History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county, Part 23

Author: Turner, O. (Orsamus); Lookup, George E. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1851
Publisher: Rochester, W. Alling
Number of Pages: 640


USA > New York > Monroe County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 23
USA > New York > Allegany County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming > Part 23
USA > New York > Livingston County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 23
USA > New York > Yates County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 23
USA > New York > Ontario County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 23
USA > New York > Wyoming County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 23
USA > New York > Steuben County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 23
USA > New York > Genesee County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 23
USA > New York > Wayne County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > Part 23
USA > New York > Orleans County > History of the pioneer settlement of Phelps and Gorham's purchase, and Morris' reserve; embracing the counties of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Yates, Steuben, most of Wayne and Allegany, and parts of Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming. To which is added, a Supplement, or Extension of the pioneer history of Monroe county > 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 | Part 66 | Part 67


The following are the names of all who were residents of the new township in 1790 : - Nathan Comstock, Nathan Comstock, jr., Otis Comstock, Darius Comstock, John Comstock, Israel Reed, John Russell, John Payne, Isaac Hathaway, Nathan Herendeen,


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Welcome Herendeen, Joshua Herrington, John M'Cumber, Nathan Aldrich, Jacob Smith, Job Howland, Abraham Lapham, John Ran- kin, Elijah Smith, Levi Smith, Annanias M'Millan, Edward Dur- fee, Thomas W. Larkin, Silas Lawrence, Jonathan Smith, Pardon Wilcox, Robert Hathaway, Jeremiah Smith. But a part of all these that were married had brought in their families, and most of them were unmarried.


The only survivors of all the above named, are John Comstock, Pardon Wilcox, and Levi Smith; to the last of whom the author is indebted for many of his Pioneer reminiscences of Farmington. Joshua Herendeen died last winter, at the advanced age of over 90 years.


Many of these early Pioneers were Friends, either by member- ship or birth right. An early discipline of that society was in effect, that any of its members contemplating any important enterprise, and especially that of emigration, must report their intentions to their meeting for consideration and advisement. The rash enter- prise of going away off to the Genesee country, and settling down among savages and wild beasts, was not consistent with the kindly regard entertained by the meeting for the Farmington emigrants ; consent was refused, and they were formally disowned. When a committee of the Friend's Yearly Meeting of Philadelphia, attend- ed the Pickering treaty at Canandaigua in 1794, they visited the Friends of Farmington, espoused their cause, interceded with the meeting that had disowned them in Massachusetts, which resulted in their restoration. A meeting was soon after organized, the first, and for a long period, the only one west of Utica. The society erected a meeting house in 1804. Their early local public Friend, or minister as he would have been called by other orders, was Caleb M'Cumber. He died last year at an advanced age.


Wheat was harvested in the summer of 1790, the product of what was sowed by the Comstocks and Nathan Aldrich, in the fall previous. Some summer crops were raised in the summer of '90. The stump mortar was the principal dependence for preparing their grain for bread. In the fall of 1790, Joshua Herendeen, with two yoke of oxen, made his way through the woods to Wilder's Mills in Bristol ; arriving late on Saturday night, the miller's wife interposed her ipsi dixit, and declared the mill should not run on Sunday, "if all Farmington starved." This made him a second


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journey, and it was a work of days, as the first had been. During the same season, Welcome Herendeen, John M'Cumber and Jona- than Smith, took grain up the Canandaigua outlet and Lake to . Wilder's Mill. They got but a part of it ground, and it being late in the season, a part of their grist lay over until the next season. Levi Smith, in 1791, then a hired man of Nathan Aldrich and Abraham Lapham, carried grists upon two horses to the Friend's Mill, in Jerusalam.


As an example of the difficulties and hardships that attended emigration at that early period, it may be mentioned that in 1791, Jacob Smith, with his family, was thirty one days in making the journey from Adams, Mass., to Farmington. Putting family and household furniture on board of a boat at Schenectady, and driving his stock through the woods, along the creeks, rivers, and lakes, the whole arrived at Swift's Landing, beyo .d which he had to make his road principally, as there had been little intercourse in that direction, from the settlement in Farmington.


Nathan Herendcen himself wintered in the new settlement, his son Welcome returning to bring out the family, who came in February, '91 ; and about the same time other considerable additions were made to the settlement, consisting of the families of those who had come in the year before, and new adventurers. Brice, and Turner Aldrich and their families, William Cady, Uriel Smith, Benjamin Lapham, were among the number. A considerable number of them came in company, with ox and horse teams, were twenty-one days on the route, the whole camping in the woods eight nights on the way.


The young reader, and others who may be unacquainted with Pioneer life, in passing through that now region of wealth and prosperity, will be surprised to be told that the founders of many of those farm establishments- clusters of neat farm buildings, sur- rounded by flocks and herds, and broad cultivated fields -in their primitive advent, plodded through snow and mud days and weeks, with stinted means ; at night, with their families of young children, clearing away the snow and spreading their cots upon the ground ; their slumbers often interrupted by the howl of the gaunt wolf prowling around their camp-fires. Unless in that locality, from the peculiar character of its inhabitants, better ideas of right physical education prevails than is usual, there are daughters in those abodes


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of comfort and luxury who shrink even from the healthful breeze whose mothers have prepared the frugal meal by the winter camp-fire, and kept nursery vigils where the driving storm pelted her and her household through their frail covering. Equally is physical degeneracy, the work of but one and two generations, marked in the sons. There are those in the Genesee country who would deem it a hardship to black their own boots, harness their own horse, or make their own fires, whose fathers and grand-fathers have carried provisions to their families upon their backs through long dreary winter woods paths. Sincerely is it to be hoped that mental degeneracy is not keeping pace with all this, as some ob- servers and theorists maintain.


But we are losing sight of the germ of what became a prosperous settlement. The new comers were soon in their log cabins, dotted down in the forest, and making openings about them to let in the sun. Nathan Comstock was regarded as surveyor general of roads. Mounted upon his old mare, he would strike off into the woods in different directions where roads were needed, followed by axe-men and a teamster with oxen and sled. The underbrush would be cut, logs cut and turned out of the way, and thus the beginning of a road was made to be followed up gradually, by widening out to two and four rods, and bridging of streams, sloughs and marshes. As an evidence that they commenced in earnest to subdue the wilderness, it may be mentioned that there were considerable fields of wheat sown in the fall of 1790. Nathan Aldrich having raised some seed wheat in that season, Welcome Herendeen worked for him thirteen days for two and a half bushels, sowed it, and he used to tell the story when he became the owner of broad wheat fields, remarking that he never had to buy any after that. The first set- tlers of Farmington, bringing with them apple seeds, and peach and plum pits, were early fruit growers - soon had bearing orchards - and for long years, the new settlers in far off neighbor- hoods, went there for apples, and a real luxury they were in primi- tive times. Farmington and Bloomfield cider, apples, and apple sauce, was an especial treat for many years in the backwoods of the Holland Purchase. Some enterprising keeper of a log tavern would push out when sleighing came, and bring in a load. His re- turn would be heralded over a wide district; and then would fol- low ox sleds and horse sleigh ride, through wood's roads, rude feasts


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and frolics. The pampered appetites of the present day know nothing of the zest which attended these simple luxuries then.


The first marriage in Farmington, was that of Otis Comstock to Huldah Freeman, at the house of Isaac Hathaway, in 1792, Dr. Atwater, of Canandaigua, officiating. The first birth, was that of Welcome Herendeen, in 1790, a son of Joshua Herendeen, who now resides in Michigan. As a specimen of this first production, it may be mentioned that his weight is now said to be 350 pounds. The first death of an adult, was that of Elijah Smith, in 1793.


The first frame building was erected by Joseph Smith and James D. Fish of Canandaigua, for an ashery, on the farm of Welcome Herendeen. The first framed barn was built by Annanias McMil- lan, for Isaac Hathaway, in 1793; and the same year, McMillan built a small framed grist mill on Ganargwa Creek, within the town- ship, for Jacob and Joseph Smith. Settlers have been known to come forty miles to this mill. The wreck of it is now standing. The first saw mill was built by Jacob and Joseph Smith, in 1795. The first physician in Farmington, was Dr. Stephen Aldridge, from Uxbridge, Mass. He died about fifteen years since, after a long and useful career, both in his profession and as a citizen.


Almost the whole town of Farmington was settled by emigrants from Adams, in that same county of Berkshire that has been so prolific a hive, sending out its swarms not only here, but to all our western States and territories. The local historian here and at the west, has often to query with himself as to whether there could be any body left in Berkshire ? It would seem that when new fields of enterprise were opened, new regions were to be subdued to the uses of civilization, legions went out from its mountains, hills and valleys - not " of armed men"- but of the best of materials for the work that lay before them. Berkshire - a single county of New England -it may almost be said, has been the mother of em- pires.


In the history of a wide region of unparalelled success and pros- perity, no where has it been so uniform as in the town of Farming- ton. The town was soon farmed out by the original proprietors, and of all the purchasers, but one failed to be a permanent citizen and pay for his land. The wholesome discipline and example of the Society of Friends preserved it from the effects of an early profuse use of spirituous liquors, so destructive to early prosperity


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in other localities ; while the fruits and example of their proverbial industry and economy, gave the town the pre-eminence that it has acquired.


The first town meeting of the " District of Farmington " was held at the house of Nathan Aldrich, in 1797 ; meeting was opened and superintended by Phineas Bates, Esq., when Jared Comstock was chosen Supervisor, and Isaac Hathaway town clerk. Other town officers : - Joseph Smith, Nathan Herendeen, Jonathan Smith, Otis Comstock, Asa Wilmarth, John M'Louth, Isaac Hathaway, Arthur Power, Sharon Booth, Joab Gillett, Gilbert Buck, Benjamin Peters, Job Howland, Welcome Ierendeen, Turner Aldrich, Gid- eon Payne, Joshua Van Fleet, Jacob Smith.


It was voted that $10 be paid for the scalp of each wolf killed in town. Fifty dollars was raised to defray the expenses of the Town. The meeting was adjourned to be held next year at the house of Nathan Herendeen.


PHELPS.


John Decker Robinson, from Claverack, Columbia co., and Nathaniel Sanborn, were among those who came to the Genesee country about the time of the Phelps and Gorham treaty. Mr. San- born was employed by Mr. Phelps to take charge of a drove of cattle that he intended for beef, to distribute among the Indians at


NOTE .- The family of Comstocks were from Rhode Island, and had been Pioneers in Berkshire before their advent to the Genesee country. New England could hardly have sent better materials to this region ; or a family that would have proved more useful. At the period of emigration, the old Pioneer and patroon of new settlement, had six sons : - Otis, Darius, Joseph, Jared, Nathan and John. Nathan was the Pio- neer at Lockport, having settled there in the wilderness several years before the canal was constructed. Joseph, Jared and Darius went there as soon as the canal was loca- ted, and became the proprietors of a large portion of the site of the present Upper Town, and the Lower Town has grown up principally upon the original farin of Nathan. Dariu was a large contractor upon the Mountain Ridge, and soon after the canal was completed became a Pioneer near the present village of Adrian Michigan. A part of the site of the village of Adrian was upon his purchase, and his son, Addison J. Com- stock, was a prominent founder of the village. The father died in Farmington in 1816 ; Joseph, in Lockport, in 1821 ; Nathan in Lockport, in 1830 ; Jared and Darius in Mich- igan, in 1844 and '5 ; and Otis in Farmington, in 1850. The only survivor is John, who was an carly law student in Canandaigua, and now resides upon a farm near Ad- rian, Michigan. The descendants in the second and third degree are very numerous,. their residences being now principally in Michigan. The wife of Asa B. Smith of Farmington, is a daughter of Darius. The late Margaret Snell, of Union Springs, was a daughter of Joseph.


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the treaty. As soon as land sales commenced, Mr. Robinson bought lot No. 14, T. 11, R. 1, (Phelps) on the Canandaigua outlet, in pay- ment for which he erected for Phelps and Gorham, (partly of logs and partly framed,) the building that was used as the primitive land office, and for the residence of the agent of Mr. Walker. In the spring of 1789, he put his family and goods on board a batteaux at Schenectady and landed them at their new home in the then wilder- ness. Raising a cloth tent they brought with them, the family were sheltered under that until a log cabin was erected. Nine days after their arrival, they were joined by Pierce and Elihu Granger, Nathaniel Sanborn and his brother-in-law, - Gould, who remain- ed with them a few months, cleared a few acres on an adjoining lot, built shantees, and returned to Suffield in the fall, leaving the Rob- inson family to spend the winter eight miles from their nearest neighbor. Mr. Robinson opened a public house as soon as '93, or 4. His location was East Vienna ; embracing some valuable mill seats on Flint creek and Canandaigua outlet. He was one of the most enterprising of the early Pioneers. His son Harry was the first male child born in Phelps; another son, Henry, H. resides in Lima.


Following the lead of Robinson and the Grangers, in 1791, were, Thaddeus Oaks, Seth Dean, Oliver and Charles Humphrey, and Elias Dickinson.


Jonathan Oaks was the primitive landlord, erecting as early as J '94 the large framed tavern house, at Oak's Corners, about the same time that Mr. Williamson erected his Hotel at Geneva. It was a wonder in early days ; peering up in a region of log houses, it had an aristocratic look, and its enterprising founder was regarded as pushing things far beyond their time. It was the second framed tavern house west of Geneva, and when built, there was probably not half a dozen framed buildings of any kind, west of that locality. It was the house of the early explorers and emigrants, and its fame extended throughout New England. It is yet standing and occu- pied as a tavern in a pretty good state of preservation. Mr. Oaks died in 1804, leaving as his successor his son Thaddeus, who had married a grand-daughter of Elias Dickinson. The father dying. at so early a period, the name of Thaddeus Oaks is principally blended in the reminiscences of the later Pioneer period. He died in 1824 at the age of 50 years; an only surviving son, Nathan


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Oaks, a worthy representative of his Pioneer ancestors, inherits the fine estate, the fruit of his grand-father and father's early enterprise. He is the P. M. at Oaks' Corners ; his wife, the daughter of Truman Heminway Esq., of Palmyra ; a sister, is the wife of Leman Hotch- kiss, Esq. of Vienna.


As early as 1816, the lessees of the Oaks' stand, were Joel and Levi Thayer, now of Buffalo. About this period, the long celebra- ted Race Course, was established upon the broad sweep of level ground, upon the Oaks farm, which passengers may observe from the cars, in the rear of the church. For years, it was a famous gathering place for sportsmen, and amateur sportsmen ; race horses came to it from the south, and from Long Island and New Jersey. The annual gatherings there, were to western New York, in a measure, what the State Fairs now are to the whole State.


Philetus Swift, a brother of John Swift, of Palmyra, was in Phelps as early as '91. He was an early representative of Ontario, in Assembly and Senate ; in anticipation of the war of 1812, hold- ing the rank of Col., he was ordered, with a regiment of volunteers, to march to the Niagara Frontier, and was with his regiment at Black Rock, when war was declared. He died in 1826. He left no sons ; an only daughter by a second marriage, is wife of Alexis Russel, of Webster, Monroe co.


Seth Dean, was the Pioneer upon the site of the present village of Vienna, building a primitive grist and saw mill, upon Flint creek. His mill was raised by himself and his son Isaac ; they being unable to proeure any help. The Pioneer died in early years; his son Isaac resides in Adrian, Michigan, is the father-in-law of Addison J. Comstock, one of the founders of the village of Adrian. Mrs. Wells Whitmore, of Vienna, is a daughter of Seth Dean. Walter Dean, a brother of Seth, came in at a later period. He was the father of L. Q. C. Dean. A daughter of his married Dr. Isaac Smith, of Lockport, deceased, and is now the wife of David Thomas, of Cayuga.


The first merchant in Phelps, was John R. Green, an English


NOTE .- Mrs. Dean, it is presumed, put the first cheese to press in the Genesee coun- try : and "thereby hangs a tale" -or, a bear story. It was in one of the old fashioned, out door presses; a bear came at night, and entirely devoured it, as his tracks and the empty cheese curb, bore winess.


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man, located at Oaks' Corners. Leman Hotchkiss and David Mc- Neil, were the first merchants in Vienna ; a firm of much enterprise, commanding, for a long period, the trade of a wide region. Hotch- kiss, was the brother of the late Judge Hotchkiss, of Lewiston. He died in 1822. His widow is now Mrs. Joel Stearns, of Vienna. Hiram, of Lyons, and Leman B. of Vienna, are his sons. McNeil was the first P. M. in Phelps, appointed in 1801, he held the office until his death, in 1841. He died childless ; his widow survives, a resident of Vienna.


Dr. Joel Prescott, was the carly physician. He was an early supervisor of the town, and for several years chairman of the board of supervisors of Ontario. He died during the war of 1812; a son of his, Imly Prescott, recently died in Geneva ; daughters be- came the wives of Owen Edmonston, of Vienna, and James Dar- row, of Seneca county.


Elder Solomon Goodale, was the first resident minister in Phelps ; preaching in school and private houses. The first organized church was at Oaks' Corners - Presbyterian - the officiating minister, the Rev. Jonathan Powell, a Welchman; who still survives, and is settled over a Welch congregation in Ohio ; a grand-daughter, Jane Reese, was a poetess, whose carly effusions appeared in the Palmy- ra Register, in 1819, '20; a sister of hers, is Mrs. Bailey Durfee, of Palmyra. The church at Oaks' Corners, was the second built west of Seneca Lake, that of East Bloomfield the first. It was erected in 1801, but not finished until 1814. Having then became almost a wreck, by a vote of those interested, it was given in charge of Col. Cost, who procured subscriptions, and rented pews, the avails of which, more than paid for its completion. Thaddeus Oaks gave the ground, and $1,000 dollars in addition, before it was finish- ed. Vienna and Oaks' Corners, were originally competitors for the location.


Jonathan Melvin was in as early as '95; far better off than most Pioneers, he purchased 800 acres of land at what is known as " Melvin Hill." With ample means, and by extraordinary enter- prise, he soon had large improvements, grain, pork, and pasturage for new settlers. IIe built mills in an early day in Wolcott, where he was a large landholder. After accumulating a large estate, he endorsed, became embarrassed, and finally subsisted in his lasts years, upon a Revolutionary pension. Ile died but a few years


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since, at an advanced age .* Ilis son, Jonathan Melvin, now resides upon the old homestead.


Wells Whitmore came in with Jonathan Oaks ; married a daugh- ter of Seth Dean ; his son Barnet, resides in Georgia, and Mrs. Norton, of Vienna, is a daughter.


John and Patrick Burnett, brothers, came in 1795; Patrick left in a few years; John became a prominent citizen. Ile held a Captain's commission in the Revolution. Win. Burnett, his son, was an early supervisor, magistrate, and attained the rank of Brig. Gen. of militia. He was in service on the Niagara frontier in 1813, and commanded the volunteer force, called out to repel the British invaders at Sodus. He died in 1826; William Burnett, of Ann Arbor, is his son ; Mrs. Benjamin Hartwell, and Mrs. Bainbridge of Phelps, are his daughters.


Cornelius Westfall came in '95; purchased 500 acres of land ; died in 1832. IIis only son, Jacob, a Captain of a company of riflemen, was killed in Queenston battle.


Elijah Gates, came in '95 ; died in 1835 : his sons Seth and Dan- iel, reside at the old homestead.


Oliver Humphrey, one of the earliest, died in 1838; was a Major of Militia. His son Hugh Humphrey, lives at the old homestead. His brother Charles, who came in with him, died a few years since ; his son John, resides upon the homestead.


Lodowick Vandermark, came in '94; erected one of the earliest saw mills on the outlet. He died just previous to the war of 1812; Frederick and William, of Phelps, are his sons. His brother Joseph, who came in with him, died in 1816.


Deacon Jessee Warner, one of the earliest, located on site of village of Orleans; was one of the founders of the churches at Orleans and Melvin Hill. He died in 1835; John Warner of Or- leans, is his son.


Solomon Warner was in Geneva as early as '88. He located near, a'd afterwards became the purchaser of a part of the Old Castle tract, which he sold to Jonathan Whitney. His wife was a daughter of Jonathan Oaks. . He died in 1813; two of his sons reside in Michigan, and two at the homestead ; daughters becarne


* In passing the Old Castle, in an early dlay, he picked up an apple, and was told to lay it down. "You must be mean " said he "to begrudge a neigbor an apple; I will plant 100 trees next year for the public." He was as good as his word ; the trees are now standing along the road, on his old farm.


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the wives of Cephas Shekells, Alfred Hooker, William Jones, Rev. Wm. Patton. His son Lucius, now 55 years of age, resides in the house his father built in '89, and in which he was born.


Col. Elias Dickinson, one of the original purchasers of Phelps, was from Conway, Mass. He died in 1804, or '5. His son, Colton, was killed in raising the church at Oaks' Corners, in 1804 ; Samuel Dickinson, the eminent printer and publisher, of Boston, was a son of Colton Dickinson ; he was an apprentice of Elias Hull of Ge- neva. Another son of the old Pioneer, was the founder of the large mills of Vienna. He died in early years.


Col. Elias Cost was a native of Frederick co., Maryland, a son of Jacob Cost; a sister of his, was the mother of Wm. Cost John- son. At the age of 21 years, in 1799, in company with Benjamin Shekel, and Abraham Simmons, he came to the Genesee country. The party travelled on horseback, coming in via Mr. Williamson's Northumberland Road ; upon 46 miles of which, there was then but one house; stopped at the Geneva Hotel, and continued on through the woods to Sodus, where they found Mr. Williamson, Jacob W. Hallett, and James Reese. The young adventurers had left their horses at Oaks' tavern, and arriving at the outlet, at Ly- ons, were ferried over upon the back of a stout backwoodsman, by the name of Hunn. Shekels and Simmons, bought land at the Sul- phur Springs. The party returned to Maryland. The next season Col. Cost came out and purchased land near Oaks' Corners, where he has resided for half a century. He is now 72 years of age ; may almost be said to be robust in health ; his mind retaining its vigor and elasticity : possessing the fine social qualities, peculiar to his native region. His first wife was the daughter of Capt. Shekells. After her death he married the widow of Thaddeus Oaks, and was the landlord of the Oaks' stand for fourteen years. His daughters, the fruits of his first marriage, became the wives of Thomas John- son, of Maryland, and Lynham J. Beddoe, a son of John Beddoe, of Yates co. An unmmarried daughter whose mother was Mrs. Oaks, supplies the place of her mot e , (who died recently,) in his hospitable mansion. Col. Cost was upon the frontier in the war of 1812, a volunteer, with the commission of Captain, in the regiment of Col. Micah Brooks, was at the sortie of Fort Erie ; was a member of Assembly from Ontario, in 1846.




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