Friends of Livingston County History

06/19/2026

🥁Are you descended from a Revolutionary War veteran who lived in Livingston County?

🎖️The Livingston County Historian is seeking local descendants to participate in an autumn recognition event as part of the 250th anniversary of the United States. Participating descendants will receive a small commemorative token.

Criteria:
🔹 You’re descended from a verifiable Revolutionary War veteran who lived in Livingston County.
🔹 You’ve done (or are interested in doing) a good-faith effort to document your lineage, or are a member of the DAR or SAR.

🔗The Historian’s Office is happy to help research your connection to a Revolutionary ancestor if needed.

⏰Deadline to be considered for this historic recognition is September 30, 2026. Share your contact and lineage information with the County Historian at 585-243-7955 or [email protected].

Government Appointed Historians of Western New York Mount Morris NY Historical Society Lima Historical Society - Tennie Burton Nunda Historical Society Nunda Historical Society

06/17/2026

📌 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀:
“𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 — 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝟮𝟱𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆”

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🇺🇸 𝗢𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗿𝘂𝗳𝗳 (1755–1845)

Among the Revolutionary War veterans buried in Livingston County is Oliver Woodruff, whose service to the cause of independence came at a great personal cost.

Woodruff was discharged from service on October 10, 1775, in the Northern Department, but later re-enlisted. During the war he was captured at Fort Lee and marched to New York City, where he was imprisoned in the notorious Bridewell prison.

After months of captivity, he was finally exchanged and released on December 26, 1776.

He survived the war, lived to the remarkable age of 90, and today rests in Union Cemetery in Livonia, New York, beside his wife.

Nearly 250 years after the Revolution, his gravestone stands as a reminder that the struggle for independence was experienced by ordinary individuals whose lives became part of our nation's history.

📍 Union Cemetery
Livonia, Livingston County, New York

🔗 Find A Grave Memorial:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17622417/oliver-woodruff

👉 Have you visited Union Cemetery or discovered a Revolutionary War veteran buried in Livingston County?

Share a photo, location, or story in the comments below!

📜 Follow along with us as we explore
“250 Years Ago in Livingston County.”

06/17/2026

📌 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀:
“𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 — 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝟮𝟱𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆”

06/10/2026

06/09/2026

📌 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀:
“𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 — 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝟮𝟱𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆”

🧬🇺🇸 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮'𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝗲 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗔𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿?

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, we're exploring the families and individuals whose stories helped shape Livingston County.

Many Revolutionary War veterans and patriots eventually made their way to western New York, and today their final resting places can still be found in cemeteries throughout the county. Their descendants—and the communities they helped build—remain part of our story.

📣 𝗪𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽!

👇 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲?

Do you recognize any names connected to:

⚔️ Revolutionary War service
🪦 Veterans buried in Livingston County cemeteries
🏡 Early settlers of the county
📖 Families appearing in church, land, or probate records

💬 Share a surname—or several—in the comments!

You might discover distant cousins, connect with fellow researchers, or help preserve a story that deserves to be remembered.

📌 Throughout the coming months, we'll be highlighting Revolutionary War soldiers and patriots buried in Livingston County as part of our journey toward America's 250th Anniversary.

⭐ 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝘀? 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆'𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁!

05/28/2026

📌 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀:
“𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 — 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝟮𝟱𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆”

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🪦 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 🇺🇸

This gravestone marks the burial of 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀𝗹𝗲𝗲, a Revolutionary War veteran buried in 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗲𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 in Avon, Livingston County, New York.

Like many veterans of the Revolution, Samuel Blakeslee became part of the early history of Livingston County after the war ended.

Across Livingston County, several cemeteries contain the graves of Revolutionary War soldiers—some marked with beautifully preserved stones, others weathered by nearly 250 years of history.

For nearly two centuries, these stones have stood as quiet reminders of Livingston County’s direct connection to the founding generation of the United States.

👉 𝗪𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽:

Have you come across a Revolutionary War grave in Livingston County?

📸 Share a photo, location, or name in the comments!

We may feature these stories as part of our 250th anniversary series.

🔗 Find A Grave memorial for Samuel Blakeslee:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/36651505/samuel-blakeslee

📸 Photo of Samuel Blakeslee’s gravestone in the first comment below 👇

📜 Follow along with us as we explore
“𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝗴𝗼 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆”

05/20/2026

**🇺🇸🚌 Revolutionary War Sites of Livingston County Bus Tour 🚌🇺🇸**

🎟️ Cost: $35 per person
📧 Reservation requests can be sent to: [email protected]

05/19/2026

“𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 — 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝟮𝟱𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆”

05/19/2026

📌 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀:
“𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 — 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝟮𝟱𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆”

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🗺️ 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗘𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱…

Livingston County wasn’t formed until 1821—but what was here in 1776?

At the time of the American Revolution, this region was part of a vast frontier shaped by Native nations, shifting alliances, and the pressures of war.

The Seneca, known as the “Keepers of the Western Door,” played a major role in the conflict in New York.

Just a few years later, in 1779, the Sullivan-Clinton Campaign would pass through parts of what is now our region, forever changing the landscape and the future of settlement here.

👉 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂:

Did your ancestors arrive in Livingston County shortly after the Revolution?

Do you know where they came from?

↠ Share your family’s origin story below 👇

📜 Follow along with us as we explore
“𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝗴𝗼 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆”

05/11/2026

📌 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀:
“𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 — 𝗧𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝟮𝟱𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆”

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🇺🇸 𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝗴𝗼… 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆

As we approach the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in 2026, we’re turning our focus to what was happening right here in Livingston County during the Revolutionary era.

In the 1770s, this land looked very different. Much of what is now Livingston County was part of the homeland of the Seneca people, one of the nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy). European settlement here would expand rapidly only after the war.

That means many of our county’s earliest settler families arrived because of the changes set in motion by the Revolution.

👉 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂:

How far back does your Livingston County family go?

Do you have ancestors who settled here in the late 1700s or early 1800s?

↠ Drop a surname or story below—we’d love to feature local families as part of this series!

📜 Follow along with us as we explore
“𝟮𝟱𝟬 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝗴𝗼 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆”