Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of South Valley - Chapter XLVII (47)
Page 1112

Surnames:  CASKEY, FARGO, BARTON

Gideon CASKEY, for seven years town supervisor, and at one time one of the leading lumber manufacturers of southwestern Cattaraugus, was born in Worcester, O., Nov. 29, 1833, came to South Valley on the 4th of March, 1857, and died at Moreland, Ky., Nov. 1, 1889.  He built several saw-mills and manufactured for himself or on contract millions of feet of lumber.  He was liberal, kind-hearted, and enterprising.  His wife's parents, Leonard and Evelina (FARGO) BARTON, emigrated from Carroll, Chautauqua county, to Elko in 1838.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of South Valley - Chapter XLVII (47)
Page 1112

Surnames:  CONVERS, DOANE

John CONVERS came to this town about 1840.  He was a carpenter and joiner by trade, kept the first store in Onoville, and did the work of erecting the first school house.  His wife was Charlotte DOANE, an early school teacher.  Their son Abner T., a millwright and carpenter, died here in 1874.  Another son, Henry E., was for many years a pilot on the Allegheny river.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of South Valley - Chapter XLVII (47)
Page 1112

Surnames:  EDDY, MILKS, FLEMING

John D. EDDY came to South Valley from Chautauqua county in 1874 and settled on Bone run, where he died in April, 1881.  His children were Floyd S. and Lulie (Mrs. Wallace MILKS, of Napoli).  Floyd S. EDDY, born July 4, 1859, came here with his father and has always been a farmer on Bone run.  He has served as collector and school trustee and has held other minor town offices.  By his wife, Lyde FLEMING, of Reidsburg. Pa., he has four children: Ernest C., Annie, John, and Lillie.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of South Valley - Chapter XLVII (47)
Page 1112

Surnames:  FENTON, OWEN

John F. FENTON, son of George W. and Elsie (OWEN) FENTON, was born in Carroll, Chautauqua county, Oct. 30, 1816.  He was a brother of Hon. Reuben E. FENTON, of Jamestown, governor and statesman, and was the most conspicuous resident South Valley ever had.  Receiving a common school education he embarked quite extensively in lumbering before attaining his majority, investing his profits in timber lands in the county and ultimately acquiring a vast tract near the Allegheny, for which be was once offered $250,000.  He engaged largely in manufacturing and rafting in which he continued until his death Sept. 10, 1869.  His wife died Jan. 22, 1874.  A Republican in politics he was supervisor of South Valley from 1860 to 1864 inclusive and held also the offices of assessor and highway commissioner.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of South Valley - Chapter XLVII (47)
Page 1112

Surnames:  MASON, AKIN, TOBEY, WHELPLEY, CONVERS

Benjamin MASON, the oldest man now living in South Valley, was born Oct. 7, 1801, in Rutland, Vt.  He came to Randolph in 1825 and to this town in 1847, following lumbering for many years.  He has served as assessor, school trustee, and commissioner of highways.  By his first wife, Polly AKIN, his children were Olive (deceased); Mary Ann (deceased); Jane A. (Mrs. William TOBEY); Reuben (killed in a shingle-mill); Alonzo (deceased); Lorenzo (deceased); Rev. Benjamin, Jr., of Pennsylvania; Melissa, of Kansas; Chauncey, of Chautauqua county; and Annette (deceased).  His second wife was Mrs. James WHELPLEY, of South Valley, and their only child is De Forest, who lives in Onoville, and with whom Mr. MASON now resides.  De Forest MASON married a daughter of John CONVERS.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of South Valley - Chapter XLVII (47)
Pages 1112 & 1113

Surnames:  REEVES, BEECHER, JOHNSON, MARSH, CROFOOT, THURSTON, PARKS

Warren H. REEVES was born June 26, 1797, came to South Valley (then Randolph) in the spring of 1837, and died at Kent's Corners in April, 1866.  He was a farmer and lumberman, and during his entire residence in South Valley was the town's most energetic and exemplary citizen.  He was a justice of the peace over thirty years and a class-leader in the M. E. church the greater part of his life.  To him belongs the honor of establishing the first school of any importance in what is now South Valley, with his own funds erecting the school house and hiring and boarding the teacher.  He also contributed $90 the sole contribution) to cut a road through the forests from Onoville to Frewsburg in Chautauqua county.  His first wife, Laura BEECHER (born in April, 1797, died in 1854), bore him these children: William I., born July 28, 1820, of Columbus, Pa.; Eliza A. (Mrs. William JOHNSON), born in Jan., 1826, of Russellville, Pa.; George W. (see page 501); Warren L.; Benjamin, born in Dec., 1832, died in Feb., 1891; Daniel T. (see page 501); Laura (Mrs. Benjamin MARSH), of East Randolph; and Mary J. (Mrs. John ARCHER), of East Randolph.  Mr. REEVES's second wife, Mrs. Mary CROFOOT, now living in Leon, bore him two children: Charles W., born in 1855, died in March, 1881, and Ransom, born in July, 1860, now of Pittsburg, Pa.

Warren L. REEVES, born April 7, 1830, has lived in South Valley since seven years of age.  He now occupies the homestead and has made it one of the finest places in the town.  For fourteen years he has been town clerk and for three years supervisor.  He has held every office within the gift of his townsmen.  He married Electa T., daughter of Daniel THURSTON, a very early settler of Randolph; children: Asa W., of Salamanca; Edwin A., of Joliet, Ill.; Mary E. (Mrs. Dr. R. B. PARKS), of East Jamestown, N. Y.; Alden P. (deceased); and L. Belle.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of South Valley - Chapter XLVII (47)
Page 1113

Surname:  SAMPLE

Charles SAMPLE, one of the representative citizens and a leading farmer of South Valley, is connected with the family of SAMPLE, of Sample hill, in Randolph (q. v.).

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of South Valley - Chapter XLVII (47)
Page 1113

Surnames:  STONE, THAYER

R. L. STONE, living in the homestead at Onoville, was born on August 22, 1814, at Ballston Spa, N. Y.  Losing his parents during his early boyhood he was obliged to make his own way up to manhood.  At the age of twenty-seven he located at Frewsburg, N. Y., where he married, two years later, Elizabeth L. THAYER, both being school teachers.  In 1849 they moved into South Valley and soon became prominent in the educational interests of the new town.  For twenty years Mr. STONE served as school trustee, nearly the entire time being the sole occupant of that office in his school district.  For about the same time he was justice of the peace and for one term was justice of sessions for the county.  He was an ardent Republican and active in political affairs.  For fifteen years he was postmaster of the only postoffice in South Valley.  He had five daughters and three sons.

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Bio from:
Historical Gazetteer and Biographical Memorial of Cattaraugus Co. NY, ed by William Adams, pub 1893
History of the Town of South Valley - Chapter XLVII (47)
Page 1113

Surnames:  WILCOX, WILLCOX, MURPHY, AKIN

The first of the WILCOX family to come to South Valley was Mrs. Abel WILCOX and her five sons in 1847-- Abel, Jr., Napoleon R., Rodney H., Marvin, and Marshall.  All were prominent in the history of the town, many of them and their descendants holding offices of trust and responsibility.  Abel died June 3, 1850.  His only child, Abel A., married a daughter of Barnard MURPHY.  He was supervisor of South Valley in 1886, 1887, 1888, and 1889 and is now town clerk. (Mr. MURPHY settled on Saw-Mill run in 1849 and died there Nov. 11, 1886.  His children were Ann, Patrick, Bridget E., Matthew, Michael, Margaret E. and James S.)  Napoleon R. WILCOX served his town in various capacities.  Rodney H. was constable and collector several years.  A daughter of Mrs. Abel WILCOX married James AKIN, who settled here in 1844.  He died in California.  Ransom D. WILCOX, of the third generation from Mrs. Abel WILCOX, is a substantial farmer, residing in the village of Onoville.  Stephen P. WILCOX, another member of this family, was an early and prominent settler, serving as supervisor, town clerk, etc.  Until recently the name was spelled WILLCOX, but the present representatives of the family have adopted the modern orthography, WILCOX.

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