From History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase and Morris Reserve
by Orasmus Turner (1851)
p. 511 - 512

The early tavern keeper, Mr. Talmadge, resides upon a fine farm a mile west of Parma Corners; is childless; his wife, who was the widow of David Franklin, whose sudden death is noticed by Mr. Pierson, died in 1842.

REMINISCENCES OF LEVI TALMADGE

I was a resident of Wolcott, N. H. In 1803, James Wadsworth visited that town, called a public meeting, gave us a description of the Genesee country, and urged us to emigrate. Thomas Wiard, Benni Bishop, ---- Stebbins, Seymour Welton and Abel Curtis, with their families, and Ashbel Atkins, John Curtiss, and myself, unmarried men, formed an emigrant party. There was 38 persons in all. We came with seven wagons, forming a considerable cavalcade; were 21 days on the road. Geneseo was our destination; when we arrived there we were all quartered in some log houses that belonged to Mr. Wadsworth; were joyfully received by the settlers; we liked the country; and all were cheerful and happy.
I worked out by the month for a year or two; was engaged for some time in a trading excursion with James Rodgers who had settled in Canandaigua in an early day; we traded with the Indians in Allegany and Cattaraugus. I resided in Bergen from 1809 until 1811, in which last year, I came to Parma, and purchased the tavern stand and the small improvement of Hope and Elisha Davis. They had been Pioneers at Parma Corners; had built a comfortable block house. Hope died in 1846; his widow still survives; Elisha Davis removed to Riga.
There was settled at Parma Corners before the close of 1811, beside the Davises and myself: - Augustus Mather; he died four years since; his widow still survives; Mrs. Amos Webster of Parma is his daughter. Lendell Curtiss; emigrated to Michigan, some years since; Kinnicone Roberts died in early years; his widow is Mrs. Brewer of Ogden. Joshua Whitney, who in 1811 and '12, built a grist and saw mill on Salmon creek; he emigrated to Michigan, where he now resides. These were all at the corners and west of them, on the Ridge. Josiah Fish had removed from the Allan mills at Rochester, and resided on the Ridge east of the village.
Our first merchants at Parma corners, were Joseph Thompson and David Tuttle; their successors were, John Rochester and Harvey Montgomery; their successor was William M'Knight, now of Rochester. Dr. Gibbons Jewett, was our first physician; Gibbon H. Jewett, of Parma, is his son; he was an early supervisor and magistrate. John D. Higgins was the first settled physician in Parma; remained but two or three years and removed to Bath. Dr. John Scott practiced here in several early years.
Zolved Stevens settled in Parma in 1813 or '14; was a merchant and distiller; a supervisor and magistrate; died 12 or 14 years since.
Settlement was entirely suspended during the war of 1812; some left, but none came; and yet the beating up of recruits, the marching of soldiers, the transportation of supplies for the army, made brisk times upon the Ridge Road. It was a constant state of excitement and alarm, and little was done in the way of improvements by those who remained in the country. Hope Davis, the early Pioneer I have named, raised a volunteer company, and went to the Frontier; was at the battle of Lundy's Lane, and in several other engagements. I have a cannon ball that weighs sixty-eight pounds, that was fired from the British fleet, off the mouth of Genesee River. I saw where it struck, and went and picked it up.