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LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
part are extensive flats, occupying about one-fourth of the area of the town. The principal streams
are Canaseraga and Coshaqua Creeks, which empty into Genesee River near the n. w. corner of the
town. The soil upon the upland is clay loam, and upon the flats a rich alluvium. Groveland
Corners, (Groveland p. o.,) e. of the center, contains 1 church and 14 houses. Hunts Cor¬
ners, (East Groveland p.o.,) in the n. part, contains 1 church and 9 houses. Groveland
Center is a p. o. in the n. w. part. The first settlement was made by Charles Williamson, agent
for the Pulteney Estate, in 1792.1 In that year he built several houses in the n. w. corner of the
town, and there located a small colony of Germans, and called the settlement “ Williarnsbwrgh.”
This colony soon after left, and the entire village disappeared. In the s. w. part, at the junction
of the Dansville Branch with the G. V. Canal, is a Shaker settlement, numbering 120 persons.
They own a tract of 2,000 acres. There are 2 churches in town; M. E. and Presb.
EEICESTER.?—was formed, as “Leister,” March 30, 1802. Its name was changed Feb. 9,
1805. Mount Morris was taken off in 1818, and a part of York in 1819. It is the center town on
the w. border of the co. The surface is undulating, with extensive flats in the e. It is drained
by Genesee River, which forms its e. and s. boundaries, and by Beards Creek2 and its tributaries.
The soil is a sandy and clayey loam on the upland, and a rich alluvium on the flats. Squakie Hill
and Big Tree Reservations were within the limits of this town. Moscow, (p. v.,) near the cen¬
ter, incorp. about 1850, contains 3 churches and 320 inhabitants. Cuylerville, (p-.v.,) in the
e. part, incorp. in 1848, contains a church, grist mill, & distillery, Pop. 354; Gibsonville, (p. v.,)
in the s. w. part, a paper mill, savfanill, and 16 houses. Ebenezer Allen was the first settler, soon
after the close of the Revolution, hut left soon after. The first permanent settlement was com¬
menced by Horatio and John H. Jones, in 1789.3 The census reports 4 churches in town.4
EIMA—was formed, as “Charleston,” Jan. 27, 1789. Its name was changed April 6, 1808. It
is the nt. e. corner town of the co. Its surface is undulating and hilly. It is drained chiefly by
Honeoye Creek, which forms the e. boundary. The soil in the s. e. is clay and clay loam, and in
the n. w. sandy and gravelly loam. Lima, (p. v.,) near the center, was incorp. ,-. It
contains 4 churches, the Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, Genesee College,5 and about 1,200 inhabitants.
South Elma,, (p. v.,)—Hamiltons Station, on the B. N. Y. & E. R. R.,—in the s. w. corner, con¬
tains 13 houses. Settlement was commenced by Paul Davidson and Jonathan Gould, from Penn.,
in 17882 The first religious society (Presb.) was organized Oct. 1,1795, by Rev. Daniel Thatcher.8
LITOMIA—was formed from “Piltstown,” (now Richmond, Ontario co.,) Feb. 12,1808. A
part of Conesus was taken off in 1819. It lies on the e. border of the co., n. of the center. The
surface in the s. part is moderately hilly, and in the n. undulating. Conesus and Hemlock Lakes
lie partly within the town. Their outlets, and that of Canadice Lake, are the principal streams.
The soil in the valleys is a clay loam, and on the uplands a sandy and gravelly loam. Eivonia.
Center, (Livonia p. o.,) a r. r. station, contains 2 churches and 408 inhabitants; Livonia Sta¬
tion, (p.v.,) 1J mi. w., on the B., N. Y. & E. R. R., a manufactory of agricultural implements, and
31 houses; South Eivonia (p.v.) 1 church and 13 houses; Hemlock Eake, (p.v.,) in the
s. e., 2 churches, 2 gristmills, 2 sawmills, and 319 inhabitants; and Eakeville, (p. v.,) at the
foot of Conesus Lake, 4 churches, a gristmill, sawmill, and 28 houses. The first settlement was
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n. w. part of the village. The seminary was founded in 1830 by
the Genesee Conference of the 51. E. Church. It was opened for
pupils in 1832. The first building, erected at a cost of $20,000,
was destroyed by fire in May, 1842. The present building was
immediately erected of briek, at a cost of about $24,000. It has
a main 8. front of 136 feet, with an e. and w. front, by wings ex¬
tending hack each 96 feet. Between these wings is a paved
court. A farm of 70 acres is attached to the institution. This
seminary has sent out more students than any other institution
in Western New York. The college was founded in 1849, has —
professorships, and is under the general supervision of the Gene¬
see and East Genesee Conferences of the M. E. Church.
1 Abner Miles, from Mass., settled in 1789; John Miner and
Asahel Burchard in 1790; Steven Tinker and Solomon Hovey,
from Mass., in 1791; and Col. Thomas Lee, Willard and Amasa
Humphrey, Reuben and Gideon Thayer, Col. David Morgan, and
Zebulon, Moses, Asahel, William, and Daniel H. Warner, from
51ass., previous to 1795. The first marriage was that of Simeon
Gray and Patty Alger, in 1793; the first death, that of Sirs.
Abbott, mother of Mrs. Paul Davidson, in 1791. Joh» Sabin
taught the first school, in 1792 and ’93. Reuben Thayer kept the
first inn, in 1793, and Tryon & Adams the first store, in 1794.
The first sawmill was built by Reuben Thayer, in 1796; and
Zebulon Norton built the first gristmill, in 1794.
8 The census reports 6 churches in town; M.E., Presb., Bap,.
Univ., Christian, and R. C. |
1
Among the early settlers were Wm. Ewens, Wm. Lemon,
John Ewart, and W. Harris. The first school was taught at
“ Williamsburgh,” by Sam’l Murphy, about 1793. The first mill
was built by Chas. Scholl, for Chas. Williamson, on Lot 58, in
1797; the first inn was kept in “ Williamsburgh,” by Wm. Lemon,
in 1795; and the first store, in the same place, by Alexander
McDonald, in 1795 or ’96.
2
* Named from Little Beard, an Indian chief, whose principal
village, Little Beards Town, was situated on the present site of
Cuylerville. Little Beard was one of the worst specimens of his
race. He was chiefly instrumental in the horrid torture of Lieut.
Boyd in 1799. In a drunken row, in which both Indians and
whites were engaged, at Stimson’s tavern, in Leicester, he was
pushed out of the door, and, falling from the steps, received a
fatal injury.
3
I Among the other early settlers Were Elijah Hunt, Alexander
Ewing, and Maj. Wm. Lemon. Jellis, Thomas, and Wm. Clute,
from Schenectady, were also early settlers. The first child
born was James Jones, May 5,1791; and the first death, that of
Mrs. Horatio Jones, in June, 1792. The first inn was kept by
Leonard Stimson, in 1797. He also opened the first store, soon
after. The first sawmill was built by Ebenezer Allen, at Gib¬
sonville, in 1792; and the first gristmill, by Noah Benton,
4
near Moscow, in 1799.
5
Presb., 51. E., Bap., Ref. Presb.
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