Settlement of the town of West Bloomfield began in the spring of 1789 when Peregrine Gardner came and made the first improvement followed in the same year by Ebenezer Curtis and family. Lucinda, daughter of Mr. Gardner, was the first white child born in the town in 1791. Amos Hall was a pioneer in this town, the father of six children; Amos died in West Bloomfield 28 Dec 1827.
Other early settlers were David Parsons, the carpenter, in 1796; Clark Peck in 1790, John Wendle; Reuben Lee; Deacon Daniel Handy in 1796; Nathaniel Shepard in 1805; Martin Minor; Nathaniel Eggleston; Mr. Stewart; Josiah Eggleston, a shoemaker; Bayes Baker; Ami Fowler; Phileman Hall; Daniel Curtis; and William Lee.
The pioneer in the northeast part of the town was Samuel Miller who settled in 1790; Miller's Corners was named for him. Others in this section were Josephus Fox, Thomas Larkins, Benjamin Burlingame in 1795, Charles Smith, Benjamin Crowell in 1802 and Robt. Simpson in 1796.
Early settlers in the south and southeast of the town were Capt. Robert Taft, Royal Wheelock, John Lute, James Harvey, Lot Rew, Daniel Riley, Payne Leach, William Carringer, the Algur family consisting of Benjamin, John, Samuel and Josiah; George Nichols, Aaron Norton, John Miner, William Paul and David McMaster.
In the southwest quarter settled Capt. Otis Thompson, Jesse Taft, Mr. Bent, Job Williams, Jeremiah Simmons, Arnold and Whitley Mann, Mr. Chapman, Daniel Daniels, William Daniels and Watrous Peck. North of this locality the pioneers were Col. Jasper C. Sears, Ebenezer Curtis, Julius Curtis, Joseph Gilbert, Palmer Peck, Jasper Marvin, Loren Waits, Sylvanus Thayer, Uriah Webster, and Reynolds and Abner Peck.
Other pioneers in the north and northeast portion were families named Bull, Dixon, Hibard, and Baker. Also there were Daniel and Marvin Gates, Reuben and Beebe Parmelee, Isaac Hall, Daniel and Titus Canfield, Jared Everts, the Butlers, Hayeses, and Madisons.
In 1810 Erastus Hunt had a general store and later Augustus Hall had a store. John Dickson was the pioneer lawyer and Drs. Fairchild and Hickox sold drugs and attended the sick. Dr. Lewis Hodge succeeded them. John Cooper made axes and tools; Reuben Pierce was wagon maker, and pioneer Baker made chairs.
In the hamlet of North Bloomfield, an early settler was Daniel Gates who came in 1790 followed in 1794 by Marvin Gates, a pioneer in the lumbering business. About 1795 Samuel Miller and one Crites built a saw-mill. John Blake was an early distiller and Squire and Jacob Smith operated a grist mill. Francis Smith established a distillery and James Smith opened a store. Other early businessmen were Joseph Chambers; Horace Chambers; Robert Huntington, hotelkeeper; and Isaac Hall who ran a forge and furnace.