Old Town of Chemung, Montgomery County
Chapter XIV, History of Waverly, by Captain Charles L. Albertson
Excerpts taken from the History of Waverly, written by Captain Charles L Albertson, first appearing in the weekly publication, Waverly Sun Recorder prior to 1942. Captain Albertson resided on a farm a few miles from Waverly as a youth. (Contributor – Mary Lou Palmer)
In 1770 Albany County embraced all
of the colony of New York north of Ulster County and west of the Hudson River;
also, all north of Duchess County and eastward of that river. In 1772 Charlotte
and Tryon Counties
were taken from Albany
County. The name of the former was changed in 1784 to
Washington County
and that of the latter to Montgomery
County. A part of Charlotte
County was included in the counties of
Cumberland and Gloucester
in forming the state of Vermont.
Tryon County
included all the province west of a longitudinal line running nearly through
the middle of Schoharie
County. In 1789 Ontario
County was taken from Montgomery County
and included all the land of which pre-emption right had been ceded to Massachusetts.
In 1788, on March 22nd, the legislature erected a new town in Montgomery County, the town of Chemung, the boundary line beginning at the intersection of the pre-emption line of Massachusetts with the Pennsylvania State line, and running north from the point of inter-section, along the pre-emption line for a distance of two miles north of Tioga River; thence, in a direct line at right angles to the pre-emption line east to the Owego River, to intersect said river at a distance of four miles on a straight line from the confluence thereof with the Susquehanna River; thence down the Owego and Susquehanna to the Pennsylvania state line; and thence along the said line to the place of beginning. This tract, which covers the present towns of Barton and the greater portion of Tioga County and the towns of Southport, Elmira, Ashland, Baldwin and Chemung and a portion of Big Flats, Horseheads, Erin and Van Etten, in Chemung County had been settled by a number of persons who could not agree upon a proper division of their location, and the act erecting the town appointed John Castine, James Clinton and John Hathorn, Commissioners to inquire into and settle the dispute which had arisen among the settlers concerning their possessions and to assign and allot lands to the claimants, who were actually settled on the lands, or who had made improvements intending to settle. The allotments were not to be less than 100 nor more than 1,000 acres each, and also provided that the lands were to be settled within three months after the state had acquired the Indian title. The lands were to be bought at one shilling and six pence per acre. These commissioners proceeded under their authority to survey and plot the town, and on February 28th 1789, the legislature confirmed their report and authorized the commissioners of the Land Office to patent the lands to the parties named on the lots on the maps submitted by the commissioners of this town and extended the time of settlement to one year after the state had acquired the Indian title. Certificates of location were issued by the commissioners, which were assignable and thus parties acquired large tracts, which were patented to them under one patent. Some of the large tracts granted in the old town of Chemung were as follows: To Isaac D. Fonda, Jacob Ford, Peter W. Yates, Josiah Richardson and Thomas Klump. Certificates of location, 8,000 acres on northwest bank of Susquehanna River, now in Tioga, Tioga County, January 26th 1789. Vol. 46, page 25 Land Papers.
In 1788, on March 22nd, the legislature erected a new town in Montgomery County, the town of Chemung, the boundary line beginning at the intersection of the pre-emption line of Massachusetts with the Pennsylvania State line, and running north from the point of inter-section, along the pre-emption line for a distance of two miles north of Tioga River; thence, in a direct line at right angles to the pre-emption line east to the Owego River, to intersect said river at a distance of four miles on a straight line from the confluence thereof with the Susquehanna River; thence down the Owego and Susquehanna to the Pennsylvania state line; and thence along the said line to the place of beginning. This tract, which covers the present towns of Barton and the greater portion of Tioga County and the towns of Southport, Elmira, Ashland, Baldwin and Chemung and a portion of Big Flats, Horseheads, Erin and Van Etten, in Chemung County had been settled by a number of persons who could not agree upon a proper division of their location, and the act erecting the town appointed John Castine, James Clinton and John Hathorn, Commissioners to inquire into and settle the dispute which had arisen among the settlers concerning their possessions and to assign and allot lands to the claimants, who were actually settled on the lands, or who had made improvements intending to settle. The allotments were not to be less than 100 nor more than 1,000 acres each, and also provided that the lands were to be settled within three months after the state had acquired the Indian title. The lands were to be bought at one shilling and six pence per acre. These commissioners proceeded under their authority to survey and plot the town, and on February 28th 1789, the legislature confirmed their report and authorized the commissioners of the Land Office to patent the lands to the parties named on the lots on the maps submitted by the commissioners of this town and extended the time of settlement to one year after the state had acquired the Indian title. Certificates of location were issued by the commissioners, which were assignable and thus parties acquired large tracts, which were patented to them under one patent. Some of the large tracts granted in the old town of Chemung were as follows: To Isaac D. Fonda, Jacob Ford, Peter W. Yates, Josiah Richardson and Thomas Klump. Certificates of location, 8,000 acres on northwest bank of Susquehanna River, now in Tioga, Tioga County, January 26th 1789. Vol. 46, page 25 Land Papers.