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.
Pages 624 - 625.
DANSVILLE 9-- was formed in March, 1796. Parts of
Cohocton and Howard were taken off in 1812, a part of Wayland in 1848, and of
Fremont in 1854. A part was annexed to Sparta in 1822, and a part of Cohocton
was re-annexed April 26, 1834. It is the N. town upon the W. border of the
co. The surface is mostly an upland, divided into ridges by the narrow
valleys of small streams. The declivities of the hills are steep and their
summits are 300 to 400 feet above the valleys. The streams are head
branches of Canaseraga Creek, flowing N., and of Canisteo River, flowing S. The
soil is sandy and gravelly loam in the E. and N., and gravel underlaid by
hardpan in the S. W. Rogersville (South Dansville p.
o.) contains 2 churches, an academy, 1 and a female
seminary. 2 Pop. 200. Burns, a station on
the B. & N. Y. City R. R., has about 15 houses. Dotys
Corners is a p. o. The first settlement was made in 1804, by
Isaac Sterling and Samuel Gibson. 3 The census
reports 6 churches. 4
9 Named from Daniel P. Faulkner, an early and
spirited citizen, known as "Captain Dan." - McMaster's Hist. of Steuben Co.,
p. 300. 1 The Rogersville Academy was
organized in 1849, and the buildings were erected in
1852. 2 the Rogersville Union
Seminary. 3 Among the first settlers were James,
John, and Major Jones, Frederick Fry, William Ganong, Thos. and Nathaniel
Brayton, Tisdale Haskin, Thos. and John Root, Joshua Healey, Charles Oliver,
Joseph Phelps, Elisha Robinson, William C. Rogers, and Jesse Bridges. Robert
Fuller built the first sawmill, in 1820, and Handy & Miller the first
gristmill, in 1825. Isaac Sterling kept the first inn, in 1806. The first School
was taught by James Jones, in 1811. 4 2 Bap., and
1 each Presb., M.E., Univ., and R.C.
