A Brief History by Richard G. Sherer, County Historian
(updated by John Ormsby)
Steuben County, as a political entity, came about by
an act of the Ontario County legislature on March 18, 1796. Prior to that,
a succession and developmental moves brought forth Ontario County from
Montgomery and Albany counties. Steuben County was named after Frederic
William Augustus "Baron Von Steuben", a German drill master in the Revolutionary
War. Steuben County at that time had a population of about 890 people and
an area of about 50 miles square. Over the years portions have been annexed
to Allegany, Yates, Livingston and Schuyler Counties, so that the present
size of Steuben County is 1,397 square miles of land area. As a matter
of comparison, Steuben County has 348 more square miles of land area than
the State of Rhode Island. In 1788 Phelps and Gorham obtained the Genesee
Tract of 2,600,000 acres from Massachusetts by an act of the state legislature.
Two years later they conveyed to Robert Morris, the great colonial banker
and merchant, the remaining unsold 1,200,000 acres. In 1792 Morris sold
to Colonel Charles Williamson, agent for the Association of British Capitalists,
nearly 1,200,000 acres, which became the Pulteney Estate. The territory
was surveyed into townships and lots for the Pulteney Estate. In 1793 Colonial
Williamson commenced a settlement at Bath, now the County seat. Steuben
is a rural county with a population of approximately 100,000. At
one time, the largest industry in the county was farming, the main portion
of which was dairy farms. While still an important part of the economy,
agriculture has given way to other major economic developments including
tourism with many attractions, much scenic beauty and pleasant accommodations.
There are many wineries that have tours and many museums to visit. Steuben
County offers natural beauty, serenity and comfortable living throughout
it's hills and lakelands.
