Allegany County, New York

The two western tiers of towns in this county were included in the Holland Land Purchase, and the remaining part belonged to the Morris Reserve. John B. Church became the owner of 100,000 acres of this tract. His son, Judge Philip Church, subsequently became the proprietor of one half, or 50,000 acres, and the pioneer settler of the tract at Angelica, in 1804. A few settlers had previously located at different points in the valley of the Genesee; and the settlement of the county may be said to have commenced with the century. [Source: J. H. French, Gazetteer of State of New York, 1860, p.168]

In 1806 part of Genesee was taken and organized into Allegany county. It included all the parts of Genesee county, beginning in the SE corner and running northerly 42 miles along the western boundary of Steuben and Ontario counties; westerly 38 miles along the dividing lines of townships 7 and 8; to the northwest corner of township number 7 in the 5th range of the Holland Land Company's land; southerly 40 miles along the eastern boundary of the 7th, 6th, 5th, 4th, 3d, 2d, and 1st townships of the 5th range of the Holland Land Company's Pennsylvania line; easterly 38 miles along the Pennsylvania line to the place of beginning.