USA > New York > Monroe County > Landmarks of Monroe County, New York : containing followed by brief historical sketches of the towns of the county with biography and family history > Part 24
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Brighton village, or as otherwise known, East Brighton, is the larger and of first importance among the municipalities now existing in the town. Its location is in the northeast part of the town, on the line of the Erie canal, and also on the New York Central railroad ; and to the presence of these great thoroughfares of travel and transportation it owes its prosperity, if not its very existence. The pioneer on the vil- lage site was Thomas Blossom, whose dwelling stood near the southeast corner. In 1820 Israel Blossom opened a public house, which was burned in 1867, the year in which the church was destroyed. It is said that a store was established here in 1816, but it is known that William Perrin had a store open in 1818. Justus Yale built a store in 1823, where now stands the Caley & Nash carriage shop, and about the same time Linus Wilcox also opened a tavern. Ira West was an early store- keeper, and also proprietor of a distillery in this near vicinity. The post-office was established in 1817, Dr. James Holden, postmaster. He was succeeded by Benjamin Blossom, the latter holding office thirty years. The first mails were brought on horseback from Canandaigua.
Near the village site several boats and sailing craft were built at a very early day, and drawn overland with horse and cattlepower to the landing. Oliver Culver, William Davis and Francis Charter were the prime movers in these enterprises, and their vessels were christened, 31
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LANDMARKS OF MONROE COUNTY.
one the "Clarissa," another the "Levanche." Charter built a forty ton schooner north of the village in 1817.
However, Brighton to day presents little of its old time appearance, though a few of the old dwellings and structures are still standing. The second and third generations of occupants turned the adjoining farms into nurseries, while still later dwellers superseded the nursery enterprise with gardening and milk producing. About a mile south of the village are the extensive brick and tile yards and works of the Rochester Brick and Tile Company and the Rochester German Brick and Tile Company. The lands of these companies comprise many acres, and by their operations the land surface has been depressed from three to four feet over a vast area ; and while the clay has been removed, the land has lost none of its fertility, and is now highly valuable for agricultural and gardening purposes.
Returning to the subject of village history, special mention must be made of the organization and subsequent vicissitudes of the church society which had its inception in the little meetings assembled by Rev. Solomon Allen, who came to the town in 1816, and in the same year formed a Sunday school. The church was organized September 18, 1817, Congregational in government, and with these members: Daniel West, Daniel Smith, Henry Donnelly, Joseph Bloss, Orringh Stone, Joshua Cobb, John Morse, Charles Warring, Daniel Smith, jr., Hannah Donnelly, Zeriah Walker, Electa Smith, Amy Bloss. Laura A. Bush, Matilda Barnes, Martha Titus, Betsey Hatch, Clarissa Howes, Sally Stone, Elizabeth Loder, Margaret Hemingway, and Huldah Dickinson. Daniel West and Daniel Smith were the first deacons, the former a farmer and the latter a cooper. The first church edifice, built in 1820 and years following, stood on the hill, south of the canal and near the old burying ground. It was of brick, painted brown, 40 x 45 in size, and cost $4,000. In 1850 it was substantially remodeled and repaired, but on April 18, 1867, when the village tavern was burned, a spark fell upon the spire and the church edifice also fell a victim to the same ele- ment. The second and present edifice was erected on the main street of the village, and was completed and dedicated in June, 1872. The first parsonage property was purchased in 1838. Mr. Allen was suc- ceeded in the pastorate in 1825 by Rev. Charles Thorpe, and the latter
afEmerson Gabucks
243
THE TOWN OF BRIGHTON.
by Rev. Alvan Ingersoll in 1836. In 1842 the society withdrew from the Genesee association, remained independent until September 21, 1870, and then became Presbyterian. The present pastor is Rev. John McColl. The church membership is about 200, with a like number in the Sunday school, the latter being under the superintendence of Theo . dore A. Drake. The elders are Harrison A. Lyon, T A. Brown, Theo- dore A. Drake, W. M. Parsons, F. E. Blossom and Rufus L. Herrick. Trustees, W. M. Parsons, A. Emerson Babcock and Andrew W. Miller.
The Reformed Presbyterian church of Brighton was organized in June, 1892, by Rev. P. D. Broin, and has enjoyed a prosperous and steady growth of membership until the original building has become too small for its accommodation. At the time of its organization the so- ciety numbered forty eight members, with two elders, Messrs. J. Wil- lint and W. H. Rowerdink, and two deacons, Messrs. R. Hallings and J. De Mollie.
The present and only pastor, Rev. J. Van Westinberg, assumed his duties September 1, 1892, and a congregation of 135 members now attests the success of his labors. Its Sunday school enjoys a member- ship of 185 and is under the superintendency of J. B. Pike, while a Y. P. S. C. E., with a large and enthusiastic membership was organized in May last with Herman Willick as president. Services are regularly conducted in both the English and Holland languages. Work on the new edifice was begun in May, 1895.
At a public meeting held on April 27, 1885, the electors of Brighton village voted to procure a certificate of incorporation, which being done, the character of hamlet was thrown off and that of organized mu- nicipality assumed. Within the village limits are included about 640 acres or one square mile of land. The first officers elected were Benja- min W. Fassett, president; Benjamin Wing, Dr. J. P. Wheeler, and James D. Shelmire, trustees ; W. W. Chapin, treasurer; F. D. Graves, collector, and Thomas E. Blossom, clerk.
The officers for 1895 are William L. Manning, president; James D. Shelmire, treasurer; Bart Hallings, collector ; William P. Shelmire, clerk ; and Erwin Terrell, Thomas F. Monks and Thomas Fletcher, trustees.
As a manufacturing and business center Brighton has never assumed a standing of special prominence among the villages of the county.
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Still, at no time in its history has the volume of business been greater than at the present. We have already referred to the early interests of the place and vicinity, hence need now mention only those having an existence of more recent date. Sullivan Brothers' carriage work is one of the principal industries of the locality, and furnishes employment to a large number of men. On this site was orignally built the steam saw mill of Samuel Hart, but, being burned, was replaced with a large threshing machine factory, built by Hosea Rogers. This, too, was de- stroyed by fire, and in its stead Hall & Glenn erected a second thresher factory. Their building was afterward used by Hughson & Sullivan, following which came the present firm of Sullivan Bros.
Cooley & Nash are also manufacturers of carriages and wagons, and also blacksmiths. In the east part of the village are two basket and box factories, each doing a large and successful business. The Bradley Fertilizer Company established a plant here in 1894, and in the same year a heading and hoop factory was also put in operation. In addi- tion to these interests are several well stocked mercantile houses, a like number of small shops and three hotels.
West Brighton is a smaller hamlet, a post village, situate south of the city. Its business interests are few, and comprise a few shops and two hotels. In this vicinity are the fair grounds and other public institu- tions which contribute to local advancement.
Before closing this chapter at least a brief reference may properly be made to the past and present educational interests of the town at large ; and in this connection it is also proper to call to mind the old Genesee Model School, or, as incorporated April 7, 1848 (and by the Regents, February 23, 1849), the "Clover Street Seminary." This, however, is one of the things of the past, though in its palmy days one of the best institutions of the county. It was at one time under the care of Mrs. Brewster, the author of Bloss's Ancient History.
The town records reveal the fact that the first regularly elected school commissioners in Brighton were Samuel Spafford, Enos Blossom and David Bush, and that under their direction and supervision the ter- ritory of the town was divided into five school districts, each arranged as far as possible to suit the convenience of the then scattered inhab- itants. Tradition has it that the first school in Brighton was opened in
245
1
THE TOWN OF CHILI.
1802, with a Mr. Turner as teacher. Soon afterward a second was started at the village and a third on the present city site. These things indicate that even during the pioneer period the townspeople here were not unmindful of the educational welfare of their children. In 1820 the districts numbered eleven, and at that time 614 children were in the town; and of these 556 attended the public school. In 1836 the dis- tricts numbered twelve, while the school population was 781. Twenty years later the number of districts had been reduced to nine, while the children of school age in the town numbered 1,005.
According to the present disposition and arrangement of common . school interests in Brighton, the number of districts is nine, and each is furnished with a good school building. Five buildings are of frame and four of brick construction. The value of sites is $5,650, and of sites and buildings, $19,650. During the last current year, ending July 31, 1894, the number of teachers employed in the town was 14, to whom was paid the gross sum of $4,785.01. The number of children in the districts, of school age, was 948. To maintain these schools there was apportioned to the town, public moneys to the amount of $1,768.82, added to which the town raised by tax $4,661 68. Total available funds for the year, $6,794.39. Paid for libraries, $18.70 ; for appara- tus, $45 ; for repairs, $611.17; for maintenance and other expenses, $738.94.
CHAPTER II.
THE TOWN OF CHILI.
One of the most generous and meaning compliments ever paid the town of Chili is found in the utterance of an old-time writer of local history, wherein he says: "The inhabitants are all Yankees, all that need be said in commendation of their improvements, social institutions and industry." Such was the opinion of the unbiased and competent observer of Chili and its inhabitants three-quarters of a century ago, and in all the subsequent years to the present time, the descendants of
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LANDMARKS OF MONROE COUNTY.
Chili pioneers have honestly maintained the standing attained by their ancestors.
Previous to its separate organization Chili formed a part of the older town of Riga, and its early history was entirely contemporaneous with that of the mother town. Indeed this part of Riga was known origin- ally as East Pulteney, and a little later as East Riga, while Riga proper was known as West Pulteney and West Riga. The separation was made February 22, 1822, several years after pioneership had ended ; in fact at a time when the population of the town was nearly two thousand.
Geographically, Chili occupies a position in the southwest part of the county, and is distinctively an interior town. Its land surface is level or slightly rolling with a gentle inclination to the east. The Genesee river forms the east boundary, and Black creek, a quite sluggish stream, flows east through near the center. The soil is a clay loam, mixed with sand. South of Black creek are several peculiar gravelly knolls, the principal of which is " Dumpling Hill," near the river. In the town, as now constituted, are five small villages or hamlets, known, respectively, as Chili, North Chili, Chili Station, Clifton, and South Chili, each of which will be specially mentioned in this chapter.
As is intimated in the first paragraph of this sketch, the first settlers of this town were Yankees, that is New Englanders of pronounced type, who brought to the new country the customs and manners sup- posed to be peculiar to all inhabitants of Yankeedom. So far as can now be accurately determined the pioneer in fact of this locality was Joseph Morgan, who located near the south line in 1792, his lands join- ing with those of Peter Shaffer, the pioneer of Wheatland and the suc- cessor to the notorious Ebenezer Allen. In 1794 Andrew Wortman settled near the river, and in 1795 Col. Josiah Fish and his son Libbeus came from Vermont and took up their abode on the river at the mouth of Black creek. This intrepid pioneer employed Indian help in con- structing his first log cabin, to which his whole family came in 1796. Stephen Peabody came in 1796, and soon after built a distillery, the first industry of the town. In 1797 Jacob Widner and his sons Samuel, Jacob, Abraham, William and Peter added materially to the settlement; and about the same time Joseph Cary also made a be-
.
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THE TOWN OF CHILI.
ginning here. Still later, yet previous to 1800 came Lemuel and Joseph Wood, Samuel Scott, Joshua Howell, Benjamin Bowman, John Kimball, Daniel Franklin, Mr. Dillingham, George Stottle and others whose names have become lost with the lapse of time.
After the beginning of the century and after the general character of the lands of the region had become known in the east, settlements be- came more rapid and the year 1820 found East Riga with a population bordering on two thousand. Among the many families who made settlements during this period, we may recall the names of John McVean from Ontario county, who was accompanied by six stalwart sons-Duncan, Samuel, John, Daniel, Peter and Alexander, also Will- iam Woodin and his family from Seneca, the latter settling in the north part of the town. There were also Lemuel and Zebulon Paul, John Weidener and his children James, Amos, Rosalia, Cordelia and Rich- ard, all of whom were here previous to 1812. Later settlers were Joseph Sibley, Benjamin Brown, Joseph Davis, Daniel Franklyn, Will- iam Holland, George Brown, John Wetmore, Joseph Thompson, Isaac Burritt, Berkley Gillett, Daniel Barrett, Alfred Schofield, Pliny Fields, Thomas Sheldon, Daniel Jameson, Moses Sperry, Eben Burnham, James' Coleman, Isaac Lacy, William Pixley and others, all of whom, though perhaps not pioneers. were nevertheless early settlers and worthy of mention in connection with improvements and development three-quarters of a century and more ago. - Mention also may be made of Deacon Tunis Brocaw, Edwin S. Reed, Eben B. Wetmore, Levi Campbell, Timothy Baldwin, Joel Baldwin, Isaac Brocaw, Lemuel Potter, David Deming, Isaac Hemingway, William Pixley (proprietor of ashery and distillery), Abel Belknap, Thomas Merlin, Apollos Dewey and Conrad Markham, all good and worthy men, many of the descend- ants of whom still live in the town and county.
Referring briefly to first events of Chili history, we may note the fact that Joseph Morgan built the first log dwelling, in 1792, also cleared the first land and raised the first grain, and as well, with Colonel Fish, planted the first fruit-trees. Colonel Fish built the second house, and was the first supervisor of old Northampton, organized in 1797. The first birth was that of a child of Joseph Wood, in 1799. The first death occurred in the family of Joseph Morgan. James Chapman kept the
328
INDEX.
Woodworth, C. C., 185 Worden, Samuel C., 164 Works, Samuel, 120, 126 Wright, G. W., Rev., 182 Hiram, 126 Pardon D., 127
Yale, T. B., 96 Yeoman, George F., 215, 219; sketch of, 443 Young Mens' Christian Association,
Rochester, 173 W. B., Dr., 230
PART II.
Archer, George Washington, 39 Ayrault, Allen, 78
Ayrault, John, 77
Babcock, A. Emerson, 5
Babcock, William J., 3
Baker, Jeremiah S., 75
Lighthouse, Charles F., 27 Likly, Henry, 56 Lincoln, Andrew, 13
Brewster, Simon L., 93
Lincoln, Josiah K., 14
McLean. Charles D., 95
Bromley, Pliny Miller, 74 Butts, Isaac, 52 Carroll, Charles H., 18
Oaks, George J., 30
Clark, George W., 53
Powers, Daniel W., 56
Randall, Stephen W., 28
Rochester, John H., 42
Rochester, Nathaniel, Col., 40
Rogers, Hosea, 63 Ross, Austin P., 59 Rowe, Frederick A., 57
Salmon, George, 8
Scribner, John C., 97
De Land, Daniel Brown, 101
Shantz, Moses B., 51
Sheldon, Judson F., 45
Sibley, Hiram, 86
Sibley, Rufus Adams, 27
Snyder, Henry J., 66
Stanley, Henry E., 19
Starkweather, Chauncey G., 46
Stokes, W. A .. 24 Taylor, George, 69
Thatcher, James H., 25
Todd, David, 17 Vogt, Albrecht, 80
Watkins, George Benton, 47
Watson, Don Alonzo, 92
Whalen, Harvey, 9
Whipple, John D., 31
Williams, Samuel B., 38
Woodworth, Chauncey B., 100
Wright, Alfred, 64 Wright, Charles S., 10 Yates, Arthur G., 33
Dunning, John D., Dr., 15 Eddy, Thomas H., 36 Edgerton, Hiram H., 82 Edson, Freeman, Dr., 61 Ellwanger, George, 58 Elwood, Isaac R., 60 Ernst, Louis, 68 Field, Reuben L., 37 Gerling, Jacob, 71
Goss, George A., 65
Gott, Frederick E., 43 Hannan, John W., 44 Harding, Bryan, 76 Harris, James, 21 Hayes, M. D. L., 85 Hebard, Henry Stead, 32 Heughes, Frederick L., 98 Hobbie, Isaac S., 78 Huntington, Elon, 93 Jones, Frank M., 96 Judson, Junius, 71
Kimball, William S., 88 Langslow, Henry A., 72 Leonard, Ichabod, 20
Leyden, Maurice, 83
Bausch, J. J., 34
Moore, E. M., Dr., 80
Clement, Frank H., 49
Cleveland, Merritt A., 48 Collins, Alphonso, 67 Cook, Frederick, 89 Craig, Henry H., 29 Crippen, Oliver, 7 Crouch, Charles T., 50 Deavenport, Daniel, 55
INDEX. 329
PART III.
Boardman, Emily, Miss, 102 Boothe, Reuben N., 117 Brown, Thomas A., Dr., 99 Buckland, Leonard, 184 Butterfield, Clarence E., 174 Caley, Mary G., Mrs., 179 Chapman, George, 98 Charlton, John, 179 Cogswell, Pierce J., 108 Craib, James, 180 De Floo, Jacob, 172 Down, Charles B., 100 Edmunds, James M., 192 Frank, George, 167 Guenther, Frederick, 174 Howes, George E., 197 Jones, William H., 100
Allen, Lucia, Miss, 192 Carpenter, Lewis B., 180
Allen, Chauncey, 193 Allen, Isaac, 193 Bellinger, Charles H., 185 Campbell, E. H., 82 Crary, Eli, 182 Freeman, Daniel C., 36 Gallup, Andrew J., 115 Garrison, Elias, 197 Goodberlet, Joseph, 116 Hiler, William H., 119 Hixson, Fred R., 93 McBain, James W., 115 Miner, John E., 8 Minot, Morton, 92 Moore, Adam, 117
Avery, Edwin B., 223 Barhydt, Edwin, 292 Beaman, Cassius, 291 Brayer, Frank N., 216 Curry, John C., 296 Gates, Henry P., 295 Haight, Jacob S., 234 pp
BRIGHTON.
Kelly, Charles E., 204 Le Clare, J. F., 206 Manning, William L., 123 Meitzler, Charles, 99 Michel, Albert, 167
Nash, J. Sidney. 205
Norris, J. Frank, 205 Peck, Henry J., 272 Rowerdink, William H., 95
Sheehan, Daniel F., 221 Shelmire, James D., 101 Teare, Eliza J., Mrs., 174
Terrill, Erwin, 167
Todd, Stanley, 223
Wilson, M. H., 226 Wing, Benjamin, 96
CHILI.
Hubbard, Richard P., 110 Humphrey, W. S., 197
CLARKSON.
Perry, Alfonso, Dr., 213 Prosser, Cicero J., 95 Reed, John J., 211 Rockwell, Washington L., 210 Shafer, Jonas, 218
Sigler, James, 218 Silliman, Wyllis A., Dr., 84
Smith, George C., 81 Steel, John W., 218 Smith, Orrin C., 219 Snider, Denton G., 50 Spurr, Samuel, Capt., 43 Truman, Lawrence, 224 Warren, James H., Capt., 225 Williams, Charles S., 115
GATES.
Harris, Selah M., 305 Hinchey, Franklin, 227 Leddy, Thomas J., 292 Miller, Ardean R., 233 Miller, Ransom, 305 Niven, William D., 248 Patten, E. S., 231
248
LANDMARKS OF MONROE COUNTY.
first store, in 1807, and James Cary built the first mill. Stephen Pea- body built the first distillery. Other and later storekeepers in the town were Mr. Filkins at the Center, Mr. Hawes, near the Presbyterian church, and Theodore Winans at Buckbee's Corners. The first tavern was kept by Elias Streeter, about or before 1811, on the Chili and Spencerport road. Paul Orton was the second landlord. The old " Checkered tavern " was at one time kept by one Pennock, and was a historic old building, and perhaps was so named in reference to the quite checkered career of some of its inmates. Joseph Cary's mill was located north of Clifton, on Mill creek, and near by was built in the same year (1807) a grist mill, by Comfort Smith. In 1811 Joseph Sibley built a saw mill near Buckbee's Corners and soon afterward a grist mill. The first school house was erected north of Black creek, one mile west of the Center. A school existed in the town as early as 1806, and in 1810 Anna Niles kept school in a room of her father's house.
So rapid indeed was the development of local interests and the growth of population in this eastern part of Riga, that the convenience of the inhabitants demanded a division of the mother town. Consequently, an act was passed and the division effected on the 22d of February, 1822, the new creation containing then, as now, 24,558 acres of land. The first town meeting was held at the house of James Coleman on April 2d following. The officers elected were as follows :
Joseph Sibley, supervisor ; Joshua Howell, town clerk; Benjamin Brown, Joseph Davis, and Daniel Franklyn, jr., assessors ; Willian Woodin, William Holland, and George Brown, road commissioners ; Isaac Burritt and Berkley Gillett, school commissioners ; Daniel Bassett, Isaac Schofield, and Pliny Fields, school inspectors ; John Wetmore, Joseph Thompson, and Johua Howell, overseers of the poor; Benjamin Brown, collector ; Thomas Sheldon, Daniel Jameson, Moses Sperry, and Eben Burnham, constables.
The supervisors of Chili, from 1822 to 1895, have been as follows : Joseph Sibley, 1822-23; Josiah Howell, 1824-25 ; Alfred Schofield, 1826-28; Isaac Lacey, 1829 ; Benjamin Brown, 1830; William Pixley, 1831-32; George Brown, 1833-34; Moses Sperry, 1835; William Pixley, 1836-37 ; Moses Sperry, 1838-39 ; Isaac Lacy, 1840; John T.
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THE TOWN OF CHILI.
Lacey, 1841 ; Isaac Burritt, 1842; John T. Lacey, 1843; Moses Sperry, 1844; John T. Lacey, 1845-46; William P. Hill, 1847-48 ; Franklin Cate, 1849-51; William Pixley, 1852 ; Moses Sperry, 1853- 54; David Starkie, 1855-58 ; Edward J. Reed, 1859-60 ; William P. Hill, 1861-64 ; A. S. Little, 1865 ; Albert H. King, 1866; William P. Hill, 1867 ; William Voke, 1868-70; Albert H. King, 1871 ; Frederick Fellows, 1872-76; William Fellows, 1877-78 ; Edwin A. Loder, 1879; William P. Hill, 1880-81 ; Benjamin Fellows, 1882-84 ; Byron D. Beal, 1885-86; Lewis B. Carpenter, 1887-90 ; Myron Sperry, 1891; John B. Johnston, 1892-5.
Town officers for 1895: John B. Johnston, supervisor; C. A. Nichols, town clerk; W. D. Purdy, D. S. Bly, J. C. Case, and E. R. Harmon, justices of the peace ; Alfred Fenton, George W. Tunnison, and Charles Finley, assessors; James Tweady, overseer of the poor ; W. J. Fisher, collector ; William Bailey, A. Curtis, and John Love, ex- cise commissioners ; John Porter, Myron Sickles, Earnest Miller, William Crowley and George Dougherty, constables.
A somewhat noticeable, though possibly not surprising fact in con- nection with the history of Chili, is that the present population of the town is very little greater than in 1825. From the time of its organi- zation in 1822, to 1860, there was a steady and healthful increase in number of inhabitants, but from that until the present time there has been a corresponding decrease in population. A brief reference to the census tables informs us that in 1825, three years after the erection of the town, the inhabitants numbered 1,827, and in 1830 had increased to 2,010. In 1840 the population was 2,174, and in 1850 was 2,247. In 1860, according to the census returns, Chili had 2,905 inhabitants, but in 1870 the number had decreased to 2,367. In 1880 it was 2,274, and in 1890, the last federal census, was 2,109. Careful observers now esti- mate the town to have a population of about 2,000.
The town has never been noted for magnitude or variety of manu- facturing industries. On the contrary there has been a rather noticea- ble absence of such interests, for the situation of the town and the entire absence of suitable water privileges have precluded the possibility of any prominence in this respect. However, Chili now is and for many years past has been regarded as one of the substantial agricultural towns 32
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LANDMARKS OF MONROE COUNTY.
of the county, or in fact, of the whole Genesee country, and in all farm products yields abundantly in return to proper cultivation. As early even as 1835 there were under cultivation 14,636 acres of land, and on the farms were then kept 1,869 cattle, 862 horses, 5,353 sheep, and 2,616 swine. In that year there was manufactured in the town 2,619 yards of fulled cloth, 3,329 yards of woolen cloth, and 586 yards of cotton and linen cloth. The manufacturing interests comprised one grist mill, two saw mills, one carding mill, and one woolen factory. Today the only factory of note is a single saw and grist mill, situated at Clifton.
During the period of its history, several small hamlets or trading centers have been established in this town, among which Clifton has always ranked first in point of population, although since the construc- tion of the railroad through the northern part this place has lost much of its old- time importance. The population of this village never ex- ceeded two hundred inhabitants, and its business interests have been limited to two or three mills and shops and a like number of general stores. In the early history of the town Clifton was on the old stage road and was then in the zenith of its glory. A post office was estab- lished here many years ago and for a time all local interests flourished. However, in 1852 the Buffalo and Rochester railroad (now New York Central) was opened for traffic and from that time Clifton interests de- clined in importance. Its location in the southwest part of the town is pleasant, and around it is some of the most productive farming lands of the county. The present business interests here comprise the general stores of J. B. Weidner and W. J. Weston, and the water-power saw and grist mill of Brown & McCreedy.
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