Boston Ten Townships
Encyclopedia
The Boston Ten Townships refers to an area of 230,400 acres (932 km²) in Tioga County
and Broome County
, New York State,
between the Chenango River
(to Chenango Forks
) and Tioughnioga River
(east boundary) and the west branch of Owego Creek (west boundary), from the Susquehanna River
about twenty-five miles northwards; it includes the northern half of the town of Owego
and the towns of Newark Valley
, Berkshire
, and Richford
in Tioga County, and a portion of the Broome County
towns of Lisle
, Nanticoke
and Maine
east of these. It is bounded on the west by the Watkins and Flint Purchase
and a small portion of the original Chemung County, and on the north by the Central New York Military Tract
(present-day Cortland County). The boundary between Tioga County
and Broome County
is very irregular.
It is part of the Indian lands in New York State awarded to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
by the Treaty of Hartford
of 1786, and was subsequently purchased in the same year by a company of Boston investors (originally 11, later 60) named the Boston Purchase Company. One of the investors, Colonel Avid Pixley, came to the area to negotiate with the native inhabitants for the land rights. Most of the investors actually settled in the area, and were soon able to extinguish the Indian claims by purchase from the Oneida; one half-township of Owego
(including the village
) had already been acquired from the Oneida by James McMaster; some delicate negotiations led to his claim being recognized as the McMaster Patent.
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...
and Broome County
Broome County, New York
Broome County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 200,600. It was named in honor of John Broome, who was lieutenant governor in 1806 when Broome County was established. Its county seat is Binghamton, which is also its major city. The current...
, New York State,
between the Chenango River
Chenango River
The Chenango River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in central New York in the United States. It drains a dissected plateau area in upstate New York at the northern end of the Susquehanna watershed....
(to Chenango Forks
Chenango Forks, New York
Chenango Forks is a hamlet located in Broome County, New York in the United States. The community is partly in the Town of Chenango and partly in the Town of Barker....
) and Tioughnioga River
Tioughnioga River
The Tioughnioga River is a tributary of the Chenango River in central New York in the United States. It drains a dissected plateau area east of the Finger Lakes at the northernmost edge of the watershed of the Susquehanna River....
(east boundary) and the west branch of Owego Creek (west boundary), from the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
about twenty-five miles northwards; it includes the northern half of the town of Owego
Owego (town), New York
Owego is a town in Tioga County, New York, USA. The population was 20,365 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the Iroquois word Ahwaga, meaning where the valley widens....
and the towns of Newark Valley
Newark Valley (town), New York
Newark Valley is a town in Tioga County, New York, USA. The population was 4,097 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the city of Newark, New Jersey....
, Berkshire
Berkshire, New York
Berkshire is a town in Tioga County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, it had a population of 1,366. The town is named after Berkshire County, Massachusetts....
, and Richford
Richford, New York
Richford is a town in Tioga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,170 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Ezekial Rich, an early settler and benefactor of the town....
in Tioga County, and a portion of the Broome County
Broome County, New York
Broome County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 200,600. It was named in honor of John Broome, who was lieutenant governor in 1806 when Broome County was established. Its county seat is Binghamton, which is also its major city. The current...
towns of Lisle
Lisle (town), New York
Lisle is a town in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 2,707 at the 2000 census.The town is in the northwest part of the county and is north of Binghamton. The town also includes a village called Lisle.- History :...
, Nanticoke
Nanticoke, New York
Nanticoke is a town in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 1,790 at the 2000 census. The name is an Native American word.The Town of Nanticoke is on the western border of the county and is northwest of Binghamton.- History :...
and Maine
Maine, New York
Maine is a town in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 5,459 at the 2000 census.The Town of Maine is on the western border of the county and is northwest of Binghamton.Maine is home to the Greater Binghamton Airport...
east of these. It is bounded on the west by the Watkins and Flint Purchase
Watkins and Flint Purchase
The Watkins and Flint Purchase is a tract of land, approximately 300,000 acres , in the Southern Tier of New York State granted to John W. Watkins and Royal Flint and associates of New York City, in 1794, following an application to the New York Commissioners of the Land-Office in 1791...
and a small portion of the original Chemung County, and on the north by the Central New York Military Tract
Central New York Military Tract
The Military Tract of Central New York, also called the New Military Tract, consisted of nearly two million acres of bounty land set aside to compensate New York’s soldiers after their participation in the Revolutionary War....
(present-day Cortland County). The boundary between 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...
and Broome County
Broome County, New York
Broome County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 200,600. It was named in honor of John Broome, who was lieutenant governor in 1806 when Broome County was established. Its county seat is Binghamton, which is also its major city. The current...
is very irregular.
It is part of the Indian lands in New York State awarded to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
by the Treaty of Hartford
Treaty of Hartford
The term Treaty of Hartford applies to three historic agreements negotiated at Hartford, Connecticut. The 1638 treaty divided the spoils of the Pequot War. The 1650 treaty defined a border between the Dutch Nieuw Amsterdam and English settlers in Connecticut...
of 1786, and was subsequently purchased in the same year by a company of Boston investors (originally 11, later 60) named the Boston Purchase Company. One of the investors, Colonel Avid Pixley, came to the area to negotiate with the native inhabitants for the land rights. Most of the investors actually settled in the area, and were soon able to extinguish the Indian claims by purchase from the Oneida; one half-township of Owego
Owego (town), New York
Owego is a town in Tioga County, New York, USA. The population was 20,365 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the Iroquois word Ahwaga, meaning where the valley widens....
(including the village
Owego (village), New York
Owego is a village in and the county seat of Tioga County, New York, USA. The population was 3,911 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
) had already been acquired from the Oneida by James McMaster; some delicate negotiations led to his claim being recognized as the McMaster Patent.