Ellery is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, United States, located northwest of Jamestown and with an extended lakefront on the east side of Chautauqua Lake. In the 2020 census, Ellery had a population of 4,105.

History The area known as Ellery was originally home to the Erie People. The first settlement of European colonists was made circa 1806. The town of Ellery was founded in 1821 from a part of the town of Chautauqua. William Ellery, signer of the Declaration of Independence, is the town's namesake. The lake frontage was developed early as a tourist and recreational location.

Government The Ellery town government consists of a supervisor, council, and various department heads. The Town Hall/Courtroom is located in the population center of Bemus Point, at 25 Sunnyside Avenue, one block from the Bemus Point Village Hall, Post Office, Library, Fire Department, and Elementary School. Municipal services shared with the Village of Bemus Point include the positions of Codes Enforcement Officer and Assessor.

Supervisors The following is a list of supervisors of the town:

#SupervisorA History Vignette of Chautauqua County PoliticsTook officeLeft officePolitical party1Almon Ives182118222Peter Loucks18221823Republican3Abijah Clark182318244Almon Ives182418285Jonadab Winchester182818296Robertson Whiteside182918307John Hammond183018318Jonadab Winchester183118329Almon Ives1832183310Odin Benedict18331840Whig11Minot Hoyt1840184012Odin Benedict18411842Whig13George F. Vandervort1843184314Odin Benedict1844184715George F. Vandervort1848184816Odin Benedict1849184917George F. Vandervort1850185018William S. Aldrich1851185319Ira Haskins1854185420Elias Clark1855185521 Leman Pickett 1856185722 Wm. C. Benedict1858186323 James Hale1864186424 Wm. C. Benedict 1865186625 John R. Russell1867186726 John S. Bemus1868186927 Oscar Hale 1870187128 Wm. C. Benedict 1872187229 Geo. W. Belden 1873187430Oscar Hale 1875187631Asa Cheney18771883Republican32Wm. C. Benedict1884188533Oscar Hale1886188734 Samuel Weaver1888188835 Benj. A. Pickard 1889189036S. Dwight Thum 18911897Republican37Frank F. Pickard 1898190538A.M. Cheney1906191739Orville Casselman1918192140A.M. Cheney 1922193341Earl J Parker 1934193542Clark L. Lord19361947Republican43Albert S. Samuelson 1948194944William G. West1950195145Richard O. Evans19511971Republican46Arden Johnson19722022Republican47Larry Anderson2022IncumbentRepublican

Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.25%, is water.

The Southern Tier Expressway (Interstate 86 and New York State Route 17) crosses Chautauqua Lake at Bemus Point. New York State Route 430 follows the east shore of Chautauqua Lake. New York State Route 380 is a north-south highway in the eastern part of Ellery.

Adjacent towns and locations Ellery is bordered mostly by the town of Stockton to the north, although its northwest corner shares a small border with the town of Chautauqua. Directly to the east of Ellery are the towns of Gerry and Ellicott. Its southern and western edges are mostly bordered by Chautauqua Lake.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,576 people, 1,852 households, and 1,316 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 2,630 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the town was 98.40% White, 0.20% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.57% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.

There were 1,852 households, out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.5% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 4.8% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $41,916, and the median income for a family was $48,093. Males had a median income of $40,733 versus $29,128 for females. The per capita income for the town was $20,619. About 6.1% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.

As of the Census of 2010, there were 4,528 (a decrease of 48 people or 1.05%) and 1,891 households (an increase of 39 households or 2.11%). The population density was . The racial makeup of the town was: 97.9% (4,433 people) white; 0.49% (22 people) African-American; 0.49% (22 people) Asian; 0.07% (3 people) Native American/Alaskan; 0.11% (5 people) other; and 0.95% (43 people) two or more races. The Hispanic/Latino population of any race was 0.60% (27 people).

In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.92% (902 people) under the age of 18, 1.83% ages (83 people) 18 and 19, 3.34% (151 people) ages 20–24, 6.45% (292 people) ages 25–34, 19.46% (881 people) ages 35–49, 25.20% (1,141 people) ages 50–64, and 23.81% (1,078 people) over the age of 65. Of the population, 48.96% (2,217 people) were male and 51.04% (2,311 people) were female.

Communities and locations in Ellery Alden Corners – A location north of Ellery Center at the crossing of County Route 52 and Slide Joslyn Road. Bayview – A lakeside hamlet north of Bemus Point. Belleview – A small lakeside community on Route 430 in the south part of the town. Bemus Bay – A bay on Chautauqua Lake between Long Point State Park and Bemus Point. Bemus Point – The village of Bemus Point, named after a projection of land into Chautauqua Lake. Chedwel – A lakeside community along the north shore of the town. Colburns – A hamlet on the shore of the lake and on Route 430 south of Bemus Point. Crosswinds – A marina community on Route 430 in the northwest corner of the town. Driftwood – A lakeside community south of Colburns. Dutch Hollow Creek – A stream that flows southward from Ellery Center and enters Chautauqua Lake between Greenhurst and Sunnyside. Ellery Center – A hamlet at the junction of County Roads 44, 46, 48, and 57. Greenhurst – A lakeside hamlet in the south part of the town. Griffiths – A lakeside hamlet in the south part of the town. Jones Corners – A hamlet at the intersection of County Roads 52 and 57. Long Point State Park – On Route 430 on the east shore of the lake. Maple Springs – A lakeside hamlet north of Long Point State Park. Midway Park – A location on the lake shore north of Long Point State Park. Oriental Park – A hamlet bordering Bemus Point on the south. Phillips Mill – A hamlet on the shore of Chautauqua Lake. Point Stockholm – A lakeside community. Red Bird – A hamlet on County Route 380 in the northeast town corner. Sheldon Hall – A lakeside community in the south part of the town. Sunnyside – A lakeside community in the south part of the town. Sunset Bay – A community of homes and cottages located by a bay with the same name on Chautauqua Lake. Towerville – A hamlet at the junction of County Road 48 and Route 380 in the northeast town corner. Watermans Corners – A hamlet on the junction of County Road 52, Thumb Road and Bayview Road in the north part of the town. West Ellery – A hamlet in the north part of the town on County Road 46. Willow Brook – A location north of Bemus Point. Warner Bay - A community of homes and cottages along the bay on Chautauqua Lake with the same name.

References

External links Town of Ellery official website History of Ellery, NY Papers of Clayburne B Sampson , former historian of the Town of Ellery