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James Kasson Guernsey, Esq.
was an early trader and prominent merchant in Lima, New York, for several years.
He bought ginseng off of the early settlers, paying in goods, and exporting
it to
Europe. He became very wealthy, and about 1818 removed to Pittsford where he
was a member of the Presbyterian church.
In the early 1820's Guernsey purchased about 290 acres of Pittsford land to raise
crops, cattle, and horses. His farm occupied all the land on both sides of the
Pittsford-Palmyra Road between the Village and Marsh Road.
Eventually, the south of the farm was bounded by the Erie Canal.
After the canal was completed in 1825, General Lafayette made a visit to Rochester
and was transported in James Guernsey's carriage. Guernsey also hosted Daniel
Webster.
After the Village of Pittsford was incorporated on April 7, 1827, Guernsey was
appointed trustee and elected president. Late in his life, Guernsey sold his
property to his former farm hand Jarvis Lord. Lord in turn sold part of it to
New York State to allow for widening of the canal. He later sold the rest of
the farm to Duane Guernsey, James's son.
Duane built a large home in the
Italian Villa
style
on the property where the large neoclassical Mitchell
Mansion remains today. Just after 1900 the house, barn, and 283 acres of land
were sold to Francis B. Mitchell who named the property Kolaneka Farms. Mitchell
was very interested in horse racing and built a race track that was located
about
where the Pittsford Post Office is today.The
house that Duane Guernsey built burned in 1918, and the present large
Neoclassical home on Mitchell Road was built in 1922.
James also was able to purchase the large and well known Augustus Elliott
home located on South Main Street that is now the St. Louis Catholic
Church Manse. It is a large home built with bricks made by Ellihu Doud
in his
brick yard up in Lusk’s Hollow. If you look carefully, you can see that
they were created on the front into a diamond pattern.
The community was enhanced by all that the Guernsey family contributed.
Their wealth and importance is demonstrated by the size of their monument
in the Pittsford Main Cemetery. James is buried in the Pioneer Burying
Ground cemetery located at the intersection of South Main Street,
Stone Road,
Mendon
Center Road
and Mendon Road in Pittsford.
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