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 626.
HOWARD-- was formed
from Bath and Dansville, June 18, 1812. A part of Avoca was taken off in
1843, and a part of Fremont in 1854. It is an interior town, lying a little N.W.
of the center of the co. Its surface is mostly a rolling upland, forming a part
of the dividing ridge between Conhocton and Canisteo Rivers. The streams are all
small. In the N.E. part are 2 small ponds. The soil is generally a heavy clay
loam. Howard (p. v.) contains 2
churches. Pop. 143. Towlesville (p.
v.) contains 2 churches and 15 houses. Buena
Vista (p. o.) and Goffs Mills (p.o.) are hamlets,
and South Howard is a p.o. The first settlement was
made in 1806, by Abraham Johnson. 8 There are 5
churches in town. 9
8 Reuben and Abraham Smith, Abel Bullard,
Jacob and Thos. Bennett, Charles McConnell, Simeon McMurty, and -- Colgrove
settled in the town in 1808; Samuel Baker, Joel Bullard, Benj. Bennett, Ephraim
Rumsey, Wm. Allen, Daniel N. Bennett, Jonas and Seth Rice, and Nathan Cory in
1810-11; and Simeon Bacon, Wm. Goff, Israel Baldwin, and Rufus Halsey in 1812.
Arethusa Bullard was born in 1809, and Mrs. Rowley died the same year, the
first birth and death in town. Henry Kennedy built the first sawmill in 1809;
James Vaughn, the first gristmill in 1810; and Benj. Bennett kept the first inn
in 1816. 9 2 Bap, and 1 each Presb., M.E.,
and Ref. Presb.
