USA > New York > Monroe County > Gazetteer and business directory of Monroe County, N.Y. for 1869-70 > Part 13
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The first school was taught in 1794, By Mr. Barrows, in a log school house situated about a mile south of the village. This house served as a place of religious worship for several years. The first marriage was that of N. Armstrong and Miss E. Cole.
The first mill was built upon the site of the present Iron- dequoit Mills, in the east part of the town. Mr. Stone erected a dam across this creek in 1796, and a saw mill, and in 1805 a grist mill. Mr. Stone run this mill until 1814, when he sold out to Win. Mann, who erected a new mill, which was burned immediately after its completion. An- other mill was erected which was run by Mr. Mann until his death in 1825 or 1526. In January, 1527, the property was deeded to Thomas Emerson and Richard Richardson, by James K. Guernsey, John Acer and Simon Stone, 2d, and completely overhauled, repaired and new machinery put in. and was then run as a flouring and custom mill. In 1880 Mr. Richardson became the sole owner, and still further en- larged and improved the mill. In less it passed into the hands of Cavie Richardson, the present owner. It is the
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only mill in the town of Pittsford. There is a farm of about 100 acres attached to the property, and a pond of twenty-five acres. Mr. Richardson has commenced the cultivation of the grape, having a vineyard of four acres of Delawares, Concords, Isabellas, Dianas and some other varieties.
The first sermon preached in the town was by a traveling missionary from Virginia, who visited them on a week day during harvest. The services were held in a barn, where all who came were accommodated. For several years no stated publie worship was established. Rev. James H. Hotchkin, in his History of the Presbyterian Church, says that he preached six Sabbaths in the interval between Nov. 8th, 1501. and Feb. 1st, 1802, and this was probably the first in- stance in which a preacher of the Congregational or Presby- terian denomination was ever employed. In 1809 a church was organized by Rev. Solomon Allen. It consisted of ten persons, and was received into connexion with the Ontario Association.
Hartwell Carver, M. D., came to Pittsford in 1816. He is a descendant of John Carver, who came over in the May Flower. He was born in Rhode Island in 1789, and re- moved with his parents to Otsego County in 1794. In 1813 he became a student of Hamilton College, but soon left and went to Yale, where he graduated in 1816 with the degrees of A. M. and M. D., and came to Pittsford, where he com- menced practice April 21st. He was in debt $2,000 on his arrival, but was so successful in practice as to clear $1500 the first year. The next year he paid his debts, built a house, kept two horses and enjoyed a lucrative practice, which continued six years. He then went to New York. took a full course of medical lectures, returned and engaged in mercantile pursuits. IIe has traveled extensively and en- waged in various schemes of profit, and still resides in Pitts- ford, enjoying the fruits of an active business life. Ile claims to be the first who suggested the idea of a railroad to the Pacific. Though not prepared to pass judgment upon that question, it is certain that he wrote and spoke of it as entire- ly feasible more than thirty years ago, and labored to bring about this glorious enterprise when most people regarded it a visionary scheme which would never exist outside of the in of some impracticable enthusiast.
. population of the town in 1865 was 2,029; its area is 1 4.256 acres.
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There are ten school districts, employing the same num- ber of teachers. The number of the school population is 575 ; the number attending school, 494; the average attend- ance, 222, and the amount expended for school purposes dur- ing the year ending September 30, 1868, was $1,3+2.56.
RIGA was formed from Northampton, April 8, 1808. Chili was taken off in 1822. It lies on the west border of the County, near the south-west corner. The surface is level or gently undulating. Black Creek, a dull, sluggish stream, flows east, in a tortuous course, through near the center. The soil is a clayey loam.
Churchville, (p. v.) incorporated in 1867, situated on Black Creek, in the west part of the town, is a station on the N. Y. C. R. R. and contains four churches, viz., Congregational, Methodist, Baptist and Universalist ; two hotels, a manufac- tory of agricultural implements, a grist mill, a saw mill, sev- eral stores and shops, and about 500 inhabitants.
Riga Center (Riga p. o.) is situated near the center and contains a church, an academy, and about 25 dwellings.
The first settlement was commenced in 1806, under the auspices of James Wadsworth. Many of the carly settlers were from Berkshire Co., Mass. Elihu Church settled on lot 94, in 1806; Amasa Frost on lot 82, where his descendants still reside, and Wm. Parker the same year. Nehemiah Frost, Richard and Samuel Church moved in the same year. Richard Church was the father of Elihu and Samuel Church ; he settled on lot 53, and Samuel Church on lot S4; Samuel Baldwin settled on lot S1, and Henry Brewster on lot 90. The last two came on in 1806, but did not move their fami- lies until the next year. Among the other early settlers were Samuel Shepard, Ezekiel Barnes, James Knowles, Thomas Bingham, Joseph Tucker, Enos Morse, George Rich- mond, Joseph Emerson, and Eber and Chester Orcutt. Ne- hemiah Frost settled on lot 114, and Samuel Shepard on lot 113.
The first birth in the town was that of a daughter of Sam- uel Church; the first male child born was Hiram Shepard, son of Samuel Shepard, in 1806. The first marriage was that of Joseph Sibley and Clarissa Church, daughter of Rich- ard Church. The first death was that of Richard Church, in 1807. Samuel Church built the first saw mill, in 1808, and
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the first grist mill, in 1811, at Churchville. The first school was taught by Thomas Gay. Joseph Thompson opened the first inn, and Thompson and Tuttle the first store, in 1808.
Previous to the construction of the Erie Canal the means of transportation were so limited that only a very low price was realized for the products of the soil. Mr. Brewster in one year raised 3,000 bushels of wheat; the price was very low and he tried the experiment of transporting it to an east- ern market. For this purpose he had enough ground to make seventy barrels of flour. With four sleds, to which were at- tached six yoke of oxen and four horses, he carried this to Northampton, Mass., where he sold it for six dollars per bar- rel. The oxen were also sold at a profit and the enterprise proved successful. In 180S wheat sold in Geneva for 123 cents a bushel. One man purchased a barrel of whisky, pay- ing for it six bushels of wheat for a gallon.
Among the mishaps of pioneer life the following is related : Elihu and Samuel Church, Amasa Frost, Samuel Shepard and their wives, with an ox sled, started on a visit to Jehiel Barnes. As they were ascending the bank, after crossing Black Creek, the rear end board came out, letting them into the water. The nearest house was two miles distant and thither they were compelled to go before any change of cloth- ing or fire could be procured.
The first church (Congregational) was organized in the fall of 1809. Rev. Allen Hollister was the first pastor. He was ordained and installed by an ecclesiastical council two or three years after the organization of the Church, and con- tinued pastor until sickness prevented his performing its du- ties.
The population of the town in 1865 was 2,141; its area is 21,009 acres.
There are twelve school districts, employing thirteen teachers. The number of the school population is 767; the number attending school, 616; the average attendance, 316, and the amount expended for school purposes during the year ending September 30, 1868, was $4, 135.65.
ROCHESTER, named from Col. Nathaniel Rochester, one of the original proprietors, was taken from Brighton and fiates and incorporated as a village by the name of Rockes- treille, March 21, 1827. Its name was changed April 12. 1>22, and it was enlarged and incorporated as a city April
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28, 1834. It is located a little north of the center of the County, upon the Genesee River, seven miles from its mouth. The surface is level or gently undulating. The New York Central R. R. track is 280 feet above Lake Ontario, and Mount Hope Ridge, the highest point upon the south border. is 440 feet above the lake. The City has a solid foundation of Niagara limestone which crops out along the river, but in other parts is covered by a deposit of drift. The Genesee flows north, dividing the City into two nearly equal parts. Its course through the City is a succession of rapids and falls, affording a very extensive and valuable water-power which is well improved for manufacturing purposes. The whole fall of the river below the south line of the City is 265 feet. The upper fall, just below the railroad bridge, is 96 feet, over the perpendicular edge of the Niagara limestone, under- laid by shale. Below this the river flows through a deep ra- vine, bounded by perpendicular walls, a distance of one and three-fourths miles, to the middle fall, where the water de- scends 25 feet. About one-third of a mile below, the water descends over a ledge of Medina sandstone, a distance of 84 feet, to the level of Lake Ontario. Several sulphur springs flow out of the rocks below the middle falls. The City is quite regularly laid out and the river is crossed by substan- tial bridges at Andrews, Buffalo, Court and Clarissa streets. The Court and Andrews street bridges are of iron and cost $12,000 each; the Buffalo street bridge is of cut stone and cost $60,000; upon the north side it is surmounted by a block of buildings. The streets generally are broad, well paved and bordered by side-walks, along which many trees have been planted which add greatly to the beauty of the City. The Erie Canal crosses the river on a magnificent stone structure which cost $600,000. The canal is crossed by sev- eral substantial iron bridges built by the State. The manu- facturing of the City is extensive and consists of flour, which is manufactured to a greater extent than in any other City in the State; scales, safes, carriages, flour barrels, chairs, cabi- net ware, machinery of various kinds, edge tools, cotton and woolen goods to a limited extent, and various other articles usually made in a manufacturing City.
The Rochester Scale Works were started in 1841, by Chauney Duryee and Orrin Forsyth, with a small capital. Their business has increased to such an extent that they have been compelled to establish houses in different parts of the
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west for the sale of their goods. They manufacture over 150 varieties of scales, besides railroad and warehouse trucks, copying presses and sugar mills. The Weigh Lock Scale at Rochester was manufactured by them and has a capacity of 400 tons. It is the largest scale in the world. They employ about fifty hands and sell their wares in all of the western and south-western States.
The Rochester Paper Company, at the Lower Falls, was established in 1864, with a capital of $175,000. They em- ploy about 70 men and make about 400 tons annually of printing, seed and colored paper.
The culture of fruit and ornamental trees has for several years formed an important branch of industry. Hundreds of acres in the vicinity of the City are covered with nurseries which are among the most extensive in the country. The commerce of the City is large and carried on by means of the canals, railroads and Lake Ontario. The exports consist of the products of the Genesee Valley and the manufactures of the City.
The population in 1865 was 50,940, and at present cannot fall much short of 70,000. There are about fifty churches, some of them very fine. Many of the business blocks and other structures are highly ornamental, being con- structed of brown stone and Onondaga limestone, as well as of the more common materials. The Court House, which contains rooms for the City officers, has already been de- scribed in connection with the County.
Corinthian Hall is a substantial structure containing the Library and Reading Room of the Athenaeum and Mechan- ic's Association, and one of the finest public halls in the City.
The Arcade, fronting Buffalo street, is a commodious building containing the post office, telegraph offices and a va- riety of other offices, stores, &c. A broad promenade ex- tends through the center, from which the various rooms open on either side. The rooms of the upper stories open upon galleries which extend the entire length of the building above the main promenade on either side.
The Central Railroad Depot is one of the finest buildings . fthe kind in the State. It contains accommodations for the various offices, passengers, &e., and for cars which arrive on thy various roads centering there. The roof is supported by iron.
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The City is not wanting in literary institutions, the most important of which are the Public Schools. They are under the control of a Board of Education, consisting of two mem- bers from each ward and a Superintendent appointed by the Board. The schools are graded and the course of instruction embraces all studies, from the primary to those of a first class academy. Most of the school buildings are commodious structures and well adapted to the accommodation of the pu- pils. The number of teachers employed, according to the last annual report, is 124; the number of children, between the ages of 5 and 21 years, is 23,365 ; the number attending school, 9,761 ; the average attendance, 5,298. The expendi- tures for the last year amount to $79,878.43. About $60,000 of this was for teachers' wages. There are a large number of private schools and academies in the City, many of which are in a flourishing condition.
The Rochester Collegiate Institute was established in 1854 and is still in a flourishing condition.
DeGraffs Collegiate Institute was opened Sept. 1, 1868, with twenty-five students. The number rapidly increased until it amounts to 100. The military discipline and the thorough course of instruction render it one of the best in the City.
The University of Rochester was incorporated in January, 1850, and is under the patronage of the Baptist denomina- tion. The buildings occupy a site of twenty-one acres, on University Avenue, in the east part of the City. Two courses of study are pursued, a Classical and a Scientific, each ex- tending through four years. There are over 8,000 volumes in the library and the geological and mineralogical cabinets embrace over 40,000 carefully selected specimens, collected during extensive foreign travel and visits to the most fruitful localities in South and North America. The number of stu- dents in attendance, according to the last catalogue, was 116. The number of graduates since the institution has been in operation, is 392.
The Baptist Theological Seminary occupies a commodious building near the site of the University. Itis well endowed, possesses a good library and other facilities for a first class institution.
The Rochester Atheneum and Mechanics Association was organized in 1849 by a union of the two societies, the former
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of which was founded in 1830, the latter in 1836. It occu- pies commodious rooms in Corinthian Hall for the Library of about 17,000 volumes, and the Reading Room, which is fur- nished with the principal publications of the country.
The Rochester Home for the Friendless was organized in 1855, and has for its object the relief of homeless and indigent females. It is managed by seven Trustees and thirty Di- rectresses. The Journal of the Home is a periodical pub- lished by the society.
There are several orphan asylums in the City in connec- tion with which are schools.
St. Patrick's Female Orphan Asylum was established in 1844 and is now providing for 90 orphans. A day school in connection with it numbers 160 pupils.
The number of pupils enrolled in St. Mary's Asylum, be- tween Sept. 1, 1868, and January 1, 1869, was 143; Roches- ter Protestant Asylum, 62.
The Industrial School, established for idle and vagrant children, is connected with the School Department of the City.
The Western House of Refuge, for juvenile delinquents, a State institution, is located on a farm of forty-two acres, about one mile and a quarter north of the central part of the City of Rochester, on a slight elevation, between the Erie Canal on the west, and the road leading to the mouth of Genesee River on the east. Six and one-half acres are sur- rounded by a stone wall twenty-two feet in hight, within which are all the buildings belonging to the institution ex- cept the barns. Twenty acres are inclosed by a stockade fence nine feet high, formed of cedar posts connected to- gether by iron rods. This inclosure and some six acres be- sides are under constant cultivation. The grounds within the walls are tastefully laid out into walks, play grounds and lawns, and ornamented with trees and shrubbery, which add greatly to the beauty of the place and to the comfort of the inmates. The entire front of the buildings is three hundred and eighty-two feet, and the hight from three to four stories. There are rooms arranged for all the various operations to ae- commodate five hundred inmates. The institution was es- tablished in 1849 for the reformation of juvenile delinquents.
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From the Superintendent's Report we learn that the number of inmates present Jan. 1, 1868, was.
Number received in 1868, 160
Number returned in 1868,. 20
Total number in 1868 was. 673
Number discharged in 1868, 238
Number present Jan. 1, 1869, 415
The ages of the inmates range from seven to eighteen, there being one of each of these ages, but the average age is thirteen ; by far the largest number are from twelve to fit- teen. Of the whole number committed during the year, 123 were for petit larceny. Forty-eight had no fathers, and twenty had no mothers. The products of the farm are valued at $2,417.16. The labor received from the inmates during the last year was valued at about $20,000. Total expense of the institution, exclusive of labor of inmates, about $40,- 000. The Superintendent says of the inmates: "The great majority of them are ignorant, indolent and guilty of crime. Ilence they are required to attend school and to labor, re- ceiving proper moral and religious instruction during the week and on the Sabbath. We have here three fine school rooms, where they attend school from two and a half to three hours daily, under the instruction of eight teachers, two male and six female. Many of them make as good progress in school as the majority of pupils in our public schools. That they may acquire habits of industry, all are required to labor daily from seven to eight hours. The length of time is sub- ject to modification, making a distinction in favor of the younger boys. They have been employed for some years and are still employed at chair making, brush making and shoe making, at which the most of them acquire the expert- ness of men."
Mount Hope Cemetery is located in Brighton, near the south line of the City, upon the highest land in the vicinity, and completely overlooking the City. From a tower erected upon its summit, a fine view of the surrounding country and of Lake Ontario is obtained. The grounds are laid out in good taste and are ornamented by some fine monuments, rendering it one of the finest rural cemeteries in the country.
St. Patrick's and St. Joseph's Cemeteries are smaller, but exhibit many marks of good taste and beauty in their ar- rangement.
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The first settler upon the present site of the City was Ebe- nezer Allan, a notorious Tory, sometimes called Indian Al- lan. In 1788 or 1789 he built a mill on what has since been called the " Hundred Acre Tract," which he received from Phelps and Gorham as a consideration for erecting the mill. Allan erected a saw mill at first, and soon after a grist mill. The latter was of heavy timber, 26 by 30 feet. This was a formidable structure for those times and required the assist- ance of all the able bodied white men in the Genesee Valley to raise it. Fourteen were all who could be rallied, and for two days they labored diligently to erect the structure that was to furnish them some better means of obtaining meal than the old stump mortar. While engaged in this laudable work, a trading boat entered the mouth of the river, and from its crew some rum was procured with which they made merry and had a dance in the mill. Allan after a few years sold out to Williamson, agent for the Pulteney Estate. Christo- pher Dugan, a brother-in-law of Allan's, took charge of the mill for several years, as will appear from the following let- ter, supposed to be the first business letter ever written on the site of the City of Rochester :
"Falls of Genesee, Aug. 9, 1794.
" The mill erected by Ebenezer Allan which I am inform- ed you have purchased, is in a bad situation, much out of re- pair and unless attention is paid to it, it will soon take a voy- age to the lake. I have resided here several years, and kept watch and ward without fee or recompense, and am pleased to hear that it has fallen into the hands of a gentleman who is able to repair it, and whose character is such that I firmly believe he will not allow an old man to suffer without reward for his exertions. I wish to have you come or send some one to take care of the mill, as my situation is such as makes it necessary soon to remove. I am sir, with respect
your most obedient, humble servant Christopher Dugan." Charles Williamson, Esq.
The mill was afterwards in charge of Sprague. In 1796 or 1797 Col. Josiah Fish took charge of the mill and remained In charge of it until 1804. The mill went to ruin and there was no other at this place for several years. An English- laath by the name of Maude passed through this place in 1.00 on a tour from New York City to Niagara Falls. He
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was on horseback and accompanied by a servant. He says in his journal: " As Cof. Fish, the miller, had not those ac- commodations which I expected, not even a stable, I was ob- liged to proceed to Mr. King's, at the Landing, where I got a good meal on wild pigeons, &c. Mr. King is the only re- spectable settler in this township, in which there are at pres- ent twelve families, four of whom have established themselves at the Landing."
Aaron Burr visited the place in 1795 and made a critical survey of the Falls. In 1797 Louis Philippe, and his two brothers, then in exile, visited the place in company of Robert Morris.
In 1802 Nathaniel Rochester, William Fitzhugh and Charles Carroll, of Maryland, purchased 300 acres, including the One Hundred Acre Tract, for $17.50 per acre, and in 1812 caused it to be laid out for settlement. In 1807 Charles Harford erected a grist mill, the first after the old Allan mill. It was located near the site of the Phoenix Mills. It was a rude affair, but was better than none. Enos Stone visited the place in 1794 and subsequently purchased a tract of land on the east side of the river, south of Main street. He did not remove to this place until several years after.
In 1810 the citizens of Pittsford, Perinton and other towns in the vicinity, petitioned the Legislature for a bridge across the Genesee at this point, and Mr. Stone went to Albany to use his influence in its favor. The measure was strenuously opposed on the ground that a bridge was unnecessary ; there was one at Avon, twenty miles distant, which was sufficient for the whole region. One of the grave Solons of the Legis- lature declared that " It was a God-forsaken place, inhabited by muskrats, visited only by straggling trappers, and through which neither man nor beast could gallop without fear of starvation or fever and ague." The measure was carried and a bridge completed in 1812, near where the present Main street bridge stands. It cost $12,000 and was erected at the expense of Ontario and Genesee counties, which then lay ad- jacent to the river. Previous to the erection of the bridge there was a ford a short distance below the canal aqueduct, where fatal accidents frequently occurred.
About this time Matthew and Francis Brown and Thomas Mumford purchased a tract of land north of the Hundred Acre Tract and laid it out in lots, built a mill-race and started a store. This was called " Frankfort," and had upon it, in
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MONROE COUNTY BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
M. D. ROWLEY,
GENERAL INSURANCE AGMAIL!
WIDOWS AND ORPHANS
DENBRIT LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY! Assets, $1,250,000.
GLENS FALLS FIRE, alsscts .. $506,838.
AMERICAN EXCHANGE FIRE ! Assets $300.000.
LUMBERMAN'S FIRE! Assets, . .$400,000.
Represents other Good Companies and is Inde- pendent of all Combinations.
OFFICE, No. 25 BUFFALO STREET,
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