The borough of Geneva is situated in the northern part of Greenwood Township, on the line of the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad. It was incorporated as a borough in 1872 and the first election was held in March of that year. De Witt Harroun was appointed judge of election, and William Billings and Alfred M. Abbott, inspectors. Jonathan Smock was elected the first Burgess, J. H. Tiffany, Clerk, and James Hood, Constable.

Geneva, which has a population of about four hundred, was originally known as Sutton's Corners. In the spring of 1860 Peter and Sylvester Sutton started the first store, bringing the goods overland from Meadville. Miller Sutton had a blacksmith shop there, and several farmers and laborers were living on the site of the village. The southern part of the village was included in the farms then owned by John Sutton and John Gelvin, while C. G. Bolster and J. D. Christ owned what is now the northern part. In 1863 the railroad was constructed, and from that time the village has had a steady growth. It now contains stores of various kinds, hotels, shops, factories, a graded school and two churches. Jonathan Christ was the first postmaster, and he was succeeded by John Gelvin, who held the office many years.

The first school was held in a one-story frame building, situated on the southeast corner of Main and Center streets. In 1851 a second one-story frame structure was built, and in 1866 it was replaced by a handsome two-story building. In 1896 it was occupied by two schools, in session during eight months. Eighty scholars were in attendance and over eight hundred dollars were expended by the borough for educational purposes.

A class of the Methodist Episcopal Church used to meet for worship in a school-house about a mile east of Geneva, as early as 1820. A log church was built later on, a little east of the borough, and in 1843 this was replaced by a frame building on the same location. In 1858 the present building was erected in Geneva at a cost of $1,200. Thomas Abbott, Wyram Newton and John Sutton were early members. It was, in the early days, connected with the Salem Circuit of Mercer County, but has since been made part of the Evansburgh Circuit.

T. P. Abbott and wife, J. D. Christ and F. D. Gill organized the United Brethren Church in 1870. The first meetings were held in the school-house, but John Gelvin having donated a lot in Geneva, a handsome brick meeting house was erected there in 1872 at an expense of $3,000. Bishop J. J. Glossbrenner officiated at the dedicatory services. Its membership, though not large, includes many of the substantial citizens of Geneva and vicinity.