1879 History of Steuben County NY Illustrations & Biographical Sketches 1st Ed For Sale

History of Steuben County, NY. Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers. By Professor W W Clayton. Huge book - 12 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches and 2 1/2 inches thick. Over 800 pages in total.The primary historical overview spans the first 460 pages, which is immediately followed by a separate 352-page section dedicated to the specific military records, town-by-town biographies, and local directories. Laden with intricate, full-page portraits of prominent men, pioneers, and early properties.

• General History: Covers the early geological formations, indigenous histories, colonial settlements, and the formal organization of the county.
• Baron von Steuben Biography: Includes a prominent biographical sketch of the county’s namesake, Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin, Baron von Steuben, the revolutionary war hero.
• Town-by-Town Chronicles: Breaks down the founding, early settlement, religious history, and schools for every town in the county, including Addison, Bath, Canisteo, Corning, Hornellsville, and Wayland.
• Military Registers: Features comprehensive Civil War rosters detailing individual service records of soldiers who enlisted from the county.
• Statistical Directory: A helpful directory tracking the names, professions, and arrival dates of the contemporary 1870s citizens who backed the project

The book covers 32 specific towns (which encompass all the major villages and the modern cities of Corning and Hornell, which were still classified as major villages or town tracts at the time of (The County (Modern City of every locality listed above, Clayton provides a deep-dive micro-history:

• The Pioneer Settlement: Names and exact years of the very first families to clear the land.
• Early Businesses: Who built the first gristmill, sawmill, tavern, and general store.
• Ecclesiastical History: The founding of local churches and lists of early pastors.
• Civil War Roster: A precise, localized list of every soldier from that specific town who fought in the war, along with their regiments.

Published in 1879 by Lewis, Peck & Co. of Philadelphia - Printed by J B Lippincott. Very good condition. Bright cover, firm binding, strong hinges and clean text. Some edgewear to the bottom boards and corners.