TOWN OF ADDISON. 



139 



son, the English author. The early settlers called it also 

 " Tuscarora." A part of Troupsburgh was taken from it 

 in 1808, Cameron in 1822, part of Woodhull in 1828, 

 part of Rathbone in 1856, and Tuscarora in 1859. 



In the earliest record, entitled " Votes and Proceedings 

 of a Town-Meeting held in and for the Town of Middle- 

 town the first Tuesday in April, 1797," we find that Reuben 

 Searles was elected Supervisor ; Oliver Miller, Town Clerk ; 

 George Goodhue, John Wyman, and John Martin, Asses- 

 sors ; Lemuel Searles, Constable ; Jonathan Tracy and 

 Asahel Stiles, Poormasters; John Martin, George Good- 

 hue, and Stephen Dolson, Commissioners of Highways; 

 Lemuel Searles, Collector ; Abel White, Jonathan Tracy, 

 and Oliver Miller, Commissioners of Schools; Reuben 

 Searles, Jr.. and James Benham, Pathmasters; Elisha 

 Gilbert and Silas Morey, Fence-viewers ; Reuben Searles, 

 Poundkeeper. 



" Voted, That Reuben Searles' barn-yard be a town pound. 



" Voted, That a lawful fence be four feet and a half high and but 

 fiYQ inches between rails. 



'' Voted, That a ferry be kept near where the road crosses the river, 

 and that threepence be charged for a man to cross. 



" Voted, That the next town-meeting be held at the school-house in 

 said town for the year ensuing." 



It is not stated at what house this town-meetins: was 

 held, but it was probably at the school-house, as Timothy 

 Searles was appointed to take care of that building, and 

 Reuben Searles to be fireman. This speaks well for the 

 civilization of the pioneers of Addison. They probably 

 built the first school-house in the county of Steuben ; if 

 not, it was certainly one of the first, for it must have been 

 erected as early as 1796, and at that period there were few 

 if any school-houses in the county. 



At this meeting Reuben Searles, George Goodhue, John 

 Wyman, and John Martin were appointed a " committee 

 for settling with the town of Painted Post."''^ 



The second town-meeting was held at the school-house, 

 as above appointed, on the first Tuesday in April, 1798. 

 Reuben Searles was re-elected supervisor, and by successive 

 elections continued to hold that office till 1804. In the 

 latter year George Martin was elected supervisor. Mr. 

 Searles was again elected to the office in 1805. In 1806, 

 George Martin was elected again, and held the office each 

 succeeding year till 1810, when David Dickinson was 

 chosen supervisor for one year, and was succeeded in 1811 

 by Timothy Searles, who held the office continuously till 

 1814. In this year William B. Jones was elected super- 

 visor, and continued to be elected each year till 1817, when 

 he was superseded by Samuel Colgrove, who was supervisor 

 till 1821, and was succeeded by William B. Jones, who 

 served till 1823, when Samuel Colgrove was again elected, 

 and continuously thereafter till 1827. 



The town clerks during this period were — 



1797-1800. Oliver Miller. 



1800. Brown Gillespie. 



1801. Abel White. 



1802. Harvey Rice. 

 1803-5. Jonathan Tracy. 

 1805. Alpheus Cheney. 



* This town was included in Painted Post before the organization 

 of Steuben County; hence when the county was organized and the 

 new town of Middletown formed, there were accounts or other mat- 

 ters to be settled with the old town of Painted Post, from which 

 Middletown was set off. 



1805. Elisha Searles.f 

 1805-1 0. Solomon Tracy. 

 1810. Elisha Searles. 

 1810-14. Jesse Rowley. 

 1814-17. David Dickinson. 



1817. John Towsley. 

 1818-20. Martin Young. 

 1820. Isaac Santee. 

 1821-24. Martin Young. 

 1824-27. Jesse Rowley. 



The town collectors from the organization till 1827 were 



as follows : 



1797. Lemuel Searles. 



1798. William Morey. 



1799. Reuben Searles. 

 1800-3. Lemuel Searles. 

 1803. Reuben Searles, Jr. 

 1804-9. Lemuel Searles. 

 1809. William B. Jones. 



1810-13. Lemuel Searles. 

 1813-15. Lemuel Benham. 

 1815. Abel White. 

 1810-18. Stephen Towsley. 

 1818-23. Hiram Averill. 

 1823-26. William Austin. 

 1827. Alfred Nichols. 



During the same period the town elected the following 

 school commissioners : 



1797. 



1798. 



1799. 



Abel White. 

 Jonathan Tracy. 

 Oliver Miller. 

 Abel White. 

 Oliver Miller. 

 Reuben Searles. 

 Oliver Miller. 

 Reuben Searles, Jr. 

 Abel White. 



1800. Brown Gillespie. 

 Elisha Searles. 

 John Vercampe. 



1801. Abel White. 

 Reuben Searles. 

 Reuben Searles, Jr. 



1802. Elisha Searles. J 

 Reuben Searles. 

 Harvey Kill. 



1813. Timothy Searles. 

 Samuel Colgrove. 

 David Dickinson. 

 William Wombough. 

 Stephen Dolson. 

 Henry Tracy. 



1814. 



1816. William B. Jones. 

 Abel White. 

 William Wombough. 



1817. Samuel Colgrove. 

 William Wombough. 

 Thomas Metealf. 



1819. William Wombough. 

 Samuel Colgrove. 

 Isaac Santee. 



1820. William Wombough. 

 Samuel Colgrove. 

 Elijah Hallett. 



1821. Boanerges Fluent. 

 Andrew Loughery. 

 Thomas Wheat. 



1822. Samuel Baker. 

 Elias Mason. 

 Thomas Wheat. 



1824. John Towsley. 



Asahel Thomas. 



Peleg J. Cole. 

 1826. William H. Warner. 



Jeremiah Rowley. 



Jacob Cole, Jr. 



In 1798 a bridge across the Canisteo was in construction, 

 and it was " voted that a sign-post be erected on the north 

 side of the river, near where the bridge is to cross the 

 river." In 1799 "a tax of $20 for the support of the 

 poor" was voted "to be paid in produce." 



" Middletown, the 9th day of April, 1801. Recorded 

 two slaves for Thomas Thissle ; the age of Luce fifteen 

 years old, the age of Will eleven years old." 



The bridge referred to above was in progress in 1803, as 

 we learn from the following : 



"March, the 15th day, 1803. Jonathan Tracy, Town Clerk, re- 

 ceived one hundred and fifty dollars for the use of building a bridge 

 in Middletown." 



" February, the 22d day, 1804. Jonathan Tracy, Town Clerk, re- 

 ceived one hundred and fifty dollars for the use of building a bridge 

 in Middletown." 



Payments were made on the work as follows : 



" April 4, 1803. Paid four dollars by order of the Commissioners." 

 " April 27, 1803. Paid fifty dollars by order of the Commis- 

 sioners." 



f By virtue of a warrant bearing date Oct. 29, 1805. 

 \ From 1802 to 1813 no election of school commissioners appears 

 in the records. 



