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 35
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SOIL, AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil is highly fertile, yielding grains and grasses in abundance. Fruit is cultivated here in great perfection. The timber is mainly oak, beech, ma- ple, tamarack, ash, &c.
PURSUITS. A majority of the inhabitants are engaged in agri- cultural pursuits. The culture of wheat and the other grains, occupies the attention of most of the farmers of the county. Butter and wool are also produced in considerable quantities.
The manuf ictures of the county are numerous, and constant- ly increasing in value and importance. Flour is manufactured in large quantities. Lumber, cotton and woollen goods, iron ware, potash and leather, are the other principal articles pro- duced. Their value, in 1845, was nearly two millions of dollars.
Commerce. The commerce of the county is quite extensive, both on the lake and on the canal. Lewiston is the principal port on the Niagara river.
STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. Wheat is the great staple of this county. The other principal agricultural products, are oats, corn, potatoes, peas, butter and wool.
SCHOOLS. In 1846, there were in the county 158 district school-houses, in which schools were maintained an average period of eight months each. 11,919 children received instruc- tion, at an expense for tuition of $15,034. The number of vol- umes in the district libraries was 16,612.
822 pupils were instructed in twenty-nine select schools. There were also in the county one academy, and one female seminary, with 185 students.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Presbyterians, Bap- tists, Episcopalians, Friends, Congregationalists, Universalists, Dutch Reformed, Lutherans, and Roman Catholics. There are fifty churches and fifty-nine clergymen of all denominations, in the county.
HISTORY. In 1697, M. de la Salle erected a palisade fort at or near the site of Fort Niagara.
In 1712, the Tuscarora Indians removed to this county from
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North Carolina, and united themselves with the Iroquois con- federacy, which thenceforth assumed the name of " the Six Na- tions." They still hold a reservation of about 5000 acres, lying in the town of Lewiston. They are about 200 in number, and are mostly in prosperous circumstances. They have a church and school, both under the direction of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions.
In 1725, the French erected a fort at the mouth of the Niagara river, in this county, in pursuance of their design of connecting their Canadian settlements with those on the Mississippi, by a chain of military posts.
Here their efficient emissaries, the Jesuit missionaries, won the affections of the simple hearted red men, by their ready compliance with their dress and customs; and extolling the power and grandeur of the French monarchs, incited them to deeds of aggression and bloodshed against the English. Not long after the erection of this fort, a stockade fortress, since known as old Fort Schlosser, situated about a mile above the falls, was also erected.
In 1759, Fort Niagara was captured from the French, by the British army, under the command of Sir William Johnson. It was rebuilt and garrisoned anew the same year.
During the revolution, it was held by the British, and from its time-stained walls, issued numerous bands of Indians and tories, bound on expeditions of bloody revenge, or lawless plun- der, to the hapless valleys of the Schoharie and Mohawk. To this place, too, they brought the prisoners and scalps they had taken, to claim the reward which a British ministry offered for these evidences of their own inhumanity.
In 1796, this fort was surrendered to the United States. At that time there was but one white family, beside the occupants of the fort, within the present limits of the county.
During the late war with Great Britain, the American garri- son, consisting of 370 men, were surprised by an unexpected attack from a force of more than 1200 British troops, who cross- ed the river, and after a brief but severe struggle, captured the fort. Sixty-five of the garrison were killed, and twenty-seven pieces of ordnance, with a large quantity of military stores, fell into the hands of the captors. In March, 1815, it was again surrendered to the United States. On the 14th of September, 1826, Morgan, of antimasonic notoriety, was confined in the magazine of the fort.
There can be no doubt that during its occupancy by the French, it was occa- sionally used as a prison for state offenders ; and from that time to the close of the revolution, deeds of crime and blood were committed there, which the light of the judgment day alone will reveal.
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On the 17th of September, 1763, a company of troops, num- bering with the teamsters, about 175 men, were escorting a quantity of stores to Fort Schlosser, and had reached the ravine known as the Devil's Hole, on the Niagara river, when they were beset by a party of Sene a Indians who were then in the French interest, and all but two murdered, or dashed to pieces in their fall over the precipice.
One, a drummer, was saved by the strap of his drum being caught in the branches of a tree, in his fall; the other, a man by the name of Stedman, being well mounted, forced his way through the hostile crowd and fled, at the utmost speed of his horse, to Fort Schlosser. His clothes were riddled with balls, but he was unhurt. The Indians considered his escape as mirac- ulous, and gave him a large tract of land, embracing all that he had rode over in his flight.
In December, 1813, the British burned Lewiston, Youngs- town, Manchester, (now Niagara Falls village,) and the Tusca- rora Indian village, alleging the burning of Newark, in Canada West, by the Americans, as an excuse for their barbarity.
Early in December, 1837, after the failure of the attack of the " Canadian patriots," ('so called,) on Toronto, Mckenzie and Sutherland, two of their leaders, who had escaped to the Uni- ted States, together with some twenty-five of their adherents, took possession of Navy island, in the Niagara river, above the Falls, and remained there nearly a month, bidding defiance to the British troops, who were congregated on the Canadian shore, to the number of 3000 or 4000 men.
The ranks of the "patriots" were constantly reinforced by volunteers from the American frontier, until they numbered about 600. The British fired upon them, and killed one man ; the fire was returned, and preparations made to cross into Can- ada, when by the interposition of General Scott, the island was evacuated, and the patriot army dispersed.
It was during the occupation of this island, that Mr. Wells, of Buffalo, the proprietor of a small steamboat, called the Car- oline, formed the project of running his steamer as a ferry boat, between Navy island and old Fort Schlosser, in order to accom- modate the numbers who wished to pass and repass daily.
Accordingly, on the 29th of December, the boat commenced running, and having made several trips during the day, was moored at night, beside the whiarf at Schlosser. Numbers, who had been attracted by curiosity to the place, were unable to obtain lodgings at the tavern, the only dwelling in the vicinity, and sought accommodations on board the boat.
About midnight, the watch on board the steamer observed a boat approaching ; he hailed, but before he could give the
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alarm, a body of armed men from Canada, rushed on board, crying "cut them down, give no quarter ;" no resistance was made on board the boat; all who could do so, escaped to the shore. Five persons were known to be killed.
The boat was cut from her moorings, towed out into the stream, set on fire, and suffered to drift down the river, and over the falls. It was supposed that several persons were on board at the time she went over the cataract. This outrage produced great excitement on the frontier, and had well nigh involved our government in a war with Great Britain.
VILLAGES. LOCKPORT, the county seat, is a large and busy village in the town of the same name. It was founded in 1821, and incorporated in 1829. The Erie canal here descends, by five massive double locks, sixty feet. Before reaching these locks, in its progress eastward, the canal passes, for several miles, through a deep cutting of limestone, where the walls of rock, on either hand, rise twenty or thirty feet above the level of the canal. The descent of the canal furnishes an im- mense water power, which is partially improved. The village has a great variety of manufactures. Several very large flour mills are in operation. Population, 6800.
Niagara Falls Village is a beautiful and thriving place, deriving much of its importance from its proximity to the cata- ract. It has been proposed to devote the waters of the Niagara at this place, to manufacturing purposes, but it is to be hoped that such a project may never be carried into execution. Popu- lation, 1000.
Lewiston, in the town of the same name, has considerable trade with Oswego, and other ports on Lake Ontario. Here is also a ferry across the Niagara river, to Queenstown. It is the head of steamboat navigation on the river. Population, 900.
Youngstown is a thriving little village in the town of Porter. It has a good steamboat landing, and is connected with the vil- lage of Niagara, in Canada, by a steam ferry. Population, 700.
Middleport, in the town of Royalton, is a village of some im- portance.
XLIV. SULLIVAN COUNTY.
Square miles, 919.
Organized, 1809.
Population, 18,727. Valuation, 1845, $1,468,283.
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TOWNS.
1. Mamakating, 1798.
2. Lumberland, 1798.
3. Nevisink, 1798.
4. Rockland, 1798.
5. Thompson, 1804.
6. Liberty, 1807.
7. Bethel, 1809.
8. Fallsburgh, 1826.
9. Cochecton, 1828.
10. Forrestburgh, 1838.
11. Collikoon, 1842.
Mountains. P. Shawangunk mountains.
Rivers. H. Delaware river. R. Nevisink. a. Collikoon. e. Mon- gaup. g. Bashe's kill. k. Beaver kill. i. Little Beaver kill. Falls. On the Mongaup and Nevisink, Fallsburgh and Forrestburgh. Lakes. h. White Lake. 1. Long Pond. m. Round. n. Sand. Canals. Delaware and Hudson canal.
Villages. MONTICELLO. Bloomingsburgh. Wurtzborough. Falls- burgh. Cochecton.
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BOUNDARIES. North by Delaware and Ulster counties ; East by Ulster and Orange ; South by Orange county and the Dela- ware river ; and West by the Delaware river.
SURFACE. Hilly and mountainous. The Shawangunk moun- tains occupy the eastern section of the county. The western face of these mountains is precipitous, but they descend by a gentle declivity on the east. The remainder of the county has an ele- vated surface, divided into numerous ridges, by the streams which intersect it
RIVERS. The Delaware forms the south-western boundary of the county ; the other principal streams are the Collikoon, Mon- gaup and Nevisink rivers, Bashe's, Beaver and Little Beaver kills.
LAKES. The county abounds with small lakes, among which are White Lake, Long Pond, Round Pond, and Sand Pond.
CANALS. The Delaware and Hudson canal passes through the valley of Bashe's kill.
CLIMATE. Cold but healthy. Vegetation is about two weeks later than in Ulster and Orange counties. In some parts of the county frost occurs every month.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. This county comprises several geological formations of interest. The western half, and a por- tion of the northern section, belong to the old red sandstone formation, or Catskill group; the central and southern portions are composed of the Chemung sandstone and shales; as we proceed eastward we encounter successively the limestones of the Hamilton group, the Helderberg limestones, the gray Sha- wangunk sandstone and grit, which forms the largest portion of the surface rock of the county ; and the Hudson river slate.
The number of minerals is not large. In the vicinity of Wurtzborough, and in other parts of the county, mines of lead ore have been opened, which promise to be productive and valuable. Crystallized iron and copper pyrites, sulphuret of zinc, and quartz crystals of great beauty, have been found in connection with the lead at these localities. The red sandstone affords, in some places, a fine building material.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil of the uplands is fertile and well adapted to the production of the grasses and more hardy grains. In the valley of the Delaware it is cold and - wet. The county is well adapted to grazing. The timber con- sists principally of pine, hemlock, beech, maple, linden, oak and tulip tree. But little more than one tenth of the soil is under cultivation.
PURSUITS. The people of this county are mostly devoted to agriculture. But little grain is raised, and that principally corn, oats and buckwheat. The products of the dairy receive considerable attention.
Manufactures. Leather and lumber are extensively manu-
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factured. The latter finds its way to market by the Delaware river.
Commerce. The Delaware and Hudson canal furnishes an easy mode of transportation for the produce of the eastern sec- tion of the county. The Delaware river is navigable in the spring, and immense quantities of lumber are rafted down it.
Mines. There are lead mines near Wurtzborough, in the town of Mamakating.
STAPLES. Oats, corn, butter, beef, pork, lumber and leather.
SCHOOLS. In 1846, there were in the county, 118 district school-houses, in which 6328 children were instructed at an ex- pense for tuition, of $8793. The schools were in session an average period of eight months each. The district libraries contained 10,379 volumes.
There were also eight select schools, with 178 scholars, and one academy with thirteen pupils.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Presbyterians, Dutch Reformed, Baptists, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, and Friends. Total number of churches, twenty-eight; of clergy- men, twenty-three.
HISTORY. In 1777, or 1778, several persons having been killed by the Indians in Rochester, Ulster county, the commander of the garrison at Honkhill, in Wawarsing, who had two or three hundred troops under his command, determined to intercept the Indians on their return, and punish them for their barbarities. He accordingly called for volunteers, and Lieutenant John Gra- hams offered his services. They were accepted, and with a lieutenant's guard, consisting of twenty men, he made his way to a place since called Grahamsville, in the town of Nevisink.
Unpracticed in the arts of Indian warfare, they were no match for their wily foes. The Indians decoyed them from their posi- tion, induced them to waste their fire upon a single Indian, and then shot them down, and scalped them. But three of the num- ber escaped to carry to the garrison the intelligence of the loss of their comrades.
The town of Mamakating belonged to the Minisink patent, and was settled by the Dutch at an early period. The remain- der of the county belonged to the Hardenburgh patent, and was not occupied till near the commencement of the present century. The emigrants, with the exception of those who located at Mamakating, were mostly from the eastern states. The county was named in honor of General Sullivan, of revolutionary memory.
VILLAGES. MONTICELLO, in the town of Thompson, was found- ed in 1804, by Messrs. S. F.and J. P. Jones, and made the county seat at the organization of the county in 1809. Population, 700.
Bloomingsburgh is a pleasant village, in the town of Mama-
SCHENECTADY COUNTY. . 357
kating. It is in the midst of a fine agricultural country. It has an academy. Population, 600.
Wurtzborough, in the same town, is a flourishing village, named after the projector of the Delaware and Hudson canal. Near the village is a lead mine of considerable importance. Population, 500.
Liberty, Fallsburgh, and Cochecton, in the towns of the same names, are villages of considerable importance.
XLV. SCHENECTADY COUNTY.
Square miles, 186. Organized, 1809.
Population, 16,630. Valuation, 1845, $2,739,421.
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1. Schenectady, 16S4.
2. Princeton, 179S.
3. Duanesburgh, 1801.
4. Neskayuna, 1809.
5. Glenville, 1820.
6. Rotterdam, 1820.
Rivers. AA. Schoharie kill. F. Mohawk river. a. Norman's kill Lakes. e. Maria.
Cities and Villages. SCHENECTADY. Duanesburgh. Rotterdam.
BOUNDARIES. North by Montgomery and Saratoga ; East by Saratoga; South by Albany and Schoharie ; and West by Scho- harie, counties.
SURFACE. The surface of Schenectady county is agreeably diversified with hills, plains and valleys. Flint hill extends 16*
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through a part of the southern section, and a spur of the Kaya- derosseras range passes through the town of Glenville, nearly to Schenectady. On the banks of the rivers are extensive flats.
RIVERS. The Mohawk, Schoharie kill and Norman's kill, are the principal streams.
LAKES. Lake Maria is a small body of water in Duanesburgh.
CANALS. The Erie canal crosses the Mohawk near the east- ern line of the county, and passes along the south west bank of that river.
RAILROADS. It has four lines of railroads, the Mohawk and Hudson, Troy, Saratoga and Utica railroads, all centering in the city of Schenectady.
CLIMATE. The climate of this county is mild and salubrious, but subject to considerable extremes of temperature.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. The Hudson river group, consisting of grits and shales, or slaty rocks, is the prevailing surface rock of this county. The Utica slate makes its appearance in the neighborhood of Glenville. The whole county is overlaid by clay and gravel, to the depth of from fifty to one hundred feet.
Bog iron ore occurs near the line of Albany county. There are several local- ities of calcareous spar, one of which resembles arragonite. Quartz crystals and common jasper are also found in the county.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil is various. The extensive alluvial tracts along the Mohawk and other streams, are exceedingly fertile. The hills and plains are either a light sandy or clay loam, less fertile, and sometimes barren.
Pine and oak are the principal forest trees.
PURSUITS. Agriculture is the leading pursuit of the inhabit- ants. Wheat and barley are extensively raised. The rearing of cattle occupies some attention.
Manufacturers are quite limited. Flour, cotton goods, iron and leather are the principal articles.
Commerce. By means of its canal and railroads this county enjoys ample facilities for the transportation of its produce.
STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. Oats, potatoes, corn, barley, rye, buck- wheat, wheat, butter and cheese.
SCHOOLS. This county had in 1846, seventy-five common schools, with 3614 pupils. They were taught an average pe- riod of eight months, at an expense of $4960. The district libraries numbered 7115 volumes.
There were two select schools, with twenty-two scholars; an academy with 108 pupils, and a college, with eleven professors and 242 students.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Dutch Reformed, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Episcopalians, Universalists, Romar Catholics and Friends. The whole number of churches is twenty four, of clergymen, thirty-four.
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SCHENECTADY COUNTY.
HISTORY. This county was one of the first settled in the state. Previous to the year 1620 several Dutch traders estab- lished themselves here, to traffic with the Indians for furs.
The first grant of lands was made in 1661, to Arendt Van Corlaer and others, on condition that they purchased the soil from the natives. The deed was obtained in 1672, and signed by four Mohawk chiefs. It comprised a part of the present city of Schenectady.
In November, 1665, Governor Nichols granted to Mr. Alex- ander Lindsay Glen, a Scotch gentleman of ancient and noble descent, a tract lying on the Mohawk, and comprising most of the present town of Glenville. Mr. Glen resided for a number of years in Albany and Schenectady, and in 1690 removed to his patent, where, in 1713, he erected a country seat, which he named Scotia, and which is still standing.
According to tradition, Neskayuna was settled in 1640. A patent for land in this town was granted to Harmon Vedder, in 1664.
On the eighth of February, 1690, the village of Schenectady, then containing sixty-three houses and a church, was burned, and sixty-three of its inhabitants murdered, twenty-seven car- ried captive, and others perished, from the severity of the sea- son, in the attempt to escape.
The marauders who thus rushed upon the sleeping and de- fenceless inhabitants, like wolves upon the sheep fold, were a party of 200 Frenchmen and about fifty Indians, from Canada, who had nearly perished from hunger and cold in their murder- ous expedition.
Having plundered and destroyed the village, they commenced their return, but were pursued by the Albany militia and the Indians friendly to the English, and twenty-five of their number killed.
In 1748, the Canadian Indians made"another hostile incursion into the county, and killed a Mr. Daniel Toll, who had gone about three miles from Schenectady, in search of some stray horses. On receiving intelligence of his murder, about sixty young men, from Schenectady, started in quest of the enemy. They were soon surprised by a party of Indians in ambush, and more than half their number were killed. The remainder suc- ceeded in reaching a house near by, where they kept the enemy at bay, till the Schenectady militia came to their aid, when the Indians fled and returned to Canada. Thirty-two young men, of the best families of Schenectady, fell in this affray.
The county was, with few exceptions, settled by the Dutch, and remained a part of Albany county until 1809.
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STATE OF NEW YORK.
CITIES AND VILLAGES. SCHENECTADY city, the seat of justice for the county, is situated on the south branch of the Mohawk river, fifteen miles northwest of Albany. As has been already stated, it was founded at a very early pericd.
Previous to the construction of the Erie canal, it was a place of very considerable business, as goods intended for the western trade were shipped upon the Mohawk at this place. After the completion of the canal, most of this trade was transferred to Albany ; but the numerous railroads which now center here, have given it a new impulse, and its business and population have materially increased within a few years past.
The city has some manufactories-the principal are flour, paper, cotton goods, iron, leather, tobacco, malt liquors, &c. Population 6555.
Union College, which is located here, was founded in 1795, and received its name from the fact that its founders were mem- bers of different religious denominations. It has a corps of eleven professors, and three principal edifices, two of brick and one of stone. Its apparatus is very complete, and its library large and valuable. It is amply endowed, and has property to the amount of $450,000. Attached to the college building is a tract of land, 250 acres in extent, a part of which is laid out in walks and pleasure grounds. Its situation is highly picturesque.
Rotterdam is a small manufacturing village, in the town of the same name.
Duanesburgh is a village of some importance.
XLVI. PUTNAM COUNTY.
Square Miles, 216.
Population, 13,258.
Organized, 1812.
Valuation, 1845, $2,929,318.
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1. Kent, 1788.
2. Philipstown, 1758.
3. Carmel. 1795.
4. Patterson, 1795.
5: Southeast, 1795.
6. Putnam Valley, 1838.
Mountains. FF. Highlands. U. Taghkanic Range.
Peaks. c. Anthony's Nose. d. Sugar Loaf. e. Bull Hill. f. Break- neck Hill.
Rivers. C. Hudson River. S. Croton. b. Peekskill.
Lakes, &c. Mahopack Pond. i. Shaw's Pond.
Villages. CARMEL. Cold Spring.
BOUNDARIES. North by Dutchess county ; East by the state of Connecticut; South by Westchester county, and West by the Hudson river.
SURFACE. Putnam is one of the most mountainous counties in the state. The hills are not, however, generally abrupt or precipitous, but rounded and susceptible of cultivation almost to their summits. It is well adapted to grazing.
The Highlands extend across the western part of the county. The range commences at the river, in the southwest corner of Philipstown, and takes a northeasterly course, extending into Dutchess county. In Philipstown there are several considera- ble peaks, the most prominent of which are Anthony's Nose, Sugar Loaf, Pull Hill, Breakneck Hill, and High Peak. The highest of these peaks is 1580 feet above the level of the Hudson.
In the eastern part the Taghkanic range extends through the count , from north to south.
RIVERS. Beside the Hudson, which forms the western bound- ary of the county, the Croton river and its branches, and the Peekskill, are the only streams worthy of notice.
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LAKES. Mahopack and Shaw's ponds, in the town of Car- mel, are the only bodies of water of importance. The first is nine miles in circumference, and has two islands; the other is much smaller in extent.
THE CLIMATE is healthful, though cool.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. This county belongs to the south- eastern primitive district of the state. Granite, gneiss, and primitive limestone are the principal rocks. In the town of Pat- terson, and at several other points in the county, beds of trans- ition limestone occur. They are, however, of small extent.
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