Taken from HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL GAZETTEER OF NEW YORK STATE; J. H. French; 1860; R. P. Smith, publisher; Syracuse NY;

ONTARIO COUNTY

This county was formed from Montgomery, Jan 27, 1789.  It was named from Lake Ontario, which originally formed its N.  boundary.  Steuben co. was taken off in 1796, Genesee in 1802, parts of Monroe and Livingston in 1821, and Yates and a  part of Wayne in 1823.  A strip was annexed from Montgomery co., w. of Seneca Lake, Feb.16, 1791, and a small tract in the fork of Crooked Lake, from Steuben, Feb. 25, 1814. It is centrally distant 180. mi. from Albany, and contains an area of 640. sq. mi.  It lies upon the extreme N. declivities of the central Alleghany Mt. Range, and has a northerly inclination, the summits of the s. hills being elevated about 1000 feet above the general level of the N. portions of the co.  The s. portion, lying w. of Canandaigua Lake, is a hilly and broken region, divided into ridges with steep declivities and summits 1,500 to 1,700 feet above tide.  The ridges all have a general n. and s. direction, declining toward the n., and terminating in a beautifully rolling region, which embraces all of the co. e. of Canandaigua Lake, and that portion lying w. of the lake and n. of the n. line of Bristol.  The ridges in this section gradually rise to a height of 20 to 250 feet above the valleys, and give to the land sufficient inclination for thorough drainage.  A terrace with declivities 100 to 250 feet high , descending toward the n., extends through the n. portions of East and West Bloomfield and the s. part of Victor, at right angles to the general range of the ridges.  The extreme n. parts of the co. are occupied by drift ridges similar to those in Wayne and Seneca cos.

 
TOWN
ESTABLISHED
FORMED FROM
Bristol
Jan 1789
 
Canadice
15 Apr 1829
Richmond
Canandaigua
27 Jan 1789
 
East Bloomfield
27 Jan 1789
 
Farmington
27 Jan 1789
 
Gorham
27 Jan 1789
 
Hopewell
29 Mar 1822
Gorham
Manchester
31 Mar 1821
Farmington
Naples
27 Jan 1789
 
Phelps
1796
 
Richmond
1796
 
Seneca
1793
 
South Bristol
8 Mar 1838
Bristol
Victor
26 May 1812
Bloomfield
West Bloomfield
11 Feb 1833
Bloomfield



Early Settlers from Conover's History of Ontario County


Early Settlers of the Town of Bristol; Town of Canadice; Town and Village of Canandaigua; Town of East Bloomfield


Early Settlers of the Town of Farmington; Town and Village of Geneva;  Town of Gorham
Town of Hopewell; Town of Manchester and Village of Clifton Springs; Town of Naples
Early Settlers of the Town and Village of Phelps; Town of Richmond; Town of Seneca; Town of South Bristol; Town of Victor; Town of West Bloomfield




Early Newspapers in Ontario County
English Settlement of Seneca NY
Early Notables in Ontario County
Town of Seneca Library
1883 Railway Trip through part of Finger Lakes
Glimpse of Geneva - Newspaper article 1886 describing Geneva
Unveiling of Statue of Liberty 1886
1888 Menu from Geneva Coffee House
1792 Journey from Albany to Genesee Country
Clifton Springs 1846
1847 Newspaper Article Ontario County History
1849 Newspaper Article Trojan Band - 49'ers of Ontario County
Local Reminiscences Geneva 1820's
Newspaper Article - Geneva NY 1851
Geneva - As Seen Through Swiss Eyes - newspaper article
Pioneer Events - newspaper article 1852
Kanadesaga Indian Burial Mound
Sea Monster in Seneca Lake
Old Time Funerals
"Good Old Days" - newspaper article taverns 1820's
Geneva in 1821
Geneva in 1833
Newspaper Articles on Slavery
Glass Factory at Geneva NY
History of Town of South Bristol - compiled 1893; donated by Martha McGill;
Towns of East and West Bloomfield 1874 - newspaper article
East Bloomfield Newspaper Article 1890
Historical Sketch of Some of East Bloomfield's Pioneers
A Memorial to Gen. LaFayette 1834 - newspaper article listing names of old Geneva residents
1824 Document Geneva - newspaper article listing names of old Geneva residents   
Officers of the Town of Seneca 1793  
Old Documents Oaks Corners NY - newspaper article   
Country Jottings - a drive through Ontario County 1877
Brief Memoir of C. A. Steele - East Bloomfield
William T. Brown, Ex-slave, Purchased His Own Freedom and that of Another
Town of Richmond 1850 Convention of Persons Opposed to Expansion of Slavery
Recipes from 1800's Newspaper
Romantic Old Town of South Bristol - 1881
History of the First Congregational Church of Bristol Valley
Brief History of Seneca Castle - newspaper article
Brief Glimpse of the Life of the Earliest Settlers - written by Henry Porter of Naples NY
A Strange Tale of Bristol from newspaper account 1887
Business Advertisements in Phelps Newspaper 1881
Early Reminiscences of Bristol NY - newspaper article
Out of the Past -  Article of History about Town of Richmond
          An Old Diary - East Bloomfield 1790-1795
Interesting Farm Diary written starting 1865

 
   




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