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Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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Gazeteer of the State of New York
J. H. French, 1860

                             ERIE COUNTY

  [288-289]

        CLARENCE - was formed from "Willink," (now Aurora,) March 11, 1808.
     Buffalo was taken off in 1810, Alden in 1823, and Lancaster in 1833.
     It lies upon the N. border of the co., E. of the center. Its surface
     is level. A limestone terrace about 50 feet high, with a wall-like
     front facing the N., extends E. and W. through the center of the town.
     The streams are Tonawanda Creek, on the N. border, and Ransoms Creek,
     flowing N.W. through near the center of the town. The soil in the N.
     part is clayey, and in the S. a sandy and gravelly loam underlaid by
     limestone. CLARENCE HOLLOW, (Clarence p.o.,) near the S.E. corner of
     the town, contains 3 churches, the Clarence Academy,(1) and a pop. of
     400; CLARENCE CENTER (p.v.) contains 2 churches and about 40 houses.
     HARRIS HILL (p.o.) and NORTH CLARENCE (p.o.) are hamlets. The first
     settlement was made at Clarence Hollow in 1799, by Asa Ransom.(2) The
     census reports 7 churches in town.(3)

        (1) Established as the Clarence Classical School in 1841, by J.
            Hadley and R. Blennerhassett.

        (2) Asa Ransom was a man of considerable influence with the
            Indians. They gave him the name of "O-wis-ta-no-at-squo-nich,"
            signifying "maker of silver," or "maker of silver money." Gen.
            Timothy Hopkins settled in the town in 1797; Asa Chapman,
            Timothy James, Wm. Updegraff, Christopher Saddler, Levi Felton,
            Abraham Shope, John Haines, and John Gardner, in 1801; Andrew
            Durnet, Geo. Shurman, Bera Ensign, and Jacob Shope, in 1803;
            and Daniel Bailey in 1804. The first birth was that of Harry B.
            Ransom, in 1801; and the first death, that of ___ Keyes, in
            1804. Asa Ransom opened the first public house, in 1801, built
            the first sawmill, in 1805, and the first gristmill, in 1806;
            Otis R. Hopkins kept the first store, in 1811. The first school
            was taught by Rebecca Hamlin, in 1805.

        (3) Mennonites, Bap., Seventh Day Bap., Presb., and Union.

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