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 629.
WAYNE 1-- named in honor of Gen. Anthony Wayne - was formed, as
"Frederickstown," March 18, 1796. Its name was changed April 6, 1808.
Reading (Schuyler co.) was taken off in 1806, Orange (Schuyler co.) in 1813, and
Barrington (Yates co.) and Tyrone (Schuyler co.) in 1822. A part was annexed to
Tyrone April 17, 1854. It is situated upon Crooked Lake, on the E. border of the
co. Its surface is a rolling upland, 400 to 600 feet high, descending abruptly
to the lake. Little Lake is a beautiful sheet of water lying along the E.
border. The soil is a gravelly and slaty loam underlaid by
hardpan. Wayne, 2 (p.
v.,) on the line of Tyrone, (Schuyler co.,) contains 3 churches and 40
houses. Wayne Four Corners is a p. o. The first settlement was
made in 1791, by Zephaniah Hoff, Henry Mapes, Widow Jennings, and Solomon
Wixson. 3 Rev. Ephraim Sanford (Bap.) was one of
the first settlers, and for many years the only clergyman in town. There
are 2 churches in town; M.E. and Union.
1 Its former name was from Frederick Bartles.
- McMasters's Hist. Steuben Co., p.
181. 2 Locally known as "Wayne
Hotel." 3 Enos, Joseph, and James Silsbee,
Abraham Hendricks, Joshua Smith, John Holdridge, Elijah Reynolds, and
Ephraim Tyler were among the early settlers. The first birth was that of
Elizabeth Wixson, Nov. 6, 1793; and the first marriage, that of Ephraim Sanford,
jr. and Julia Hoff. Jas. Silsbee kept the first store, and Enos Silsbee the
first inn. The first school was taught by Nathaniel Frisbee, in
1797.
