| Notes |
- The residence of Gideon Durfee, while in Tiverton, R. I.,
was on that portion of the estate of his father near Wa-
tupper Pond bequeathed to him in his father's will, until
he removed with his family to Wayne County, New York.
He held a commission as Lieutenant of Militia from
George III, King of England, and this document was in
later years a relic in the possession of his grandson, Philo
Durfee (deceased).
" Nevertheless, when the War of the Revolution broke
out, he was a sturdy patriot, and was enrolled and served
as a minute man ; at the same time sending his two eldest
sons to serve in the Revolutionary Army."
" They were under the command of General Sullivan
during his famous retreat from Rhode Island."
Shortly after the close of the war his two sons, Earle
and Lemuel, removed from Tiverton and settled in Cam-
bridge, New York. In the spring of 1791 Mr. Durfee,
with his wife and children, set out on their journey to
Wayne County, New York.
On pages 380 to 382 of a book entitled " Phelps and
Gorman Purchase," the following account is given rela-
tive to the settlement of Wayne County, N. Y., in 1790 :
" 91," 92, near the present city of Palmyra by " Gideon
Durfee, the elder, his sons Gideon, Edward, Job, Pardon,
Stephen, and Lemuel."
" The Durfee family were from Tiverton, E. I. In the
Summer of 1790, Gideon and Edward came first to Far-
mington, and Gideon returning in the fall represented the
country so favorably, that the whole family resolved upon
emigration. . Gideon with Isaac Springer, came back in
the winter of 1790 and '91 with an ox sled, consuming
17^ days in the journey. Gideon purchased of John
Swift his choice of 1,600 acres. He located it on what
was long known as ' Durfee street,' a short distance below
Palmyra, securing a large amount of the flats on the Gan-
argeva ; Being soon rejoined by his brother Edward, the
brothers and Springer built a cabin and clearing six acres,
and without the use of a plough, planted it to corn.
" The brothers returned to Rhode Island and brought
out their brothers, Pardon and Job, with their families,
coming in a bateau and landing at their new home in the
wilderness, almost destitute of food.
" They were rejoiced on their arrival to find their corn
fit for roasting, a forwardness they have never since known.
" It served them the two fold purposes of food, and con-
fidence in the soil and climate, the six acres yielded 50
bushels to the acre, a quantity that served their own wants
and over stocked the market as there were few consumers.
The remainder of the large family came out in the
winter of 1791 and '92. They had a large crop, some of
which was marketed at Schenectady : probably the first
that ever reached that market from as far west as
Palmyra.
Otherwise prosperous, sickness soon laid a heavy hand
upon the large household, 17, out of 22, being prostrated
at one time with fevers ; their first bread was made from
pounded corn ; their first grinding was procured at Wilders
mill, and occasionally at the Friends mill Jerusalem."
The following is from the same publication and written
by Stephen Durfee.
" There was general prosperity in the early settlement.
All were friendly, mutual dependence made us so ; and
struggling with the hardships of pioneer life there was a
fellow feeling a sympathy for each others misfortunes ;
but little of which exists now ; The first curse that came
upon us was whiskey distilleries when the new settlers
would take their corn and rye and get them converted to
what was the cause in many instances of their ruin ; and
that of many of their sons ; there was not only habitual
every day drinking but much intoxication ; I saw so much
of the evils of intoxication that I refrained entirely and
was almost alone in it ; I think the first temperance move-
ment practical one in all this region was made by me
when I raised my house in 1811. when I invited my
neighbors to the raising ; I gave out that no liquor would
be provided, and although it was a new experiment I had
no difficulty in raising my house ; Strict temperance was
not then a discipline with the Society of Friends to which
I belonged but afterwards became so."
" Our first commerce was the navigation of the
Ganargeva creek ; then came the big wagons, then the
Erie canal that gave us fair steady prices for produce,
raised the value of land and brought on a new era of
enterprise and prosperity."
The following is gleaned from the Military History of
Wayne Co. N. Y. :
" The first tract of land sold and deeded in East
Palmyra Wayne Co N. Y. was a lot of six hundred (600)
acres south of Mud Creek square in form, purchased by
Gideon Durfee May 19th 1791."
" The log hut of Mr. Durfee standing in 1877. near the
Presbeterian Parsonage was the first habitation in that
section."
" The burying ground of the Durfee Family was on the
farm of Ira Lakey ; the first burial there was a child of
Gideon Durfee Junior, and in that plat lie the remains of
the early settlers."
"The farm east of Gideon Durfee Senior was occupied
by his son-in-law Weaver Osband."
" In 1796 Louis Phillipe who afterwards became the
French King, while traveling through the country stopped
with Mr. Gideon Durfee, being on his way east from a
visit to the Falls of Niagara."
" Gideon Durfee Sr. gave ^ of the land on which the
East Palmyra Presbeterian Church was erected in July
1807."
" The first Town meeting was held at Gideon Durfee
Sr's house in April 1796."
It is also stated in the history referred to that Gideon
Durfee, Sr., was a soldier in the Kevolutionary Army.
The following is a record of his military service as found
in " Mass. Soldiers and Sailors of the Kevolutionary
War, compiled from the Archives." " He was a Private in
Capt. Peleg Simmons'es Co Col. Christopher Olney's
regt. muster roll dated Newport, K. I. Oct. 23rd 1781.
joined and marched Oct (?) 8th 1781. reported on guard
duty."
---excerpt from "The Descendants of Thomas Durfee of Portsmouth, Rhode Island"
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1738 - 1814 (76 years)
[1, 2, 3] 
