210 HISTORY OP It appearing, however^ from the remonstrances, that the petitioners were actuated by selfish motives, it had no other effect than to hasten the action of the Legislature, and accord- ingly on the 10th of March, 1797, the hill passed and became a law. At its formation, Delaware county contained only seven towns, viz. : Colchester, Middletown, Franklin, Harpersfield, Kortright, Stamford and Walton, and with the exception of the latter, they had all existed previous to 1797. The local interests of the inhabitants, together with the steady increase of population, rendered the erection of new, and the subdivi- sion of old towns necessary, from time to time ; and in 1798, Delhi was erected into a town, from territory taken from Kort- right and Walton. The village of Delhi was incorporated by an Act of March 16th, 1821 ; Roxbury was taken from Stam- ford in 1799 ; Meredith was taken from the towns of Frank- lin and Kortright in 1800; Sidney was taken from Tompkins in 1791 ; Hancock was taken from Colchester in 1806 ; Tompkins, originally called Pine-field, was erected in 1808 ; Masonville was erected from Sidney in 1811 ; Davenport from Kortright and Maryland, Otsego county; Andes was taken from Middletown in 1819 ; Bovina was taken from Delhi and Stamford in 1820. The name was given by the late General Root, and is of a latin origin, signifying cattle or oxen — it is both beautiful and appropriate. Hamden was taken from Walton in 1825, and was the last town organized in the county. The Supervisors convened for the first time in the county. May 31st, 1797, for the purpose of canvassing the votes taken in the county. The following is a list of their names and the town they represented : Benjamin Milk, of Middletown, William Horton, of Colchester,
