USA > New York > Tioga County > Historical gazetter of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888. Pt. 1 > Part 25
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
III. Elias, b 3 March, 1802 ; is still living.
IV. Horace. b 22. Nov., 1803; m with Henrietta Brown, daughter of John Brown, and still lives in the east border of Can- dor, in sight of his father's homestead. His wife died 22 May, 1881.
V. Fanny, b 22 May, IS07.
VI. Herbert, b 20 March, 1811 ; m 13 Feb., 1838, with Esther Waldo. He died 28 Dec., 1882. His son, Fred Waldo Richard- son, now lives in the village of Newark Valley.
VII. Hannah Maria, b 13 Sept., 1813; m with George Fred- erick Waldo, of Waverly, N. Y.
VIII. Sarah Jane, b 8 June, 1817.
IX. Nancy Capron, b 6 Oct., 1820; m with Theodore Jenks, and died S Oct., 1865.
35. John Millen lived on the east side of the road, on the northwest quarter of lot 221, about ten rods south of where Elisha Millen now lives. It is said that he came from Stock- bridge, Mass. He died HI March, 1830, aged 77 years. He mar- ried with Sarah -, who died 30 Dec., 1838, aged 72 years. They had children :
I. William, b about 1791. See below. II. James.
III. Cynthia, m with Levi Cortright.
IV. Rachel, m with Lodawick Hover.
36. William Millen lived on the east side of the road, on lot 221, where Elisha Millen now lives. He was a son of John Mil- len, above. He died 28 Aug., 1862, aged 71 years. His wife died 25 July, 1865, aged 66 years.
40. Zelotes Robinson, attended the grist-mill, and lived east of it, on the north side of the road which led to the mill. His only child was a daughter who married and went west.
41. Lyman Legg lived on the west side of the road, on lot 261, 17*
248
TOWN OF NEWARK VALLEY.
very near the northwest corner of the lot and of the town. The water for the mill was taken out of the creek on his land. His house was very near the bank of the creek. He was a son of Reuben Legg, and a grandson of David Legg. Hem with Betsey Osborn, daughter of Samuel Osborn. He died there and was buried in the cemetery on the next farm above. One of his chil- dren, probably the third son was born 3 July, 1820.
.
37. John Bunnel lived on the west side of the way, on the south- west quarter of lot 260, where Cornelius Ackerman now lives. . He had first settled in the Park Settlement, in the southeast cor- ner of Candor, and remained there till after the birth of his oldest son. He and his wife, Hannah, were constituent members of the "Baptist church of West Owego Creek," I May 1802, now in Candor, and he was elected its first deacon. He was a shoe- maker, farmer, and a very successful hunter and trapper of wolves and bears. He caught one bear and several wolves after 1820. He died 15 Jan., 1840, in his 68th year. She died 7 Nov., 1837, in her 60th year. The following list of their children may not be complete.
I. Isaac, b at Park Settlement, in Candor, N. Y. See census of Berkshire, note 18.
II. John. See below, note 38.
III. Henry, still living in Berkshire.
IV. Anna, had medicine from Dr. Waldo. 5 Aug., 1812.
V. James, b II Sept. ISO8 ; died 22 May 1809.
VI. Gershom, b 9 May, 1810 ; died, date not stated.
VII. Jesse, b 17 Feb., 1811 ; died 17 April, ISII.
VIII. David, may have been born 4 Aug., 1812.
IX. Cornelia, b 22 March, 1817 ; died i July, 1817.
X. William, b about ISI8.
XI. Benajah, b about 1820.
38. John Bunnell, Jr., lived on the same lot with his father, on the hill-side about eighty rods east of the road where no house stands now. One of his children was born 21, March, IS21.
42. Ebenezer Robins, came from Peru, Mass., in Nov., 1812, and, in Dec .. IS12, settled on lot 182, where his son Harlow Rob- bins succeeded him, and his granddaughter, Mrs. Hinsdale now lives.
43. Loring Ferguson, came from Peru, Mass., as early as the spring of 1$12, and began to work for John Bement, 6 March. 1812. He settled in a log house which he built near the centre of fifty acres on the northeast corner of lot 179. A few years later
249
TOWN OF NEWARK VALLEY.
he moved to Berkshire, and lived on the west end of Dr. Waldo's farm, on Strong brook, where he dwelt for six years, then moved to the west side of Wilson creek, in the south part of Berkshire. He was born in Blandford, Mass., 15 Feb., 1787, son of John and Sarah (Knox) Ferguson. His parents came with him to Newark Valley, and his mother died here 19 April, 1817. Same year later his father returned to Blandford, and died there. After getting his parents well settled he returned to Peru, and there married 13 Oct., 1813, with Laura Cone, whom he brought to Newark Valley. He died in Berkshire, 20 Nov., 1838. His widow returned to New England in 1840, and died 2 June, 1860, at the house of her youngest daughter, in Columbia, Conn. His children, all born in Newark Valley were :
I. Chauncey Ackley, b 12 June, 1815 ; moved to Wisconsin, where he enlisted, but taking the measles, he died 20 Jan., 1862, without having left the state for active service.
II. Selden Knox, b 8 May, 1817; died of consumption at Hins- dale, Mass., 14 June, 1857.
III. Olive Melissa, b I June, 1820; died of gangrene, at Peru, Mass., 22 May, 1866.
IV. Lansing. Spencer, b 3 June, 1822 ; resides at Middlefield, Mass.
V. Asenath Caroline, b 21 Aug., 1826.
45. Joseph Freeman. His home in Dec., 1820 has not been ascertained. See Berkshire, 1802.
47. Lyman Waldo, brother of John Waldo, lived in the same neighborhood, and built the first house east of the Wilson creek, on the south side of the Ketchumville road. He came from Bur- lington, N. Y., about 1817, and finally moved to Portage, N. Y., where he died 23 July, 1865, aged 91 years and 15 days.
48. Ebenezer Pierce lived on lot 223, where S. W. Ames now dwells.
51. Lyman Barber lived east of the present road, and west of the old road, in the house which had been lately vacated by the Rev. Jeremiah Osborn, on lot 264, near the north line of the town.
52. Levi Branch lived on lot 224, on the west side of the way, where D. H. Miller now dwells.
53. Bill Torry lived in a small house on the same lot, east of the way, where Capt. E. N. Chapman afterward built his house. [See Early Families of Berkshire.]
56. Roswell Livermore lived in a log house, on lot 217, on the
250
TOWN OF NEWARK VALLEY.
east bank of the creek, north of the road where it turns to cross the creek.
58. Marcus Ford lived in the house with Elisha Wilson. He was born 29 March, 1793; was ordained 13 Dec, 1820, and on that day a portion of the census of Newark Valley was taken.
59. Stephen Wells lived south of Wilson creek, and west of the road, in the house which his son, Beriah Wells, had built a few years before.
60. Lucius Wells lived in the same house with his father, Stephen Wells.
64. Absalom Baird lived on the north side of the east and west road, at Moore's Corner, where Martin Mead now lives.
65. Joseph Prentice lived on lot 183, east side of the way, where - Henderson now lives.
67. Duick Whipple lived on the south part of lot 223, on the old road, since discontinued, on top of the hill, north of where William Reeves now lives. The old barn still stands near his dwelling-place, but the house was long since moved away.
68. Joseph Allen lived on the first road that leads to the north, above where William Reeves lives, and about a quarter of a mile from the parting of the roads.
69. John Watkins lived on lot 219, within the corner of the road where it bends to the northwest, leading to the West Owego creek.
70. Mial Dean, Jr., lived in the same house with John Watkins. and was improving a place on the southwest side of the road, at or near the place where Lyman Freeland now dwells.
71. Luke Baird lived on the hill, on a private road, north of the place lately owed by Elbridge Barber, and his son, Darius Barber.
72. Silas Allen lived in a log house, a little above the place lately owned by the Barbers, and on the south side of the road.
73. Adolphus Pierce lived in the field, about forty rods north- west from Luke Baird's, and between his place and that of Mial Dean, Jr.
74. William Baird lived on the road above Joseph Allen, and not far from where Jireh Councilman now lives.
75. John Allen lived on the north side of the road where now stands the Barber house, which was built by Elder Snyder.
76. Harvey Marshall lived in a log house on the farm of John Watkins, and northwest of where Watkins lived. He soon
251
TOWN OF NEWARK VALLEY.
moved to Spencer with his wife and only child, which was not born till after the census was taken.
79. Elijah Curtis lived on the north half of lot 143, on the west side of Whig street.
81. Elijah Higbe lived on the west side of Whig street where Egbert Bement now lives. His grave-stone in Hope cemetery shows the date of his death as 13 Sept., 1820, but the census proves that he was alive in Dec., 1820, and he probably died 13 Sept., IS21.
84. Otis Lincoln lived in the "Old Tavern," which he kept nearly 20 years, where the new brick school-house is now taking form.
87. Horace Jones lived in a small framed house, which stood on the west side of the way, and now, on its original site, forms part of the dwelling house of Mrs. Polly Smith.
88. Oliver Williams, probably lived in the house with his father, where the Rev. Jay Clizbe has since lived, and his parents were counted as of his family.
89. John Gould lived on the west side of the way, about where E. G. Tibbitts now lives. The house was a small one built for a mitten shop by the Williams Brothers.
90. Stephen Williams, Jr., lived on the west side of the way. in the first house north of Silk street.
91. Henry Williams lived on the south side of Silk street, where N. P. Chapman now lives.
92. Ezekiel Rich lived in the south or old part of the house now occupied by Mrs. Jane Wells and her children. See later families of Richford.
93. William Gardner lived on the east side of the road, where P. P. Moses built the house now occupied by Henry Sprague.
94. John Stedman lived on the east side of the road, where W. A. Noble and J. T. Noble now dwell. See later families of Richford.
95. Dexter Parmenter (otherwise written Palmeter) lived in a small house which stood on the west side of the way, about mid- way between Stedman's house and that of Daniel Churchill.
96. Daniel Churchill lived on the east side of the way, on the gravelly knoll, a few rods north of the cemetery.
97. Chester Goodale lived in a log house where Ephraim Nixon now dwells, on the west side of the way.
98. Spencer Spaulding lived on the west side of the way, where William T. Loring afterwards built his brick house.
--------
252
TOWN OF NEWARK VALLEY.
99. Hart Newell lived on the east side of the way, on the south half of lot 63, where Lyman Barber afterward lived.
100. William Wilbur lived in a log house with a framed lean-to which stood where the south end of the wing of W. S. Smith's farm house now stands, on the north half of lot 63, east of the way.
IO1. Richard Perkins lived on the south border of lot 98, west of Owego street, and north of the road that leads to Knapp's.
103. Alanson Dean lived on the east side of the road, just on the line of lots 63 and 98, in the same house with his father.
104. Anson Higbe lived on the west side of the way, opposite the road to Union, on the south half of lot 98, where his grand- son, George Byron Sutton, now dwells.
105. Hosea Eldredge lived in a log house, on the north side of the Ketchumville road, east of the Wilson creek road, where George Andrews once lived, and later his brother, Luther An- drews, on lot 266. He was born at Ashford, Conn., 4 June, 1783, son of Hezekiah and Elizabeth (Whiton) Eldredge: removed when sixteen years old to Salisbury, Conn., where he m 6 Oct., 1805, with Cyrene Collins, who was born there 2 Feb., 1783. They left Salisbury about the beginning of Ist. and dwelt at Edmeston or the adjoining town of Plainfield, N. Y., till early in ISIS, when they settled on the place described above. They joined the church by letter, 3 Oct., 1819, and were dismissed to Ithaca, N. Y., 16 Oct. 1835. He died 31 March, 1837. She died 5 May, 1838. They had three children :
I. Edward Hezekiah, b It Sept., 1806; a physician ; m with Marcia Belinda Orven, and m (2d) 19 Oct, 1857, with Mary Sophia Ball.
II. Mary Abigail, b9 Oct., ISO9.
III. Horace Newton, b in Plainfield, N. Y., 4 June, 1812.
Early Highways .- No record has been found of the formal or official laying out of the first highway through the valley, on the cast side of the creek from the place now owned by G. B. Sut- ton, to the north line of Berkshire, now known as Owego street, south of the Green; and Berkshire street, north of it. For several years this road was used on the east side of the creek, across lots 217, 224, and the south half of 257, between the creek and where the railway now runs, but after good bridges were made across the creek the road on the west side took the whole travel, and the other was discontinued. Another change has been made above the village of Newark Valley, where the road till after 1846 crossed the low swampy land between the hill and the creek.
253
TOWN OF NEWARK VALLEY.
It was then worked along the base of the hill, by cutting out and throwing down enough of the rock to form the roadbed. This improved road was begun on the first day of June, and finished on the third day of July. The year is not positively remembered, but it was about 1848. It was made by Otis Lincoln. Charles Baldwin, who then worked for him, claims to have been the first man to jump into the water where it was three feet deep, to begin the work, and his courage was sharpened by a silver dollar and an extra drink of whiskey.
Soon after Wilson's mill was built, a road was laid from the place now owned by Edwin Smith, across the creek to " Moore's corner," thence up the Muzzy brook, and over the hill to the Jenks Settlement, so that the people there might have a road to the grist-mill. Of this road no survey has been found. This road went nearly northwest to the top of the hill, at the place now owned by Fred W. Richardson, then down the hill to the west creek.
Of Whig street, the following tells the story :
" 1801, April 16th.
The survey of a road ascertained as the following manner, viz .:
Beginning on the road leading from the village of Owego to Brown's Settlement at a stake an stones standing in the west line of said road near Enoch Slosson's barn, from thence north-west 36 rods to a stake and stones on the west bank of the creek, thence north 45' east to a maple staddle near Lyman Rawson's well, thence the same course to a stake and stones, near the house of Henry Moor, thence the same direction until it intersects the road leading to Jenks Settlement. Certified by
JOHN FREEMAN, HENRY MOOR.
On the seventh of July, 1803, a road measuring 1, 138 rods, or eighteen rods more than three miles and a half long, with twenty- four different courses, was laid from "a marked tree south of Daniel Carpenter's house," near the center of lot 302, in Berk- shire, "to intersect the road laid trom Jenks Settlement to Wil- son's Mills." This road ended near the school-house, east of the Hotchkin house, now occupied by Mr. Reeves, but instead of coming down along the brook where the road now runs, by the farm of Stephen W. Ames, it came over the top of the hill far to the west of his house.
"Survey of a road laid by the commissioners, in and for the town of Tioga, Feb. 18th, 1804.
" Beginning on the division line between Joseph Brown and Dan'l Churchill, 3d line being the centre of the road ; thence W.
254
TOWN OF NEWARK VALLEY.
67 chains ; thence N. 22º W., 10 chains; thence N. 65º W., 616 chains ; thence N. 80° W., 163 chains; thence N. 37º W., 15 chains; thence N. 70° W., 12 chains ; thence S. 87º W., 4} chains ; thence-40° W., 5 chains ; thence N. 66° W., 15 chains ; thence N. 78° W., 5 chains ; thence S. 85° W., 5 chains; thence S. 70° W., Io chains ; thence N. 70° WV., 5 chains ; thence N. 81° W., Io chains; thence S. 75° W .. 123 chains to the West Owego Creek.
Certified by
ABRAHAM BROWN, LEMUEL BROWN."
This road was probably never opened. Its starting point was- . at the south line of the farm now owned by the family of the late Frederick T. Wells, and passed directly over the hill on which Royal R. Williams lives, on the line between lots 98 and 103. The principal work to be done on it for many years, was in hauling logs and wood, all of which naturally passed twenty rods further south through the woods, and went around the hill on level ground, where the road was afterward laid. The record of the present road, known as Hosford street, went out of existence when the town records of Newark Valley were burned.
" A description of Roads laid by the Commissioners in and for the town of Tioga, 1805.
" Also a road Beginning at a stake and stones standing North of Asa Bement's house, on the east side of the road leading through Brown's Settlement, thence North 88 degrees east I2 chains ; thence North 72 degrees east, 29 chains & 75 links ; thence North 82 degrees east, 15 chains and twenty links, to a Beach tree marked E. H., standing on the farm of Jonathan Hedges."
Certified by
ASA LEONARD,
Comm'rs
SAMUEL BROWN, Highway." of
Many years passed before any settlement was made in that part of the town, east of Mr. Hedges, and not till after 1820 was the road opened from that road north, up the Wilson creek.
In the same certificate with the foregoing, was the survey of a road measuring a trifle over five and six-tenths miles, " beginning at a Birch tree standing in the east line of lot No. 160, in the Nanticoke township," and running " to the Road leading through Brown's Settlement," opposite the place now owned by G. B. Sutton.
"Survey of a road leading from Henry Williams' to Daniel Cortwrect's, on West Owego creek, laid and surveyed April 11, 1814. Beginning on the Creek road, one rod north of Henry Will- iams' north line, runing west 18 chains in such manner as will take three rods wide on Stephen Williams' land, and one rod wide
·
255
TOWN OF NEWARK VALLEY.
on said Henry Williams' land, thence north 69 degrees west, 4 chains and 30 links, thence north 74°, west 7 chains and 75 links," etc. This measurement brings the road upon the west bank of the Spring brook, and the survey continues through twenty-two additional courses, a distance of seven hundred and twenty rods, "to intersect the road on the West Owe- go." This makes the whole distance, as then measured, a few feet more than two and five-eighths miles. The east end of this road received the name of Silk street, about 1840, from the fact that Sylvanus Merchant, who lived on it, kept silk worms for several years. This road was laid by John Waldo and Abra- ham Brown, the highway commissioners of the town of Berk- shire, and it seems to have been the last road laid before the town of Westville, now Newark Valley, was set off from Berk- shire.
Organization .- The town of Westville, authorized by the leg- islature, 12 April, 1823. was organized by a meeting of the inhab- itants at the house of Otis Lincoln, 2 March, 1824, and the elec- tion of a full board of town officers, whose names, except the minor officers, have already been printed in the History of Four Counties, p. 147. The name of the town was changed by act of the legislature, 24 March, 1824, to Newark. . The destruction of all town records by fire. 16 Oct., 1879, gives a special impor- tance, historically, to anything that may be recovered, in relation to the early history of the town. The early custom was to adjourn the town meeting to the regular day for holding it in the next year, which led the clerk to call it an adjourned meet- ing, rather than the annual meeting. The following is a copy of the record made by the clerk at the second town meeting, it being the first held after the town took the name of Newark. The spelling of two or three names only has been changed to conform to the family usage:
"At an adjourned meeting of the inhabitants of the town of Newark, held March 1, 1825, at the house of Otis Lincoln in said town, Anson Higbe in the chair-The following officers were elected to office:
Solomon Williams, Supervisor.
Beriah Wells, Town Clerk.
John Waldo, Francis Armstrong, Peter Moore, Assessors.
Benjamin Wilmarth, Abraham Brown, Jonathan Belcher, Com- missioners of Highways.
Ebenezer Pierce, Peter Wilson, Overseers of the Poor.
William Slosson, Collector ; William Slosson, Constable.
256
TOWN OF NEWARK VALLEY.
Francis Armstrong, William Richardson, Lyman Waldo, Com- missioners of Common Schools.
George Williams, Elijah Wilson, Benjamin Walter, Inspectors of Common Schools.
Overseers of Highways, District No. I, Francis Armstrong ; No. 2, John Rewev; No. 3, Levi Smith; No. 4, John Harmon ; No. 5, Ebenezer Robbins; No. 6, John Waldo : No. 7. James Wheeler ; No. 8, Reuben Chittenden ; No. 9, Simeon Galpin.
Fence Viewers -- Voted that there be six fence viewers, Moses Spaulding. Alanson Dean, Charles Brown, Lyman Legg, Abra- ham Hotchkin, Denick Whipple.
Josiah Benjamin, sealer of weights and measures.
Voted that the commissioners and inspectors of common schools for the year 1824, and the present year be allowed the compen- sation which the law prescribes for their services.
Voted, that the sum of seven dollars and twenty-five cents be paid Anson Higbe out of the funds belonging to the town for money expended on the highways some years past.
Voted, double the sum of school money which we receive from the state, be raised by the town.
Voted, that this town raise twelve dollars for the purpose of procuring the standard weights and measures.
Voted, that this meeting adjourn to the first Tuesday of March next at ten o'clock A. M .. at this place."
The name of the town, changed 17 April, 1862, to Newark Val- ley, should once more be changed to Arkley, that it might be distinctive, and never again be confounded with Newark, N. J., Newark in Wayne Co., N. Y., or with Cherry Valley, N. Y.
BUSINESS CENTERS
NEWARK VALLEY .-- While the population of Brown's Settle- ment was confined to the valley. the social center was naturally the business center. The church was built on lot 257, near the home of Mrs. Beulah Brown ; and the first store was not far away, near the north part of lot 217, little more than the width of a sin- gle lot intervening. The first road made to accommodate the early settlers on the Wilson creek, in the New Connecticut dis- trict, came down the steep east hill-side, from northeast to south - west, coming out at the east end of the road which crosses the creek in front of the house of Rodney Ball. Another road, almost as hard to travel, came down the west hill, connecting with the valley road near the center of lot 224, and this is still open, but very little used.
When the bills on each side began to be settled, the roads of necessity followed the lateral streams or valleys, and business be-
257
TOWN OF NEWARK VALLEY.
gan to increase near the points where they entered the valley, and soon separate business centers were formed where the vil- lages of Berkshire and Newark Valley now stand, and began to force social life and interest to form about the same centers, and led to the division of the town : but possibly the conservative pow- ers of Calvinism might have kept the church united at the old center till the present day, if some teachers of a new faith and practice had not begun to occupy the new fields and grow up with the villages, thereby stimulating the "standing order, " as they were formerly called in Connecticut, to arouse themselves to meet the new condition of affairs.
Here ends the historical matter for Newark Valley furnished by D. Williams Patterson ; and we add the following additional facts:
The village is a neat, thriving, even handsome community of about 800 souls. It has some dozen or more stores of various kinds, a large tannery, two steam saw-mills, grist-mill, and the usual complement of mechanics' shops.
KETCHUMVILLE is a stnall post-village located in the north- eastern corner of the town.
JENKSVILLE is a small post-village located in the northwestern part of the town, on the west branch of Owego creek. This village was settled as early as 1797. Michael Jenks built a saw. mill in 1803, and a grist-mill in 1814.
WEST NEWARK, a small settlement about two miles south of Jenksville, containing a postoffice.
NEW CONNECTICUT is a small settlement in the northern part of the town.
Davidge, Landfield & Co.'s Tannery .-- From an early date the site of this firm's building has been used for tanning purposes ; first for tanning deerskins, etc., and their manufacture into gloves, mittens and articles of clothing. The property passed through several hands, and the buildings have been twice destroyed by fire. In 1865 George H. Allison, John Davidge and Jerome B. Landfield purchased the property, and commenced business under the firm name of Allison, Davidge & Co. They continued the business till 1867, when Allison became sole owner. In 1868, however, Davidge, Landfield & Co. bought the property, and no change has since been made, except to transfer Mr. Davidge's interest to his heirs after his death. The tannery has 132 vats, and turns out about 50,000 sides of sole leather per year, giving
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.