USGenWeb Logo

PROFILE OF WILLIAMSON
WAYNE COUNTY, NEW YORK

From the 1860 Gazetteer of the State of New York, by J. H. French

WILLIAMSON(1) - was formed from Sodus, Feb. 20, 1802. Ontario was taken off in 1807, and Marion in 1825. It lies on the N. border of the co., W. of the center, Lake Ontario forming its N. boundary. Its surface is level in the N., with a gentle inclination toward the lake. In the S. it rises into low ridges. It is drained by a few small streams that flow N. into Lake Ontario. The soil is a sandy, gravelly loam, mixed with clay near the lake shore. Pulteneyville, (2) (p.v.) on the lake shore, a U. S. port of entry in the Genesee District, contains a church, gristmills, a steam sawmill, and about 450 inhabitants; Williamson, (p.v.) S. of the center, contains 2 churches, a steam flouring mill, and about 300 inhabitants; East Williamson contains 2 churches and 20 houses. The first settlment was made in 1803, by Wm. Waters. (3) The census reports 8 churches in town. (4)

Footnotes:

Named from Charles Williamson, the first agent of the Pulteney Estate.
Named from Sir Wm. Pulteney. On the morning of June 13, 1813, Cm. Sir James Yeo, with a British force, made a descent upon this place. Gen. J. Swift, who commanded the Americans, surrendered, with the stipulation that private property and persons should be respected. Most of the U. S. stores had been previously removed to a place of safety. The British had 2 killed and 3 wounded.
Capt. Sam'l Throop, Jeremiah Selby, John Holmes, and Alpheus Curtis, came in 1806, Maj. Wm. Rogers in 1807, and Dan'l Poppins, Timothy Smith, __ Denning, Andrew Connell. Sam'l Ledyard, and Jacob W. Hallett, soon after. The first child born was H. N. Throop, in Nov. 1807. Major Rogers kept the first inn, in 1807; Jos. Colt, the first store. Capt. Sam'l Throop and Jeremiah Selby built the first saw and grist mill.
2 Presb., M. E., Wes. Meth., Bap., Cong., Ref. Prot. D., and Union.

PROFILE OF WILLIAMSON
WAYNE COUNTY, NEW YORK

From the 1824 Gazetteer of the State of New York, by Horatio Gates Spafford

WILLIAMSON, a Township of Ontario County, 20 miles N. a little E. of Canandaigua, and 200 miles from Albany; bounded N. on Lake Ontario, E. by Sodus and Lyons, S. by Palmyra, W. by Ontario. It comprises townships No. 13 and 14, in the 2d range of Phelps and Gorham's purchase; being 10 miles N. and S., by 6 E. and W. The land is of good quality, and it has some small mill-streams that run N. to Lake Ontario, toward which the land has a general descent. This town has its name from Col. Williamson, the former agent of the Pulteney estate, as has one of the Post-Offices from that family, who own a large share of the wild lands of this County. There is a road from Canandaigua to Sodus bay, that leads through the SE. part of this town. A red oxyd of iron is found in this town, which is a good pigment for a paint, perfectly resembling the Spanish brown, of commerce. It is in the form of fine dust, with small nucleous pebbles, that seem an ore of iron, for which it is usually gathered. There are three Post-Offices, as below, but neither of them of the same name as the town, or I should call it a Post-Town. Pulteneyville, pleasantly situated on the shore of Lake Ontario, as Pulteneyville P.O., and is a handsome little Village, having a number of vessels in the Lake trade, and is a place of considerable business. Rogers's Cross Roads P.O. is on the Ridge Road, and there is another, called S. Williamson P.O. The roads are numerous and pretty good, and the most of the lands are occupied in farms, and under pretty good cultivation. The Ridge Road extends across it, about 4 miles from the lake shore, and it is a very pleasant township. There are some Iron Works at Pulteneyville, said to be extensive and flourishing. Population, 2521; 647 engaged in agriculture, 65 in manufactures, and 2 in commerce; 7 foreigners, not naturalized; 4 free blacks; no slaves; taxable property $194122; 13 schools, kept 8 months in 12; $252.08 public monies; 724 children; 831 taught in 1821; electors, 437; 7386 acres of improved land; 2059 cattle, 400 horses, 4490 sheep; 20660 yards of cloth made in 1821; 2 grist mills, 6 saw mills, 2 fulling mills, 1 iron works, 2 distilleries, and 1 ashery. It is about 11 miles NW. of Lyons Village.

Current Place Names in the Town of Williamson:

East Williamson, Pultneyville, Williamson

1867 Directory of Williamson

Property Owners of the Town of Williamson, 1891: added 5/23/12

1913 Directory of Village of Williamson

1914 Farm Directory of Williamson

1870 Census of Williamson
Pt. 1 Pt. 2 Pt. 3 Pt. 4 Pt. 5 Pt. 6
Pt. 7 Pt. 8 Pt. 9 Pt. 10 Pt. 11 Pt. 12