![]() Four great-grandchildren are living in the county, Abel, Nathan and Jenette, wife of Henry Jones, in Afton, and Hannah, wife of Charles Bixby, in Bainbridge. His only grandchild living in the county is Gratia Ann, wife of Gustavus Greene, in Afton, daughter of Levi. and died there November 3, 1826, aged 66, and his wife September 18, 1850, aged 88 Elijah, who settled on the west side of the river, on the farm now occupied by (?) Chamberlain, and who died childless, in advanced years, while on a visit to a relative in Pennsylvania, and whose wife, Rebecca, died here February 25, 1837, aged 70 Betsey, who married Daniel Dickinson, who settled in Guilford and afterwards at Seneca Falls Isabel, who married Elisha Stowel, who settled at the ferry about two miles below Bettsburgh Polly, who married Calvin Stowel, who settled on a farm adjoining Asa Stowel’s on the south Levi, who settled on the homestead on the west side of the river, and afterwards, in advanced life, moved to the east side, to the farm now occupied by James Pool, and died at Seneca Falls while visiting relatives there and Sally, who married Charles Grinnells, and settled on the homestead farm on the west side of the river, where she died. Johnston and who married Hannah, daughter of Samuel Bixby, of Guilford, Vt. Johnston, where, in 1788, he kept the first inn, in a log building(+) which stood on the river bank, opposite the residence of Mr. His children were:–Asa, who settled at Bettsburgh, on the place now owned and occupied by Enos M. ![]() It is not known that he lived on the place exchanged with Bush in Bainbridge. He subsequently removed to the west side of the river, where he is buried, probably at the time he made the exchange with Elnathan Bush. Hezekiah Stowel, to whom reference has been made, was a Vermont sufferer, and came in from Guilford in that State in 1786, and settled at Bettsburgh, on 220 acres on lot 63, on the east side of the river, and was the pioneer settler on the site of that village. ![]() He died November 15, 1858, aged 73, having been honored with three wives, Esther, who died November 5, 1813, aged 27, Sally, who died December 29, 1828, aged 33, and Maria, who, we believe, is still living. The fact is, the William Bush referred to was born in Sheffield, Berkshire county, Massachusetts, April 15, 1785, and was brought to the present town of Afton, then a part of Jericho, the following July. It has been generally supposed, and is so stated in French’s Gazetteer of the State of New York, and subsequent publications copied therefrom, that William Bush, a grandson of Elnathan Bush, was the first child born in the town, in 1786. The Kirbys came next, a year or two after, and the Bixbys soon after. Joseph Bush, just referred to, says he very well recollects hearing his father say there were no other settlers in the old town of Jericho when Elnathan came in. It is the farm on which his grandson, Joseph Bush, now resides, and there he resided till his death, May 15, 1791. Bush exchanged his property here with Hezekiah Stowel for a piece of land on lot 74 in Bainbridge, nominally containing 81, but actually 100 acres, which Stowel had taken up the previous year, the consideration being 80 œ, to which he removed. Lois, his wife, died there July 27, 1787, aged 22 and Jane, his second wife, Sept. He (Johnston,) continued his residence there till his death October 4, 1839, aged 86. He left his improvements during the war and returned to them at its close, having rendered service therein as Colonel. Witter Johnston,) was then living at Sidney Plains, where he settled in 1772. Bush had visited this locality with a view to settlement before the Revolutionary war, in company with two others who were relatives. This island and another near it, one of which contains ten and the other forty acres, had been cleared and cultivated by the Indians, and derive their name from Hezekiah Stowel, who subsequently owned them. ![]() He settled on the west side of the river, opposite the forty acre island, known as Stowel’s Island, about two miles below Afton. They came as far as Cooperstown on horseback, and thence by canoe down the Susquehanna, leaving Cooperstown May 2, 1786. The first settlement in Afton was made in July, 1786, by Elnathan Bush, who came in from Sheffield, Mass., with his family, then consisting of his wife and four children.
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