Town of Richmond

Early Settlers of Ontario Co., NY

excerpted from the HISTORY OF ONTARIO COUNTY; compiled by Lewis Cass Aldrich; edited by George S.
Conover; 1893;

The town of Richmond was organized in 1796, first called Pittstown after pioneer Captain Peter Pitts. The name was changed to Honeoye in 1808 and to Richmond in 1815. Captain Pitts became the owner of 3000 acres of land near the foot of Honeoye Lake and the first improvements were made in 1790 by his sons, Gideon and William Pitts. In December of 1790 Captain Pitts and John Codding and their families became permanent settlers.

Early settlers included: Elisha Pratt who lived with Captain Pitts; Eber Sibley, Edward Hazen, Edward Taylor, Silas Whitney, John Pennell, Ebenezer Farrer and Jonathan Rhodes. Other early residents were Noah Ashley; Joseph and Elias Gilbert; David, William, Sanford and Heman Crooks; Philip Reed and his sons: John F., Silas, Wheeler, William and Philip; Whiting Marsh; John and Eleazer Freney; Deacon Harmon; Isaac Bishop; Rhoderick Steele Cyrus Wells; Isaac and Alden Adams; Daniel H. Goodsell; and Orasmus Risden.

In the northeast part of the town the early settlers were Lemuel and Cyrus Chipman; Asa Dennison; Levi Blackmer; David Aiken; Thomas Wilson; Mr. Bentley; William Baker; Aaron and John Abbey; Seth Tubbs; David Crawford; Moses, Peter and Nathaniel Allen; James Garlinghouse; Joseph Garlinghouse; Cyrus Wells; Sylvester Curtis; Mr. Boyd; Mr. Jenkins; Hugh Gregg; George Fox; Abram Wiley; Gideon Gates; David Pierpont; and person named Caldwell.

Other settlers in the town were Joshua Phillips; Nathan Hicks; Elijah Wheeler; Pierce Chamberlain; Asa Dennison; Levi Blackmer; Roswell Turner; Calvin Ward; Philip Reed; Col. Lyman Hawes; George McClure; Amos and John Dixon; Oliver Lyon; William Warner; Parley Brown; Parley Drury; Luther Stanley; Mr. Frisbie; James McCrossen; Rufus Bullock; Caleb and Thomas Briggs; James Green; Stephen Frost; Gates Pemberton; Caleb Smith; Nelson Skinner; John Norton; James Parker; Abijah Wright; William Arnold; Amos Jones; Jesse Stephens; A.S. Bushnell; Philip Short; Walter Stephens; Caleb Arnold; Abel Short; Artemas Briggs; John Beecher and Gilbert Kinyon.

Others who came early were Hugh Hamilton; George Gordon, William Layne; David Knapp; John Parker; Edmund Downs; William Judevine; Job Wood; Jacob Flanders; Col. John Green; the Skinner family; the Vinals; James Moore; Daniel Smith; Aaron J. Hunt; Andrew Bray; and Jacob Bowers.

The following officers were elected in 1796:

Supervisor - Lemuel Chipman
Town clerk - Gideon Pitts
Assessors - Philip Reed, William Pitts, Solomon Woodruff
Constable and collector - Jonas Belknap
Commissioners of highways - Solomon Woodruff, Gideon Pitts, Elijah Parker
Fence viewers - Stiles Parker, Roswell Turner
Poundmaster - Edward Hazen
Pathmasters - Peter Pitts, Cyrus Chipman, Solomon Woodruff, Aaron Hunt, Roswell Turner
Overseers of the poor - Peter Pitts, Philip Reed
Commissioners of schools - Philip Reed, Cyrus Chipman, Jonas Belknap

Moses Risden operated a tannery; succeeded by Daniel Phillips. Gideon Pitts, Mr. Way and Abner Mather were the first blacksmiths. Gideon Pitts built a sawmill and a grist mill.

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