Please add profiles for those who were born, lived or died in Ontario County, New York.

Official Website

The county was established in 1789 and, prior to its formation, was long controlled by the Seneca people, one of the Five Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, or Haudenosaunee. They were forced to cede most of their land to the United States after the American Revolutionary War.

This frontier area was part of the evangelistic activities during the Second Great Awakening of the early 19th century, when Baptist, Methodist and Congregational preachers traveled and organized revivals and camp meetings. In addition, independent sects developed in central and western New York during this period, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, the Shakers and the Universal Friends.

Joseph Smith, founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, lived in Manchester in the 1820s on the border with Palmyra. Several events in the early history of the movement occurred in Ontario County. Hill Cumorah in Manchester is where Smith said he discovered the Golden plates said to contain the writings later known as the Book of Mormon. Smith visited the hill each year on the fall equinox (September 22) between 1823 and 1827, and claimed to be instructed by the Angel Moroni. Smith said he was finally permitted to take the record on September 22, 1827. He published the Book of Mormon in Palmyra in 1830. The 110-foot hill is on the main road toward Canandaigua from Palmyra to Manchester (modern State Route 21); it was a few miles from Joseph Smith's home.

Since the 1930s The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has held the Hill Cumorah Pageant annually here. It regularly attracts thousands to its performances. The church also maintains a visitors' center at the hill, the Palmyra New York Temple, and the former Smith property and homes. The latter property straddles the border between Ontario and Wayne counties.

Adjacent Counties

• Livingston County
• Steuben County
• Monroe County
• Wayne County
• Seneca County
• Yates County

Cities, Towns, Villages, Hamlets & Communities

Bloomfield | Border City | Bristol | Canadaigua (County Seat) | Canadice | Centerfield | Cheshire | Clifton Springs | Crystal Beach | East Bloomfield | Farmington | Fishers | Geneva (part) | Gorham | Hall | Honeoye | Hopewell | Hopewell Center | Ionia | Manchester | Naples | Orleans | Phelps | Port Gibson | Richmond | Rushville (part) | Seneca | Seneca Castle | Shortsville | South Bristol | Stanley | Victor | West Bloomfield

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of New York

Links

• Wikipedia
• National Register of Historic Places
• History of Ontario County, Aldrich, Lewis Cass, comp.; Conover, George S. (George Stillwell), 1824- ed.; Created / Published: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co., 1893.; Biographical: p. 464-518, Pt. II: Family sketches; Call No. F127.O7 A3; Library of Congress Control No. 04005213; OCLC No. 1112750 <Archive.org >
• Ontario County Gen Web
• Roots Web
• Genealogy Trails
• Ontario County Historical Society
• New Horizons Genealogy

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