LISLE (named from Lisle in France,) was formed from Union, March 14, 1800. Barker, Nanticoke and Triangle were formed from it April 18, 1831. The line of Berkshire, Tioga Co., was altered in 1812, and a part of Union was taken off in 1827. It is the north-west corner town in the county. Its surface consists of a hilly and broken upland, unequally divided by the valley of Tioughnioga River. The hills have an elevation of from 400 to 700 feet above the river; their declivities are generally steep--too steep to admit of cultivation. Tioughnioga River, which runs through the east part of the town, in a southerly direction, is the principal stream. The other streams are small. They are Yorkshire and Fall creeks. The former flows easterly nearly through the center of the town, the latter in the same direction, near the north line; both empty into the Tioughnioga. The head waters of Nanticoke Creek are in the south-west part of the town. The narrow valley of Yorkshire Creek breaks the continuity of the western range of hills. Along the valleys the soil is a rich gravelly loam, but on the hills it is characterized by clay and slaty gravel, underlaid by hardpan. The moist clayey loam on the summits of the hills is better adapted to grass than grain culture.
The Syracuse and Binghamton R. R. extends through the town, following the course of the river.
The town covers an area of 25,083½ acres, of which, in 1865, according to the census of that year, 14,560½ were improved. Its population in 1870 was 2,525.
During the year ending Sept. 30, 1871, the town contained twelve school districts, in which fifteen teachers were employed. The number of children of school age was 806; the number attending school, 660; the average attendance, 364; the amount expended for school purposes, $6,396; and the value of school houses and sites, $16,710.
LISLE (p. v.) is situated on the west bank of the Tioughnioga, at the junction of Yorkshire Creek with that stream, and is a station on the S. & B. R. R. It is an incorporated village and contains two churches, (Congregational and M. E.) a Union graded school, two dry good stores, one hardware store and tin shop, a drug store, three harness shops, a carriage shop, three blacksmith shops, one furnace and machine shop, a grist mill, two saw mills, a large tannery for tanning sheep skins, a jewelry store, a variety store, two dental offices, two shoe shops, a clothing and furnishing store, a furniture manufactory, a milliner shop, a tailor shop and about 500 inhabitants.
YORKSHIRE, (Center Lisle, p. o.,) situated near the center of the town, on the Creek of the same name, contains three churches, (Baptist, Congregational and M. E.) one hotel, a dry goods store, a grocery, a large tannery1 for tanning sheep skins, a steam saw mill and grist mill, a wagon shop, a blacksmith shop, a milliner shop and dressmaker shop.
KILLAWOG, (p. o.) situated in the north-east part, on the S. & B. R. R. and the Tioughnioga River, contains two churches, (Baptist and M. E.) two dry goods stores, a grist mill, a steam saw mill, a blacksmith shop and thirty or forty dwellings.
MILLVILLE, located on the Tioughnioga, near the south-east corner of the town, contains a large tannery, a grist mill and saw mill, a blacksmith shop and several dwellings.
The first settlement is believed to have been made in 1791,2 by emigrants from North East, Dutchess Co. Among these and those who subsequently settled at an early day were Ebenezer Tracy, Eliphalet Parsons, Josiah Patterson, Whittlesey Gleason, Edward Edwards,3 and David Manning. The last two settled on the Tioughnioga in 1795. The first birth was that of Henry Patterson, in 1793; the first marriage, that of Solomon Owen and Sylvia Cook; and the first death, that of Wright Dudley. Jacob Hill built the first grist mill. Capt. John Johnson from Conn., we are credibly informed, kept the first store and tavern.4
Religious services were instituted as early as 1795, by Rev. Seth Williston, who was sent here by the Connecticut Missionary Society at the solicitation of Mr. Edward Edwards. Two years later the labors of Mr. Williston were rewarded by the organization of the First Congregational Church of Lisle, whose first pastor he became. At its organization the church consisted of eleven professing members, and five who were not professors. William Osborn was elected to the office of deacon in 1801, but it was not until 1810 that he and Andrew Squires, his colleague, were consecrated. Mr. Williston employed only half his time in pastoral duties in this Society, the residue being occupied in missionary labors in Union, Owego and Oquaga. From 1803, when he was installed pastor of this church, till 1810, when he was dismissed from it, he seems to have devoted all his time within the pastoral limits of this congregation. This church "was the earliest organized, it is believed, of any west of the Catskills and south of Utica." 5 Their first house of worship was not erected until 1822. The present one, which will seat 400 persons, was erected two years later at a cost of $3,000. The present pastor is Rev. R. A. Clark and the number of members, seventy. The Church property is valued at $7,000.
The M. E. Church, of Lisle, was organized about 1815, by Rev. Geo. W. Densmore, its first pastor. The first class was organized in 1830 or '31, with P. B. Brooks as leader. Their house of worship, which will seat 250 persons, was erected in 1857, at a cost of $2,000. The present pastor is Rev. A. W. Loomis; the number of members, eighty. The value of Church property is $4,500.
The Baptist Church at Center Lisle was organized with seven members, in 1828. Their church edifice, which will seat 400 persons, was erected in 1856, at a cost of $4,400. Rev. Asahel Holcomb was the first pastor; Rev. Gardner Dean is the present one. There are twenty-six members. The value of Church property is $3,000.
The Congregational Church at Center Lisle was organized with nineteen members, June 14, 1830, by Rev. Seth Burt. Their first house of worship was erected two years later; and the present one, which will seat 400 persons, in 1855, at a cost of $3,300. Rev. Alvin D. French was the first pastor; at present there is none. The number of members is sixty. The Church property is valued at $6,000.
The Baptist Church at Killawog was organized with sixty-nine members in 1841. Rev. David Leach was the first pastor. The church edifice occupied by this Society was erected in 1835, and repaired in 1868. It will seat 300 persons. Its original cost was $3,000; its present value, together with all Church property, is $5,000. There are fifty-one members, who are ministered to by Rev. Abner Lull.
The M. E. Church at Killawog was organized with thirty members by Rev. Arvine C. Bowdish, its first pastor, in 1867, in which year was erected their church edifice, which will seat 200 persons, at a cost of $3,000, which is the present value of Church property. The present pastor is Rev. Reuben Fox; and the number of members, seventy-five.
The M. E. Church at Center Lisle was organized by Rev. D. D. Lindsley, the first pastor, in 1869, in which year their church edifice, which will seat 250 persons, was erected at a cost of $4,500, which is the present value of Church property. Rev. A. W. Loomis is the present pastor.
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