The History of Cayuga County 1789-1879 page 383
TOWN OF OWASCO/ EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

outlet, form the west boundary. It is bounded on the north by Sennett, on the east by the town of Skaneateles in Onondaga county, and on the south by the town of Niles.

The surface is rolling, and has an inclination toward the north-west. It ascends gradually from the lake, above which the highest elevations are about five hundred feet. Aside from the lake and its outlet its waters are inconsiderable. Two small streams drain it and empty into the lake. The principal one is Owasco Creek or Dutch Hollow Brook, which enters the town in the south-east corner, by two branches, and flows in a north-westerly direction across the south part. Miller's Brook, in the north part, rises near the east border of the town and flows in a north-westerly direction to near the north line, when it deflects to the west and again to the south, discharging its waters at the foot of the lake.

The soil is of excellent quality, rich and fertile. Clay predominates along the lake; clayey loam intermixed with sand in the central portions, and muck in the east.

The population of the town in 1875 was 1,286; of whom 1,100 were native; 186 foreign; 1,259 white; and 27 colored. Its area was 13,262 acres; of which 11,112 were improved; 1,606 woodland; and 544 otherwise unimproved.

The first settlement in Owasco was made in 1792, ten years prior to the organization of the town, when it formed a part of the old military township of Aurelius. The pioneers were Samuel and Benjamin DePuy and Moses Cortright, from Orange county, Jacob and Roeliff Brinkerhoff, from Harrisburg, Penn., and Cornelius Delamater, all of whom settled in that year. Samuel DePuy located where J. N. Chamberlain now lives, on lot 86, two and a half miles north-west of Owasco, where he lived till his death, about 1821. His children are all dead, likewise most of his grand-children. Benjamin DePuy settled in the north-east part of the town, on what is known as the Decker farm, which is now occupied by Michael Welch, and on which he died. Cortright settled on lot 76, about two and a half miles north-west of Owasco, where Cyrus Baker now lives, and where he died. His children are all dead. Some of his grand-children are living, but none of them in this town. The Brinkerhoffs came in company with their brothers, James and George, the latter of whom was a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, and both of whom settled in Niles. Jacob settled on lot 84, and died there; and Roeliff, on the farm joining his on the north, where he also died. John I., a son of Jacob, and the only one of his children living, and Jacob, a grandson, now occupy the old homestead. Roeliff's homestead and a part of the farm is owned by the heirs of Henry VanEtten. A part of the farm is owned by David Brinkerhoff, a grandson. None of Roeliff's children are living. Cornelius Delamater settled in Owasco village, or on the site of the village, where he is believed to have been the first settler. He kept there, in 1800, the first tavern, which stood near the site of the present one. He left the town at an early day.

Samuel Gumaer came in from Orange county soon after the DePuys, and married a daughter of Samuel DePuy. He settled on lot 72, where the widow of Harvey Gumaer, his son, now lives. He died there about 1836-'7. James, another son, is living in Cato, and Samuel, in the west edge of Skaneateles.

Hon. Elijah Price came in from Rensselaer county in 1794, with his wife and family, (having married Beulah Howard in Stephentown in that county, January 18th, 1781,) and settled near Baptist Corners. His loghouse stood on the site of John Stoner's brick house. He took up a large tract of land in that locality, including that on which the church stands. He served in the militia of this State and Pennsylvania from 1781 to the close of the war, and was present at the surrender of Burgoyne. He was foreman of the grand-jury which indicted Indian John at Aurora for murder. He was a Member of the Assembly in 1808, and was elected with reference to the location of the County seat at Auburn, in securing which he was instrumental. He died in Owasco, December 13th, 1820. Alexander Price, his son, was a Major in the war of 1812, and was made prisoner at Lundy's Lane. William, another son, was a lawyer. He studied with Daniel Kellogg of Skaneateles, and was admitted in the same class as Freeborn G. Jewett, of that village. He had four other children, all of whom are dead. Among his grand-children are, Dr. Elijah Price Baker of Aurora; E. Darwin Baker, a graduate of Yale College, who was State Engineer in Louisiana at the breaking out of the late war, and who is now a civil engineer

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