P. 31f.
In the year 1770, seven individuals with their families, influenced by the glowing accounts they had heard of the new country, cast their lot among the pioneers of the wilderness of Pittsford. These were Roger Stevens, Ebenezer Hopkins, James Hopkins, Samuel Crippen, Felix Powell, Isaac Root, and Isaac Buck.
Roger Stevens was the older son of —— Stevens, who was born in Wales about the year 1700, emigrated to this country in early life, married and located on what was known as Quaker Hill, N. Y., about the year 1722. He had two sons (possibly others?), Roger and Benjamin, the former born in 1730, the latter in 1734. Roger was placed as an apprentice to a hatter, a trade he learned and afterward prosecuted with considerable success. About the year 1745, he married Mary, sister of Capt. Ephraim Doolittle, who procured the charter of the township of Pittsford, and continued his residence on Quaker Hill, where were born to him the following children; viz.: Roger, Jr., Ephraim, Abel, Elihu, Moses and Abigail.
In the spring of 1770, through the influence of Capt. Doolittle, he came to Pittsford, purchased a large tract of land, built a house into which he moved his family, and with the assistance of his sons soon made quite an opening in the primitive forest. This house stood on the high ground, about thirty rods west of the present Gorham bridge, and on the south side of the old military or Crown Point road. The cellar is still to be seen, from the bottom of which are now growing two butternut trees. Roger, Jr., married Martha —— in 1773, and located and made improvements on the farm recently owned by Edwin Wheaton. The house built by Mr. Stevens stood about seventy rods east of the present house.
P. 41.
The year 1774, is marked by the arrival of a large number of new settlers. Some of these had been here some time previously, made their pitches and commmenced improvements. …, Benjamin Stevens, …
P. 48.
Benjamin Stevens was brother of Roger, who has already been mentioned. He married Hopestil Shaw and resided in Nine-Partners, Dutchess Co., N. Y., where were born the following children, viz.: Daniel, Benjamin, James, Simeon, Jonathan and Hopestill.
In 1773, he moved to Manchester, Vt., and in the following year, to Pittsford. He bought the land which now forms the farm owned by Edward and Richard Hendee, and built a house on the south slope of the hill, the cellar of which may still be seen on the north side of the east-and-west road, near its junction with the north-and-south road. At that early period the Crown Point road passed a few rods east of this house; and the location of that road might have had some influence with Mr. Stevens in making his “pitch,” and in the selection of a site for his buildings.
P. 62.
…Abel Stevens located here in 1778.
P. 63.
This year [1778] Abel Stevens, son of Roger, married Eunice, daughter of Isaac Buck, and on the 21st of November bought of his father one hundred and forty-five acres of land, bounded on the north by land of Benjamin Cooley, on the east by land of Col. S. Doolittle, aon the south by land of Eleazer Harwood, and on the west by the Creek. The consideration was £400. This included the farm recently owned by the late Deming Gorham, Mr. Stevens built the low part of the present house and resided there till 1796, when he removed to Bastard, County of Leeds, Canada, where he died in 1816. We are informed that he was a man of earnest piety; and a preacher of the Methodist doctrine.
Pp. 136ff.
[interesting Revolutionary War history concerning Benjamin, Jr., Ephraim, Roger, Jr., etc.]
Pp. 148.
[concerns Roger, Jr.]
Pp. 181f.
[Abel dealt in furs in 1782, etc. He resided till about 10 years (1792-3?)
P. 183.
… and then with his family he removed to Canada, where he died in 1828.
P. 198.
[re: sons of Benjamin Stevens: Benjamin Stevens, Jr. / P. 209./ Daniel Stevens / P. 210./ James Stevens / p. 211./ Simeon Stevens / p. 218./ Jonathan Stevens ]