The town of Starkey was annexed to Yates County from Steuben in 1826, the date this book was begun. Prior to 1824 the town was the north half of the town of Reading, now in Schuyler County. The roads already surveyed and recorded before the town's formation and annexation were written into the book first, before current surveys. The book is in very good condition, and has been microfilmed for use. The index posted here was made from the microfilm.
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 contains several types of records, including actual surveys, which gave headings and measured distances from known landmarks; alterations of the route, usually upon consideration of a petition; discontinuances of "useless and unnecessary" roads, also usually after a petition was filed; petitions and proceedings concerning obstructions and encroachments on the right of way by neighbors; and occasional litigation. The format is that of minutes of meetings of the Commissioners of Highway, whose names and that of the various town clerks recording them appear most frequently. At some point, one of these clerks went back and numbered the roads under consideration and cross referenced original surveys with later alterations; he also made notes in the margin as to more current landholders and place names. Following is a list of the contents of this volume:
Pages 1-44: Road surveys 1806-1825; highway #s 1-74
Pages 45-105: Road surveys 1826-1839: highway #s 75-136: Alterations, obstructions, discontinuances, new surveys
Pages 106-120: Highway Commissioners' Minutes 1829-1845: Obstructions, alterations & discontinuances, appeals & orders
Page 121-171: Highway Commissioners' Minutes 1845-1874; highway #s 137-183:
Old roads insufficiently described; alterations and encroachments.
To obtain your copies in timely fashion you must include:
