at Choconut nearly opposite Union. His family came there from Kingston in the fall of 1786.
During that . year . Mr. Draper built a log house at Owego. It stood on the eastern part of the lot on which Gurdon H. Pumpelly's house now' stands, in west Front street and was about one hundred feet from the bank of the river .. It faced south on the old Indian trail, which then ran , along. the bank pretty, closely. This. Indian trail struck the river 'about a mile above the bridge where the river road runs nearest to the river bank. Continu- ing down the river it followed the bank to the mouth of the , Owego creek: . In building this house Mr. Draper brought the boards for the floor up the river by canoes from Kingston, Pa.
In May, 1787, the Drapers removed to Owego and began living in their new house. While living here Mr. Draper continued . his business of trafficing with the Indians at Cho- onut. The first winter of their resi- dence here: a christianized Oneida
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Indian chief and his wife, who bore the title of Queen, lived in the house with Mrs. Draper, and acted as her protectors.
. Mrs. Draper's maiden name : was Lydia Williams, and at the time of her marriage she lived at Kingston.
Several years afterward the Drapers . lived in another log house which stood a little back of where Mrs. John Brown's residence . now stands at the northwest corner of Main and McMaster streets.
Amos Draper's brother, . Joseph Draper, was a later comer here. He was a surveyor. The brothers were entirely unlike. . The late William Pumpelly, who knew them well, in- formed the writer that Joseph Draper was a loud talker and very self-assertive, while. Amos Draper was the reverse in every respect-a quiet man and esteemed by every- body.
Amos Draper's daughter, Selecta Draper, was the first white child born at Owego. She was born June 19, 1788. She became the wife of Stephen Williams,of Newark Valley, in 1809. He was born at West Stock- bridge, Mass., in 1783, and came with his father, also named Stephen Williams, to Newark Valley in 1801.
Amos Draper had two sons, Amos and Benjamin Draper, and two : daughters, Selecta and Catherine Draper. . Amos Draper, Jr., died near Victor, N. Y., and Benjamin at Fairfax Court House, Va. Cath- erine . became the wife of Ewart Williams. Selecta died April 2, 1865, at the home of her son, Lucius Ewart Williams, at Newark valley.
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After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Williams lived at Newark : Valley, then known as Brown's set- tlement, where they purchased & farm and built a house. At the time of Mrs. Williams's death, in
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. 1865, the house was occupied by the widow of Chester Patterson. . Mr. Williams died af Newark Valley July 6, 1859, At the time. of Mrs . Williams's death six of of her ten children survived her as follows:
Catharine Minerva, married An- brose Collins; of Berkshire.
Dr. Charles Draper, of St. Paul, Minn. Horatio Spencer, of. Woodhull, N. Y.
Myron Milton, of St. Paul, Minn, Joseph Edwin, of Cleveland, Ohio Lucius . Ewart, of Newark . Valley. Mary married Elisha Hurd, of Aurora, Ohio.
Amos. Draper died in this village May 24, 1808. At that time the vil- lage burying ground was at the present corner of Main and Court streets, and extended south to about the east line of the lot on which the new Tioga county clerk's office now stands. Mr. " Draper's body was buried where the old clerk's office stood, between the present jail and the old academy . buildings. . When men were digging for the founda- tion wall of the first clerk's, office, in 1825, . they cut . through Mr. Draper's. grave.
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. Lucius E. Williams, of Newark Valley, is a son of Stephen Williams and the last survivor of ten children.
Joseph Draper was unmarried. He died of consumption at the home of. Lucius E: Williams in 1832 or 1833, and his body was buried in
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the Newark Valley cemetery. Mr. Williams has an oil portrait of Joseph Draper. A historical society should be organized in Owego and this portrait and other portraits of early settlers should be gathered to- gether for preservation.
JAMES MC MASTER.
James McMaster was the second white man to settle permanently at Owego. He first came here as a soldier in Gen. Sullivan's army in 1779, and made his permanent set- tlement here in 1788, the year fol- lowing the coming of the Drapers.
It is erroneously stated by judge Charles P. Avery in his "Susque- hanna Valley" papers in the "St. Nicholas" magazine (page 303) that James McMaster's knowledge of the general character of the valley was acquired while a soldier in the army of Gen. Clinton on its way down the Susquehanna river to meet Gen. Sullivan's forces. This error has been copied in all the local histories since written.
At the time judge Avery wrote his papers the military records of this state had not been printed. Mc- Master had been dead thirty-five years and judge Avery's information seems to have been obtained from some of his descendants whose knowledge was traditional and un- certain.
In "New York in the Revolution," a large quarto volume compiled from state records and published at Albany in 1879 by James A.Roberts, then Comptroller of this state, a full list of the officers and men of the various New York regiments, taken
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from the records, was published. In 1898 a second and more complete · edition of the book was published by . Mr. Roberts.
· On page 29 of the second. edition is the roster of the Second New York regiment commanded by Col. Philip Van Cortlandt, and on page 35 James McMaster's name appears ats a private in this regiment. .
On page 342 of the book on the "Military Expedition of Major-Gen- eral John Sullivan against the Six Nations of Indians in 1779," compiled by Frederick Cook, Secretary of State and published in 1887, are given lists of the regiments in both Clinton's and Sullivan's armies in this expedition, and the Second regi- · ment is among those in the army of Sullivan. On page 327 of the same book a list of the officers of the Second regiment is also given.
It appears plain that McMaster was in Gen. Sullivan's army instead of Clinton's.
James McMaster was a farmer. When he came to Owego with Sulli- . van's army in the summer of 1779 the. flat land east of the Owego creek seemed so desirable for farming pur- poses that he determined to settle here.
In 1784 he was living on a farm owned jointly by himself and his brother, David McMaster, in Florida, Montgomery county, about fourteen miles above Schenectady and a mile and a half from the Mohawk river .. In April of that year he and another brother, Robert McMaster, in com- pany with William Woods 'and John Nealy, and with William Taylor, a
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boy eight years old, who had been indentured to James McMaster as a "bound boy," started. for Owego.
The previous winter a large boat had been obtained at Schenectady and taken thence to Canajoharie on the ice and from there to the bank of Otsego lake. There the boat was launched and a part of the party embarked with a wagon, provisions, plows, farming implements and cook. ing utensils, while another party went with four horses by land, fol- lowing the Indian trail to the foot of the lake. Thence they all proceeded together, following the Indian trail to Owego. They met many parties of Indians on their way, who seemed peaceably inclined, but met no white man.
They were fourteen days on their journey, arriving here on the first day of May, one party by boat down the river and the other by land: . At night while on their way the boat was moored uniformly at some place on the river, previously appointed, and thus the whole party, as well for safety as for comfort, took their evening meals and passed their nights together.
On the flat west of what is now McMaster street there was but lit- tle forest, and the land had been cul- tivated some by the Indians. Mc- Master's party at once set fire to the dried grass, and burned over the entire surface of the ground, the dames extending over the site of Owego and for a . considerable distance beyond. They built a tem- porary cabin of pitch pine logs ou the flat, about fifty rods above where
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the electric light plant now stands, which sheltered them until their corn planting was done on about. ten acres in the vicinity. of the pres- ent Talcott street.
After the planting was completed they erected a more substantial log house near the bank of the river on the lot where the residence of George W. Thompson now stands, and this · was the first building erected for permanent use by the hands of white men in this portion of the Susque- hanna valley .-
After the corn hoeing season was over the whole party returned with three of their horses and a quan- tity of beaver skins which they had received from the Indian's in ex- change for their fourth horse to the. valley of the Mohawk, for the pur- . pose of attending to their harvest- ing there. That having been accom- plished they returned later and, har- vested their crop here, which had not been molested by the Indians, with whom. they had established friendly relations. The crop was taken in boat loads to Tioga Point (Athens, Pa.) and securely "eribbed. after which the party returned to the Mohawk valley for the winter.
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