Owing to the limited water power in town, but little manufacturing was carried on as long as this was the only motor. Silas NASH was the pioneer manufacturer. In 1817, he put up a sawmill on the stream at West Dayton which he operated a number of years. In a rebuilt condition the mill was continued until 1856, among the later owners being J.R. RICE and David SAUNDERS. About 1853, John KNOWLTON got in operation a steam sawmill at West Dayton which has been improved and the capacity increased. It is at present the property of John CRANDALL.
    On Lot 30, Colonel Ralph JOHNSON began the business of tanning soon after his settlement in 1815. His first vat was hollowed out of a large log. Gradually, his facilities were increased until he had, about 1830, a pretty fair tannery, which at a still later period contained 12 vats. The tannery was carried on until about 1865.
    About 1830, Ralph JOHNSON and Anson C. MERRILL put up a sawmill in this locality, and on its site, a mill is yet operated by Henry MARKHAM. It has a capacity of three thousand feet per day. MARKHAM also operates a shingle mill, put up in 1862 by Henry WOLF. Five men are employed in the manufacture of fifteen thousand shingles per day. Gorham DART was an early shingle manufacturer, building in all three mills in the "swamp," and manufactured a large portion of the timber there growing. Some of these mills were removed to other parts of the town, and afterwards operated by Moses DART and C.L. WATKINS. The same may be said of sawmills. After being operated a period in one locality, they were removed when the timber supply was exhausted, to a more favorable place. In 1873, WATKINS & TARBELL removed their mill from the East Leon neighborhood to Dayton, and in 1877, the mill operated at the Jamestown crossing was removed by Henry WOLF to Lot 22, below Dayton Village. Here it was continued until June 12, 1878, when it was demolished by the explosion of the boiler. The disaster was accompanied by the loss of four lives, killing almost instantly, Henry WOLFE and his son William, Joseph HARBINE, and the engineer, a Norwegian named FRONDS. Two others employed in the mill had a narrow escape.
William WOLFE has a combined saw and shingle mill below MARKHAM'S and in the same locality Jacob DURSEY has at present a shingle mill in operation.

    The dairy interests of Dayton have become so important that they constitute the leading industry of the people. Formerly large private dairies were maintained, but at present, the greater portion of the milk is manufactured at the different creameries in town, at this time seven in number. One of the largest, the East Leon factory, is in the southeastern part of the town and partly in Leon, in whose history it is fully noted. 

    The oldest hamlet in town is West Dayton. On account of its location on one of the principal highways, it was in early times, a place of much more importance than at present, although it is yet entitled to a respectable position among the many hamlets of the county. It contains a sawmill, store, shops, a Methodist and a Union Church, and about twenty-five dwellings. The post office is called Cottage, and was established after 1850, having John H. BLISH as the first postmaster. N.M. ALLEN was the next appointee and the subsequent ones have been I.H. ALDEN, L.W. DAY, Charles BLAIR, and D.S. ALDEN, the present incumbent. The first mail was supplied from SMITH'S mills, Chautauqua County, and afterwards from Perrysburg, the present from MARKHAM'S Station.
    John H. BLISH was the first to engage in trade sometime about 1845. Four or five years later, John KNOWLTON opened a store. S.W. DAY, Barzilla MERRILL, and I.H. ALDEN were afterwards in trade. The present merchant is D.S. ALDEN.
    The first public house in town was opened at this point in 1824 by Joshua and Caleb WEBB. In after years, the former had another tavern on the BLISH place. John H. BLISH, J.H. RICE, Daniel WHELPLEY, L. & G. FLOWERS, and others followed as the keepers of public houses; FLOWERS being the last to have a tavern.
    In the southeastern part of the town, at the junction of the Jamestown and other roads, a hamlet sprung up about 1830 which received the name of Sociality.

    This name was also applied to the post office, which was established before 1833, with Ephraim DUTTON as postmaster. It was the first office in town, and was continued until the Erie Railroad was completed through this section of the county, when other offices were established so that the business of the Sociality office became too meagre to warrant its longer continuance. Nelson HILLEBERT was the last postmaster.    At this place, William H. LELAND opened the first store in town in 1833. He had also a public house and continued the keeper of both about ten years. Franklin PHILBRICK afterwards kept a store and Harry HOWARD the tavern, and as "HOWARD'S Corners" this place is yet locally known. After HOWARD's retirement from this house, Leander BACON became the keeper, and others, for short periods were here as landlords; but the suspension of travel on the Jamestown Road, after the railroads were built, caused the house to be used for other purposes, and the only place of business at present is a grocery store by C.W. HALL.  In the huddle are a few mechanic shops, a cheese factory, and a very neat Methodist church.
    North of the centre of the town is another hamlet, generally known as MARKHAM'S Corners.

    It derived its name from Joshua MARKHAM, who became a resident here in 1834, and soon after opened a tavern which he continued about thirty years. In this vicinity, Colonel Ralph JOHNSON had another public house, from 1845 on, continuing a number of years, and the building is at present occupied by Leonard METSKER for a grocery store. Near here was formerly a post office which was removed to Dayton Village. In 1876, a new office was established having John WALLACE as postmaster. The name of this office is like the station, MARKHAM, of which WALLACE is also agent. Since 1875, he has had a small store near the railroad. The place contains a cheese factory, several sawmills, and half a dozen houses.

    Dayton, a station on the Erie and Buffalo and Southwestern Railroads, is in the northeastern part of the town, principally on Lot 23. It has grown up wholly since 1851 and largely since 1872. It contains a few hundred inhabitants, a Catholic and a Methodist church, several factories, half a dozen places of business, and two hotels.

    Pine Valley is a flourishing village in the southwestern part of the town on the Buffalo and Southwestern Railroad, six miles from Dayton junction. The locality was formerly known as South Dayton, and the post office is yet known by this name. This office was established about 1860 with E.O. BEACH postmaster, who appointed John WICKHAM deputy. The latter kept the office at his residence, and had the mail brought from West Dayton twice per week. Henry T. RICE was next appointed, and M. L. RANLETT is the present incumbent. The mail service is twice per day. In the neighborhood where the post office was on the West Dayton Road, the village had its beginning as a hamlet and did not improve much until 1875. That year, the Buffalo and Southwestern Railroad located a station, one hundred and twenty rods southeast from the post office, and Robert F. EWING platted thirty acres of the WICKHAM farm for a village, extending from the station westward. This was the beginning of Pine Valley proper, and on this plat, N.L. ROWE put up a small store building that year. The following season, EWING put up the first large building on the new plat, and many residences were erected the same season.
    John WICKHAM platted an addition of thirty acres to EWING'S Pine Valley in the fall of 1875, and since that period the place has had a rapid but healthy growth, containing at present seventy-five buildings, many of large proportions and fine architecture. It is the largest shipping point on the railroad between Jamestown and Buffalo, and has an increasing trade, which makes its future promising and very auspicious.
    In this locality David BARRETT was the first in trade, keeping a grocery store on the West Dayton road about 1862. In the same building John WICKHAM opened a store in 1872, but the following year occupied a new building, which is now the business place of RANLETT & CHASE. 

    In 1835, the Commissioners of Common Schools, James CADWELL, Russell BROWN, and W.B. SMITH reported four whole and five fractional districts in town in which an aggregate of forty-three months of school had been taught, in terms of from three to seven months in each district. The number of children taught was three hundred and sixty-five, and the money apportioned to the town by the county was $121.15.
    There are at present nine school districts, owning buildings and lots valued at $3,600; in these two hundred and seventy-seven and four-fifths weeks of school were taught at a cost of $2,246.35 for teachers' wages; the apportionment from the county was $1,170.68, and the amount raised by taxation $1,222.39. The number of children of school age was reported as four hundred and eighty-five, and the average daily attendance a little more than two hundred and seven.
    In most districts, good school houses have been provided and the reputation of the schools will bear comparison with those of other towns.
    District No. 2 is the owner of a fine grove near Dayton Village, which is locally known as "Educational Grove." It contains about five acres of well-drained ground, covered by a magnificent growth of maple trees. It is a favorite place for picnics and public outdoor 

    It is generally believed that the Rev. Elnathan FINCH, a Baptist missionary, held the first religious meeting in town in 1816 at the house of Caleb WEBB at West Dayton. It does not appear that any society was organized in consequence, immediately or in the years following. It seems that the settlements were too sparse to maintain a church organization, and no effort was made in this direction by the Baptists. But in the fall of 1818, a class of four Methodists was formed, and met for worship at the house of Caleb WEBB. The members were WEBB and wife, Daniel and Clarinda BRAND. The meetings were led by a Mr. WHIPPLE, living at Kent's Mills; and occasional preaching was supplied by Revs. Dennis GODDARD and Samuel R. BROCKWAY. Soon the class was augmented by members from the WEBB, DARBEE, and PROSSER families, and shortly after a log meeting house was built on the land of Daniel PROSSER, in southwestern Perrysburg which was used until 1845. From this class was formed

or what is now known as the Cottage Methodist Episcopal Church. The incorporation was effected October 31, 1845, at a meeting over which Daniel PROSSER and John H. BLISH presided. The trustees elected were Gile JOHNSON, William HOWLET, and John B. REED. The membership of the church at this time was about sixty, under the pastoral direction of the Revs. W.S. WARALLO and T.H. CUMMINGS, preachers in charge of a circuit which embraced appointments in Dayton, Perrysburg and other towns.
    A church edifice was erected the following year, 1846, at West Dayton, which was replaced by the present structure in 1872. It is a very attractive place of worship, with a capacity to seat 300 persons, and cost to build $2,500. A parsonage and two acres of ground were secured for the use of Dayton circuit about twenty years ago, at West Dayton.

    The second Methodist Episcopal Church in Dayton which was constituted of members living in the eastern part of the town, was duly incorporated Marcy 8, 1848. A board of trustees was chosen composed of Avery PARK, Nelson HILLIBERT, Norman L. BACON, Esek B. NASH, Aaron P. KNOWLES, Jonathan PRINCE, and Benjamin J. ALLEN, to attend to the temporal affairs of this body; but no church building was erected, and after a few years, the society was allowed to disorganize. A class of Methodists continued to exist, and meetings were held statedly, the preaching being supplied by the pastors of the neighboring churches.
    On the 21st of April 1875, a meeting of these members was held in the school house at HOWARD'S Corners, over which the pastor, Rev. J.H. WHALLON, presided. A new organization was formed, to be known as the

and B.J. ALLEN, O.J. NASH, Ansel A. NASH, Esek K. PARK, Charles W. HALL, L.O. HALL, and A.G. PARK were elected trustees. 

    It yet remains a part of the Dayton circuit, and has always been served by the ministers from the Cottage Church. The present pastor is the Rev. A.H. BOWERS, and the members number about forty.
    In 1870, a comfortable church edifice was erected at a cost of nearly three thousand dollars, which was consecrated to the worship of the Divine Being the same year by the Rev. C.C. CARRUTHERS, presiding elder of the district. The property yet bears a neat appearance, and is estimated worth two thousand five hundred dollars. It is controlled by a board of trustees composed of E.C. BARTLETT, James RICE, A.T. GREGG, J.M. RICH, and A.M. HALL.

    The Free-Will Baptists held meetings in the eastern part of Dayton and the southern part of Dayton soon after those sections were settled. 

    St. Paul's Church at Dayton Village, was formed as the result of missionary meetings held here in 1863 by Passionists from Dunkirk. In 1864, a small church, capacitated to seat one hundred and fifty persons, was built in the southern part of the village in which about ten families met regularly for worship, and were under the spiritual tutelage of Passionists, until Dayton became a parish with Father Charles C. GEPPERT as the first resident priest.
    In 1876, a fine church edifice, forty by seventy feet, with a handsome tower eighty feet high was erected on an acre of ground at a cost of nearly four thousand dollars. The tower contains an excellent bell, weighing six hundred pounds. A part of the church lot is used for cemetery purposes.
    There are at present fifty-three families and three hundred communicants connected with the church which has for its resident priest, Father WELCH. A Sunday school of thirty members, and a parish school for religious instruction are also maintained.

    The German United Protestant St. Peter's Congregation was incorporated September 3, 1864, and had for its first trustees Charles KOEPPEL, William BORNEMAN, and John OCHSER. Previous to this period, a small but neat house of worship had been built about four miles south of Dayton Village. In the house, meetings have been held statedly by the Revs. SHONSTEIN, FEGALE, and others, the congregation having no regular pastor. The membership in consequence is small, and the society not so prosperous as under more favorable circumstances.

    The Free Union Church was erected at West Dayton in the fall of 1878, and consecrated October 31st by the Rev. Dr. HALL of Buffalo, and Rev. Mr. COOK of Cherry Creek. It was built by the people  of  Cottage and  vicinity for  the accommodation  of  any 

    Summit Lodge No. 72, A.O.U.W., was instituted at Dayton Village, February 24, 1877, with twelve charter members, and the following officers: E.O. HAYES, M.W.; L.D. BARTLETT, G.F.; J.L. FENTON, O.; D.J. PIERCE, R.; A.M. HALL, F.; N.A. CHAFFEE, Rec. There are at present thirty-six members and the meetings are held in VOLK'S Hall.
    The principal offices were filled in 1878 by M.H. MERRILL, P.M.W.; John LOCKE, M.W.; M.W. JOHNSON, G.F.; James L. FENTON, O.; and the three last-named officers of 1877.
    Valley Lodge, No. 704 K. of H., was instituted at Pine Valley, August 1, 1877 with eleven charter members. The first principal officers were B.H. LAMB, D.; J.S. Shults, P.D.; T.R. SIMPSON, R.D.; A.B. CHARLESWORTH, V.D.; George YOUNG, Jr., R.; E.A. CHASE, F.R.; Charles BERWALD, T.; D. RANLETT, G. Sixteen members were reported in November, 1878.
    The Valley Lodge Building Association was organized in April, 1878, with the following members: J.C. SHULTS, Charles BERWALD, Joseph LE BARRON, John LE BARRON, W. FOLEY, B.H. LAMB, E.A. CHASE, George YOUNG, Jr., John OAKS, D. RANLETT, George BURKHALTER.
    The object of the association is to provide a suitable hall for lodge and other purposes at Pine Valley. In the fall of 1878, a building 22 by 50 feet, two stories high, was erected at a cost of about one thousand dollars. To this place, the meetings of Valley Lodge will be transferred at an early day.
    There have been temperance societies and other secret orders in town, but the meetings have been discontinued, and their history, in consequence, cannot be here given.