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

Town of Seneca Newspaper Items - Early Officers; English Settlement; Seneca Library Assn.

Early Notables in Ontario County

Misc. Newspaper Items of Ontario County - Genesee Country in 1792; Railway trip from Geneva to Naples; Unveiling of Statue of Liberty; Legend of Sea Monster

Newspaper Items Describing Geneva - Early History; 49'ers to California; Memorial to Lafayette;  Glass Factory; Reed & Ryckman Line 1789;

1888 Menu from Geneva Coffee House

Newspaper Items of Town of Phelps - Clifton Springs Spa; Old Documents Oaks Corners

Kanadesaga Indian Burial Mound

Newspaper Articles on Slavery

History of Town of South Bristol - compiled 1893; donated by Martha McGill;

Recipes from 1800's Newspaper

History of the First Congregational Church of Bristol Valley

Business Advertisements in Phelps Newspaper 1881

Early Reminiscences of Bristol NY - newspaper article

Out of the Past -  Article of History about Town of Richmond

Interesting Farm Diary written starting 1865

An Old Diary - East Bloomfield 1790-1795

Sessional Records of the Church at Oaks Corners 

Newspaper Items Town of South Bristol, Town of Naples, Rushville and Gorham

Newspaper Items Towns of East Bloomfield and West Bloomfield

Early Days in Clifton Springs; Early Days in Phelps




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