Yates County, New York

Early Settlers for the Town of Barrington

From the History of Yates County, NY
published 1892, by L.C. Aldrich

pg  445 - 448

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The pioneer of the town, according to common understanding and consent, was Jacob TEEPLES, better known as Colonel TEEPLES, who located in the town during the year 1800, and on what was known as Charles Williamson�s road, leading form Bath to Geneva. 

  Jacob TEEPLES was a pioneer and a good and worthy citizen.  He turned his habitation into a hotel, and kept public house for some years.  Neighbors he had none for some time, but his house was an important point on the old stage road.   Colonel TEEPLES was himself a worthy man, for he served two terms in the Assembly, representing Steuben County, and was also sheriff of the county one term.  He was succeeded in the ownership of the hotel by Daniel RAPALEE, after which he left the town.  The latter continued for many years as landlord, as the first town meeting was held at his place in 1823. 

From the time of his settlement in 1800 to 1806, Colonel TEEPLES was practically alone in town, but the year last named witnessed the arrival of a number of families, among them being those of William OVENSHIRE, Oliver PARKER, Thomas BRONSON, Joseph FINTON, William COOLBAUGH, James FINLEY, James and Nehemiah HIGBY, John CARR and possibly others whose names are not recalled.  William OVENSHIRE came to Barrington in 1806, a young man with his wife, both determined upon making a home in the unoccupied township.  He did this and more, he became an influential man in the region; was for many years constable and justice of the peace, and likewise a prominent church member.  He was twice married and left a numerous family of children, who with their descendants are worthy residents of the town today. 

Joseph FINTON, one of the pioneers of 1806 in Barrington, was an old Revolutionary war soldier.  He made his settlement in the northeast section of the town, on the so-called �poor lands�, but he succeeded in building up a fine farm.  Like William OVENSHIRE, Mr. FINTON raised a large family of children, ten in all, viz.: Mary, Phebe, Eleanor, Stephen, Charity, Isaac R., Joseph, Catharine, Susan and Amelia.  The surname FINTON is now not numerous in the town, but such as are here are among the respected and enterprising families of their locality.  

Matthew KNAPP, also a pioneer, was one of three brothers, the others being John and Charles, who cleared farms and established homes in Barrington.  Matthew came to this locality from Orange County.  To himself and wife, Mary KNAPP, were born several children: Hannah, Sally, Christiana, Eliza, William, Levi and Jesse.  The family name is still worthily represented in the town. 

David SUNDERLIN was the head of a family of ten children who became residents of Barrington.  The first visit to the town by the pioneer was make in 1813, and in the next year settlement was made by him and followed by his family.  He located in the part of the town that has ever since been known as Sunderlin Hollow, and sol called in honor of the pioneer.  David SUNDERLIN was from Putnam County, and his settlement in this town was directly instrumental in bringing to the Hollow and its locality a number of other families from the same place.  The children of David were:  Dennis, Joseph, Daniel, Tippett, Ira, Eli, Anna, Lydia, Elizabeth, and Polly or Mary.  The late Delazon J. SUNDERLIN, was the son of Dennis SUNDERLIN, by his marriage with Nancy FINCH.  Delazon became one of the most influential men that Barrington ever produced.  He was a lawyer of ability, and at one time district attorney for the county, 1851-52.  His wife was Louisa SWARTHOUT, by whom these children were born: Ursula, Emila A., Martin J., Edward D., John L. and Nancy E.  Tippett SUNDERLIN built the first saw mill on Big Stream; Dennis built the second. 

John WRIGHT came to the town from old Putnam in 1812 ore thereabouts.  He married Lydia SUNDERLIN, who bore him these children: Maria, Martha, Lydia, Erasmus and Alzada. 

Lodowick DISBROW was one of the Putnam County contingents that settled Barrington.  He came in 1813.  His wife was Elizabeth, daughter of David SUNDERLIN, by whom he had seven children: Dennis, Watson, Ira, Daniel, Anna, Maria and Mary Ann. 

John BOYCE married the widow of Justus BASSETT, and came to make their future home in this town in 1812.  Polly, Julia and Allen BASSETT, children of Justus BASSETT, came with them.  Their settlement was made on lot 16, in the eastern part of town.  John BOYCE and Beulah (BASSETT) BOYCE had three children: Clorinda, Chauncey, and Harriet.  

That locality of the town commonly known as East Hill was settled about 1814 by Orange HOLLISTER.  Subsequent settlers in the vicinity were Daniel WINTERS, Julius STANTON, Benjamin OSBORN, Isaac H. MAPLES, Jonathan H. TAYLOR and others, perhaps whose names are forgotten.   

The surname CROSBY stands not only for thrift and enterprise in Barrington, but as well for pioneer-ship.  Nathan CROSBY came from Putnam County in 1812, and settled in Sunderlin Hollow, near what afterward became known as Crystal Spring.  After two years he went to Delaware County, but only to return again to Barrington some years later.  His children were Selah, Mariam, Esther, Sarah, Abigail, Peter H., and Cyrus.  Peter H. CROSBY married Catharine FINTON.  Their children were Emelia, Alanson, Joseph, Selah, Druzilla and Isaac.  On Lake Keuka is a little hamlet called Crosby�s, derived its name from the industries built up by the sons of Peter H. CROSBY.  A succeeding portion of this chapter will furnish a more extended account of the locality. 

Besides those already mentioned as being pioneer families of Barrington, there are perhaps others equally deserving of notice in this chapter.  In the town today there are natives and descendants of early families, among whom may be recalled such names as ANDREWS, BALEY, BAIN, BELLIS, BULLOCK, CHAPMAN, CHASE, CLARK, COONS, CORNELL, EDWARDS, EGGLESTON, ELLIS, FISH, FLORENCE, FREEMAN, FRY, GARDNER, GASPER, GIBBS, GUNTHRIE, HARPENING, HORTON, HOUCK, JONES, KENYON, LAZEAR, LEE, LEWIS, LOCKWOOD, MC DOWELL, MC INTYRE, MERRIT, MILLARD, MILLER, MOSHER, MORSE, NANGLE, RAPALEE, ROBINSON, SHANNON, SHAW, SHERWOOD, SMITH, SNOOK, SORNBERGER, STANTON, STEADWELL, STOUGHTENBURG, STRUBLE, SWARTOUT, SWARTS, TAYLOR, THAYER, TOWNSEND, TUPPER, TUTTLE, VAN GORDER, WALTON, WATSON, WARREN, WELKER, WHEELER, WINTERS, WIXSON, WORTMAN and WRIGHT, each of whom has in some manner by his or their acts contributed toward the building up and establishing the condition of prosperity which the people of the town at this time enjoy.  But to take from the above list each individual and family and furnish separate genealogical records for them would involve the writer of town history in a maze of difficulty and perplexity; in fact it would be a task well nigh impossible of accomplishment, and would extend the volume of this chapter beyond all reasonable proportion.

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