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Southport Township.
Southport was formed by an act of the legislature, approved by Gov. Dewitt Clinton, April 16, 1822, taken from Elmira, (see session 45, Chap. 121, laws of New York.) A portion of the town was added to the Village of Elmira, and in the year 1867 a portion was taken to form the town of Ash-
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land. It is bounded on the north by the city and town of Elmira, on the east by the Chemung river and the town of Ashland, on the south by Pennsylvania state line, and on the west by Caton, in Steuben county. It contains an area of nearly 29,000 acres. The Chemung river passes along its northern and eastern borders, while Hendy creek and Seeley creek and tributaries of the Chemung, passing from west to east through the town. A large portion of the lands of the township are alluvial flats, and very productlve, while the upland portion is susceptible of growing also most excellent crops.
Quite a number of extensive manufacturing and industrial establishments are located within its limits and several small villages, lying in the immediate vicinity of Elmira city, every product of the farm is readily marketed, and some of the very finest farms in the county are to be found in Southport. The Northern Central Railroad, the Tioga and State Line R. R., and the Erie Railroad pass through the town.
From present indications it will be but a few years hence, before a large amount of the territory of Southport will be absorbed, and become a portion of the city of Elmira. The first town election was held May 14, 1822, at the house of John Weir, and Solomon L. Smith was elected supervisor; William Wells, town clerk; John W. Knapp, William Jenkins, Samuel Strong, assessors; John L. Smith, Platt Bennett, Samuel Strong, commissioners of highways; William Benson, James B. Goff, Platt Bennett, inspectors of common schools; William Jenkins, William C. Weir, Jacob Miller, commissioners of common schools; John Fitzsimmons, John L. Smith, overseers of the poor; Nathaniel Knapp, collector; Aaron Brown, Nathaniel Knapp, constables; Samuel Strong, John L. Smith, fence viewers; John Weir, pound master; Samuel Middaugh John Bovier, John Fitzsimmons, John Sly, William G. Knapp, Philo Jones, Thomas Comfort, Jeremiah Coleman, overseers of roads or path masters.
Early settlers Judge Abraham Miller, John Miller, John Smith, Timothy Solomon Bovier, Lebbeus Hammond, William Jenkins, Judge Caleb Baker, Jabez Culver, Lebbeus Tubbs, Samuel Middaugh, David Griswold. Rev. Simeon R. Jones, Philo Jones. Dr. A. G. White, Archibald Marvin, Daniel Beckwith, Peter Stryker, Charles Evens, John McHenry, Nathaniel Seeley, John Fitzsimmons, John Sly, William Benson, James B. Goff, Platt Bennett, Jacob Miller, James Seeley, Elijah Griswold, Silas Billings, Valentine Strouse, Samuel Giles, William Lowe, Partial Mapes, Richard Comfort, Rufus Baldwin, William Jenkins, James Mitchell, Daniel Dalrymple, Adam Seeley, Israel Seeley, Josiah Pedrick.
--C. Hamilton Baker, county clerk in 1877 --The first school house was erected in 1799. --Second M. E. Church at Webbs' Mills, was erected in 1858. --Baptist church at Pine City, Southport, dedicated in 1854 --Silas Billings erected a woolen manufactory, in 1821, with a flax mill attached. --The First dwelling in Southport was erected by Judge Abraham Miller, in the spring of 1790. He also built a saw mill on a branch of Seeley creek in 1798.
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--Ezra Canfield member of assembly, in 1837. --Richard Baker was county clerk, in 1856-8. --James Griswold, chairman board of supervisors, in 1855. --George W. Miller was judge of Chemung county, in 1846. --Samuel C. Gibson opened a store at Webbs= Mills, in 1845. --The first grist mill was erected by David Griswold, in 1798. --Nathaniel Seeley was the first hatter in Southport, and in the county. --Abraham Miller was appointed the first Judge of Tioga county, in 1791. --The first Presbyterian church was erected in 1819. Destroyed by fire in 1831. --Charles Evans was justice of sessions in 1878-79, and 8 terms as supervisor. --Plank road constructed from Elmira through Southport to State Line in 1847. --Philo Jones was member of assembly in 1850. Had been chairman of the board of supervisors in 1839. --Edmund Miller was chairman board of supervisors, in 1866, 1868, 1817, and member of assembly in 1868, 1874, 1876. --Caleb Baker was appointed judge in 1810. Had been a surrogate in 1806. Member of assembly 1814-15, and 1829. --John Miller was appointed judge in 1807. He had been a member of assembly for the years 1805-6. In 1798 judge of common pleas.
