Daniel Penfield, town founder, lived from 1750 to 1840. An astute businessman, he recognized the power and potential of the waterfalls of Irondequoit Creek, purchased vast tracts of property along the waterway, and established a thriving milling industry and settlement that led to the designation of the Town of Penfield in 1810. His foresight and leadership created momentum for flour, grist, paper, wood, and other milling industries east of the Genesee River that served markets in the United States and Canada.