Town of Caledonia - 1802 Livingston County, New York French's Gazetteer of New York State , 1860 C ALEDONIA---was formed, as "Southampton," March 30, 1802. Its name was changed in April 4, 1806. A part of York was taken off in 1819. It is the N.W. cornertown of the co. The surface is level or gently undulating, and a considerable portion of it is stony. Genesee River forms the E. boundry. Caledonia Springs, in the N. part, covers an area of about 2 acres; and the outlet forms a good water-power, a few rods N. of the spring. The soil is a clay loam, underlaid by limestone . In the S. part is a valuable quarry of limestaone, yielding excellant lime and a fine quality of building stone. Caledonia, (p.v.) in the N. part, a station on the B., N.Y. & E. R.R. and C. & N.B. Branch of the N.Y.C.R.R., contains 3 churches, a grist and saw mill, a brewery, and 623 inhabitants. The first settlement was made about 1797, by Mr. Peterson, a Dane, and Mr. Brooks, an Englishman . The first church (Presb.) was organized in 1805; and the first settled preacher, Rev. Alexander Denoon, was installed Aug. 17, 1808. Cemeteries

Resources TOWN CLERK : Town of Caledonia, 3109 Main Street, Caledonia, NY 14423 TOWN HISTORIAN : Eileen LaFave-Bickford, 585-538-4927, ext. 27 LIBRARIES : Caledonia Public Library , 3108 West Main Street, Caledonia Big Springs Museum , 3095 Main Street, Caledonia BOOKS Doty, Lockwood R., A History of Livingston County, New York , Geneseo,NY, E.E. Doty, 1876. Doty, Lockwood R., History of the Genesee Country , Chicago, S.J. Clark Publishing Co., 1925. Hatch, Alden, The Wadsworths of Geneseo , New York, Coward McCann, 1959. Smith, James H., History of Livingston County, New York , Syracuse,NY, D.Mason & Co., 1881. ORGANIZATIONS : American Legion , Matthew Cleary Post 255, Caledonia Big Springs Museum , 3095 Main Street, Caledonia Veterans of Foreign Wars , Caledonia Memorial Post No.10844, Caledonia Town Hall, Caledonia CHURCHES : Caledonia Assembly of God , 3087 Main Street, Caledonia, (585)538-6730 Church of God , 3059 West Main Street, Caledonia, NY 14423 (585)538-2176 Fellowship Baptist Church , 3401 Avon-Caledonia Rd, Caledonia, (585)538-4700 First Presbyterian Church , 3080 West Main Street, Caledonia, (585)538-4555 St.Andrews Episcopal Church , Caledonia, (585)538-2112 St.Columba Roman Catholic Church , 198 North Street, Caledonia, (585)538-2126 United Presbyterian Stone Church , 3177 Church Street, Caledonia, (585)538-4620 FOOTNOTES [limestone] Before the ravages of the wheat midge commenced, this was one of the best wheat growing towns in the State. ( back ) [an Englishman] David Fuller settled near the Spring in 1798; and in that year and 1799 John McLaren, Peter Campbell, Alex. McDonald, John Cameron, adn John and Donald McVean, from Scotland, settled in town. Hines Chamberlain was an early settler. The first death was that of John McLaren, in 1800; and the first marriage, that of Hines Chamberlain and Widow McLaren. The first inn was kept by Mr. Peterson; David Fuller kept an inn in 1798. The first store was kept by Alex. McDonald, in 1799. The first mill was built by the Pulteney Land Company, at the Spring, in 1801-02; and the first woolen factory, by Donald McKenzie, in 1822. The first school was taught near the Spring, by Jeannette McDonald, in 1804. ( back ) [church] The census reports 3 churches; M.E., Presb., and Ref. Presb. ( back )

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