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.
West Union -- was
formed from Greenwood, April 25, 1845. It is the S. W. corner town of the
co. Its surface is a broken and hilly upland, the highest summis being 2,000 to
2,400 feet above tide. A large part of the town is yet covered with forests.
Bennetts Creek is the principal stream. The soil is a heavy, slaty loam.
Lumbering is extensively pursued. Rexville, (p.
o.) and Wileysville (p. o.) are hamlets. West Union
is a p. o. The first settler was Abraham V. Olmsted, who located
at Rexville in 1822. 4 The first church (M. E.) was
formed at Rexville in 1831. There are 2 churches in town; Bap. and M. E.
4 This late settlement of this town was owing
to the fact that a large share of the land was owned in England and by heirs
under age. Among the first settlers were Fred. Hauber, Wm. Burger, and Wm. Bray,
from Delaware co., who came in 1823 and located near Rexville. John Wiley,
Wm. Fisher, and Benj. Wilks settled at Wileysville in 1849. Uriah Stevens taught
the first school; Chas. Rexford kept the first inn, and Walter B. Olmsted
the first store at Rexville. John Wiley built the first saw and grist mill, in
1849-50.
