History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 1

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) 1n; Lewis, J.W., & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 922


USA > New York > Clinton County > History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 1
USA > New York > Franklin County > History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 1


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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118 | Part 119 | Part 120 | Part 121 | Part 122 | Part 123 | Part 124 | Part 125 | Part 126 | Part 127 | Part 128 | Part 129 | Part 130 | Part 131 | Part 132 | Part 133 | Part 134 | Part 135 | Part 136 | Part 137 | Part 138 | Part 139 | Part 140


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Gc 274.701 C61 1136111


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GENEALOGY COLLECTION


ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01150 0177


Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015


https://archive.org/details/historyofclinton00hurd


MACDONOUGH'S VICTORY ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN. AND DEFEAT OF THE BRITISH ARMY AT PLATTSBURO BY GEN ! MACOMB, SEPT. 11TH, 1811.


HISTORY


OF


CLINTON AND FRANKLIN


COUNTIES,


NEW YORK.


llustrations and Biographical Sketches


OF:


ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.


PHILADELPHIA : J. W. LEWIS & CO. 1880.


-


PRESS OF J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., PHILADELPHIA.


PREFACE.


THE province of the historian is to gather the threads of the past, ere they elude forever his grasp, and weave them into a harmonious web, to which the art preservative may give immortality. Therefore he who would rescue from fast-gathering oblivion the deeds of a community, and send them on to futurity in an imperishable record, should deliver " a plain, unvarnished tale,"


" Nothing extenuate,


1136111


Nor set down aught in malice."


In such a spirit has the compiler of the following pages approached the work of detailing the history of the two counties embodied therein, and he trusts he has been fairly faithful to the task imposed.


The design of the work embodying the two counties of Clinton and Franklin was adopted, after much deliberation, as the one best adapted to produce a satisfactory record and avoid repetition. Clinton, the original county, included all our territory within its limits. The interests of both have centered in that old organization, and its history for a time is the history of Franklin also. This common interest we have endeavored to trace under the general history of the two counties. We have glanced at the discovery of the Western Continent by the Norsemen and subsequent explorers; have given a brief history of the rise and decline of the celebrated league of the Iroquois Indians, who inhabited this region prior to the advent of the white settler. A chapter is devoted to land-titles, giving a succinct account of various Indian treaties, etc., and the subsequent conflicting claims to territory within the present boundaries of this State. A history of the Revolutionary struggle, so far as it pertains to the section which we have under consideration, is next presented, followed by an exhaustive history of the war of 1812, and the invasion of Canada, known as the " Patriot War." Several chapters are devoted to internal improvements, giving a history of the various turnpikes, railroads, etc., closing with an elaborate history of Clinton and Franklin in the war of the Rebellion. Next, in the general arrangement, follows an exhaustive history of the two counties, with all their varied interests, presented in a concise and, we trust, pleasing manner. It has been our honest endeavor to trace the history of the development of this section from that period when it was in the undisputed possession of the red man to the present, and to place before the reader an authentic narrative of its rise and progress to the prominent position it now occupies among the counties of the State.


That such an undertaking is attended with no little difficulty and vexation none will deny. The aged pioneer relates events of the early settlements, while his neighbor sketches the same events with totally different outlines. Man's memory is ever at fault, while time paints a different picture upon every mind. With these the historian has to contend ; and while it has been our aim to compile an accurate history, were it devoid of all inaccuracies, that perfection would have been attained which the writer had not the faintest conception of, and which Lord Macaulay once said never could be reached.


From colonial and other documents in the State archives, from county, town, and village records, family manuscripts, printed publications, and innumerable private sources of information, we have endeavored to


3


4


PREFACE.


produce a history which should prove accurate, instructive, and in every respect worthy of the counties represented. How well we have succeeded in our task, a generous public, jealous of its reputation and honor, of its traditions and memories, of its defeats and triumphs, must now be the judge.


The following volumes were consulted in the preparation of this work : Morgan's " League of the Iroquois ;" Schoolcraft's " Notes on the Iroquois and American Indians ;" Stone's " Life of Brandt," " Life of Red Jacket," and "Life of Sir William Johnson ;" Lossing's "Field-Book of the Revolution ;" Thatcher's " American Revolution ;" .Barber's "History of New York ;" "Documentary History of New York ;" "Colonial History of New York ;" Hammond's " Political History of New York ;" Williams' " Register ;" Palmer's " History of Lake Champlain ;" Watson's " History of the Champlain Valley ;" Watson's " His- tory of Essex County ;" Hough's "History of St. Lawrence and Franklin ;" Kreutzer's "Notes and Observations made During Four Years of Service with the 98th Regiment, N. Y. V., in the War of 1861;" Spafford's "Gazetteer, 1813 ;" French's "Gazetteer, 1860;" session laws, State statutes, State and national census reports, adjutant-general's reports, muster-in and muster-out rolls, and innumerable pamphlets.


We desire to acknowledge our sincere thanks to the following persons, to whom we are under special obligations for much valuable information, which has greatly lessened our labor in the preparation of this work : Peter S. Palmer, George F. Bixby, R. R. Grant, Smith M. Wead, A. W. Lansing, J. W. Tuttle, George F. Nichols, Rev. D. T. Taylor, Mrs. Frank Palmer, Rev. Nathan Wardner, William Kreutzer, Sidney P. Bates, William A. Wheeler, A. B. Parmelee, Henry A. Paddock, F. D. Flanders, John Law, Fred. Seaver, O. P. Ames, Sidney Lawrence, William W. Paddock, and Leslie C. Wead. We desire also to acknowledge our sincere thanks to each and every one who has assisted us in the compilation of the work, and would cheerfully make personal mention of each, but it is impracticable, as the number reaches over a thousand.


PHILADELPHIA, PA., Feb. 5, 1880.


D. H. H.


1


CONTENTS.


HISTORICAL.


HISTORY OF CLINTON AND FRANKLIN COUN- TIES, NEW YORK.


CHAPTER PAGE


I .- Voyage and Discovery


9


II .- Champlain's Expedition


10


III .- The Iroquois


12


IV .- The Revolution .


14


V .- Extinction of Indian Title .


18


VI .- Land-Grants 20


VII .- IX .- The War of 1812


24-41


X .- The Patriot War . 41


XI .- Wolf-Hunting in Clinton and Franklin Counties-The Frauds of 1821 and 1822 44


XII .- The District of Champlain-Smuggling on the Frontier . 45


XIII .- Clinton Prison-Fort Blunder-Fort Montgomery 48


XIV .- XV .- Internal Improvements .


50-60


XVI .- XXV .- Military History .


61-116


HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY, NEW YORK.


XXVI .- The First Settlements . 117


XXVII .- Organization of Clinton County 117 .


XXVIII .- Political History


. 121


XXIX .- Bench and Bar 124


XXX .- The Press


130


XXXI .- Medical Society 132


LXXXVIII .- Constable 469


LXXXIX .- Dickinson


475


XXXIII .- The Common Schools


140


XXXIV .- Statistical .


. 141


XXXV .- XLII .- Plattsburgh


148-198


XLIII .- Altona.


198


XLIV .- XLV .- Ausable


205-237


XLVI .- Beekmantown


237


XLVII .- XLVIII .- Black Brook


243-258


XLIX .- LI .- Champlain 258-276


LII .- LIII .- Chazy 276-299


LIV .- Clinton


. 299


SUPPLEMENT


508


BIOGRAPHICAL.


PAGE


Col. Frank Palmer


75


George L. Clark .


129


Rev. Nathan Wardner


91


Wendell Lansing


facing 131


Gen. Stephen Moffitt .


91


Dr. James K. Platt


. 135


Col. Frederick F. Wead


107


Dr. George D. Dunham


137


Col. George F. Nichols


facing


108


Zephaniah C. Platt


facing I5I


Capt. Harry S. Ransom


Cyrenius Mead .


between 156, 157


Smith Mead


156, 157


Roswell A. Weed


facing I57


William W. Thomas


162


William Swetland


125


Almon Thomas .


164


Reuben II. Walworth, LL D.


125


Frederick L. C. Sailly


167


Winslow C. Watson


126


Matthew M. Standish


173


George W. Palmer


126


Cyrus G. Hull .


176


Peter S. Palmer . 126


Jorome B. Bailey


185


Smith M. Weed .


127


Merritt Sowles


191


Winslow C. Watson, Jr.


between 128, 129


CHAPTER PAGE


LV .- LVI .- Dannemora 304-312


LVII .- LVIII .- Ellenburgh 312-327


LIX .- LX .- Mooers


327-338


LXI .- LXII .- Peru


339-352


LXIII .- LXIV .- Saranac .


352-367


LXV .- Schuyler Falls


. 367


HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY, NEW YORK.


LXVI .- First Settlements . 375


LXVII .- Organization of the County 375


LXVIII -Political History 381


LXIX .- Bench and Bar 383


LXX .- The Press


388


L.XXI .- Medical Societies . 390


LXXII .- Societies 391


LXXIII .- The Common Schools 393


LXXIV .- Statistical .


394


LXXV .- LXXX .- Malone . 401, 432


LXXXI .- Bangor 432


LXXXII .- Belmont .


438


LXXXIII .- Bombay .


445


LXXXIV .- Brandon 449


LXXXV .- Burke


450


LXXXVI .- LXXXVII .- Chateaugay 455-469


XC .- Duane


479


XCI .- XCII .- Fort Covington


480-489


XCIII .- Franklin


489


XCIV .- Harrietstown 492


XCV .- Moira 492


XCVI .- Westville 496


XCVII .- Brighton 497


XCVIII .- The Adirondacks 497


J. Douglas Woodward


124, 125


Jolın Palmer


124


.


*


Moss K. Platt


192


.


112


George M. Beckwith .


between 124, 125


PAGE


5


XXXII .- Agricultural Society-Bible Society 138


6


CONTENTS.


BIOGRAPHICAL.


PAGE


PAGE


Joseph W. Tuttle


193


F. Amos Bowrn .


facing


364


Andrew Williams


195


George Parsons


365


Samuel F. Vilas .


196


John Huse .


366


Shepard P. Bowen


196


Lewis Lyon


. 366


Lucretia M. Davidson


197


Ira B. Vaughan .


367


James T. Mead .


facing 203


Peter Weaver


facing 368


Smith Wood


204


Jared M. Taylor


between 368, 369


David Bradford .


204


Richard H. Emery Chauncey Turner


Jacob Broadwell .


373


Edmund Kingsland


234


David Broadwell


. 374


Nelson Kingsland


235


Junius B. Weaver


. 374


Willis Mould


236 .


John Hutton


facing


383


Hon. Henry McFadden


facing 237


Horace A. Taylor


384


James F. Barnes


238


William P. Cantwell


385


Nathan Mason .


between 238, 239


Henry A. Paddock


386


David R. Parsons


240, 241


Frederick P. Allen


388


Jacob Reynolds .


240,241


Sidney P. Bates, M.D.


between 390, 391


Jacob Reynolds, Jr.


240,241


James S. Phillips, M.D.


390, 391


Capt. N. H. Mooney


241


Calvin Skinuer, M.D.


391


John B. Bertrand


242


Gideon C. Cotton


between 402, 403


Darius W. Marsh


242


Jchial Berry


facing


406


John Rca .


between 242, 243


Martin L. Parlin


408


James Rogers


257


Harvey Whipple


410


Albert Chapman


between 258, 259


J. B. Broughton


414


Lewuel North


260,261


Uriah D. Meeker


66


417


Levi R. Waters .


facing 264


Hon. William A. Wheeler


422


Caleb Leonard


between 266, 267


Samuel C. Wead


423


Ephraim Smith .


266, 267


Isaac Parker


424


Daniel G. Dodge


275


Rev. Ashbel Parmelee, D.D.


425


George Dudley .


276


facing 432


Charles M. Corpron


276


433


William Atwood .


between 280, 281


Leonard Fish


between 434, 435


Levi Atwood


facing 282


William Plumb .


434, 435


Asa Stiles .


" 283


Dr. Ira A. Darling


436


The Hedding Family .


283


. 437


Amasa B. Wood .


between 284, 285


Elijah A. Hyde .


. 438


Dr. William S. Housinger .


facing 286


George Winkley


between 440, 441


Horace Slosson .


288


Elijah M. Hedding


442, 443


Oliver N. Bullis .


297


William McRobert


facing 445


George McFadden, Jr.


298


Samuel Barlow .


.


.


448


Capt. George G. Brown


299


George L. Sargeant


facing 449


John W. Havens


facing 312


Gideon and George T. Collins


456


Aaron Sawyer .


between 318, 319


H. S. Farnsworth


between 458, 459


Luther S. Carter


323


Augustus Douglass


458, 459


H. H. Rust, M.D.


324


Artemas Earle


460, 461


Eben McPherson


324


Selden Phelps


460, 461


Lyman Sheldon .


325


Daniel S. Coonley


facing 462


John Haughran .


325


Oel Sunderlin


between 466, 467


John B. Sabre


326


Cyrus Merrill


466, 467


Abel Knapp


facing 328


Daniel Goodspeed


. 468


Stephen K. Smith


between 342, 343


Hon. Henry B. Smith


468


Job and Pliny Sherman, M.D.


344, 345


Geo. B. R. Gove .


faciug 480


Richard Keese .


. 351


J. W. Kimball


"


482


George E. Hallock


. 352


William Gillis .


484


Thomas Ward


facing 355


Chandler Ellsworth


between 486, 487


Walter F. Davidson


between 356, 357


S. E. Blood .


facing 488


E. J. Pickett


facing 358


Dr. Dana H. Stevens .


492


Elijah R. Stanton


360


Henry N. Brush .


16


494


James Littlejohn


361


Capt. John S. Stone


362


Joseph P. Hadley


= 496


.


372


Rufus Prescott


facing 211


373


Daniel Dodge


232


.


.


Henry D. Graves


257


Gardner A. Childs


413


Wells S. Dickinson


Hiram Taylor


.


Solon Reynolds .


317


Aruna S. Bryant


457


Clinton P. Sheldon


66


.


7


CONTENTS.


ILLUSTRATIONS.


PAGE


Macdonough's Victory on Lake Champlain (Frontis.)


facing title.


Map of the Battle of Valcour Island .


16


Rouse's Point and Vicinity .


.


50


Portrait of Col. Frank Palmer (steel) facing 75


Gen. Stephen Moffitt (steel) "


91


66 Col. Frederick F. Wead (steel) 107


Col. George F. Nichols 66


108


66 Capt. Harry S. Ransom 112


CLINTON COUNTY.


Map of Clinton County


facing 117


Portrait of George M. Beckwith


between 124, 125


J. Douglas Woodward 124, 125


Smith M. Weed (steel) facing 127


Peter S. Palmer 127


" The Poplars," Summer Residence of Smith M. Weed facing


128


Portrait of Winslow C. Watson, Jr. . between 128, 129


Portrait of George L. Clark


facing 129


Wendell Lansing


131


George D. Dunham (steel) 66


137


PLATTSBURGH.


Street View, showing Court-House, Episcopal Church, etc.,


facing 148


Residence of C. E. M. Edwards


148


Portrait of Zephaniah C. Platt .


66


151


Residence of S. F. Vilas


152


S. P. Bowen . 154


Portraits of Cyrenius and Smith Mead between 156, 157


Portrait of Roswell A. Weed facing 157


View of the Plattsburgh Academy


. 158


Residence of G. H. Beckwith


facing 160


Portrait of William W. Thomas


162


Almon Thomas


66


164


F. L. C. Sailly .


167


St. John's Roman Catholic Church, and portrait of Rev. R. J. Maloney . facing 168


Saranac Horse-Nail Company's Works 66 170


Residence of W. W. Hartwell (cast and west views) between 172, 173


Portrait of Matthew M. Standish facing 173


" Prospect Hill," Residence of Merritt Sowles


174


Portrait of Cyrus G. Hull .


" 176


View in Plattsburgh Cemetery


. 180


Plan of Graves of the Slain, and Inscriptions


. 181


Portrait of Jerome B. Bailey


facing 185


View of Fouquet House


.


.


185


Portrait of Merritt Sowles (steel)


facing 191


66 192


Androw Williams (stecl)


facing 195


S. F. Viłas


between 196, 197


Shepard P. Bowen


196, 197


ALTONA.


Residonce of David Bradford (with portraits)


facing 198


Portrait of Jamos T. Moad and Wifo


Smith Wood


204


AUSABLE.


Portrait of Rufus Prescott


facing 211


Daniol Dodgo (steel)


" 232


between 234, 235


234, 235


facing 236


BEEKMANTOWN.


PAGE


Portrait of Hon. Henry McFadden facing 237


Portraits of Jeremiah and Jas. F. Barnes . 238 .


Residence of James F. Barnes (double page)


between 238, 239


Nathan Mason (with portraits) 238, 239


66 Darius W. Marsh .


facing 240 .


Portraits of David R. Parsons and Wife


between 240, 241


Residence of Mrs. David R. Parsons . 240,241


240,241


Portraits of Jacob and Martin Reynolds


240,241


John and Jacob Reynolds


. 241


Residence of John B. Bertrand (with portrait) facing 242


John Rea (with portrait)


between 242, 243


Ira Rowlson .


facing 243


. BLACK BROOK.


Portrait of James Rogers (steel)


facing


252


John Rogers


254


Henry D. Graves (steel) .


257


CHAMPLAIN.


Portrait of Albert Chapman


between 258, 259


Residence of the late A. Chapman 258,259


Lemuel North


260,261


Portraits of Lemuel and Abijah North


260,261


facing 262 Residence of George Dudley (with portrait) Portraits of Levi R. Waters and Wife 264


Caleb Leonard and Wife . between 266, 267


Ephraim Smith and Wife 266, 267


Portrait of Daniel G. Dodge (steel) . facing 275


Residence of Chas. M. Corpron (with portraits)


276


CHAZY.


Portrait of William Atwood


between 280, 281


Portraits of William Atwood, Jr., and Wife 280, 281


Residence of William Atwood, Jr. facing 281


Portraits of Levi Atwood and Wife


282


Asa Stiles and Wife


66 283


Residence of Amasa B. Wood (with portrait) Portrait of Dr. Wm. S. Honsinger Horace Slosson


facing 286


288


Residence of O. N. Bullis (with portraits) .


297


Portraits of George McFadden aud Wife .


298


Residence of Capt. G. G. Brown (with portraits) facing 299


ELLENBURGH.


Portrait of John W. Havens


facing 312


Residence of H. H. Rust (with portrait)


314


Portrait of Lyman Sheldon


Aaron Sawyer .


317


" Clinton P. Sheldon between 318, 319


Residence of Mrs. C. P. Sheldon 318, 319


John Hangran (with portrait) facing 320


Luther S. Carter (with portrait) 323


Portrait of Eben MePhorson


325


John B. Sabro .


. 326


MOOERS.


Portrait of Abel Knapp


facing 328


PERU.


Residonco of Hon. Goorge Halloek (with portrait) . facing 339


Stephen K. Smith (with portrait) . between 342, 343


T. E. Shorman


" 344, 345


Portraits of Job and Dr. Pliny Shorman


..


344, 345


.


Moss K. Platt


Joseph W. Tuttle


. 193


.


203


66 Edmund Kingsland (steol).


Nelson Kingsland


Willis Mould


between 284, 285


314


Portrait of Capt. N. H. Mooney


8


CONTENTS.


ILLUSTRATIONS.


SARANAC.


Residence of Ira B. Vaughan (with portrait)


John Huse (with portrait)


Portrait of Thomas Ward .


Bowen & Signor's Iron-Works


356


Residence of W. F. Davidson (with portraits)


Portraits of Richard and E. J. Pickett


John, and E. R. Stanton, and Wife


Portrait of James Littlejohn


Capt. John S. Stone.


F. A. Bowrn


George Parsons (steel)'


Lewis Lyon . 366


SCHUYLER FALLS.


Residence of Junius B. Weaver


facing 367


Portrait of Peter Weaver .


368


Residence and Manufactories of Jared M. Taylor (with portraits)


between 368, 369


Residence and Mills of Chauncey Turner (with portraits)


between 370, 371


Residence of R. H. Emery (with portraits)


Jacob Broadwell (with portrait) .


373


Dewitt C. Broadwell (with portraits) 374


FRANKLIN COUNTY.


Outline Plan of Franklin County


facing 375


View of the Court-House and County Buildings 378


Portrait of John Hutton .


Horace A. Taylor


Henry A. Paddock


387


F. P. Allen


389


Dr. Sidney P. Bates


between 390, 391


66


Dr. James S. Phillips


390, 391


MALONE.


Residence of A. W. Ferguson


.


facing 401


06 G. C. Cotton (with portraits)


between 402, 403


Calvin Skinner, M.D. (with portrait) facing 404


"


. 406


Academy and Central School Building . 410 .


Portrait of Harvey Whipple


facing


410


Portrait of Chandler Ellsworth


"


486, 487


Portrait of S. E. Blood


facing 488


MOIRA.


Portrait of Dr. Dana H. Stevens


facing 492


66 Henry N. Brush


494


WESTVILLE.


Portraits of Joseph P. Hadley and Wife and Son


.


facing 496


THE ADIRONDACK REGION.


Portrait of A. A. Smith (steel) .


.


facing 497


Paul Smith's of the Adirondacks (double page)


between 504, 505


Church of St. John in the Wilderness


PAGE


Portraits of William and Caroline Plumb . between 434, 435


Portrait of Dr. Ira A. Darling (stcel) 436, 437


Residence of Ira A. Darling 436, 437 Portrait of Solon Reynolds


. 437 Residence of E. A. Hyde (with portrait) facing 438 .


BELMONT.


Portraits of George and Tamson Winkley . between 440, 441


Residence of Frank Winkley


.


J. W. Merrill (with portraits)


442, 443


Portraits of Elijah M. and Emeroy N. Hedding 442, 443


BOMBAY.


Portraits of William McRobert and Wife .


facing


445


Residence of Samuel Barlow (with portrait)


448


BRANDON.


Portraits of George L. Sargeant and Wife .


facing 449


CHATEAUGAY.


Old Homestead of Col. Thomas Smith


facing


455


facing 372 Portrait of Judge Gideon Collins


456


Portraits of Philip and Aruna S. Bryant


. 457


Portrait of Dr. H. S. Farnsworth


between 458, 459


Augustus Douglass 458, 459


Portraits of Artemas Earle and Wife


Selden Phelps and Wife .


460, 461


Portrait of D. S. Coonley .


facing 462


Chateaugay Academy and Union Free School


between 464, 465


Portraits of Oel Sunderlin and Wife . 466, 467


Portraits of Cyrus Merrill and Wife 466, 467


Portrait of Daniel Goodspeed


.


468


Portrait of Hon. Henry B. Smith (steel) . facing 468


DUANE.


Duane House, W. J. Ayers, Proprietor


facing


479


Portrait of T. V. Page


.


480


FORT COVINGTON.


Portrait of Geo. B. R. Gove


facing 480


Hon. J. W. Kimball . 482


Dr. William Gillis


484


Residences of Sidney and Chandler Ellsworth between 486, 487


Portraits of Gardner A. Childs and Wife


413


J. B. Broughton and Wife, and Rachel Broughton


facing


414


Portrait of Uriah D. Meeker


417


Hon. Wm. A. Wheeler


422


Samuel C. Wead (steel)


423


Isaac Parker


425


Rev. Ashbel Parmelee, D.D. 426


BANGOR.


Portrait of Hon. Wells S. Dickinson .


facing 432


Portraits of Hiram Taylor and Wife .


433


Leonard Fish and Wife .


PAGE


facing 352


354


355


between 356, 357


facing 358


360


361


362


364


66


365


between 434, 435


383


384


Portrait of Jehial Berry


Martin L. Parlin


408


460, 461


.


504, 505


440, 441


HISTORY


OF


CLINTON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES, NEW YORK.


BY DUANE HAMILTON HURD.


CHAPTER I. VOYAGE AND DISCOVERY.


The New World-First discovered in Anno Domini 986-The Norse- men-Herjulfson-Lief Erickson and his Adventures-Thorwald Erickson-His Death-Thorstein Erickson-Thorfinn Karlsefne- Christopher Columbus-John Verrazzani-John Cabot-Spanish, French, and English Claims to Territory -- The French and Indian War-Treaty of Peace.


THE New World, or Western Continent, was first dis- covered by white men A.D. 986. Herjulfson, a Norse nav- igator, in sailing from Iccland to Greenland, was driven by a storm to the coast of Labrador, or, as some historians seem fit to claim, to Newfoundland. The coasts of the new land being low, rocky, and otherwise uninviting, no landing was attempted. Thus Herjulfson first saw the new land, but it was reserved for other explorers to set foot upon its territory. The Norsemen returned to Greenland with won- derful stories of the land that they had seen, but no fur- ther attempt was made at discovery,


After the lapse of a few years an Icelandic captain, named Lief Erickson, who was possessed of a remarkable spirit of adventure, resolved to discover, if possible, the country concerning which Herjulfson and his companions had related such fabulous accounts, and in the year 1001 landed upon the shores of Labrador. He pursued his course southwest along the coast, and, finding the country pleasant and attractive, protracted his visit, and finally reached the territory embraced within the present State of Massachu- setts, where the intrepid explorers remained one year. They proceeded along the coast bordering upon Long Island Sound, and it is claimed that the persevering band found their way to New York harbor. Whether these hardy ex- plorers sct foot upon the soil of New York is of but little consequence, as voyages were subsequently made to these shores, and discoveries carried as far south as Virginia.


The return of the adventurers to their native country, with a description of the land through which they had passed, stimulated others with a desire to sec the new country, and in 1002, Thorwald Erickson, a brother of the former explorer, made a voyage to the coast of Maine, and as said to have ended his days in the vicinity of the present town of Fall River, Mass.


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In 1005, Thorstein Erickson, another brother, with a band of adventurers, landed upon our shores, and was fol- lowed in 1007 by Thorfinn Karlsefne, a celebrated mari- ner, who proceeded along the coast as far as Virginia.


The Norsemen were simply an erratic band of rovers. They made no settlements nor left any records of impor- tance concerning their discoveries. No real good whatever resulted from their voyages. The enthusiasm excited by first discovery gradually subsided, and, as there were no spoils in the wilderness to fall prey to the Norse freebooters or pirates, the further occupaney of the country was aban- doned, and the shadows which had been dispelled for a moment again gathered in; the curtain which had been lifted was again lowered from sky to ocean, and the New World still lay hidden in the misty future. Until recently historians have been ineredulous on the subject of the Norse discovery, but the fact is now generally conceded. We are in possession of no more reliable information than Hum- boldt's " Cosmos," but that may be eited as conclusive. " We are here on historical ground. By the critical and highly praiseworthy efforts of Professor Rafn, in the Royal So- ciety of Antiquaries in Copenhagen, the signs and docu- ments in regard to the expedition of the Norsemen to Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, or Vinland, have been pub- lished and satisfactorily commented upon. The discovery of the northern part of America by the Norsemen cannot be disputed. The length, of the voyage, the direction in which they sailed, the time of the sun's rising and setting are accurately given. While the caliphate of Bagdad was still flourishing, America was discovered about the year 1001 by Lief, the son of Eric the Red, at the latitude of forty-one and a half degrees north."


A period of four hundred and ninety-two years had elapsed from Lief Erickson's discovery, when Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa, Italy, touched upon an island, subsequently called San Salvador, and, planting the banner of Castile, formally claimed possession of the land in the name of the noble Isabella, Queen of Spain. He returned to Spain, and subsequently made two successive voyages to the New World, cach of which was fraught with great and lasting benefit to civilized Europe. In justice to Co- lumbus, this land should have borne his name, but through


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HISTORY OF CLINTON AND FRANKLIN COUNTIES, NEW YORK.


the artifice of a Florentine navigator, named Americo Ves- pucci, he was robbed of the honor, and it was bestowed on Vespucci, the least worthy of the many adventurers.


Not alone to Spain was left the control of the country which the genius and success of Columbus had brought to the knowledge of the world. France, ever regarding with a jealous eye the success of her formidable neighbor, was not slow to profit by the discoveries of Columbus. As early as 1504 the Normandy fishermen began to ply their vocation on the banks of Newfoundland, and in 1508 a number of the aborigines were taken to France. In 1523 a voyage of discovery was planned under the auspices of Francis I., and the command of the expedition was given John Verrazzani, a native of Florence. After a perilous voyage he discovered the mainland in the latitude of Wil- mington. After a sojourn of a few days he headed his vessel northward and sailed along the coast of Delaware and New Jersey, entered the harbor of New York, touched Massachusetts and Mainc, and continued his course along the coast of Newfoundland. At several points the enter- prising Florentine landed and opened a traffic with the In- dians, being always received with every evidence of friend- ship. He returned to France and published an account of his remarkable discoveries, and, naming the country New France, boldly asserted his claims to the sea-girt coast in the name of Francis I.




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