CIVIL
HISTORY
Machias was formed from Yorkshire, April 16, 1827. (See laws State of New York,
Chapter 309, fiftieth session.) The south tier of lots of township 6, range 4,
were annexed in 1847. It derives its name from Machias, Maine, from whence came
several of its first settlers.
“At a town-meeting of
the freeholders and inhabitants of the town of Machias, held at the house of
JEREMIAH BENNETT,
in said town, on Tuesday, May 8, 1827, for the purpose of electing town
officers, and to transact such other business as should be deemed most proper,
the following officers were elected:
Supervisor,
HOWARD PECK;
Town Clerk, NATHAN FOLLETT;
Assessors, WILLARD JEFFERSON, WIGGIN M.
FARRAR, SYLVESTER
CARVER;
Collector, JEREMIAH BENNETT;
Commissioners of Highways, SHELDON
HOLBROOK, SAMUEL BUSH, ISAAC ARNOLD;
Overseers of the Poor, RICHARD LOOMIS,
ROBERT HOLLISTER;
School Commissioners, WIGGIN M. FARRAR,
WILLARD JEFFERSON, ELIJAH
ODELL, Inspectors
of Schools, NATHAN FOLLETT,
HOWARD PECK, WIGGIN M. FARRAR,
Constables, WILLIAM LOOMIS, JEREMIAH
BENNETT; Sealer of
Weights and Measures, and of Leather,
HOWARD PECK.
The following is a list
of supervisors, town clerks, and justices of the peace from 1827-1878 inclusive:
|
SUPERVISORS |
|||
|
1827-31 |
Howard Peck |
1855-56 |
Jared A. Brewer |
|
1832-33 |
Willard Jefferson |
1857 |
John Wier |
|
1834-36 |
Wiggin M. Farrar |
1858-59 |
Peter Van Dewater |
|
1837-40 |
Rensselaer Lamb |
1860-61 |
William Napier |
|
1841-44 |
Lyman Twomley |
1862-64 |
Almeran Leek |
|
1845 |
Jedediah Robinson |
1865 |
Rufus L. Witcher |
|
1846 |
Rensselaer Lamb |
1866 |
Heman G. Button |
|
1847-48 |
Wiggin M. Farrar |
1867 |
Andrew L. Allen |
|
1849 |
Joseph H. Wright |
1868-74 |
Edwin Baker |
|
1850 |
Lyman Twomley |
1875-76 |
Marvin Austin |
|
1851-53 |
Wiggin M. Farrar |
1877 |
Moses Jewell |
|
1854 |
Heman G. Button |
1878 |
George A. Stoneman |
TOWN CLERKS
1837-32 Nathan Follett
1852 Nathaniel M. Brown
1833 Seth Washburn
1853 C. A. Parker
1834 Nathan Follett
1854-56 A. H. Peck
1835-37 Lyman Twomley
1857-62 Daniel S. Tilden
1838-39 Thomas Clark
1863-64 Wesley Follett
1840 Nathan Follett
1865-66 Daniel S. Tilden
1841 Benjamin Shearer
1867 George A. Stoneman
1842 Rensselaer Lamb
1868-69 P. M. Orme
1843 John Farrar Jr.
1870-74 George A. Stoneman
1844-45 Rufus L. Whitcher
1875 Moses Jewell
1846 Joseph H. Wright
1876 Abner A. Smith
1847-49 Rufus L. Witcher
1877 Henry S. Crandall
1850-51 John Wier
1878
Stephen P. Randall
E. T. ASHCRAFT, WILLARD JEFFERSON, INCREASE LOCKE, and ALVIN BOYCE were elected justices of the peace Nov. 7, 1827, but their names do not appear in their order on the town records.
*The above information was obtained from the History of Cattaraugus County, New York by L. H. EVERTS, 1879.