USA > New York > Genesee County > History of the Genesee country (western New York) comprising the counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates, Volume II > Part 23
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
961
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
in 1846 this was sold to the Methodists, and a new structure put up in 1847. Rev. Ludovicus Robbins became the first pastor in 1831.
The first Methodist Episcopal Church was organized about 1837, the third religious society in the town. Nunda was at first on the regular circuit, but in 1840 had two resident pastors, Rev- erends Amos Hurd and Ira Bronson. In 1846 the society bought the old Presbyterian church house.
Grace Episcopal Church of Nunda was established April 7, 1847. The first wardens were C. Remington and G. P. Waldo, and the first vestrymen I. T. Turner, R. H. Spencer, N. Chitten- den, John Guiteau, S. Swain, Jr., David F. Swain, H. Chalker, R. Bennett, Gresham P. Waldo, Lucius Carlis, Asa Griswold and An- drew D. Benedict were among the first rectors of this church. The church building was erected just prior to 1852.
Thomas Kiley, Michael Welch, Thomas Brick, James Brick and Michael Creed were the first Roman Catholics in Nunda. By 1842 a large number were settled in the town. At "Deep Cut," where several hundred Catholic laborers were engaged, Nunda Catholics attended mass celebrated by Father O'Reilly, who came on horseback from Rochester. Subsequently other priests came to Nunda and held services in private houses. Father Dolan bought a house at Nunda in 1854, and this was remodeled into a church. The Holy Angels Society at Nunda then had its beginning.
The first meeting for the organization of the Universalist So- ciety in Nunda was held in the district school house September 12, 1840. On January 23, 1841, the society was regularly formed. A church building was erected the same year, followed in 1871 by the Church of the Redeemer edifice. The first pastor was Rev. A. Kelsey, who served four years.
The United Presbyterian Church of York had its beginning in 1811, when seven Scottish families came here to settle. They attended the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Cale- donia, which had been established shortly before. The York resi- dents received part-time services of Rev. John Campbell, who had been called to the Caledonia Church. In 1814 the first church was erected. In 1822 the York group was incorporated as the First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, and Rev. Henry Wilkins was installed as pastor. A new church was erected in 1825. Dissension arose in this year, and part of the membership
962
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
withdrew and formed the Associate Presbyterian Church of York and Covington. This crippled the original society for a time, but increased membership soon brought it back to normal condition. In 1848 a group of the members withdrew from the mother church and established themselves as the Associate Reformed Church of Cuylerville. In 1858 a union between the Associate and Associate Reformed groups was accomplished, forming the United Presby- terian Church. The First Reformed Presbyterian Church was started in 1832, with Rev. John Fisher as first pastor, but later passed out of existence.
The Baptist Church of York was formed in 1832 by the union of the First and Second Baptist churches of York. The First Church was organized sometime prior to 1819, and the Second Church was established in 1822, at York Center. The Protestant Dutch Reformed Church of Piffard was organized July 13, 1847, and, in 1853, became known as the First Presbyterian congrega- tion of Piffard, and in 1885 it was regularly organized as a church. It was later dissolved.
The Presbyterian Church of Groveland was organized in 1795, if one record is true, while another account gives the date as 1809, with Rev. John Lindsley the organizer. A house of wor- ship was erected in 1829. The Methodists put up a church build- ing in Groveland in 1828. The well-known Gully school house for many years did duty both as church and school. "Here John Lindsley, and later Silas Pratt, preached. These men were home missionaries. Mr. Pratt lived in Dansville and for a time preached in four different places, Dansville, South Sparta, Grove- land and Lakeville. Consequently several weeks would intervene between the days when he could speak to any one congregation ; but when he did come, he made up for his absence by preaching two sermons, neither of them short. Between the two services the people ate the lunch they had brought with them, visited, and if the weather permitted, walked across to the cemetery or in the surrounding woods. They came to church for miles around, those who were fortunate enough to have them coming in their large wagons with the children seated on chairs in them. But many walked; some women coming from Sonyea, with the laudable desire to save shoe leather, came barefooted as far as the Cana- seraga, where they washed their feet and donned shoes to wear
963
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
the remaining two miles up the hill; returning, the shoes would be removed at the same point. Sabbaths when Mr. Pratt was not at the church, it was the custom for a sermon to be read by one of the officers and that duty generally devolved upon Deacon John Jones, called the 'father of the church'."
The first religious services in the town of Geneseo were un- doubtedly conducted by missionaries sent out by the Missionary Society of Connecticut, the first of whom was Rev. Aaron Kinne, who came into this region about 1794, as already stated. The Scotch-Irish in the eastern part of the town were strongly Pres- byterian. Here, in the fall of 1795, Rev. Samuel Thatcher, a Presbyterian missionary already mentioned, organized the First Presbyterian Church in Geneseo, which, with the one organized the same year in Lima, were the earliest two in the county. The organization meeting was held at the house of John Ewart, who was one of the first elders; Daniel Kelly and James Haynes were others. Private homes were first used for meetings, and, after the town house was built in 1797, services were held there. The first pastor was Rev. John Lindsley, installed in 1806. Many Congre- gationalists came into this section and at first worshipped with the Presbyterians, but in 1810 they drew apart, the Presbyte- rians moving their meeting place to the eastern part of the town. In 1843 the first house of worship was erected; in 1855 the pres- ent edifice was undertaken, located just over the town line in Lakeville. The society has always retained its original name, notwithstanding its actual situs in the town of Livonia.
The Second Presbyterian Church of Geneseo was organized May 5, 1810, by Rev. Daniel Oliver, a missionary of the Massa- chusetts Home Missionary Society, and was composed of twenty- one members, mostly Congregationalists who had severed their membership with the First Presbyterian Church in Geneseo. Transient preachers and missionaries supplied the church during the early years. The society became full-fledged Presbyterian in 1817 and adopted its permanent title. The town house, which had been moved to "Temple Hill," was utilized as a church, and in 1811 the so-called "sheep fund" was inaugurated, the proceeds of the sheep as sold having been invested and eventually used to purchase property on Center Street, where Doctor Lauderdale's house now stands, upon which a session-room was built. In 1815
964
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
the society was incorporated as the "Geneseo Gospel Society." In 1816 James Wadsworth donated one hundred acres of land to the church. In this year, also, a meeting house was started and com- pleted in 1917. The site, opposite the public square near the south end of Main Street, was given by William and James Wadsworth. This structure, known as the "White Church," served its purpose until taken down in 1884. In 1834 the society formally adopted the Presbyterian form of government. A division occurred in 1858 on the question of "old" and "new" school, and the dissent- ing members formed the "Central Presbyterian Church of Gene- seo," but in 1880 the factions were reunited. Work was begun on a new church building soon after and on December 8, 1881, the structure was dedicated; this formed an addition to the old Cen- tral Presbyterian building, which had been dedicated in 1860.
The First Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the town of Geneseo was incorporated February 19, 1825; it has been more familiarly known as Saint James Methodist Episcopal Church. Its members were then holding their meetings in the "brick academy" in the village of Geneseo, and so continued until 1826, when their house of worship, a small brick structure, was erected. A new church building was erected in 1851; in 1886 extensive repairs were made in the church edifice, transforming its general architectural character. The old Athenaeum Library Building adjoining on the east was converted into a parsonage. In 1852 Rev. Robert Hogaboom was the preacher in charge.
Rev. Alanson W. Welton, a missionary preacher, held the first Episcopal services in the village of Geneseo in the summer of 1819. About this time St. Michael's Church was established, first as a mission, then, on May 17, 1823, as a regular parish. The first wardens were William Fitzhugh and Daniel Warner, and the vestrymen were Samuel W. Spencer, Calvin H. Bryan, Eli Hill, David Shepard, Daniel Fitzhugh, David A. Miller, Chauncey Morse and Marcenus Willet. Services were held in the court house until the erection of the first church building; the second one was constructed in 1866-1867. The first regularly appointed rector was Richard Salmon, in 1824.
The First Baptist Church of Geneseo was organized Decem- ber 31, 1872, at a meeting held in the vestry room of the Metho- dist Church in the village. For the first three years Rev. R. A.
965
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
Waterbury filled the pulpit of the new church in addition to his work as professor in the normal school at Geneseo. Early serv- ices were held in Concert Hall and Rorbach's Hall, and a church building on the southeast corner of Bank and Wadsworth streets was completed in 1886. The society was dissolved and its prop- erty devoted to other uses a number of years ago.
Saint Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Geneseo was organ- ized September 14, 1871. Few records exist of Roman Catholic Church history in Geneseo prior to 1854. Services were held in early days at various places by priests from nearby parishes. In 1851 General Wadsworth deeded land for a church edifice to Bishop Timon on the south side of North Street; this was built in 1854 by Father McGuire, and is now standing and belongs to the church. The present church, built in 1889, stands on land bought in 1880, Rev. Matthias D. Mussmaecher came to Geneseo in 1882.
One of the most picturesque of the pioneer preachers in Liv- ingston County was Rev. Andrew Gray, who came to Sparta about 1806. He had been a soldier of the Revolution, was a prisoner of the Hessians, escaped to his own lines, and after the war studied for the ministry. He went to Allegany County in 1795 with Moses Van Campen, and later came to Sparta; here he died in 1839. For a time he had been a missionary among the Tus- carora Indians. In 1808 the Presbyterians of Sparta began the construction of a church building, which was finished the next year; this was said to have been the second church built in the state west of Lake Cayuga. Rev. T. Markle was the first mis- sionary preacher to hold services here. A division occurred in the church, and the factions were not reunited until 1829. A Sec- ond Presbyterian Church in Sparta was organized in 1848, but after 1855 one pastor served both. Two Lutheran churches were organized in the town about 1837; also a Baptist Church at Reed's Corners in 1842, and a Methodist Church in 1841. Rev. Thomas Aitken was pastor of the two Presbyterian churches in Sparta for almost fifty years, beginning about 1839.
THE PIONEER PRIEST IN LIVINGSTON COUNTY BY J. EDWARD BAYER.
Who was the first Catholic priest to visit the territory now embraced by Livingston County is an interesting historical ques-
966
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
ยท tion. This brief sketch presents conclusions based on study, but time and additional knowledge of sources may alter these; in other words, these are far from the last words on the subject.
L. R. Doty1 would give the honor to the Rev. Joseph Le Caron (1586-1632). "In 1616 Le Caron, a missionary of the Francis- can order, passed through what is known as the Genesee Country and other portions of the territory occupied by the Iroquois, but made no attempts to propagate his faith."
Le Caron was one of the four pioneer priests to work in New France and sailed for American shores April 24, 1615. He was unquestionably the first priest to visit within the present confines of New York State (October, 1615). It seems improbable, how- ever, that he tranversed the confines of Livingston County. Why? With Champlain, Father Le Caron invaded the Iroquois terri- tory and there was an engagement south of Oneida Lake (Octo- ber 11, 1615). How was the country invaded? By landing on the shores of Lake Ontario, possibly at Irondequoit Bay, far more probably at Oswego. In either case the confines of Livings- - ton County would be apart from a direct route to Oneida Lake. . While not. absolute, still the far more probable argument is against Le Caron's presence in Livingston.
Father Le Caron did very good work among the Hurons while a missionary. He was the first to write a dictionary of the Huron language. Prior to the capture of Quebec by the English in 1629, the Recollect held the position of Superior of the com- munity. When the French surrendered to their foes the priests were sent back home and Father Le Caron bade farewell never to return. He died in his native land March 29, 1632.
A second name in the register of pioneers is that of the Rev. Joseph de La Roche Daillon who visited in this section about 1626. John Gilmoury Shea2 writes: "In the autumn of 1626 Father Joseph de La Roche Daillon, a Recollect of noble family set out from the Huron County for the towns of the Neuter Nation who occupied both banks of the Niagara and reached their frontier nearest to the Senecas but barely escaped with life. This zealous religious was so far as can now be ascer- tained the first Catholic priest from Canada who penetrated the
1 Hist. of Livingston Co., ch. 5, p. 85.
2 Shea-The Catholic Church in Colonial Days, Book III, ch. I, p. 224.
967
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
present territory of the United States. He carried back a knowl- edge of the people and of the country noting among the products the mineral oil."
Did Father Joseph visit within Livingston County borders? It seems probable, for the frontiers nearest the Senecas were at this time within the present county limits and further, the jour- ney to the famed oil spring at Cuba would very probably be made along the much frequented trails along the banks of the Genesee, leading southward through the county.
There is a reasonable probability, consequently, that Father Daillon traversed this region. Further research may con- clusively show that he was the pioneer. The report of his jour- ney is recorded in the writing's of Sagard and Leclercq.
The contention of Shea that Father Daillon was the first priest who penetrated into the present territory of the United States is untenable now for in the light of historic fact brought to bear since he wrote, the honor must be given to Father Le Caron.
With absolute surety, two Jesuit missionaries were within the county boundaries in 1669; Jacques Fremin and Julien Gar- nier. The "Black Robes" had been active among the eastern Iroquois and had been invited to come among the Senecas. At East Bloomfield a mission called St. Michael's was established and from this mission journeys were frequently made to Dyn- do-o-set and especially at the time when pestilence ravaged the Springs-the translation of the little settlement's name. The result of this first section in the study of pioneer work by priests may be thus summarized. It is hardly probable that Father Le Caron visited the county ; it is quite probable Father Daillon passed through the region; it is certain that the Jesuits Fremin and Garnier labored as Apostles bringing the light of faith to the Indians who lived at Dyn-do-o-set a bit north of Livonia on the present town line between Avon and Lima.
CHAPTER XXXV.
LIVINGSTON COUNTY : TRANSPORTATION.
The first white men who visited the Genesee Country followed the Indian trails; these connected the Indian villages with each other and led to distant places. The great central trail, after- wards substantially marking the course of the present main state highway, extended from Albany to Buffalo; it threaded its way through the forest almost the entire distance, and is described as being twelve to eighteen inches wide, and worn by centuries of use to a depth of from three to twelve inches. Two much used trails had their source at Canandaigua; one led to Beardstown through Geneseo; the other reached Lima, Avon, Canawaugus and extended to the spring at Caledonia. From Rochester there was a trail on each side of the river. The one along the west bank passed through Canawaugus, O-ha-gi, the village of the Tuscar- oras, Big Tree, Beardstown, Squawkie Hill, the Gardeau tract, Portage and Caneadea; that on the east side of the river followed its course to its junction with Canaseraga Creek, where it ran on both sides of the creek south to the Indian village of Ga-nos-ga-go, the present Dansville. Many pathways intersected the main trails, particularly at fording places. One of these ran westward from the Indian village near Conesus inlet over the hill through Groveland, across the Canaseraga and to the great Genesee castle of Beardstown, the trail used by Sullivan's army.
With the coming of white settlers, road making was under- taken, but progress was slow. In 1802 a noticeable improvement began, and roads were appearing in all directions, which meant the establishment of stage lines in the Genesee Country and the better distribution of mail. The streams were yet the principal highways for the shipment of freight and supplies; most of the settlements were, in fact, planted near the rivers in order to have the advantage of this means of reaching the outside markets. The
969
970
HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTRY
dirt roads of western New York were as much a hindrance as a convenience and they became impassable mires during the least inclemency of the weather. In 1810 the Western Turnpike Com- pany offered free tolls on the roads to those drivers whose wagons were equipped with tires six inches or more in breadth, in order to protect the roads.
The necessity for improved means of transportation became urgent within a few years. The Livingston Register, in its issue of June 15, 1825, published a call for a public meeting to be held at the house of Col. John Pierce, in the village of Geneseo, of those citizens of Monroe, Livingston, Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Steu- ben counties "who feel interested in the formation of a canal from Rochester along the valley of the Genesee and Canaseraga, and of a canal from the Genesee River to some point of the Allegany River." It was further stated that the meeting was "for the pur- pose of devising means to collect and convey to the Canal Com- missioners and to the state government the necessary information as to the practicability and vast importance of the above canal routes." This notice in the newspapers was signed by Philip Church, Daniel H. Fitzhugh, William H. Spencer, Ira West, Jona- than Child and Heman Norton. A committee was appointed to investigate the subject. A few weeks previously a bill authoriz- ing a survey for canal purposes had been unsuccessful in the legis- lature.
Five years passed, without action. On July 24, 1830, a meet- ing of citizens of Sparta and surrounding towns was held at Dans- ville, where the project of a Genesee Valley canal was discussed. Angelica held a similar meeting about this time, and on Au- gust 26, 1830, a large meeting was held at Geneseo by people from all the counties concerned. Again in 1833 such a meeting was held at Geneseo, and smaller meetings were called in various other centers. The need of a canal had become imperative and the people were much aroused. Not until 1834, however, were pre- liminary surveys made for the canal. F. C. Mills, chief engineer, estimated the cost of the proposed canal to be slightly in excess of two million dollars; this estimate was later raised to five millions, and when completed the canal cost close to six million dollars. The work was speedily done and by 1837 thirty miles of the canal had been placed under contract, and fifty miles in 1838; the re- mainder of the work was let in 1839. The original plan embraced
971
HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTRY
a canal 123 miles long, which was afterward shortened to 118 miles, the course leading southwesterly from Rochester through Monroe, Livingston, Wyoming, Allegany and Cattaraugus coun- ties, passing through the towns of York, Leicester, Mount Morris, Nunda and Portage, following the Genesee Valley to Squakie Hill, where it crossed the river and followed the Keshaqua Valley to a point beyond Nunda, when it approached the river, recrossing at Portageville; from there it proceeded to Olean. The original plans, changed in no very material respect during the course of construction, included 115 locks in addition to several guard locks, one 1,802-foot tunnel near Portageville, 15 aqueducts, 8 dams, 134 culverts, 103 highway bridges, several towpath bridges, 130 farm bridges and a number of bulkheads and wasteweirs. Owing to the many physical difficulties encountered, the building of the canal was an engineering feat; the tunnel was abandoned, after nearly a quarter million dollars had been expended upon it. In 1840, thirty-seven miles, from Rochester to Mount Morris, had been completed. The four miles from Mount Morris to the Shaker settlement was finished in 1841, also the Dansville branch of eleven miles; from Shakers to Oramel, thirty-six miles, was com- pleted in 1851; from Oramel to Belfast, two miles, in 1853; from Belfast to Rockville, three miles, in 1854; and from Rockville to Olean basin, twenty-four miles, in 1856. In 1857 the legislature authorized the extension of the canal from Olean to Mill Grove pond, six and one-half miles, but the work upon this was soon sus- pended.
The railroad sealed the fate of the Genesee Valley Canal; in fact it never had been a paying venture, although bringing great relief to the people of the Genesee Valley. It was officially aban- doned in September, 1878, and in 1880 the state conveyed the property to the Genesee Valley Canal Railroad Company for $11,- 400, or about $100 per mile. The legislature stipulated that a railroad should be constructed along the line of the canal. This line, from Rochester to Olean, is now a part of the Pennsylvania System.
A few years subsequent to 1830, during which the prospect of securing the canal was not encouraging, the people turned to other means of improving the transportation facilities; a meeting, preliminary in character, was held at C. Hamilton's house in
972
HISTORY OF GENESEE COUNTRY
Geneseo, November 15, 1831, for the purpose of discussing the plan of calling a general meeting of the citizens of Monroe, Livingston, Genesee, Allegany and Steuben counties who were interested in the construction of a railroad from Rochester to Dansville. Meet- ings to this end were also held in Dansville and other communities. On November 29th following, a well attended general meeting was held in Geneseo; Hezekiah D. Mason, Allen Ayrault, C. H. Bryan, Felix Tracy, William A. Mills and James Faulkner were ap- pointed a committee to circulate a petition for the incorporation of the railroad company, the document to be submitted to the legislature. Everything possible was done to insure the success of the proposition. The bill passed both houses of the legislature and became a law in the spring of 1832, and was the occasion of much enthusiasm throughout the Genesee Valley. Surveys for the road were begun in July, 1832, by Mr. Almy, of Geneseo, and on November 20, 1832, the stock books of the company were opened at the Eagle tavern in Rochester and at Hamilton's tavern in Geneseo; subscriptions came very slowly, however, and the next year the books were again opened at Rochester, with no better results, and the enterprise failed. Afterwards the Genesee Val- ley Railroad Company completed a line from Rochester to Avon; this was in 1854. The Avon, Geneseo and Mount Morris Railroad Company extended the line to Mount Morris in 1859; the first train entered Geneseo January 1, 1859. The line was continued to Dansville in 1871 by the Erie and Genesee Valley Railroad Company. The line from Rochester to Mount Morris is now operated by the Erie Railroad under a lease, and the line from Mount Morris to Dansville is owned by the Dansville and Mount Morris Railroad Company, which was organized in October, 1891. Trains first operated on the road between Caledonia and Corning in July, 1853.
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.