HISTORY: Dexterville, Chautauqua Co., New York

Copyright (c) 1999 by Dee Pratt Davidson (jcricket@cecomet.net).

************************************************************************
USGENWEB NOTICE:  These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in
any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or
persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material,
must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal
representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb
archivist with proof of this consent.  The submittor has given 
permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently
for free access.
************************************************************************
The following is excerpted from The Early History, Town of Ellicott
Personal recollections of Dr. Gilbert W. Hazeltine, 1887

The first sawmill built by James PRENDERGAST at the Rapids was the third in
Southern Chautauqua Co.  Nathan CASS in 1815 made a clearing and built a
sawmill at what was then known as Slippery Rock.  In the fall of 1816 or early
the following spring, CASS sold his interest at Slippery Rock to John and
Darius DEXTER of Mayville and Dewittville.

   The DEXTERS were among the earliest settlers of the county.  John , Darius
and William DEXTER came to Mayville in 1808 and bought lands in that vicinity. 
Darius Dexter cut the first road from the lake through Mayville towards the
Cross Roads.  Where the courthouse now stands was cleared by him.  He went
back to Herkimer Co. in the fall and returned in the spring of 1809 with his
wife.  He was at Black Rock in the War of 1812, as an officer with one of the
Chautauqua companies.  At the close of the war he became a Colonel and was the
first commanding officer of the 162 Regiment of the NY State Militia. He was
one of Ellicott's most prominent and valuable citizens, long remembered for
his charities and also for his one swear word for which he became noted. He
was known everywhere as "DOM" Dexter.

  The brothers for several years had a store and ashery at Dewittville and
Darius  resided there,;  He removed to Slippery Rock, in 1818, and the
locality soon thereafter assumed the name of  DEXTER'S MILLS, afterward,
DEXTERVILLE, now (1885) as East Jamestown. 

    Mrs. Dexter a lady of great worth, died there  in 1829.   His son,
Harrison DEXTER now a wealthy lumberman, resides in Cincinatti,  His wife, 
was the second daughter of William and Laura KNIGHT of Jamestown.  After
selling the property at Dexterville to FALCONER, JONES and ALLEN,  Darius
Dexter removed to Perry IL, and died there,

For nearly 70 years, Dexter and Dexterville have been household words with the
people of Jamestown, as were also TIFFANY, and Tiffanyville, WORK, and
Worksburg,  PLUMB and Plumbville. Now all the locations have changed their
names, and the busy residents who crowd the streets and highways of those once
peaceful, pleasant hamlets,  not one in a hundred, ever heard the names of
their founders spoken.