Town of Machias - 1827
The Town of Machias, was formed from Yorkshire on April 16, 1827. A part of Yorkshire was annexed in 1847. It is an interior town, lying NE of the center of Cattaraugus County. The surface forms a portion of the elevated table land dividing the waters of the Allegany River from those of Cattaraugus Creek. Lime Lake, in the NE part, 1,100 feet above Lake Erie discharges it waters into Cattaraugus Creek. Ischua Creek flows south into the Allegany River. Maple sugar production is an important crop.
Machias is in the north, and in 1860 consisted of 2 churches, a gristmill, sawmill and 30 dwellings.
Lime Lake is a hamlet at the head of the lake. The first
permanent settlers were: Timothy Butler and Jeremiah Ballard from Maine,
who located on Lots 13 and 14 in 1813. Other early settlers included:
Joseph Kinney, 1815; Obadiah Vaughn, 1818; and E.T. Ashcraft, Charles
Button, Charles Briggs, and Wiggen M Farrer who settled soon after.The
first marriage was that of Brigham Brown and Polly Mason, in Apr 1823.
The first death was Esther Ashcraft, in Dec. 1819. (More...)
The first school was taught by Nathaniel Bowen, on Lot 25, in 1819. Andrew McBuzzell erected the first sawmill, in 1822; and Daniel Potter the first gristmill in 1823, both on the outlet of Lime Lake. Also at that location was the first store, kept by Howard Peck and Alva Jefferson. In 1820, the first inn was opened, by Widow Freeman, on Ischua Creek.
