History of Saratoga County, New York : with historical notes on its various towns, Part 1

Author: Sylvester, Nathaniel Bartlett, 1825-1894. cn; Wiley, Samuel T. cn; Garner, Winfield Scott
Publication date: 1893
Publisher: Chicago : Gersham
Number of Pages: 662


USA > New York > Saratoga County > History of Saratoga County, New York : with historical notes on its various towns > Part 1


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.


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



Gc 974.701 Sa7s 1214667


REYNOLDS HISTORIC GENEALOGY COLLECTION


ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01125 9733


Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015


https://archive.org/details/historyofsaratog00sylv_0


-


HISTORY


-- OF -


SARATOGA


COUNTY,


NEW YORK,


-- WITH -


HISTORICAL NOTES ON ITS VARIOUS TOWNS.


BY NATHANIEL BARTLETT SYLVESTER,


Author of Historical Sketches of Northern New York and the Adirondack Wilderness, Saratoga and Kay-ad-ros-se-ra, etc.


TOGETHER WITH


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES


OF ITS


PROMINENT MEN AND LEADING CITIZENS,


PREPARED BY


SAMUEL T. WILEY AND W. SCOTT GARNER.


EC 974.701 Sa 75


Illustrated.


GRESHAM PUBLISHING COMPANY: RICHMOND, IND. 1893.


NEW YORK, N. Y.


CHICAGO, ILL.


PRESSES OF M. CULLATON & CO., RICHMOND, IND.


PREFACE.


1214667


F A TRUTH it may be said that History, the highest form of prose literature, is fast becoming one of the most popular and important branches of human knowledge. It has rapidly risen in our day from an empirical state to the rank of a science, and the master minds of this century that have devoted their energies to efforts in behalf of its advancement in accuracy, interest and value, have transformed it from the princely eulogy and fairy tales of olden times into a vast super- structure only less real than the great drama of actual events it is intended to perpetuate in human memory. This improvement has popularized History until it is no longer the Pactolus of the learned, but has risen to be the guiding star of modern civilization. In it are reflected the principles that govern the character and destiny of nations, and from it the statesman and reformer may construct a chart to guide all intelligent effort at reform in our old civilization, or in the upbuilding of the new. As in ancient times, so even at this hour, "Experience is a light for our footsteps," no less for the Nation or community than for the individual, and true History is human experience condensed and preserved.


Local history particularly has rapidly risen in importance since our Centennial year, when the Congress of the United States, by joint resolution, recommended to each city, town and county in this country the duty of collecting for permanent preservation their local history and the biographies of their worthy citizens. In the first century of our National existence the annals of town and county, together with the individuality of the citizen, had been absorbed by the history of the State and the still more masterful theme of the life of the Nation. Since the opening of our second century it is becoming more generally understood that the history of a people resolves itself largely into the achieve- ments of its leading men and women, and that in biography may be found that depart- ment of history most valuable for the intelligent study of National life and human advance- ment. Hence in the series of County Cyclopedias that bear the imprint of the publishers of this volume, much attention has been given to the collection and publication of bio- graphical sketches of leading citizens, past and present. This work contains sketches of the men who in a large measure created the present status of Saratoga county and now hold her destiny in their hands. It is a fact that biography of this character must have


viii


PREFACE.


prominent place in the local history of the future, and that the important and useful les- sons it teaches will never fail to excite interest and give pleasure. It subserves the highest good by presenting examples worthy of emulation, and by perpetuating the mem- ories of those who are worthy of remembrance. It also preserves mention of thousands of men remarkable for wisdom, virtue, intelligence, energy and ability, who only lacked opportunity to write their names on the muster rolls of fame.


The general history of this old and time-honored county of Saratoga has been care- fully prepared by Judge Nathaniel Bartlett Sylvester, a resident of the county and well known to her people. To him is due all credit for the arrangement of the matter and the somewhat elaborate history of the Revolutionary war, and other conflicts of arms, that appears in the following pages, together with the historical notes on the towns and villages of the county, and such other matter of interest as has been included in the historical part of the work. In gathering this information the Judge has spent many years and consulted many volumes, and has selected for discussion in this work such topics as he thought would best illustrate the progress of the county, from the time when this terri- tory was yet a howling wilderness down to the present day, when old Saratoga occupies an important position among her sister counties of the Empire State- a proud eminence based alike on her wonderful development, her industrial prosperity, her world-famous springs of healing waters, and the prominent place she occupies in the history of the Revolution - that gigantic struggle for the rights of man, when a Nation was born in a day, and the dial hand on the clock of human progress moved forward in a greater advance than it had hitherto marked in five centuries.


That Saratoga county has kept well to the front in that general improvement which distinguishes these later times- in industrial development, art, science, literature, and everything that tends to ennoble life and make its possession priceless - is largely due to the energy, ability and character of the men who have found fitting notice on the pages of this volume-worthy descendants of the pilgrims and pioneers who first conquered this soil, and by brawn and brain reduced it to the uses of civilization. That later generations may follow in their footsteps, imitating their virtues and improving on even the best they have accomplished, is the earnest hope and wish of


THE PUBLISHERS.


M


CONTENTS.


HISTORICAL.


PAGES.


HISTORY OF SARATOGA COUNTY. 17-153


CHAPTER I .- Geographical Situation - Early Explorations - Genesis of the County .. 17-24


CHAPTER II .- Topographical Features. 25-29


CHAPTER III .- Outlines of Geology 29-33 CHAPTER IV. - Indian Occupaney - Indian Nations and Characteristics. 33-38 CHAPTER V .- The Extinguishment of Indian Title to Lands in Saratoga County - In- dian Deeds - Provincial Patents .. 38-42 CHAPTER VI. - The Planting of the Early Settlements in Saratoga County - Half Moon - The Dutch Pioneers - Their Influence over the Institutions of the Country 42-48


CHAPTER VII .- French and Indian Wars- The Discovery of Lake George by Father Isaac Jogues - Journeys through Sara- toga County to his Mission on the Mo- hawk .. 48-53


CHAPTER VIII. - French and Indian Wars (continued ) - Governor Courcelles' Ex- pedition against the Mohawks in Janu- ary, 1666 - Lieut .- General Tracy invades the Mohawk Valley -The Iroquois In- vasion of Canada ..... 54-60


CHAPTER IX .- French and Indian Wars (con- tinucd ) - The Sacking and Burning of Schenectady - The Return Expedition against Canada of 1690.


60-64


PAGES.


CHAPTER X .- French and Indian Wars (con- tinued ) - The Battle of the Greenfield Hills, near Saratoga -The Invasion of the Mohawk Castle's in 1693. 61 70 -


CHAPTER XI .- French and Indian Wars (con- tinued) - Queen Anne's War -- English Expeditions against Canada-Campaigns of 1709 and 1711 70-73


CHAPTER XII .- French and Indian Wars (con- tinued ) - The Sacking and Burning of Saratoga in 1745 -The Events which led to the War. 73-79


CHAPTER XIII. - French and Indian Wars (continued) - The Second Invasion of Saratoga, in 1747 79-82


CHAPTER XIV .- The Last French and Indian War-Campaigns of 1755, 1765, 1757, 1758 and 1759. 82-89


CHAPTER XV .- The War of the Revolution- Causes of the War -Situation in Sara- toga County - Campaigns of 1775 and 1776-The British Plan of the Campaign of 1777 - Causes of its Failure - Bur- goyne's Army .. 89-93


CHAPTER XVI .- The War of the Revolution ( continued ) - Progress of Burgoyne's Army-The Fall of Ticonderoga - Battle of Fort Ann -The Retreat of the Ameri- cans 93-97


x


CONTENTS.


PAGES.


CHAPTER XVII .- The War of the Revolution (continued)-The Murder of Jeannie Mc- Crea by the Indians under Burgoyne - The American Situation - The Battle Ground - The Battle of September 19 .. 97-102 CHAPTER XVIII .- The War of the Revolution ( continued ) - Burgoyne's Fatal Delay after the Battle - The Battle of the 7th of October - The Burial of Frasier - Burgoyne's Retreat 102-105


CHAPTER XIX .- The War of the Revolution (continued ) - The Negotiations for the Surrender - The " Convention of Sara- toga " . 106-110


CHAPTER XX. - The War of the Revolution (continued) - The British lay down their Arms - What became of Burgoyne's Army after the Surrender at Saratoga .. 110-113 CHAPTER XXI .- The War of the Revolution (continued)- The Raid upon Ballston in 1780- Joe Bettys, the Saratoga County Spy 113-118


CHAPTER XXII. - Organization of Saratoga County- Original Courts - The County Buildings-First Board of Supervisors- Civil List. 118-123


CHAPTER XXIII. - Saratoga County in the Great Rebellion - The 77th Regiment-


The 30th Regiment - Other Regiments. 123-133 CHAPTER XXIV .- Centennial Celebrations- History of the Saratoga Monument Asso- ciation 134-141


PAGES. CHAPTER XXV. - Internal Improvements- Canals - Railroads. 141-146


CHAPTER XXVI. - The Press of Saratoga County - The Press of Ballston Spa - The Press of Saratoga Springs - The Press of Other Villages. 146-153


Addenda to General History.


197-198


HISTORICAL NOTES UPON THE TOWNS OF SARATOGA COUNTY. 153-196


CHAPTER I .- The Village and Town of Sara- toga Springs 153-160


CHAPTER II .- Village and Town of Saratoga Springs (concluded) 162-168


CHAPTER III .- Ballston Spa and the Town of Ballston . 168-173


CHAPTER IV .- Historical Notes on the Towns (continued) - Charlton - Clifton Park - Corinth. 173-178


CHAPTER V .- Historical Notes on the Towns ( continued ) - Day - Edinburgh - Gal- way - Greenfield. 178-184


CHAPTER VI .- Historical Notes on the Towns ( continued ) - Hadley - Half Moon Malta - Milton 184-1SS


CHAPTER VII .- Historical Notes on the Towns ( continued ) - Moreau - Northumber- land - Providence - Saratoga. . . 188-192


CHAPTER VIII. - Historical Notes on the Towns ( concluded ) - Stillwater - Wat- erford -Wiltou. 192-196


8


xi


CONTENTS.


BIOGRAPHICAL.


PAGE.


PAGE.


Crawford, Frank M.


471


Crippen, George M.


301


Crocker, Harry


374


Cronch, William.


588


Crum, George. .


535


Cummings, Michael S.


251


Curtis, Pierson C., M. D.


418


Curtis, Warren .. .


554


Dater, Henry C.


273


Davenport, William


459


Davison, Charles Mason.


280


Dawson, George H.


219


Dayton, J. Judd.


325


Denison, William Latham


362


De Voll, Rev. Jonathan


524


Dillon, John T.


381


Donaldson, Hon. Harvey J


283


Donnelly, William S., M. D


523


Doolittle, Charles M.


448


Dugery, James.


598


Dumphrey, Patrick.


632


Dunlop, John J., M. D


257


Eaton, George


622


Eddy, John M. 516


Eddy, Daniel.


296


Edwards, Gustavus W


291


Eggleston, David D.


566


Elixman, Theodore.


611


Ellis, IIon. Chesselden


432


Ellsworth, Col. Ephraim Ehner 580 Emmett, Rev. John T., O. S. A. 375 Evers, John. 454


PAGE.


Acland, Lady Harriett.


357


Ainsworth, Seymour.


262


Alexander, Joseph H.


213


Bryar, Thomas F.


379


Allen, Everett W


620


Bull, Chauncey Dickenson, M.D. 369 Bullard, Daniel A. 493


Burke, Hon. John H ..


260


Burnham, Judge James A 394


Burritt, O. H., A. M.


236


Butler, Walter P


244


Callaghan, Melancton B.


337


Campbell, Capt. John H


458


Carey, Michael.


530


Carey, Rev. Joseph, S. T. D


483


Carpenter, Hiland.


470


Carragan, Emmett.


457


Carruth, Clarence Edgar


503


Case, William J.


290


Chalmers, William.


340


Barnes, Albert H.


267


Batcheller Family, The


402


Beach, William Augustus.


208


Bedell, Isaac.


342


Clapp, Charles R.


385


Cleary, Patrick J.


629


Bell, John F.


221


Bennett, George H.


472


Clements, William


238


Clute, John.


348


Collamer, William A


454


Comstock, George F., M. D.


316


Comstock, Theodore.


419


Consolas, Hon. William B.


588


Cornell, Benjamin F., M. D.


599


Brace, Richard


418


Cowen, Hon. Esek ..


279


Breslin, Thomas.


580


Brezee, R. Newton.


330


Cramer, Hon, John.


386


Brisbin, James C.


547


Crane, Hon. John W.


560


Britton, Reuben.


411


Brooks, James W


218


Brusnihan, James T.


531


Allen, Henry J., M. D.


548


Allen, Philip Adelbert.


575


Ames, George L.


442


Andrews, George S., D. D.S


413


Andrus, Eugene A.


416


Anthony, Joshua.


552


Atwell, Robert S.


359


Bailey, Joshua.


420


Baker, Elmer E.


505


Baker, Henry H


366


Baker, Howland.


551


Balch, William V., M. D. 452


Baldwin, Dexton


633


Carpenter, William P.


436


Balch, William S.


310


Chapman, Hon. James R


253


Chubb, John H.


449


Billings, Jesse.


202


Billings, Reuben M., jr


395


Blodgett, George W


533


Bloss, Richard P


624


Bockes, Hon. Augustus


579


Craw, David.


565


xii


CONTENTS.


PAGE.


Falconer, Prof. Alexander


346


Fenton, Adoniram J. 618


Finley, Thomas


433


Fish, Howland.


595


Fitzgerald, George


491


Foley, Hon. Jolın.


276


Ford, Ephraim


474


Ford, John W


266


Forte, Erastus R.


453


French, Winsor Brown.


499


Freeman, Andrew J.


547


Fuller, Samuel Washington.


.. 514


Gage, William B.


294


Gervin, Jacob.


630


Gilbert, Jay.


380


Gillis, Col. George Henry.


321


Gilmour, Neil


375


Goetchius, Capt. Louis O., M.D. 297


Gould, Grant


525


Granger, William H


217


Griffing, Edgar T.


399


Grippen, Clarence L.


526


Grippen, M. B.


364


Groesbeck, William H., V.S.


472


Haight, Henry L.


602


Hall, Hibbard.


513


Hall, Commissioner A. Edson. 451


Hamilton, Robert, M. D.


440


Janvrin, Louis Henri .


468


Johnson, Col. Walker R


534


Johnson, Ianthus G.


428


Jones, Frank ..


510


Jones, Rebecca.


564


Kathan, Orange E.


528


Kathan, John A.


405


Kearney, Richard.


525


Harvey, George F.


391


Keefer, Charles W., M. D


584


Hathorn, Hon. Henry Harrison 501


Haviland, Norris S.


599


Kendall, Daniel Webster


527


Hawley, Asahel P.


452


Kelly, John M.


Kelly, Robert.


231


Haxstun, Richard Baxter.


557


Hay, Judge William


Kelly, Prof. James E


603


309


224


Kelso, John S.


606


Kneil, Thomas R.


553


Knightz, Daniel


492


PAGE.


LaDow, Daniel E.


475


LaDow, J. Charles, M. D


627


Lamb, David T ..


477


L'Amoreaux, Hon. Jesse S ..


422


Lansing, Capt. Levinus


488


Lawrence, Eben S., M. D.


274


Lawrence, George B.


617


Lawton, Col. George P.


388


LeDoux, Louis.


457


Lester, Hon. Charles S


199


Levengston, Harry M.


324


Lewis, Judson Adoniram


275


Lincoln, Harry M., M. D


382


Lohnas, Deyoe


334


Manicus, George W


215


Manville, George H.


255


Martin, Hiram H.


347


Marvin, Hon. Thomas J.


322


Marvin, Hon. James Madison. 573


Massey, John H.


261


Massey, John H. B.


314


Mawney, Capt. Peter L


576


Maxwell, Charles White.


378


Mayhew, C. W.


344


McCall, William H.


242


McClew, Erastus T


601


McCreedy, Charles O.


259


McCrea, Jane


603


McDonald, Martin


634


McDonough, Rev. Bernard J. . . 278


McEwen, Robert Charles, M. D. 469


McEckron, James E.


578


McEchron, William.


593


McHaffie, Robert.


234


McKnight, Charles Scott, jr., M. D. 397


McKnight, Horace E.


522


McNair, Lieut. Com. Antoine


de Reilhe, U.S. N.


370


Mead, Farrington L., Ph. D.


327


Mealey, James


626


Medbery, Horace J.


358


Medbery, Stephen C.


269


Meeker, Capt. Jolın H


537


Hays, Hiram W ..


226


PAGE.


Hedden, Hooper C.


313


Henning, John L ..


239


IIickok, Capt. Ambrose C ..


406


Higgins, John.


319


Hill, Nicholas.


252


Hill, John H.


613


Hine, Hon. Simeon


249


Holden, Capt. Charles H.


328


Holden, Almerin D.


541


Holroyd, William


536


Huestis, William B.


533


Hunter, Edward B


415


Hurd, B. L.


520


Husted, Jeremiah


214


Hodgman, William H., M. D ..


409


Holmes, Ebenezer.


365


Houghton, Hon. James Warren 460


Howe, John W.


612


Howe, Capt. Edward Porter .. 285


Howland, Jonathan


427


Hoyt, Edward H.


473


Ingalsbe, Truman Belus


601


Inlay, Erwin G.


519


Isbell, Elisha


312


Jackson, George I


447


Hamilton, Theodore Frank.


.. 241


Hamlin, Lieut. Lewis Wood .. 556


Hammond, William J


432


Ilanks, Daniel H.


225


Harcourt, Robert ..


402


Harris, Newton C., M. D.


341


Hayner, Silas.


569


Ilays, Alexander S.


232


xiii


CONTENTS.


PAGE.


PAGE.


Mills, Charles H.


542


Peck, Frank B.


367


Peckham, Allen G., M. D ..


241


Pendrick, Harry P.


269


Perkins, Joseph J.


439


Person, John.


311


Peters, Elias H.


302


Morgan, Hon. Thomas C


400


Pike, Lemuel B


291


Pierson, Judge William A


315


Sheehan, Cornelius.


398


Porter, Joshua, M. D.


383


Porter, Hon. John K


207


Potter, Emory


248


Powell, Eli M.


295


Pratt, James H.


605


Prindle, John M


568


Smith, Joel W


456


Putnam, Abel, jr


352


Smith, Lyman.


421


Quinn, Rev. John V


332


Nash, Alvah B.


538


Neilson, John


427


Neilson, William B.


433


Newland, Rial.


633


Newton, Col. Henry C.


446


Noonan, David H


306


O'Conner, Thomas


351


Oreutt, J. B.


614


Ormsby, Hon. Isaae C.


205


Ormsby, Charles C.


206


Ostrander, James M.


293


Ostrander, William S.


487


Owen, Hiram


403


Palmer, Frank A., M. D.


303


Palmer, George Henry


416


Palmer, Hiram.


467


Palmer, Jaeob P.


629


Parks, Solomon Augustus.


620


Parmenter, Henry J


490


Patrick, George II


289


Patterson, Cornelius


596


Patterson, Frederick E.


509


Patterson, Alexander A.


286


Patterson, William Annesley,


M. D ..


619


Sackett, Hon. William A.


387


Safford, Henry D.


558


Salisbury, George R. F ..


200


Sayre, Ezra ..


577


Thomas, Warren.


515


Schermerhorn, Capt. Porter J. 584


Seidmore, Harvey


579


Scott, E. Porter


221


Peak, Thomas ..


628


Peck, Rev. David A.


481


Scott, James Lee.


229


PAGE.


Schoonmaker, Mallory D.


304


Schuyler, Maj .- Gen. Philip


360


See, Charles F.


356


Searing, Col. William M.


466


Selden, Hon. Edward D., A. M. 435 Settle, George E .. 313


Shackelford, George R. P. 364


Sherman, Frank J.


222


Shonts, Capt. Nelson


323


Siver, Franklin A.


559


Smith, Fletcher A., M. D.


323


Smith, George H.


521


Sınith, Martin H.


549


Smith, Timothy T.


340


Smith, Will W


464


Staples, Roger H


396


Steenberg, Frederick I.


511


Stewart, Charles A


347


Stubbs, Roland Henshall, M. D. 376


Sturdevan, William T.


492


Sturges, Charles H.


465


Snell, Charles Edward.


604


Stewart, Hon. John ..


256


Spaulding, Charles W


206


Sunderlin, Hon. William D.


232


Swanick, Robert


230


Swan, William Edward.


334


Swart, George A.


363


Sweetman, James T., M. D


331


Tarrant, Frederick


234


Taylor, Hon. John W.


399


Taylor, George P. H., M. D.


383


Tefft, Allen F.


539


Tefft, Thaddeus T


401


Thomas, Cassius B.


496


Thomson, John E.


605


Schuyler Family, The.


243


Thorn, Stephen.


625


Tompkins, Iliram


207


Toms, Jesse S.


234


Totten, Thomas J


420


Ramsdill, J. N.


208


Reeves, George H


309


Reidesel, Mme. Freiderike


393


Rexford, Capt. Cyrus W


203


Reynolds, Tabor B., M. D.


545


Reynolds, Hon. Austin L.


589


Riee, John T.


361


Richards, Marquis D.


504


Riley, James H.


532


Ritchie, Col. David Francis. .


512


Rockwood, Col. William


Thompson.


211


Rogers, Capt. John D.


338


Rogers, Courtland


495


Root, Miles.


583


Rowland, William A


567


Rulison, Charles R.


623


Russell, Webster B.


550


Miner, Willard J


430


Mingay, James


272


Moe, Morgan B.


626


Monroe, H. C., M. D.


486


Morey, Robert E


485


Morris, John H


308


Morse, Milburn P


631


Moore, John A., M. D


344


Moore, Leverett, M. D.


288


Mott, Jesse S.


350


Mott, Judge Adam.


450


Mulrenan, James D


600


Murray, Byron J., M. D


247


xiv


CONTENTS.


PAGE.


Vandenburgh, Russell 634


Vanvorst, Charles C. 438


Van Vranken, William H. 570


Wayland, Rev. Francis 391


Wiswall, Irving W 343


Varney, Lewis


478


Vaughn, Orville D.


277


Verbeck, James Watson 424


Viall, Job G.


271


Weller, Robert. 429


Woodward, Amasa N 546


Wells, Samuel.


250


Woodard, Arthur J. 368


Wait, Charles F. . 220


Warren, Hon. William L. F 396


Waterbury, Heman L. 485


Waterbury, William S. 357


White, Hon. Hugh


398


Young, Jesse. 539


Walworth, Mrs. Ellen Hardin. 608


PAGE.


PAGE.


Walworth, Hon. Reuben Hyde 255


Wilson, James A. 614


Wandell, John J. 506


Winney, Valorus. 529


Wiswall, Eugene


258


Weed, Dr. P. W


329


Wing, Daniel E.


252


Weeks, Levi L. 437


Wood, Stephen


404


Worden, William W


465


Werner, Henry A.


307


Werner, Herold J


204


Westcot, John H.


412


Young, Samuel. 289


Willard, Hon. John.


434


Young, William K.


615


Webster, William B., M. D 237


XV


CONTENTS.


ILLUSTRATIONS.


PAGE.


Ainsworth, Seymour. facing 262


Ames, George L. 442


Balcarra's Redoubt 66


103


Breslin, Thomas ¥


580


Court House at Ballston Spa. 121


Crippen, George M. 66


301


Comstock, George F., M. D .. 66


316


Crane, Judge John W. 66


560


Davison, Charles M. 66


280


French, Gen. Winsor B. 66


499


Gen. Schuyler transferring his Command to Gen. Gates 66


54


Saratoga Monument.


17


Saratoga Monument, Interior of.


66


138


Houghton, Hon. James Warren. 66


460


Huestis, William B. 66


533


Inlay, E. G., M. D. 66


519


Varney, Lewis. . facing 478


Verbeck, James W. 424


Lawton, Col. George P


388


Lester, Hon. Charles S 66


199


Walworth, Mrs. Ellen Hardin.


608


334


Wandell, John J.


66


506


Lohnas, Deyoe.


66


Marvin, Hon. James M. facing 573


McEchron, William


593


MeElwain, William A. 60


150


McNair, Lieut. Com. Antoine DeReilhe, U.S.N. " 370


Moore, John A., M. D. 344 66


Murray, Byron J., M.D. 66 247


Old Battle Well, Freeman's Farm 101


Parks, S. A . 620


66


Putnam, Abel, jr .. 66


352


Reynolds, Tabor B .. 66


545


Rockwood, Col. W. T.


66


211


Hodgman, William H., M. D. 409


Scott, James L ..


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Sylvester, Judge Nathaniel Bartlett ..


Frontispiece.


PAGE.


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SARATOGA MONUMENT


"MONUMENTS MAKE AS WELL AS MARK THE CIVILIZATION OF A PEOPLE."


HISTORY


OF


SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.


CHAPTER I.


GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION - EARLY EXPLORATIONS -GENESIS OF THE COUNTY.


I .- INTRODUCTORY.


Of a truth the history of a county is mostly the result of its geographical position.


The history of the County of Saratoga, in the State of New York, is a remarkable illus- tration of this principle.


Lying in the angle between two intersect- ing rivers, which flow along deep valleys that break through the mountain barriers which served to separate hostile peoples in colonial times, Saratoga county became the battle- ground of nations striving for the mastery of the North American continent.


Occupying a central position in the great Northern Valley, which stretches from New York on the Atlantic seaboard to Montreal on the St. Lawrence river, Saratoga county was of supreme stragetic importance in times of war. The same territorial characteristics ren- der it of equal importance as part of a great inland route of traffic and travel in times of peace.


In the days of its old-time Indian occu- pancy, the region which now constitutes the county of Saratoga was within the boundaries of the dark and bloody neutral ground which lay between the Iroquois nations of central


New York and the territory of their ancient hereditary enemies, the Algonquin nations of Canada and New England. Then it was that within its borders, from time to time, took place many a fierce encounter between savage foes, and across this county ran all the old Indian war trails leading between the waters of the St. Lawrence valley and those of the Atlantic slope, forming the great routes of Indian travel.


Throughout the long struggle in colonial and provincial times, between the English and French and their respective Indian allies, for the mastery of the continent, this county shared the fortunes of the great Northern Valley in the bloody and relentless partisan warfare which lasted more than a hundred years.


Again, during the seven year's war of the Revolution, the savage partisan strife of the earlier French and Indian wars was repeated within the borders of this county with all its horrors.


Thus it will readily be seen that for a period of more than two hundred years, during which its authentic history runs back, there was in the great Northern Valley, of which Saratoga county forms so prominent a part, scarcely an hour of peaceful rest in store for its war-worn inhabitants unbroken by the fear of the sav- age invader.


During all these long years of cruel warfare it was the midnight war-whoop, the swift de-


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18


BIOGRAPHY AND HISTORY


scending tomakawk, the keen-edged scalping knife, the burning dwelling, the captive wives and children, that made the whole land a scene of desolation and blood.


At length the long wilderness strife culmin- ated in the surrender of the whole British army of invasion under General Burgoyne, on - the 17th day of October, 1777, at Saratoga.


Then from that day, with Lexington and Bunker Hill, with Trenton, Monmouth, and Ticonderoga, with Germantown and Yorktown, Saratoga took the highest place among our country's historic names - for the victory at Saratoga was the turning point of the War of Independence, and is classed by an eminent English historian among the "fifteen decisive battles of the world."


II. - BOUNDARIES.


The county of Saratoga is centrally distant thirty-one 'miles north from the capitol at Albany. It lies between latitudes 42° 47' and 43° 22' north and longitude 2° 47' and 3º 20' east from Washington. Its extreme length from north to south is about forty-three miles, and from east to west its greatest width is about twenty-three miles. It contains 862 square miles, or 551,680 acres. Of this, according to the State census last published, there were 317,201 acres of improved land and 148,218 acres unimproved; there being of the latter 89, 192 acres of woodland. This leaves a remainder of 96,261 acres to be accounted for, in the waste non-resident lands in the north part of the county, lying within the boundaries of the Adirondack wilderness.


The county of Saratoga is bounded on the north by Warren county, on the east by the counties of Warren, Washington and Rens- selaer, on the south by the counties of Albany and Schenectady, and on the west by the counties of Schenectady, Montgomery, Fulton and Hamilton. *




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