This 1836 advertisement is of historic significance.  It shows that Samuel Warren was offering wine from his vineyard for sale at a remarkably early date.  Not only is it earlier than the usual 1860 date mentioned for the beginnings of commercial winemaking in New York’s Finger Lakes.[1]  It is also earlier than the 1839 date that Pinney (who had no access to information about Warren) gives for the founding, in Washingtonville, of the first successful commercial winery in New York State.[2] Based on evidence now available, it seems quite likely that Samuel Warren’s winery in the Town of York, Livingston County, NY, was the first successful commercial winery in New York State. The ad’s focus on the churches of western NewYork, and its appearance in the New York Evangelist exemplifies what Pinney calls “the ancient tradition linking wine and the church. . . .”[3]  Warren himself was a devout Christian and active in the Congregational Church in York. [1] Thomas Pinney, A History of Wine in America: From the Beginnings to Prohibition (Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1989), p. 197. [2] Ibid., p. 194. [3] Ibid., p. 196

YORK SOCIETY ACQUIRES PIONEER WINEMAKER HOMESTEAD

 For its new home the York Historical Society has just purchased from the estate of the late William R. Orwen the truly historic 1830’s Samuel Warren home on Dow Road in the town of York.  An unusually appropriate home for the Historical Society, it was originally the home of Samuel Warren, who was both the first commercial winemaker of Livingston County (and possibly first as well in the entire Finger Lakes region) and the one who first discovered in 1835 the salt that lies below the surface of the Town of York. 

            Facts uncovered by members of the Society require the revision of the usual history of Finger Lakes winegrowing.   Those accounts make no mention at all of Warren, and claim that commercial wine production in the Finger Lakes vicinity didn’t begin until 1860,  Rare, out-of-print documents, however, establish that Samuel Warren planted a large vineyard on his farm in the late 1820’s and that his wine production reached three thousand four hundred gallons in 1853. 

            After Samuel’s death in 1863 his sons continued the operation of York Wines as well as mills and a tile works until 1882, when the D L & W Railroad was granted a right-of-way that destroyed these early industries.  Perhaps it was no coincidence that Samuel’s son, civil war veteran Harlan Warren, who was operating the winery at the time, committed suicide in one of those buildings that same year.  Harlan and other family members are buried at “The Forks” cemetery, at the north end of the Retsof Road.

            Attorney for the Orwen Estate, Jon Porter, emphasizes how pleased William Orwen would be to have the home and grounds go to the York Historical Society.  Orwen, a retiree from SUNY Geneseo, wanted the public to enjoy the park-like grounds with their interesting specimen trees.  And the prospects for archaeological and educational work related to the 19^th century winery and other industries at the site would surely have pleased the late Professor as well.

            The upcoming public Open House events at The Samuel Warren House would also have pleased Orwen.  These are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, November 4 and 5 from 1PM to 4PM.  They will give all interested folks the opportunity to see the house and grounds just acquired, to learn more about the York Historical Society’s plans for the property, and how they can participate, through membership, tax-deductible donations, volunteering, etc.   The Society’s “new” home is located at 2431 Dow Road about a mile west of NY 36.  Dow Rd. is about a mile north of the Greigsville light where NY 36 and 63 intersect. 

 

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Samuel Warren		Our New Home

Samuel Warren Time Line