290 



HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK. 



then we all went up into the second story, where we re- 

 mained until morning,— three families, eleven sheep, and 

 the corn, with scarce room enough for either alone. 



" In the morning the waters threatened to cover the second 

 floor, and my father took the families and the sheep out of 

 the window into the canoe, and to the hill-side which was 

 near by. During the day five stacks of wheat and oats 

 floated ofi" and went out of sight down the river, two of 

 which were afterwards recovered (every sheaf, I believe) ; 

 having floated over two miles, they were found landed right 

 side up upon the head of MulhoUon's Island, opposite 

 Edward E. Townsend's farm. It was to the settlers in 

 these valleys the most disheartening event that had yet 

 occurred, coming at that season, and before the crops were 

 all gathered. Nearly every settler in the valleys of the 

 Tioga, Canisteo, and Conhocton was victimized, and the 

 destruction of property was only exceeded by the dis- 

 appointment and suffering of the hard-toiling settlers." 



THE INUNDATION OF 1833. 



In 1833 the valleys of the Conhocton and Tioga were 

 again inundated. This flood, being in the month of May, 

 was occasioned alone by heavy showers. It came within 

 twelve inches of reaching the height of the great flood of 

 1817, and was much more disastrous. Mills, manufac- 

 tories, dwellings, bridges, lumber, cattle, sheep, and swine, 

 were swept away by the swollen and remorseless current. 

 Many reminiscences of this flood, and of the exciting and 

 often ludicrous scenes which it presented, are yet vivid in 

 the recollection of old settlers on the lower Conhocton. 

 Says Mr. Erwin, speaking of its effect upon the river at 

 Painted Post: '^Timothy W. Whiting and his partner, 

 William Boardman, in an effort to secure some lumber that 

 had been rafted, floated past our town on two platforms of 

 lumber that had broken loose, without oars. The water 

 was so high that the * grubs' touched the Conhocton bridge, 

 and they had barely room, by lying flat upon the platforms, 

 to pass under it. Under the Knoxville bridge they were 

 compelled to drop into the water and hold on to the plat- 

 forms. They were, however, rescued below the bridge and 

 before reaching the canal-dam, but the lumber was lost." 

 The narrator also recollects seeing " Jacob Bullman, a well- 

 known hunter, now living in the wilds of Michigan, ride 

 past on three slabs with only an edging for a setting-pole, 

 and safely step off upon the banks not a dozen feet from 

 the bridge." ' 



THE GREAT FLOOD OF 1857. 



On the 10th of November, 1857, the waters of the 

 Chemung River and its tributaries were higher than at any 

 time before of which any record exists. About midday on 

 the 9th the clouds gathered ; presently the rain commenced 

 falling, and it continued in torrents until in the night. It 

 seemed as if the flood-gates of heaven were opened, and the 

 people of these valleys were to share the fate of the ante- 

 diluvians. All night men went to and fro carrying lanterns, 

 the scene reminding one of the Dismal Swamp with its fire- 

 fly lamps multiplied. In the morning the excitement was 

 fearful ; the waters were pouring into the low places and 

 many of the houses. Steadily and rapidly the waters ac^ 

 cumulated, and increased until the waves dashed against the 



planks of the bridges, which stood firmly, resisting the force 

 of trees, logs, lumber, stumps, furniture, corn, pumpkins, 

 produce and the flood-wood hurled against them. At three 

 o'clock P.M. the watei-s were observed to be at a stand ; two 

 hours later they were visibly falling, and the people felt a 

 sense of relief from the impending danger. The next morn- 

 ing presented a scene which baffles all attempts at description. 

 The waters had risen in the night and completely deluged 

 all the flat lands, so that at Painted Post boats landed at the 

 door of the hotel, and it was a " perfect sea of water from' 

 there to the mountains on the west of the Tioga River, or 

 where the river should be." It is impossible to convey a 

 just idea of the misery, loss, and suffering which this flood 

 entailed upon the inhabitants who lived within the field of 



its ravages. 



ORGANIZATION. 

 The town of Erwin was organized, and held its first elec- 

 tion, on the 7th of March, 1826, at the house of Daniel 

 Rooks, Jr., which stood upon the site of the Erwin House, 

 about four miles south of Painted Post. Ethan Pier, Esq., 

 was the presiding officer. Capt. Samuel Erwin was elected 

 the first supervisor, and John E. Evans the first town clerk. 

 The town officers to 1878, inclusive, are as follows : 



LIST OF TOWN OFFICERS. 



Supervisors. 



Town Clerks. 



Collectors. 



1826. Samuel Erwin. 



John E. Evans. 



Silas Cook. 



1827. " '' 



u a 



a ii 



1828. " " 



u (' 



a ii 



1829. " " 



(( a 



Arthur Erwin, Jr. 



1830. Abner Thurber. 



i( (( 



Samuel Patterson. 



18P.1. " 



i( »< 



i( a 



1832. " . 



ii it 



i( ii 



1833. John Cooper, Jr. 



a a 



tt ii 



1834. Chauncey Hoffman. 



Julius Morgan. 



a a 



1835. 



ii a 



i( (t 



1836. A. C. Morgan. 



Ansel C. Smith. 



a ii 



1837. Francis E. Erwin. 



J. Gr. Messereau. 



ii a 



1838. 



Washington Barnes. 



Joseph E. Borst. 



1839. Arthur Erwin, Jr. 



n a 



a it 



1840. '* " 



William J. Gilbert. 



a a 



1841. 



K i( 



a a 



1842. 



i( ii 



(I a 



1843. William J. Gillett. 



Justin M. Smith. 



ii ii 



1844. 



a a 



ti a 



1845. 



(( a 



a ii 



1846. 



David B. Cumpston 



Nelson Carpenter. 



1847. 



E. E. Townsend. 



a ii 



1848. " " 



L. M. Badger. 



Joseph E. Borst. 



1849. Arthur H. Erwin. 



R. 0. Smith. 



ii a 



1850. '' 



a a 



t( a 



1851. Ira P. Bennett. 



Darwin A. Smith. 



John Woolsey. 



1852. Uri Balcom. 



Chas. J. Chatfield. 



Clement H. Baker. 



1853. " 



a a 



Oscar Jordan. 



1854. Samuel Erwin. 



i( a 



Isaac N. Sutherly. 



1855. Arthur H. Erwin. 



William D. Farwell 



. William N. Howell 



1856. " " 



a a 



John Borst. 



1857. " '' 



ii it 



Austin M. Smith. 



1858. " " 



(I (( 



i( i( 



1859. 



Francis Erwin. 



a it 



1860. " " 



William D. Farwell 



. Isaac N. Sutherly. 



1861. " " 



ii " 



4< " 



1862. " " 



Benjamin Farwell. 



P. A. Easterbrooks 



1863. William J. Gilbert 



H. D. Edwards. 



Amos J. Banter. 



1864. Wm. C. Bronson. 



a ii 



Albert S. Ward. 



1865. " " 



A. K. Knapp. 



Wm. N. Howell. 



1866. " " 



Charles J. Fox. 



it ii 



1867. '' 



Benjamin Farwell. 



a " 



1868. Alanson J. Fox. 



Albert R. Sayles. 



i( ■ a ■ ' • 



