by Walter Wolcott

Published Jan. 1, 1930

Steuben(map at bottom)Village Named of sir William Pulteney of England; Melchoir Wagener of Penn Yan Built First Saw Mill There, First Grist Mill also in 1814; Vineyards Replaces Farms Wayne or Fredericktown Rafted Lumber to Baltimore.

Steuben County, in which Pulteney is located, was formed from Ontario County in 1796 and named in honor of Baron Steuben. This county was once a part to that extensive tract known as the Philips and Gorham purchase, which was sold by it original proprietors to Robert Morris and by him conveyed to Sir William Pulteney and others in London. The Pulteney associates as they are sometimes called sent over in 1781 as their age, Captain Charles Williamson. Two years later this enterprising man established a settlement, which he named, Bath, from Lady Bath, who was Sir William Pultney's only child and heiress. The town of Pulteney was so named in honor of Sir William Pulteney and originally formed a part of the town of Bath. When organized on February 12,1808. The first town meeting was held at the dwelling o Jesse Waldo on the first Tuesday of March 1808, at which time Urial Chapin was elected supervisor-Pulteney comprised within its boundaries Prattsburg and a part of Urbana. The former was taken off in 1813 and the later in 1848.

First settled at Bully Hill

The first settlement made within the present limits of Pulteney was as early as 1797 when John Van Camp and D. Thompson settled on Bully Hill. Samuel Miller, G. F. Fitzsimmons and John Block came as settlers in 1802. Then came in 1805 James and George Simms, Henry Hoffman, Abraham Bennett and Shadrack Norris. At the same time there removed into what is now the town of Pulteney, the Rev. Ephraim Eggleston, the first settled preacher. The next year there came Samuel and Nathaniel Wallis, John Ellis, William White, James Dalley, Erastus Glass, Harmon Emmons and Seth Pierce. Others who settled in and previous to 1807 were Thomas Hoyt, John Kent, Joseph Hall, senior, John Torner, Augustus Tyler and Ezra Petton or Pelton.

Another early settler and who may be properly called a man of influence and importance, was Melchoir Wagener. HE was the son of David Wagner and adherent of that remarkable woman known as the Universal Friend. On the decease of his father in 1799, Melchoir Wagener and his brother, Abraham became joint heirs of the land on which the thriving village of Penn Yan now stands. In 1810 Melchoir Wagener removed from Penn Yan to Pulteney and there built the first saw mill. Later, in 1814, he built the first gristmill. However, in 1820 he had the misfortunate of having his saw and gristmills, with booms dams and bridges all swept away by a sudden rise of water, caused by a heavy and unprecedented shower. But two years after this calamity he rebuilt his saw mill and having turned his attention to lumbering and farming for some time, he rebuilt his grist mill in 1838.

First Tavern In 1807

Shadack Norris and the following year the first store was opened by Augustus Tyler started the first tavern in Pulteney in 1807. The same year of 1808 saw the opening by Polly Wentworth of the fist school in the settlement. The first marriage was that of Christopher Tomes and Jane Miller, in 1809; and the first death, that of a child of James Dailey in 1806.

In Spafford’s Gazetteer of the State of NY, published in 1813 which was the first gazetteer of the state that was published, appears the following description of Pulteney as it was at that time.

Pulteney, a post township on the north line of Steuben county, 11 miles north of Bath village; and 222 miles west of Albany; bounded north by Ontario County, east by Crooked Lake, of the township of Wayne; south by Bath and west of Bath. Its area is about 82 square miles. Five Mile creek, a good millstream. Five-mile creek, a good millstream of the Cohocton, runs centrally from the northeast part, where it rises to the southwest corner and there are some small mill a stream that fall into Crooked Lake. The settlement is of very recent date, none being prior to 1807. The taxable inhabitants amount to 200. And the whole population to 1,038. The inhabitants are from the eastern states, and their social regulations are in the Yankee character. The center of this town is 23 miles on a right line south of Canandaigua.

In a elaborate work which was published in 1826 and is entitled “Landmarks of Steuben Co.” the following statement in respect to Pulteney are made: The descendants of several of the old families will live in the town and occasionally some relic of early uses is observed, for only a few years ago the remains of the old Wagener mill race were still viable; also the scattered and decaying fragments of the saw mill itself. But later generation of occupants live in a different and perhaps more progressive period and have little reverence for the old and useless structures of three quarters of a century ago, yet they love to see recollections of them on printed records. Pulteney of today is far different from the old town of 1810, and along the lake front few indeed, if any of the old farm lines and habitations have been preserved. Where once were vast agricultural regions, with desirable eastern slope, we now have almost numberless vineyard and fruit farms in the size varying from five to 50 acres. IN 1806 the records disclose the fact that the population was only 1,470. And but 1,393 two years later. However during the War of the rebellion Pulteney sent into the service a total of 110 men, a patriotic record, and one not frequently exceeded to similar towns, “

Wayne

When Steuben County was organized in 1794 that section of the county was known as Fredericktown. That name is said to have been conferred by Captain Charles Williamson in honor of an early and distinguished settler named Frederick Bartles who was at that time in his employ.

Fredericktown as first forward included besides Wayne all that it is now Bradford, in Steuben County. Harrington an Starkey, in Yates county and Reading, Tyrone and Orange, in Schuyler county. The name was changed to Wayne on the 6th day of April 1808. The town records disclose no town meeting previous to 1801. The first supervisor was Benjamin Wells. The town was their so called in honor, it is said, of

”Mad Anthony Wayne, the barn of Stony points.”

Frederick Bartles was a German who came with his family from New Jersey in about 1793. The place of his settlement was known as Bartles Hollow. There he erected under the patronage of Captain Charles Williamson, a flouring and saw mill. While the mill was building, Benjamin Patterson, a renowned hunter of that period, was employed by Captain Williamson to supply the workmen with wild game. It is reported that he killed at this time on “Green Hill” nearly a 100 deer and several bears in three months.

Frederick Bartles, having been appointed a justice of Peace was also known as Squire Bartles. He became an extensive lumber dealer and in 1798 he railed 100,000 feet of boards from his mills to Baltimore, Mud Creek in Steuben County was then a navigable stream. The previous too the arrival of “Squire” Bartles a settlement had been made in what is now Wayne by Zephaniah Hoff, Henry Mapes, Widow Jennings and Solomon Wixson. These pioneers came in 1791. Rev. Ephriam Ranford a Baptist minister and a former Revolutionary soldier, was also one of the first settlers. He came from Pennsylvania and for many years was the only officiating clergyman. Others who came at an early day were Enos, Jonas and James Silsbee, Abraham Hendricks, Joshua Smith, John Holdridge, Elijah Reynolds and Ephriam Tyler. In that interesting work “Landmarks of Steuben County.” There are also mentioned as early settlers: Anthony Swarthout, Jabez Hopkins, Aaron Olmstead, the blacksmith and tool maker, Thomas Bennett, Thomas Margens, Henry Houck, Isaac Northrup, Edward Baker, Israel H Wood, Joseph Bailey another old Revolutionary survivor, George Hunter, John Varnert blacksmith, Simeon Hackers and John Treples. The first birth was that of Elizabeth Wixson, November 6, 1793, and the first marriage that of Ephriam Sanford, junior and Julia Hoff. James Silsbee kept the first store and Enos Silsbee the first inn. The first school was taught by Nathaniel Frisbee in 1797. Previous to 1814 Bluff Point now in Yates County formed a part of the town of Wayne in the county of Steuben.

Among the notices of other towns as published in 1813 in Radford's gazetteer the following in respect to the town of Wayne. “Wayne” a large township in the northeast part of the Steuben county. 15 miles east of the Bath and 25 south of Geneva, called Fredericktown till 1808, bounded north by Ontario county east by Reading an d a part of Tioga county, south by Painted Post, west of by Bath and Pulteney. It has a post office called Hos/Roscameron? And comprises townships No. 4,5,6, in the first range, the half of 4 and about half of 5 in the second range, with the point of land in the fork of crooked lake on which is bounded. Crooked Lake, the half of which is in this town. Discharges into Seneca Lake and Mud pond within two miles of his on the east discharges a boatable stream south to the Cohocton of the Tioga of the Susquehanna. There are some other small streams that supply sites for mills. Mud creek has mills within one mile of the pond, and from these boats and arks descends to the Cohocton, about nine miles in which distance are six saw and some other mills. The south part of hilly as it is also along Crooked Lake, but the central Part and all the remainder a able and productive land. The timber is oak, walnut, etc. with some pine on the hills.

There is a congregation of Baptist, but o meeting house yet erected though meetings are held in the schoolhouses of which there is a pretty competent number. The settlement commenced about 1794 but has principally been made within ten years past, and the population now rapidly increasing. The whole present population is 3,025 and the senatorial electors, 57. There is a road from Bath to Ontario County leading along the east shore of Crooked Lake and a turnpike is granted to Geneva, on the same route but whether yet opened, I do no learn. E

Early Known for Vineyards.

In Landmarks of Steuben County references to the town of Wayne are thus made.: As a present constituted Wayne is one of the most interesting and favorable situated towns of Steuben county, and in the development of its natural resources it has become one of the best vineyard districts in the region. Added to this is its value as an agricultural town, while the building up of large hotels and pleasure resorts along the Kuaka front have combined to increase local prosperity. IN the early history of the county the town was hardly more than a passive factor, yet the people of Wayne have ever enjoyed the reputation of making their presence felt in all measures of tending to the public good. During the war of the Rebellion as commonly known where true patriotism as well as loyalty and statesmanship were essential elements of success, the town proved equal to every demand made upon. It and furnished for the service a total of 85 men; a record certainly praise worthy when we consider the fact that in 1860 the inhabitants numbered only 544.