MILO CENTER
BY MRS. M L. SPOONER Printed Oct. 10, 1929
Village was first named Nichols corners after Innkeeper and Postmaster Isaac Nichols and others settled Community. In 1788 Jemima Wilkinson made fist home their name of township changed from Milan to Milo 111 years ago.
In 1788 Isaac Nichols his wife Anna Boon Nichols, in company with Stephen Card and wife, John Reynolds, also Peleg and John Briggs and others to the number of 25. All from Rhode Island, were the fist white settlers west of Seneca Lake. They were followers of the Universal Friend or Jemima Wilkinson, “steadfast and true”. They were looking for a “New Jerusalem” to form a settlement for the friend. The section on the west of Seneca Lake with the outlet from Crooked or Keuka Lake flowing into Seneca offered the facilities for mill power, hence the natural surroundings were the deciding factors in their location. It was in Aug. when they reached the end of their journey and they were the first to sow wheat in this section. Isaac Nichols, Peleg and John Briggs and Adam Hunt, the first, located on the “Garter”, which was a strip of land six miles long on the west side of the old Pre-emption line. Just how these first settlers managed to exist during this first winter history does not state, but tradition says they lived upon boiled beetles and Boeha tea they brought with them. They were isolated from all friends with no means of communication or place to buy supplies. The next season they were joined by more followers of the Friend and in 1790 the Universal Friend came herself after a journey of two weeks in her carriage, coming from near Philadelphia, where she had been preaching and living among the Quakers since 1782. Here she secured many more followers, some of who accompanied her to the New Jerusalem. The location seemed desirable and from the state they secured some 14,014 acres of land bordering on the west shore of Seneca Lake and proceeded to make a permanent settlement; but controversies arose in dividing the allotments and some of the followers who had preceded the Friend had effected locations which they wished to hold. So after four years the Universal Friend transferred her abode to the wilderness of Jerusalem come of her followers going with her and others remaining near Seneca Lake or near Nichols Corners.
The Friend returned, however at stated intervals to preach in the homes of her followers usually at Isaac Nichols home or at the house of Adam Hunt Sr. She made the trip on horseback accompanied by one or more women and escorted by several men on horses who would go to the home of the friends the night preceding so as to start early the next morning. The services were on Saturday with the Friend sitting in a chair while preaching; one of which is still in a grand state of preservation. Sunday was kept as a day of rest out of respect for others about them. Thus it will be seen that the early history of Milan was largely influenced by the life of the Universal Friend.
Later when a country about was being more thickly settled, Isaac Nichols built a hotel at the intersections of the roads and the place became known as Nichols Corners. Just how long it went by that name the writer has been unable to learn. In these early days, what is now Benton. Milo and Torrey, all belonged to Ontario County and shat is now Milo, west of the old Pre-emption, was known as Section No 7. This territory was in corporate as N. Bention in 1803. In 1818 Samuel Lawrence was one of seven members representing Ontario County in the Assembly. He secured a division of the town of Bento, forming a new town including No 7, east of crooked Lake and extending to the Seneca Lake on the east, bounded on the north by Benton as now and the south boundary about as now. This new town the representative intended to call Milan, but finding that town in Dutchess County bore that name, he quickly changed his Milan to Milo, which was and improvement at least. This adjustment of territory left the new town of Milo very nearly square with Nichols Corners about in the center of town. Hence does it not seem reasonable that Milo Center would be the natural turn of affairs? Furthermore a post office was established before 1839 with an Isaac Nichols as postmaster, another reason for giving the place a more cosmopolitan name. Yates County was organized on Feb. 5th, 1823, on Nov. 14th 1851. Torrey the last town in the county to be formed with territory took from Benton and Milo, the latter including the major part of the land belonging to the Universal Friend. The first town meeting held after the town of Milo was incorporated was in the home of Isaac Nichols on Apr. 7, 1818, and they were held at Milo Center until 1855 when they were transferred to Penn Yan.
Andrew F Nichols of Milo Center, Libbeus Nichols and Mrs. Dora Nichols Owens of Penn Yan with their families are descendants of Isaac Nichols.