1999--These pages are part of the Schuyler co., NY Genweb page.  Not for commercial use.

The History of Schuyler County, NY--(pub. abt. 1885)

Dix Township

[p.239--241]

"The town of Dix was organized April 17, 1835, chap. 98, page 82, laws of  New York, taken from the Town of Catlin.  As now constituted, Dix is bounded on the north by the town of Reading, on the east by the valley of Watkins, and the town of Montour, on the south by the town of Catlin, and on the west by the town of Orange.  It is situated on the west of the valley of Catharine, upon the rolling lands and plateaus, overlooking the Seneca Lake, and some of the finest landscape views in the state can be obtained from points in this town.  Its soil is very productive. The Syracuse, Geneva & Corning railroad passes thru the township in a north east, and south west direction, having stations at Beaver Dam [see photo], and at Watkins Glen, originally in the town, built now in the corporation of Watkins.
The Northern Central railroad runs along its eastern boundary, having a station at Havana, and at Watkins, thus accommodating the citizens of Dix  with ample railroad facilities. It was named in honor of Hon. John A. Dix, subsequently Governor of the State.  There are several hamlets and villages in the town, among them Beaver Dam, Moreland, Townsend, and the incorporated village of Watkins.

Early settlers--John Diven, William  Baskin, Jacob Mills, Jacob Mills, jr., Mathias Miller, Thomas J. Nichols, Ebenezer Buck, Obediah Phinney, Joseph Hitchcock, Christian Crout, William Lane, George Frost, John P. Cornell, George W. Bronson, Amos Royce, Judge John Crawford, Claudius Townshend, Underhill Frost, John Platt, Brewster Platt, Col. Green Bennett, Charles Bennett, Thomas Eddy, Elisha Bronson, Simeon L. Rood, Bela Sanford, Ira Sanford, Rev. John Gray, Daniel Tracy, WIlliam H. Smith, David Poke, H.R. Lybolt, J.B. Contes, Daniel Hughey, Nelson Lybolt, James Wedgewood, Joseph Cole, Elijah Phelps, Edward Lee, Archibald Tilford, Ebenezer Perry, Joshua Pierce, John Crout, Abram P. Crout, Gardner Krum, Jonas Blower, Dodo Benson, Eleazer Cole, I. Bramhall, Consider E. Evans, Thomas Eddy, Nathan Miller, John W. Chapman, Daniel D. Giles, Daniel H. Bolt, Daniel Kent, Ira Dodge, John C. Thayer, John V. Rose, Lewis Miller, W.S. Beers, Rev. Edward Hotchkiss, Harlem Cole, Almon Beecher, William Hardenberg.
--W.S. Beers built the Beaver Dams tannery, in 1837.
--Green Bennett built a saw mill on Bower's Creek, in 1828.
--John Griffith was the first death at Townshend settlement, in 1832.
--The first store at Beaver Dams was opend by Abram P. Crout in the year 1829.
--David H. Bolt kept the first tavern at Townshend settlement, in the year 1823.
--Post office established in 1830, at Beaver Dams, David Davison was the first post master.
--Post office established at Moreland in 1836, Judge John Crawford the first post master.
--Moreland and Beaver Dams are stations on the Syracuse, Geneva & Corning railroad.
--Beaver Dams derives its name from two beaver dams in the creek at that place.
--First Baptist Church of Townsend, was organized in the year 1838. Church erected in 1849.
--Col. Green Bennett was superintendent of the Chemung canal, and for many years was prominent in the affairs of Chemung county.
--The Baptist church of Moreland was organized in 1830.  Rev. Thomas S. Sheardown was the first preacher. Church erected in 1843. Cost $8.000.
--Methodist Episcopal Church of Beaver Dams, organized in 1832 as a class. The first minister in charge was Rev. A.C. Orcutt/Orcull(?).  Church erected in 1858.
--Moreland Cemetery Association was incorporated Sept. 26, 1878, trustees Henry Gray, Jonathan Sturdevant, John Deum. Benjamin Clark, secretary.
--The First Presbyterian Church of Moreland was organized Nov. 4, 1834. The first trustees were John C. Thayer, Lewis Miller, John V. Ross, church erected in 1834.
--Phineas Catlin was appointed one of the commissioners in 1797, to lay out a road from Catskill Landing, on the Hudson river, to Catharine's Town. His associates were Mathew Carpenter and John Hendy.
--The First Universalist Society of Dix was organized Feb. 26, 1848. Rev. Ethan Carpenter was the first minister. Trustees were George McAlpine, Benjamin Priest, Henry Johnson; moderator, Joseph Cole; clerk, W.S. Beers; church erected in 1853. Cost $2,000."