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 627-628.
THURSTON 13-- was formed from Cameron, Feb. 28, 1844. It is an
interior town, lying just S.E. of the center of the co. Its surface is mostly a
high, broken upland, forming a portion of the dividing ridge between Conhocton
and Canisteo Rivers. The summits of the hills are 500 to 600 feet above the
river valleys. The streams are Stockton Creek, in the N.W., and Michigan Creek,
in the S., flowing in deep narrow ravines bordered by steep hillsides. The soil
is a shaly and gravelly loam. Merchantville, in the
E., Bonny Hill, (p. o.,) in the N.E., and
Risingville, (p. o.,) in the W., are hamlets.
Thurston and South Thurston are p. offices.
The first settlers were William Smith, Luke Bonny, and Anderson Carpenter, at
Bonny Hill, in 1813. 1 The first religious
association (M.E.) was formed in 1814; Rev. Parker Buell was the first
preacher. 2
13 Named from Wm. R. Thurston, a
landholder residing in N.Y. or
vicinity. 1 Amos Dickinson settled in
1814; and Joseph Fluent at Bonny Hill in 1817. The first settlers at Aldrich
settlement, in 1823, were William Jack, Samuel Fisk, and Thomas Aldrich, in
1823. The first child born was Irena Smith, in 1813; the first marriage, that of
Joseph Fluent and Fanny Dickinson, in 1818; and the first death, that of
Anderson Carpenter, killed by the falling of a tree, in 1817. The first school
was taught at Bonny Hill, by Caroline Vinan, in 1818; the first store was kept
by Harlow Sears, at Merchantville. No tavern was ever kept in the town, and no
license was ever granted to sell
liquor. 2 The census reports 4 churches; 2
M.E., Bap., and Christian.
