THE PRESS IN WESTERN NEW-YORK
It may be well, before going any farther, to settle the bounds of the field marked out by the Committee of the Franklin Festival, in which I am to labor. Originally, it was denominated the "Genesee County" but now wears the distinctive appellation of "Western New-York," and embraces, if I am correctly informed, that portion of the State lying west of a line running north and south through Seneca Lake. Its settlement may probably be said to have commenced about the year 1787. An enumeration of its inhabitants, in 1790, showed a population of 1100. What a contrast with Western New-York at the present day. The Counties handed over to me for the purpose of the present publication, are Alleghany, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauque, Chemung, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans, Ontario, Seneca, Steuben, Tompkins, Wayne, and Yates. These counties, or most of them at all events, belong to what may, perhaps, with propriety, be denominated Western New-York—but some of them are without the pale of what may be fairly termed the "Genesee Country." The territory embraced in the above counties, contained, as appears by the census of 1845, a population of 682,823. In the short space of fifty-nine years, what a complete change has come over the face of the country—then, a howling wilderness—now, converted into cities and villages!—then, peopled by bands of roving savages,—now, teeming with a dense population of hardy and industrious men, through whose toil the wilderness has literally been made to blossom like the rose! This is the result of civilization, coupled with industry, intelligence, and indomitable perseverance.
STEUBEN COUNTY.
This County seems to be the first in which an attempt was made to establish a Newspaper Press in Western New York. In 1796, William Kersey and James Edie, commenced at Bath, the publication of a paper entitled the "Bath Gazette and Genesee Advertiser."
In 1816 or '17, David Rumsey commenced, at Bath, the publication of the "Bath Gazette."
About the same time Benjamin Smead started a paper called the "Steuben Patriot," to which was soon after appended, "and Allegany," making the amended title read, "Steuben & Allegany Patriot."
In the fall of 1819, Erastus Shepard commenced the publication of the "Western Republican," and continued it until 1822, when the materials went back to Elmira, and the publisher to an eight years' foremanship in the office of James Bogart, at Geneva.
Charles Williamson, if I mistake not, is considered as the founder of Bath. He was the agent of some foreign land-owners in Western New-York, which was the means, no doubt, of imparting to him, and to his acts, an influence far greater than was possessed by others. His imagination, I am told, did not stop at the founding of a Village, but soared in the prospective, to the development of the resources of a City. For this purpose, a race course was laid out, a Press was established, and various things were done, which were deemed essential by him to mark the founding of a magnificent city—at least in the imagination! The great power and influence of the "Patroon of the West," as Mr. Williamson was sometimes called, did not save the "Gazette & Advertiser" from a fate too common among similar establishments of a later day. How long it managed to keep up an existence—what became of its materials or its publishers, are questions entirely out of my power to answer.
Benjamin Smead relinquished the business to two of his sons in 1824 or '25, and the paper has since been published under the title of the "Farmer's Advocate."
David Rumsey, who made the attempt in 1816 or '17, to revive the old Gazette, was from Salem, Washington County. The attempt seems not to have been a successful one, as the paper was continued only about a year, when the materials were disposed of to Mr. Cowdery, who took them to "Olean Point."
Thus have I been compelled to turn off "Old Steuben," with a mere skeleton picture of what her press is, and has been. This is no fault of mine, neither is it the fault of the Committee who originally had this matter in charge. It is the more to be regretted, as Steuben was the first county in which an attempt was made in Western New York to establish a Newspaper Press.—The Printers of that county have been desired to furnish the data upon which a more full and perfect sketch of its rise and progress could have been traced. They have failed to do it, with them rests the fault.
