The town of Milo was split from Benton in 1818. At that time the road surveys from Benton that lay within the boundaries of the new town were abstracted and entered in this book, and then new surveys were entered as they were completed. Apparently in 1820 an old book of surveys was found in the possession of former Benton clerk Benjamin Shaw (in whose house, owned at the time by Lawrence Townsend, the original town meetings were held.) The surveys from this book that lay in Milo were also transcribed in the book, including a couple on the flyleaves [numbered for purposes of this index as pages A and B]. Then the new surveys were again entered.
A name and coarse subject index have been prepared for posting on line. Records of Roads are good sources for determining exactly where people lived, what routes they followed to commercial centers, and occasionally for other details such as what buildings existed at the time, what crops were raised, and so on.
The book, unlike some from other towns, is comprised almost entirely of actual surveys, which gave headings and measured distances from known landmarks; plus alterations and closings of (described) existing roads. Following is a list of the contents of this volume:
Pages A-B: Surveys 1800-1801
Pages 1-19: "Surveys taken from the town books of Benton belonging to the town of Milo" dated 1806-1818
Pages 20-23: "First entries of surveys for the T. of Milo after the division of Benton Decr 10th 1818" dated 1818-1819
Pages 24-27: "Surveys taken from some Old records found with Benjamin Shaw Town Clk of Benton, Milo November 26th 1820" dated 1797-1803
Pages 28-37: Minutes of road surveys, alterations, closings: dated 1821-1825
Page 38: Map of Penn Yan: 1825
Pages 39-115: Minutes of surveys, alterations, closings, appeals &
petitions: dated 1825-1869
To obtain your copies in timely fashion you must include:
