Town of Seneca

Early Settlers of Ontario Co., NY

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

Early settlers in the Town of Seneca include Captain Joshua Whitney, one of the original purchasers; he came in 1789 to examine the area and became a permanent settler in 1790. Among other settlers were: Anson Dodge, Abraham Burkholder, Peter Van Gelder, Zora Densmore, John Berry, Geo. Ackley/ Eckley, Ammi Whitney, Robert Carson, Leonard Isenhour, Peter Wyncoop, William Esty and Thomas Tallman all before 1800 and many before 1795. The families of Clemons, Parker, Harris, Fiero, Charlton, Torrence, Rogers, McPherson, Culver, Latta, Darrow, McCauley, Halliday, Duttons, Onderdonks, and Ringer (John and Jacob).

Other early pioneers as early as 1800 were Thomas Ottley, Nathan Whitney, Eben Burt, Isaac Amsden, Peter Gray, Mathew Rippey, David McMaster, Abram Post, Israel Webster, Simeon Amsden, Joel Whitney, Hugh Fulton, and Gamelial Brockway. Also included in the early settlement were William Rippey, Joseph Fulton, Edward Rice, Philip Gregory, John Dixon, Seba Squier, Jacob Reed, Thomas Densmore, Soloman Gates, Col. Wilder, and David Barron. The family of Seth Stanley settled in 1796.

On the old Geneva and Rushville Turnpike at an early day settled: Peter Diedrich, George Simpson, William Fiero, and George Rippey. Elsewhere in the town came Salma Stanley, Thomas McCauley, Mathew Rippey, Peter Blackmore, Mr. Hartford, John McCullough, Captain William McPherson, Whitney Squier, Jonathan Reed, the Phillips family, Squire Parks, James Rice, James Means, Leonard and William Smith, Chauncey Barden, Alfred Squier, Aaron Black, the Careys, John Wood, John Rippey, Robert Parks. Timothy Miner, James Black, Aden Squier, Edward Burrall and Samuel Wheadon.

Others that should be named are: John Hooper, Foster Sinclair, the Dorman family, Adam Turnbull, Richard Bell, William Foster, William Brown, John Scoon, Aaron Black, Mr. Stockoe, Jonathan Phillips, George Conrad, Thomas Vartie, Edward Hall, Sherman Lee, William Wilson, the Cooleys, the Robinsons and Robsons, James Beattie, George Crozier, the Straughtons, the Wilsons, Rufus Smith, Robert Moody, Valentine Perkins, David Miller, Mr. Clark, The Barden family, Daniel Sutherland, Sylvester Smith, Levi Gland, and John Thompson.

The first town officers were elected in 1793 as follows: (understand that at that time this would include what is now the Town of Geneva and City of Geneva)

Supervisor - Ezra Patterson
Town clerk - Thomas Sisson
Assessors - Oliver Whitmore, James Rice, Phineas Pierce
Commissioners of highways - Patrick Burnett, Samuel Wheadon, Peter Bartle, Jr.
Collector - Sanford Williams
Overseers of the poor - Jonathan Oaks, David Smith
Constables - Charles Harris, Stephen Sisson, Whelds Whitmore
Overseers of the highways - Nathan Whitney, Oliver Humphrey, Jerome Loomis, Jeremiah Butler, Benjamin Tuttle, William
Smith, David Benton, Benjamin Dixon
Fence viewers - Amos Jenks, John Reed, Joseph Kilbourn, Seba Squires, Caleb Culver
Poundmasters - Peter Bartle, Jr., David Smith
Sealer of weights and measures - Peter Bartle Sr.
Surveyor of lumber - Jeremiah Butler

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