Gazetteer of the State of New York: embracing a comprehensive view of the geography, geology, and general history of the State, and a complete history and description of every county, city, town, village, and locality, Part 2, Part 83

Author: French, J. H. (John Homer), 1824-1888, ed. cn; Place, Frank, 1880-1959, comp
Publication date: 1859
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y. : R. Pearsall Smith
Number of Pages: 782


USA > New York > Gazetteer of the State of New York: embracing a comprehensive view of the geography, geology, and general history of the State, and a complete history and description of every county, city, town, village, and locality, Part 2 > Part 83


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97


1 In 1827, a charter was obtained for building a ship canal from the Erie Canal, at Montezuma, to Great Sodne Bay. Sur- veys were made, but no work was ever done. A new charter was obtained by John Greig, of Canandaigua, in 1836; and an- other by Gen. Wm. H. Adams, iu 1851. The route named in the last charter is from Sodus Bay to the Erie Canal, a little w. of Clyde. Some work has been done on parts of this route.


2 The Sodas Point & Southern R. R. was incorp. in April, 1852. The road was to extend from Sodus Bay to Newark. The ronte has been surveyed. but no work has been done. A eurvey has Also been minde for a R. R. from Clyde to Sodus Bay.


8 Mr. Williamson built roads from Palmyra and Lyons to Rodos Point; upon these the carly settlers mostly located. lle also laid out a city upon Sodus Bay, which has not yet been built. + The Maryland settlers bronght with them several slaves; but it was soon found that slave labor was unprofitable.


5 Sec p. 693.


6 See Arcadia.


7 Gilbert Howell and Paul Reese came in in 1795: Samuel Soverhill in 1799; Humphrey Sherman, Reuben Starky, and John Miller, from Long Island, in 1800; and Ebenezer Smith soon after. The Lusky camo in from Columbia co. in 1806. Jacob. Philip, and Isaac Lusk purchased 1 sq. mi., which is now occupied by the village of Newark. Caleb Tibbetts, Stephen Aldridge, Henry Croags. and Cooper Culver settled in 1807; and Dr. A. Hyde, in 1810. The first death was that of a child of B. Franklin, in 1792: tho first marriage. that of -- llces and Amy Tibbetts, in 1798. Stephon Aldridge kept the first inn, and .J. P. Bartlett the first store.


8 There are 10 churches in town; 2 Meth. Prot., JI. E., Preeb., Prot. E., Union, Ref. Prot. D., Bap., R. C., and Christian.


691


WAYNE COUNTY.


(Cayuga co.,) 1 church and 20 houses. Butler Center is a hamlet. The first settlement was commenced in 1802.1 The first settled minister was - Mills.2 Rev. Antoinette L. Brown, the first woman ever regularly ordained in the State, was settled for several years over the Cong. Church at South Butler.


GALEN'-was formed from Junius, (Seneca co.,) Fcb. 14, 1812. Savannalı was taken off in 1824. It lics on the s. border of the co., E. of the center. Its surface is hilly in the E., but more level in the w. In the s. w. is a large tract of swamp land. Clyde River flows through the town fromu w. to E. in a circuitous course. The soil is a rich, sandy and gravelly loam. Clyde,5 (p. v.,) near the center, on Clyde River, was incorp. May 2, 1835. The canal passes through the village ; it is also a station on the N. Y. C. R. R. It contains 6 churches, a high school,6 2 banks, a news- paper office, a glass factory, and several other manufactories.1 Pop. 1,856. Marengo, (p. v.,) in the s. part, contains a church and 20 houses; Lock Berlin, (p. v., ) in the w. part, on the canal, a church and 30 houses. Angells Corners, iu the s. E., and Meadville, in the E., - are hamlets. The first settlement was commenced by Laomi Bedell, in 1800.8. The first church (Presb.) was organized July 8, 1814.9 Borings for salt water in the vicinity of Clyde have been made, but without success. One of the wells emitted inflammable gas: the well was soon filled up.


HURON-was formed from Wolcott, as " Port Bay," Feb. 25, 1826. Its name was changed March 17, 1834. It lies on Lake Ontario, E. of the center of the co. A part of Great Sodus Bay lies in the N. w. corner. East Bay, in the N., and a part of Port Bay, in the N. E., extend into the town. Its surface is rolling, with a general northern inclination. In the w. and N. w., near Great Sodus Bay, are several tracts of swamp lands. The lake shore rises in a series of bluffs, the highest of which-Chimney Bluff -- is 175 ft. above the lake, and Bay Bluff 120 ft. Several small streams flow N. through the town, the principal of which is Mudge Creek, which empties into East Bay. The soil is a sandy and gravelly loam, intermixed with clay in the s. North Huron (p. r.) contains 2 churches, a saw and grist mill, and 40 houses ; South Huron (Huron p. o.) 1 church, a townhouse, and 20 houses. Port Glasgow (p. o.) is a hamlet, at the head of sloop navigation on Great Sodus Bay. The first settlement was commenced by Pere- grine Fitzhugh and Wm. IIchmus, and some other families from Md., in 1796.10 The first church (Presb.) was organized in 1813.11


LYONS-was formed from Sodus, March 1, 1811. Arcadia was taken off in 1825. It lies on the s. border of the co., a little E. of the center. Its surface is a moderately rolling region, broken by sand ridges. The Canandaigua Outlet from the s., and Mud Creek from the w., join in the s. part and form Clyde River. The soil is a sandy and gravelly loam, with marl upon the creek bottom lands. Lyons, (p.v.,) on the canal, at the junction of Canandaigua Outlet and Mud Creek, was incorp. April 18, 1854. It contains the co. buildings, 7 churches, 2 banks, 2 news- paper offices, a union school,12 and several manufactories ;13 and it is an important R. R. station. Pop. 3,221. Alloway, (p. v.,) in the s. part, on Canandaigua Outlet, contains a church, a grist- mill, and 30 houses. The first settlement was commenced in 1789, by Nicholas and Wm. Stansell and John Featherly.14 They settled, with their families, (12 persons in all, ) a half mile s. of the


1 John Granby and - Wellman settled near the center, as early as 1803; Erastus Hubbard and Abijah Moore, in 1805; Capt. Willis, Wm. Hallett, Henry Bunnel, Aaron Hoppin, Mrs. Bunce, and Morris Craw, previous to 1807; and Seth Craw aud Roger Olmsted, in 1808. The first birth was a child of - Winaus; the first death was that of Jedediah Wheeler, in April, IS11. -- Vieles built the first sawmill, at the couter.


2 There are 7 churches in town; 2 M. E., 2 Christian, Bap., Cong., and 2d Adv.


3 This was Township No. 27 of the Military Tract, and received its name from having been appropriated to the Medical Department. 4 Named by Wm. McNab, agent of the Hornby Estate. Geneva.


5 This location was originally called "Block House," from a blockhouse built here by Indian traders at an early day. It was used during the Revolution by tories as a "station" in smuggling goods from Canada via Sodus Bay. It was burned previous to 1800. The village was first called " Lauraville," from Henrietta Lanra, Countess of Bath, daughter and heiress of Sir Wm. Pulteney. Its name was changed to Clyde iu 1818. 6 It is a union school, foriued from Districts 14 and 17. Incorp. April 24, 1834. with special privileges. This was one of the earliest union schools in Western New York. The school employs 6 teachers.


7 2 large distilleries, 2 steam flonring inills, 2 steam sawmills, 2 furnaces and shops for mannfacturing agricultural implements, a large cooperage, 1 brewery, 2 malt houses, and a tannery.


8 Among the other early settlers were Nicholas King, David Godfrey, and Isaac Mills, with their families. from Orange co., N. Y .. on Lot 70, in the B. w. part of the town. in 1801 ; - Creagher, from Md., Elias Austin, - Payne, and Capt. John


Sherman, in 1804. The first birth was that of Isaac Godfrey, in Feb. 1802; the first death, that of David Godfrey, accidentally killed, Oct. 13, 1801. The first marriage was that of Jabez Reynolds and Polly Mills, in 1805. Janues B. West kept the first store; Maj. Fred. A. De Zenz built the first saw and grist mill, in 1818.


9 There are 9 churches in town ; 2 M. E., 2 Bap., Presb., Prot E .. Germ. Meth., Friends, and R. C.


10 Among the other early settlers were Dr. Zenas Hyde, - Knox, and several families from Mass. ard Conn., in 1807; Josiah Upson, in 1808, and Norman Sheldon, in 1810. The first birth was that of a child of Dr. Hyde; and the first deatb, that of Mrs. Ilale, in 1809. Gardiner Mudge taught the first school, in 1812; Norman Sheldon kept the first inn, in 1810: James Mndge kept the first store; and Elihu Spencer built the first saw and grist mill, in 1809.


11 There are 3 clinrches in town ; M. E., Meth. Prot., and Presh. 12 The Lyous Union School was among the first. of the kind established in the State. It employs 12 teachers aud has 800 to 900 pupils.


19 Among these are an extensive manufactory of. casential oile, (principally peppermint.) a furnace, machiue, and agricultural implement shop, a pottery. brewery, tanncry, tile manufactory, brickyard, fanning mill factory, and a manufactory of saddle trees. About 10,000 lbs. of peppermint oil are produced annu- ally in the co ..- 1 of the whole amount in the U. S .- Trans. Ag. Soc. 1855, p. 657.


14 John Biggs, Richard Jones, Geo. Carr, Win. Gibba, and John Perrine were early settlers. The first marriage was that of Jas.


692


WAYNE COUNTY.


present village of Lyons. They were piloted up the Mohawk, (where they had previously settled,) and by the usual water route, by Wemple, an Indian trader. Charles Williamson, agent of the Pulteney Estate, commenced a settlement at Lyons Village in 1794, through Charles Cameron, his local agent. Jas. Otto came in 1796. In 1798, Judge Evert Van Winkle and and 40 others came in, from N. J. and Md .; and in 1801, Judge Daniel Dorsey and family, from Md. Judge Dorsey had previously purchased of Mr. Williamson nearly 1,000 acres in the immediate vicinity of the village. Rev. John Cole (Meth.) was the first local preacher.1


MACEDON-was formed from Palmyra, Jan. 29, 1823. It is the s. w. corner town of the co. Its surface is rolling and irregular. The valley of Mud Creek extends E. through the s. part. It is drained by Mud and Red Creeks and their tributaries. The soil is a clay and gravelly loam upon a limestone formation. Macedon, (p. v.,) a canal village, was incorp. Nov. 1856. It contains 2 churches, a saw and grist mill, furnace, and machine shop, and about 500 inhabitants. Macedon Center (p. v.) is ineorp., and contains 3 churches, the Macedon Academy, and 20 houses. The first settlement was made as early as 1789, by Webb Harwood and Ebenezer Reed .? The first church (Bap.) was organized in 1800.ª


MARION-was formed from Williamson, as "Winchester," April 18, 1825. Its name was changed April 15, 1826. It is an interior town, lying w. of the center of the co. Its surface is broken by sandy hills and gravelly ridges ; the Niagara limestone crops out in the N. part. It is drained by East Red Creek, which flows s. into Mud Creek. The soil is a gravelly, calcareous loam, and drift. Limestone is quarried in the N. part, for building purposes and public works. Near Marion Village is a sulphur spring. Marion, (p. v.,) in the s. part, contains 4 churches, the Marion Collegiate Institute, a furnace and machine shop, a fanning mill factory, and 390 in- habitants. The first settlement was commenced in 1796, by Daniel Lovell." The first church (Presb.) was organized Nov. 1, 1808.5


ONTARIO-was formed from Williamson, as "Freetown," March 27, 1807. Its name was changed Feb. 12, 1808. Walworth was taken off in 1829. It is the N. w. corner town of the eo., Lake Ontario forming its N. boundary. Its surface is mostly level, with a general inclination toward the lake. It is drained by several streams running N. to the lake, the principal of which are Bear, Deer, and Davis Creeks. The soil is a sandy, gravelly loam, with drift and muck N. of the ridge. Between the lake shore and the ridge road are extensive marshes, heavily timbered. Iron ore, in the form of red oxid, is found in large quantities in the Clinton group, extending E. and w. through the center of the town. Salt was formerly manufactured to some extent. Ontario, (p. v.,) in the s. E. part, contains a church, steam sawmill, furnace, and 25 houses; Ontario Center, 2 mi. w., a church and 20 houses; Furnace Village, near the center, a furnace6 and 16 houses. New Boston, on the lake shore, is a hamlet. The first settlement was com- menced by Freeman Hopkins, from Mass., in 1806.7, The first church (Bap.) was organized in 1811,8 by Elder Lyon.


PALMYRA-was formed in Jan. 1789. Macedon was taken off in 1823. It lies on the s. border of the co., w. of the center. Its surface is undulating. Mud Creek flows E. through the town, s. of the center. Its tributaries are East and West Red Creeks and several small streams. The soil is a caleareous loam, with marl on the creck bottoms, and drift, sand, and gravel on the hills. Palmyra, (p.v.,) in the s. w. part, was incorp. April 9, 1819. It is an important canal village, and is a station on the N. Y. C. R. R. It contains 5 churches, the Palmyra Union School,9


Otto and a daughter of Capt. John Dunn. John Biggs kept the [ death, that of - Phelps, in 1800. Widow Stiles kept the first first inn, in 1801; Judge Daniel Dorsey, the first store; Henry inn, in 1799; and - - bnilt tle first gristmill, in 1801. 5 There are 4 churches in town; Cong., M. E., Bap., and Christian. Tower, agent of Mr. Williamson, built the first mills, at Alloway, in 1796; and Dorsey & Milton. the first carding and cloth dress- ing mill, in 1807.


1 There are 8 churches in town; 2 M. E., Presb., Prot. E., Bap., Evan. Luth., Germ. Evan. Ref., and R. C.


2 Israel Delano, from Mass .. and David Comstock, settled in the N. part, and Darius Comstock and Jerome Sinith in the cen- tral part, in 1790. Jacob Gaunett, John Gibson, Barnabas Brown, Abner Ilill, Adam Kingman, - Spear, Jonathan Warren. Constant Southard, - Reid, Packard Barney, and Philip Woods, from Mass .. in 1791. A number of Friends came in 1800 from Penn. aud Mass. The first child born was Enoch Gannett, in 1791: the first death was that of David White. Barnabas Reed taught the first school; Win. Porter kept the first inn, and Jacob Gannett built the first inill.


3 There are 5 churches in town; 2 Friends, Bap., M. E., and R. C. 4 - Blakesley and Ezra Phelps settled in 1796, David and Isaac Sweezy in 1797, and Wm. B. Cogswell, from R. I., in March, 1798. The first birth was in the family of David Lovell; the first


6 The " Wayne Co. Iron Co." mannfacture about 6 tons of pig iron per day, from ore dug in town.


7 Among the early settlers were Peter Thatcher and Harry Leavins, who settled on the lake shore, and Noah Fuller, in 1809; Willard Church, Isaac Simmons, John Case, Win. Middle- tou, Jared Putnam, David Jennings, and Amos Thayer, fron: Conn., in 1810. In the s. part settlement commenced in 1808. Daniel Inman settled at the Corners in 1809; John Edmonds, Saml. Sabin, Abraham Smith, Wm. Billings, Lewis Janes, and Geo. Sawyer, near the same place, soon after. Alfred Town, Nathaniel Grant, and Wm. Greenwood located at West Corners. The first child born was Melissa Hopkins, May 7, 1806. Daniel Innan kept the first inn, in 1811, and Freeman Hopkins built the first sawmill.


8 There are 4 churches in town; 2 M. E., Presh., and Bap.


9 Incorp. in 1848. Employs 10 teachers and averages ahout 500 pupils.


693


WAYNE COUNTY.


a bank, 2 printing offices, and a number of manufactories.1 Pop. 2,310. East Palmyra, (p. v.,) a canal and R. R. station, in the E. part, contains 2 churches, a gristmill, and 20 houses. The first settlement was made by John Swift, in 1789 or'90.2 In the winter of 1788-89, John Swift and Col. John Jenkins purchased Tp. 12, R. 2, now Palmyra, and commenced the survey of it in March. During the summer, John Swift moved into the town, and erected a log house and storehouse a little N. of the lower end of Main St., Palmyra. Before the close of the year 1789, Webb Ilarwood and family, Noah Porter, Jonathan Warner, and Bennett Bates, from Mass., came in. Mr. Harwood settled a little w. of the village. David White and family came in in 1790. The first church (Prcsb.) was formed in 1797 ; Rev. Eleazur Fairbanks was the first pastor.ª Joseph Smith, the father of the prophet, settled a little s. of Palmyra Village in 1819. The plates of the Mormon Bible were said to have been dug up on a hillside in Manchester, Ontario co., a little s. of the Palmyra linc. The Smiths were money diggers, and had previously been digging in this locality for gold. The book was printed at the office of the Wayne Sentinel, Martin Harris, a convert, mortgaging his farm to defray the expense.


ROSE -- was formed from Wolcott, Feb. 5, 1826. It lies in the interior, of the co., E. of the center. Its surface is mostly undulating or level, with drift ridges in the s. E. Several small tracts of swamp land lie in different parts of the town. The streams are small; Mudge, Sherman, and Thomas Creeks are the principal. The soil is a gravelly loam, intermixed with clay on the elevations and with muck on the lowlands. The highest point is 140 ft. above Lake Ontario. Limestone approaches the sur- face in the N. part, and has been quarried to some extent for lime and for building purposes. Rose Valley, (Rose p. o.,) near the center, contains 3 churches, a steam sawmill, and tannery. Pop. 218. Wayne Center, in the w. part, contains 20 houses ; Glenmark Falls,5 in the N. part, contains 2 gristmills, 2 sawmills, and 10 dwellings. The first settlement was made in 1805, by Caleb Melvin and Alpheus Harman.6 The first church (M. E.) was organized in 1824.7


SAVANNAH8-was formed from Galen, Nov. 24, 1824. It is the s. E. corner town of the co. Its surface is broken by drift ridges in the N., and is low and marshy in the s. ; about one-third of the s. part is a woodland marsh, known as Crusoc Island. Seneca River forms the s. part of the E. boundary. Crusoe Lake is a small, shallow body of water near the center; its outlet, Crusoe Creek, flows into Seneca River. The soil in the N. is a sandy and gravelly loam, and in the s. it is principally composed of muck and shell marl.º A tract of about 1,900 acres in the s. E. part is an open marsh, producing coarse grass. Savannah, (p. v.,) near the center, is a station upon the N. Y. C. R. R., and contains 20 houses. The first settlement was made by Elias Converse and Joseph Mozier, in 1812.10 The first preacher was Rev. -- Wiers, (Bap.) There is no church in town.


SODUSI-was formed in Jan. 1789. Williamson was taken off in 1802, and Lyons in 1811. It is the central town on the N. border of the co., and is bounded N. by Lake Ontario. A part of Great Sodus Bay lies in the N. E. corner. Its surface in the N. part is mostly level, with a gentle inclination toward the lake. A ridge 140 to 190ft. higher than the surface of the lake passes through ncar the center ; and s. of this the surface is broken by several ridges extending N. and s. The lake shore varies in height from a low swamp to bluffs 70 ft. high. Second and Salmon Creeks are the principal streams. The soil in the N. part is a clay and sandy loam, and in the s. gravelly loan. The manufacture of lime is extensively carried on in the s. part ; and red sandstone is quarried in the s. w. Red oxid of iron (argillaceous ore) is found 2 mi. w. of Sodus Point. Salt was manufactured in 1831


1 A machine shop and manufactory of agricultural imple- ments, 2 furnaces, a scale manufactory, distillery, tobacco manu- factory, and gas works. About 2 mi. N. E. of the village is an extensive rope and cordage manufactory.


2 The settlers that followed in 1790-91-92, as near as can be ascer- tained. were Lemmel Spear, David Jackways, Jaines Galloway, Jonathan Willet. the Mattisons, Gideon Durfee, sr., and his sons, -Gideon, Edward, Job, Pardon, Stephen, and Lemuel,-Isaae Springer. Win .. James, and Thos. Rogers, John Russell, Nathan llarris. David Wilcox. Joch Foster. Abraham Foster, Elias Reeves, and Luther Sanford. In 1791 " The Long Island Co.," through Elias Reeves, A. Foster, Win. Hopkins, and Luther Sanford. pur- chased 5,500 acres near East Palmyra, at 25cts. per acre ; and the first wheat harvested sold for 25cts. per bushel. The first birth way that of a child of Webb llarwood. in 1790; the first mar- riage. that of Win. Wilcox and Ruth Durfee; and the first death, that of David White. Ira Selby tanght the first school, in 1793. Dr. Azel Ensworth kept the first inn, and Samuel Colt the first store, at an early day. Jonah Howell built the first mill, 1 ml. E. of the village.


% The census reporte 10 churches in town; 2 Presb., 2 M. E., Prot. E., Bap., Christian, Cong., Friends, and R. C.


4 Named from Robert L. Rose, Esq., of Geneva.


6 There is a fall at this place, on Thomas Creek, of 22 ft.


6 Among the other early settlers were Milton Salisbury,- Crafts. John Sherman, Joel Bishop, sr., Lott Stuart, Aaron Shep ard. Clias. Thomas, - Pomeroy, and -- Bannister. The first birth was that of a child of Mr. Salisbury, in 1812; the first marriage, that of Ifosea Gillett and Hannah Burnham, in Jan. 1813; and the first death, a child of Harvey Gillett, in 1812. Sally Bishop tanght the first school, in 1813; and Oliver Wet- more built the first sawinill, in 1812.


7 There are 3 churches in town; Presb., M. E., and Bap.


8 Named from the surface in the s. part.


9 The Galen Salt Works of an early period were in this town 10 Among the early settlers were Michael Weatherwax, Benj. Seeley, Garret Burnham, Henry Taylor, Chauncey Ives, John Green, Abner and Ezra Rockway, Henry Myers, David Cush- man, Smith Ward, and Sampson McBane, mostly from Eastern N. Y. The first marriage was that of Geo. Fredenburgh and Sally Converse; the first birth was that of a child of Geo. Fre- denburgh; and the first death, that of -- Sweetmau. Lorin Brown taught the first school, in 1817.


il Called by the ludians " Assorodus," wieaniug " silvery water."


694


WAYNE COUNTY.


and '32. Sodus (p. v.) contains 3 churches, the Sodus Academy, and about 300 inhabitants. Sodus Point, (p. v., ) on the lake, w. of the entrance to the bay, is a U. S. port of eutry in the Genesee District. It has a lighthouse, a church, a steam sawmill, aud about 200 iuhabitants. Sodus Center (p. v.) contains a church, fouudery, carding mill, grist and saw mill, and 40 houses; Alton (p. v.) a church and 30 houses; Southi Sodus (p. v.) a church and 30 houses; and Joy (p. v.) a church, shingle factory, and 30 houses. The first settlement was made in 1794, under the auspices of Charles Williamson, agent of the Pulteney Estate.1 Mr. Williamson caused a road to be cut through from Palmyra to Sodus Point in the spring of 1794. During the summer the town was surveyed, an extensive city plan laid out between Salmon Creek and the Point, and within two years mills were erected on Salmon Creek. A tavern was built at an expense of $5,000, a pleasure yacht was placed upon the bay ; and in roads, surveys, buildings, &e., over $20,000 was expended. Thos. Little and - Moffat were the local agents of Mr. Williamson. Of all those connected with these premature improvements, but few remained after they were completed. Elijah Brown was an early settler, 4 mi. w. of the Point, and Amos Richards, 7 mi. w. Ammi Ellsworth came from Conn. in 1801, and settled near the Point. Dr. Wm. Nixon Loomis settled at the Point. IIe built mills and a forge. A daughter of his is Mrs. Elizabeth Ellet, author of the " Women of the Revolution," and "Domestic History of the Revolution." Col. Peregrine Fitzhugh came from Md. in 1803, with his family and slaves,-over 40 persons in all. Dr. Thos. G. Lawson, an Englishman, settled 1 mi. fromn the Point, in 1803. After expending considerable money in attempting to form a settlement, he abandoned the enterprise in 1805. In 1799, besides those already mentioned, there were 25 families in town on roads leading to Palmyra and Lyons. The first church (Bap.) was organized in 1805; Elder Seba Norton was the first settled minister.2


WALWORTHI3-was formed from Ontario, April 20, 1829. It is the central town on the w. border of the co. Its surface is a high, rolling upland, the ridges being the most elevated land in the co. The Niagara limestone erops out in the N. part, marking its course by a hard, stony surface some rods in width. It is drained N. by several small streams, and s. E. by tributaries of Red Creek. The soil is a rich, sandy loam. Walworth, (p. v., ) near tlie s. E. corner, contains 3 churches, the Walworth Academy, and 230 inhabitants. In the immediate vicinity is an extensive nursery.4 West Walworth, (p. v., ) in the s. w. part, contains a church and 115 inhabitants. The first settlement was begun about 1800.5 The first church (M. E.) was organized previous to1809.6


WILLIAMSON-was formed from Sodus, Feb. 20, 1802. Ontario was taken off in 1807, and Marion in 1825. It lies on the N. border of the co., w. of the center, Lake Ontario forming its N. boundary. Its surface is level in the N., with a gentle inclination toward the lake. In the s. it rises into now ridges. It is drained by a few small streams that flow N. into Lake On- tario. The soil is a sandy, gravelly loam, mixed with clay near the lake shore. Pultney- ville,8 (p. v., ) on the lake shore, a U. S. port of entry in the Genesee District, contains a church, gristmills, a steam sawmill, and about 450 inhabitants; Williamson, (p. v.,) s. of the center, contains 2 churches, a steam flouring mill, and about 300 inhabitants; East Williamson contains 2 churches and 20 houses. The first settlement was made in 1803, by Wm. Waters.º The eensus reports 8 churches in town.10




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.