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 36
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 36
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 36
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 36
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 36
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 36
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 36
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 36
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 36
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 36
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
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
Benjamin Gardner,
Henry Redding,
Tim. Hosmer,
John Rhodes,
Perez Gardner, J. P. Sears, Clark Peck,
Adna Heacock,
David Bailey,
Marvin Gates,
Thomas Migells
Jasper Marvin,
Daniel Gates,
Theo. Shepherd,
John Alger
Phineas Bates,
Ransom Smith,
John Gardner,
Asahel Burchell,
Philip Simms,
John Minor,
Ebenezer Sprague,
David Markham,
Solomon Hovey,
Simon Tiffany,
Reuben Heath,
Amos Hall,
Ezra Burchell,
Daniel Wright,
Asa Baker,
Seth Lewis,
Jos. Arthur,
Samuel Barker,
Alexander Ewing,
P. and J. Sheffer,
Paul Davison,
Gad Wadsworth,
Jos. Morgan,
Samuel Baker, jr.,
Win, Markham,
Enos Hart,
Elijah Morgan,
Ebenezer Merry,
Abel Wilsey,
Thomas Peck,
Wm. Wadsworth,
John Morgan,
Sylvester Marvin,
Jed. Cummings,
Asa B. Simmons,
Nathaniel Fowler,
Benjamin Thompson,
David B. Morgan,
WVm. Harris,
Lorin Wait,
Samuel Bullen,
Ebenezer Merry,
Thomas Lee,
Samuel Stevens,
Jacob Wright,
Richard Wait,
George Gardner,
Abraham Wright,
Wm. Moore,
Joseph Norton,
S. C. Brockway,
John Barnes,
Jesse Pangburn,
Elisha Wade,
David Davis,
Joel Harvey,
Stephen Tucker,
Samuel Goodrich,
David Benton,
Amariah Bates,
Gershom Beach,
Jeremiah Olmsted,
Jos. Wright,
Daniel Fox,
Joshua Whitney,
John Parks,
Aaron Lyon,
David Pierson,
John Ganson,
William Layton,
Justus Minard,
David Seymour,
Hezekiah Fox,
Jonathan Gould,
Alexander Forsyth,
Joseph Baker,
Abiel Gardner,
John Beach,
Zebulon Moses,
Ezekiel Chamberlin,
Reuben Thayer,
Asahel Warner,
Benjamin Parsons,
Nathaniel Munger.
Joseph Smith,
The location of the Wadsworths at Geneseo, made that point the nucleus of a considerable neighborhood, though for many years, there was but a small cluster of buildings. The business of the new settlements was divided between Geneseo, "Old Leicester," and Williamsburg. The Wadsworths resided in their primitive log house until 1794, when they built a large block house on the site of the old Wadsworth mansion. About 1804, they had erected the upright part of the present building, a large square roofed house that made an imposing appearance in a region of log houses, where a framed house of any size was a rarity. The carly clerk of James Wadsworth, after he had opened his land office, was Samuel B. Walley, an Englishman, the father of Mrs. Dudley Marvin; he was succeeded by Andrew McNabb, who went into the Bath land office ; Joseph W. Lawrence was first blacksmith in Geneseo. He removed to Michigan, where he died in 1845. Among the promi -. nent early settlers, were : - Lemuel B. Jennings, Benjamin Squire, Wm. Crossett, Rodman Clark, Wm. Findlay, David Findlay. As
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
early as 1804, Mr. Wadsworth visited Marlborough, Connecticut, and exchanged lands for farms, thus inducing several families to remove, who settled on the road leading to Conesus, among whom was David Kneeland ; their location was early called " Marlborough Street."
The early merchants at Geneseo were Minor & Hall. In 1805, one of the firm, Hall, died at Oneida Castle, on his way to New York to purchase goods.
The prominent early merchant of Geneseo was the late Major Wm. H. Spencer. He was from East Haddam, Conn. Arriving upon the Genesee River in 1803, with his axe upon his shoulder, he was a Pioneer of "Fairfield " now Ogden ; breaking into the wilder- ness on Rush creek, about a mile east of Spencer's Basin, he built a cabin, kept bachelor's hall, bought provisions of Mr. Shaeffer, carrying most of them in on his back ; built a saw mill, and in a little over a year cleared fifty acres. Getting ready for his saw mill irons, he went to Connecticut, and brought them all the way from there with an ox-team. In 1804 he struck the first blow in Riga, making an opening, and erecting a house for Mr. Wadsworth, a mile and a half southeast of Churchville.
In 1805 he was induced by Mr. Wadsworth to take an interest with him in a mercantile establishment in Geneseo. Starting with a large stock of goods for that period, his business extended as set- tlement advanced, and there were many early years that his trade embraced a wide region. His goods came by the water route from Schenectady to the foot of Cayuga Lake, and from thence on wheels to Genesco; the transportation usually costing about $3,00 per cwt. Doing principally a barter trade, his furs, tobacco, hemp, grain, pork, and maple sugar, were in the earliest years marketed at Baltimore ; by wagoning to Arkport on the Canisteo, and from thence by water. The first produce shipped at Arkport, was from Dansville ; the sec- ond shipments were by Spencer & Co., from Geneseo. This was the avenue to market for all the southern portion of Phelps and Gor- ham's Purchase, until the Jefferson embargo; then it changed to Lake Ontario, by wagon roads to the mouth of Genesee River, until bateaux were introduced upon the river. These ran from the rapids above Rochester, as high up as Geneseo; and Durham boats used to ascend to Mount Morris. In the war of 1812 Maj. Spencer was the aid of Gen. Wadsworth. Many years since he retired
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
from the mercantile business to his extensive farm of flats and up- land, on the river opposite Geneseo. He was the owner of the beautiful sweep of flats, field after field, along on either side of the road from Geneseo to Piffardinia ; and had become one of the largest grazers, wool and wheat growers in the valley of the Genesee. He died suddenly, of appoplexy. in January of this year, while engaged in the active management of the large estate that had been gained by early Pioneer enterprise, industry and perseverance.
In 1805 Geneseo had but about a dozen dwellings, there were two public houses, one kept by Faulkner, and the other by Bishop ; John Pierce had started the hatting business. Seymour Welcon was a tavern keeper there as early as 1809 or '10. Dr. Sill was the early physician. He died in early years : he was the father of Dr. Sill, of Livonia, and - Sill of Wheatland. He was succeeded in practice by Dr. Augustus Wolcott, who emigrated west in early years. Ashbel Atkins was the early tanner and shoe maker. The earliest religious meetings were held in a small building called the "town house, " opposite the Park, which also answered the purpo- ses of a school-house. Elder Joseph Lindsley was the first resident clergyman. That portion of Morris Reserve and the Holland Pur- chase lying west of Geneseo, commenced settling along in 1805 and '6, and Geneseo being upon the main thoroughfare, its trade, and the business of its public houses, derived a considerable impetus from it. Much of the trade of the new settlers was done there and the grain raised upon Wadsworths, Jones, and Mt. Morris flats, was their principal dependence.
A RECLUSE.
In 1793 or '4, De Boui, a Frenchman, wandered to this region with a single companion, a negro slave, built a log cabin on Wadsworth's flats, and lived the life of a recluse. He was a native of Alsace. While a youth, he quarrelled with a friend, wounded him in a duel, fled to St. Domingo, where he served as a private soldier, until his superior attainments recommended him for em- ployment in the public service as an engineer. He finally received the appoin- ment of Inspector General of the high roads, and became besides, a consider- able planter. The revolution in St. Domingo, breaking out, he fled to Amer- ica, bringing with him one faithful servant, and the remnant of his estate, a
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
few bills on France. Col. Wadsworth, of Hartford, assumed the negotiation of his bills, advanced him money, and granted to him the use of a small tract of land, which he came on and occupied. When the Duke Liancourt, and his French companions were upon the river, in 1795, they visited him and spent the night in his hut. They found him a confirmed misanthrope, but pleased at the unexpected visit of his countrymen to his backwoods retreat. A highly cultivated mind had been soured by misfortune ; and he had contract- ed a disgust for his race, seeking no other associates but his faithful servant, who cooked his food, and cultivated a small patch of ground for their mutual sustenance. Unless he is right in assuming that he finally joined a colony of his countrymen at Asylum, in Pennsylvania, the author is unable to state what became of him.
HORATIO AND JOHN H. JONES.
In 1788, John H. Jones had joined his brother Horatio, in Gene- va. In the spring of 1789, having obtained a yoke of oxen, the two brothers went into what is now Phelps, found an open spot, ploughed and planted five or six acres of corn, which they sold on the ground. In August of that year, the Indians having promised Horatio a tract of land west of the Genesee river, the advent of the two brothers, was as related in page 328.
With the history of Horatio Jones, the public have already been made familiar. In a previous work of the author's - the history of the Holland Purchase,- there is a sketch of his life. Identified as he had become, with the Senecas, and sharing largely in their esteem and confidence, in his settlement west of the river, he had relied upon their intention of granting him his location, in which he was not disappointed, as will be seen in connection with the Morris treaty. Receiving from President Washington the appoint- ment of Indian interpreter, in early years, his attendance upon treaties, the accompanying of Indian delegations to the seat of gov- ernment, and various other trusts connected with the Indians, em- ployed most of his time. When alive, there was none of our race, save Mary Jemison, who had been so long a resident of this region. He was with Col. Broadhead in his expedition to the Allegany, and as an Indian prisoner, he resided at Nunda, as early as 1781. The
NOTE .-- No one whose lot was ever cast with the Senecas, was a better judge of their character ; and no one has in a greater degree contributed to our knowledge of them. His brother gave to the author, some observations of his, in reference to their
.
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
farming principally devolved upon John H. Jones, and in early years, the brothers were large producers, especially of corn, for the new settlers who dropped in around and beyond them. At a primitive period, when the Indians in all that region, far out numbered the whites - at a period too, when they were unreconciled, and unde- termined, as to their relations with the whites, Horatio Jones ex- ercised a salutary influence ; and to him much of the credit is due, for the success of Indian treaties, and the suppression of hostilities. The Indian captive boy became the arbitrer between his captors and his own race ; and by an inherent strength of mind and energy of character, which marked him as no ordinary man, made early misfortune the means of conspicuously identifying himself with the early history of all this region : rendering to it essential service in years of weakness ; becoming in fact, a founder of settlement and civilization upon soil where he began his career as an alien and captive.
Among the captives with whom he became acquainted while in captivity himself, was the daughter of - Whitmore, of Schenec- tady. She was released with him at the treaty of Fort Stanwix, soon after which they were married. She died in 1794. He died 1836, aged 75 years. The surviving sons, are : - William, Hiram and Charles, of Leicester, Horatio, of Moscow, Seneca, a Califor- nia adventurer. Daughters : - Mrs. Lyman of Moscow, Mrs. Fitzhugh, of Saginaw, Michigan, Mrs. Hewitt and Mrs. B. F. Angell, of Geneseo, Mrs. Finley, of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Two sons, George and James, were killed at the British attack on Lewiston, in the war of 1812.
John H. Jones, is now living at the age of 80 years, his mind but little impaired, and with the exception of rheumatism, a physi- cal constitution but little broken. In 1792, he was engaged in the Indian trade at the month of Genesee river, upon the Allegany river, and Cattaraugus creek. He speaks familiarly of being at Buffalo, when the only white inhabitant was Win-
warlike character, which it is believed has never before been published. He used to say that their southern wars with their own race, their success in them, were often their themes in the war dance, and in their wigwams. He has often heard the old men relate that the very name of Seneca, had a terror with Indians of other nations. At the south and the west, and among the nations of Canada, the Seneca war-whoop would almost conquer of itself. He said that even as late as the war of 1812, the In- dians of Canada were struck with terror, when they learned that they must encounter the Senecas in battle.
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
ney, a Butler Ranger, and the only resident on all the south shore of Lake Erie, west of Buffalo, other than Indians, was "Black Joe," a fugitive slave, at the mouth of Cattaraugus creek. Judge Jones was a magistrate of Ontario before the division ; soon after Genesee was set off, he became one of its Judges, and from 1812 to 1822, was first Judge of Genesee, and after that for several years, of Livingston. He was the first supervisor of Leicester, and was in all early years, a prominent, active helper in pioneer movements. His surviving sons are, George W., Horatio, Thomas J., James M., John H., Lucien B., Hiram, and Fayette, all residing in his imme- diate neighborhood ; and Napoleon N., of Scottsville. Daughters : Mrs. Clute, of Cuylerville, Mrs. William Jones, of Leicester, Mrs. James Jones, of Cincinnatti.
The three brothers, Jellis, Thomas and William Clute, from Schenectady, were early settlers at Leicester. Jellis was engaged in the Indian trade at Beardstown. Thomas and William settled at Gardeau.
The Rev. Samuel J. Mills was a graduate of Yale College, a na- tive of Derby, Conn. He emigrated to the Genesee river in 1795. He joined Thomas Morris and others in the purchase of 10,000 acres of land in Groveland and Sparta, at a period of high prices, paying and contracting to pay $6 per acre. The price soon fell below $2. He settled near where Col. Fitzhugh afterwards loca- ted; erecting a framed house and moving into it, it burned down, with all his household furniture, the family barely escaping. This, with his unfortunate investment in lands, embarrassed him, and dis- couraged the spirit of enterprise that had brought him from New England. He was the early minister, for several years itinerating among the new settlements, until the period of his death, soon after 1800. His wife returned to Connecticut. One of his sons, the late Gen. William A. Mills, was destined to a more fortunate career. Thrown upon his own resources at the age of 17, he rented flats of the Indians, occupying a shantee, where he lived alone at Mount Morris, his nearest neighbors, the Indians. Renting his land upon easy terms, and hiring the Indians and Squaws to assist him in working it, he was soon enabled to erect a distillery ; and when the Mount Morris tract was opened for sale, he purchased from time to time, until he became possessed of eight hundred acres, including several hundred acres of the fine flats opposite the present village
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PHELPS AND GORIIAM'S PURCHASE.
of Mount Morris. His Indian name, "Sa-nem-ge-wa," (generous) would indicate their esteem for him, and the probity that governed his early intercourse with them. He spoke their language fluent- ly, and from early associations, was much attached to them. When, after their removal, they would occasionlly revisit their old homes upon the Genesee, he met them, and treated them as old friends. * To his distilling and grain raising in early years, he added grazing upon the Mount Morris and Gardeau flats, and became finally large- ly engaged in that business ; and successful, as many have witness- ed at our early county and State fairs. He was for twenty years, the Supervisor of Mount Morris; a commissioned officer in the early military organization in his region, he was upon the frontier in the war of 1812, and in later years, rose to the rank of Brig. General. He died in 1844, aged 67 years. His sons are : - Wil- liam A., Sidney H., Minard H. and Julius F., of Mount Morris, and Dr. Myron H., of Rochester. Daughters : - Mrs. Levi Beach of Knox county, Ohio, Mrs. Dr. G. W. Branch and Mrs. William Hamlin, of Mount Morris.
Alexander Mills, another son of the early Pioneer, Rev. Samuel J. Mills, located at Olean in an early day, where he was extensively engaged in the lumber trade ; now resides in Cleveland. Major Philo Mills, another son, located in Groveland, emigrated to Tecum- seh, Michigan. Frederick L. Mills, another son, located on flats ; he died in 1834; his living descendants are : - George, of Mount Morris, Philo, of Groveland, Lewis, of Allegany, and Mrs. Hunt, of Groveland.
The first saw mill west of Genesee river, (save one at Niagara Falls, erected by Stedman,) was erected by Ebenezer Allan, on the outlet of the Silver Lake. This supplied the first boards had in the upper valley of the Genesee. It was built in 1792, and raised by the help of the Indians, for the want of sufficient white men in the country. In some of the earliest years, Judge Phelps had a distil- lery erected near the present village of Moscow. In 1800, Augus- tus Porter, as the agent of Oliver Phelps, laid out the village of
* And this, the author would here remark, was not unlike the relation that existed between most of the Pioneers of the Genesee country and the Indians, where they became neighbors in early years, and something of mutual dependence existed. Even now, in our cities and villages, the old Pioneers are pained often in witness- ing their degradation, and prompt to resist any insult offered to them.
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
Leicester, * on a traet he had purchased of Jones and Smith, and opened the direct road across the flats to " Jones' Ford ;" previous to which, it had gone via Beardstown. He also erected a saw mill on Beards' Creek, near the present village of Moscow. For several years after 1800, the village of Leicester bore an important relation to the new settlements forming in Wyoming, Allegany, and south part of Erie. The early and well known tavern keeper, was Leonard Stimson, from Albany, who had been engaged in a small Indian trade at Mount Morris. He opened the first store, and started the first blacksmith shop. He left Geneseo soon after the war of 1812 ; his descendants reside in the neighborhood of Rochester. The first physician was Dr. Paul Newcomb. Colonel Jedediah Horsford, the present M. C. from Livingston, was an early teacher of a missionary school at Squaky Hill, and an early land- lord at Moscow. Joel Harvey was an early tavern keeper a little west of Old Leicester.
The first town meeting in Leicester, was held at the house of Joseph Smith. John J. Jones was elected Supervisor ; George A. Wheeler, Town Clerk. Other town officers : - Samuel Ewing, Alpheus Harris, Dennison Foster, Abel Cleavland, Samuel Hascall, George Gardner, Wm. A. Mills, Joel Harvey, David Dickinson, James Dale.
One hundred dollars was raised to pay " bounty on wolves and wild cats, killed by white people."
By a resolution of a special town meeting, in 1803, town of An- gelica was set off from Leicester.
The village of Moscow was started just after the close of the war of 1812, under the auspices of the late Samuel M. Hopkins, who in company with Benjamin W. Rogers, had purchased three fourths of the original Jones and Smith's Indian grant, of Isaac Bronson. Hopkins built the fine residence now owned by W. T. Cuyler, between Cuylerville and Moscow. The first merchant was Nicholas Ayrault, late of Rochester; Wm. Robb, William Lyman, and Sherwood and Miller, were early merchants. The early land- lords were :- Jessee Wadhams, Wm. T. Jenkins, Homer Sher- wood. Early lawyers, other than S. M. Hopkins :- Felix Tracy, John Baldwin, George Miles, recently one the Judges of the Su-
* Name, from Oliver Leicester Phelps.
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PHELPS AND GORIIAM'S PURCHASE.
preme Court, of Michigan. Rev. Mr. Mason founded the first Presbyterian church. An Academy was founded principally under the auspices of Mr. Hopkins, in 1817; the first Principal was Og- den M. Willey ; his assistants, the Miss Raymonds, one of whom became the wife of the Rev. Calvin C. Colton, the author of the life of Henry Clay, then a settled Presbyterian minister, at Batavia. The carly physicians were : - Asa R. Palmer, J. W. Montross, Daniel H. and Daniel P. Bissell.
Cuylerville sprung up after the completion of the Genesee Valley Canal. W. T. Cuyler, who was an early citizen of Rochester, pur- chased the Hopkins house and farm, of Richard Post, a son of the late Dr. Post, of New York, in 1830. The village has grown up on or near the site of the old Indian village of Beardstown, where the road from Perry and Warsaw crosses the canal. Mr. Cuyler started the first fordwarding and commission house ; the early mer- chants were : - Odell and Evans, and Joseph Wheelock.
From Ebenezer Allan, the Mt. Morris tract, of four square miles, went into the hands of Robert Morris, and afterwards his son Thom- as became a joint owner with others. Col. John Trumbull, of Revolutionary memory, the celebrated artist, was one of the carly proprietors. He visited the country, and selected for his residence, the site, in the present village, now occupied by George Hastings, Esq .; planted an orchard, and made some preparations for building. The name, which had been " Allan's Hill," he changed to " Rich- mond Hill." Afterwards, when he had abandoned the idea of making it his residence, the name was changed to Mt. Morris. The early proprietors of the tract, other than those named, were : - Mr. Fitzsimmons, of Philadelphia, Charles Williamson, Robert Troup, the Messrs. Wadsworths, John Murray* & Sons, of New York, (of which firm Wm. Ogden was a partner,) Benj. W. Rodgers, Isaac Bronson, Gen. Mills, and Jessee Stanley, were the prominent pioneers of settlement. Deacon Stanley was from Goshen, Conn., his residence was the site now occupied by James Bond. He died in 1816, aged 90 years; he was the father of Oliver Stanley, of Mt. Morris. The village has grown up principally on the lands of Messrs. Mills, Stanley, and Mark Hopkins, a brother of Samuel M.
# John R. Murray, of Mt. Morris, is the grandson of John Murray, the early proprie- tor at Mt. Morris, and owner of the township, now Ogden.
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
Hopkins. Mr. Hopkins came on as agent for owners, soon after the tract was opened for sale. He died soon after 1820.
VALLEY OF THE CANASCRAGA.
Following the tract of Mr. Williamson when he broke in from Pennsylvania and made a commencement at Williamsburg, settlers soon began to drop into the valley of the Canascraga. In Grove- land, other than at Williamsburg, John Smith was the Pioneer. He was from New Jersey, a surveyor in the employ of Mr. Williamson. He purchased a mile square, upon which he resided until his death in 1817. Benjamin Parker, a step son of John Smith, Jolın Harri- son, William and Thomas Lemen, William and Daniel Kelley, James Roseborough, were among the earliest. Smith in '99, built a mill between Hornellsville and Arkport, and as early as 1800 took lumber from it to the Baltimore market. Michael Roup was an carly Pioneer upon the up lands in Groveland, with his son Christain Roup. He died during the war of 1812; Michael Roup, of Grove- land is his son. The early minister that visited the neighborhood was the Rev. Mr. Gray ; the first school taught was by Robert M'- Kay, in one of the houses that the Germans had deserted.
The early Pioneers of Sparta, on the Canascraga, between Mount Morris and Dansville, were : - J. Duncan, John Clark, Thomas Ward, Wm. McCartney, Henry Driesback, Benjamin Wilcox, Geo. Wilkenson, Rev. Andrew Grey, John McNair.
In Groveland, other than those named in another connection : - Samuel Nibleck, (Nibleck's Hill,) William Martin, Samuel Stilwell, John Vance, - Doty, - Ewart.
In reference to all the upper valley of the Canascraga, Dansville was the prominent pioneer locality, as it is now the focus of business and enterprise. The Pioneer in the town of Sparta, near the present village of Dansville, was Hugh McCartney, who had accompanied Mr. Williamson from Scotland, and of whom, the author has no ac- count other than the fact of his early advent. Upon the site of the village of Dansville, Neil McCoy, was the first settler. He came from Painted Post, and located where his step-son, James McCurdy, who came in with him, now resides. The family were four days in
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PHELPS AND GORHAMS PURCHASE.
making the journey from Painted Post, camping out two nights on the way. The only tenement they found, was a small hut built for surveyors, where Conrad Welch now resides on Ossian street. At this time there was no white inhabitant in what is now the town of Dansville. Preparing logs for a house 14 by 18 feet, help to raise it came from Bath, Geneseo and Mount Morris, with Indians from Squaky Hill and Gardeau. It is mentioned by Mr. McCurdy, in some reminiscences he contributed several years since to a local history of Dansville,* from which the author derives many facts to add to what he has gleaned from other sources, that his mother, Mrs. M'Coy, the first season heard of the arrival of Judge Hurlburt's family at Arkport, on the Canisteo, eleven miles distant, and as an act of backwoods courtesy, resolved upon making the first call. Taking her son (McCurdy) with her, she made the visit through the woods by marked trees, dined with her new neighbors, and returned in time to do her milking, after a walk, going and coming of twenty- two miles! During the first winter they needed no hay for their stock, the rushes upon the Canascraga flats furnishing a substitute, upon which their cattle would thrive. The Indians belonging in the villages along the Genesee river, were almost constantly encamped on the flats of the Canascraga, as high up as Dansville, principally engag- ed in hunting, though they cultivated small patches of ground. Their venison and corn was a part of the subsistence of the new settlers.
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