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LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
Before the advent of the whites, this co. was the seat of several of the principal villages of tli8
Seneca Nation. Considerable advances had been made in the arts of civilization, and a large
quantity of land had been cleared^ and was cultivated. .Corn, apples, and peaches were extensively
produced. The orchards were destroyed, and the whole region was laid waste, by Gen. Sullivan,
in 1779. The co. was included in the Phelps and Gorham Purchase, and in the Morris Reserve.1
The latter tract was subdivided into several tracts, generally distinguished as separate patents.
In Sept. 1797, a treaty was held with the Indians at Geneseo, at which they ceded all their
lands in this co. to the whites, except several small reservations.2 The first settlements were made
about 1790, previous to the extinguishment of the Indian title. The most prominent of the early
settlers were James and "VVm. "Wadsworth, from Durham, Conn., who located at Geneseo, June 10,
1790. They were large landowners, and by a wise and liberal policy they greatly facilitated the
settlement of the surrounding region. The greater part of the early settlers were immigrants from
New England. York and Caledonia were settled principally by a colony of Scotch.
ATOM—was formed, as.“ Hartfordin Jan. 1789. Its name was changed in 1808. Rush was
taken off in 1818. It is the center town upon the n. border of the co. Its surface is a rolling and
moderately hilly upland, terminating in flats on Genesee River. Deming Hill, on Lot 192, is
the highest point in town. The principal stream is Conesus Creek, or Outlet, a tributary of
Genesee River. The soil upon the uplands is a sandy and gravelly loam intermixed with clay,
and on the flats, a deep, rich alluvium. Avon, (p. v.,) in the w. part, a station on the G. V., and
B., N. Y. & E. R. R’s., celebrated for its medicinal springs,3 was incorp. June 13, 1853. It contains
3 churches, 5 large hotels, and 879 inhabitants. East Avon, (p. v.,) near the center, contains
2 churches, a furnace, & 35,houses. /South. Avon, (p. 0.,) in the s. part, contains 9 houses.
Eittleville, 1 mi. s. of Avon, contains a church, gristmill, furnace, and 23 houses. The first
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associated with him. In 1829 Levi Hovey became pro¬
prietor; and it was successively published by Benj.
Dennison, II. F. Evans, Evans & Woodruff, and Wm. J.
Ticknor. Its publication was suspended in 1834 or ’35.
In the fall of 1835 the establishment was purchased by
David Mitchell and W. H. Kelsey, who revived the
paper under the name of
The Livingston Democrat. It was continued until-1837, when
its publication was suspended. In the fall of that year
S. P. Allen became proprietor of the press, and revived
the paper under the name of
The Livingston. Republican. In Sept. 1846, it
passed into the hands of John M. Campbell; and was
successively published by Joseph Kershner and Chas.
E. Bronson. In 1849 James T. Norton became pro¬
prietor, and is its present publisher.
The Dansville Chronicle was commenced in 1830 by David Mitch¬
ell and Benj. Dennison. Dennison soon retired, and its
name was changed to
The Village Record; it was soon after discontinued.
The Western New Yorker was published at Dansville a short
time in -18— by A. Stevens & Son. It was succeeded by
The Dansville Whig, published by Geo. W. Stevens. Chas. W.
Dibble wa3 the publisher about 1 year, when it again
passed into the hands of Stevens, who in 1848 changed
the name to
The Dansville Courier. In 1849 or ’50 it passed into the hands
of H. D. Smead, who changed it to
The Dansville Democrat. It subsequently passed into the hands
of Geo. A. Sanders, who removed it-to Geneseo and
changed the name to The Geneseo Democrat, which
was discontinued in 1859.
The Livingston Sentinel was commenced by Col. II. C. Page in
1857, and published until 1860, when it was discon¬
tinued.
The Livingston Courier was commenced at Geneseo in 1831 by
C. Dennison. In 1832 it passed into the hands of Henry
E. Evans, and was discontinued in 1833 or ’34.
The Livingston Courier was published at Geneseo in 1832 by A.
Bennett.
The Mount Morris Spectator was commenced in 1834 by Hugh
Harding. In 1848 he united it with The Livingston
County Whig and changed its name to
Tlie Livingston Union, under which title it is still
published by Hugh Harding.
The Dansville Times was published in 1835 by D. C. Mitchell.
The Nunda Gazette was started in 1841 by Ira G. Wisner. It
was continued about 1 year, when it was removed to
Mount Morris and its name changed to
The Genesee Valley Recorder. It was discontinued about 1843.
The Dansville Republican was published in 1842 hy David Pair-
child.
The Livingston County Whig was started at Mount Morris in
1843 hy Geo. -B. Phelps. It subsequently passed into
the hands of James T. Norton, and in 1848 was sold to
Hugh Harding, who united.it with The Mount Morris
Spectator.
The Geneseo Democrat was started at Geneseo in 18 55 by Gilbert |
P. Shankland. It was removed to Dansville in 1857,
and merged in the Dansville Herald.
The Livingston Express, semi-mo., was published at Mount Mor¬
ris in 1843 by J. G. Wisner.
The Mount Morris Daily Whig was issued from the office of
The Livingston County Whig in June, 1846, and dis¬
continued in August following.
The CuylerviUe Telegraph was started at Cuylerville in 1847 by
Pranklin Cowdery. In 1848 it passed into the hands of
Peter Lawrence, who soon after removed it.
The Dansville Chronicle was started in June, 1848, by Richard*
son & Co., and was discontinued in 1851.
The Nunda Democrat was started at Nunda in 1848 by Milo D
Chamberlain. It was soon discontinued.
The Fountain, mo., was started at Dansville in 1849 by J. R
Trembly, and continued about 2 years.
The Dansville Daily Sentinel was commenced in 1859, and pub¬
lished until 1860, when it was discontinued; Col. H. C.
Page, editor; W. J. La Bue, publisher.
The Nunda Telegraph was started in 1850 by Chas. Atwood. It
was continued about 1 year.
The Nunda Times was started in Jan. 1852, by N. T. Hackstaff.
In July following the office was burned and the paper
discontinued.
The Lima Weekly Visitor was started at Lima in 1853 by A. n.
Tilton and M. C. Miller. It was s ubsequently published
by Raymond & Graham and hy S. M. Raymond, who
changed its name to
The Genesee Valley Gazette. It was discontinued about 1856,
The New Era was commenced at Hunts Hollow in 1854 by
David B. and Merritt Galley, boys, respectively 15 and
17 years of age. In 1855 it was removed to Nunda and
its name changed to
The Young America. It was discontinued in about 1 year.
Tlie Letter Box, mo., started at Glen Haven, Cayuga co.,
in 1857, by J. M. Jackson and Miss II. N. Austin, was
removed to Dansville in 1858, and is now published by
M. W. Simons.
Tlie Dansville Herald was commenced in 1850, and is
continued at this date; G. A. Sanders, publ’r from 1857.
The Valley City Register was commenced at Dansville in 1859
by W. J. La Rue. Discontinued in 1860.
1 The w. boundary of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase was a
line extending due n. from the Penn, line to the junction of
Genesee Biver and Canaseraga Creek, and thence northerly
along Genesee Biver to the sr. hounds of tlie co.
2 The Indian Reservations within the limits of the co. were:
Cannawagus, containing 2 sq. mi. on the w. hank of Genesee
River, w. of Avon; Little Beards Town and Big Tree, containing
4 sq. mi. on the w. hank of the Genesee, opposite Geneseo;
Squakie Hill, containing 2 sq. mi. on the w. bank of the Genesee,
n. of Mt. Morris; and the Gardeau Reservation, of 28 sq. mi.,
lying one-half in this co., s. of Mt. Morris. See p. 711. The
Indian titles to these lands have all since been extinguished.
3 These springs—two in number, and about one-fourth of a
mile apart—are located about 1 mi. s. w. of the village. The
lower spring discharges about 54 gallons of water per minute. |
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