Town Historian
Historians
Roselyn Renner, Town Historian
607-527-8299
Noel Sylvester, Deputy Town Historian
607-776-8018
Located almost in the center of Steuben County, bordered by Bath, Savona, Campbell, Cameron, Rathbone and Addison, the Town of Thurston was formed on February 28, 1844, when 22,000 acres were split off from the eastern section of Cameron.
The Town is named for William B. Thurston, the principal landowner. Merchantville and Risingville were the the primary hamlets. In the late 1800s the name Merchantville was dropped, and the hamlet was called Thurston. The first settlers were Luke Bonny and William Smith on Bonny Hill in 1813. William Jack and Stephen Aldrich settled near Cranberry Lake, known as Friend's Pond, in 1822. Edwin Merchant, for whom Merchantville was named, purchased land and set up a blacksmith and wagon shop in 1841. Risingville became the center of the lumbering business beginning in 1852 and was recognized for its huge, up-do-date sawmill.