About Williamson, New York

History

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:

  1. Named from Charles Williamson, the first agent of the Pulteney Estate.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 2 Presb., M. E., Wes. Meth., Bap., Cong., Ref. Prot. D., and Union.

Comprehensive Plan