Early Families of Greenfield Township

Some of the early families of Greenfield Township are mentioned in Samuel P. Bates' History of Erie County, published in 1884. Those mentioned include those who settled the area as early as 1796. They include:

Judah Colt - Born in Lyme, CT on July 1, 1761, but spent his early life in NY, where in 1789 he was engaged as a surveyor. In 1795, was appointed as Sheriff of Ontario Co., by Governor Clinton. He was so impressed with Erie Co. that he proposed to buy large amounts of land in the triangle. He was selected by the Pennsylvania Population Company to be their agent to handle all their lands in the triangle. In 1796 he opened a land office in Greenfield Township at what is known as Colt's Station. Moved to Erie in 1802 and remained there until his death in Oct. 1832, at which time he was the largest real estate owner of any resident in Erie. He and his wife were earnest supporters of religion. At the organization of the First Presbyterian Church of Erie in 1815, Mr. & Mrs. Colt were among the most vigorous workers in that society. While there was no place of worship, Mr. Colt erected a frame building with a pulpit and pews, which was long known as the Yellow Meeting House, on Sassafras Street. He was one of the first elders of that church, and held that office until his death. An extract of his autobiography was published in The History of Erie County. You can see it here: [Page 1] and [Page 2]

Elisha Marvin - The eldest son of Elisha Marvin and Elizabeth Selden, was born at Lyme, CT on Nov. 22, 1768; and was brought up on a farm. About 1792, in company with his brother-in-law, Judah Colt and his brother, Enoch, he settled in Canandaigua, NY. In 1796, he and his brother, Enoch, removed with Judah Colt to Greenfield Township and settled at Colt's Station, where he bought a large tract of land. He was Justice of the Peace for many years in Greenfield, and long one of the most prominent surveyors and farmers in the county. Elisha was Captain of first military company in the county at Greenfield in 1801. He married Minerva Prendergast, of Jamestown, NY, May 13, 1812; and died Sep. 29, 1829. Mrs. Marvin died April 1, 1858. Their children were, William E. Marvin, born March 21, 1814; and Elizabeth Susan Marvin, born Nov 29, 1818, and died in the fall of 1873.

Enoch Marvin - Elisha's brother, was born in Lyme, CT on Oct. 19, 1774. Came to Greenfield with his brother, Elisha, and his brother-in-law, Judah Colt, in 1796. After spending a number years in Greenfield and Erie, Enoch, moved to Beaver County, PA as an agent for a land company. He died there on March 31, 1840 and left a large estate, much of which was in Erie County. He married Eliza Hull in 1820. She survived him a number of years. They had one child which died in infancy.

Cyrus Robinson - settled in Greenfield in 1796, then moved to North East in 1813. [Not listed in 1800 census shown below, listed in 1810.]

Henry Loomis - Came to Greenfield in 1796. It appears he may have bought land both in Greenfield and in North East during that year. [Not listed in 1800 census shown below, listed in 1810.]

Dyer Loomis - Like Henry, Dyer Loomis is reported to have been in both Greenfield and North East in 1796. He was Captain, Co. C, 145th Erie Co. Regiment in War of Rebellion, and served as Justice of the Peace of North East from 1845 to 1880.

Charles P. Allen - settled in Greenfield in 1796, then moved to North East about 1800. [Not listed in 1800 census shown below.]

Joseph Berry - settled in Greenfield in 1796. [Not listed in 1800 census shown below.]

Philo Barker - settled in Greenfield in 1796. Listed as a Taxable citizen of Venango in 1800.

Timothy Tuttle - settled in Greenfield in 1796. Purchased a full tract of land from the Pennsylvania Population Company. North East's first Justice of the Peace in March 1799, he served again in that office in 1808. One of six election districts in the county was appointed at his house in North East on Apr 8, 1799.

Silas Smith - Settled in Greenfield in 1796. An attorney by profession, he was admitted to the bar June 4, 1827. He died sometime before 1884.

Joseph Shadduck - Came to North East in 1794, then settled in Greenfield in 1796. He married Betsy Willard, first marriage in the township. Their son, Ira, was the first birth in the township. Joseph built the first frame barn in the township in 1815 at Shadduck's Corners, which is now known as Hornby.

John Daggett - Settled in Greenfield in 1796, where he had purchased a large tract of land from the Pennsylvania Population Co. [Not listed in 1800 census shown below, listed in 1810.]

John Andrews - Settled in Greenfield in 1796. [Not listed in 1800 census shown below.]

Leverett Bissell - a Revolutionary War soldier who founded Bissell's Landing (1796), at what became Greenfield village, or better known as Little Hope. He built the first saw mill in Greenfield there in 1799 (the fifth in the county). [Not listed in 1800 census shown below.]

James Taylor - Came from Rockbridge Co., VA to Greenfield in 1803, then moved to NY in 1812.

Henry Taylor - A relative of James, who came to Greenfield in 1803, then moved to North East several years later. He was Captain of first military company in North East during War of 1812 and served as County Commissioner 1812 - 1815.

Morrow B. Lowry - Brother of George Lowry and son of Margaret Lowry. About 1795, George Lowry took up a tract of 400 acres in, or near, the borough of North East. He was followed, in 1796, by his mother, Margaret Lowry and her family who located 2,800 acres more in the vicinity of George's land. Margaret Lowry was of Scottish and Irish birth, emigrated to Cumberland County, (PA) and from there to Erie County. She was the mother of ten sons -- four of whom, Robert, Andrew, George and Morrow -- married daughters of Joseph Barr of Cumberland County. Morrow spent many of his younger years in Greenfield, and at age sixteen was a clerk in Joseph Selden's store. As a grown man, he purchased a large tract of land from the Pennsylvania Population Company. He served as State Senator in 1861.

**Where to find them in the Erie County 1800 Census**
Page 105	Page 106	Page 107	Page 113
Judah Colt	Elisha Marvin	James Moore	William Smith
Morrow Lowry	Enoch Marvin	Timothy Tuttle
Dyer Lummis (Loomis)	Joseph Shadduck (Sr. & Jr.)
John Wilson	Silas Smith
William Wilson	Joseph Webster

**Where to find them in the Erie County 1810 Census**
Page 126	Page 129
Joseph Webster	Philo Barker
	John Dadget (Daggett)
Page 127	Henry Loomis
William Smith	Cyrus Robinson
	Silas Smith
	Henry Taylor
Page 128	James Taylor
Dyer Loomis	Timothy Tuttle, Esq.
	William Wilson
	John Wilson