PREFACE. 



Steuben County has had an organic existence of eighty-three years. It was settled 

 originally by a hardy and enterprising class of people. It would be strange if such a 

 people, and their intelligent and progressive descendants, during a period of nearly a 

 century, had not made history enough to fill one volume, to say nothing of the doings of 

 their savage predecessors, or of the discoveries and military expeditions which prepared the 

 way for their advent to these hills and valleys. The history made by the settlers and their 

 descendants, the local annals of town and village, with which the work chiefly abounds, 

 the recital of thrilling incidents of border life, the privations and hardships of the pio- 

 neers, the rehearsal of the rude and quaint manners and customs of the " olden times," 

 will have much more of interest for the general reader than the most profound and labored 

 discussion of antiquities remote from actual life. 



The history contained in the present volume has been compiled with a great deal of 

 labor; yet, it has been a pleasure to the writer. The citizens of the county, in every 

 locality, have manifested an interest in the work, and many have freely and cheerfully 

 aided in the collection of materials. The arrangement of the work is such as is deemed, 

 upon the whole, best adapted to the orderly classification of the large amount of matter 

 which such a county must necessarily furnish, the plan being, first, a general history of the 

 county at large, and then a history of each separate town and village. The biographies, 

 for the most part, with their accompanying portraits and views of residences, are placed in 

 the several towns to which they belong, and the whole is carefully indexed, so as to facili- 

 tate reference. We have deemed it most in harmony with common usage, as well as best 

 adapted to give general satisfaction, to arrange the towns in alphabetical order. 



Among those whom the writer and publishers desire especially to thank for valuable 

 assistance rendered in the compilation of the work, are Hon. Guy H. McMaster, Ansel J. 

 McCall, Esq., Hon. David Rumsey, R. E. Robie, Esq., Rev. James M. Piatt, and Rev. 



0. R. Howard, D.D., of Bath; Charles H. Erwin, of Painted Post; Wm. H. Bonham, 



1. W. Near, and Miles W. Hawley, Esqs., of Hornellsville ; C. H. Thomson, Esq., Hon. 

 George T. Spencer, Dr. G. W. Pratt, Gen. J. H. Lansing, and C. D. Baker, Esq., of 

 Corning; h. D. Hastings^ T. M. Younglove, and G. W. Nichols, Esqs., of Hammondsport; 

 Hon Jeremiah Baker and Joshua C. Stephens, of Canisteo ; Thos. S. Crosby, Valentine 

 Van Wormer, and Thomas Warner, Esqs., of Cohocton; William B. Pratt, Paul C. 

 Howe, and J. H. Hotchkin, Esqs., of Prattsburgh. Besides these, many other gentle- 

 men have aided us in procuring matter for our local histories of towns and villages, whose 

 names are too numerous to mention in this connection. We are indebted to the editors 

 of the county press, to the county clerk and his assistants, to the town clerks of the various 

 towns, to many clergymen and church officials, who have courteously and freely rendered 

 assistance in various ways. 



That the work we have compiled is perfect in every respect we do not pretend. But 

 we have aimed to make it as complete as possible under the circumstances, and such as it 

 is we submit it to the candid judgment of our readers. 



w. w. c. 



April 1, 1879. 



