History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878, Part 1

Author:
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Fariss
Number of Pages: 932


USA > New York > Oneida County > History of Oneida County, New York, 1667-1878 > Part 1


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देने


சீகத்


974.701 On2d 1219087


GENEALOGY COLLECTION


E


ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01150 8568


E


Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015


https://archive.org/details/historyofoneidac00unse


1


LITH BY L. H. EVERTS, PHILA, PA.


TRENTON FALLS, N.Y.


1667.


HISTORY OF


10%


ONEIDA COUNTY.


NEW YORK.


WITH


Illustrations and Biographical Sketches


OF


SOME OF ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.


PHILADELPHIA: EVERTS & FARISS.


-1878.


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


Midlagel -$27.50


1219087


CONTENTS.


HISTORICAL


HISTORY OF ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.


CHAPTER


PAGE


I .- Physical Features


9


II .- Pre-Historie Raees


14


III .- Indian Occupation


15


XXVI .- Bridgewater 427


IV .- Protestant Missions 29


XXVII .- Camden


432


V .- French Discoveries 36


XXIX .- Florence


447


VII .- Land-Titles .


53


XXX .- Floyd .


449


XXXI .- Forestport 452


XXXII .- Kirkland 454


XXXIII .- Lee 472


480


XII .- Relief of Fort Stanwix


115


XIII .- Surrender of Burgoyne


131


XIV .- Sullivan's Campaign


141


XXXVII .- Paris 495


XXXVIII .- Remsen


507


XVI .- Internal Improvements


174


XVII .- The Oneida Civil List .


185


XVIII .- The Learned Professions


191


XIX .- Statistical .


239


HISTORY OF THE VILLAGE AND CITY OF


UTICA.


XX .- The Village of Utica .


. 257


HISTORY OF THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF ONEIDA COUNTY.


XXI .- City of Rome


363


XLIX .- Military History and Rosters


639


ILLUSTRATIONS.


PAGE


View of Trenton Falls (Frontispiece)


facing Title-Page.


Ballou Block .


facing 307


Map of Oneida County


facing


9


Portrait of John J. Francis


312


Portrait of Rev. Samuel Kirkland


29


E. B. Shearman


318


Map Oncida County, showing Patents, Land Grants, 1829 " 53


Utica City Library


320


Portrait of Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea)


70


Hackett's Block .


between 320, 321


Plan of St. Leger's March .


93


Portrait of C. Hackett (steel) 320, 321


Portrait of Peter Gansevoort


95


John Carton


facing 330


Plan of the Siege of Fort Stanwix


102


Owen O'Neil


334


" Battle of Oriskany .


105 .


Faxton Hospital


View of County Infirmary, Rome


faeing 234


Portrait of H. Barnard


= E. S. Barnum


Wm. J. Bacon .


347


Robert Middleton (steel) .


between 348-349


348-349


T. S. Faxton 66


facing 349


Hiram Greenman 66


between 350-351


Portrait of Francis Kernan


facing 257


Residence of Thomas Hopper


the late John Butterfield


hetween 264, 265


Wm. II. Watson (steel)


facing 352


Portrait of John Butterfield


264, 265


Ebenezer Leach


. 353


Hiram Greenman


facing 276


Jacob Hunt (steel) Alonzo Churchill (steel)


355


Josiah Rathbun


294


Alfred Churchill


355


James Benton .


298


John (Jean) B. Marchisi .


357


Horatio Seymour (steel) .


299


William Russell (steel) facing 358


Ellis H. Roberts


301


G. A. Foster 359


De Witt C. Grove


303


C. H. Hopkins .


359


.


382


Baron Steuben Monument


facing 637


Portrait of Col. Marinus Willett


638


Thomas Hopper


E. J. Richardson


350-351


Patrick Cassidy


.


351


Silas C. Greenman


"


276


.


3


587


XLV .- Western


593


XLVI .- Westmoreland 600


XLVII .- Whitestown. 610


XLVIII .- Biographical


628


XXII .- Annsville


403


CHAPTER PAGE


XXIII .- Augusta 409


XXIV .- Ava 417


XXV .- Boonville 419


XXVIII .- Deerfield


439


VI .- Settlements in the Mohawk Valley 45


VIII .- The Revolution


67


IX .- Second Meeting of the Continental Congress


81


X .- Burgoyne's Campaign . 91


XI .- St. Leger's Proclamation 101


XXXV .- Marshall


484


XXXVI .- New Hartford 487


XV .- Civil Organization


157


XXXIX .- Sangerfield


515


XL .- Steuben


526


XLI .- Trenton


534


XLII .- Vernon


570


XLIII .- Verona


580


XLIV .- Vienna


335


338


N. Y. State Lunatic Asylum, Utica


234


341


Plan of Rome, in 1810


264


facing 354


CITY OF UTICA.


PAOE


XXXIV .- Marey .


4


CONTENTS.


ILLUSTRATIONS.


PAGE


Portrait of Stephen Thorn .


.


360


FLOYD.


Portrait of Ingham Townsend .


facing


450


FORESTPORT.


Forestport Steam Mills (Denton & Waterbury, proprietors) facing


452


Portrait of Jonathan A. Hill (stcel) .


453


KIRKLAND.


Portrait of Thomas Dean .


facing 456


Horaee Bartlett


between 466, 467


Portraits of W. S. Bartlett and Wife .


466, 467


Residence of Wm. S. Bartlett


466, 467


John S. Barker (with inscription) .


facing


467


James L. Blackstone


467


Portrait of Marshall W. Barker


.


471


LEE.


402 Portrait of Andrew Davidson between 472, 473


Residence of the late Andrew Davidson


472, 473


Portraits of Curtis Spinning and Wife


474, 475


Roswell F. Spinning and Wife 66 474, 475


Lewis Eames and Wife . facing 476


Portrait of Jerusha Eames


478


James Eames, Sr. 478


James Eames, Jr. 478


Martin Washburn


.


.


480


MARCY.


Residence of James Cavana


facing


482


Edward T. Marson


483


Portraits of Edward T. Marson and Wife


484


MARSHALL.


Residence of Charles A. Hovey (with inscription)


.


facing 486


Mrs. Ira Melvin .


487


NEW HARTFORD.


Residence of George Hatfield


facing 490


Morgan Butler


= 490


Portrait of Charles McLean (steel) .


494


PARIS.


Residence of Moses M. Gray facing 496


Harvey Head 497


Portrait of Harvey Head 497


Jonathan E. Head . 497


Residence of L. and J. E. Head


66 498


Portrait of Lysander Head


498


Residence of J. P. Tompkins, with Portraits " 499 Geo. W. Chapman, William Richards 500 between 500, 501


Portrait of William Richards (steel) 500,501


Residence of George D. Dunham, with Portraits " 504, 505


Portrait of Darius Dunham


504, 505


Portraits of Stephen Chapman and Wife


facing 564


REMSEN.


Residence of Jerome B. Witherell, with Portraits


faeing 508


Property of J. R. and C. R. Thomas


509


Portraits of Evan Owens and Wife 510


Residence of Didymus Thomas, with Portrait . between 510, 511 510, 511


the late Robt. Roberts, with Portraits


Hugh Roberts, with Portrait 510,511


Chester G. Kent, with Portraits


facing 511


John James,


512


James Mitchell,


513


Portrait of Milo Mitchell


. 513


Henry Patrick, with Portrait


365


Portrait of A. Ethridge


66 368


N. Hyde Leffingwell


" L. Zenana Leffingwell


370


Residenee of D. M. Crowell, with Portraits between 370, 371


Portraits of Elijah Crowell and Wife 370, 371


Residence of Jonathan Talcott facing 374


E. B. Armstrong, with Portrait


386


George Abbe, with Portraits


387


Portrait of Harold H. Pope


392


Roland S. Doty


396


D. M. K. Johnson (steel)


401


M. C. West (steel) .


ANNSVILLE.


Portraits of Nelson Dawley and Wife


Harrison Lillybridge and Wife


406


Portrait of W. J. Lasher


408


AUGUSTA.


Residence of George W. Dodge


facing 412


66 W. G. Strong


413


BOONVILLE.


Portrait of Thomas Traffarn


facing 420


Residence of John M. Fisk, with Portraits


422


Portraits of Walter Booth and Wife . 423


Residence of Samuel Johnson, with Portrait


424


B. O. Jackson, with Portraits


425


Portrait of A. L. Hayes


426


66 P. B. Shultz


66


426


BRIDGEWATER.


Residence of S. Bailey


facing 428


W. N. Southworth


428


Portrait of Silas B. Wood .


429


Nehemiah N. Peirce


430


Oid Homestead of Jesse Ives


66


432


CAMDEN.


Residence of E. B. Upson


facing 432


J. G. Dorranee, with Portrait


436


McCall Bros. Canning-Factory


437


Portraits of Francis Skinner and Wife


439


DEERFIELD.


Residence of Archibald Blue (double page) between 440, 441


L. C. Schermerhorn


440, 441


Allen L. Blue 440, 441


Portrait of Duncan Blue .


440, 441


440, 441


Residence of Peter Walker


66 James M. Cox, with Portraits


Stephen Northup (double page)


Robert Coventry .


facing 442


Franklin S. Davis (double page) .


between 442, 443


Giles Smith . facing 443


Portrait of Alexander Coventry


. 444


Robert Coventry


445


Aaron Barnes


445


Pratt Smith . 446


FLORENCE.


Residence and Tannery of W. W. Graves


between 448, 449


Portraits of W. W. Graves and Wife


448, 449


PAGE


John B. Wells (steel)


facing 360


Philo Gridley .


. 362


CITY OF ROME.


Residence of A. Ethridge .


facing 364


440, 441


440, 441


440, 441


Allen L. Blue .


facing


404


370


5


CONTENTS.


ILLUSTRATIONS.


SANGERFIELD.


PAGE


PAGE


Residence of Daniel G. Dorrance


facing 572


Silas B. Croeker


between 572, 573


Portraits of Silas B. Crocker and Wife


572, 573


Portrait of Timothy Jenkins


facing


576


Daniel G. Dorrance (steel)


.


580


VIENNA.


Portrait of John D. Yager


592


Residence of Samuel Faulkner


facing 592


WESTERN.


Residence of Henry G. Reid, with Portrait Portrait of Thomas McMullin


facing 593


Residence of the late Moses T. White 596


Israel White


596


66 John Ellis


between 596, 597


Henry R. Hill, with Portraits 596, 597


C. W. and J. Porter, with Portraits facing 597


Portrait of Gen. Henry W. Halleck . 597


Jahez Hallock, Jr. . 599


facing


Jahez Halleek 599


Joseph Halleek 599


Jerome V. Gue


600


WESTMORELAND.


Portraits of Amos Barns and Wife . facing 602


Erastus W. Clark (steel)


609


"Union Hall," William P. Dodge, proprietor


66


560


Property of Henry Joy


561


WHITESTOWN.


Portrait of Philo White facing 614


Mrs. Nancy R. White


614


Portrait of George Watkins


568


"Evergreen Lawn," Residence of W. D. Waleott


615


Portrait of Samuel Campbell (steel)


627


BIOGRAPHICAL.


PAGE


Hon. Franeis Kernan


. facing 257


Stephen Thorn .


360


John Butterfield .


hetween 264, 265


Philo Gridley


361


Josiah Rathhun .


facing


294


N. Hyde Leffingwell .


facing 370


James Benton


" 298


Daniel M. Crowell


between 370, 371


Hiram Denio


299


Harold H. Pope .


facing 392


Horatio Seymour


299


Roland S. Doty .


396


Ellis H. Roberts


facing 80


301


D. M. K. Johnson


401


De Witt C. Grove


303


M. Calvin West .


401


John J. Francis .


312


Henry Patrick .


402


E. B. Shearman .


Phineas Abbe


402


John Carton


E. B. Armstrong


402


Owen O'Neil


Nelson Dawley .


facing 8.0


404


H. Barnard


338


Harrison Lillyhridge .


406


E. S. Barnum


William J. Lasher


. 408


William J. Bacon


346


Thomas Traffarn facing


420


Rohert Middleton


347


Walter Booth 423


429


Theodore S. Faxton


349


Nehemiah N. Peirce


430


Hiram Greenman


349


S. Bailey


432


Eaton J. Richardson .


350


Francis Skinner .


439


Patrick Cassidy .


351


Alexandor Coventry


444


William H. Watson


351


Allen L. Blue


445


Ebenezer Leach .


353


Aaron Barnes


445


Jacob Hunt


354


Peter Walker


445


Corden Hackett .


354


Pratt Smith


446


Alfred Churchill


355


James Cox .


446


Alonzo Churchill


355


Levi C. Schermerhorn


446


Jean Batiste Marchisi


356


William W. Graves


between 448, 449


William Russell .


358


facing 450


Gilbert A. Foster


358


Jonathan A. Hill


453


Charles H. Hopkins


359


Thomas Dean


facing 456


John B. Wells .


360


William S. Bartlett


between 466, 467


6


R. P. Roherts, 528, 529


R. R. Roberts, facing 529


Portrait of William Lewis


530


Residence of the late Rev. R. Everett, D.D., with Portraits 532


Portrait of Sarah Porter


534


.


Morris W. Morris facing 368


TRENTON.


Residence of William H. Comstock . facing 536


Miss Mary R. Willard


Francis A. Wilhur 540


J. J. Davis 541.


D. A. Crane, with Portrait 544


Alexander Pirnie,


545


Mrs. Francis Guiteau, with Portraits 550


Portraits of William J. Baheock and Wife


554


Portrait of Sylvanus Ferris


560


Residence of Colonel T. H. Ferris, with Portraits


565


Portraits of William Perkins and Wife


566


Paseal C. J. De Angelis (steel)


facing


569


VERNON.


Portrait of Francis Marion Stetson . 525


Daniel Livermore


James G. Preston


526


STEUBEN.


"Crigga," residence of John R. Griffith


facing 528


Residence of Richard D. Davis


528


John C. Owens, with Portraits between 528, 529


525


50


52


7


Ingham Townsend


Thomas Hopper .


348


Silas B. Wood


318


330


334


341


PAGE


594


540


6


CONTENTS.


BIOGRAPHICAL.


PAGE


PAGE


James L. Blackstone .


471


William J. Babcock .


facing 554


Marshall W. Barker


471


Colonel Timothy H. Ferris


· 565


John Kirkland . ,


472


William Perkins


566


Andrew and Alexander Davidson


between 472, 473


Alexander Pirnie


566


Curtis Spinning .


474, 475


Francis Guiteau


567


Roswell F. Spinning .


474, 475


D. A. Crane 567


Lewis Eames


facing 476


George Watkins 568


James Eames


478


William P. Dodge


568


Martin Washburn


480


Pascal C. J. De Angelis


569


Edward T. Marson


483


Ephraim Willard


570


Ira J. Melvin


487


F. A. Wilbur .


570


William Richards


between 500, 501


Silas B. Crocker


between 572, 573


Darius Dunham .


504, 505


Timothy Jenkins


facing 576


Stephen Chapman


507


Daniel G. Dorrance


580


Evan Owens


facing 510


John D. Yager .


592


Chester G. Kent


511


Thomas McMullin


594


Robert and Hugh Roberts .


511


Jeptha Brainard


. 597


John James


512


General Henry W. Halleck


597


Jerome Witherell


512


Henry R. Hill .


598


John R. Thomas


512


C. W. and J. Porter


598


Milo Mitchell


513


The White Family


598


James Mitchell .


513


Jabez Hallock, Jr.


facing 599


Didymus Thomas


514


The Hallock Family


599


Francis Marion Stetson


525


Jerome V. Gue .


600


Daniel Livermore


525


Henry L. Reid .


600


James G. Preston


526


Amos Barns


facing 602


William Lewis


facing 530


Erastus W. Clark


. 609


John R. Griffith .


531


Philo White


facing 614


Dr. Everett


532


Benjamin S. Walcott .


626


Richard R. Roberts


533


Samuel Campbell


627


Richard P. Roberts


534


Baron Steuben .


628


John C. Owens .


. 534


Colonel Marinus Willett


638


INTRODUCTORY.


" Time rolls his ceaseless course. The race of yore, Who danced our infancy upon their knee, And told our marveling boyhood legends' store Of their strange ventures happ'd by land or sea, How are they blotted from the things that be ! How few, all weak and withered of their force, Wait on the verge of dark Eternity,


Like stranded wrecks,-the tide returning hoarse


To sweep them from our sight : Time rolls his ceaseless course." SCOTT.


THE task of writing the history of Oneida County is one of no small magnitude. Geographically it occupies a most remarkable position in the centre of that grand arch of wealthy counties which reaches from the Hudson to Lake Erie. In ancient days it was the home of one of the nations of the most remarkable confederacy of savage people of whom we have any history. The great war-trails of the children of the forest passed along its principal valleys, and these have been succeeded in recent times by the turnpike, the canal, and the iron way, over which have passed an unmeasured commerce and an unnumbered army of immi- gration.


For more than a century it was the pathway of the armies of Gaul and Britain, and, during the Revolution, the centre of attraction by reason of its commanding loca- tion. Battles and sieges have made its grand old woods echo with the thunders of war, and the cries of murdered innocence have mingled with the thrilling yell of the Iroquois amid the smoke of conflict.


Into its pathless wilds came the son of the church, far in advance of permanent settlement, risking, and often losing, his life in the vain endeavor to tame and elevate the savage, whose barbarous instincts were tenacious as those of the wild ostrich in the desert.


Its early settlers were the avant-couriers of various nationalities : phlegmatic sons of the Netherlands ; exiled Palatinates from the banks of the Rhine; sturdy farmers from the " Merry Isle"; wearers of the bonnie Highland plaid and plume; wanderers from the banks of Shannon .; hardy men and women from the classic land of the Druids; bold and venturesome men of rugged New England, and even the gay and chivalrous sons of France, here sought and found a home on the very verge of civilization. And within the compass of a century the wilderness has been


subdued and made literally "to blossom as the rose"; and where spread the sombre forest over leagues of hill and dale, and only wild beasts and wilder men were found, is now the home of more than a hundred thousand civilized beings, the abode of Peace and busy industry, of intelli- gence and refinement.


The materials for a history of this wonderful region are abundant and accessible, but the difficulty that confronts the historian consists more in a judicious choice from amid the accumulated mass than in the labor involved in collect- ing, and the exercise of careful discrimination and sound judgment ,are of the first importance.


It has been the desire and aim of the compilers of this work to avail themselves of every possible means of infor- mation within their reach, and many thousand pages of the writings of various authors have been carefully read and utilized in the course of its preparation. Among the works examined may be mentioned the " Documentary and Colo- nial History of New York," Parkman's Works, Smith's " History of the State," Hammond's "Political History," " Annals of Tryon County," Stone's "Life of Brant," " Annals of Oneida County," Morgan's " League of the Ho- de-no-sau-nee," Colonel Willett's "Narrative," Dr. Bagg's " Pioncers of Utica," " Ancient America," Squier's " An- tiquities of New York," Oriskany "Centennial Volume," " Lectures and Addresses of Ex-Governor Seymour," sev- eral local histories, Craig's "Olden Time," the State civil list, legislative manuals, reports of the adjutant-general, " Gazettecr of the State," various works on geology, records of the courts, supervisors, and societies, city and county directories, newspaper files, Lives of Baron Steuben, Dr. Kirkland, and others, " Battles of the United States," " Annals of the West," etc.


In addition to the vast amount of printed information obtained, we have visited every portion of the county, and consulted the oldest living settlers, town authorities, and officers of various societies, churches, schools, etc., and endeavored to the best of our abilities to collect whatever of information, both local and general, could be found.


That we have seen cvery one who might have furnished information we do not pretend, for such a labor would have required years, and produced a work voluminous beyond the possibility of remunerative publication. Our object has


7


9


4


3


69 70


5


8


INTRODUCTORY.


been to get what was reliable upon all important subjects, and utilize it to the best possible advantage in a volume combining utility and variety, and sufficiently voluminous to satisfy the just expectations of our patrons and the public generally. Our best endeavors have been given to insure accuracy and reliability, without verbosity and useless multiplication of language.


It has been deemed eminently proper that the early his- tory of the county and the various towns should occupy the most important portion of the work, leaving to the future historian the task of preserving whatever may be of value in the passing events of to-day. We have labored assiduously in this magnificent field, whose materials can never be exhausted, and have everywhere met with gener- ous consideration and received valuable assistance from hundreds in all the walks of life, without which our labors would have been practically in vain.


How far our efforts have been commensurate with the importance of the subject is for the people of Oneida County to determine. All we can do is to commit the work to their hands, with the assurance that we have labored faithfully and honestly, and with the hope that they will be reasonable in their criticisms.


The various chapters have been made as complete as our space and the means at hand permitted. In some matters


we have been considerably disappointed, more particularly in obtaining the history of the various military organiza- tions which went out from the county during the War of the Rebellion, and which we had reasonable assurances would be furnished by parties familiar with the subject. In most respects we have been greatly favored.


It would be impossible to mention by name all those who have aided and assisted us in the compilation of the work, but to the following-named persons we are under special obliga- tions for valuable favors rendered : Hon. Horatio Seymour, Hon. William J. Bacon, Hon. Ellis H. Roberts, John F. Seymour, Esq., Joseph B. Cushman, Esq., the various county and city officials, Dr. M. M. Bagg, the press gen- erally, Hon. Horace Capron, of Washington, D. C., Rev. Marinus Willett, of Westchester County, Dr. John P. Gray, of the State Lunatic Asylum, Professor Edward North, of Hamilton College, T. S. Faxton, Esq., Professor Andrew McMillan, superintendent of city schools, Henry S. Miller, Esq., Frank H. Latimore, city librarian, T. D. Curtis, Esq., Dr. D. G. Thomas, Dr. Charles P. Russell, Dr. L. B. Wells, Dr. C. E. Chase, the clergy generally, and the principal manufacturers. To all others we would hereby acknowledge our sincere obligations.


SAMUEL W. DURANT. UTICA, September, 1878.


Outline Plan of


T


T


ONEIDA N.Y.


N


Scale 34Mileto 1Inch.


2


W


FOREST


BoonvillePO


Florence Hill


Florence PO


EVOR


EN C


BO ON


-


Einpevville


Port


East FlorenceRo.


West Camden


/


Thunsony Cor.


HurIbut ville


AldenCreek


Zack River


C A M


E


IN


West BranchEof


/Brook PO.


Steubent Sta


0


Hemnere


Monaw


East Steuben


-


R


-


Elpais


P.O./Stokes .O.


Steuben Cors Steuben (P.O.


I


E


N


# S


Prospect P.O.


R


Hest Vielma


PO Nord Bay


PO


P.O.


Como den PO.


Fiskiereck


LandingWood


Canada Creek


theomstille


tanw


Dunbarton


ERIE


3


State Bridge


0


A\ Space Settlement Oriskal E Eureki


M


ARCY Mar cy P.O


M


Thamville


Towell 7


Pleasant Valle


Verona Depoi


Bartlett P.G.


Colemans Mills .. WING


bord estown P.O.


/P.O


D


Vernon


PO.


N


Deerfield Cor s Deerfield P.O.


PO.


Lairsville


Uttica Cotton Mats


Oneidas Community


ER N


P.O. Kirkfind N E W


UTICA


Vernon Conter!


Clinton Mills. P.O. CANTAI


MIDLAND A R. UTICA


New HartfordP.O


College Phil


HARTFORD


Clinton P.O.


0


Franklin Trong Works Washington Mills PO.


KIR AN


NGO


Farmers


PO.


Knoxbygg Deausville./ CHENA


iskany


SaufmuoftP.


ParisHil


- AUGUST A PO.B Peck's Corn's


Paris R


Augusta, Center


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. HISTORY


OF


ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.


BY SAMUEL W. DURANT.


CHAPTER I.


PHYSICAL FEATURES.


GEOGRAPHY.


THE geographical position of Oncida County is a re- markable one. Situated in the centre of the State, it forms the keystone of that magnificent arch of wealthy and populous counties whose extremities rest upon Long Island Sound and Lake Erie, and including the beautiful and historie valleys of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers, the group of charming lakes having the Oswego River for their common outlet, and taking in the fairest and richest portion of the famous " Genesce Country," the granary of the State.


The commercial metropolis of the county, the beautiful eity of Utica, may well be termued the " central city," for it stands very near the geographical centre of the Common- wealth, and in the most delightful portion of the Mohawk Valley. Rome, in the centre of the county, and its demi- capital, is distant 110 miles from Albany, and stands immediately on the water-shed which divides the head- streams of the St. Lawrence and the Hudson, the gateway through which passes the mighty stream of commerce and travel between the Atlantic and the great West.


Within the borders of the county are the springs from whence flow in various directions the waters that mingle with the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean at New York. The principal streams are the Mohawk and Black Rivers, and Wood and Oneida Crecks, with their affluents.


The Mohawk River and its branches, West Canada, Sauquoit, Oriskanv. Nine-Mile, and Lansing Kill Creeks, drain the central and eastern portions of the county ; Black River the extreme northeastern portion; Wood Creek and its branches, Fish Creek, Mad River, and Little River, the northwestern; and Oneida Creek the southwestern por- tions. In the western part of the county lie a portion of Oncida Lake, the towns of Vienna and Verona, includ-


ing about 10,000 square acres of its arca, whose total is given in the Gazetteer of the State at 57,000 acres. In the town of Forestport is a cluster of small lakelets, the largest of which are Long and White Lakes, cach contain- ing perhaps a square mile of surface ; and there are natural ponds in Ava, Boonville, New Hartford, Sangerfield, Vienna, and perhaps other towns. Three of the great canals of the State are partly within the county, the Erie, Black River, and Chenango, and the Black River feeder, which runs from the State reservoir, in the town of Forest- port, to the village of Boonville, a distance of 123 miles.


Area .- The superficial area of the county, according to the State Gazetteer (a very reliable authority), is 1215 square miles, equivalent to 777,600 square acres, being not far from the area of the State of Rhode Island .*


Boundaries .- Oncida County is bounded on the north by Lewis and Oswego, on the South by Otsego and Madi- son, on the east by Herkimer, and on the west by Madi- son and Oswego Counties.




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