USA > New York > Monroe County > Rochester > Early history of Rochester. 1810 to 1827, with comparisons of its growth and progress to 1860 > Part 6
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The Court House, erected in 1822, was spoken of in 1827 as something of which the county could boast. Alas, this, too, has passed away, and on its site some ten years since was erected the edifice which now stands there, and which cost over $70,000.
The County Jail, so briefly referred to as " situ- ated on Hughes street, in the rear of a handsome and commodious brick house occupied by the Jailer's family," has gone with other public build- ings, and this so long ago, that many now resid- ing here do not remember the building. North Fitzhugh was called Hughes street, in 1827, and the Jail stood on the site of the Unitarian Chapel. The new Jail was erected since 1830, and the old
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Jail was occupied as a recruiting station by the U. S. officers for a number of years.
The Market Building-estimated to cost $3,000 -" built upon the plan of the new Market in Bos- ton," was going up in 1827, and no doubt the vil- lagers looked upon the growing structure with pride. It stood on the corner of Main and Front sts., where Mr. Erickson's elegant brick block now stands. The Market tumbled into the river more than 25 years ago, and the building that succeed- ed it has recently passed away to give place to one that is as good as can be desired.
Traveling in those days was not as easily, quickly and cheaply performed as now. Stages, boats, and a weekly steamboat on Lake Ontario, were the only dependence of the public to get in and out of Rochester, unless they resorted to private conveyances. Stages have nearly all passed away, boats convey freight alone; instead of one steamer a week on the lake, we have three per day. And now no less than sixty trains of cars arrive and depart from the city daily, and some of these not unfrequently carry five hundred passengers.
The Monroe County Poor House still remains as one of the old landmarks of 1827, but it has been enlarged, and its thirty-five occupants of that day have been succeeded by four hundred pau- pers. It is a lamentable fact that pauperism has increased in the ratio of business and general prosperity. The only consolation that we can find in this emergency is, that we are told by one inspired of Heaven, that the poor we are to al- ways have with us.
We might go on at great length in noting the changes in Rochester since 1827, but we have not space to do so to-day. The statistics of manufac- tures and trade would show largely in favor of the enterprise of our people, but these we must omit. In conclusion, we appeal to our readers to peruse the concluding remarks of the writer for the Directory of 1827, and see if our people have not accomplished all that he called upon them to per- form to make Rochester "at some distant day a flourishing city-flourishing not merely in wealth and power,but in knowledge and virtue, an honor and a blessing to sister cities around, and the home of a great people, enlightened and happy."
As an appendix to the first Directory, a few brief notices of local events connected with the rise and progress of our city, collected from various sources have been added, which are worthy of perusal.
PIONEER ASSOCIATION. ORGANIZED IN 1847.
The first preliminary meeting was held to organize a Pioneer Society, when it was sugges- ted that the hardships and privations endured by them, should be commemorated in an ap- propriate manner by the survivors.
In accordance with this suggestion several preliminary meetings were held, which resulted in the adoption of a series of resolutions designed to control their future proceedings.
It was determined in the first place, to con- vene a social meeting, to be composed of Pioneers who had settled at, or were born in Rochester prior to the first of January, 1816, and who were then residents of our city or its vicinity.
Article first of their Constitution admits per- sons who at any time previously to the first day of January, 1820, were residents of Western New York.
After the adoption of resolutions expressive of their gratitude to God for having preserved the lives and health of so many of them, a com- mittee of arrangements composed of the follow- ing gentlemen was appointed, viz:
Enos Stone, Harvey Montgomery, Samuel G. Andrews. Silas O. Smith, Aaron Newton, Moses
Chapin, Jonathan Packard, Harvey Ely, Chas. J. Ilill.
FIRST PIONEERS' FESTIVAL.
The first meeting of the Pioneers, called for the purpose of commemorating the early settle- ment of Rochester, was held at Blossom Hotel on Thursday the 31st day of September, 1847' The following gentlemen were chosen offleers.
President-ENOS STONE .*
Vice Presidents - Hon. Ashley Sampson,* Ralph Lester, * Oliver Culver.
Prayer by Rev. A. G. Hall.
A sumptuous dinner was prepared by the Messrs. Blossom-themselves Pioneers and pro- prietors of one of the oldest hotels in the city. There were sixty-two present at this festival.
The society now (1860) consists of about ninety gentlemen and forty-two ladies. They hold annual meetings at the Court House in Rochester, on the second Tuesday in June in each year.
The portraits of about sixty members of the Association have been painted by Mr. Colby Kimball, an artist of Rochester, and are now hanging in the Court Room,
*Deceased.
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JUNIOR PIONEER ASSOCIATION
ORGANIZED IN 1855.
Annual Meeting October. 26th, each year.
Not wishing to be outdone by the old gentle- men, the Juniors organized a society composed of persons who have resided in this County previous to 1825. At their first organization the following officers were elected :-
President -Ezra M. Parsons, of Gates.
Vice Presidents-Wm. A. Reynolds, N. Os- burn, HI. L. Achilles, L. D. Ely, John C. Nash. Recording Sec'y-L. Starr Hoyt.
Corresponding Sec'y -. L. Ward Smith.
Treasurer-George W. Fisher.
Executive Committee-Jarvis M. Hatch, T. A. Newton, D. II. Griffith, Jacob Howe, N. A. Stone, T. Chapman, C. H. Bicknell, George W. Fisher, John B. Dewey, James S. Stone.
Committee on Historical Collections-W. A. Reynolds, L. Ward Smith, J. C. Nash, George W. Fisher, L. D. Ely.
Being younger and more active men, their meetings partake largely of Young America, and as they annually come together at their social gatherings, the boys of 1812, '14, and '16, are found to be a full match for their sires in tough yarns of their boyhood-and their yearly gatherings are looked forward to with as much zest as though they were still under the train- ing of their old schoolmaster-Doctor Burch.
Mr. O'Reiley says of "THE VILLAGE OF ROCHE- ESTERVILLE, in 1817, from which period the com- mencement of Rochester may be fairly dated, the difficulties interposed by the war having- prevented any considerable improvement before the year 1816. The improvement of the place in various ways, between that period and the year 1837-forming the first score of years since the place was lawfully organized under a village charter. We preface the account by some notices of the proceedings of the corpor- ation, under the village and city charters, be- tween the years 1817 and 1837 - THIE FIRST TWENTY YEARS."
CORPORATION OF ROCHESTER.
1817, June 10 .- The first Board of Trustees elected under the village charter.
I'817, October 9 .- The first Fire Company formed.
1819, the name of the village corporation was changed from "Rochesterville" to "Rochester," the original name, by an act of the Legislature.
1825. The powers granted to the village cor- poration were found to be inadequate to a good police regulation. The question was agitated during the fall, whether application should be made for a city charter. After considerable dis- cussion, the project of a city charter was de-
clined by the people, and the Legislature amend- ed the village charter by vesting ample powers in the Board of Trustees.
1826, First election under a new village char- ter. The village was divided into five wards.
CITY CHARTER.
1834. After several applications made to the Legislature, the city of Rochester was chartered in the spring of 1834. On the incorporation of the village in 1817, about 750 acres were in- cluded within its limits. The city charter in 1834, extended its bounds so as to embrace up- ward of 4,000 acres.
THE MAYORS OF ROCHESTER.
The organization of Rochester under the city charter occurred June 9, 1834.
Jonathan Child, First Mayor.
1834-5. At the inauguration the next day, Mayor Child made the following remarks :
"The rapid progress which our place has made from a wilderness to an incorporated city, authorizes each of our citizens proudly to re- fleet upon the agency he has had in bringing about this great and interesting change. Roch ester, we all know, has had little aid in its per- manent improvement from foreign capital. It has been settled and built for the most part, by mechanics and merchants, whose capital was ECONOMY, INDUSTRY and PERSEVERANCE. It is their labor and skill which has converted a wil- derness into a city ; and to them, surely, this must be a day of pride and joy. They have founded and reared a city before they have passed the meridian of life. In other countries and times the city of Rochester would have been the result of the labor and accumulations of successive generations ; but the men who felled the forest that grew on the spot where we are assembled, are sitting at the Council Board of our city. Well then may we indulge an honest pride as we look back upon our hist- ory, and let the review elevate our hopes and animate our exertions. Together we have struggled through the hardships of an infant set- tlement, and the embarrassment of straightened circumstances ; and together let us rejoice and be happy in the glorious reward that has crowned our labors."
On the 23d of June, in the following year, Mr. Child presented his resignation, and on the 2nd of July,
1835-6, Jacob Gould was chosen.
1837. A. M. Schemerhorn .*
Mr. S. held the office about two months, when he resigned. Tofill the vacancy thus occasioned, Thomas Kempshall
was chosen on the 7th of March, 1837. On the retirement of Mr. Kempshall,
1838. Elisha Johnson,
1839. - Thomas H. Rochester.
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1840. Samnel G. Andrews.
Mr. Andrews held the office but a short time, when he was elected Clerk of the Senate, and esigned, and E. F. Smith was elected for the emainder of the year.
1841. E. F. Smith
vas the first mayor elected by the people, 1841.
1842. Charles J. Hill.
1843. Isaac Hills.
1844. * John Allen.
1845-6. William Pitkin.
1847. John B. Elwood. .
1848. Joseph Field.
THE PUBLIC SQUARES OF TIIE CITY AT THE PRES- ENT TIME, ARE,
1849. Levi A. Ward.
1850. Samuel Richardson.
1851. Hamlin Stilwell.
1852. Nicholas E. Paine.
1853. John Williams.
1854. Maltby Strong.
1855. Charles J. IIayden.
1856. Samuel G, Andrews.
1857. Rufus Keeler.
1858. Charles II. Clark.
1859. S. W. D. Moore.
1860. IIamlet D. Serantom.
8th Ward. Mechanics' Square is bounded East by King and West by Madison Street.
9th Ward. Jones' Square is bounded East by Schuyler and West by Graham Street.
* The only ones not now living-1860.
POPULATION OF THE CITY AT DIFFERENT DATES.
First Census 1815. .. 331
1818. 1049
1820.
1502
1822. 2700
February,
1825. . 4274
State cen. Aug. 1825. 5273
1826.
.7669
1830.
.9269
1840 20,191
1845
25,261
1850
36,403
1855
43,877
1860 about 50,000, returns not in.
2d Ward. Brown's Square is bounded by Brown, Jay, Kent and Jones Streets.
2d Ward. Centre Square is bounded by Ann, John, Centre and Sophia Streets.
3d Ward. Caledonia Square is bounded North by Edinburgh and South by Glascow st. 4th Ward. Washington Square is bounded by Court, South Clinton, Wood and South sts. 6th Ward. Franklin Square is bounded South by Andrews and North by Bowery.
7th Ward. Wadsworth Square is bounded North by Howell, South by Marshall and East by William Street.
IRONDEQUOIT BAY. Scene in 1850, near the Newport House. This Bay is about five miles long and one wide. und communicates with Lake Ontario by a very narrow opening, about four miles Eastward from Charlotte. It is quite a popular resort and one of the pleasantest places for fishing and pic-nic parties in the vicinity, being about , haif hour's ride from the city. Here many a BUNGLING ANGLER has caught a - - bite -
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Finally, we offer you a book worthy of perusal, and full of interesting local matter -a narrative of events that have transpired within the memory of a large portion of our citizens ;- a history worth preserving ;- a description of a city teeming with INDUS- TRY and WEALTH, and possessing within her corporate limits the elements of a large city.
The traveller passing along the flying rail car, as he reaches the borders of the Genesee Country, asks,-What of Rochester ?- Yes, What of Rochester ?- She is looked upon with pride by every citizen, and astonishment by all travellers. Known far and near for her large nurseries and horticultural gardens, her numerous flouring mills, and manufacturing interests, her firemen, her military, her mercantile establishments, her banking credit, (being the last city in the State to surrender and stop specie payment during the commercial crisis of 1857)-her lake, her river, her bay, her falls, where Sam Patch made his final leap, showing that "some things could be done as well as others,"-her Genesee country with its fine scenery and natural advantages,-her MOUNT HOPE,-the indomitable perseverance of her citizens,-the never surrender element she inherited from one of her early defenders-Captain FRANCIS BROWN, when ordered by Sir Admiral Yeo in 1814, with his fleet of thirteen vessels moored at our landing, and about to storm the town, he sent a British officer with a flag of truce on shore, saying that if they would deliver up the stores in and around Rochester and Charlotte, Sir James Yeo would spare the settlement from destruction-he was asked " Will you comply with this offer ?" With all the true courage of a great general, and ready wit ; surrounded by his brave company of about thirty men, hastily col- lected together in their grotesque military dress, equipped with their old rifles, muskets. and shot guns, being the only army he had to protect and defend the place, the cool reply of Capt. BROWN was, " Blood knee deep first." Thus ended the parley. The return of the flag to the fleet was followed by a vigorous attack of bombs and balls, while the compliment was spiritedly returned by a rusty old six-pounder, which had been furnished and mounted on a log for the important occasion. After a few hours spent in this unavailing manner, Admiral Yeo with prudent caution, withdrew his fleet to a safer harbour. And last, though not least, her public schools, her university, her many churches and religious societies.
Thus has Rochester gone on with all her improvements, not forgetful of the past, ever mindful of the future, until her fifty thousand inhabitants are proud of the place of their residence, conscious in the belief that all have contributed some thing towards keeping alive and making green the place they call-HOME.
THE PUBLISHER.
NOTE. A more full and complete work of STATISTICS and LOCAL EVENTS, with illustrations of scenery. buildings, &c., in and around Rochester, will be issued from materials now being collected, as soon as enough has been gathered to make a book WORTHY OF NOTICE. Persons possessed of any information, views of buildings, scenery, &c., will do well to confer with me on the subject.
6%
JEG MILLER-MIX. DEL .EI. SC . ROCHES!ER.
VIEW OF THE UPPER FALLS OF THE GENESEE RIVER.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 0 014 434 026 7
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