Penn Yan, founded by Mr. Abraham Waggener (sic), incorporated 29th April, 1833 the shire town about half a mile below the foot of the east arm of Crooked Lake upon a pleasant plain and on the outlet, partly in the town of Benton, contains a new court house of brick a prison of stone a fire-proof office for the county clerk, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Methodist 1 Baptist and 1 Episcopal church; an academy incorporated and highly flourishing 18 general stores, 2 book stores, 2 printing offices each issuing a weekly paper; 5 taverns, a bank incorporated April 2nd, 1831, with a capital of $100,000; 2 grist and 2 saw mills and 450 dwellings. This is a thriving village, growing rapidly and has many good buildings. It is finely exhibited to the passenger descending the hill on the road from Geneva. Its singular name was derived from the circumstance that its inhabitants were Pennsylvanians and Yankees in equal numbers.