Information below regarding Benjamin's father, Benjamin Ennis and his uncle, Alexander Ennis, was gleaned from the Historical and Statistical Gazetteer, of New York State, by J. H. French, 1860. (__) indicates given name not noted:


Cayuta p. o. (Post Office) laid within the the township of Cayuta, Chemung (now Schuyler) County, New York. The first settlements were made along the valley of Cayuta Creek in 1795, by Alexander and Benjamin Ennis, Peter, Jacob, Emanuel, and Isaac Swartwood, from N.J. The first church, Baptist, was formed by Rev. Ebenezer Jayne, who was the first settled preacher in their area.


Further information below, of general interest in the same area, Cayuta, Schuyler (was Chemung) County, New York:

James Van Etten, John and David Hill, Isaac and Levi Decker, Samuel, James, Daniel, and Joshua Westbrook, John Lattimore, (__) Johnson, and, (__) Grammar, all from the Delaware River area of New York state, settled on the Cayuta Flats, at and near VanEttenville, (in the township of Cayuta) from 1795 to 1800. Harmon White, from Litchfield, Conn., David Jayne and Gabriel Ogden, from N. J., settled, in 1802, on a branch of Cayuta Creek. Most of the men served as soldiers during the Revolution. James Van Etten and Isaac Decker were wounded by musket balls, which they carried to their graves. Flanders & Skaats kept the first store, at VanEttenville, Isaac Swartwood erected the first gristmill, in 1803, Jacob Swartwood opened the first inn, in 1801. His old sign (noted as "still hanging" when the Gazetteer was published) reads as follows:

"You jolly topers, as you pass by,
Call in and drink, for I know you are dry.
And if you have but half a crown,
You are welcome to my Jug, sit down.

Entertainment
by
J. Swartwood

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