Caton History
The first permanent settler arrived around 1819. The south town line is the border of Pennsylvania (Tioga County) and the east town line is the border of Chemung County (Town of Southport).In 1839 an act was passed to create a new town named Wormley from the Town of Corning (then known as the Town of Painted Post). In 1840, the town name was changed to Caton in memory of Richard Caton, one of the original land proprietors. The name, Wormley, had been an allusion to Samuel Wormley, first innkeeper and first postmaster.
According to Pioneer History & Atlas of Steuben County, NY, the small community just outside of present-day Corning that started out as Wormley, “has the honor of sending more men to the Civil War than any other town in Steuben County.”
New York State Route 225 passes through the northeast of the town.
Communities and locations in the Town of Caton
- Brownstown – A hamlet in the southwest part of the town.
- Caton – The hamlet of Caton is on NY-225 at the junction of County Roads 32 and 120.
- Caton Creek – A stream flowing northward past Caton village with nearby residentual area.
- West Caton – A hamlet in the northwest part of the town.
Wikipedia.org [Caton History]
Corning Fingerlakes [History of Caton, NY]
Caton Schools
Browntown School
Browntown School [District 5], one Room School, one of 11 one room schools in Caton area. This school is now included at Heritage Village in Corning, NYSource:
Heritage Village [Browntown School]
Facebook: Patterson Inn Museum
Caton had 11 one room schools. One such school was the Red School House, East School House [District 4], and Browntown School House. In 1956, consolidation of 62 school districts formed the Corning-Painted Post School District. Some students there still attended one-room schools until 1957. Until consolidation, scarcely half of the one-room students in the Corning area went on to high school, even though that option was available to them. That percentage shot up instantly with consolidation into larger elementary and junior-high schools.
Source: Corning Leader Article [One Room Schools]
Caton Elementary
Caton Elementary [closed]. School Closed. Pathways occupied the building after the school closed until Pathways moved to Denison Parkway West, Corning, New York. In 2021, it is being used as pre-primary classrooms