Before the date last named, Jacob Van Woert, a Dutchman, and father of the late Peter and John Van Woert, came from Albany and settled on the farm lately owned by his son Peter, near the mouth of the Otego Creek.  Asa Emmons about the same time settled on the south side of the river, near the Charlotte.  He came from Vermont, and settled where Deacon Slade now lives.  Jacob Wolf, the father of Conradt Wolf, had also settled in the southern part of the town at about the close of the Revolutionary war.  Mr. Wolf had been taken as an Indian captive to Canada, where he had been detained for several years.  His home, when captured, was in the valley of the Mohawk.  While extinguishing a fire which had caught in a tall hemlock, by night, he was surprised by a company of Indians, by whom he was easily overpowered.  He at length escaped from his captors, and making his way southward, after a long and perilous journey, he met with friends on the Tioga river.  He rejoined his wife on the Mohawk, and afterwards removed to the Susquehanna, on the farm now owned by George Swart, southwest of the village.

Elihu Gifford, with four sons, came from Albany county in 1803, and first settled at West Oneonta, on the farm now owned by Joseph Taber.  In 1806, Mr. Gifford moved to the farm now owned by Henry Gifford on Oneonta Creek.  About the same time Josiah Peet and Ephraim Farrington moved into the same neighborhood.  Later, Col.  Wm. Richardson settled further up the creek and built a saw-mill and a grist-mill.  “Richardson’s Mills” became a well-known place in a few years, and a thriving hamlet soon began to form around them.  Col.  Richardson was an enterprising man of business and took a prominent part in the affairs of the town.  He served in the war of 1812-15.

When Elihu Gifford moved to the Oneonta Creek there were only four “clearings” in that valley.  A Mr. Armitage had made some inroads upon the wilderness, on what is now known as the Losee farm; Asel Marvin had made a clearing on the James Sheldon farm, and there were others on Mrs. Richardson’s farm, and where Peter Yager lives.  The settlers along the Oneonta Creek, after Mr. Marvin, moved in slowly.

About 1804, David Yager came from Greenbush, N.Y., and purchased the farm now known as the Peter Yager farm.  Solomon Yager, the father of David, came afterwards, purchasing his son’s farm.[A]

[Footnote A:  For the purpose of showing the increase in the value of real estate, it may be mentioned that at the time David Yager sold to his father, he was offered a farm lying between Maple street and the farm of J.R.L.  Walling, containing 150 acres, for $400.]

James McDonald settled at the lower end of the village at an early date.  Mr. McDonald was of Scotch descent, and an active business man.  The lower part of the village was largely built through his enterprise and at one time bid fair to become the business centre of the village.  He built a mill and hotel, and also became an extensive landholder.  James McDonald kept the first post-office established within the limits of the town.