314 



HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK. 



Thomas Oldfield, which was the first settlement between 

 Beaver Dams and Corning. A Mr. Hodge was the pio- 

 neer ; afterwards came Martin Lane. Samuel Lilly, one of 

 the earliest settlers yet livings, resides just above on the 

 same road. He is eighty-five years old, having been born 

 in 1793. William W. Cole and Benjamin Lewis, Jr., were 

 his pioneer companions. 



An almost continuous row of farm-houses extends from 

 Mr. Oldfield's along the foot of the hills to the left, sur- 

 rounded by shrubbery and fruit-trees and backed by well- 

 tilled lands, until you pass Benedict Ferenbaugh's, when 

 the hills open to admit the beautiful valley of Post Creek, 

 which is divided by the east line of the town and county. 



In 1824, the only building in this valley was a little log 

 house, on the present Oldfield place, and Mr. Samuel Lilly 

 came up the creek in 1822, $300 in debt, with a-family of 

 nine children, and opened a claim on the Pulteney estate, 

 paying for it by hard labor, such as only the early pioneers 

 of a heavily-timbered country can realize, clearing 104 

 acres of timber-land with his own hands. At the time of 

 this entry the country was all a wilderness, with only an 

 occasional small opening, teams going up the creek to Wat- 

 kins for goods and returning via Horseheads. 



When up to Bath to make a payment on his lands, Mr. 

 McCay, the agent, asked of Lilly, " How do you get along 

 for roads?" He answered, ''We don't get along at all." 



After he had explained the condition of things the agent 

 informed him that if he would open a road, the work thus 

 done should apply on payment for his lands, at the rate of 

 %1 per rod. This report was received with incredulity by 

 his few neighbors, but Mr. Lilly complied, making 180 

 rods that year which was accepted and applied, and also 89 

 rods the next year. This road was opened along the valley 

 below high-water mark, and subsequently had to be moved 

 to the foot of the hill. Before this it took two days to go 

 to Corning. Game of all kinds was especially abundant. 



The first stage-route was established by A. B. Dickinson 

 and Mr. Seymour, a tavern-keeper in Corning. 



Among the early settlers was Isaac Lafevre, who built 

 the first grist-mill in town, and Jane C. Leach, who is 

 credited with having taught the first school. George Stan- 

 ton was the first male child born in the town. The first 

 death was that of John Stanton. 



Alonzo Gaylord was also one of the first school-teachers 

 in the town as well as first assessor. He was intimately 

 connected with the development of the town for several 

 years, and much of the early improvement was due to him. 



The late Hon. Andrew B. Dickinson became, at a later 

 day, a resident of Hornby, and was perhaps the most re- 

 markable and distinguished man who has ever lived in thd 

 town. Major Dickinson represented this Senatorial district 

 for four years, and for many years was a leading and in- 

 fluential politician. At the same time he was one of the 

 most extensive farmers and stock-growers in this part of the 

 State. Under Mr. Lincoln's administration he was ap- 

 pointed minister to Nicaragua, where he displayed so 

 much diplomatic ability that the government to which he 

 was accredited made particular request, and offered pecuniary 

 inducements, to have him returned. He finally consented, 

 and settled in that country, purchasing a sugar plantation 



and living upon* it until his death, which occurred April 

 21, 1873. 



ORGANIZATION. 



Owing to the loss of the records the list of the officers of 

 1826 is incomplete, but in 1827 there was a vigorous open- 

 ing of roads, under the administration of Henry Gardner 

 and James W. Holmes. Boads were surveyed from Elijah 

 Bobbins', three miles around West Hill; from David 

 Smith's, north, through by John Dickinson's, south and 

 east ; three miles east from the county line ; and nearly 300 

 days' work laid out that year. 



At the three days' election held at Shaw's tavern, 

 Knowlton's, and Dickinson's store, in 1826, the following 

 officers were elected: Supervisor, A. B. Dickinson ; Town 

 Clerk, Josiah Wheat ; Collector, Hiram Gardner ; Justices 

 of the Peace, Alonzo Gaylord, Milo Hurd, Jonathan Fel- 

 lows ; Inspectors of Election, A. B. Dickinson, Josiah 

 Wheat, Alson Pierce, Daniel Clark ; Assessors, Alonzo 



Gaylord, ; Commissioner of Highways, Amasa 



Stanton ; Constable, Hiram Gardner. 



LIST OF TOWN OFFICERS. 



1826. 



1827. 



1828. 



1829. 



1830. 



1831. 



1832. 



1833. 



1834. 



1835. 



1836. 



1837. 



1838. 



1839. 



1840. 



1841. 



1842. 



1843. 



1844. 



1845. 



1846. 



1847. 



1848. 



1849. 



1850. 



1851. 



1852. 



1853. 



1854. 



1855. 



1856. 



1857. 



1858. 



1859. 



1860. 



1861. 



1862. 



1863. 



1864. 



1865. 



1866. 



1867. 



1868. 



1869. 



1870. 



1871. 



1872. 



Supervisors. Town Clerks. 



And. B. Dickinson. Josiah Wheat. 

 Rice Nash. " " 



And. B. Dickinson. " " 



Daniel Clark. " " 



And. B. Dickinson. Jonathan Kimball. 

 " " Josiah Wheat. 



Collectors. 

 Henry Gardner. 

 William Stewart. 

 Pliny Cobb. 



a a 



Milo Hurd. 



U it 



Alanson Gibbs. 



W. H. Gaylord. 

 Amasa Stanton. 



U ii 



ii ii 



David Smith. 



Henry Gardner. 



a a 



James Warrick. 



ii a 



0. D. Chatfield. 

 John H. Gardner. 



a ii 



Lyman C. Wheat. Lemuel Wellman. 



<i 



ti 



Flavel W. Morrow. 

 Peter Rhoda. 



a a 



Willis H. Gaylord. 

 F. W. Morrow. 

 John T. Stanton. 

 Peter Covenhoven. 



a i( 



John T. Stanton. 

 F. W. Morrow. 

 Wm. A. Armstrong. 

 F. W. Morrow. 



George Adams. 



a it 



N. B. Stanton. 



a 



ii 



a 



ii 



J. H. Ferenbaugh. 

 Asem Eddy. 



a ii 



Jas. B. Humphrey. 

 Saml. Easterbrooks, 



a (< 



J. H. Ferenbaugh. 



John F. Stanton. 



a a 



Philo Campbell. 



a ii 



F. W. Morrow. 

 D. D. Slauson. 



Samuel 0. Masters. 

 J. M. Bixby. 



a a 



Nial Gardner. 

 S. 0. Masters. 

 Nial Gardner. 

 D. L. Wheat. 

 J. Roof, Jr. 

 John J. Hazen. 



a a 



Michael II. Sands. 



a (' 



Joseph D. Gilbert. 

 G. J. Murphy. 

 Henry F. Harrison. 

 John B. Smith. 

 J. W. Dickinson. 

 Myron A. Eddy. 

 John Pitts. 



ii a 



L. J. Stanton. 



Elijah S. Hill. 

 John M. Bixby. 

 Darius Wellman. 

 Darius L. Wellman. 

 Clark L. Smith. 

 0. L. Underwood. 

 Darius L. Wellman. 

 Russel Wellman. 



Orlando F. Rhoda. 

 Frank 0. St. John. 



Charles G. Rogers. 



a a 



Philander Wellman. 

 Charles G. Rogers. 

 0. L. Underwood. 

 Silas Masters. 

 And. J. Hendrick. 



U ii 



Philander Wellman. 



a a 



Charles G. Rogers. 

 George V. Whiting. 

 Aug. J. Hathaway. 

 P. H. Wellman. 

 David N. Lane. 

 M. J. Harrison. 



