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Gc 974.701 t8h 1753024
A
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01150 8691
Gc 974.701 0t8h 1753024
840
-
-1740 .-
HISTORY OF
OTSEGO COUNTY,
N. 1.
NEW YORK.
.
WITH
Illustrations and Biographical Sketches
SOME OF ITS PROMINENT MEN AND PIONEERS.
PUBLISHED BY EVERTS & FARISS, 714-16 Filbert Street, Philadelphia.
1878. 040
------------
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015
https://archive.org/details/historyofotsegoc00hurd
ITIS ENVNUAS S
1753026
ELLI DoXOSax
₪
VIEW OF LEATHER STOCKING FALLS .
CONTENTS.
HISTORICAL.
HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY.
PAGE
XLI .- Town of Hartwick
156
I .- Voyage and Discovery .
9
XLII .-
continued
161
II .- The Iroquois.
10
XLIII .-
Laurens .
continued .
172
IV .- The Revolution 14
XLV .-
Maryland
175
V .- The Massacre of Cherry Valley
15
XLVI .- 66
continued 180
18.4
VII .- Extinction of Indian Title .
20
XLVIII .-
158
VIII .-- The Close of the Revolution-Influx of Settlers . IX .- Early Customs
21
XLIX .-
Milford .
" continued .
795
X .- Organization of Otsego County
23
II .-
Morris
201
XI .- Geographical-Topographical -- Geological .
24
LII .-
continued
211
XII .- Political History .
25
LIII .-
New Lisbon
219
XIIJ .- Bench and Bar
29
LIV .-
Onconta .
223
XIV .- The Press
32
LV .-
continued .
228
XV .- Medical Societies, etc. .
35
LVI .-
231
XVI .- The Common Schools
37
LVII .--
Otego
238
XVII .- Elcemuosynary Institutions
39
LVIII .-
16 continued
242
XVIII .- Internal Improvements
42
LIX .-
Otsego
2-17
XIX .- Agriculture
43
LX .- Cooperstown
25,
XX .- Statistical
LXI. - :
continued
264
XXI .- Old Militia Organizations
54
LXIT .- 66
271
XXII .- Otsego in the Rebellion
55
LXIII .--
2.7
XXIII .-
58
LXIV .- Town of Pittsfield
236
XXIV .-
66
61
LXV .-
Plainfield
292
XXV .-
66
63
LXVI .-
Richfield .
continued 306
XXVII .- ..
83
LXVIII .-
.6
008
XXVIII .-
16
LXIX .-
= Rosehoom
315
XXIX .-
XXX .- Town of Burlington
97
LXXI .-
.. continued
324
XXXI .- 66
continued
102
LXXII .-
Unadilla .
333
XXXII .--
Butternuts
109
LXXIII .-
continued
341
XXXIII .- 66
" continued
113
LXXIV .- ::
Westford.
351
LXXV .-
Worcester
356
XXXV .-
continued
124
XXXVI .- 66 Decatur
141
XXXVII .-
Edmeston
143
XXXVIII .-
16
continued 146
XXXIX .-
Exeter 150
ERRATA
369
XL .-
continued 152
PATRONS' RECORD AND DIRECTORY
3:0
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Leather Stocking Falls ( frontispiece)
facing title
Outline Map of (tengo County .
9
BURLINGTON.
BUTTERNUTS.
. Portraits of J. II. Rawlings and Wife facing 113
Residence of J. H. Rawlings ( double page) between 112. 112
Portraits of John Norton and Wife .
99
66 Jos. T. Gilbert
.. 112. 119
Residence of Maurice Bolton ( with portrait)
100
Portraits of Jared Comstock and Wife Caring IlG
= Hier Hot - and Wife .
Willet Chase ( with portraits; 103
104
1
Portrait of theurge 1. Clyde Ccing 120
Residence of David i. Packer ( with portraits)
.. 106
Dr. Joseph White
121
.
XXVI .-- =
66
72
LXVII .-
96
LXX .-
Springfield
319
XXXIV .- Cherry Valley .
119
LXXVI .-
continued
192
22
L .-
Middlefield
VI .- Sullivan and Clinton's Campaign .
19
XLVII .-
III .- Otsego prior to the Revolution , 12
XLIV .-
CHAPTER PAGE
PAGE
Residence of Orange Gardner (with port ::: 'ts) . faring 10;
Portraits of. Roswell Kelsey and Wife 108
Residence of A. A. Matteson ( with portraits) . .. Col. David Gardner ".
facing 96
6.
97
Geo. Y. Gilbert ( with portrait) : 112, 110
A. A. Mother ..
109
Portrait of Judge Jas C. Walworth .
.. Benjamin S. Walworth . 16 104
66
52
continued
CHAPTER
4
CONINN LO.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Portrait of Oliver Judd
facing
132
Hon. W. W. Campbell . 139
Residence of G. W. B. Dakin .
facing 140
Joseph Phelon ( with portraits) between 140, 141
=
Mrs. Susan M. Belcher
facing 141
EDMESTON.
Portraits of Hon. D. B. St. John and Wife facing 143
Residence of Chas. F. Goodrich (with portraits) 144
Henry D. Crandall
between 144, 145
Portraits of John S. Coon and Wife
facing
146
"
Gen. S. S. Burnside
235
Residence of the late John Barrett (with portraits) .
I48
View of the Central Hotel
236
Levi B. Banks
149
EXETER.
Residence of Dr. W. L. Hurelle (with portraits) facing 156
B. W. Lidell
157
HARTWICK.
Residence of Cyrus Short . facing 157
Portraits of Harvey Maples and Wife 160
John Winsor
Edwin A. Wells 164
Portrait of H. K. Marsh .
164
Horace Chase . 164
165
View of Hartwick Seminary
165
Portrait of Prof. J. Pitcher
165
Peter S. Smith, M.D.
166
Torry J. Luce .
167
LAURENS.
Portraits of Hervey Keyes and Wife facing 170
Hudson Sleeper "
174
MIDDLEFIELD.
Home of William H. Lyne facing 184
Residence of Horace M. Pierce .
"
185
" S. G. Huntington .
185
Portrait of Mrs. Agnes Church .
191
MILFORD.
Residence of Hon. S. R. Barnes (with portraits)
facing 192
A. G. Morris
¥
193
Wm. R. Hardy
" Frecinan Murry "
195
Otis Westcott 66 196
Portraits of Jared Goodyear and Wife between 196, 197
Portrait of Mrs. Elizabeth Collier
facing 197
Portrait of Richard B. Morris 198
Zilpha Morris . . 199
Residence of Henry Wilcox (with portraits) facing 200
¥ Andrew Spencer .
201
MORRIS.
View of Hillington Cemetery .
facing 202
Residence of Edson Wheeler (with portraits)
the lato Gen. Jacob Morris . 205
Portraits of Ansel C. Moore and Wife 208
Dr. Win. Yates and Wife 210
Capt. Amos Palmer and Wife
212
Residence of J. P. Kenyon (with portraits)
" Myron Wagner = 215
216
Portraits of Deacon Joseph Lull and Wife Hon. Jacob K. Lull
facing 217
217
NEW LISBON.
Residence of Ellis Gross .
facing 205
M. D. Cummings (with portraits) 220
Miss Martha M. Peck :
ONEONTA.
Residence of Carlton Emmons ( with portraits) " the late E. R. Ford between 224, 225 Portraits of E. R. Ford and Wife 224, 225
« Conrad Wolf «
facing 22S
" Solon Huntington and Wife 230
16
E. B. Kilborn
232
Residence of Jas. and Hamilton F. Slade (with portraits)
237
OTEGO.
Residence of Edwin G. Birdsall
facing
23S
Reuben Hale (with portraits) " 239
W. and T. A. Birdsall ( with portraits) between 242, 243
Portraits of Michael Birdsall and Wife
242, 243
Residence of D. Day (with portraits)
facing 243
Portraits of Thomas Burnside and Wife
24-1
OTSEGO.
Residence of F. C. Whipple ( with portraits) facing 24S " Five-Mile Point," Residence of J. D. Tunnicliffe . 249
Portrait of Russell Warren 250
Col. J. A. Cheney 252
The Dr. W. A. Thayer Group of Five Portraits between 252, 253
Residence of Dr. W. A. Thayer
252, 253
the late Platt St. John (with portraits) facing 253
Mrs. H. A. Thayer
254
Francis Taylor "
= 255
The W. K. Warren Group of Five Portraits
256
Residenec of Francis Hecox between 256, 257 " C. Childs 66 256, 257
Outlet to Lake Otsego, Source of the Susquehanna . facing 25;
Portrait of Judge II. Sturges, Cooperstown
Jedediah P. Sill,
Calvin Graves (steel),
" 279
" Hon. W. II. A. crell (steel), Cooperstown
bet. 280, 281
Edward Clark (steel), " 280, 25I
Ambrose L. Jordan (steel), facing 282
Col. John H. Prentiss,
" 285
Peter Barton, 256 .
PITTSFIELD.
Residence, Mill, etc., of A. Finks facing 28S
. of Orinel Hall ( with portrait) . ..
259
Jesse Beardslee (with portraits) .
290
" Caleb G. Mail .. 291
PLAINFIELD.
Residence of Alfred Wood (with portraits) facing 296
Portrait of Solomon Armstrong
208
" William L. Brown . 297
RICHFIELD.
Residence of S. Clapsaldle
facing 297
A. Sitts . 306 =
Norman R. Baker 30.
View of Richfield Springs Seminary .
. 313
Portrait of Iliram C. Brockway . 314
ROSEBOOM.
Residence of George Barrett (with portrait.) . faring 316
Henry Roseboom: (with portrait) ..
Portrait of John W. Sterrieker, M.D.
SPRINGFIELD.
Residence and Carriage Manufietery of J. P. Endres
facing
20;
= of Isaish Cook
..
PAGE
Portraits of Dr. G. W. P. Wheeler and Wife
.
between 222, 223
222, 223
Ellis Gross and Wife
.
facing 225
261
271
19.4
203
214
Portrait of Judge Pascal Franchot .
164
Residence of Clark Davison
£
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Portraits of Col. John D. Shaul and Wife
Portrait of Jas. Il. Cooke
Residence of L. W. Rathbone (with portraits) . 332
James H. Cooke . facing 333
UNADILLA.
Residence of S. G. Cone (with portraits) . facing 336
Residences and Mills of Palmer & Johnson (with portraits), double page ·
between 336, 337
Residenee of L. II. Blanchard (with portraits) . facing 340
D. P. and R. W. Chapman (with portraits) 341
Portrait of Arnold B. Watson .
349
Eli C. Belknap 350
WESTFORD.
Residence of Mrs. Luey A. Coates (with portrait ), double page .
between 356, 357
Residenec of Horaee Roseboom ( with portraits)
.
facing 357
WORCESTER.
Jersey Stoek Farm and Residence of John Trickcy (double page) .
between 360, 361
Portrait of John Cook
Portraits of Chas. W. Martin and Wife
=
BIOGRAPHICAL.
PAGE
PAGE
Alvan Stewart .
30
Dr. G. W. P. Wheeler
between 222, 223
Hon. Eben B. Morehouse
30
Ellis Gross
222, 223
George A. Starkweather
31
E. R. Ford
Levi S. Chatfield
31
Conrad Wolf
faeing 228
John Norton
fading 99
Solon Huntington
=
230
Chauneey II. Norton
99
E. B. Kilborn
6.
222
Judge Chas. C. Walworth
104
General Samuel S. Burnside
235
Benjamin S. Walworth
104
James Slade
237
Col. David Gardner
105
Carlton Emmons
237
A. Alonzo Matteson
106
The Birdsall Family .
between 2.12. 243
Willet Chase
106
Thomas Burnside
facing 241
Orange Gardner
107
Rensselaer Day .
216
Andrew A. Mather
107
Reuben Hale 246
The Bolton and Briggs Families
108
Russell Warren
facing 250
David G. Parker
108
Col. Joseph A. Cheney
252
Roswell Kelsey
faeing 108
Dr. W. A. Thayer
253
J. H. Rawlings
113
John Pierce
254
Jared Comstock
116
Platt St. John
255
Elihu Hakes
118
Francis Taylor
255
*George C. Clyde
facing
120
Charles Chilis .
255
Dr. Joseph White
124
William Kendrick Warren
256
Oliver Judd
132
Fenimore C. Whipple
256
Hon. W. W. Campbell
138
Francis ITecox .
256
Joseph Phelon .
140 .
James Fenimore Cooper
263
David B. St. John
facing
143
Julge H. Sturges
facing
264
Henry D. Crandall
between 144, 145
Jedediah P. Sill
271
John S. Coon
faeing 146
Calvin Graves
273
Chas. F. Goodrich
. 149
William Bolt Averell .
290
Levi B. Banks
149
Edward Clark .
280
John Barrett
149
Ambrose L. Jordan
282
Harvey Maples
faeing 160
285
Peter S. Su:ith, M.D.
166
286
Torry J. Luce
167
William G. Hali.
291
Cyrue Short
. 167
Jabez Beardslee .
292
Hervey Keyes
facing 170
Alfred Wood
290
Hudson Sleeper
17.4
William L. Brown
297
Samuel Gates Huntington .
. 191
Sol nou Armstrong
20%
Jared Goodyear
between 196, 197
Hiram C. Brockway
314
Major Peter Collier
facing 107
Normau R. Baker
315
Richard B. Morris
198
Stephen Clapsaddle
315
Adolphus G. Diorris
199
Henry Ro-eboom
Simcon R. Barnes
199
Jobn W. Sterricker, M.D. .
319
Otis Westcott
200
George Barrett .
319
William R. Hardy
200
Colonel John D. Shaul
frein: 328
Andrew Spencer
200
James If. Cooke
332
Henry Wilcox
200
Isaiah Cook
Ansel C. Meore .
facing 208
Levant W. Rathbone
William Yates
..
210
Daikin I. Blanchard
Amos Palirer
=
George W. Palmier
Indge Yasal Yra. But
236
Aerol! B. Watson
Edson Wheeler .
2!7
Urial. whenan
Deacon Joseph Lull
217
El: C. Belknap .
llon. Jacob K. Moll
218
The Cone Genealog;
351
Janes P. Kenyon
219
Elbert Coates
M D. Cummings
223
The Roseboots Genealogy
.
Col. J. Holmes Prentiss Peter Barton
66
.
PAG ..
facing 328 . 332
facing a66
221, 223
PREFACE.
THE author feels that no apology is necessary in presenting this volume to the public. The history contained in the following pages embraces one of the most interesting localities, historically, within the bounds of the Empire State. It has been our honest endeavor to trace the history of the development of Otsego County 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 thie · 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 liis 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 produce a history which should prove accurate, instructive, and in every respect worthy of "Old Otsego."
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 Brant," "Life of Red Jacket," and "Life of Sir William Johnson"; Campbell's "Border Warfare of New York"; Lossing's "Field-Book of the Revolution"; Thatcher's " American Revolution"; Barber's "History of New York"; "Documentary History of New York"; Beardsley's "Reminiscences"; Spafford's "Gazetteer, 1810"; French's "Gazetteer, 1860"; "Chronicles of Cooperstown"; "History of Madison County"; "Hartwick Seminary Memorial"; Bailey's "Richfield Springs and Vicinity"; Smith's "History of the Seventy-Sixth Regiment"; Adjutant-Generals' reports, muster-rolls, and innumerable pamphlets. -
We desire to acknowledge our sincere thanks to the following persons for much valuable informa- tion which has greatly lessened our labor in the preparation of the work :
In Burlington to Abram Marcy, Andrew A. Mather, L. F. Hubbell, Geo. S. Gorham, David Fisk, Daniel A. Park, A. N. Balcom, Pitman Cook, and Adna Wood.
In Butternuts to Samuel C. Gilbert, E. S. Halbert, Lewis Donaldson, J. Comstock, and William Cox. In Cherry Valley to William W. Campbell, Charles MeLean, Rev. H. U. Swinnerton, A.M., J. L. Sawyer, and H. HI. Browne.
In Decatur to J. E. Tyler, L. L. Davis, Barzilla Brown, and S. B. Champion.
In Edmeston to S. L. Hoxie, H. Langworthy, Walter Chapin, D. B. St. Jolm, Lewis Spencer, and W. Burlingham.
In Exeter minerous prominent citizens were interviewed for historical data ; and we were also assisted by Beardsley's " Reminiscences" and Bailey's " Richfield Springs and Vicinity."
In Hartwick to Rufus P. Luce, Mr. Burlingham, Elisha Fields, Hosea Winsor, Harris Winsor, Rev. James Pitcher, Miss Davidson, Hiram K. Marsh, and Captain W. J. Kellogg.
7
8
PREFACE.
In Laurens to Hudson Sleeper, Amos Winsor, Thos. Tiffany, Leroy Tucker, H. T. Harris, M.D., Chauncey Strong, A. P. Strong, M.D., William C. Fields, Mr. Hopkins, and Jacob Butts.
In Maryland. to Philor Benedict, S. II. Gurney, Carlton Brown, Geo. W. Spencer, James E. Tyler, and A. Hotelikin's history.
In Middlefield to Sumner Stow Ely, David Blair, Gilbert Parshall, O. I. Pieree, Barzilla Bradley, S. W. Barnum, H. M. Pieree, and Fernando Hubbell.
In Milford to Amos Bissell, S. N. Bissell, Chauncey Goodrich, Jolin Eddy, Captain Joseph Mum- ford, and many others.
In Morris to A. S. Avery, Jacob K. Lull, A. C. Moore, Miss J. A. Franehot, Mrs. J. Davis, and Rev. Hobart Cooke.
In New Lisbon to Jonathan R. Neff, Walter H. Yates, Captain W. J. Kellogg, and Captain L. B. Paine.
In Oneonta to Timothy Sabin, Jeremiah Mereness, David J. Yager, D. G. Campbell, G. W. Reynolds, Mr. Ford, N. N. Bull, and Captain H. G. Wood.
In Otego to William Birdsall, Harvey Hunt, Thurston Brown, Cyrus Hathaway, D. Emerson, and E. Blakely.
In Otsego to Joseph A. Clieney, John Wiley, William Kinnie, Alex. Taylor, H. B. Sprague, and Russell Warren.
In Pittsfield to Chester Card and C. G. Hall. 1
In Plainfield to Parley Philips, Mrs. Whitford, Mr. Clark, H. H. Babcock, Solomon Armstrong, and D. A. Dewey.
In Richfield to Dr. W. T. Bailey and Parker D. Fay, Esq.
İn Roseboom to Henry Roseboom, Dr. Sterrieker, and David W. Bailey.
In Springfield to Albert Coates, H. R. Wood, George O. Smith, Rev. P. F. Sanborn, and J. H. Davy.
In Unadilla to Colonel Samuel North, Major C. D. Fellows, Lewis G. Cone, G. B. Fellows, F. A. Bolles, William J. Thompson, Mrs. Lydia Cone (aged ninety), and many others.
In Westford to Nathan Bidlake, James E. Tyler, William H. Platner, Ezra W. Thurbur, S. B. Champion, L. E. Preston, and J. K. Tyler.
In Woreester `to Hon. Leonard Caryl, Ezra W. Thurbur, C. H. Crippen, S. B. Champion, and John Ferguson.
In Cooperstown we are under special obligations to Samuel M. Shaw, Esq., editor of the Freeman's Journal, for mueh valuable material and assistance, and also to Andrew Davidson, the editor of the Otsego Republican, Calvin Graves, George F. Ernst, Samuel Starkweather, Judge Sturges, Horaee Latlırop, M.D., G. Pomeroy Keese, Newell Wolsey Wells, Frederick A. Goffe, and Fred L. Palmer.
Our acknowledgments are also due to Major J. W. Cronkite, of New York, for the excellent history of the One Hundred and Twenty-first Regiment, and to Steplien Holden, Esq., of Sherburne, for that of the One Hundred and Fifty-second Regiment.
COOPERSTOWN, N. Y., April 20, 1878.
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HISTORY
OF
OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
BY D. HAMILTON HURD.
CHAPTER I. VOYAGE AND DISCOVERY.
The New World-First Discovered in A.D. 986-The Norsemen- Herjulfson-Lief Erickson and his Adventures-Thorwald Erick- son-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 meu A.D. 986. Herjulfson, a Norse navigator, in sailing from Iceland 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 wonderful stories of the land that they had seen, but no further attempt was made at discovery.
After the lapse of a few years, an Icelandie captain, named Lief Erickson, who was possessed of 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 shore of Labrador. He pursued his course southwest along the coast, and finding the country pleasant und attractive, protracted his visit, and finally reached the territory embraced within the present State of Massachu- sette, 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 set 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 these adventurers to their native country, with a description of the land they had passed through, stimulated others with a desire to see the new country, and in 1002, Thorwald Erickson, a brother of the former ex-
plorer, made a voyage to the coast of Maine, and is said to have ended his days in the vicinity of the present town of Fall River, Massachusetts. In 1005, Thorstein Erickson, another brother, with a band of adventurers, landed upon our shores, and was followed, iu 1007, by Thorfinn Karls- efne, a celebrated mariner, 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 importance concerning their discoveries. No real good whatever resulted from their voyages. The en- thusiasin excited by first discovery gradually subsided, and as there were no spoils in the wilderness to fall prey to the Norse freebooters and pirates, the further occupancy of the country was abandoned, 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 incredulous on the subject of the Norse discovery, but the fact is now generally conceded. We are in possession of no more reliable information than Humboldt's " Cosmos," but that may be cited as conclusive : " We are here ou historical ground. By the_ critical and highly praiseworthy efforts of Professor Rafn and the Royal Society of Antiquaries in Copenhagen, the sagas and documents in regard to the expeditions of the Norsemen to Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Vinland have been published and satisfactorily commented upon. The dis. covery of the northern part of America by the Norsemen cannot be disputed. The length of the voyage, the direc- tion in which they sailed, the time of the sun's rising and setting, are accurately given. While the caliphate of Bay- dad was still flourishing, America was discovered, about the year 1001, by Lief, the son of Erie 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 ufait 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
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HISTORY OF OTSEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK.
to Spain, and subsequently made two successive voyages to the New World, each of which was fraught with great and lasting benefit to civilized Europe. In justice to Colum- bus, this land should have borne his name, but through the artifice of a Florentine navigator named Americo Vespucci he was robbed of the honor, and it was bestowed on Ves- pucci, 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. Franec, 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 to 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 Maine, and continued his course along the coast to 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 claim to the sea-girt coast in the nanie of Franeis I.
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England, enterprising, wealthy, and adventurous, lost no time and spared no money in fitting out an expedition of discovery to the Western Continent, and no day in the his- tory of the New World was more important than the 5th of May, 1496. On that day Henry VII., king of Great Brit- ain, issued a commission to John Cabot. a Venetian, to make discoveries and to take possession of all islands and continents, earry the English flag, and assert the title of the king of England. After a protracted voyage the gloomy coast of Labrador was the cheerless sight that met the anxious gaze of the brave Cabot. This was the real discovery of the American continent. He explored the country for several hundred miles, and, in accordance withi the terms of his commission, hoisted the English flag and took possession in the name of the English king. An inci- dent is related, in connection with this act. illustrative of the love man has for his native country : Near the flag of England he planted the banner of the republic of Venice, little thinking, doubtless, that, as the centuries rolled on, not the flag of proud Albion, but that of a republic, would float from ocean to ocean. Cabot returned to England, and received all the adulations and honors that a proud nation could bestow upon an honored subject. This expe- dition was succeeded by others, all of which redounded to the honor and enterprise of England, and resulted in the founding of colonies which, under the fostering care of the Inother country, soon became prosperous and self-reliant.
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