Tri-Counties Genealogy & History by Joyce M. Tice 1885 Seven Counties History - Chemung County NY Bradford County PA Chemung County NY Tioga County PA

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Van Etten Township. Page 149

Van Etten was organized April 17, 1854, taken from Erin and Cayuta, and named in honor of John B. Van Elten. The first election was held on 9th of May 1854, and George B. Hall was elected supervisor: John S. Swartwood, town clerk; David Swartwood, James Ennis, Nicholas Richards, assessors ; Uri Osborn, Lauren J. Stewart, Seymour Burchard, commissioners of highways; Emanuel Ennis, superintendent of schools; Guy Purdy, justice of the peace; William Campbell, John Swartwood, John S. Ennis, inspectors of election; Benjamin D. Kniffin, H. Vanderberg, overseers of the poor; John Banfield, collector; John Banfield, Asa Nichols, John Swartwood, Cornelius Van Auken, Nelson Woolever, constables; Daniel C. Van Etten, sealer of weights and measures.

The town of Van Etten is bounded on the north by Newfield, in Tompkins county, on the east by Spencer, in Tioga county, on the south by Barton, in Tioga county, and Baldwin, in Chemung county, on the west by Erin, in Chemung county, and Cayuta in Schuyler. The villages in the town are Van Ettenville and Swartwood, and stations on the Utica, Ithaca, and Elmira R. R., and the Geneva, Ithaca and Sayre R. R. The surface is broken and uneven.

Early settlers; Joel Thomas, Gen'l. Jacob Swartwood, Emanuel Swartwood, Isaac Swartwood, Peter Swartwood, William Ennis, Alexander Ennis, John Ennis, Emanuel Ennis, Benjamin Ennis, James Van Etten, Emanuel Van Etten, Joshua Van Etten, James Van Etten, Jr., Major Samuel Westbrook, James Westbrook, Daniel Westbrook, Joshua Westbrook, John Hill Page 150 David Hill, William Hill, Daniel Decker, Isaac Decker, Levi Decker, Hiram White, David Jane, Gabriel Jayne, Henry Barnes, Abraham Barnes, Jacob Van Auken, Michael Higgins, Guy Purdy, Solomon White, John Zimmerman, Jonathan Baker.

--Joel Thomas built the first house, in 1795 --Gen'l. Swartwood kept the first hotel in 1801. --Mrs. Ann. Inn Baker taught the first school in 1803. --The Utica, Ithaca and Elmira Railroad built in 1874. --Peter Swartwood opened the first store in the year 1821. --Gen'l. Jacob Swartwood harvested the first crop, in 1797. -Geneva, Ithaca. and Sayre Railroad built in the year 1871. --Hon. James B. Van Etten was member of assembly in 1852. --The first church was the Hedding M. E. Church in the year 1826
--Gen’l Jacob Swartwood was the first postmaster in the year 1820. --Hon. Hiram White. represented Chemung county in the year 1838. --Doctor Charles Murray was the first resident physician in the year 1823. --Mrs. Elizabeth Allington was the first person who died in the town, in the year l797. --Daniel Decker and Nancy Swartwood, were the first couple married in the town in the year 1808. --Isaac Swartwood built the first saw mill, in 1800, the first framed house in 1802, and the first grist mill, in 1803. --Gen'l. Jacob Swartwood, was a member of assembly in the year 1828. His colleague was Hon. William Maxwell. --Mt.. Lebanon Lodge, No. 775, F. A. M.. was organize d July 12, 1877. Amos S. Hixson, W. M.; Alfred Burchard, S. W.; Geo. W. Banfield, J. W. --O. P. Dimmon has represented the town several times as supervisor, and was chairman of the board of supervisors 1876-77. He was also member of assembly. --Guy Purdy, was a justice of the peace, justice of sessions, and several times supervisor, town clerk, town superintendent of schools, and a very prominent citizen. --Van Ettenville was incorporated as a village, Nov. 27th, 1876. First officers were Amos S. Hixton, President; John Banfield, O. P. Damon, A. B. Clark, Trustees, Sanford Hoff, Treasurer; Isaac Knettles, Collector.