History of Monroe County

Do you have ancestors who lived in Monroe County? Have you ever wondered what their lives were like during the time that they lived there?

If you would like to find out more about Rochester and the surrounding towns of Monroe County to have a better understanding of your ancestor's lives, then this is the place to look! Here you will find information about the various towns, cities and villages. How did these towns start out? Who were the people who populated these areas? Were they all immigrants or were they a mixture of both old and new settlers?

There are so many questions and many, many answers. If you are serious about your family history project then it can only benefit you and those who will read your family histories if you are able to add factual information to enhance the story of your ancestor's lives.

Town History

Here you will find out how the town your ancestor's lived began. Were there Indians? Was it a farming community? Were there many manufacturers? Who were the first settlers? By finding out about the town, village or city where your ancestors settled, you will be able to have a better understanding of their lives. If for instance your ancestor came to Rochester before 1827, when it was incorporated, then you will know that it was little more than a village when they arrived and that they witnessed one of the biggest boons in the early 1800's when Rochester became a city and expanded. 

County Characters

Who were the first settlers? Were they memorable? As the county expanded what types of people settled there? How might they have influenced our ancestors? Some of them became nationally and internationally known while others only had local fame, but they all helped to shape the times and the lives of our ancestors.

Unusual Stories

The curious or merely different stories of our ancestor's time.  Beyond the headlines, there were many other newsworthy items.  These other events helped to shape the county and it's people.

Occupations

There were many occupations that are no longer in existence today.  This section lists and describes some of the common occupations of early Monroe County.  What did a cooper do?  Or a blacksmith?  Were they the  same or a related occupation?  Another way that we can better understand our ancestors is if we understand the work that they did every day. 

Civil War News

If you had ancestors living in Monroe County you probably have wondered how well informed they were of the events of the Civil War or even what other events were newsworthy at that time in our nation's history.  Here you will find stories about the Civil War and Monroe County taken from Rochester newspapers.  Did the war shape the events that were part of our Ancestor's lives in the 1860's in Monroe County?  In what ways did it affect daily life?