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Amity

Amity was formed from Angelica and Scio on Feb. 22, 1830. A part of Ward was taken off in 1856. Amity is an interior town, lying a little south of the center of the county.

The first settlement was made in 1804, near Belvidere, by John T. Hyde. Harry Davis, from Hampshire county, Massachusetts, settled near Philipsville in 1805. The first child born was Hannah Hyde, Nov 4, 1804. lThe first marriage was Laomi Athley and Rachel Baker in 1807. The first death was Harvey Manning, who was fataly injured in 1806 when an ox-cart ran backward against him down a hill. Polly Baker taught the first school in 1810. Ebenezer Hyde kept the first inn at Belvidere in 1809. Alvin E. Parker kept the first store at Philipsville in 1830. Philip Church built the first sawmill on the Genesee River in 1806, and the first gristmill in 1808. The first religious meeting was held at the house of Samuel Van Campen, by Rev. Robert Hubbard (Presbyterian) in 1814. The first church, Baptist, was formed by Rev. Jonathan Post in 1816. The first school was taught by Polly Baker in 1810. [Sources: J.H.French, Gazetteer of State of New York, 1860. History of Allegany County, N.Y., 1806-1879., F.W. Beers & Co.]

Hamilton Childs 1875 Gazetteer - Amity

Cities, Villages and Hamlets

Belmont was incorporated as a village under the name of Philipsburg on Feb. 21, 1853. The county seat was moved from Angelica to Belmont in 1860.

Belvidere received its name from the homestead of Judge Philip Church and is in the northwest part of town. The postoffice was established about 1835 and originally called Hobbyville after the postmaster general, whose name was Hobbie. The name was changed to Belvidere after the railroad was completed.

Withey is located on Philips creek in the eastern part of town.

Town Historian Jackie Manis
Belmont, NY 14813

Town Clerk
Rebecca Fordham
1 Schuyler Street
Belmont, NY 14813
Phone: 585-268-5423

Belmont Clerk
Richard J. Hoshal
1 Schuyler Street
Belmont, NY 14813
Telephone: 585-268-5522

Schools

Churches

Presbyterian - Jan. 30, 1832
Baptist - organized 1816 as the Baptist Church of Amity; changed to Belmont in 1867.
Methodist Episcopal Society - organized Jan. 15, 1834
St. Philip's (Episcopal) Church - organized 1853
Christ Church (Espicopal) - organized at Belvidere 5 July 1859 records at Villa Belvidere Historic Site, Belmont
St. Mary Catholic Church - parish of Belmont abt. 1840

Cemeteries

Forest Hill Cemetery - code #5-1; (Town 3, Range 2MR, lot 31), Cemetery Hill Road; records available through FHCs

St. Mary's Belmont Cemetery - code #5-2; (lot 19), N.Y. Rte. 48

Christ Church Cemetery - code #5-3; (lot 1), County Road 20

Abbott Cemetery - code #5-4; (lot 2), N.Y. Rte. 19

Thibou-Norton-Windus - code #5-5; (lot 36) N.Y. Rte. 19

Rogers Cemetery - code #5-6; (lot 43) N.Y. Rte. 19

Pendleton Cemetery - code #5-7; (lot 54), Back River Road

Abbott Cemetry aka Van Campen or Hyde Cemetery - code #5-8; plowed over, was on lot 44, N.Y. Rte 19

Cemetery - code #5-9; moved to Forest Hill, was located on lot 29

Eymer - code #5-10; (lot 63), Eymer Road

Windfall Road Cemetery - code #5-11; (lot 7) Windfall Road

Davis Cemetery - code #5-12; (lot 35) Black River Road (Lloyd Morehouse Farm)

Downing Cemetery - code #5-13; Tuckers Corners

*code #s refer to the Allegany County Cemetery Index card file at the Allegany County Historical Society and LDS Family History Library microfilm. See Western New York Genealogical Society Journal, Vol. II, No. 1

Book List

The History of Schenectady Classis Reformed Church in America, 1681-1931, ed. by William E. Compton, pub. 1931
Sesquicentennial, Town of Amity, 1830-1980: a Collected History of a Town and its People pub. Belmont, NY, Amity Sewquicentennial, Inc., 1980

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