So in one version of the story, the person responsible for the founding of all of SW Rochester was a black enslaved woman named Jenny. SW Rochester was initially the settlement of Castletown at what is now Brooks Landing. The settlement was developed and owned by the Wadsworth brothers, James and William, who developed and owned the majority of land west of the Genesee River and who settled in Geneseo. They both came west from Connecticut in 1790 with three hired men and a “favorite family slave named Jenny.” Jenny is reported to have saved both of their lives when they were struck sick with swamp fever, and when James and the hired slaves went back to Connecticut, worked with William to build a house and survive the winter. William never married and family lore suggests that he and Jenny were together thereafter. If she was still alive, Jenny would have been emancipated in 1827, 37 years after coming to NY. Because the Wadsworths developed most of Western NY, Jenny was a huge part in that development. She was also reportedly a huge influence on generations of the Wadsworth family which included a Union General in the Civil War, and a US Senator. Jenny is reported to have had a daughter, and that daughter may or may not have moved to Liberia once it was founded.

From the D&C on 2/19/1984.

There is additional information on Jenny as well from Wayne Mahood’s book, General Wadsworth: The Life and Wars of Brevet General James S. Wadsworth. Here are some snippets, literally.

© words by Daniel DeMarle 2020