USA > New York > Ontario County > History of Ontario county, New York : with illustrations and family sketches of some of the prominent men and families > Part 41
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St. Joseph's Catholic Church at West Bloomfield was organized in 1866, and included within its parish the Roman Catholic families of the town. In the same year the church purchased the frame church formerly erected by the withdrawing element of the Congregational Society. Father William Hughes was for many years pastor of St. Joseph's. The present pastor is Father Simon Fitzsimons.
The Christian Church of West Bloomfield was organized in October, 1818, and held its early meetings in school- houses. In 1825 a church
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
edifice was built about a mile south of West Bloomfield village, where it stood until 1848, and was then moved to the corner lot in the village. Rev. David Millard was the active organizer of this church and society, and he stood in the relation of pastor almost throughout its existence. In 1868 he moved to Michigan, and was succeeded in the pastorate by Revs. Havens, Sibley, and David E. Millard, who labored to maintain the organization of the society, but failing, its was finally dissolved, and the edifice was purchased by the town and used for its meetings.
North Bloomfield is the name of a small hamlet and post-office sta- tion south of the line of the Canandaigua and Batavia branch of the Central road. This has been an important manufacturing center for many years, and unlike many other portions of the county, its inter- ests and enterprises here have been maintained and even increased with passing years, and it is a fact that to-day the little hamlet of North Bloomfield is the most important manufacturing center in west- ern Ontario county.
The pioneer of this part of the town was Daniel Gates, who made a settlement in 1790, and was followed in 1794 by Marvin Gates, who was a pioneer in the lumbering business. At this point, about 1795, Samuel Miller and one Crites built a saw-mill on Honeoye outlet, which old mill subsequently passed through various ownerships and stood for many years. John Blake was an early distiller of spirits near the old grist-mill of Squire and Jacob Smith. The Squire built a cloth or fulling-mill for his son Eldrick, the building afterward being made into a grist mil and operated by Amos Gates. Near it Francis Smith established a distillery, for it must be understood that the pioneer grist mill and the distillery of the same period were hand in hand enterprises. James Smith opened a store at an early day. This leads to the remark that the Smiths were people of much consequence in the early history of this locality, and from the number and extent of their interests, the point at one time was known as Smithtown. Other early business men here were Goodrich, succeeded by Joseph Chambers; Horace Chambers, Robert Huntington, hotel-keeper ; Isaac Hall, who had a forge and furnace. The industries and business interests of this region extend along the outlet on both sides, and, as a result, a village of importance has grown up, much of which is located on the west or Lima side of the stream.
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TOWN OF WEST BLOOMFIELD.
The present interests which have an abiding place on the North Bloomfield side of the outlet are the general store of Charles S. Cham- bers & Company, the grist-mill of Amos Lotee, the flouring mills of Aaron Mather, the saw-mill, stave, heading and barrel factory of A. B. Collins & Company, the factory of C. H. Fairchild, millwright and manufacturer of mill flights ; the wagon repair shop of Wallace Buck, and other small industries which are incidental to a manufacturing community. These diversified and somewhat extensive interests re- quire protection, hence "The North Bloomfield Fire Department " was organized, and was incorporated in October, 1886. Its jurisdiction extends to the west side of the outlet, and in fact it is an organization of the vicinity rather than of North Bloomfield alone.
Miller's Corners, as known for many years, but more recently designated as "Miller Corners," was named in honor and memory of Samuel Miller, whose first improvement was made in 1789, and whose residence here began in 1790. Pioneer Miller was a blacksmith and established a primitive shop in the town soon after coming here. Thus he founded a settlement, though having no such intention at the time. However, it was not until the completion of the railroad (1853) that this hamlet acquired any prominence, although a post-office was estab- lished here in 1849, and to it was given the name "Taylorville," in allusion to the surname of the then president, Gen. Zach. Taylor. The name of Miller's Corners was adopted in 1869. The business in- terests of Miller Corners are substantially embraced by the general stores of Johnson and Croft respectively, and the public institutions are the Methodist Church and the school of District No. 3. It may be added, however, that the Old Cemetery and Rural Cemetery have their location within the hamlet proper, and in connection therewith may be mentioned.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of West Bloomfield, as an original organization, belongs to the town rather than the village of Miller's Corners The society was formed February 7, 1831, and held its first meetings in West Bloomfield, in the school house, and occasionally in Mr. Miller's barn. The church edifice was built in 1832. However, as most of the members resided at the Corners or its vicinity, the so- ciety was disbanded, and afterwards reorganized as a society of Miller's
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
Corners, to which place the meeting-house was removed, and was super- seded by a more substantial structure in 1840. Present pastor, Rev. E. W Parks. Although the pastorate is not always supplied by a resident minister, the society is nevertheless large and prosperous.
Schools .- As early as 1796 a school was opened at West Bloomfield, and before 1812 the enterprising inhabitants of the town founded an academy. Prior to 1800 a school was started at Miller's Corners, and in 1812 a school-house was erected. Other early schools were in dis- trict No. 7, also No 8, and elsewhere in the town, all of which tends to show that even during the infancy of the township the educational in . terests were the subject of care and attention on the part of the people. According to the present arrangement, the territory of the town is di- vided into nine school districts, only one of which (No. 8) has no school building. In 1892 the number of children of school age was 407, to instruct whom fourteen teachers were employed at an expense during the year of $2,521.50. The amount of moneys received for school purposes was $3,354.53. There are six frame school houses, also one of stone (No. 3).
As has been stated in this chapter, the town of West Bloomfield was set off February 11, 1833, and was separately organized at the first town meeting held on the first Tuesday in April following, at which time these officers were elected : Reynold Peck, supervisor ; H. B. Hall, town clerk; Stephen Blake, David Paul and Wheeler Griffin, assessors ; Isaac W. Phillips, collector ; Stephen Hendee and Sylvester Kellogg, overseers of the poor; Sidney Huntington, Enoch Hall and Elias D. Wright, justices of the peace.
Succession of Supervisors-Reynold Peck, 1833-39, 1843-44, 1847- 48; Bazaleel C. Taft, 1840-42 ; Jasper C. Peck, 1845; John Dickson, 1846; Solon Peck, 1849-50 ; Charles Webb, 1851 ; Melancton Gates, 1852; Daniel S. Baker, 1853-54; Thos. R. Peck, 1855; Elisha F. Leech, 1856-64 ; Joseph C. Shelton, 1865-66 ; Hiram T. Parmele, 1867- 70; Jasper P. Thompson, 1871; Reynold M. Peck, 1872 ; Walter J. Dixon, 1873 74; Harvey A. Metcalf, 1875-77 ; James H. Baker, 1878; Carlton S. Miller, 1879-80; Oscar H. Huntington, 1881 ; Carlton S. Miller, 1882-83 ; Edwin E. Bond, 1884-85 ; John P. Eaton, 1886; Reynold M. Peck, 1887-88; Edwin E. Bond, 1889 ; Patrick O'Leary, 1890-91 ; Newton W. Dibble, 1892; William T. Case, 1893.
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
Present Town Officers-William T. Case, supervisor ; M. H. Shepard, town clerk; C. M. Hendee, H. B. Webb, G. I. Rose, L. A. Taylor, justices of the peace ; H. B. Marble, E A. Chapin, John Seymour, as- sessors ; Ira Clemons, commissioner of highways; E. A. Chapin, over- seer of the poor; W. H. Welch, collector; A. M. Lyman, William Webb, Wm. H. Welch, constables; Henry P. Hewitt, Sears B. Wood, Henry C. Brown, inspectors of election ; James Elton, commissioner of excise.
CHAPTER XXIX.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF RICHMOND.
T HIS town was organized in 1796, under the act of January 27, 1789, and first called Pittstown, in honor of its pioneer Captain Peter Pitts The name was changed to Honeoye, April 6, 1808, and to Richmond, April 11, 1815. A part of Canadice was annexed April 30, 1836, and parts of Bristol and South Bristol in 1848; but the latter were restored in 1852. The town consists of a nearly square portion of land lying near the foot of Honeoye Lake, and a narrow strip extend- ing along the east shore of that lake and its inlet to the south border of the county. This strip was added to the town in consequence of its position, high ridges separating it from the business centers of both Canadice and South Bristol.
Negotiations for the purchase of a large tract of land in the Genesee country were begun as early as the year 1787, but not until Phelps and Gorham perfected their title were the arrangements completed. A party was sent into this region to examine the lands, and subsequently the Dighton Company was formed, the agents of which purchased 46,080 acres, a part of which extended over the present town of Richmond, then known, however, as number 9 in range 5. The title to the land was taken by Calvin Jacobs and John Smith, who, after its survey and allotment, conveyed to the respective owners. This survey was made in 1789 by Capt. Peter Pitts and his son William ; Deacon and George
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
Codding, father and son ; and Calvin Jacobs and John Smith. Captain Pitts became the possessor of 3,000 acres of land near the foot of Hone- oye Lake, upon which the first improvement was made in 1790 by Gideon and William Pitts. In December of the same year Captain Pitts and John Codding and their families became permanent settlers of the town, occupying during the following winter the log house built by Captain Pitts's sons, Gideon and William. Later on this primitive structure was replaced with a substantial framed dwelling, supposed by many to have been the famed " Long House," in which the redoubtable pioneer entertained those distinguished traitors Louis Philippe and Duke de Liancourt, their host and entertainer being Capt. Peter Pitts.
Referring further to the pioneer and early settlers of this town, there may be recalled the names of others equally worthy of mention. In this connection there may be recalled Elisha Pratt, who lived with Cap- tain Pitts; Eber Sibley, Edward Hazen, Edward Taylor, Silas Whit- ney, John Pennell, Ebenezer Farrer, Jonathan Rhodes, the date of whose settlement is not accurately preserved. . In the center of the town the early residents were Noah Ashley, Joseph and Elias Gilbert, David, William, Sanford and Heman Crooks, Philip Reed and his sons John F., Silas, Wheeler, William and Philip; Whiting Marsh, John and Eleazer Freney, Deacon Harmon, Isaac Bishop, Rhoderick Steele, Cyrus Wells, Isaac and Alden Adams, Daniel H. Goodsell, Orsamus Risden, and possibly others. In the northeast part of the town the early settlers were Lemuel and Cyrus Chipman, Asa Dennison and Levi Blackmer, David Aiken, Thomas Wilson, Mr. Bentley, Wm. Baker, Aaron and John Abbey, Seth Tubbs, David Crawford, Moses, Peter and Nathaniel Allen, James Garlinghouse, Joseph Garlinghouse, Cyrus Wells, Sylves- ter Curtis, Mr. Boyd, Mr. Jenkins, Hugh Gregg, George Fox, Abram Wiley, Gideon Gates, David Pierpont, Caldwell. Other settlers in the town were Joshua Phillips, Nathan Hicks, Elijah Wheeler, Pierce Cham- berlain, Asa Dennison, Levi Blackmer, Roswell Turner, Calvin Ward, Philip Reed, Colonel Lyman Hawes, Geo. McClure, Amos and John Dixon, Oliver Lyon, Wm. Warner, Parley Brown, Parley Drury, Luther Stanley, Mr. Frisbie, James McCrossen, Rufus Bullock, Caleb and Thomas Briggs, James Green, Stephen Frost, Gates Pemberton, Caleb Smith, Nelson Skinner, John Norton, James Parker, Abijah Wright,
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
Wm. Arnold, Amos Jones, Jesse Stephens, A. S. Bushnell, Philip Short, Walter Stephens, Caleb Arnold, Abel Short, Artemas Briggs, John Beecher and Gilbert Kinyon.
The early settlers of that part of the town which extends south to the county line were Hugh Hamilton, George Gordon, William Layne, David Knapp, John Parker, Edmund Downs, Wm Judevine, Job Wood, Jacob Flanders, Colonel John Green, the Skinner family, the Vinals, James Moore, Daniel Smith, Aaron J. Hunt, Andrew Bray, Jacob Bowers.
The persons above mentioned, many of whom were heads of families, were the pioneers and early settlers of Richmond, but in naming them no effort has been made to fix date of settlement, place of residence in the town, or to recall any events in connection with their family life, or services in the town. However, in another department of this work will be found detailed mention of many of these pioneers and their descendants, many of whom have largely contributed to the prosperity of the town. From the number of names mentioned it will be seen that the early settlement of the town was quite rapid, although prior to 1800 the inhabitants were few and scattered. However, in 1796 it was deemed advisable to complete the town organization, and a meeting therefor was held on April 5, at which time these officers were chosen ; Supervisor, Lemuel Chipman; town clerk, Gideon Pitts ; assessors, Philip Reed, Wm. Pitts, Solomon Woodruff; constable and collector, Jonas Belknap; commissioners of highways, Solomon Woodruff, Gideon Pitts, Elijah Parker; fence viewers, Stiles Parker; Roswell Turner; pound- master, Edward Hazen ; pathmasters, Peter Pitts, Cyrus Chipman, Sol- omon Woodruff, Aaron Hunt, Roswell Turner; overseers of the poor, Peter Pitts, Philip Reed; commissioners of schools, Philip Reed, Cyrus Chipman, Jonas Belknap.
In this connection we furnish the names of the supervisors of Rich- mond who have from time to time represented the town in the county legislature as follows : Lemuel Chipman, 1786-1800, 1806, 1814, 1821 ; Philip Reed, 1801-4; Gideon Pitts, 1805, 1807-1809, 1818-20; Noah Ashley, 1810, 1813, 1815; James Herendeen, 1811 ; Peter Allen, 1812 ; Noah Ashley, 1812, to fill vacancy ; Amos Mead, 1816-17 ; Issacher Frost, 1822-23, 1828; Nathaniel Allen, 1824, 1826; John Dixon,
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
1825; Philip Short, 1827 ; Jonathan Mason, 1829; Hiram Pitts, 1830- 34; Gilbert Wilson, 1835-38; Wm. F. Reed, 1839-40; Hiram Ashley, 1841-43 ; Robert L. Rose, 1844-45 ; Zach. Longyor, 1846 ; David A. Pierpont, 1847-48, 1852, 1855; Thomas Barkley, 1849-50; Lyman Haws, 1851 ; David L. Hamilton, 1853-54; Zoroaster Paul, 1856; Wm. F. Reed, 1857-58; Willard Doolittle, 1859-60; Evelyn Pierce, 1861- 68; Spencer D. Short, 1868-72 ; Chas. E. Reed, 1873-76; Marion P. Worthy, 1887-80; Frederick L. Ashley, 1881-82; John A. Reed, 1883-86; Edwin W. Gilbert, 1887-88 ; David A. Pierpont, 1889-91 ; Charles E. Reed, 1892-93.
The Richmond contribution to the Ontario county troops who served in the War of 1812-15, so far as can be ascertained, comprised these militiamen : Peter Allen, who commanded a regiment ; Captains Elijah Clark, Josiah Morehouse, Joel S. Hart, Caleb Harrington ; Salma Stan- ley, Abraham Dox, John Brown, John Bogart, James Bogart ; Paymas- ter Nathaniel Allen; Major James Henderson ; Lieutenant Joshua Phil- lips, and Tilness Bently, Eli Crooks, Henry Hazen, Paul W. Hazen, Thomas Bentley, Riley Crooks, Robert Crawfor, John Wheeler, Syl- vester Wheeler, Benj. Leslie, Benj. Downing, David Knapp, Richard Wright, Pitts Phillips, Wm. Lane, John Flanders, Samuel Bently, Ly- man Canda, Vincent Conklin, Darius French, Leonard Pemberton, Elijah Risden, Elijah Sibley, Cyrus Booth
The greatest number of inhabitants ever attained by the town was about the year 1840, there then being a population of 1,927. Ten years before the number was 1,876. In 1850 it decreased to 1,852; in 1860 to 1,650 ; in 1870 to 1,622 ; in 1880 it was increased to 1,772, and dur- ing the next ten years decreased to 1,51I, as shown by the census reports.
The town of Richmond from its early settlement period has pos- sessed a number of small villages, none of which has attained to the character of a corporation The largest and most important of these hamlets is Honeoye, a pretty little village located on the outlet of Honeoye Lake, about half a mile from the main body of the latter. The land in this vicinity to the vast extent of 3,000 acres, was originally owned by pioneer Captain Pitts, though the proprietorship of the vil- lage seems to have been credited to Artemas Briggs. The pioneer in-
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TOWN OF RICHMOND.
terests here were the tannery of Moses Risden, succeeded by Daniel Phil- lips; Gideon Pitts, Mr. Way and Abner Mather were the first black- smiths ; Gideon Pitts also built a saw-mill and grist-mill, the latter being on the site now occupied by the roller process mill of John Quick. In 1815 R. Davids opened a tavern, who was followed in the same oc- cupation by Samuel G. Crooks and Smith Henry. In 1817 John Brown and Linus Giddings put in operation a fulling and cloth mill, which Joseph Blount owned later on. Hiram Pitts and Joseph Savill built the first woolen factory, and in 1822 John Brown started in trade. Erastus Hill, R. Waldron and Hawks & Whipple followed still later. Other, and perhaps later, merchants and business men of the village were as follows : Isaac G. Hazen, dealer; M. M. Gregory, hardware ; Lyman Pierce and E. Pierce, ashery ; Isaac Seward, tanner and shoemaker ; Cornelius Hollenbeck, tanner; Oliver Adams, tanner and shoemaker ; Mr. Tubbs, cabinet maker; Artemas Briggs, Ephraim Turner, John Pennell, Gideon Pitts and Erastus Hill, distillers. The present business interests of Honeoye village are the machine shops of Wm. Parks ; the planing-mill of Caleb Arnold; the shops of Thos. McKey, Geo. W. Patterson and Frank Hoagland ; Baun's photograph gallery ; W. H. Bartlett's shoe and wagon shops ; T. R. Reed's market ; Mrs. Stout's hotel ; Julian Tonset's and Geo. McBride's harness shops, and the stores of Frank Watrous, Ira M. Deyo (also postmaster), Rowley Knapp, Ed. win W. Gilbert, M. A. Franklin, Litzendorf & Eldredge and Thomas & Plimpton.
The public properties at Honeoye are the school house and the Con- gregational and St. Mary's Roman Catholic churches. The First Con- gregational Church at Honeoye was organized in November, 1854, by Rev. Cyrus Pitts, assisted by Rev. Fisher, with less than ten original members, most of whom were formerly connected with the mother Congregational Society of the town. The church was built in 1861, and stands at the corner of Main and North streets. The succession of pastors is as follows : Revs. Cyrus Pitts, R. W. Payne, Milton Buttoff, Isaac N. Ely and S. Mills Day, the latter being the present pastor.
St. Mary's Catholic Church at Honeoye is of recent organization and is under the pastoral charge of Rev. J. W. Hendrick.
The First Methodist Protestant Church and Society was organized in 1832, and in the same year a church edifice was built. In 1869 the
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
building was destroyed by fire, an accident that so crippled the society that it soon afterward passed out of existence.
Richmond Center is a small hamlet situated near the center of the town, the early occupants of which have been mentioned in this chap- ter, but the place at this time has no business interests worthy of men- tion. It is the location, however, of the original Congregational Church of the town, organized November 4. 1802, and including in its mem- bership a number of the prominent pioneer families of the vicinity. In 1804 the society purchased land of David Crooks to be used as a bury- ing ground and also a site for a meeting-house. About 1810 the Pres- byterian form of government was adopted, but in 1843 the society re- turned to Congregationalism. The large edifice was built in 1817-18, and the parsonage in 1835. Among the early supplies and pastors of this church were Revs. Joseph Grover, Jacob Cram, Abijah Warren, Samuel Fuller, Aaron C. Collins, Warren Day, Orange Lyman, H. B. Pierpont, Jacob Burbank, L. W. Billington, Lyman Manly, Milton But- toff. This society is not now in active existence.
Richmond Mills is a small village situate in the western part of the town, on the outlet of Hemlock Lake. This was originally the locality of the settlement made by pioneer Asa Dennison, who came to the town in 1795, and for whom the cross roads was given the name of Denni- son's Corners. The pioneer built a tavern at the Corners, and in con- nection with it fitted up a large ball-room. He kept public house here sixty years. The present business interests here are the store of A. B. Hosford, who is also postmaster ; A. W. Townsend's saw and· stave mill, and Caleb Clow's blacksmith shop.
Allen's Hill is located in the northest part of the town in the locality in which Moses Allen and his sons, Peter and Nathaniel, settled in 1796 and 1797. From this family the hamlet receives its name, although as a business or manufacturing center the village has never gained any prominence. Here are located the Protestant Episcopal and Methodist Episcopal churches, the school of district No. 2, the store of Charles Simmons (who is also postmaster) and the blacksmith shop of Noah T. Lambert.
The Protestant Episcopal Church (St. Paul's) was organized in the town in April, 1813, and during the next two years an edifice was built.
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TOWN OF CANADICE.
The parish organization has always been maintained though the church has experienced many vicissitudes. Its membership is small and there is no resident or regular rector in the parish.
The Methodist Episcopal Church of Richmond which is located at Allen's Hill was organized about sixty years ago, and reorganized in January, 1859. The first church edifice was in the eastern part of the town, but after the reorganization a larger and more suitable struct- ure was built at Allen's Hill, and was dedicated July 6, 1861. The present pastor of this church is Rev. D. C. Nye.
The only church society which has had an active existence in Rich- mond was the Baptist, organized about 1808, and which built a church house in 1832. The society was dissolved many years ago.
Referring briefly to the educational interests of Richmond, it may be stated that the town has ten school districts, eleven frame school- houses, which are maintained at an annual expense of about $4,000. The total value of school buildings and sites in the town is estimated at $11,825. The number of children of school age in the town in 1892 was 424.
CHAPTER XXX.
HISTORY OF THE TOWN OF CANADICE.
U NDER the act of January 27, 1789, a large district of territory in Ontario county was given an organization and named "Pittstown." This organization was perfected in 1796, and in April, 1806, the name was changed to "Honeoye." Another change was made in April, 1815, and the town then became known as " Richmond." Within the boundaries of this town, under its various early names, and down to 1829, was included all that now comprises the town of Canadice.
The town of Canadice was formed under its present name as a dis- tinct civil division of the county on the 15th of April, 1829, although it was not until the next year that the organization was made complete. Its original territory, however, has been reduced by the annexation of
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HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY.
a part (lying east of Honeoye Lake) to Richmond, which was done in 1836.
In some material respects this town differs from the others of the county. On its east and west boundaries are lakes of a small size, but of some note in connection with the early history of the region. These are respectively the bodies of water known as Honeoye and Hemlock Lakes, while lying wholly within the town is the smaller, yet hardly less historic, Canadice Lake. From the latter name the town itself is derived, it being an Indian appellation, said to have been rendered Skan-a dice. Honeoye Lake is the most historic of the three which touch the town, and by reference to an earlier chapter, the reader will learn the interesting events connected with its early history, and also that of the locality.
Canadice occupies a position in the southwestern part of the county, and is more remote and inaccessible from the county seat than any other of the towns. Notwithstanding all this, the town enjoys a certain prominence in Ontario county which is not common to the whole shire, and its people are noted for their hospitality; generosity, thrift, temper- ate and moral habits. However, on these it does not become us to dwell, but rather we may turn briefly to the pioneers who first settled in this former wilderness region, and then note the growth and develop- ment of the town through succeeding years. It is well to state, how- ever, that the early settlement of this town was made when its territory formed a part of the mother town, and known under the various names. of Pittstown, Honeoye and Richmond. When Canadice was formed and organized, 1829, pioneership had ceased, and the town then had its greatest population of 1,386 inhabitants, a number neither before nor afterward equaled.
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