Ontario County was established in 1789 to govern lands the state of New York had acquired in the Phelps and Gorham Purchase; at the time it covered the entirety of Western New York. Steuben County, much larger than today, was split off from Ontario County on March 8, 1796. In 1823 a portion of Steuben County was combined with a portion of Ontario County to form Yates County. Steuben County was further reduced in size on April 17, 1854, when a portion was combined with portions of Chemung and Tompkins counties to form Schuyler County.
Although it is not much mentioned because it does not fit well into the standard narrative of New York State history, in its earliest years Steuben County was demographically and geographically linked to the Susquehanna River basin in Pennsylvania, leading to the port of Baltimore. The Canisteo River, navigable as far as Arkport, emptied into the Chemung River and it into the Susquehanna. There were no natural barriers, like the Cohoes Falls on the Mohawk, to impede transportation, and timber and other agricultural products were easily shipped downriver from what are today (2019) the towns of Addison, Canisteo, and Hornellsville. Prior to the opening of the Erie Canal in 1825, followed by the railroads, communication with the Hudson Valley and New York City was difficult. Limited to horses, mules, and donkeys, it was far too expensive to be used to ship bulky agricultural products.
In 1892 a bill was introduced in the Legislature to split Steuben County, with Canisteo, Corning, and "the south towns" becoming Lincoln County. It did not pass.[4]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,404 square miles (3,640 km2), of which 1,391 square miles (3,600 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) (1.0%) is water.[5]
Steuben County is in the southwestern part of New York State, immediately north of the Pennsylvania border. The population of Steuben County according to the 2000 U. S.census was 98,726. The county is in the Southern Tier region of New York State.
U.S. Decennial Census[12] 1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14] 1990-2000[15] 2010-2020[2]
As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 98,726 people, 39,071 households, and 26,216 families residing in the county. The population density was 71 people per square mile (27 people/km2). There were 46,132 housing units at an average density of 33 units per square mile (13/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.43% White, 1.36% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. HispanicorLatino of any race were 0.81% of the population. 18.6% were of German, 15.2% English, 14.4% American, 13.6% Irish and 8.3% Italian ancestry according to Census 2000. 96.5% spoke English and 1.3% Spanish as their first language.
There were 39,071 households, out of which 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.70% were married couples living together, 10.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.90% were non-families. 27.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.00% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,479, and the median income for a family was $41,940. Males had a median income of $32,155 versus $24,163 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,197. About 9.90% of families and 13.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.70% of those under age 18 and 5.80% of those age 65 or over.
The largest employer in Steuben County is Corning, Inc. (formerly Corning Glass Works), the world headquarters of a large firm (34,000 employed worldwide) which manufactures specialty glass and related products. Related is the nearby Corning Museum of Glass. There is a wine industry in Hammondsport, also the headquarters of the Mercury Corporation, a custom manufacturer, formerly of aircraft and aircraft components. There is a museum of aviation, the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum, in Hammondsport. Former industries in Steuben County are the Steuben Glass Works, in Corning, now part of Corning Glass Works, and the Erie Railroad repair shops, in Hornell.
^W, Eric (April 2, 2012). "Congressional District 23"(PDF). View 2012 Congressional Maps. Albany, New York: The New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
^W, Eric (March 2, 2012). "Senate District 58"(PDF). View 2012 Senate District Maps. Albany, New York: The New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
^W, Eric (January 25, 2012). "Assembly District 132"(PDF). View 2012 Assembly District Maps. Albany, New York: The New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
^W, Eric (January 25, 2012). "Assembly District 133"(PDF). View 2012 Assembly District Maps. Albany, New York: The New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
^W, Eric (January 25, 2012). "Assembly District 148"(PDF). View 2012 Assembly District Maps. Albany, New York: The New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Retrieved January 17, 2013.
Sherer, Richard, (ed.) Steuben County: The First 200 Years, A Pictorial History. Virginia Beach, VA: The Donning Company, 1996.
Stromquist, Shelton, "'Our Rights as Workingmen': Class Traditions and Collective Action in a Nineteenth-Century Railroad Town, Hornellsville, New York, 1869-82," in David O. Stowell (ed.), The Great Strikes of 1877. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2008; pp. 55–75.
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