Chapter: Town of Town of Mansfield

pages 455-461

Transcribed by Claudia Patterson January 2004




 HISTORY OF CATTARAUGUS COUNTY, NEW YORK
MANSFIELD is one of the interior towns of Cattaraugus County, lying a little northwest of the centre. Its surface is broken, formed of irregular ranges of hills and narrow valleys. The highest elevations are found in the southeast part, rising 300 feet above the Erie Railway, and over 2000 feet above the sea. It is watered in the north by the south branch of Cattaraugus Creek, and several small streams tributary to it; and in the south part by the head-waters of Little Valley Creek.
     The soil on the uplands is a hard clay loam, and a gravelly loam in the valleys; productive, and well adapted to grazing, stock-raising, and dairying. The attention of the farming classes is mainly devoted to cheese-making. The cheese-factories of W. A. Fox, which are located at Eddyville, William's Hill, and Fish Hill; those of John W. Osborn, at Five Corners and Dublin; and those of Messrs. Hunt & Pierce, at Hencoop and West Hill, comprising 7 different establishments, all in active operation, use the milk of more than 2000 cows, and produce an aggregate of over 500,000 pounds of cheese yearly. The products of these factories are sold monthly, and are sent forward to the New York and European markets.
   The cheese-box manufactory of Messrs. G. W. G. Bowen & Son, at Eddyville, employs 15 men during the busy season, and manufactures 50,000 boxes annually, all of which are used in the county.
This township has a total area of 24,821 acres, of which 15,848 acres are improved, and in 1875 had a population of 1151 inhabitants.

ITS EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The first action taken looking towards the settlement of township 4, range 7 of the Holland Purchase, was in 1818, when Benjamin Chamberlain, Nathaniel Fish, Lothrop Vinton, Edmund Kemp, Zira Fenton, Timothy Morgan, and Amos Morgan made contacts for land on lots 10, 33, 40, and 57. Of those named, only Nathaniel Fish, Amos and Timothy Morgan became actual settlers, while Fenton and his brother made an attempt on lot 40, but abandoned their work after cutting down the timber on several sates.
     It is claimed that Amos Morgan was the first settler. He located on lot 33, where John Barns now redden, in 1818, and remained there until about 1825, when he removed to the north part, and settled on the farm now owned by Milton Little, or the same lot that had been slashed by the Fenton's. Ten years later, Mr. Morgan and his family removed to Northern Ohio. Two of his sons subsequently became captains of steamers on lake Erie.


Nathaniel Fish, of Sandwich, Mass. settled on lot 10, in the southeast part, March 1, 1819. At about the same time he opened an inn or "place of entertainment," which was the first kept in town. Mr. Fish was one of the prominent men of the town during the early days, and was the first collector elected by the people of Cecilius. He was accompanied here by his son, Prince William Fish, who was also a prominent, active citizen, was one of the two first justices of the piece in the town of Cecilius, and the first person married here.
As before mentioned, Zira Fenton and his brother - whose name is unknown - came fro the town of Collins, Erie Co., in 1819 began cutting timber for a clearing on lot 40. The commenced one of the north and the other on the south side of the lot. Fearing attack from wild beasts, they constructed a platform in a large leaning basswood tree that stood near the south branch of Cattaraugus Creek. Around this tree, they formed a circle of dry brush, which was to be fired if there was danger of attack. Within this circle they repaired after the day's work was done. They would build a fire, cook, and eat their supper, and sit there until drowsiness admonished them to seek their retreat in the basswood where they slept till morning. During their sojourn here, a brother started from Gowanda to make them a visit, marked trees being his guide. Darkness overtook him before reaching his destination, and he lost his way. After searching in vain for some time, he commenced to halloo, hoping thus to attract the attention of his brothers, and make their whereabouts known. The latter was engaged at the time in cooking their supper, and hearing the voice of their brother mistook it for that of a panther; they concluded they were about to be attacked by wild beasts, and, having set fire to the brush, sought their retreat in the basswood tree and awaited results. Their brother's attention was attracted by lurid glare of the flames, and he turned his steps in that direction. He found them very much frightened,, and relieved to know how harmless was the cause of their alarm. The three brothers remained here until the beginning of winter of 1819 and 1820, when they concluded to return and pass the winter at their old home in Erie County. They proceeded on their way as far a Cattaraugus Creek, where, in attempting to cross on a log on the ice, one of them fell in. As a long distance had to be traveled ere the cabin of a settler could be reached, the unfortunate man nearly perished with cold. The brothers were disgusted with pioneer life in the wilds of Cattaraugus, and never returned.
     Josiah K. Hollister, a veteran of the Revolutionary war, accompanied by his sons, Samuel L. and Josiah R., Jr., emigrated from Cairo, Green co., NY, to Ovid, Senecca County, settling first at Franklinville, where they remained until 1816, when the removed to Great Valley, and in March, 1921, to Mansfield, locating in the eastern part, on log 14. They came to this town with a sled drawn by an ox-team. One mile west of Ellicottville they left the road and cut a passage through the woods to the place of settlement, a distance of three miles. A temporary house was built by rolling up logs and covering the same with hemlock-bark. In the autumn a good substantial log house was erected, and covered for a few years with the mime material. Help to raise it was procured at Ellicottville, where their nearest neighbors resided for the first two years.
     During the winter of 1821-22 two men came in and cut five acres of timber on the site of Union Corners. The following spring the Hollister's cleared this up, receiving in payment the ashes obtained by burning the timber and what crops could be raised upon it the first season. They planted one-half of it to corn, and upon the remainder was sowed oats. The bears, which were very numerous at that time, destroyed most of the corn.
The elder Holister, who, during the war of the Revolution, had been a prisoner in Canada for two years, died soon after his settlement in Mansfield. Josiah R., Jr., was a soldier during the war of 1812 and died at the age of eighty-one years. Samuel L. Holister, the elder son, died in 1849, aged sixty-one years. His widow, aged eighty-seven years, still survives, and resided with her son, Mr. Alson Hollister, of Mansfield.
Aaron Razey came from Rhode Island and settled near Nathaniel Fish, in February 1821.
Jacob B. Van Aernam, accompanied by his son Abram was the first to settle in the northwest part of the town, and located there in 1822. He was followed in the fall of the same year by John Chapman, and a little later by Samuel Harvey. Mr. Harvey was from Marcellus, Onondaga Co., and reached the place of his settlement Sept. 22, 1822. He returned to his native town, and remained during the following winter. On the 12th of March 1823, he in company with a young man named Daniel Wallace, each with a yoke of oxen, started for the new settlement. They had intended to start in the early part of the winter, and waited until March for snow to fall in sufficient quantity to make sleighing. Being disappointed in this, they started with wagons, finding good roads east of Genesee. West of that river they found snow; and at Warsaw there was so much snow, that farther progress with a wagon was almost impossible. With great difficulty they reached a relative of Mr. Wallace's, from who they obtained an ox-sled; with this they reached a place on Cattaraugus Creek called Zoar. There they left the ox=teams, and proceeded on foot to the place of settlement. After crossing to the south side of the creek, and reaching the uplands, they found the snow from tow and a half to three feet deep. They soon after returned to Zoar for their teams, and brought back with them about 500 pounds of hay, - all they could carry on the sled; but this was reduced nearly one-half in making the journey through threes, brush, over logs, etc. As soon as the snow settled sufficiently to enable them to work their teams in the woods, they went up to their lands and cut timber for a shanty. They stayed in the mean time with Jacob B. Van Aernam, who with John Chapman, assisted at the raising. The house was covered with "long shingles," made by splitting hollow logs through the centre; the first course being laid wit the hollow side up, and the next conversely over the joints of these. An opening was cut in one side and a bed-quilt, hung before it, answered the purpose of a door. The floor was made of hewn basswood logs. They moved into this house about the middle of April, and then began chopping for a fallow. Mr. Harvey cleared 15 acres, and sowed it to wheat that fall.
     When he came here he brought with him a dozen extra axes, 7 of which he sold to as many persons, who paid for them by cutting an acre of timber fit for lodging, and for each of the remainder he received about 6 days' work. In 1823, he went six miles to get a bushel of see-potatoes, which he planted on the 27th of June of that year; and the same year he went a distance of 18 miles to get seed-wheat, having first to go a distance of 5 miles to get a wagon with which to bring it home. The following year Elihu Alvord, who had just settled in the southeast part, cut a road through to Mr. Harvey's place, a distance of 7 miles, to get wheat for seed. The nearest grist-mill was at Gowanda, then called Lodi, 14 miles distant; and frequently, to save two miles of travel, Mr. Harvey would for the south branch of Cattaraugus Creek.

On reaching the stream, he threw off his load, and having driven his oxen and sled across it, carried his grist, one bag at a time, wading through water two or three feet deep, until the last bag was safely deposited upon the sled on the opposite shore, where he would resume his journey.
     For several years the only commodity convertible by the settlers into cash was "black salts" - the chief product of all early settlements in timbered countries. These, salts were conveyed to market, generally by means of a "drag" - a rude vehicle constructed from a crotched tree, the oxen hitched to the butt of the trunk, which served as a pole; two stakes standing upright and driven into the lower end of the two branches, with a few pieces of boards laid across, the lower end of the branches dragging on the ground, constituted and completed a "drag," whit which the early settlers of Mansfield, and of all Cattaraugus, went to mill, to meeting, and to market. Gowanda and Springville, distant from 15 to 20 miles, were the only accessible milling places and markets prior to 1830.
     About the year 1823, Sidney and Jarvis Walton (brothers) settled on the farm now owned by Sidney N. Delap, Esq. William Bookout, Abner Wood, Silas Wood, Daniel Wallace, and Sylvanus Stebbins, located in the southwest part; also Stephen Sprague and his son Argalus.
     Reuben Newton, a native of Vermont, moved into Mansfield from Marcellus, Onondaga Co.,, NY, March 1, 1824. He was accompanied by his wife and seven children, and settled on the farm lying three miles north of Little Valley, and at present owned by his son, Lyman Newton, Esq. For many years this farm has been noted as being one of the largest and best dairy-farms in the township.  The first town-meeting of the town of Cecilius was also held there, at the house of Reuben Newton.
    Silas McKay, a soldier of 1812 (the son of Sylvester McKay, who, with all of his family, was at Forty Fort during the Wyoming massacre), accompanied by his sons, Liverius, Cyrus G., Sylvester, James G., George C., Hiram V. R., and Daniel B., came in from Attica, Wyoming Co., NY, and settled near Eddyville, in 1825. He had been here the year previous and built a log house. The McKay's are of Scotch descent, and were among the first settlers on the present site of the city of Binghamton.  Silas McKay was a prominent and active citizen; one of the two first justices of the peach elected in 18930, and was successively elected to that office for many years thereafter. He died at the age of sixty years. Of his family of ten sons, nine survived at the present time, and are located as follows:
    Liverius, Sylvester, and George C., in Mansfield; Hiram V.R., in Little Valley; Cyrus G., in Allegany; John J. is present county judge of Swift Co., Minn., and has also been a member of the Legislature of the State of Wisconsin and Minnesota, besides holding other important offices in those States; Dr. Daniel B., a wealthy and prominent physician, at Seneca, Kansas; Dr. Napoleon B., physician, at Custer, Ogle Co., Ill; and Thomas H., who kept the first store in Mansfield, is now an editor at Davis City, Decatur Co., Iowa.
    Darius Warner came from Vermont, and settled at his present place of residence in 1825. He has served his town as supervisor, and in various other capacities, and has ever been one of Mansfield's most worthy citizens.
    Erastus Brown, from Ontario County, located at Union Corners the same year; also Asa R. Keene, from Cortland Co., who settled in the southwest part.
    George Delap, accompanied by his sons, G. N. and Sidney N., came in from Oneida Co., Dec. 2, 1827. He brought out the improvements of Sidney and Jarvis Walton, and their land, which consisted of 200 acres on lots 31 and 32. Subsequently he purchased 90 acres of Amos Morgan, the first settler. During his journey from Ellicottville to his place of settlement he had to cut out and widen the roadway the entire distance, sufficient to admit the passage of a lumber-wagon, as he brought in the first wagon and span of horses ever owned in the town.
    Previous to his settlement here, Mr. Delap served his country as a soldier at Sacket's Harbor during the war of 1812. From the close of the war until the time of his settlement here he had been engaged at the Taburgh Furnace, in Oneida County, where large quantities of hollowware were manufactured. After his settlement at Mansfield he engaged in the sale of these goods, and for many years supplied a wide scope of country hereabouts with all the caldron, potash, five-pail and smaller kettles, spiders, bake-kettles, etc., that were needed.  Mr. Delap died at Bristol, Wis., about 1852, while visiting his son, G. N. The homestead is now owned by Sidney N. Delap, Esq., and shows every evidence of being one of the finest farms in the county of Cattaraugus.
    Amasa Smith, a soldier of 1812, and his sons, Stacy, David and Daniel, came from Onondaga Co., NY, and settled on the north part of lot 39, in 1828. Daniel Smith, of Eddyville, aged seventy years, is the only survivor of this family.
    Among the settlers who were here prior to 1828 were Sewell and Lucius Gunn, in the south part; Hiram Stanard, south of Union Corners; Nathaniel Walker, where Enos Eddy now resides; Roswell Ball and his son, William, southwest of Eddyville; William and Isaac Case (brothers), G. H. Wilson, the first supervisor, Oliver Tripp, and Hosea Brown, in the west part; Timothy Gowen, Nathaniel Manley, John F. Manley, Nelson Manley, Joshua Parmelle and his son, Erastus, in the southwest part; James Huggins, on lot 48, who built the first and only girst-mill in 1830, also a fulling and cloth-dressing mill at about the same time; Joseph Griffin and Robert Kidney, just south of Eddyville; Jacob and Cyrus Galloway (brothers), at Eddyville; Ezra Canfield, Andrew Gray, in the southeast; Turman Hinman and his son, Peter C., in the northeast: Enos Eddy, near Union Corners; David and Asher Skinner, in the south part; besides Asel Satterlee, Linus Lattin, Alexander Stone, Nathaniel M. Healey, James Puddy, William Travis, Peter Breuer, Thomas G. Baily, and Andrew Harmon.
    Moses Bowen, a native of Massachusetts, and the fourteenth child of Moses B. Bowen, removed at an early day to Harwick, Otsego Co., NY. In 1830, accompanied by his wife, Betsy Hopkins, and children, viz: Geo. W. G., Emily M., Sarah A., and Hopins, he settled in Mansfield. There was added to his family after his settlement here, Cyrus H., Frances M., and Moses, Jr., the last named with who he at present resides.
    Munson H. Clark and his brother, George, settled here in 1830. In 1831 and 1832 they built the first saw-mill, on lot 23, on the south branch of Cattaraugus Creek. They emigrated to Nebraska at an early day in its history, and at the time of its formation into a territory Munson II. Clark was on e of the territorial officers chosen.
    In 1830, Mansfield had a population of 378 people. Amos Morgan built the first log house and the first framed barn. James L. Smith built the first framed house, about 1835, and still resides in it. Sidney N. Delap built the first brick house, about 1868. Wm. H. Robinson and Truman Hollister established the first ashery, at Union Corners, about 1850. James Huggins was the first postmaster, and kept the office at his mills, about 1834.
    The first birth in town was that of Mahala, daughter of Nathaniel and Nancy Fish, who was born Dec. 9, 1820. The first male child born was Edwin, son of Samuel L. Hollister, Feb. 5, 1822. The first marriage was that of Prince Wm. Fish, of Mansfield, and Miss Lois Grover, of Connewango. The ceremony was performed by Aaron Razey, Esq., Jan. 1, 1824.
    Indications exists that this locality was visited at a very early day by an apparently civilized people. Mr. Daniel Smith informs us that in 1829, while cutting a large sugar-maple which stood on the north part of log 39, he discovered marks which indicated that the tree had been tapped. The incision was overgrown by 125 circles, and was made, apparently, as early as 1704. While cutting two large elms, some years later, Mr. Smith discovered marks of an axe, or other edge-tool, which referred to a single period, - more than a century prior to the beginning of the present settlements. Mr. Sylvester McKay has also found trees similarly marked. There may exist no positive evidence that this locality was visited at so early a day by civilized man, but it is possible that these incisions were made by some small party of French, who, at the beginning of the eighteenth century, and previously, in conjunction with Indians friendly to them, penetrated all this western part of the State in their incursions from Canada and the lakes to the Ohio River.

CIVIL HISTORY

    Mansfield was formed from Little Valley, as "Cecilius," Feb. 23, 1830, and contains all that part of the said town of Little Valley known as the fourth township in the seventh range of townships. (See Laws State of New York, Chapter 49, Fifty-third Session.) By an act of the Legislature, passed April 21, 1831, to take effect June1, 1831, its name was changed to Mansfield. The name, we believe was suggested by Mr. Amasa Smith, and is derived from Earl Mansfield, a celebrated English nobleman of the eighteenth century.
    "At the first town-meeting, held at the house of Reuben Newton, in the town of Cecilius, Tuesday, March 2, 1830, the following names town officers were elected: Supervisor, Gideon H. Wilson; Town Clerk, John f. Manley; Overseers of the Poor, Nathaniel H. Healey, James Puddy; Collector, Nathaniel Fish; Assessors, Samuel Harvey, Sylvanus Stebbins, Enos Eddy; Commissioners of Highways, William Case, Nathaniel Manley, Amos Morgan; Commissioneers of Common Schools, Joshua Parmelee, John Chapman, Truman Hinman; Inspectors of Common Schools, Gideon H. Wilson, James Higgins, Sylvanus Stebbins; Justices of the Peace, Prince Wm Fish, Silas McKay; Constables, Nathaniel Fish,  William Travis, and Hiram Stanard.
    Overseers of Highways: District 1, Nathaniel Fish; 2, Peter Brewer; 3, James Puddy; 4, Asher Skinner; 5, Joseph Griffin; 6, Silas McKay; 7, Isaac Case; 8, George Delap; 9, Samuel Harvey; 10, Darius Warner; 11, Peter C. Hinman.

        At the town meeting it was voted:

    1st. That the next town-meeting to be holden at the house of John F. Manley the first Tuesday of March next.
    2nd. To raise $250 for the support of highways
    3rd. To raise double the amount of money for the support of common schools than is appropriated to the town by the state.
    4th. To raise $10 for the purchase of books for the use of the town.
    5th. To purchase said books on a credit.
    6th. That Nathaniel Fish be a committee to purchase said books.
    7th. That such-part of the money raised in Little Valley for weights and measures as shall be appropriated to the town of Cecilius be appropriated to the poor funds.
    8th. That all neat cattle be free commoners.

    
The following is a list of supervisors, town clerks, and justices of the peace from 1830 to 1878 inclusive:

Supervisors
1830-32 Gideon H. Wilson 1870 Wm. R. Burroughs
1833 Ezra Canfield 1871-72 Alvin Lattin
1834-39 Samuel Harvey 1873 G. W. G. Bowen
1840-42 James M. Smith 1874 Harlan W. Smith
1843-44 Samuel Harvey 1875-76 Charles G. Locke
1945 Alanson B. Head 1877-78 G. H. Bowers
1946-48 Elisha C. Eddy

1949 Darius Warner Justices of the Peace
1950 Peter M. Stonebreaker 1830 Prince Wm. Fish
1851-54 Elisha C. Eddy
Silas McKay
1855 Peter M. Stonebreaker 1831 James Huggins
1856 Elisha C. Eddy 1832 Oliver Tripp
1857-59 James M. Smith 1833 Andrew Harmon
1860-61 George Gray
Thomas G. Bailey
1862-63 Daniel I. Huntley
Aaron W. Stebbins
1864-65 James M. Smith 1834 Linas Lattin
1866 H. S. Huntley
William Travis
1867-73 George Gray
Amasa Smith
1874 Alvin Lattin 1835 Lockwood D Beardsley
1875-77 Addison Sprague 1836 Andrew Harmon
1878 Chauncey Smith 1837 Linas Lattin



Silas McKay
Town Clerks 1838 B.B. Colton
1830-32 John F. Manley
Silas McKay
1833 Thomas C. Bailey 1839 Lazun M. Botsford

John F. Manley 1840 Lockwood D Beardsley
1834 Jacob Galloway
Joshua Parmelee

John F. Manley 1841 Steperd S. Wilson
1835-39 Gideon H. Wilson 1842 Andrew Gray
1840-44 William H. Robinson
Silas McKay
1845 John F. Manley 1843 Cyrus G. McKay
1846 William H. Robinson
Nathaniel Fish
1847-48 Seneca R. Wilson 1844 James Huggins
1849-50 Jebediah A. Windsor
William H. Eddy
1851 Peter Smith
James Colwell
1852-53 George C. McKay 1845 Cyrus G. McKay
1854-55 Henry W. Eddy 1846 L. M. Botsford
1856 James M. Smith 1847 Charles H. Barber
1857-59 Seneca R. Wilson 1848 Peter Bunn
1860-61 Henry W. Eddy 1849 Cyrus G. McKay
1862-63 Myron L. Newton 1850 L. M. Botsford
1864 Morris W. Butterfield 1851 Sececa R. Wilson
1865 M. K. Butterfield 1852 J. A. Windsor
1866-69 Edwn M. Bunn
C. L. Butterfeld
1855 Chauncey L. Butterfield 1852 Stepehn D. Stone

George W. Brown 1853 Cyrus G. McKay
1856 William H. Eddy 1854 James M. Wilson
1857 Stephen B. Stone


James L. Smith

1858 George W. Brown

1859 Chauncey L. Butterfield

1860 William H. Robinson

1861 Stephen B. Stone


William H. Eddy

1862 George W. Brown

1863 William H. Robinson

1864 Horace S. Huntley

1865 Stephen B. Stone


William H. Eddy

1866 Linas Lattin

1867 Enos Schofield


Addison M. Smith


James L. Smith

1868 Frencis Larabee

1869 George C. McKay


G. W. G. Bowen

1870 James L. Smith


Zenas Butterfield

1871 J. A. Windsor

1872 Frencis Larabee

1873 Robert B. Kidney

1874 James L. Smith

1875 J. A. Windsor

1876 Frencis Larabee

1877 Robert B. Kidney

1878 Edwin M. Burns


    The following is an alphabetical list of the names of the resident land-owners of the town of Mansfield, in 1832. Showing also the number of acres owned and improved.

 Owned Improved
Alvord, Elijhu 173
Brown, John 100
Butler, James 50
Bunn, Peter 70 11
Bowen, Moses 130 3.5
Binney, John 99 18
Barnes, Joel 100
Bailey, Thomas G. 50
Baker, Samuel 86
Brown, Erastus 131 6
Beadsley, Lockwood 100
Balll, Roswell 50
Ball, William 60 1.5
Ball, Oreman 40 10
Ball, Salmon 123 12
Burroughts, Rufus 100 2
Brown Hosea 85 8
Bacon, Peter 75 5
Bacon, Alanson 75 3.5
Butterfield, Zenas 100
Canfield, Ezra 146 20
Clement, Solomon 100 1
Charlton, Adam 107 8
Courter, David 195
Courter, William 125 1
Clark, Weeden 50
Cook, Mr. 164
Case, William 114 10
Case, Isaac 100 12
Chapmen, John 85 15
Delap, George 248 38
Eddy, Enos 150 1
Earl, Henry 100 11
Fish, Prince Wm. 100 18
Gray, Andrew 392 33
Giles, Levi 217 1
Galloway, Jacob 150 13
Galloway, Cyrus 130 12
Griffin, Joseph 100 13
Grimes, Aaron 100 1
Gunn, Lucius 100
Gowen, Timothy 70
Harrison, Truman 100 3
Hull, Joseph 90 18
Hinman, Peter C. 100 9.5
Hollister, Samuel L. 75 10
Hollister, Josiah R. 50 5
Hinman, Truman 100 6.5
Huggins, James 200
Harmon, Andrew 245
Howe, Joseph 50
Howe Parley 50 4
Harvey, Samuel 290 53
Holister, Andrew 100
Jay, Washington 50 13
King, George 150 10
Kidney, James 85
Kibourn, Clark 30 1.5
Kidney, Robert K. 85 11
Latin, Linas 50
Larabee, Miner G. 103 3
Lyon, Nathan 131
Mitchel, Hugh 100 6
McClellan, John 453
McKay, Silas 144 19
McKay, Liverius 86 1.5
Morgan, Amos 90 13
Manley, John F. 100 7.5
Manley, Nelson 59 3
Manley, Nathaniel 185 27
Newton, Reuben 200 19
Newton, Lyman 125 3
Puddy, James 110 27
Persons, John 160
Parmelee, Erasuts 100
Parmelee, Johua 110 20
Rasey, Aaron 280 18
Riddle, Freeborn 150
Reed, Asa 50
Rice, Levi 150
Saxton, Henry 238 7
Stone, Levi 50
Skinner, David 45 6
Skinner, Isaac 12
Stone, Alexander, jr. 100 5.5
Stanard, Hiram 59 4
Swartout, Oakley 50
Smith, Amasa 188 15
Smith, Daniel 50 4
Stebbins, Aaron W. 152 12
Sprague, Argalus 207 25
Stebbins, Benjamin 100 10
Stebbins, Sylvanus 180 25
Taylor, Lyman 141
Tracey, Horace 100 7
Tripp, Oliver 75 10
Trevis, William 100 2
Van Aernam, Abram 184 24
Van Aernem, J. B. 84 5
Wade, Halsey 138
Wilson, Thomas 100
Wilson, Gideon H. 70 12
Wilson, Seneca R. 100
Walker, Nathaniel 184 6
Walker, Reuben 130 2.5
Warner, James 100 3
Warner, Darius 100 4






EDDYVILLE

Situated in the north part, on lot 38, contains one church, (Universalist), a district school-house, post office, cheese-box factory, saw-, shingle- and planing-mill, cider mill, blacksmith-shop, shoe shop, wagon-shop, and a population of about 100 inhabitants. Jacob Galloway was the original owner of the site, and erected the first log house. William H. and Levi Eddy built the first framed buildings. Thomas H. McKay kept the first store here, in 1848. The church edifice of the Methodist Episcopal Society, and an extensive cheese-factory, are situated about three-fourths of a mile northwest of the village.

UNION CORNERS,

A hamlet in the northeast part contains a district school-house, store, wagon-shop, blacksmith-shop, two cooper-shops, a saw-mill, 10 or 12 dwelling-houses, and about 75 inhabitants. Samuel L. and Josiah R. Hollister were the first settlers in the vicinity, and James L. Smith erected the first framed building, in 1835.

SCHOOLS

    Lefo Chase taught the first school, in 1821. The first school-house, a log structure, was built in 1825, and stood on the line between the towns of Mansfield and New Albion. Miss Polly Parmelee, daughter of Joshua Parmelee, taught the first school in it.
    The town records contain no paper or reports by which anything further can be learned concerning the condition o the school at an early day.
    From the report of the county school commissioners for the year ending Sept. 30, 1878, are taken the following statistics:


Number of school districts in town 10
Number of school buildings in town 10
Value of school buildings with sites $6,245
Volumes in library 87
Value of library $27
Number of teachers employed 10
Amount paid in teachers' wages $1,765.25
Number of children of school age 398
Average daily attendance 196 342/1000
Number of weeks taught 280 2/5
Amount of public money from State $1,101.20
Amount of money from tax $617


CHURCHES

    The Baptist formed the first religious society, about 1827. Their meetings were held at the house of Stephen Sprague, who often conducted the services, and at Reuben Newton's. They were never strong in numbers, and soon after disbanded.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF MANSFIELD

Who edifice is situated one mile west of Union Corners, was organized with 10 members, in 1833, by Rev. Mr. Bronson, their first pastor, a circuit preacher. The first meeting was held at the house of Daniel Smith, and among the first members were Bradley Stone and his wife, William H. Robinson and his wife, a Mr. Buell, and Widow Reed. They were connected with the Otto charge, and at one time were quite prosperous, having a membership of about 35. They are now disbanded, - no society, no pastor. The church edifice was erected in 1852, at a cost of $1500, and has sitting for 300 people.

THE EDDYVILLE UNIVERSALIST CHURCH

Was organized as the Mansfield and Otto Universalist Society, by Rev. Gideon S. Gowdy, in 1850, and their house of worship, which is a frame structure, and will seat 400 persons, was erected in 1852, at a cost of $1000. The first members were William H. Eddy and wife, Levi B. Eddy, E. C. Eddy and wife, Peter M. Stonebreaker, Clark Smith, L. H. Smith, Stephen Smith and wife, Oakley Swarthout and wife, Moses Bowen and wife, George W. G. Bowen and wife, Wooster Benton and wife, Reuben Walker and wife, Darius Warner and wife, Zenas Butterfield and wife, J. M. Wilson, and G. H. Wilson, of Mansfield; and Selleck St .John and wife, David St. John and wife, F. Skeels and wife, George Skeels and wife, Truman Skeels and wife, Livingston Cross and wife, C. F. Nye and wife, Joel Walkup, and Jacob Galloway, of Otto. The society was reorganized in 1873, by the Rev. O. B. Clark, as the Eddyville Universalist Society, and has a present membership of 30. No pastor.

INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS

    The first highway laid out and improved in the town of Mansfield was surveyed by R. Burlingame, Dec. 3, 1823, and described as follows:
    "Beginning at the town line on the east bounds of lot 4, and extending, in a general northwesterly course, six miles, to the north bounds of the town, tow chains west of the northwest corner of lot 48."
    The Erie Railway cuts across the extreme southwest corner of the town. It was completed in 1851, and has no station in this township.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES

LIVERIUS MCKAY

Was born in Smithfield, Madison Co., NY, June 7, 1809, being the oldest of a family of ten sons of Silas and Sally McKay. Of these children, one died in infancy; four are living at the present time in this county: Sylvester and George E., in the town of Mansfield; Cyrus J., in Allegany; Hiram V. R.,, in Little Valley; while the others are residents of the West, - John J. being located in Minnesota, Daniel B. in Kansas, Napoleon B. in Wisconsin, and Thomas H. in Iowa. His father, Silas, died in Mansfield, in the year 1843; his mother in Kansas, in 1874, at the ages of sixty and eighty-four years respectively.
    In the fall of 1824 he came with his father, who that year purchased a farm in Mansfield, and settled thereon in the following spring, then removing his family thither from Madison County. He remained upon his father's farm until he was become of age, when he purchased a tract of eighty-six acres of wild land, which is a portion of his present farm, the original purchase having been increased to two hundred acres, but reduced by subsequent sales to one hundred and fifty-seven acres. He has also made large divisions of property to his children.
    April 24, 1832, he married Huldah, daughter of Roswell and Huldah Ball, of Mansfield, she being a native of the State of Vermont. She passed from earth, Jan. 14, 1838. One child, the result of this union, is also deceased. He was again married, June 28, 1938, to Susan, daughter of John and Olive Johnston, early settlers of the town of Ashford in this county. She was born at Avon, Livingston Co., NY, Dec. 27, 1815. The issue of this marriage was six children, of who we give the following record: Levi, born May 1, 1839, is a farmer, and resided in Humphrey, this county; Olive M., born August 5, 1840, married Seward Harvey, of Mansfield, and since deceased; Martha, born Jan. 7, 1843, married Lysander Harman, of Randolph and died June 28, 1874; Hanford Silas, born Sept. 28, 1843; died June 14, 1854; Eugene Aram, born July 28, 1845, died Jan. 8, 1874; and Louisa Cordelia, born April 25, 1848, is the wife of Le Roy Fargo, and resides with her aged parents.
    A view of the homestead of this venerable couple, surviving pioneer residents of the town of Mansfield, may be seen in this work, together with their portraits.

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LIVERIUS McKAY SUSAN McKAY

                                                                     
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Residence of Liverius McKay of Mansfield



SAMUEL HARVEY

One of the early settlers of the town of Mansfield, was born in Marcullus, Onondaga Co., NY, March 28, 1801, he being the fourth child and second son in a family of twelve children of Medad and Anar (Buell) Harvey. His parents were natives of New England. His father being a farmer, Samuel spent his early days upon his father's farm, engaged in agricultural pursuits, until the year 1823, when he emigrated to the town of Mansfield, Cattaraugus Co., and settled on the farm where he now resides. His first location consisted of three hundred acres, which he has since, by years of labor and economy, increased to eleven hundred acres, situated in this and adjoining towns. Jan. 28, 1824, he married Mary, daughter of Jonathan and Rhody Reed. Her parents were natives of Massachusetts, and settled in an early day in Carcellus, NY, where their daughter was born, April 13, 1802. They have had four children, one of whom died in early childhood. Mary J. was born Dec. 11, 1828, and is the wife of Warren D. Allen, of Chicago, a noted florist. Albert R., born Nov. 16, 1831, is married and resided with parents. Samuel Austin, born Aug. 9, 1837, is married and lives upon one of his father's farms, located in the town of Little Valley.
    Mr. Harvey is a member of no church; has always been a Democrat, having cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson. He has been a justice of the peace four years, and supervisor of the town of Mansfield for eight years. But what more especially entitles him to notice is this connection is the fact of his being one of that noble army of pioneers, who, facing westward, in advance of the march of civilization, not only carved for himself a home, but helped lay the foundations of society in all its varied interests. At the advanced ages of seventh-seven and seven-six respectively, he and his wife are serenely passing down the "River of Time."
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Samuel Harvey Mary Harvey


                                                                        
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Residence of the Late Samuel Harvey of Mansfield

LYMAN NEWTON

Whose lives are more worthy to be recorded on the pages of history than they who came into a country when it was in a wild state, and by manifold exertions overcame every obstacle of success and finally were triumphant at the end? Of this class the person of whom we write is a living example. He was born in the town of Truxton, Cortland Co., NY, June 11, 1807, being the second son and third child of eight children of Reuben and Eunice (Manly) Newton. His parents were natives of the State of Vermont, his father being born June 17, 1774; his mother July 15, 1782. They removed in an early day to Cortland County, and when our subject was about a year old emigrated to Maracellus, Onondaga Co., NY. He was a resident of that county a number of years; but finally, in 1823, he located in the town of Mansfield, Cattaraugus Co., and settled and commenced clearing a farm of one hundred acres, in which he was assisted by his son Lyman. The farm is still in possession of the last named. (His parents are both buried in the town; they lived to be over sixty years of age, his father passing away from earth April 21, 1833, and was followed, Aug. 20, 1846, by his worthy partner in life) Lyman lived upon his father's farm till the year 1828, when he started in the world for himself by hiring out to work by the month, in which occupation he was engaged for the space of two years. He married, July 14, 1830, to Sarah D., daughter of Robert and Bethiah Kidney, they being among the early settlers of Mansfield, having removed from Marcellus, Onondaga Co., in 1824. Their daughter was born in the latter town, Dec. 27, 1811.

In the fall after his marriage Mr. Newton purchased his first farm, consisting of one hundred acres of wild land, and commenced to clear it; he has followed the business of farming ever since, and at one time kept the largest dairy in the county, milking eighty-five cows. He has increased his worldly possessions by industry, economy, and frugality, so that he is now the owner of eight hundred acres of land, all located in a body in the town of Mansfield.
    The fruit of his marriage was two sons, - Milton, born Sept 27, 1834, and Myron L., born June 15, 1836, - both of who are married, and reside on farms adjoining their father. Politically, Mr. Newton formerly belonged to the old Whig party, but joined the Republican on its organization, and through solicited a number of times to hold public offices has always steadily refused to serve his fellow-citizens in that capacity. Himself and wife were originally members of the First Baptist Church of Mansfield; they still believe in that form of Christian religion; but that church having become extinct they have never connected themselves with any other. The first religious services ever held in the town of Mansfield were at his father's house.
    Mr. Newton, now at an advanced age, looks back upon a life spent with a great deal of pleasure. He, in connection with his worthy helpmate, with no other legacy than their hands, have amassed a fortune of which they may be justly proud; they have worked hard, but success has attended their efforts, and we only hope they may be permitted to enjoy for a number of years the fruits of their industry.


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Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Newton of Mansfield

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Residence of Addison Sprague of Mansfield

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Residence of Henry L. Foote of Mansfield