he 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 an