Gazetteer of
the State of New York: Embracing a Comprehensive View of the Geography, Geology,
And General History of the State, and a Complete History and Description of
Every County, City, Town, Village, and Locality. With Full Tables Of Statistics.
By J. H. French. Syracuse, N.Y.: Published By R. Pearsall Smith
1860.
Page 624.
COHOCTON -- was formed
from Bath and Dansville, June 18, 1812. A part of Avoca was taken off in
1843, and a part of Wayland in 1848. It lies on the N. border of the co.,
W. of the center. The surface is mostly a hilly upland, separated into
ridges by deep and narrow valleys. The principal streams are Conhocton River,
flowing southerly through the center, and its tributaries. The soil is generally
a slaty and gravelly loam. Liberty, (Cohocton p. o.,) on the Conhocton,
is a station on the B., N.Y. & E.R.R. and contains 2 churches. Pop.
200. North Cohocton (p. v.) contains 1 church
and 30 houses. Bloods, 1a hamlet, is a station on the R.R., 1 mi.
from North Cohocton. The first settlement was made in 1796, by Richard Hooker
and Joseph Bivin. 2 Rev. Elisha Brownson, (Bap.,)
the first settled minister, removed to the town in 1811. The census reports 4
churches in town; 3 M. E. and Presb.
1 Named from Calvin Blood. This is rendered
an important station upon the R.R. from its connection with the Canandaigua Lake
Route. A daily line of stages runs to Naples, at the head of the lake, and a
steamer plies daily between the latter place and
Canandaigua. 2 James and Aruna Woodward
settled in the town not long after; Joseph Chamberlain, in 1805; and Saml.
Chamberlain, Capt. Jonas Cleland, Joseph Shattuck, Horace Fowler, and -
Eddy, in 1806. Timothy Sherman, James Barnard, Saml. Rhoades, Jesse Atwood,
Isaac Morehouse, and Chas. Burlinghame were also early settlers. The first
marriage was that of Jos. Bivin and Sarah Hooker, in 1798; and the first birth,
that of Bethiah Hooker, their child, in 1800. The first death was that of
Richard Hooker, Feb. 10, 1801. Jonas Cleland built the first saw and grist
mills, in 1808; and Jos. Shattuck kept the first inn, in 1809. Sophia Trumbull
taught the first school, in 1810.
