Page:History of Delaware County (1856).djvu/167

 DELAWARE COUNTY. 143 often in such uncertainty as to render it extremely difficult to ■-^ be sure that no injustice is done to individuals, or what is of equal if not greater importance, to history, and that in this as in other instances, mistakes may and probably will occur; and while it is hoped every one will overlook any such errors, it is suggested that were individuals aware of the difficulties in the way, they would in their criticisms exercise that charity which is meet in cases where the error is only one of the head and not of the heart. Mr. Wattles, or Judge, as he was commonly called, was born in 1752, but the place of his birth is unknown. He was of Scotch descent, and died in Sidney, Del. Co., N. Y., in 1337, aged 85 years. He resided in Lebanon, Conn., and that town, or region, was probably his native place — married there and had several children, when with his family, he removed to New Canaan, in N. Y. ; from there to a place upon the West Branch of the Delaware, supposed to be at, or near what is now called Bloomville, in Kortright. This was near the close of the Revolutionary war, and the place upon the Delaware where he stopped with his family, had been occupied by seve- ral Scotch families, who had made some little improvements, and there were two or three log-houses standing, into one of which Mr. W. moved his family — all being vacant, the former occupants living there during the Revolution, left or were driven away by the Indians and tories. During the two years the family remained there, the youngest daughter, Betsey, and afterwards the wife of Col. William Dewey, of Sidney, was born, (1785,) and it was the impression of Judge W., in his latter years, that she was the first white child born in the now county of Delaware, but in this he was evidently mistaken. It appears that Mr. Wattles had contracted with one or more proprietors of the lands between the Susquehanna and Delaware to survey the same into small tracts, suitable to be sold for farms to those who might desire to settle upon the