USA > New York > A geographical history of the state of New York: embracing its history, government, physical features, climate, geology, mineralogy, botany, zoology, education, internal improvements, &c., with a separate map of each county > Part 31
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5. Pembroke, 1812.
6. Bergen, 181S.
7. Byron, 1820.
8. Elba, 1820.
9. Stafford, 1820.
10. Alabama, 1826.
11. Darien, 1532.
12. Oakfield, 1842.
13. Pavilion, 1842.
Creeks. b. Black creek. c. Allen's d. Oak Orchard. r. Tonawanda. Falls on Allen's Creek in Le Roy.
Villages. BATAVIA. Le Roy.
BOUNDARIES. North by Orleans and Monroe; East by Mon- roe and Livingston; South by Wyoming; West by Erie and Niagara.
SURFACE. The surface of this county may be considered as a table land, inclined toward the north, and divided into two sec- tions. The first embraces the northern portion, from five to eight miles in breadth, and includes the Tonawanda swamp. Separated from this by a rocky ridge, the second gradually rises to the southern boundary of the county.
RIVERS. The general direction of its streams is north-east and north-west, of which Tonawanda, Allen's, (so called after
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Indian Allen who had his residence in this neighborhood,) Oak Orchard, Black and Murder Creeks, are the principal.
RAILROADS. The Tonawanda railroad, entering the county in the town of Bergen, has a southward course through Bata- via, to Attica. The Batavia and Rochester connects this with the eastern lines.
CLIMATE. Mild, temperate and equable. At the early set- tlement of the county, intermittent and remittent fevers prevail- ed, but they are now very rare.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. The whole county is comprised in the transition formation. Its principal rocks are the different varieties of limestone, sandstone and calciferous and marly slate.
The minerals are few in number ; the most important are gypsum, argillaceous iron ore, marl and peat.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil is chiefly a sandy or gravelly loam, highly productive in grass, summer crops, and especially in wheat. The timber of the county is oak, elm, beach, maple, birch, &c. The maple is very abun- dant, yielding large quantities of sugar.
PURSUITS. The inhabitants are principally employed in agri- culture. Wheat is extensively raised.
Manufactures.' Flour, lumber, leather, woollen cloths, and potash, are the principal articles of manufacture.
Commerce. The railroads furnish the principal means of transportation within the county.
STAPLES. Wheat, potatoes, oats, wool, corn and butter. ·
SCHOOLS. The county, in 1846, contained 166 district schools, which were in session an average period of nine months each, and were attended by 9,316 scholars. $12,506 was paid to teachers, and the libraries contained 19,458 volumes.
There were also seventeen private schools, attended by 431 pupils; three academies, and two female seminaries, with 360 students.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Baptists, Presbyte- rians, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Universalists, Unita- rians and Friends. The total number of churches is fifty; of clergymen, sixty-seven.
HISTORY. Nearly the whole of this county lies within the Holland Land Company's purchase, from whom the present inhabitants hold their titles. Some small tracts in the southern part of the county, still belong to the successors of that com- pany.
A tract of 87,000 acres, comprising the towns of Sweden and Clarkson, in Monroe county, and part of Bergenand Le Roy, in
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GENESEE COUNTY.
this county, and known as the Triangle tract, was sold by Rob- ert Morris, to Messrs. Le Roy, Bayard and McEvers.
The first settlement in the county was at Batavia, about the commencement of the present century. The Holland Land Company erected their land office here in 1801. In October, 1804, the settlement contained from twenty to thirty houses, mostly built of logs. It was at that time very sickly. The fer- tility of its soil and its adaptation to the culture of grain, caused a rapid immigration, and it was organized as a county, in 1802. It then comprised, however, the present counties of Allegany, Chautauque, Niagara, Erie, Cattaraugus, Orleans, Wyoming, and the western portions of Monroe and Livingston.
VILLAGES. BATAVIA Village, the county seat, was incorpo- rated in 1823. It is laid out in a plat, two miles square, and has over 300 buildings, a female seminary, the office of the Holland Land Company, and a number of manufactories.
Le Roy, in the town of Le Roy, is a thriving village, situated on Allen's Creek, and incorporated in 1834. The village lots are spacious, and the dwellings are generally built of stone, pre- senting a very neat appearance. The rapid growth of this vil- lage is due to the hydraulic power of the creek, which has three considerable falls.
The first fall at the village, is eighteen feet, the second about a mile below, twenty-seven fect, and the third within two miles, eighty feet, affording great facilities for manufacturing purposes. A number of sites are occupied by flour, oil, and other mills.
It is a remarkable fact that much of the water of this creek disappears before it reaches the highest fall, which is supposed to supply the Caledonia spring in the adjoining town, in Livings- ton county. It has about 2000 inhabit-ants. Here is a flourish- ing female seminary.
Alexander is a village of some importance, in the town of the same name. It has an incorporated classical school. Popula- tion, 500.
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XXXII. ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
Square miles, 2,717. Organized, 1802.
Population, 62,354. Valuation, 1845, $3,645,208. .
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TOWNS.
1. Lisbon, 1801.
2. Oswegatchie, 1802.
3. Madrid, 1802.
4. Massena, 1802.
5. Hopkinton, 1805.
6. Brasher, 1805.
7. Canton, 1805.
8. Russel, 1805.
9. De Kalb, 1806.
10. Potsdam, 1806.
11. Stockholm, 1806.
12. Gouverneur, 1810:
13. Louisville, 1810,
14. Rossie, 1813.
15. Parishville, 1814.
16. Pierrepont, 1814.
17. Fowler, 1816.
18. Morristown, 1821.
19. Norfolk, 1822.
20. De Peyster, 1825.
21. Edwards, 1827.
22. Hammond, 1827.
23. Lawrence, 1828.
24. Hermon, 1830.
25. Pitcairn, 1837.
26. Fine, 1842.
27. Colton, 1842.
28. Macomb, 1842.
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ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
Mountains. PP. Highlands of St. Lawrence county.
Rivers. I. St. Lawrence. a. Oswegatchie. b. Indian. c. Grasse. d. Racket. e. St. Regis. f. Deer. g. East branch Oswegatchie. h. West branch Oswegatchie.
Lukes. k. Black.
Falls. On the St. Regis, in Brasher, Hopkinton and Parishville. On the Racket, at Potsdam, Colton and St. Regis. On the Grasse, at Canton and Pierrepont. On the Oswegatchie, at Canton and Rossie.
Forts. Ogdensburgh.
Battle Fields. Ogdensburgh.
Villages. CANTON. Ogdensburgh. Rossie. Brasher's falls. Pots- dam. Gouverneur. Waddington. Massena. Norfolk.
BOUNDARIES. North by the river St. Lawrence; East by Franklin county ; South by Hamilton and Herkimer ; and West by Lewis and Jefferson counties, and the St. Lawrence river.
SURFACE. The surface of this county is agreeably diversified. Along the bank of the St. Lawrence river, for a distance of seventy-five miles in length, and from thirty to forty in breadth, the county consists of gentle swells, broad valleys, or extensive plains. Farther south it rises into hills, and finally assumes a mountainous character, in the southeast, where are situated the Highlands of the St. Lawrence.
RIVERS. The principal streams of the county besides the St. Lawrence, are the St. Regis, Racket, Grasse, Indian, Oswe- gatchie and Deer rivers, which by their long and circuitous courses and numerous tributaries, abundantly water it. A nat- ural canal, six miles long, connects the Oswegatchie and Grasse rivers, in the town of Canton.
FALLS. Most of these streams have numerous falls or rapids, furnishing a large amount of water power.
LAKES. Black Lake is the only one of importance. There are many extensive marshes.
CLIMATE. The climate is less variable than in most counties of the state. The air is clear, and the seasons uniform, compen- sating for the severe cold of winter, and contributing to the health of its inhabitants.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. That portion of the county lying along the St. Lawrence, for a width of ten or fifteen miles, be- longs to the tertiary, or rather the alluvial formation, consisting of clay and gravel; this is succeeded, at a distance of fifteen or twenty miles from the river, by a belt of Potsdam sandstone, running nearly parallel to the St. Lawrence, and varying in width from five to ten miles; the remainder of the county be- longs wholly to the primary formation, and consists of hypers- thene, gneiss, granite and primitive limestone.
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STATE OF NEW YORK.
The Potsdam sandstone forms one of the finest building materials in the world. Specular iron ore is found in this county in immense quantities, and is largely manufactured. The magnetic and bog iron ores are also quite abundant. Gra- phite or black lead is found in several localities. Lead exists in vast quantities in the neighborhood of Rossie. Zinc and copper occur frequently. Marble, ser- pentine, and other forms of carbonate of lime are deposited in various parts of the county ; steatite or soapstone is plentiful. The other principal minerals are phosphate of lime, sulphate of barytes, quartz crystals, Brucite, talc, pyroxene, hornblende, asbestus, feldspar, albite, Labradorite, mica, spinel, tourmaline, zircon, Babingtonite and sphene,
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The greater portion of the land is of excellent quality. The soil consists of a dark veg- etable mould, often underlaid with lime and marl, and is very productive of grasses, grains, &c. Much of the county is yet covered with dense forests of oak, beech, maple, basswood, but- ternut, ash, elm, hemlock, white and Norway pine. In the marshes white cedar, tamarack and black ash, are the principal trees. From the maple, large quantities of sugar are manufac- tured.
PURSUITS. The people are chiefly engaged in agriculture. Great numbers of cattle are reared, and much attention paid to the products of the dairy. They are becoming interested in manufactures, which at present are mostly limited to flour, lumber, fulled cloths, potash and leather.
Commerce. The commerce of the county is increasing in value and importance. Ogdensburgh is the principal port. The shipping of the Oswegatchie district amounted, in 1845, to about 1500 tons.
STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. Butter, cheese, potatoes, oats, corn, peas, wheat, sugar, wool, potash and lumber.
SCHOOLS. There were 402 common schools in the county in 1846, taught an average period of seven months each, and attended by 22,263 children. The teachers were paid $22,023. The libraries contained 33,191 volumes.
The number of select schools was twenty-three, with 303 scholars; of acade- mies, four, with 346 students.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Presbyterians, Methodists, Con- gregationalists, Baptists, Episcopalians, Universalists and Ro- man Catholics. Total number of churches, seventy-five; of clergymen, 125.
HISTORY. The French erected a fort at Oswegatchie, in this county before 1740, which they named Fort Presentation. This fort was captured by General Amherst, in 1760.
The first permanent settlement in the county seems to have been made in 1796, by Judge Nathan Ford, at Oswegatchie. At that time the Oswegatchie Indians had a village near his settlement, and attempted several times to drive him away, but without success. The next settlement was made at Canton, by
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ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
Mr. Stillman Foot, in 1799. These were soon succeeded by others, mostly from New England, and a line of settlements was speedily formed along the river. Much of the land in the county is held by the Messrs. Van Rensselaer, Gouverneur Morris and other wealthy capitalists.
During the late war with Great Britain, some interesting in- cidents occurred in this county. On the second of October, 1812, the British, in retaliation for the destruction of a large quantity of their stores at Gananoque, Canada, by Captain For- syth, commenced a heavy cannonade upon Ogdensburgh, from their batteries at Prescott, a Canadian village, on the opposite bank of the St. Lawrence. They continued the cannonade for two days, and on Sunday, the fourth of October, attempted to storm the town.
For this purpose, about 1000 men were embarked in forty boats; as they approached the American shore, General Brown ordered his troops to fire upon them. They did so, and for two hours the British attempted to land, but the galling fire of the Americans was too severe to be endured, and at length they were compelled to retreat to Prescott, with the loss of three boats and a number of men. The American force engaged in this contest, was only about 400 men.
On the twenty-first of February, 1813, the British again attack- ed Ogdensburgh with a large force, and, though encountering the most determined resistance, succeeded in driving out the Amer- ican troops, and capturing the village.
Two schooners, two gunboats and the soldiers' barracks were destroyed, and the enemy returned to Canada. The army of General Wilkinson embarked for the campaign of the autumn of 1813, from Morristown, in this county. Since the war, the increase of population in this county has been exceedingly rapid. Its population has nearly quadrupled in twenty-five years ; and from its extraordinary facilities for manufactures, mining and agriculture, its future growth must necessarily be rapid.
In 1838, this county and the Canada shore opposite, was the scene of some of the exploits of the Canada Patriots, (so called.) The battle of Prescott was fought at Windmill Point, nearly opposite Ogdensburgh, and several of the citizens of New York, who had aided " the Patriots," were taken prisoners and execu- ted, and others banished to Van Dieman's Land.
ANTIQUITIES. In the town of Gouverneur, is an ancient Indian fortification, consisting of an embankment, enclosing three acres, and containing some remains of rude sculpture.
VILLAGES. CANTON village is the county seat. It is situated on Grasse river, and contains besides the county buildings, an
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STATE OF NEW YORK.
academy, and some manufactories. A fine wooden bridge, with three piers, crosses the river here. Population, 1300.
Ogdensburgh, in the town of Oswegatchie, and at the mouth of Oswegatchie river, was incorporated in 1817. It is a flour- ishing village of about 4000 inhabitants. It has an academy in a very prosperous condition. It is at the foot of sloop naviga- tion on the St. Lawrence, and is the terminus of the proposed Ogdensburgh and Plattsburgh railroad.
Potsdam, incorporated in 1831, is the seat of the St. Law- rence academy, a chartered institution, with two large stone edifices, each four stories high. It has also several manufacto- ries. Population, 1200.
Rossie is celebrated for its valuable and inexhaustible lead mines. Population, 800.
Brasher's Falls, on the rapids of Deer river, is finely situated for manufacturing purposes.
Waddington is a manufacturing village in the town of Madrid. It was incorporated in 1839, and is rapidly increasing in popu- lation. A bridge connects it with Ogden's island, in the St. Lawrence. Population, 600.
Gouverneur is the coldest place in the state. Here is located the Gouverneur Wesleyan Seminary. Population, 600.
XXXIII. SENECA COUNTY.
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Square miles, 308.
Population, 24,972.
Organized, 1804.
Valuation, 1845, $5,674,034.
TOWNS.
1. Ovid, 1789.
2. Romulus, 1789.
3. Fayette, 1800.
4. Junius, 1803.
5. Covert, 1817.
6. Lodi, 1826.
7. Seneca Falls, 1829.
8. Tyre, 1829.
9. Waterloo, 1829.
10. Varick, 1830.
Rivers. c. Clyde. k. Seneca.
Lakes. BB. Seneca. DD. Cayuga.
Falls. Seneca.
Villages. WATERLOO. OVID. Seneca Falls.
BOUNDARIES. North by Wayne county ; East by. Cayuga county and Cayuga Lake ; South by Tompkins county ; and West by Seneca Lake and Ontario county.
SURFACE. The surface of this county rises from the lakes, which bound it on either side, to an altitude of 1200 or 1300 feet above tide water, and presents a pleasing diversity of beautiful valleys and hills.
RIVERS. The Seneca outlet is the principal stream, connect- ing Seneca and Cayuga lakes. The Clyde crosses its north- eastern corner.
FALLS. The Seneca outlet has a descent of forty seven feet, at the village of Seneca Falls.
LAKES. The lakes are Seneca and Cayuga.
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STATE OF NEW YORK.
CANALS. The Erie canal passes through the town of Tyre, in the north-east corner of this county, and the Cayuga and Seneca canal crosses the county, through the towns of Seneca and Waterloo, connecting the waters of the Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, and the Erie canal, at Montezuma.
RAILROADS. The Auburn and Rochester railroad passes through this county, most of the distance running parallel with Seneca outlet and canal.
CLIMATE. Mild and temperate. The situation of the county between two considerable bodies of water, prevents the long continuance of snow in winter, and essentially modifies the climate. It is considered healthy.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. The rocks of the northern section of this county, belong to the Onondaga salt group; those of the central, to the Helderberg limestones; and the southern to the Ludlowville shales of the Erie group.
Gypsum, or plaster of Paris is found in extensive beds near Seneca falls, and is largely exported. Variegated marble occurs near Seneca lake. Petroleum or Seneca oil is found floating on the Seneca lake, and on springs near it. A pool twenty feet in diameter, near Cayuga, constantly gives off nitrogen gas in large quantities.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil is mostly a calcareous loam and mould of excellent quality, and well adapted to wheat and grass. Fruit is cultivated to a consider- , able extent, and attains great perfection. Oak, maple, beech, elm, butternut, and in the highlands, pine and hemlock, are the principal forest trees.
PURSUITS. The people are largely engaged in the culture of wheat and grass, and the rearing of cattle.
Manufactures are increasing. The principal articles are flour, cotton and woollen goods, distilled liquors, and leather.
Commerce. The county has considerable commerce, both by way of the Seneca and Cayuga lakes, and by the Erie canal. Gypsum and agricultural products are largely exported.
STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. Wheat, oats, corn, hops, plaster of Paris, wool and butter.
SCHOOLS. In 1846, there were 110 common schools, taught, on an average, nine months each, and attended by 8065 chil- dren. The teachers' wages amounted to $13,023, and the dis- trict libraries to 14,956 volumes.
There were also twenty-two select schools, with 298 scholars, and three acad- emies, with 248 students.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Presbyterians, Bap- tists, Dutch Reformed, Episcopalians, Friends, and Roman Catholics. The whole number of churches is thirty-eight, of clergymen, forty-six.
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HISTORY. The first settlers in Seneca county were Messrs. Horatio Jones and Lawrence Van Clief, who located them- selves at Seneca Falls, in 1784 or 1785. Mr. James Bennet settled at West Cayuga, in 1787. Colonel Mynderse, who es- tablished himself in Seneca Falls in 1795, founded the village of that name in 1816.
The county belonged to the Military Tract, granted to the sol- diers of the state, by the legislature, and the land titles are de- rived from them. The Indian title to these lands was not ex- tinguished,till 1789. Its growth has been rapid since its first settlement.
VILLAGES. WATERLOO village, in the town of Waterloo, is a half shire town, lying on the north side of the Seneca outlet, and incorporated in 1824. It is a very flourishing manufacturing vil- lage, containing, besides the county buildings, a number of churches and a chartered academy, occupying a fine building, and amply provided with apparatus for the illustration of the natural sciences. Large quantities of limestone are quarried in the vicinity. The Cayuga and Seneca canal, and the Au- burn and Rochester railroad, both pass through the village. Population 3200.
OVID, a half shire village, was incorporated in 1816. It is sit- uated on elevated ground, about midway between the lakes, and commands a fine and widely extended prospect. It has a char- tered academy. Population 700.
Seneca Falls was incorporated in 1831, and, like Waterloo, is situated on the Seneca outlet, the canal and railroad. It de- rives an abundant hydraulic power from the Seneca outlet, the water of which is constant and steady, and is applied exten- sively to manufacturing purposes, by means of four dams hav- ing a total fall of forty-seven feet. A flourishing academy is located at this village. Population 3000.
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XXIV. LEWIS COUNTY.
Square miles, 1122. Organized, 1805.
Population, 20,218. Valuation, 1845, $1,675,000.
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TOWNS.
1. Leyden, 1797.
2. Lowville, 1800.
3. Turin, 1800.
4. Harrisburg, 1803. 5. Martinsburgh, 1803.
6. Denmark, 1807.
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LEWIS COUNTY.
7. Pinckney, 180S.
11. West Turin, 1830.
8. Watson, 1821.
12. Croghan, 1812.
9. Greig, 1828.
13. Osceola, 1842.
10. Diana, 1S30.
Rivers. a. Black. b. Beaver. c. Moose. e. Independence Creek. f. Deer. g. Otter. i. Fish. j. Salmon. k. Indian. h. West branch of Oswegatchie. Lakes. o. Fish.
Falls. Falls on the Black river, at Denmark and Greig.
Villages. MARTINSBURG. Lowville. Copenhagen.
BOUNDARIES. North by Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties ; East by Herkimer ; South by Oneida, and West by Oswego and Jefferson counties.
SURFACE. The county is divided by the Black river into two nearly equal sections. The eastern ascends somewhat rapidly, from the river, to the mountainous region on its eastern line. The western is rolling and frequently hilly, rising from the Black river, for six or eight miles, and then inclining to the south and west. Broad alluvial flats are found along the Black river.
RIVERS. Black and Beaver rivers, Independence, Moose, Deer, Otter, Fish, Salmon, and Indian creeks, and the west branch of the Oswegatchie, are the principal streams.
FALLS. Black river has a fall of sixty-three feet, in the town of Leyden, and Deer creek of 175 feet, in the town of Denmark.
CANAL. The Black river canal, when finished, will unite with Black river just below the high falls at Leyden.
CLIMATE. The climate of Lewis county is cold, but healthy. The winters are long, but the uniformity of the temperature renders them less unpleasant, than would be expected.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. The country east of the Black river is primitive in its character. The rock underlying this portion of the county, and frequently appearing on the surface, is granite. West of the river, the whole county is underlaid with a fine compact limestone, which appears every where, on the borders of the streams. The Utica slate also occupies a narrow belt in the western part of the county.
Iron ore is very abundant and of a superior quality ; lead ore, (galena,) also occurs in considerable quantities. The other minerals worthy of notice are, sul- phuret of zinc, (blende,) very beautiful quartz crystals, scapolite, tabular spar, green cocolite, feldspar, sphene, crystallized pyrites, calcareous and fluor spar, manganese, and Rensselaerite. Probably few counties in the state are richer in mineral wealth.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil is various, composed of a fertile alluvium, or a gravelly, sandy, and clayey loam. It is susceptible of a profitable cultivation, and furnishes fine grazing. The timber is principally pine, spruce, hemlock,
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STATE OF NEW YORK.
beech, maple, elm, ash, with some white oak and walnut. The eastern section still has extensive forests. From the maple. are manufactured considerable quantities of sugar.
PURSUITS. Agriculture is the chief employment of the inhab- itants ; the products of the dairy are large.
Manufactures. The county has abundant water power, but as yet it is but little improved. Flour, lumber, leather, and fulled cloths, are the chief articles of manufacture.
Commerce. There is little or no commerce ; the completion of the Black River canal will aid materially in bringing the pro- duce of their rich and fertile lands to market.
The STAPLES of the county are butter and cheese, wool, po- tatoes, oats, and wheat. Considerable quantities of barley, buckwheat, flax, hops, and sugar, are also produced.
SCHOOLS. The district school-houses in the county, in 1846, were 150 in number, in which were instructed 6139 pupils. The average length of the schools was seven months. The teachers wages, $6196; the number of volumes in the district libraries, 11,886. There were six private schools with eighty- three scholars, and one academy with sixty-two pupils.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Baptists, Presbyte- rians, Congregationalists, Universalists, Roman Catholics, Episcopalians, and Friends. The total number of churches is thirty-seven, of clergymen, forty-four.
HISTORY. The whole of this county was originally owned by Alexander Macomb. The western part was afterward sold to a company of capitalists in New York city, and the east- ern to a French company at Paris. The first settlers were pioneers from Connecticut and Massachusetts, who made their way, in 1797, from Utica and Fort Stanwix, (now Rome,) at that time small settlements, by a line of marked trees, to the falls of Black river, and from thence to the town of Lowville, where they established themselves. Their families followed, the succeeding winter, through snow so deep as to make it necessary to break paths for the cattle and teams, while moth- ers, shod with snow-shoes, bore their infants in their arms. For some time after, the farmers were obliged to go forty miles to mill, carrying their grain upon their shoulders.
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