Fayette, New York
Encyclopedia
Fayette is a town
in Seneca County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 3,643 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Fayette is on the western border of the county and is southeast of Geneva
, New York
.
and was first settled around 1790.
The town was established from part of the Town of Romulus
in 1800 as the "Town of Washington," but adopted the current name in 1803.
In Fayette on April 6, 1830 Joseph Smith, Jr., who was from nearby Palmyra
, New York
, organized the Church of Christ, later to be known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in a log home owned by Peter Whitmer, Sr.
. Whitmer was one of five others besides Smith who formed the initial six members of what evolved into the LDS church.
In 1980 this reconstructed log home, built on the site of the original Whitmer home, was dedicated as part of the sesquicentennial celebrations of the LDS church founding. The dedication was done by then LDS church President Spencer W. Kimball
and was broadcast by satellite, as part of the semi-annual church General Conference, to many LDS stake centers around the world. The Whitmer log home continues to be operated as a religious historical site by the LDS church.
, the town has a total area of 66.5 square miles (172.2 km²), of which, 55.2 square miles (143 km²) of it is land and 11.3 square miles (29.3 km²) of it (17.00%) is water.
The west town line is Seneca Lake, and the east town line is Cayuga Lake
. The north town line is partly marked by the Seneca River
, which is part of the Cayuga-Seneca Canal
, linked to the Erie Canal
system.
New York State Route 89
, New York State Route 96
, New York State Route 96A
, and New York State Route 414
are all north-south highways through the town. New York State Route 336
is a short east-west highway between McDougall and Fayette.
of 2000, there were 3,643 people, 1,367 households, and 1,011 families residing in the town. The population density
was 66.0 people per square mile (25.5/km²). There were 1,680 housing units at an average density of 30.4 per square mile (11.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08% White, 0.52% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.05% from other races
, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.
There were 1,367 households out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples
living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,259, and the median income for a family was $52,163. Males had a median income of $34,457 versus $24,737 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $19,186. About 4.2% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Seneca County
Seneca County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,342 people, 12,630 households, and 8,626 families residing in the county. The population density was 103 people per square mile . There were 14,794 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 3,643 at the 2000 census.
The Town of Fayette is on the western border of the county and is southeast of Geneva
Geneva, New York
Geneva is a city in Ontario and Seneca counties in the U.S. state of New York. The population was 13,617 at the 2000 census. Some claim it is named after the city and canton of Geneva in Switzerland. Others believe the name came from confusion over the letters in the word "Seneca" written in cursive...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
History
Seneca was part of the Central New York Military TractCentral New York Military Tract
The Military Tract of Central New York, also called the New Military Tract, consisted of nearly two million acres of bounty land set aside to compensate New York’s soldiers after their participation in the Revolutionary War....
and was first settled around 1790.
The town was established from part of the Town of Romulus
Romulus, New York
Romulus is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 2,036 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the mythical founder of Rome, Romulus, a name assigned by a clerk with an interest in the classics...
in 1800 as the "Town of Washington," but adopted the current name in 1803.
In Fayette on April 6, 1830 Joseph Smith, Jr., who was from nearby Palmyra
Palmyra, New York
Palmyra, New York may refer to:*Palmyra , New York*Palmyra , New York...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, organized the Church of Christ, later to be known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in a log home owned by Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr.
Peter Whitmer, Sr. was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, and father of the movement's second founding family.Peter Whitmer, Sr. was born April 14, 1773 in Pennsylvania and married Mary Elsa Musselman. The Whitmers had eight children together: Christian, Jacob, John, David,...
. Whitmer was one of five others besides Smith who formed the initial six members of what evolved into the LDS church.
In 1980 this reconstructed log home, built on the site of the original Whitmer home, was dedicated as part of the sesquicentennial celebrations of the LDS church founding. The dedication was done by then LDS church President Spencer W. Kimball
Spencer W. Kimball
Spencer Woolley Kimball was the twelfth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1973 until his death in 1985.-Ancestry:...
and was broadcast by satellite, as part of the semi-annual church General Conference, to many LDS stake centers around the world. The Whitmer log home continues to be operated as a religious historical site by the LDS church.
Past residents of note
- Peter Whitmer, Sr.Peter Whitmer, Sr.Peter Whitmer, Sr. was an early member of the Latter Day Saint movement, and father of the movement's second founding family.Peter Whitmer, Sr. was born April 14, 1773 in Pennsylvania and married Mary Elsa Musselman. The Whitmers had eight children together: Christian, Jacob, John, David,...
, a prominent early MormonMormonThe term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
, one of the first six members of the church founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in 1830. The Peter Whitmer log homePeter Whitmer log homeIn the Peter Whitmer log home, many key events in Latter Day Saint history transpired. During the six months Joseph and Emma Smith lived with the Whitmers, a good portion of the Book of Mormon was translated there. It is near this location where The Three Witnesses were shown the plates by the...
was rebuilt in 1979-1980 by the LDS Church. - Red JacketRed JacketRed Jacket was a Native American Seneca orator and chief of the Wolf clan...
, "Saguwatha" ("the keeper awake"), the Seneca chief was born here. - Robert Scott DuncansonRobert Scott DuncansonRobert Scott Duncanson was born in Seneca County, New York in 1821. Duncanson’s father was a Canadian of Scottish descent and his mother was an African American, thus making him “a freeborn person of color.” Duncanson, an artist who is relatively unknown today, painted America, both physically...
, artist
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 66.5 square miles (172.2 km²), of which, 55.2 square miles (143 km²) of it is land and 11.3 square miles (29.3 km²) of it (17.00%) is water.
The west town line is Seneca Lake, and the east town line is Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake is the longest of central New York's glacial Finger Lakes, and is the second largest in surface area and second largest in volume. It is just under 40 miles long. Its average width is 1.7 miles , and it is at its widest point near Aurora...
. The north town line is partly marked by the Seneca River
Seneca River (New York)
The Seneca River in central New York flows from west to east, from Seneca Lake, through the Montezuma Marsh at the north end of Cayuga Lake to the Seneca's confluence with the Oneida and Oswego rivers at the Three Rivers area north of Syracuse. Much of the river has been channelized to form part...
, which is part of the Cayuga-Seneca Canal
Cayuga-Seneca Canal
The Cayuga–Seneca Canal is a canal in New York, USA. It is now part of the New York State Canal System.The Cayuga–Seneca Canal connects the Erie Canal to Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake. It is approximately long.-History:...
, linked to the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
system.
New York State Route 89
New York State Route 89
New York State Route 89 is a north–south state highway in central New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 13, NY 34, and NY 96 in the Tompkins County city of Ithaca to an interchange with NY 104 in the Wayne County town of town of Wolcott...
, New York State Route 96
New York State Route 96
New York State Route 96 is a northwest–southeast state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with NY 17 in the Southern Tier village of Owego, Tioga County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with...
, New York State Route 96A
New York State Route 96A
New York State Route 96A is a state highway in Seneca County, New York, in the United States. It is a north–south road between Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake, two of the Finger Lakes. NY 96A is two lanes wide for most of its length, with the exception of the long four-lane divided highway...
, and New York State Route 414
New York State Route 414
New York State Route 414 is a north–south state highway in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions of New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 352 in the Steuben County city of Corning to a junction with NY 104 in the Wayne County town of Huron...
are all north-south highways through the town. New York State Route 336
New York State Route 336
New York State Route 336 is a short state highway in the Finger Lakes District of New York, USA. The highway is entirely within the Town of Fayette in Seneca County....
is a short east-west highway between McDougall and Fayette.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,643 people, 1,367 households, and 1,011 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 66.0 people per square mile (25.5/km²). There were 1,680 housing units at an average density of 30.4 per square mile (11.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.08% White, 0.52% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.05% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.49% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.91% of the population.
There were 1,367 households out of which 33.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 20.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the town the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $43,259, and the median income for a family was $52,163. Males had a median income of $34,457 versus $24,737 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $19,186. About 4.2% of families and 4.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 4.1% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Fayette
- Canoga – A hamlet near Cayuga Lake by NY-89.
- Canoga Springs – A hamlet in the east part of the town on County Road 121.
- Fayette – The hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Fayette on NY-414 at the south town line. - Kuneytown – A hamlet south of Canoga Springs, located on County Road 154.
- Pastime Park – A lakeside hamlet on Seneca Lake.
- Rose Hill – A hamlet on NY-96A in the western part of Fayette.
- MacDougall – A hamlet on the south town line on NY-336.
- Seneca Lake State ParkSeneca Lake State ParkSeneca Lake State Park is located in Seneca County, New York in the USA. The park is at the north end of Seneca Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. The park is south of and between Geneva and Waterloo...
– A state park near the northwest part of Fayette at the Seneca River in the Town of Waterloo. - Teall Beach – A lakeside hamlet on Seneca Lake.
- WaterlooWaterloo (village), New YorkWaterloo is a village in and the county seat of Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 5,111 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the Waterloo in Belgium, where Napoleon was defeated...
– The south part of the Village of Waterloo is on NY-96 at the north town line. - Yale – A hamlet on the south town line on County Road 126.
- Yost Corners – A location near the town center.