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Knoxville was incorporated a borough, by an act of the legislature and approved by Gov. Wm. F. Johnson, April 19th, 1850, taken from the township of Deerfield. In area it contains about 265 acres. It was named in honor of the Knox’s, the pioneer settlers of the township of Deerfield. The first settler within the borough limits was Simon Rixford or Rexford, a revolutionary soldier. He came from Massachusetts and settled near the mouth of Troups Creek, in 1799. Knoxville is beautifully located upon the alluvial flats on the north bank of the Cowanesque River at the point where Troups Creek discharges its waters into that river. It is one of the prominent stations upon two railroads, viz; The Addison and Northern Pennsylvania Railroad (narrow gauge) and the Corning, Cowanesque and Antrim Railroad, (standard gauge) and is an active and thriving borough. Its elevation above tide is about 1250 feet. The construction of the two railroads above named within the past three years has added much to its prosperity and wealth.
Sophia Hale taught school in 1818.
A good school house erected in 1834.
1815, Daniel Cummings kept an inn.
Stephen Colvin, built a hotel in 1822.
In 1823, Silas Billings built an ashery.
Daniel Angell built a tannery in 1844.
Quaker church, erected of logs, in 1812.
Baptist church, organized March 7, 1868.
O. P. Beach established a drug store in 1852.
Christian church, organized Oct 14, 1865.
Archibald Knox, built a store in the year 1818.
A sash factory was built in 1852, by Henry Seeley.
In 1826, Silas Billings erected a large framed hotel.
Jonathan Matteson built a grist mill in the year 1817.
Peter Roberts, established a blacksmith shop, in 1824.
John E. White served thirty years as Justice of the Peace.
There was a small store in the year 1815, owned by Mr. Wing.
Deerfield Lodge, I.O.O.F., No. 800, instituted June 11, 1872.
Sons of Temperance, Division No. 359, instituted June 14, 1849.
A school house erected in Knoxville, in the year 1817, built of plank.
I.O.O.F. Cowanesque Lodge, No. 332, instituted, March 21, 1849.
Methodist parsonage erected in 1826. Methodist church erected in 1869.
Silas Billings and Hiram Freeborn erected a substantial distillery in 1823.
Silas Billings erected a large grist mill in 1825. Built by John Spicer.
William Knox, built a log hotel, named "The Rixford House" in 1824.
In 1818, a cloth dressing and fulling mill was erected, by Daniel
Henry Sherwood, now a prominent lawyer at Wellsboro, Pa., was engaged in the mercantile business in the year 1841. In 1843, he delivered a fourth of July oration.
Hon. Butler B. Strang, delivered an oration, July 4, 1861.
A log distillery was built in 1815, by Daniel Cummings and Jonathan Matteson.
Jonathan Matteson, Alexander Matteson and Joshua Colvin, built a saw mill in 1815.
Cowanesque Lodge, No. 351, F.A.M., organized June 24th, (St. Johns’ Day) 1875.
Ebenezer Seelye, a revolutionary soldier, died, June 3, 1837, aged 81 years 2 months and 27 days.
A foundry was built by a firm from Bath, N.Y. in 1851. The business was conducted by John P. Biles.
Congregational church, organized April 28, 1867, erected a brick church and dedicated the same February 2, 1871.
Victor L. Beach, Company C., 127th N.Y. Cavalry, died October 30, 1863, aged 23 years, 4 months and 5 days.
A bank was established in the year 1869, by Morgan Seeley, Vine Crandall and David Coats. It was a private bank.
The Knox family, who were the pioneers, settled in Deerfield township, a few rods east of the Knoxville borough line.
Cornelius Goodspeed, settled in Knoxville, in 1813. He was the father of John Goodspeed, the surveyor for the Bingham estate.
Jonathan Matteson, settled in 1810 within the borough limits. He and his brothers owned what is now the central portion of the borough.
Rosetta, wife of Silas Billings, died, December 25, 1835, aged 36 years. Abbey, wife of Silas Billings, died February 15, 1831, aged 27 years.
Giles C. Seeley, Company F., 86th Regiment N.Y. Vol., died at Camp Griffin, Virginia, February 21, 1862, aged 18 years, 6 months and 26 days.
Sergeant Albert A. Seeley wounded at Gaines Hill, June 27, died in prison at Richmond, Va., July 3, 1862, aged 21 years, 2 months and 15 days.
Martin Grover a celebrated public speaker, addressed a mass meeting of Democrats in 1844. Seventy two yoke of oxen drew a hickory pole from Academy Corners to Knoxville, to the meeting.
In the year 1822, Silas Billings settled in Knoxville. He was a man of wealth, great business qualifications, energetic and enterprising and did much to advance the interest of Knoxville, the Cowanesque valley and the county of Tioga.
