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ONTARIO COUNTY. 499
Corners1 (p. o.) are hamlets. The first settlement was commenced in 1787, upon the site of the
Indian village of Kanadesaga, hy immigrants from New England.2 This village was situated at
the foot of Seneca Lake, where Geneva now is; and for several years after Geneva had become a
place of considerable importance it was called “ Kanadesaga.” An ancient fortification, known
as Fort Ilill, is located on lot 58. It was covered with large forest trees upon the first settlement
of the town. Another beautiful ground, called the “Old Castle,” is about IJ mi. n.w. of Geneva.
It is covered by an Indian orchard, and the ground has never been plowed, because of a stipula¬
tion to that effect made with the Indians in the treaty of purchase.3 It contains an Indian burial
ground; and in one corner may be traced a trench of an ancient stockaded fortification. Here
was the largest Indian settlement in Western New York, and it is still a place of much interest to
the few remaining descendants of the once powerful Five Nations. Many relics—as stone hatchets,
arrow heads, pipes, &c.—are found in the vicinity of “Old Castle.” As early as 1765, the Rev.
Samuel Kirkland came on a mission to the Indians at Kanadesaga.3 The first church (Presb.) was
organized in 1798; and the first settled minister was Rev. Jedediah Chapman.5
SOUTH BRISTOE—was formed from Bristol, March 8, 1838. It lies upon the w. shore
of Canandaigua Lake, s.w. of the center of the co. The surface consists of an elevated upland,
divided into 4 ranges by the valleys of Grindstone and Mud Creeks and Egypt Brook. The sum¬
mits of the ridges are about 1000 feet above the lake, and the declivities are very steep. The
bluffs upon the lake shore are 300 to 400 feet high. The soil is a mixture of clay and disintegrated
slate. Although the soil is rich and productive, the hilly character of the town has tended to retard
its settlement. Cold Spring'(South Bristol p.o.) is a hamlet about a mi. from Canandaigua
Lake. Frost Hill is a hamlet in the w. part. Gamaliel Wilder, from Mass., purchased this
township from Phelps and Gorham, and settled at Wilburs Point, on Canandaigua Lake, in 1789.®
An Indian orchard on the lake shore at this point induced him to settle here. Rev. Mr. Rolph
was the first settled minister. There is now but 1 church (Presb.) in town.
VICTOR—was formed from Bloomfield, May 26, 1812. It is the n. w. caner town of the co.
The n. part is occupied by the drift ridges, which rise 50 to 150 feet above the general surface.
A ridge of 100 to 280 feet in height extends across the s. part in a general e. and w. direction.
The principal streams are Irondequoit, Mud, Hog Hollow, and Fish Creeks, and Trout Brook.
The soil in the center and n. is a light, sandy and gravelly loam, but in the s. e. it is principally
clay. It is particularly adapted to the cultivation of potatoes and root crops. Victor,4 (p.v.,)
near the center, contains about 75 dwellings. The Indian village of Gannagaro, which w as de¬
stroyed by the Marquis de Nonville, was situated near this place.8 Fisliers (p. o.) is a station
on the N.Y. C. R. R., in the w. part; and East Victor is a hamlet, on Mud Creek The
first settlement was commenced in 1789, by immigrants from Stockbridge, Mass. Among the first
were Enos and Jared Boughton, and Jacob Lobdell.9 Rev. Reuben Parmelee, from Goshen, the
first settled minister, came to the town in 1798.10
WEST BLOOMFIELD—was formed from Bloomfield, Feb. 11, 1833. It lies upon the w.
border of the co., n. of the center. A ridge 200 to 300 feet high, forming the declivity of a southern
terrace, extends across the n. part. The surface is gently undulating. The soil is a deep, rich,
gravelly loam mixed with clay. In the s. part there is a spring of inflammable or carburetted
hydrogen gas. Tile and earthenware are manufactured to some extent in town. West Bloom¬
field (p. v.) is a village of 350 inhabitants,11 situated IJ mi. s. of the W. Bloomfield Station, on
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6 There are 12 churches in town; 2 Prot. E., 2 Presb., 2 Asso.
Ref. Presb., 2 M. E., Bap., Ref. Prot. D., Univ., and R. C.
® Among the other early settlers who came in soon after Mr.
Wilder, between 1789 and 1796, were Theophilus and Matthew
Allen, Joseph Gilbert, Jared Tuttle, Peter Ganiard, Levi Austin,
Nathaniel Hatch, and their families. Mr. Wilder buill the first
sawmill, the first gristmill, and distillery, at Wilburs Point, in
1795. He also erected the first public house, in 1808, which he
conducted for 9 years. Dr. Hewitt and George Wilder opened
the first store, in 1828. The first school was taught by Joanna
Forbes. Eli Allen was the first child born, in 1793.
1 Called by the Indians Ga-ofsa-ga-o, in the basswood country.
8 See page 493.
2 Levi Boughton and Rufus Dryer settled at Boughton Hill,
in 1790. The first birth 4s that of Frederick Boughton, in
June, 1791; and the first marriage, that of Zebulon Norton and
Miss Boughton. The first tavern was opened at Boughton Hill,
by Hezekiah Boughton, in 1792; and the first sawmill was built
the same year, by Enos and Jared Boughton.
io There are 3 churches in town; Cong., M. E., and Univ.
n Called by the Indians Ga-nun/da-ak, village on a hillt '■p. |
1
Gorham Station on the E. J. & C. R. R.
2
Among the first settlers were Horatio Jones, Asa Ransom,
Lark Jennings, Dr. Benton, Peter Ryckman, Peter Bortte, Col.
Seth Reed, and Dominick Debartzch, an Indian trader. Jona¬
than Whitney, Jonathan Oaks, Benjamin Tnttle, Phineas Stone,
and John Reed settled in 1788 and ’89; Solomon and William
Gates, Thomas Densmore, Solomon Weaver, and Oliver Whit¬
more in 1790, and Adam, Christian, Christopher, and George
Fisher in 1791. Lark Jennings kept the first tavern, in 1788;
the first gristmill was erected by Cornelias Roberts; and the
first sawmill, by P. B. Wisner, in 1798. The first marriage was
that of Dr. Joel Prescott and Miss Phila Reed; and the first
school was taught by Samuel Wheaton, in 1792.
3
Subsequently Mr. Kirkland was commissioned by the State
4
afterward he acted as Indian agent for 30 years at Canan¬
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