WAYNE COUNTY.

Arcadia, Palmyra, and Macedon. A ship canal¹ route and a r. r. route² have been surveyed,
connecting the Erie Canal and Central R. R. with Lake Ontario.

The western 9 towns in this co. belonged to the Pulteney Estate; the e. part, including Savan¬
nah, Galen, and portions of Wolcott and Butler, constituted a portion of the Military Tract. The
intermediate portion, except the s. 3 tiers of lots in Rose, were compensation lands granted to the
Pulteney Estate for the gore between the old and new pre-emption lines. The earliest white
inhabitants were hunters and trappers. The first permanent settlements were made in 1789, at
Palmyra, under the auspices of General John Swift, agent of a company of settlers from Conn.;
and at Lyons, under Charles Williamson, agent for the Pulteney Estate.³ From 1790 to 1794,
colonies came in from R. I., Long Island, and Maryland.³ The settlements did not progress with
great rapidity for several years, owing to the diseases which prevailed. The fear of Indian hos¬
tilities and of British invasion during the War of 1812 greatly retarded settlement. On the return
of pe^pe, settlers began to arrive in considerable numbers, principally from New England and
Eastern N. Y. The completion of the Erie Canal gave a new impulse to immigration; and in a few
years the flourishing villages of Lyons, Clyde, Palmyra, and Newark were built up along its
course. The N. Y. Central R. R., built through the co. in 1852-53, greatly benefited the co. and
enhanced tbe value of tbe lands.

The most notable of tbe later incidents in the co. have been the rise of Mormonism in Palmyra,⁴
and the commencement of spiritual rappings in Arcadia.⁶

ARCADIA—was formed from Lyons, Feb. 15, 1825. It lies on the s. border of the co., a
little w. of the center. Its surface is a rolling region, broken by drift ridges. Mud Creek^ flows
e. through the town, s. of the center, and receives several small streams as tributaries. The soil
is a sandy, gravelly loam, mixed with clay on the hills. Gypsum is found in the s. W., and marl
in the center. Newark, (p. v.,) including Arcadia, (p. v.,) in the s. part, on the canal, was
incorp. July 21,1853, as Newark. It contains 8 churches, a hank, flouring mill, tannery, 3 furnaces,
and several manufactories. It is a flourishing canal village and a station upon the N. Y. C. R. R.
Pop. 1.917. Fairville, (p.v.,) about 5 mi. n., contains 1 church, a tannery, a limited amount
of manufactures, and 159 inhabitants. Marbletown, near the s. e. corner, contains a church
and 10 houses.- Jessups Corners and Slydeville are hamlets. Settlement was com¬
menced in 1791, by Joseph Winters and B. Franklin.⁸ The first church (M. E.) was organized in
1805. Roger Benton was the first settled minister, in 1806.⁸ A family named Fox, residing
at Hydeville, in Arcadia, first heard the mysterious sounds known as the “ rappings’’ on the
night of March 31, 1849. Investigations were made in regard to the origin of the raps, hut
nothing definite was settled upon. The family soon after removed to Rochester, the “raps” accom¬
panying them; and hence the name “Rochester Rappings.” A series of investigations was insti¬
tuted, and the matter became public, some claiming for it a spiritual origin, hut the great majority
pronouncing it a humbug or delusion. From this source modern spiritualism originated.

BUTLER—was formed from Wolcott, Feb. 26, 1826. It is the center town on the e. border
of the co. Its surface is diversified, level in the s. e. and rising into ridges in the n. w. The
highest point is Armstrong Hill. The principal stream is Wolcott Creek, which rises in the n. e.
and, flowing in a circuitous course, leaves the town near the n. w. corner. The soil in the valleys
is a gravelly loam, and on the hills it is generally clay, with a tenacious subsoil. Lime is manu¬
factured in the n. part to a limited extent. South Butler, (p.v.,) on the s. line, contains 5
churches, a classical school, several manufactories, and about 400 inhabitants. West Butler
(p. o.) contains 10 houses; Westbury, (p.v.,) in the n. e. corner, partly in the town of Victory,

1

In 1827, a charter was obtained for building a ship canal
from the Erie Canal, at Montezuma, to Great Sodus Bay. Sur¬
veys were made, but no work was ever done. A new charter
was obtained by John Greig, of Canandaigua, in 1836; and an¬
other hy Gen. Wm. H. Adams, in 1851. The route named in
the last charter is from Sodus Bay to the Erie Canal, a little w.
of Clyde. Some work has been done on parts of this route.

2

The Sodus Point & Southern R.R. was incorp. in April, 1852.
The road was to extend from Great Sodus Bay to Halls Corners,
intersecting the Canandaigua & Elmira R. R., a road of 34 mi.,
8 mi. of which has been graded.

3

The Maryland settlers brought with them several slaves; but

4

It was soon found that slave labor was unprofitable.