LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Town
of Pomfret, New York

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to honor and commem-
orate the proud and distinguished histories of the people and communi-
ties which comprise the noble body of this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commem-
orate the 200th Anniversary of the Town of Pomfret, New York; and
WHEREAS, The Town of Pomfret was formed from Chautauqua in 1808,
becoming the second town incorporated in Chautauqua County; the Town of
Dunkirk was formed from Pomfret in 1859; and
WHEREAS, The first store in Pomfret was a grocery operated by Elijah
Risley, Jr., opened in 1808; this enterprising young man later rose to
Sheriff of Chautauqua County, a major-general in the regional militia
and a United States Congressman, elected in 1848; and
WHEREAS, Early factories in Pomfret were organized around the Canada-
way Creek, which provided water power for their operation; these
included sawmills and gristmills followed by a flouring mill in 1810 or
1811, then a carding mill in 1812, followed by a cotton mill in 1821 and
a paper mill in 1854; over the years, more than thirty factories were
built on the Canadaway Creek; and
WHEREAS, The Risley Seed Gardens were established in Pomfret's Village
of Fredonia in the early 1830s, sending products to every state and
territory in the United States; in 1849, their onion seeds were sold for
the same weight in gold in California; and
WHEREAS, The Town of Pomfret is distinguished as the first town to use
natural gas for lighting; the first gas works in the entire nation was
established in Fredonia in 1821; and
WHEREAS, As populations in its villages and communities grew in the
Town of Pomfret, churches were established in many denominations includ-
ing a Baptist church in 1808, a Presbyterian church in 1810, a Methodist
Episcopal Church in 1811, and the Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church in
1822; and
WHEREAS, The Fredonia Academy, founded in 1823, attracted scholars
from Western New York and, in 1839, from Canada and the 13 states and
territories in the United States; and
WHEREAS, The Town of Pomfret holds within its borders the Village of
Fredonia with the State University of New York at Fredonia; the hamlets
of Cordova, Greencrest, Lamberton, Laona, Reed Corners, Shumla, Van
Buren Bay and Van Buren Point; and the Lily Dale Center of Spiritualism;
and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to publicly recog-
nize and honor milestones in the history of communities large and small
in this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Town of Pomfret; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Town of Pomfret, New York.