Early Settlers - Afton

Early settlers in the Town of Afton taken from "1874 History of Chenango & Madison Counties, NY" by James H Smith; pub. 1880. Tried to use year, where stated, person and where they were from.

Afton lies wholly within the original township of Clinton. It was formed from Bainbridge November 18,1857.

1786
first settler - Elnathan BUSH, Sheffield, Mass. He had visited before Rev. War, in company of two others who were relatives. Book is unclear but says: The Dominie
JOHNSTON (Col. Witter JOHNSTON) was then living at Sidney Plains where he settled in 1772. He left his improvements during the war and returned to them at its close, having rendered service therein as Colonel. He (JOHNSTON) continued his residence there until his death Oct 4, 1839....Jan. 30, 1790, Mr. Bush exchanged his property here with Hezekiah STOWEL for a piece of land on lot 74 in Bainbridge...to which he removed.
Hezekiah STOWEL, Vermont Sufferer, from Guildford, VT; settled at Bettsburgh

Next came KIRBYs and year or two after, the BIXBYs.

1787
Ebenezer, John, Isaiah and Joseph LANDERS, brothers, Lenox, Mass.
Henry PEARSALL, Long Island; 1809, moved to Bainbridge

1788
Richard CHURCH, s/o Col. Timothy Church, a Vermont Sufferer, Brattleboro, Vt.

Other settlers about this period
Seth STONE, Vt,
Nathaniel BENTON, Vt,
Isaac MINER, Vt, and
Orlando BRIDGEMAN, Vt.
CORBIN family
BENTON family

1790
David POLLARD, Norwich, Conn

1795
Abijah STEVENS, Conn,
Abraham BENTON, and
Heth KELSEY; afterwards moved to Coventry, NY

1796
Thomas and Capt. Enos CORNWELL, brothers
Joab BUCK, brother to Abner & Daniel; from England pre-Rev. War; settled at Canton , St. Lawrence. country,
Abner BUCK, brother to Joan & Daniel, from England; settled in Bucks Co., Pa. ,
Daniel BUCK, brother to Abner & Joab, from England; from Danbury, Conn; Presbyterian minister

1801
Daniel HYDE, Claverack,Columbia Co.

1803
Judge Peter BETTS

1803 or '4
Cornelius ATHERTON, born Cambridge, Mass; from Pa.

1807
William JOHNSON, Hartwick, Otsego Co.; later moved to Sanford, Broome Co.

1809
Oliver EASTON, Wilmington, Vt
Taft POLLARD, Vt.

1810 or '11
John JOHNSTON, borther of William, Montgomery Co.

Other settlers
William BATEMAN, New England states,
Aaron SLADE, Vt,
Joseph PECK,
Levi PRATT, New England states,
Silas WRIGHT, Vt, and
Moses HINMAN.

Transcribed and contributed by Sandy Goodspeed, 1999.

Last updated: 6 Apr 2000

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