The Town of Yorkshire, including the current Town of Machias, and a portion of
the Town of Farmersville, was formed from the Town of Ischua in 1820. In 1821,
the area of the Town of Farmersville was set off creating the current Town of
Farmersville. In 1827, that portion of the Town of Yorkshire encompassing the
current Town of Machias was removed. In 1844 a portion of the Town of Freedom
was annexed to Yorkshire. In 1847, a portion of the Town of Yorkshire was annexed
to Machias, leaving the Town of Yorkshire as it is today.
In 1809, the first contract of the Holland Land Company was secured, with
the first settlement being established in 1810, and the first saw and grist mill
(1814). A post office wa s established in 1825.
The hamlet of Yorkshire Corners (hamlet of Yorkshire) saw its first settler
in 1820 and the opening of a hotel in 1820. Other businesses included a distillery
(1824), cheese box and shingle manufactory, a grist mill (1824), a tavern
(1824), a carding factory, a store (1822), and a cheese factory (1864). In
addition, in the 1870's, this hamlet saw 2 churches, 2 hotels, 3 stores, a harness
shop, a drug store, a tin and hardware store, a furniture store, a post
office, a school, a saw mill, a plow manufactory, an iron foundry, a meat market,
2 wagon and 3 blacksmith shops, a millinery and 300 inhabitants.
The village of Yorkshire Centre (now the Village of Delevan), was first
cleared for a residence in 1822 and was a station of the Buffalo, New York and
Philadelphia Railroad. In the 1870's, the village contained 2 churches, a hotel,
4 stores, a hardware store, a tin store, a drug store, a furniture store, a
grocery, a jewelry store, a cheese factory, a grist mill, a saw mill, a cheese
box and shingle factory, a wool carding establishment, a post office, a school, 2
wagon, 3 blacksmith, 2 harness, 2 shoe shops, a meat market, 4 millinery and
dress making shops, a barber shop, 3 physicians, and 400 inhabitants.
The hamlet of West Yorkshire (The Forks) saw its first settler in 1815.
Here in the 1870's, was located a grist mill, a tannery, a post office, a wagon
shop, a blacksmith shop, a shoe shop, and 50 inhabitants.
Source: Cattaraugus County Book 1808-1995/96