The opening of this road from Pennsylvania over a chain of mountains before reckoned impassable, excited the curiosity of the inhabitants in the adjacent country, and many were tempted to explore the Genesee lands, that, previous to this, had scarcely ever given them a thought. The idea of the immense distance was at once destroyed. At this early period, however, it was only men of observation that were pleased. Many returneil disgusted with the extreme inconvenience of travelling through a country almost destitute of inhabitants, for the distance of one hundred and seventy miles, and particularly when they found the only settlement in that part of the country depending on the Indians for subsistence.

In the spring o<f the year 1793, the scarcity of provisions that was felt so severely at the end of the preceding season, \vas considerably increased by the number of families that emigrated at this time into the county of Ontario. To keep the settlements together, an additional stock of provisions, consisting of flour and pork, w^as procured from Philadelphia and Northumberland, in Pennsylvania. By the assistance of this timely supply, several settlements were begun in the south part of the county, the principal of which was on the Conhocton Creek, on the road from Pennsylvania to Williamsburgh. In this place, then the centre of a wilderness of nine hundred thousand acres, the town of Bath was laid out ; and before the end of the season not less than fifteen families were resident in the village. Early in the season, a saw-mill had been finished ; and previous to the setting in of the winter, a grist-mill with a saw-mill nearer the town, were in great forwardness. In the year 1794, those who had moved into the cou!itry the preceding years, finding a ready money market for their produce, had made great exertions, and a considerable surplus was furnished by them to the new comers.