Chemung, New York
Encyclopedia
Chemung is a town
in Chemung County
, New York
, USA
. The population was 2,665 at the 2000 census. The town name is derived from the river flowing through it, which means in the native dialect, "Big Horn."
The Town of Chemung is in the southeast corner of the county and is southeast of Elmira
, New York
. It is part of the Elmira
, New York
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
of 1779, which fought at the Battle of Newtown
, just west of the current Town of Chemung.
The first clear record of settlement dates to about 1786.
The Town of Chemung was the original town in Chemung County and was incorporated into the county in 1798 at the time the county was formed [even though Chemung County was not created until 1836]. The town had been established in 1788 in Montgomery County
, New York
. Chemung lost territory when Tioga County
, New York
was formed in 1791. The "Town of Newtown" (now Town of Elmira
) was taken from Chemung in 1792. Subsequently, Chemung lost more territory to form all or parts of Erin
(1822), Baldwin
(1856), and Ashland
(1867).
, the town has a total area of 50 square miles (129.5 km²), of which, 49.5 square miles (128.2 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (1.12%) is water.
The Chemung River
flows through the south part of the town. Cayuta Creek
, a tributary of the Chemung River defines part of the east town line.
The south border of the town is Pennsylvania
(Bradford County
) and the east border is Tioga County
.
The Southern Tier Expressway (New York State Route 17
) and New York State Route 427
are east-west highways in Chemung.
of 2000, there were 2,665 people, 969 households, and 749 families residing in the town. The population density
was 53.9 people per square mile (20.8/km²). There were 1,054 housing units at an average density of 21.3 per square mile (8.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.64% White, 0.53% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.45% from other races
, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.
There were 969 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 101.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $35,167, and the median income for a family was $37,885. Males had a median income of $29,844 versus $22,958 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $15,201. About 8.5% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.9% of those under age 18 and 1.1% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Chemung County
Chemung County, New York
Chemung County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses all of Chemung County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 88,830. Its name is derived from the name of a Delaware Indian village . Its...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,665 at the 2000 census. The town name is derived from the river flowing through it, which means in the native dialect, "Big Horn."
The Town of Chemung is in the southeast corner of the county and is southeast of Elmira
Elmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It is part of the Elmira
Elmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The region was visited by the Sullivan ExpeditionSullivan Expedition
The Sullivan Expedition, also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, was an American campaign led by Major General John Sullivan and Brigadier General James Clinton against Loyalists and the four nations of the Iroquois who had sided with the British in the American Revolutionary War.The...
of 1779, which fought at the Battle of Newtown
Battle of Newtown
The Battle of Newtown , also known as the Battle of Chemung, was the only major battle of the Sullivan Expedition, an armed offensive led by General John Sullivan that was ordered by the Continental Congress to end the threat of the Iroquois who had sided with the British in the American...
, just west of the current Town of Chemung.
The first clear record of settlement dates to about 1786.
The Town of Chemung was the original town in Chemung County and was incorporated into the county in 1798 at the time the county was formed [even though Chemung County was not created until 1836]. The town had been established in 1788 in Montgomery County
Montgomery County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,708 people, 20,038 households, and 13,104 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 22,522 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Chemung lost territory when Tioga County
Tioga County, New York
As of the census of 2010, there were 51,125 people residing in the county, with 22,203 housing units, of these 20,350 occupied, 1,853 vacant. The population density was 98 people per square mile...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
was formed in 1791. The "Town of Newtown" (now Town of Elmira
Elmira (town), New York
Elmira is a town in Chemung County, New York, United States. The population was 7,199 at the 2000 census.The Town of Elmira is in the south-central part of the county, surrounding the City of Elmira on three sides. The town is in the Southern Tier of New York...
) was taken from Chemung in 1792. Subsequently, Chemung lost more territory to form all or parts of Erin
Erin, New York
Erin is a town in Chemung County, New York, United States. The population was 2,054 at the 2000 census. The name was applied by early settlers from Ireland.The Town of Erin is east of Elmira and is at the county's northeast border...
(1822), Baldwin
Baldwin, New York
Baldwin is the name of some places in the U.S. state of New York:*Baldwin, Chemung County, New York *Baldwin, Nassau County, New York...
(1856), and Ashland
Ashland, New York
Ashland is the name of some places in the U.S. state of New York:*Ashland, Chemung County, New York*Ashland, Greene County, New York...
(1867).
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 50 square miles (129.5 km²), of which, 49.5 square miles (128.2 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (1.12%) is water.
The Chemung River
Chemung River
The Chemung River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in south central New York and northern Pennsylvania in the United States. It drains a mountainous region of the northern Allegheny Plateau in the Southern Tier of New York...
flows through the south part of the town. Cayuta Creek
Cayuta Creek
Cayuta Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River that flows through Schuyler, Chemung and Tioga counties in New York state, and Bradford County, Pennsylvania....
, a tributary of the Chemung River defines part of the east town line.
The south border of the town is Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
(Bradford County
Bradford County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 62,761 people, 24,453 households, and 17,312 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 28,664 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
) and the east border is Tioga County
Tioga County, New York
As of the census of 2010, there were 51,125 people residing in the county, with 22,203 housing units, of these 20,350 occupied, 1,853 vacant. The population density was 98 people per square mile...
.
The Southern Tier Expressway (New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
) and New York State Route 427
New York State Route 427
New York State Route 427 is an east–west state highway in Chemung County, New York, United States. It extends for from its western terminus at an intersection with NY 14 in the town of Southport, south of the city of Elmira, to its eastern terminus at an interchange with NY 17 in...
are east-west highways in Chemung.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,665 people, 969 households, and 749 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 53.9 people per square mile (20.8/km²). There were 1,054 housing units at an average density of 21.3 per square mile (8.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.64% White, 0.53% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.45% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.94% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.
There were 969 households out of which 36.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.2% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.7% were non-families. 17.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.03.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.0% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 101.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.7 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $35,167, and the median income for a family was $37,885. Males had a median income of $29,844 versus $22,958 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $15,201. About 8.5% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.9% of those under age 18 and 1.1% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and location in Chemung
- Beantown – A hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
in the northwest part of the town on County Road 3. - Chemung – The hamlet of Chemung is located near the south town line. The community is adjacent to the Southern Tier Expressway and the Chemung River.
- Lowman – A hamlet in the southwest corner of the town by NY-17. The Dr. Hovey Everett HouseDr. Hovey Everett HouseThe Dr. Hovey Everett House is a Greek Revival style house in Lowman, New York. It is significant both for its architecture and for its association with the life of Dr. Hovey Everett, who practised medicine in the area including Lowman and nearby Elmira, New York for forty years, from his arrival...
was listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2007. The Chemung District School No. 10Chemung District School No. 10The Chemung District School No. 10 is a one-room schoolhouse located in Lowman, New York. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 21, 2008....
was listed in 2008. - Mallory Creek – A stream flowing past Owens Mills into Wynkoop Creek.
- Owens Mills – A hamlet near the center of the town on County Road 23.
- Wynkoop Creek – A stream on the west side of town flowing past Bean Town and entering the Chemung River near Chemung village.
Notable natives
- Geoffrey Bodine, Brett BodineBrett BodineBrett Bodine is a former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver and is the current driver of the pace car in Sprint Cup events. Brett is the younger brother of 1986 Daytona 500 winner Geoff Bodine and the older brother of 2006 Craftsman Truck Series champion Todd Bodine...
, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck champion Todd BodineTodd BodineTodd Bodine is a NASCAR driver. Todd is the younger brother of former racers Geoff Bodine and Brett Bodine. Bodine is known for his bald head, which has given him the nickname The Onion...
, all NASCARNASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
drivers. - Wells SpicerWells SpicerWells W. Spicer was an American journalist, prospector, politician, lawyer and judge whose legal career immersed him in two significant events in frontier history: the Mountain Meadows massacre in the Utah Territory in 1857; and the 1881 shootout commonly known as the Gunfight at the O.K...
, judge who presided over preliminary hearing to see if VirgilVirgil EarpVirgil Walter Earp fought in the Civil War. He was U.S. Deputy Marshal for south-eastern Arizona and Tombstone City Marshal at the time of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in the Arizona Territory. Two months after the shootout in Tombstone, outlaw Cowboys ambushed Virgil on the streets of...
, WyattWyatt EarpWyatt Berry Stapp Earp was an American gambler, investor, and law enforcement officer who served in several Western frontier towns. He was also at different times a farmer, teamster, bouncer, saloon-keeper, miner and boxing referee. However, he was never a drover or cowboy. He is most well known...
, and Morgan EarpMorgan EarpMorgan Seth Earp was the younger brother of Deputy U.S. Marshals Virgil and Wyatt Earp. Morgan was a deputy of Virgil's and all three men were the target of repeated death threats made by outlaw Cowboys who were upset by the Earps' interference in their illegal activities. This conflict eventually...
as well as Doc HollidayDoc HollidayJohn Henry "Doc" Holliday was an American gambler, gunfighter and dentist of the American Old West, who is usually remembered for his friendship with Wyatt Earp and his involvement in the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral...
would stand trial for murder following the Gunfight at the O.K. CorralGunfight at the O.K. CorralThe Gunfight at the O.K. Corral was a roughly 30-second gunfight that took place at about 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 26, 1881, in Tombstone, Cochise County, Arizona Territory, of the United States. Outlaw Cowboys Ike Clanton and Billy Claiborne ran from the fight, unharmed, but Ike's brother...
; also was defense attorney for John D. LeeJohn D. LeeJohn Doyle Lee was a prominent early Latter-day Saint who was executed for his role in the Mountain Meadows massacre.-Early Mormon leader:...
in his trial for his involvement in the Mountain Meadows massacreMountain Meadows massacreThe Mountain Meadows massacre was a series of attacks on the Baker–Fancher emigrant wagon train, at Mountain Meadows in southern Utah. The attacks culminated on September 11, 1857 in the mass slaughter of the emigrant party by the Iron County district of the Utah Territorial Militia and some local...
.