Yates County, New York

Early Settlers for the Town of Italy

From the History of Yates County, NY
published 1892, by L.C. Aldrich

pg  481 - 485

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Early Settlement of Italy 

The pioneer settlement of Italy was not unlike that of other towns in the same general region and similarly conditioned; but here where the physical characteristics of the land were such as to repel rather than invite settlement, it was hardly to be expected that settlement should commence so early and progress so rapidly as in the more desirable townships.  The honor of being called “fist settler” in Italy appears to have fallen upon John MOWER, one of an old surveying party, and acting in the capacity of chain bearer.  At the time of first coming to Italy, in 1790, it is said that MOWER was but nineteen years old, and had no family.  It is also asserted, or at least strongly intimated, that MOWER’s settlement at that time was not permanent, and that he made no actual settlement earlier than 1795.  His lands embraced 292 acres, lots 6 and 7 of the Slot survey. 

William CLARK also is said to have come to the town in 1790, locating near MOWER, on lot 8.  He too was a pioneer and one who had a large family of children.  William DUNTON settled on lot 30 of the Brothers Tract in 1793 and died there in 1806.  In 1796 Edward LOW settled on lot 1, Slot Tract.  Fisher WHITNEY located on lot 4 of the same tract in 1800.  Fisher METCALF came to the unsurveyed district in 1805, and ten years later was drowned in Canandaigua Lake. 

Jabez METCALF located on lot 5 of the Sloat Tract in 1807.  He was one of the founders of Methodism in the town, and died here in 1859.  Jason WATKIKNS came from Massachusetts and settled on lot 2 of Slot’s Tract in 1807.  He died in 1844.  The PARISH family, Samuel PARISH, his wife and sons Levi and Reuben, came in February 1791, and settled at the head of the lake.  Edwin R. PARISH, a descendant of Samuel, became one of the best and wealthiest farmers of the town.  Josiah BRADISH located on the Sloat Tract in 1793, but moved from the town in 1806.  In 1793 Seth SPRAGUE located on lot 2 of Slot’s Tract.  His daughter Olive was the first white child born in this town.  Elisa LEE settled on lot 3, same tract, in 1800. 

The pioneer of Italy Hollow is said to have been a man named FLINT, and after him the creek was named.  Archibald ARMSTRONG settled here in 1794.  He was called “Old Algerine.”  Alexander PORTER settled on the North Survey, on lot 15, in 1794; John ARMSTRONG, on lot 3, in 1795; Stephen and Isaiah POST in 1796; Sylvanus HASTINGS and John MORRIS in the same vicinity in 1798; John C. KNOWLES in 1798; and Jacob VIRGIL in the same year on lot 7; Andrew ROBSON, an Englishman came to lot 38, North Tract, in 1806; Nathan SCOTT to lot 30 in 1809.  John CROUCH, prominent in Baptist church history in the town, settled here in 1813; Robert STRAUGHAN in 1808 on lot 34 North Tract;; Joshua STEARNS on lot 11 in 1806; John BROWN in 1800 on lot 19; John HOOD on lot 23, in 1800. 

On the South Survey, John GRAHAM Jr., settled in 1812, on lot 39; Benjamin BARTLETT on lot 30, in 1811; George MURPHY on lot 30 also in 1812; Isaac BARKER on lot 39, in 1810; Amos ARNOLD on lot 38 in 1812; James FOX on lot 30 in 1813; Josiah BARKER on the same lot in 1813, also; Elisha BARKER on lot 63 in 1814; Daniel ENSIGN on lot 44 in 1812; James SLAUGHTER on lot 11, in 1812; Rufus EDSON Jr. on lot 16, in 1809; James TOURTELOTTE on lot 29 in 1818; William DOUGLASS on lot 17 in 1816; Henderson COLE located on lot 8 northeast section in 1810; John CRAFT  in 1812 on lot 35; William GREEN settled on lot7, north Survey, in 1815; John GREEN located on lot 28, Brothers Survey in 1825.  Again on North Survey, Charles HUTCHINS settled on lot 3 in 1815;Thaddeus PARSONS on lot 11, in 1809; Charles MUMFORD on lot 18, in 1819; Joel COOPER on lot 26, in 1818; Charles CLARK on lot 26, in 1818; Jeduthan WING on the south half of lot 26 in 1817; Samuel H. TORREY on the south half of lot 15, in 1812; Samuel DEAN Sr., in 1820 on lot 34; Charles GRAVES on the east half of lot 45 in 1813; Eli GRAVES on the same lot in 1814; Truman CURTIS on lot 31 in 1810; Rufus RAZEE on lot 42 in 1814; William E. SMITH on lot 29 in 1813; Truman REED on lot 3 in 1815; Josiah REED on lot 4, in 1814; William GRISWOLD on lot 9, in 1815; Erastus GRISWOLD on lot 9 in 1815; James KENNEDY on lot 32 in 1845; John HOOPER on lot 50 in 1820; George NUTTE on lot 11 in 1823; Hiram DOUBLEDAY on lot 9 in 1830; Daniel SWIFT on lot 9, in 1830; Thomas TREAT on lot 6 in 1817; Daniel BALDWIN on lot 44 in 1813; John B. YOUNG on lot 47 in 1823; Heman SQUIRE on lot 10 in 1810; Sherman STANTON on lot 2, in 1821; James SHEPHERD on lot 17 in 1835; Lucien ANABLE in 1830 on lot 1; George W. HORTON on lot 18, in 1835; Ira BASSETT on lot 33 in 1835; Theodorus NORTHRUP on lot 29 in 1830; Jacob THOMAS on lot 39 in 1830; Thomas W. TEALL on lot 25 in 1840; William C. KEECH on lot 36 in 1823. 

On the South Survey, James SCOFIELD settled on lot 3 in 1812; William SMITH on lot 29 in 1814; Daniel SMITH on the same lot; Chester SMITH on lot 30; Elisha PIERCE on lot 3, in 1816; Holden STONE on lot 4 in 1816; Asahel STONE on lot 39 in 1815; David BURKE on lot 9, in 1820; James PACKARD on lot 39 in 1819; Jesse MC ALLISTER on lot 39 in 1821; David FISHER on lot 50 in 1820; Felix FISHER on lot 55 in 1821; Jeremiah FISHER on lot 44 in 1823; James FISHER in 1820; William FISHER on lot 48 in 1821; Dr. Elisha DOUBLEDAY on lot 2 in 1820; Christopher COREY on lot 18 in 1820; Randall HEWITT on lot 5 in 1818; Solomon HEWITT on lot 19 in 1820; Alexander V. DEAN on lot 13, in 1825; David ELLIOTT on lot 22 in 1821; Peter ELLIOTT on lot 23 in 1821; Joseph SQUIER on lot 28 in1822; Samuel BARKER on lot 63 in 1817; Orlando BARKER on lot 56 in 1830; Enoch BARKER on lot 43 in 1820; Reuben WHEATON on lot 18 in 1821; Avery HERRICK on lot 49 in 1819; Garrett VAN RIPPER on lot 49 in 1830; Levi WOLVIN on lot 17 in 1830; Henry KIRK on lot 25 in 1822; Stephen MARSH on lot 25, in 1817; Ebenezer ARNOLD on lot 22 in 1820; Adolphus HOWARD on lot 22 in 1820; Jabez GILLETT on lot 46 in 1832; Charles G. MAXFIELD on lot 41 in 1834; Moses W. BARDEN on lot 36 in 1840; Anson CLARK on lot 51 in 1835. 

Among the other early setters in the town, whose names have not been already mentioned, were William J. KINNEY on lot 34 in 1815; Russell A. MANN in 1824; Henry HENNEBERG in 1820, Stephen JOHNSON on lot 11, Chipman’s Survey, in 1819; Stephen HENDRICKS on lot 12 of the same; Hugh BURNS; Henry ROFF Jr.; Worcester BURKE in 1817; Alanson PACKARD the cloth dresser; Edward MARKHAM, who bought the first Joshua STEARNS farm; John CHASE, the mason and shoemaker in 1830; Smith MC LOUD, formerly of Starkey; Nehemiah and Leonard WHITE in 1820; Michael MAXFIELD the tailor, in 1819; Abraham MAXFIELD, the merchant and miller in 1821; Ichabod RANDALL, clothier; Reuben DURKEE, clothier; Asa BUTLER, harness and saddle maker; Bradley WOODWORTH, tailor; Amos PEABODY, tailor; Weldon GALLUP, settler on lot 60, northeast tract in 1822; Simon P. COOKINGHAM on lot 31, North Survey, in 1830; Joseph DE WICK on lot 16, same tract; Benjamin DUMBOLTON in Italy Hollow in 1823; Alfred PELTON who lived with Adolphus HOWARD; Cornelius BASSETT on lot 1, of the Brothers Survey in 1835; Martin FLOWERS on lot 12 in 1838; Henry CRANK on lot 9 in 1836; William BASSETT on lot 4; Abram I. VAN ORDSTRAND on lot 5 in 1832; Russell BURNETT on lot 4 in 1832; James G. WILLIAMSON on lot 3; Luther B. BLOOD, settler on Italy Hill in 1832.   

These who have been named on foregoing pages were the pioneers of the town of Italy, and upon them fell the burden of clearing the vast forest growths and making the land fit for cultivation.  That they were a determined, sturdy set of men is evinced by their works.  Italy offers no inducements as a place of settlement and abode, or even of speculation, but the labors of the pioneer brought good results in the course of time, and the town soon ranked favorably with others of the region in agricultural products.  In 1800 the town had a population of 259, or about forty or fifty families.  Forty-five years later the census enumeration showed the maximum population of 1,96.  From that until the present time there has been a general decrease, so that at this time the number of inhabitants cannot much exceed 1,300.

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