Yates County, New York

Businesses in the Town of Middlesex

From the History of Yates County, NY
published 1892, by L.C. Aldrich

pg.475 - 476

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Businessesof Middlesex     

Thelocality commonly called Vine Valley, in the town of Middlesex, is not only oneof the most interesting areas of the town, but it is one of the most fertile andproductive districts, especially in the staples, fruit and grapes, in the wholeGenesee county.  By reference to thechapter in this work which relates to the vineyards and their products, thereader will learn something of the peculiar value of this valley as a grapeproducing region.   

Middlesexhas been since its earliest settlement a peculiarly agricultural township and inthe pursuit of husbandry has the success of the town become established. Half a century ago legitimate  agriculturewas the only occupation of the people, but within the last quarter of a centurythe farmer�s mind and calling has been diverted somewhat into other channelsof trade and following, in that the region bordering particularly on the lakehas been turned from farms into extensive vineyards. For years the production of grapes and fruit has been far more pleasantand agreeable to the landowner, and what is still better, more profitable.  But this subject is made one of special and individualmention in one of the early chapters of this work and therefore need not bepursued further in this connection. 

Theonly settled locality in the town of any particular importance is that commonlycalled Middlesex Center; which, as its name indicates, is located in thegeographical center of town.  Butever the Center has never acquired a sufficient population to entitle it to acorporate municipal organization independent from the township at large.  The Center has a population of perhaps 200 souls and itsbusiness enterprise are confined to the neighboring saw and grist mills, the fewmercantile stores, and other necessary appendages of the settlement, theblacksmith, harness, wagon, shoe and joiners� shops. But the Center has its well ordered and well governed school, and has hadthree organized church societies, the Methodist Episcopal, the Baptist and theFree Will Baptist.

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