Person:Nehemiah Fargo (1)

From Pioneer History of the Holland Purchase of Western New York by O. Turner

1803 PurchasesNehemiah Fargo Township 9, Range 1 (Warsaw) 1805 PurchasesNehemiah Fargo Township 9, Range 1 (Warsaw)

This book contains much more than the lists! There is information of genealogical value about some of the family names mentioned in the lists, as well as information about the Holland Company, and historical notes for the years the book encompasses.

From History of Warsaw, New York by Young

1811, Jan. 28, Nehemiah Fargo, part lot 30; 60 acres. Jan. 29, 1828, new article to John H. Reddish.

From History of the Town of Warsaw, New York

... settled on the place where his son Allen resides and where he continued to reside until his death.

From Military Minutes of the Council of Appointment of the State of New York

Genesee County 1806 His Excellency the Commander-in-chief having thought proper to erect the militia of the county of Genesee into a brigade, and to divide the brigade into three regiments and one separate battalion --- Resolved, that the following officers be appointed in said brigade, viz: Alexander Rea, brigadier general William Rumsey, lieutenant colonel commandant of one of the regiments... In the regiment to be commanded by Will, Rumsey: Worthy L. Churchill, first major; Isaac Southerland, second do. Captains -- Nehemiah Fargo, Seymour Kellogg, Rufus McCracken, Ezekiel T. Lewis, William Vary, Joseph Burbank...

"American Genealogical Magazine" Inquiry, May 19, 1926 by F.G.S. (Flora Green Synder)

Nehemiah Fargo was born in Bozra, Conn, January 10, 1764. He married Mary Chapman, June, 1783. They resided in Bozra about ten years until 1793, then successively at Colchester and Hebron, Conn; Sandisfield and Great Barrington (1802), Mass; Green River (Columbia Co) and Genesee, New York; and came to Warsaw, New York in 1804, where he resided until his death in October, 1828. His wife died December 12, 1839. They had eight children: Silas C., David, Lavina, Martha, Palmer, Alpheus (drowned in 1804), Allen and Polly (who died in infancy).

Nehemiah's son Palmer was born in Sandisfield, Mass, September 21, 1796, and came to Warsaw, New York in 1804. He married Caroline Scovel, daughter of Hezekiah Scovel, and in 1818 settled near Warsaw, where he resided until his death, about 78 years of age. His wife, Caroline, died November 26, 1849. His second wife, Lorana Barber, died August 18, 1861. His third wife was Lorenda Cady of East Otto, New York. Palmer and Caroline (Scovel) Fargo had 12 children.

Their seventh child, Florilla Orilla, married Albert Benjamin Green in Warsaw, New York.

I am anxious to know whether or not there is Revolutionary history in any of these lines. I was told that Nehemiah Fargo was a fifer or drummer in that period.

The DAR checked their records. No one has ever used Nehemiah to join the DAR. (This does not mean he did not serve in the war).

From "A History of Wyoming County, New York"

Nehemiah Fargo went to Warsaw as one of the "founding fathers" in 1804. A son of his (Alpheus) drowned in the autumn of 1804 at the age of five. His was one of the first burials in Warsaw - on Main Street in what was commonly referred to as "the old burying ground". [This burying ground is now known as the Warsaw Village Pioneer Cemetery.]

He lived in Bozra until about 1793, then Colchester, CT; Hebron, CT; Sandisfield, MA; Great Barrington, MA; Green River, NY; Geneseo, NY; and finally Warsaw, NY in 1804.

from Anita Ripstein Hayes, former Town Historian of Warsaw.

Passed on by Susan Reddish

Western New Yorker June 8, 1893 issue Fargo Family by Palmer C. Fargo presented in front of the Warsaw Historical Society:

Near the beginning of the 17th century, three brothers came from Wales and settled at or near New London, Connecticut. Nehemiah Fargo, was the only son of James Fargo of New London, Conn. He was born in Bozra, Conn. Jan 10, 1764. On reaching majority he married Mary Chapman who was born Dec. 25, 1764. They continued to live there about ten years then other places in Connecticut and Massachusetts. He came to Geneseo in the spring of 1803 and worked Wadsworth lands. He came to Warsaw that spring after crops were planted, purchased of Jabish Warren on June 20, 214 acres, not one acre had been cleared in town at this time. He made an opening in purchase and began preparations for building a double log house to entertain. He was after ever to entertain homeseekers and travelers, red or white. After a short stay here, he returned to Geneseo and to gather what he had planted in spring and to put in some winter wheat.

About April 12, 1804, he started for Warsaw with a wagon drawn by a pair of horses and a cart drawn by oxen with 2 or 3 cows that the younger boys should drive. He went by way of Caledonia, Leroy and over the Bethany hills. A breakdown the second day before reaching Wrights Corners caused a delay. Night soon coming on, the women and children were taken on to Wrights, the men sleeping on the ground under their loads. They arrived in Warsaw next day. I have often heard my father say that vegetation was so far advanced at this time - April 14th - they could easily follow the cattle by the trail they had made. In summer, Mr. Fargo returned to Geneseo to harvest the wheat.

They had 8 children - 5 boys and 3 girls: Silas b. 1784 - first marriage in Warsaw David b1786 Lovina 1791 Martha 1794 Palmer b 1796 Alpheus 1799 - death by drowning, first in the town Polly died at about 3 years old Allen b 1802. 4 boys and 2 girls married and settled in the town and reared large families. I know of 272 descendents, some in western states. Nehemiah was a man of powerful frame, great physical force and strong constitution.

When Simeon Cummings was building his flouring mill, now at the foot of Court St., the championship for strength that time was between Damon Whiting and Capt. Fargo, how he came by the title I don't know. One of the heavy frame timbers, which Whiting was unable to turn but Capt. Fargo, 6 foot and 240 pounds, stepped to the middle of the stick, rubbed his hands together, took hold and said, "boys, are you ready to see it turn?" Aye, Aye is the response and over it goes, making all near shake and tremble. Jumping over it he grabs hold and back it goes again. A shout goes up for the Captain. Whiting chagrined started for home. It was said he got out of bed that night and went and tried it again, and as before, failed.

Uncle Silas, when in 91st year, told he was sent by his father when about 18 years old to Willink to the mill. It was June with an ox sled and two yoke of oxen, he started over the western hills. In some places a wood road was to be found; in others none. Arriving at what is now Varysburg, the Tonawanda was so swollen by recent rains that he could not ford it and keep the load dry. After repeated soundings he found a place where he could cross if his sled was a good foot higher. The box that held the load being about 16 inches deep. He unloads, reverses the box, puts the load on top and crosses and then the unloading and loading must be done as the unevenness of the road would not admit his proceeding in safety without. Three days were consumed by the trip.

Nehemiah was a Baptist. His log house gave way to a frame one since moved up and across Livingston St. to give place to the new one occupied by Mr. Fowler. It is now a part of D.D. Snyder's house. He died Oct. 14, 1828 and his wife, Dec. 12, 1839. His family all died in this town save two, Silas and Lovina rest in Wisconsin.

From Susan Reddish, regarding the above article

I passed this article on to another researcher who descends from Palmer, and he states that this is incorrect. Chances are that Palmer never even met his grandfather Robert, or wouldn't really remember him if he had. I sent it to the researcher (can't remember off hand who it was) but he said it's well documented that Robert is the father of Nehemiah. He thought the only good thing in the article was some insight to life in those times.

About Wadsworth lands

Palmer mentions Nehmiah worked on the Wadsworth lands. One member of the Wadsworth famiily bragged he could ride the train from Dansville (at the south end of Livingston County) to Rochester (on Lake Ontario) without leaving his land. There is today still a great deal of land owned by the Wadsworth families.

The "History of Northwestern New York" mentions "James W. Wadsworth, of Livingston County, one of the Wadsworth clan of the Genesee Valley, the most powerful political family in western New York."... "James J. Wadsworth, the latters' son, member of Assemly from Livingston County, a large part of the rural portion of which the Wadsworths own."

At the time of the opening of the western section of the Erie Canal in 1823, James Wadsworth of Geneseo owned the Wadsworth Tract. It consisted of 28 acres southeast of the village of Rochesterville. Indeed, as early land speculators, the Wadsworth family's holdings were so vast that the story arose that they could walk from their mansion in Geneseo to college at Yale University, 375 miles away in New Haven, Connecticut, without ever leaving their property.

James and William Wadsworth bought an extensive amount of land in Geneseo in 1790 (as well as other parts of Livingston County & western NY) They were land agents for themselves, leasing and selling land to settlers. A large part of the Wadsworth lands in Geneseo is still owned by the Wadsworth family, different pieces by different familes. The Wadsworth estate itself, (over 200 acres) is near Geneseo SUNY college.

According to records in the Wyoming County Historian's Office, Nehemiah conducted land transactions on the following dates:

25 Jan 180514 May 181316 Jun 181519 Jul 1813 31 Dec 180619 Jun 1813 (2)8 Feb 181720 Jul 1819 18 Jan 180619 Jul 1813 (2)31 Dec 181605 Sep 1821 07 Aug 180625 Jan 181515 Jul 181728 Jan 1811 12 Jan 181319 Jun 181515 Mar 181911 Mar 1822 24 Apr 1824

From David V. Philo

The family moved from CT to Sandisfield, MA sometime between 1791-1796. Around 1796 they moved to Great Barrington, MA and lived there until about 1802. Between 1802-1804 they lived in Green River and Genesee, NY and during 1804 they moved to Wyoming County, Warsaw, NY.

Soon after their arrival, he purchased 261 acres of land and built a log house when the village of Warsaw had no more than a dozen homes and the wolves could be heard close by at night. It is said that this house was large enough to accommodate strangers. Here they stayed until they were able to find shelter for themselves.

Nehemiah replaced the log house with a frame house before 1816. In 1844, his son Allen tore the frame house down and built a house on the same site, whose north porch is said to have been the exact center of Warsaw.

Allen built a three story Fargo house at the corner of S. Main and Livingston St. Old pictures show it with its beautiful Grecian portico and its white picket fence enclosing the shaded lawn. At the time of its demolition (for a new gas station), the third story had already been removed. Today there is a street named Fargo [right behind the location of the house] and as houses were built on the ground originally purchased by Nehemiah, it became known as Fargotown. The above information was provided by Harland E. Fargo of Newark, OH.

From Biographical Review of Livingston and Wyoming Counties, NY

Mr. Fargo was a native of Connecticut, born in 1802, and was an infant of two years of age when his parents came to Warsaw. His parents, Nehemiah and Mary (Chapman) Fargo, were among the first emigrants, taking up a tract of land which extended for a mile along the valley, and upon which a large proportion of the present village stands. Nehemiah Fargo set out the first orchard that was ever planted in the wilderness of Wyoming County, and the abundant crop of delicious plums and apples that are to-day enjoyed by his descendants bears testimony to his thrift and foresight. He died in 1829, at the age of sixty-four years. His widow outlived him ten years, dying in 1839. They reared six children, all of whom are now dead. Six generations of the family lie at rest in the village cemetery.

... Captain Nehemiah Fargo owned one of the first four framed houses in the village... he was the purchaser of the first bell, whose brazen tongue called the villagers to worship in the only church in the vicinity, the very first built west of the Genesee River, in 1825... [The bell was replaced 35 years later with a larger one.]

Walter B. Fargo, a successful farmer and respected citizen of Warsaw, where he was born in 1834, is a grandson of Nehemiah Fargo, who settled in this locality in 1804. His wife and six children made the journey by teams, and upon their arrival invested some of their small means in a farm of one hundred and sixty acres of uncultivated land. A log house was erected on the bank of a creek by the old dam and here the family lived in peace and contentment. Nehemiah died, aged sixty, at his son's house, which was near the old cabin. his wife survived him but a few years. they were both within the fold of the Presbyterian church.

In the 1790 census, his numbers were 1-2-1-0-0 In the 1800 census, his numbers were 2-1-1-1-0-1-1-0-1-0-0

Real Estate worth of Fargo family members per 1850 Census

David M. Fargo $ 2,000 John M. Fargo 2,520 Myron L. Fargo 4,500 Palmer Fargo 6,000 Silas Fargo (younger) --- Allen Fargo 10,000 David Fargo 800 Silas Fargo (elder) --- Francis F. Fargo ---

As a note about Nehemiah's will - I think it is curious he does not mention his wife Mary, although she was alive at the time of his death. I have found no mention of an estrangement between the couple, though no writings by family members do more than mention her name.

The last will and testament of Nehemiah Fargo of the Town of Warsaw in the County of Genesee and State of New York. I Nehemiah Fargo, considering the uneven (?) bounty of this mortal life and being of sound mind memory and understanding, do make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form follow that is to say

First I order and direct that all my just debts and funeral expenses be first paid out of my personal estate and in case of deficiency of assets for that purpose I hereby authorize and (?) my executors hereinafter named to sell and dispose as much of my real estate is will sufficient to make up the difference of legal assets and to make and exhibit a deed or deeds of the parcel or parcels so sold and generally to do and perform all acts necessary to effectuate my intention to pay said debts if required for that purpose out of my real estate.

Secondly I hereby give devise and bequeath to my son Allen Fargo the two remaining undivided third party fall that piece or parcel of land being the north part of lot C Number 28 in the Town of Warsaw aforesaid consisting of two hundred and fourteen acres of land and constituting the farm on which I now reside of one undivided third part of which the said Allen now has a deed heretofore executed by me to have and to hold the same to him the said Allen his heirs and assigns forever

Thirdly I give and bequeath to my sons Silas C. Fargo David Fargo and Palmer Fargo respectively the sum of three hundred dollars each of legal money of the United States of America which I will and order to be paid to the said respective legates by my executors hereinafter named within two years after my decese (sic.)

Fourthly I give and bequeath to my Daughter Lavina Cutting wife of Jonas Cutting of Warsaw aforesaid the sum of one hundred Dollars of lawful money of the United States of America to be paid to her by my executors within two years after my decease.

Fifthly I give and bequeath to my Daughter Martha Reddish wife of John Reddish of the Town of Orangeville in the County of State aforsaid the sum of two hundred Dollars of lawful money of the United States of America to be paid to her by my executors within two years after my decease.

Sixthly I give devise and bequeath to my six children Silas Fargo David Fargo Allen Fargo Palmer Fargo Lavina Cutting and Martha Reddish all the rest and residue of my real and personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever of what nature kind and quality soever the same may be, and not herein before given and disposed of after payment of debts legacies and funeral expenses as aforsaid. To be equally divided between them share and share alike to have and to hold the same both real and personal to them their respective heirs and assigns forever.

Seventhly I hereby constitute and appoint David Fargo and Allen Fargo of the Town of Warsaw aforsaid Executors of this my last will and Testament hereby revoking all former Wills by me at any time heretofore made.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this the eleventh day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty eight. Signed Nehemiah Fargo (with a seal)

Signed published and declared by the above named Nehemiah Fargo to be his last will and Testament in presence of us who have hereunto respectively subscribed our names as witnesses in the presence of the Testator. P. Caner Seth Higgins Levi Walker

On his tombstone

"He rests his body in the tomb, His soul on high with saints and angels blest. His Lord doth glorify. His hopes and faith are fled and now in rapture sweet."

1. ↑ Leilani Spring (leilani@@iinc.com). Warsaw Village Pioneer Cemetery. ((c) 1999).
2. ↑ Western New Yorker
   June 8, 1893.
3. ↑ Henry A. Baker. History of Montville, Connecticut. (Press of the Case, Lockwood and Brainard Company, Hartford Conn 1896)
   p. 130, 536.
4. ↑ Vital Records - Miscellaneous Sources
   Copy of his will.
5. ↑ Wyoming County, New York Historian's Office
   Land tranactions index.

   Wyoming County, New York Historian's Office, Land transactions index.

6. ↑ Laura Bristol Robinson, Editor. The Warsaw Centennial 1803-1903. (Warsaw Centennial Association, published by the Western New Yorker, Warsaw, NY).
7. ↑ Biographical Review - This Volume Contains Biographical Sketches of the Leading Citizens of Livingston and Wyoming Counties New York. (Boston, Biographical Review Publishing Company 1895)
   p. 169, 204-205.
8. ↑ State of New York, Annual Reports of the State Historian. Military minutes of the Council of Appointment of the State of New York 1783-1821. (State of New York)
   p. 835-836.
9. ↑ Researcher.

   David V. Philo