Angelica is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an o ...

in the middle of Allegany County,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, United States. The population was 1,284 at the 2020 census. The town is named after

Angelica Schuyler Church Angelica Church (née Schuyler ; February 20, 1756 – March 6, 1814) was an American socialite. She was the eldest daughter of Continental Army General Philip Schuyler, and a sister of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton and sister-in-law of Alexand ...

, a daughter of General Philip Schuyler, sister-in-law of

Founding Father The following list of national founding figures is a record, by country, of people who were credited with establishing a state. National founders are typically those who played an influential role in setting up the systems of governance, (i.e. ...

Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first United States secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795. Born out of wedlock in Charle ...

and wife of

John Barker Church John Barker Church, John Carter, (October 30, 1748 – April 27, 1818) was an English born businessman and supplier of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He returned to England after the Revolutionary War and served in the Hous ...

. The town was named by

Philip Schuyler Church Philip Schuyler Church (April 14, 1778 – January 1, 1861) was an American judge, landowner, and founder of the town of Angelica, New York. From 1798 to 1800, during the Quasi-War with France, he was a captain in the U.S. Army and '' aide-de-cam ...

, who was one of the original European settlers of the area, and the son of Angelica and John Barker Church. The

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...

of Angelica is located within this town.

History

The area was first settled around 1802 at Angelica village. The town of Angelica was formed in 1805 from the town of

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands. The city l ...

in Livingston County, before Allegany County was formed. Angelica is the oldest town in Allegany County. The town hall is housed in the

Old Allegany County Courthouse Old Allegany County Courthouse is a historic courthouse located at Angelica in Allegany County, New York. It was built in 1819 and used until 1892, when the county seat was moved to Belmont, New York. Since then, it has been used as school rooms, ...

, listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1972. Belvidere was also listed in 1972, and the

Moses Van Campen House Moses Van Campen House is a historic home located at Angelica in Allegany County, New York. It is a -story, L-shaped brick and frame house with a 2-story addition. It was built around 1809 by Moses Van Campen Major Moses Van Campen (1757– ...

was listed in 2004. Drawing of Philip Church from the New York Times

was a British-born merchant who made a fortune supplying the American and French armies during the Revolutionary war and helped fund the war. He married

, the eldest daughter of General Philip Schuyler. Angelica Church's sister Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton was married to

. In 1797, the young United States paid back its war debt to Church in the form of 100,000 acres of land in

Western New York Western New York (WNY) is the westernmost region of the U.S. state of New York. The eastern boundary of the region is not consistently defined by state agencies or those who call themselves "Western New Yorkers". Almost all sources agree WNY i ...

. John and Angelica Church's son

travelled to what is now Allegheny and Genesee Counties to take possession of the land, with his surveyor

Moses Van Campen Major Moses Van Campen (1757–1849) was a soldier during the American Revolutionary War. He was a prominent figure in Pennsylvania and parts of New York. His primary involvement in the Revolutionary War was in fighting against hostile Native Am ...

. A planned village was laid out with the plots and design to be reminiscent of

Paris, France Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

(a circular drive in the center, streets coming to that drive to form a star, and five churches situated around the circle). In the center of the circular drive is the village park. Philip named his planned village ''Angelica'', after his mother. The historian John S. Minard wrote of the town's establishment in ''Allegany County and Its People'' (1896):

"The town was formed by an act of the Legislature, passed Feb. 25, 1805, and described as "being in width twelve miles," just that of the Morris Reserve, and in length "from south to north extending thirty-four miles from the Pennsylvania line," taking in about two-thirds of the towns of Granger and Grove. It was taken from Leicester, and when erected was a part of Genesee county. (The village had been founded three or four years before, and named by Capt. Philip Church for his mother, Angelica, the eldest daughter of Gen. Philip Schuyler.

Philip left to marry Anna Matilda Stewart, daughter of General Walter Stewart in Philadelphia. For their

honeymoon A honeymoon is a vacation taken by newlyweds immediately after their wedding, to celebrate their marriage. Today, honeymoons are often celebrated in destinations considered exotic or romantic. In a similar context, it may also refer to the phase ...

, they traveled first by boat, then by raft as far west as Bath, New York, then on horseback to the banks of the

Genesee River The Genesee River is a tributary of Lake Ontario flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York in the United States. The river provided the original power for the Rochester area's 19th century mills and still provides h ...

. They constructed a small house, soon to be

whitewash Whitewash, or calcimine, kalsomine, calsomine, or lime paint is a type of paint made from slaked lime (calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2) or chalk calcium carbonate, (CaCO3), sometimes known as "whiting". Various other additives are sometimes used. ...

ed and known as the "white house". In 1804, they had their

mansion A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word '' manse'' originally defined a property l ...

built (known as "Belvidere"). It still stands on the banks of the Genesee near Angelica, New York.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.10%, is water. The Southern Tier Expressway ( Interstate 86 and

New York State Route 17 New York State Route 17 (NY 17) is a major state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in Mina and follows the Southern ...

) passes through the town. The

flows northward through the southwest part of the town.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 1,411 people, 564 households, and 382 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 38.7 people per square mile (14.9/km²). There were 774 housing units at an average density of 21.2 per square mile (8.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.87%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 0.28%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.50% Native American, 0.07% Asian, and 1.28% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 0.35% of the population. There were 564 households, out of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.4% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.03. In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.4% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $33,750, and the median income for a family was $37,891. Males had a median income of $28,958 versus $21,328 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $16,348. About 8.1% of families and 11.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in the Town of Angelica

* Angelica – The village of Angelica is centrally located in the town. It was formerly the county seat. *Bald Mountain – A prominent hill northeast of Angelica village. *Angelica Creek – A tributary of the Genesee River flows through the town and village.

Notable people

Calvin Fairbank Calvin Fairbank (November 3, 1816 – October 12, 1898) was an American abolitionist and Methodist minister from New York state who was twice convicted in Kentucky of aiding the escape of slaves, and served a total of 19 years in the Kentucky ...

(1816–1898), abolitionist minister, lived in Angelica and is buried in the Until the Day Dawn Cemetery. *

William B. Rochester William Beatty Rochester (January 29, 1789 Hagerstown, Maryland – June 14, 1838) was an American lawyer and politician from New York. Early life Rochester was the first child of Col. Nathaniel Rochester (1752–1831), founder of the City of Ro ...

, former US Congressman * Judson W. Sherman, former US Congressman * Cornelius Mortimer Treat (1817-1916), Wisconsin farmer, teacher, and politician, was born in Angelica. *

Harvey Ellis Harvey Ellis (October 17, 1852, Rochester, New York – January 2, 1904, Syracuse, New York) was an architect, perspective renderer, painter and furniture designer. He worked in Rochester, New York; Utica, New York; St. Paul, Minnesota; Minneap ...

(1852-1904), Arts & Crafts movement architect

Climate

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

system, Angelica has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freez ...

, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Angelica, New York
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References

External links

Town and village of Angelica official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Angelica (Town), New York New York (state) populated places on the Genesee River Towns in Allegany County, New York 1805 establishments in New York (state)