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 52
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 52
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 52
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 52
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 52
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 52
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 52
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 52
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 52
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 52
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
492
APPENDIX.
[NO. 19.]
MR. JAMES D. BEMIS COTEMPORARY ACCOUNT OF HIS ADVENT TO THE GENESEE COUNTRY.
Extract of a letter to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Ward, of Albany : - [Mrs. Ward was a sister of Mr. Bemis, was the mother of Samuel and Henry Ward, and Mrs. Oran Follett.]
" After being at Utica upwards of seven weeks, my patience was so far exhausted, that I determined, notwithstanding the badness of the roads to make one more attempt to gain the place of my destination, and accordingly hired two wagons to take me to Canandaigua. They had proceeded about 50 rods when one of them got mired to the hub ! Good start, you will say. Well, we got out in about an hour, and travelled eight miles the first day, and put up at Raymond's inn. Next morning after taking a warm breakfast, I again weighed anchor, and trudged in solitude along the muddy waste, (for it is indeed solitary to have no company but swearing teamsters,) 'till we reached Oneida village, an Indian settlement, where about dark, both wagons again got mired to the hub ! Zounds and alack ! What a pickle we were in ! ! How did I invoke the aid of old Hercules to give one tug at the wheel ! However, after lifting, grumbling, hollowing and tugging three hours and a half, with the assistance of an Indian, we once more got on land. It was now ten, and no tavern within our power to reach. Cokl, fatigued and hungry, we were glad to get under shelter; and accor- dingly stopped at the first Indian hut we found, where there was no bed, nor victuals, * * * * except a slice of rusty pork." * * *
" After a night spent in yawning, dozing, gaping, we again got under way, and hove in sight of a tavern about ten o'clock ; but nothing like breakfast was to be had - all confusion -and we went on to Onondaga, (50 miles from Utica,) where we arrived about ten at night. Here the house was full, and I obtained the privilege of sleeping with two strangers, by paying for their lodgings and giving them a glass of bitters ; an odd bargain to be sure ; but I thought it cheap, had it been my last shilling. But fate decreed that the troubles of that day, should not end with going to bed."
* + * * * [The young adventurer had become a room mate with a "snoring traveller." He describes his enormous nose, and says, that the sounds it gave out all night long, "frightened Morpheus from his post."]
" At this place, (Onondaga) the wagoners got discouraged and dispaired of the practicability of travelling ; they accordingly stored their goods and made the best of their way home again. Here I was obliged to remain two weeks, when a fine snow falling, I hired a man with a three horse sleigh, to carry me to Canada, and arrived at this place on Saturday evening, 14th January, after a short and pleasant passage of SIXTY TWO days from Albany ! Here I put up for the night only, expecting to depart early in the morning for Canada ; but receiving some advices here from gentlemen of respectibility, which deserved my attention, I was persuaded to open my store in this village, for the winter at least. How I shall succeed is yet among the secrets of fate ; but as yet I have had no reason to repent of having stopped here ; for such is the en- couragement I have already found, that I think it probable I shall continue here."
" I have now only room to add, that the country is beautiful and flourishing ; the inhabitants wealthy and respectable ; the citizens enlightened, affable and friendly ; and there is an agrecable society of young people, especially of ladies. Hence a stranger finds an agreeable reception. I am the seventh young man that is here from Albany ; all old acquaintances."
SUPPLEMENT,
OR
EXTENSION OF THE PIONEER HISTORY
OF THAT PORTION OF PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE EM- BRACED IN THE
COUNTY OF MONROE,
AND THE NORTHERN PORTION OF MORRIS' RESERVE.
١
CHAPTER I.
WHEATLAND.
THAT portion of the old town of Caledonia which is now Wheat- land, was, as will have been observed, the Pioneer locality - the spot where settlement first commenced in all the region between the Genesee River and the west bounds of the state. In connection with the enterprises of Mr. Williamson, the advent of the Scotch settlers, and in another connection in the body of the work, the town has already been embraced. Itremains in this connection to extend the notices of Pioneer advents in that locality, as far as the author's information will allow.
Francis Albright came in 1799, from Seneca county, and soon erected the mills that bear his name, and those that were so useful to the early settlers west of the River. He removed to the Lake shore, in Niagara county, in an early day, where he died a few years since. His son Jacob Albright, one of the most successful and en- terprising farmers of that county, resides at Olcott.
Donald M'Vean, who came a single man with the first Scotch settlers, was a mill wright ; had charge of the early mills built by the Wadsworths at Conesus. He erected the first mill in Scotts- ville ; and selling it, purchased a large tract of land which he divi- ded between his sons ; 'they are Donald M'Vean, of Michigan, Duncan and Peter M'Vean of Caledonia. Mrs. Donald and Mrs. Joseph Campbell, and Mrs. James Cameron, of Caledonia, are his daughters.
John M'Naughton has been named as one of the advance corps of Scotch emigrants, in 1799. He still survives at the age of 80 years. His surviving sons are : - Duncan M'Naughton of Mum- ford and Daniel M'Naughton, a resident upon the homestead ; Mrs. Duncan M'Vean of Scottsville, and Mrs. Merrit Moore, of Church- ville, are his daughters ; an unmarried daughter resides with her
NOTE. - Previous to leaving their homes in Scotland, certificates similar to the fol- lowing, were given to all of the Scotch emigrants who were members of the kirk ; such at least, as were from Perthshire ; and it was worthily bestowed in this instance, as a long and useful life will bear witness : -
" These do certify that the bearer John M'Naughton, and his spouse, Margaret M' Dermid, are natives of this our parish of Killin ; and lived therein mostly from their infancy ; and always behaved in their single and married state, virtuously, honestly,
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
father. The mother died in 1844. Mr. M'Naughton established the first brewery west of the River, previous to 1810, and a distil- lery which was the next one after that built by Oliver Phelps near Moscow. He was one of the first to engage in the purchase of wheat to be floured for the Canada market; commencing the busi- ness previous to the war of 1812.
Zachariah Garbutt was a resident upon the river Tyne in England. in the town of Winston, county of Durham, at the period of the French Revolution. Espousing the whig side in politics in those violent party times in England, when freedom of speech was re- stricted, he subjected himself to proscription and persecution at the hands of his more loyal neighbors. His windows were broken in and his children stoned in the streets. Leaving Winston. he went into a retired part of the country, where he remained for three or four years, and then sought an asylum over the ocean in a land of toleration, of political and religious liberty. Borrowing thirty guineas to defray expense of emigration, it was repaid by his son. John Garbutt, with money earned upon a shoe bench, and remitted to England. Arriving at New York in 1798, they remained near Sing Sing until 1800, when they came to the Genesee country, set- tling first upon sixty acres of land in the town of Seneca. The eldest son John, in 1803 purchased land on Allan's creek, which soon became the residence of the whole family - the site of what is now known as Garbutville. The three brothers, sons of Zach- ariah Garbutt, were, John, Philip and William. John Garbutt who still survives, was the first supervisor of Wheatland; in 1829 he was a representative of Monroe county in the Legislature. Philip Garbutt, widely known in business enterprises, the owner of the mills and locality that bear the name of the family, also survives. His wife, as avill have been seen, is the daughter of Esq. Shaeffer. The father-in-law was the original owner of the mill site
and inoffensively ; free from all public scandal known to us. That therefore we know of no reason to hinder their reception into, or residence in, any congregation, society
* * * * * ** or family, where God may cast their lot. * * *
['A few closing lines are obliterated.] " Signed. HUGH M'DOUGAL, Minister, JAMES M'NABB, Elder, JAS. M'GIBBIN, Parish Clerk."
" The above is fact.
CHAS. CAMPBELL, EsQ. of Lock Dorcht, FRANCIS M'NABB, chief of M'NABBS. John ROBSON, Baron, Bailie to the Earl of Bradalbine."
Dated Feb. 1798.
" Do me the favor to name the fact," said an early merchant of the Genesee country to the author, " that when reverses came upon me, and I was thrown upon jail limits. while those who owed me debts of gratitude stood aloof ; a generous hearted Scotch farmer, whom I had but slightly known, in the way of business, sought me out, kindly invited me to share his purse for all that was necessary for the comfort of myself or family. And you may add that it was John M'Naughton, of Wheatland."
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
of what is now known as Garbutt's mills and the land upon which the celebrated plaster beds are located. A saw mill was erected by Esq. Shaeffer in 1810 and a grist mill in 1811.
The venerable Powell Carpenter, now in his 80th year, became a resident in the immediate neighborhood of Scottsville in 1804. In 1818, by purchase from Isaac Scott, he became the proprietor of most of the site of the present village of Scottsville. In 1825 or '6, Abraham Handford and Judge Carpenter created a water power by conducting the waters of Allan's creek in a race, 1} mile, and thus obtaining a fall of 19 feet. This was the commencement of any considerable movements towards the founding of the pleasant and prosperous village ; though mills had been erected as early as 1815 by Donald M'Vean and Abraham Handford. Of ten sons of Judge Carpenter, six are now living, three of whom were Pioneers in Michigan. Ira Carpenter, of Scottsville is his son. He was one of the early Judges of Monroe.
The Rev. Donald Mann was a native of Invernesshire, Scotland ; emigrated, settling on the 40,000 acre tract in Caledonia, in 1809; in 1815 removed to what is now Wheatland, where he now resides. He had been educated in his youth for the ministry, in the Baptist connection, but located in the new region, he united the labors of the field, (or rather, the forest,) with the duties of his profession ; provi- ding for the respectable maintenance and education of a large family. and at the same time itinerating occasionally where primitive and feeble church organizations needed his services. "When we had got together a small Baptist congregation in Le Roy," says an in-
NOTE. - The discovery of the plaster, which has proved so valuable an acquisition to a wide region-the beds possessing more of what constitutes real value than if they had been the richest placers that have been found upon the slope of the Sierra Nevada - may not be considered an uninteresting reminiscence : - It was accidental. As the grist mill drew near to completion in the winter of 1810, '11, Mr. John Garbut went to Cayuga for a load of plaster, with the promise from Esq. Shaeffer that it should be ground in the process of preparing the mill stones. In his absence, while some workmen were excavating the bank to procure earth to finish the embankment of the mill race, one of them, a foreigner, insisted that they were excavating plaster. Experiments followed which proved the fact. The demand for it being but limited. farmers having been slow in appreciating its value, its manufacture was not fairly under way until 1818 ; since which it has been constantly upon the increase and the beds would seem exhaustless.
NOTE. - Judge Carpenter emigrated from Westchester county as early as 1794. loca- ting in company with William Armesley, near Cashong creek, on Seneca Lake. Major Benjamin Barton was then residing at Cashong in a log cabin, the successor there of Debartzeh and Poudry, Samuel Wheaton had been in the neighborhood for three or four years. After making a little opening in the forest, and building a pole cabin. Judge Carpenter went to Pennsylvania and brought a small stock of furniture, and a young wife into the wilderness. Coming up the Susquehannah he worked their pas- sage on a Durham boat, crossed over to Catherinestown, and came down the Lake to Cashong in a battean. The wife that he moved into his primitive cabin, as well as himself, are among the few surviving Pioneers of that early period. There are prob- ably not twenty persons living who were adult emigrants to the Genesee country previous to 1795.
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
formant of the author, " the Rev. Mr. Mann used to come up on foot and preach for us." The surviving sons are : - Alexander Mann, who was a graduate of Burlington College, Vt., studied law in the office of Edwards & Mann, New York, settled in practice in Rochester, and changing his profession, is now the highly respecta- ble and successful editor of the Rochester American ; - Angus C. and Peter Mann, of Wheatland; Duncan C. Mann, of Rochester ; Donald Mann, ofNew York. There are four unmarried daughters. The mother, who still survives, is a daughter of the early Scotch emigrant, Angus Cameron.
In 1806, '7, 8, Harris Rogers, George Goodhue, Joseph Black- mer, John Sage, Elial Goble, Peleg Weaver, Marvin Cady, Seely Frink, settled in what is now Wheatfield. Mr. Rogers died in 1821, aged 48 years. Mr. Goodhue, was a settler at Painted Post and Canisteo as early as 1793, and as will have been seen, was one of the earliest in that Pioneer locality, Braddock's Bay. In 1806 he removed to Wheatland, where he now resides with his son, John Goodhue, at the age of 82 years, surrounded by a large circle of descendants. Mr. Sage, died a few years since in the 72d year of his age ; his son, Martin Sage, and Warren Sage occupy the home- stead. Mr. Goble was a resident of Seneca county as early as 1800 ; he died in 1813; Nathaniel Goble of Wheatland, is his son. Mr. Frink had settled in Westmoreland, Oneida county, previous to 1811; he died in Wheatland of the prevailing epidemic in 1813, as did also his wife ; Ephraim Frink, of Wheatland is his son.
It was but a following up of pioneer enterprise with Joseph Balckmer, when he settled in Wheatland in 1808. We have already had glimpses of him upon the very verge of civilization, in Oneida county, when settlement was first commencing in the Genesee country-in 1788 and '9. The earliest Pioneers often speak of his hospitality, when his log house was the only white habitation be- tween Judge Dean's, in Westmoreland, and Colonel Danforth's, at
NoTE. - Mr. Goodhue made his early advent to this region, from Canisteo, with his family and household goods, upon an ox sled ; consuming six days in the journey ; in several instances carrying his goods by hand over windfalls. Arriving at the Gen- esee river, where Rochester now is, in the month of February, he found the ice thawed away from the banks, to the distance of 15 or 16 feet. He had to creet a temporary bridge to get upon the solid ice. Approaching the opposite shore, the same difficulty existed there ; or at least the ice was rotten. Unyoking his oxen, in endeavoring to drive them across they broke in and came near being drowned. Reaching the oppo- site shore, his wife, sled, and effects, being yet on the solid ice, to get them over, he went to work to make a bridge ; but while thus engaged the section of ice upon which they were, broke off, and was moving with the current, likely to be precipitated over the Falls. Seizing a pole and throwing it to his wife, she fastened one end of it to the sled, and hitching his oxen to the other end of it he towed the ice to the shore and thus succeeded in saving his wife and household effects. In a few moments the cake of ice from which they had been extricated, went over the Falls ! Stopping for a day or two at the cabin near the site of the old Red Mill, he browsed his cattle upon the site which is now the centre of the city of Rochester, and then went through the woods road the Atehinsen's had made, to Braddock's Bay.
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
Onondaga. In a letter from John Taylor, a State Indian agent, to Gov. George Clinton, in 1778, it is mentioned that in co-operation with Oliver Phelps, he had made provisions for opening a road from Onondaga to Oneida, and that Mr. Blackmer had contracted to do a portion of the work. He was a native of the town of Kent, State of Connecticut, and may truly be said to have been of a Pioneer stock, as he was a descendant of Peregrine White, the first born of white parents, in New England. He died in 1848, aged 80 years. He was public spirited, enterprising, as the reader will infer, a good neighbor, and an efficient helper in all that was tend- ing to the prosperity of his locality. He donated from his farm the site for a meeting house, school house and burying ground. Jirah, Ephraim, and Oliver P. Blackmer, of Wheatland, are his sons. Daughters became the wives of Jesse Kinney, of Michigan; of Jerry Merrill, of Orangeville, Wyoming county.
Deacon Rawson Harmon was a native of New Marlborough, Berkshire county, Mass. ; he was a resident of Madison county previous to 1797 ; in 1811, he removed to Clarence, Erie county, but soon changed his residence to Caledonia, now Wheatland. At that period he had six sons and five daughters, nine of whom are yet living, viz :- Ariel, Rawson, Ira, Sylvester, Anan and Elisha Rawson, all residing upon and in the neighborhood of the home- stead ; Mrs. Horace P. Smith, Mrs. James R. Flynn, and Mrs. Oliver P. Blackmer. The living descendants of Deacon Harmon are, 9 in the first degree, 52 in the second, and 17 in the third. He died in 1850, aged 85 years.
Calvin Armstrong and George H. Smith, were residents in Wheatland as early as 1812. Mr. Armstrong, now 70 years of age, has recently changed his residence to the neighborhood of Bushville, Batavia, having become the owner and occupant of the well known Pendell farm. Mr. Smith died in Wheatland, at ad- vanced age ; he was a native of Germany ; Daniel Smith, of Wheat- land, is his son.
The Baptist church in Wheatland, was organized as early as 1811. Of all the original members of it, none survive but Jirah Blackmer, who has been a Deacon and Clerk in it for 40 years. Its settled ministers have been :- Solomon Brown, Ely Stone, Aristarchus Willey, William W. Smith, Horace Griswold, John L. Latham, Daniel Eldrige, John Middleton, Gibbons Williams, Hiram R. Stimpson, and Wm. W. Everts.
In observations made in connection with Pioneer history, the author has been frequently reminded of the benefits that have accrued from the early institution of public libraries. The books were selected at a better era of our literature, of book making, than the present one ; before a surfeit of the worthless trash that now unfortunately too much prevails in our popular reading ; they were thoroughly read, and thoroughly understood; the Pioneers became
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
intelligent, and inducted their sons and daughters into a course of profitable reading. The general intelligence of the citizens of all of the old town of Caledonia, has been proverbial ; they enjoyed the benefits of a well selected library, as early as 1804. It was the Pioneer Library west of Genesee river. The first books were bought at Myron Holley's book store, in Canandaigua, by John Garbutt, who carried them to their destination on his back. Peter Shaeffer was first Librarian. The library now consists of over 1500 volumes.
[Farther reminiscences of Scotch settlers, having reference to the old town of Caledonia, will be inserted in the volume, "Livingston and Allegany." The author has found it difficult to separate them as town and county divisions have done.]
In addition to their purchase of the "Big Springs," and water power at Caledonia, of Mr. Williamson, in early years, John and Robert M'Kay purchased land and water power at what is now the village of Mumford, and had erected a saw mill there previous to 1808. In 1809, Thomas Mumford purchased the inter- est of Robert M'Kay. In 1817, Thomas Mumford and John M'Kay erected a large stone flouring mill having four run of stones. John WV. Watkins opened the primitive tavern ; Philip Garbutt the first mercantile establishment.
Donald M'Kenzie may be regarded as the earliest resident Pio- neer of the locality. In 1804, he came from his native place, In- verness, Scotland, remained in New York and Connecticut two years, and coming to the Genesee country in 1806, resided at Honeoye one year, after which, in 1807, he erected a log building upon the present site of Mumford, started the business of cloth dressing, becoming in that branch of business the Pioneer in all the Genesee country west of the river. His carly customers were dis- tributed over a territory that now constitutes ten counties. The venerable Simon Pierson, of Le Roy, in some published reminis- cences, gives a graphic account of his first milling advent to Cale- donia. " I took my wheat on my horse," says the narrator, "rode down Allan's Creek 7 or 8 miles, when I came to a dark, dense forest of evergreens, which I took to be a cedar swamp on a hill. Near the centre of this swamp, as I took it to be, I found a small hut which I entered, for I was very cold, it being late in November. I found a good fire, and the workmen were at dinner. I found the owner liberal and intelligent. He told me his name was Donald M'Kenzie-that he was building a fulling mill, and making prepa- rations for wool-carding and cloth-dressing.'
In 1809, Mr. M'Kenzie added to his business, a carding machine, which was preceded in all the territory west of the river only by one erected by Wm. H. Bush, near Batavia. He still survives, af- ter a long, active, and useful life ; a good specimen of the energetic and persevering Pioneers. Few men are better versed in the his-
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
tory of early settlement in all this region, and the author is much indebted to him for written reminiscences, and the results of his retentive memory. He is now 67 years of age. His surviving sons are :- William, in California ; Daniel R., in Laporte, Indiana ; John, Simon and Joseph, upon the homestead. Daughters became the wives of Daniel M'Naughton, of Wheatland, and Hector M'- Lean, of Rochester.
DOP For topography, &c., of Caledonia and Wheatland, see Ap- pendix to supplement, No. 1.
RIGA.
The settlement of " West Pulteney," now Riga, commenced under the auspices of Mr. Wadsworth, in 1805. The first ten set- tlers were :- Elihu Church, Samuel Shepherd, William Parker, Amasa Frost, Ezekiel Barnes, Nehemiah Frost, Samuel Church, Joseph Tucker, Enos Morse, and George Richmond. Elihu Church still survives, a resident upon the land upon which he settled in his early advent, and upon which the first tenement was erected, and the first improvement commenced, in Riga. He is in his 77th year. Dennis Church, late Supervisor of Riga, is his son ; daugh- ters became the wives of Erastus Sprague, of Lima, Dann Hawes, of Caryville, Genesee county, Oliver W. Warner, of Lake county, Ohio, Enoch Fitch, of Wilson, Niagara county, and an unmarried daughter resides at the homestead. His first wife died in. 1823; a present one was the widow of Matthew Fitch, one of the second class of early settlers in Riga. Mr. Church was for many years a Supervisor and Magistrate of Riga.
Samuel Church, a brother of Elihu, was the founder of settle- ment at Churchville, where he built the first saw mill in town, in 1808, and a grist mill in 1811. He was a Captain of the first mili- tia company organized in Riga ; was upon the frontier in the war of 1812, and participated with his command in the sortie of Fort Erie. He died in 1850, in Chenango county, aged 82 years. His surviving sons are :- Rev. Samuel C. Church, of Medina, and Rev, Jared Church, of Tennessee; a daughter became the wife of the Rev. Charles Robinson, a missionary to Siam, who died on ship board on his return to this country in 1848. Mrs. Robinson who, with her three children, was returning with him, now resides in Medina ; she was the first born in the town of Riga. Other daughters are, Mrs. Casey, of York, Mrs. Clark, of Byron, and the wife of the Rev. Titus Cohen, a missionary to the Sandwich Islands.
Jesse Church, another brother, settled in Riga as early as 1807; was an early mechanic of Churchville ; also, the Captain of a com- pany in the war of 1812; was made a prisoner at Fort Erie, and
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PHELPS AND GORHAM'S PURCHASE.
carried to Halifax. He died in 1826 or '7. Stoddard Church, of Ogden, is his son ; other sons reside at the west.
Samuel Shephard died but a few years since. Benjamin F. Shephard, of Riga, is his son ; his son Hiram, now deceased, was the first male child born in Riga.
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