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LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
settlement was made in 1785.1 The first church (Presb.) was organized in 1795; Rev. Daniel
Thatcher was the first preacher. There are 6 churches in town.2
CAEEU©iVIA—was formed, as “Southampton,” March 30, 1802. Its name was changed
April 4, 1806. A part of York was taken oif in 1819. It is the n. w. corner town of the co.
The surface is level or gently undulating, and a considerable portion of it is stony. Genesee
River forms the e. boundary. Caledonia Spring, in the N. part, covers an area of about 2 acres;
and the outlet forms a good water-power, a few rods sr. of the spring. The soil is a clay loam, under¬
laid by limestone.8 In the s. part is a valuable quarry of limestone, yielding excellent lime and a
fine quality of building stone. Caledonia, (p.v.,) in the n. part, a station on the B., N. Y. &
E. R. R. and C. & N. B. Branch of the N.Y. C. R. R., contains 3 churches, a grist and saw mill, a
brewery, and 623 inhabitants. Canawangns, on the G. V. Canal, s.e. part of town, contains
5 warehouses, a lumberyard, and about 10 houses. The first settlement was made about 1797, by
• Peterson and Brooks.4 The first church was organized in 1805; and the first settled
preacher, Rev. Alexander Denoon, was installed Aug. 17, 1808.5
COSTESUS—was formed from Livonia and Groveland, as “Freeport,” April 12, 1819. Its
name was changed to “ Bowersville,” March 26, 1825, and to Conesus, April 15, 1825. It is the
central town upon the E. border of the co. Hemlock Lake forms the e. and Conesus Lake a part
of the w. boundary. Its surface is hilly. The Marrowb&ck Hills in the e. part, w. of Hemlock
Lake; rise to about 1,200 feet above it. A deep valley extends s. e. from near the center into
Springwater, through which the B., N. Y., & E. R. R. passes. The principal stream is Mill
Creek. The soil is generally a clay loam. Conesus Center (p. v.) contains 1 church, a
grist and saw mill, and about 40 houses. Conesus (p. o.) is a r. r. station. Foots Corners
and Union Corners are hamlets. Settlement Was commenced at the head of Conesus Lake, in
the year 1793, by James Henderson, from Penn.® The first church (Meth.) was organized in 1814.7
GEWESEO—was formed in Jan. 1789. It is an- interior town, lying n. of the center of the co.
Its surface is undulating, with an abrupt declivity of 200 to 300 feet toward the river, on the w.
Genesee River, forming its w. boundary, is bordered by fertile flats of an average width of about
half a mi. The other principal Streams are Fall Creek, and several small brooks that flow w. into
the river and e. into Conesus Lake. On Fall Creek, s..of the village, is a perpendicular fall of
70 feet. The soil is clay and clay loam. Geneseo,8 (p.v.,) a station on the G. V. R. R., was
incorp. April 21, 1832; it contains the co. buildings, 5 churches, the Geneseo Academy,9 2 banks,
a library, gristmill, furnace, and machine shop, and about 2,000 inhabitants. Settlement was com¬
menced by Lem’l B. Jennings and Capt. Noble, about 1788 or ’89, near the village.10 The first
church organization is supposed to have been in 1795, in the n. e. part of the town, near Lakeville.11
GROTELA1VD—was formed Jan. 27, 1789. A part of Conesus was taken off in 1819, and a
part of Sparta in 1856. It lies near the center of the co. Its surface is moderately hilly. In the w.
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The quantity of water from both springs continues about the
same during the year. Several large hotels have been erected
for the accommodation of visitors, large numbers of whom visit
the springs annually. The following is the analysis of a wine
gallon of water from each of the springs:—■
Lower Spring.
Grains.
Carbonate of lime................................. 29.33
Chloride of calcium........................................ 8.41
Sulphate of lime......................... 57.44
Sulphate of magnesia..................................... 49.61
Sulphate of soda.................................. 13.73
Amount of solid contents..
............... 158.52
Cubic inches.
Sulphuretted hydrogen........... 10.02
Nitrogen......................... 5.42
Oxygen............. 56
Upper or Neto Bath Spring.
Grains.
Carbonate of lime............................................ 26.96
Chloride of sodium.......................................... 5.68
Sulphate of lime............................................: 3.52
Sulphate of magnesia...................................... 8.08
Sulphate of soda............................................. 38.72
‘Amount of solid contents ............. 82.96
Sulphuretted hydrogen..................................... 31.28 g
1 Among the early settlers were Gilbert R. Berry, at the river j
w. of Avon Village, and Timothy Ilosmer, at Littleville, Capt.
Thompson, and - Bice, in 1789. Gilbert R. Berry kept the
first inn, and established the first ferry across Genesee River, in
1789. The first sawmill was built by Timothy Ilosmer, at Little¬
ville, in 1790, and the first gristmill by the Wadsworths, in 1792.
The first school was kept by Pedie Joiner, at Avon, in 1792. |
? 2 M. E., Prot. E., Bap., Presb., and R. C.
3 Before the ravages of the wheat midge commenced, this was
one of the best wheat growing towns in tlie State.
4 David Fuller settled near the Spring, in 1798; and in that year
and 1799 John McLaren, Peter Campbell. Alex. McDonald, John
Cameron, and John and Donald McVean, from Scotland, settled in
towrn. Hines Chamberlain was an early settler. The first death
was that of John McLaren, in 1800; and the first marriage, that
of Hines Chamberlain and Widow McLaren. The first inn was
kept by Peterson; David Fuller kept an inn in 1798. The
first store was kept by Alex. McDonald, in 1799. The first mill
was built by the Pulteney Land Company, at the Spring, in 1801-
02; and the first woolen factory, by Donald McKenzie, in 1822.
The first school was taught near the Spring, by Jeannette Mc¬
Donald, in 1804.''
3 The census reports 3 churches; M. E.,Presb., and Ref.Presb-
,® Hector McKay settled in 1793, Harvey May in i806,. Daven¬
port Alger in 1808, Jas. Steel and Wait Arnold in 1814, Thoma*
Young in 1811, and Andrew Arnold in 1816. The first store war
kept by A. & G. Arnold, at the center, in 1818. The first sawmill
was built in 1803 or ’04, on Mill Creek, near the center; and the
first woolen factory in 1819, by Hosea Gilbert.
7 There are 2 churches in town; M. E. and Univ.
8 Originally called “Big Tree’’ from an immense oak tree that
stood on the banks of the river near the village.
9 This institution is located on Temple Hill, in the e. part of
the village. The buildings were erected in 1826. James Wads¬
worth was principally instrumental in- starting the school. It
is under the control of the Buffalo Synod.
10 Wm. and James Wadsworth settled in town in 1790. They
came from Durham, Conn., with a small party, and located on
the present site of the village. Bichard Steele kept the first inn,
in 1793, and Hall & Miner the first store, in 1794.
11 The census reports 5 churches; 2 Presb.,M. E., Prot.E., and
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