USA > New York > Jefferson County > A history of Jefferson County in the state of New York, from the earliest period to the present time > Part 3
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* Oswego.
In the month of March or April, 1756.
# About six leagues south-west from the place now called Sackett's Harbor. Note in original.
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Ruins of Fort Carlton.
to one grave, which has the following: "J. Farrar, D. 23, Fy, 1792." Forty years ago, carved oaken planks were standing at many of the graves. Several chimneys occur outside of the in- trenchment, and on the peninsula, in front of the fort. About a dozen still stand within the works, which are built of stone, in a permanent and massive manner, the flues being very small, and the bases enlarged and well founded. Near the brow of the hill, is a circular well about ten feet in diameter, and supposed to be at least as deep as the level of the river, but being partly filled with rubbish, this could not be determined. Here are also exca- vations, supposed to be for magazines. The plan of the fort shows it to have been after the system of Vauban, and formed three eighths of a circle of about 800 feet diameter; the abrupt face of the hill, which was doubtless protected by a stockade, not requiring those defenses, which were furnished to the rear. The ditch is excavated in rock, is 4 feet deep, and 22 wide. The covered way is 24 feet wide, the counterscarp vertical, the outer parapet 4 feet high, and the glacis formed of materials taken from the ditch. The rampart within the ditch was of earth, and is very much dilapidated. Ravelins were made before each reentrant angle, and at the alternate salient angles, bastions were so placed as to command the fort and its various approaches, very effect- ually. No knowledge is derived from settlers of the character, the work, or the number or size of the inclosed buildings, except that a range of wooden blockhouses within the intrenchment, was occupied by a corporal's guard, and a few invalids. The premises had fallen into decay and were entirely without defensive works; a few iron cannon were laying on the beach, or under water near the shore, and the gates had been robbed of their hinges for the iron, which had been pawned by the soldiers. The premises have at all times furnished a great abundance of relics, among which were coins, buttons, &c., whose inscriptions and devices, without exception, indicate an English origin, and a period not earlier than the French war. The figures 60, K. 8. V, IX, 34, 22, 29, 84, 21, 31, &c., which occur on the buttons found, often accompanied by the device of the thistle, anchor, crown, &c., doubtless designated the regiments to which their wearers belonged.
On the declaration of war, the guard was surprised and captured without resistance, the buildings burned, and never after used as a fort. The state reserved the island for its supposed importance in a military point of view, in their sale to Macomb. În 1796, the surveyors of this purchase found a corporal and three men in charge, and there were four long twelve, and two six-pound cannon mounted. But little is said by historians and travelers, of this place, as it appears never to have been the theatre of
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History of Fort Carlton.
events that give interest to the former, and was not in the chan- nel commonly taken by regular vessels, and therefore seldom visited by the latter. The Duke de la Rochefoucault Liancourt* mentions it as follows: "During the American war, the British troops were constantly in motion, and in later times they were quartered in an island which the French called Isle au Chevreaux, and which the English have named Carlton, after Lord Dor- chester." The island had been known to the French by this name from an early period, and it is mentioned as one of the stopping places of Count Frontenac in his expedition against the Onondagas, as follows :; "On the 26th [July, 1696], they took their departure, and encamped at Deer Island (Isle aux Chevreuils); the scouts marching continually ahead of the army. Sieur de Luth, captain, was left in the fort [Frontenac], as com- mandant, with a garrison of forty men, and masons and carpenters necessary for the buildings which he was recommended to hasten. There remained only twenty-six sick in the fort, most of whom were wounded in the legs ascending the rapids. On the 27th they got to within three leagues of Riviere de la Famine [Black River], and on the 28th to the mouth of that of Onnontague.
This station was used by the English during and after the revolution, and garrisoned by invalid troops. It was an import- ant post, as it commanded the navigation of the south channel of the St. Lawrence, while Kingston controlled the other. Although the French had ceased to command in Canada, yet their memory was cherished with affection by the savages, who continued to receive presents and be influenced by the French in Louisiana and their western posts. Policy, therefore, dictated that this place should be kept up against any time of danger that might arise. Having carefully examined every author within reach, both English and French, we have been unable to ascertain the precise time of erection of this fort. It certainly did not exist before 1758, as it does not occur in any of the lists of stations previous to that period, but a manuscript is preserved among the Paris Documentst in the archives of the state at Albany, that throws some light upon the subject if it does not solve the mys- tery entirely. From this, it appears, that in November, 1758, the Marquis de Vaudreuil, governor of Canada, had drawn up a paper on the defenses of that country, which was then at war with the English, that was submitted to the Marquis de Mont- calm for his revision, and met with his entire approval. He proposed to send 1500 men to defend the approaches of Canada on the side of Lake Ontario, by the erection of a post to be selected
* Travels through the United States and the Country of the Iroquois, in 1795-6-7, London, vol. I, p. 280.
t Doc. Hist. N. Y., vol. I, p. 329.
' # Vol. XV, p. 170.
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History of Fort Carlton
at the head of the St. Lawrence, and laid out after the plans of M. de Fontleroy, who was to be sent for that purpose. The station thus chosen and fortified would at the same time become the head of the frontier, and entrepôt for every military operation in that quarter, instead of Frontenac, or the Bay of Niohouré, which can never be regarded as such, as the English might enter the St. Lawrence without exposing themselves, or giving any knowledge of their passage. He proposed to build xebecs instead of barks, as better fitted for the navigation of the lake, and the transportation of supplies. The place was to be made susceptible of defense by an army, and to have magazines for stores and barracks for the lodgement of troops in the winter. A quantity of supplies was to be sent to la Presentation,* consisting of tools and implements of all kinds necessary to be used against Oswego, or in the erection of the works. Levasseur and Pellegrin, experienced shipwrights, were to be sent up from Quebec to advise upon all the details connected with the plan of establishing upon the lake an adequate system of defense. Canada presented at that time three frontiers; the St. Lawrence from the Atlantic, Lake Champlain and the West; each of which claimed a share of attention. It was intended that the proposed work should be adequate, with those lower down, for the defense of the latter, and it was designed to put in command an active, disinterested and capable man, to accelerate the work, and render the opera- tions complete. Such a man the Chevalier de Levy was con- sidered to be, and he was accordingly named as the person to have chief direction and command of the work. Such are the outlines of the plan, which the means within our reach have not enabled us to learn were carried out at that time, and to the ex- tent contemplated. No one can stand upon the spot occupied by this ruin, and survey its natural advantages for defense, the ample bays for shipping which it overlooks, and the complete command of the channel which it affords, without being convinced that the site was admirably chosen, and that in the selection the projectors were guided by much discretion. With these brief . remarks we shall pass to the subjects connected with Jefferson county during the period of its present settlement.
*Ogdensburgh.
CHAPTER II.
ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, &c.
The current of immigration and settlement having been di- rected into the Black River valley, about the close of the last century, the country filled up in the space of a few years with a rapidity that has been seldom equaled, and it soon became diffi- cult to meet the demands of justice, without the erection of new counties. The changes which had been previously made, so far as relates to our territory, were as follows :
Albany, formed Nov. 1, 1683 (an original county ).
Tryon, March 12, 1772, from Albany.
Montgomery, changed April 2, 1784, from Tryon.
Herkimer, formed February 16, 1791, from Montgomery.
Oneida, March 15, 1798, from Herkimer. .
Such had been the rapidity of settlement within five or six years from its opening, that the necessity of a division of Oneida became apparent, and local interests began to operate to secure the advantages expected from the location of the public build- ings. Each section had its advocates. Nathan Sage in Red- field, Walter Martin in Martinsburg, Silas Stow and others in Lowville, Moss, Kent, Noadiah Hubbard and others in Cham- pion, Henry Coffeen in Watertown, and Jacob Brown in Brown- ville, were each intent upon the project of a county seat. Many were for having but one new county, in which case Champion had the fairest prospects of success, and indeed such had been the chances, in the opinion of several prominent citizens, that they had located there. Among these were Moss Kent, a brother of Judge James Kent, Egbert Ten Eyck, &c. To ob- tain an expression of public opinion on this subject, three dele- gates, chosen at town meetings, from each town interested in the question, met at the house of Freedom Wright, in Harrisburgh, (Denmark), November 20th, 1804. Many went with the inten- tion of voting for one new county only, but strong local interests led to the attendance of those who so influenced the voice of the delegation that, with but one exception, they decided for two new counties, and the convention united upon recommending the names of the executive officers of the state and federal governments then in office, from whence came the names of JEFFERSON and LEWIS, from Thomas Jefferson and Morgan Lewis, both men of national celebrity.
Application was accordingly made to the legislature, and on the 4th of March 1805, Mr. Wright, in the assembly, from the
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Act Erecting Jefferson and Lewis Counties.
committee to whom was referred the petitions and remonstrances from the inhabitants of the county of Oneida, relative to a divi- sion thereof, reported, "that they had examined the facts stated, as to population and extent of territory in said county, and the inconvenience of attending county concerns, and find the same to be true." A division was deemed necessary, and leave was granted to bring in a bill, which was twice read the same day, and passed through the legislature without opposition, being as follows:
Act, erecting Lewis and Jefferson Counties, Passed March 28, 1805.
1. " Be it enacted by the people of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, That all that part of the county of Oneida, contained within the following bounds, to wit: Beginning at the southwest corner of the town of Ellisburgh, on the easterly shore of Lake Ontario, and running along the southerly line of said town; thence along the easterly line thereof to the southwest corner of the town of Malta ; thence along the southerly line of the said town of Malta, and continuing the same course to the corner of townships number two, three, seven and eight; thence north along the east line of the town of Malta aforesaid to the northeast corner thereof; thence in a direct line to the corner of the towns of Rut- land and Champion; thence along the line between the said town of Champion and the town of Harrisburgh, to Black River; thence in a direct line to the bounds of the county of St. Lawrence, to intersect the same at the corner of townships numbers seven, and eleven, in Great Tract number three, of Macomb's Purchase; thence along the westerly bounds of the said county of St. Lawrence to the north bounds of this state; thènce westerly and southerly along said bounds, including all the islands in the River St. Lawrence, in Lake Ontario, and in front thereof, and within this state to the place of beginning, shall be, and hereby is, erected into a separate county, and shall be called and known by the name of Jefferson.
2. And be it further enacted, that all that part of the said county of Oneida, contained within the following bounds, to wit: Beginning at the south- east corner of the county of Jefferson aforesaid, thence southerly along the westerly line of the town of Turin to the southwest corner thereof; thence easterly along the south line of said town to the southeast corner thereof ; thence north, sixty two degrees east along the southerly line of the tract of land, known by the name of Macomb's Purchase, to the line of the county of Herkimer; thence north along the said last mentioned line to the bounds of the county of St. Lawrence; thence along the . south westerly line of the said last mentioned county to the line of the county of Jefferson; and thence along the southerly and easterly bounds thereof, to the place of beginning, shall be and hereby is erected into a separate county, by the name of Lewis.
3. And be it further enacted, that all that part of township number nine, which is comprised within the bounds of the said county of Jefferson, shall be annexed to and become a part of the town of Harrison, in said county, and that all that part of the said township number nine, comprised within the bounds of the said county of Lewis, shall be annexed to and. become a part of the town of Harrisburgh, in said county.
4. And be it further enacted, That there shall be held in and for the said counties of Jefferson and Lewis, respectively, a court of common pleas, and general sessions of the peace, and that there shall be two terms of
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Act Erecting Jefferson and Lewis Counties.
the said courts in each of the said counties respectively, in every year, to commence and end as follows, that is to say: The first term of the said court in the said county of Jefferson, shall begin on the second Tuesday of June in every year, and may continue to be held until the Saturday following, inclusive, and the second term of the said court in the said county of Jefferson, shall begin on the second Tuesday of De- cember, of every year, and may continue to be held until the Saturday following inclusive. And that the first term of the said court in the county of Lewis, shall begin on the said first Tuesday of June, in every year, and may continue to be held until the Saturday following inclusive, and the second term of the said court in the said county of Lewis, shall begin on the first Tuesday of December, and may continue to be held until the Saturday following inclusive; and the said courts of common pleas and general sessions of the peace, shall have the same jurisdiction, powers, and authorities, in the same counties respectively, as the court of common pleas, and general sessions of the peace, in the other counties of the state have in their respective counties; Provided always, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to affect any suit or action already commenced, or that shall be commenced, before the first terms to be held in the respective counties of Jefferson and Lewis, so as to work a wrong or prejudice to any of the parties therein, or to affect any criminal or other proceedings on the part of the people of this state, but all such civil and criminal proceedings, shall, and may be prosecuted to trial, judgment and execution, as if this act had not been passed; and further provided, that the first of the said courts in each of the said coun- ties, shall be held on the second Tuesday of December next.
5. And be it further enacted, That three commissioners shall be appointed , by the council of appointment, who shall not be resident within the western district of this state, or interested in either of the said counties of Jefferson or Lewis, for the purpose of designating the scites for the court houses and gaols, of the said counties respectively, and to that end the said commissioners shall as soon as may be, previous to the first day of October next, repair to the said counties respectively, and after explor- ing the same, ascertain and designate a fit and proper place in each of the said counties for erecting the said buildings, and that until such buildings shall be erected, and further legislative provision be made in the premises, the said courts of common pleas and general sessions of , the peace, shall be held at such place in each of the said counties, nearest and most contiguous to the places designated as the scites for said build- ings, as the said commissioners or any two of them shall determine and fix upon ; and the said commissioners, or any two of them, are hereby required as soon as they have designated the places for erecting the said buildings, and determined upon the places for holding the said courts, to make out and sign a certificate, certifying the place designated for erecting the said buildings, and places fixed on for holding courts, in each of the said counties, and to transmit one of the said certificates to each of the clerks of the respective counties, who are required to receive and file the same in their respective offices, and that the said commissioners shall be entitled to receive, each, the sum of four dollars per day, for the time they may be necessarily employed in executing the trusts reposed in them by this act, the one moiety thereof to be paid by each of the said counties.
6. And be it further enacted, That the freeholders and inhabitants of the said counties respectively, shall have and enjoy, within the same, all and every the same rights, powers and privileges as the freeholders and in- habitants of any other county in this state are by law entitled to have and enjoy.
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Changes in Boundaries of County.
7. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for all courts, and officers of the said counties of Jefferson and Lewis, respect- ively, in all cases, civil and criminal, to confine their prisoners in the gaol or gaols of the county of Oneida, until gaols shall be provided in the same counties respectively, and the said counties paying each the charges of their own prisoners.
8. And be it further enacted, That in the distribution of representation in the assembly of this state, there shall be three members in the county of Oneida, and one in the counties of Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence, any law to the contrary notwithstanding.
9. And be it further enacted, That no circuit court, or courts of oyer and terminer, and general gaol delivery, shall be held in either of the said counties of Jefferson and Lewis, until the same shall in the opinion of the justices of the supreme court become necessary.
10. And be it further enacted, That the said counties of Jefferson and Lewis, shall be considered as part of the western district of this state, and also as part of the fifteenth congressional. district, and that as re- spects all proceedings under the act, entitled "an act relative to district attornies," the said counties shall be annexed to and become a part of the district now composed of the counties of Herkimer, Otsego, Oneida, and Chenango.
11. And be it further enacted, That as soon as may be, after the first Monday of April, in the year 1806, the supervisors of the said counties of Oneida, Jefferson, and Lewis, on notice being first given by the super- visors of the said counties of Jefferson and Lewis, or of either of them, for that purpose shall meet together by themselves, or by committees appointed by their respective boards, and divide the money unappro- priated, belonging to the said county of Oneida, previous to the division thereof, agreeable to the last county tax list.
12. And be it further enacted, That the votes, taken at the election in the said counties of Jefferson, Lewis, and St. Lawrence, shall be returned to the clerk of the county of Oneida, to be by him estimated and disposed of, as is directed by the statute regulating elections.
13. And be it further enacted, That all that part of the town of Leyden, remaining in the county of Oneida, shall be and remain a separate town, by the name of Boonsville, and the first town meeting shall be held at the house of Joseph Denning, and all the remaining part of the town of Leyden, which is comprised within the bounds of the county of Lewis, shall be and remain a town by the name of Leyden, and the first town meeting shall be held at the dwelling house of Hezekiah Talcott,
14. And be it further enacted, That as soon as may be, after the first town meeting in each of said towns, the supervisors, and overseers of the poor, of said towns of Leyden, and Boonsville, shall by notice to be given for that purpose, by the supervisors thereof, meet together, and apportion the money and poor of said town of Leyden, previous to the division thereof, according to the last tax list, and that each of said towns shall thereafter respectively maintain their own poor."
The relative limits of Jefferson and Lewis counties have been three times changed. It will be noticed by reference, that the present town of Pinckney, was then divided by a line that was a continuation of the west lines of towns S and 3., of Boylston's Tract; and, that from the line between Championand Denmark, on Black River, the division ran straight to St. Lawrence County where the line of townships 7 and 11 of tract III touched
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Location of Public Buildings.
the county line. On the 12th of February, 1808, the whole of No. 9 (Pinckney) was included in Lewis County. On the 5th of April, 1810, the line east of the river, beginning as before at the east corner of Champion, ran thence to S. W. corner of a lot in 11th W. and 21st N. ranges, subdivisions of No. 5; thence E. between 20 and 21, northern ranges, to S. W. corner of lot in 10 W., 21 N. range; thence N. between 10 and 11, to S. line of lot No. 4; thence E. to 808-9; thence along 808-9, to lot 857; thence to S. E. corner of 857 and 809, to N. E. corner of 851; then W. on line of lots 851 and 850, to S. W. corner of 850; thence N. E. along line of lots to St. Lawrence County. On the 2d of April 1813, the present line between the two counties was established, by which this county received considerable accessions from Lewis in the town of Wilna. By an act of March 17, 1815, the several islands within the limits of this state, in the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario, lying in front of this county, were attached to it. By several acts the sovereignty of small tracts on Stony Point, Horse Island, Galloo Island, Tibbet's Point, and Carlton Island, has been ceded to the United States, for the purpose of erecting light houses, the state retaining concurrent civil and criminal juris- diction therein.
The governor, and council of appointment, accordingly desig- nated Matthew Dorr, David Rodgers, and John Van Bentheusen; commissioners to locate the site of the court house, and jail; and a section in an act, passed April 7, 1806, provided that their expenses should be audited by the comptroller, and paid by tax upon the counties. The portion paid by this county was $205. How faithfully their trust was executed, it may not be our duty to enquire; but in Lewis county, they were openly charged with having come predetermined in their choice, and an affidavit was procured from one who had overheard their conversation, in which this fact was distinctly indicated. As matters have since settled down, their decision here has doubtless been productive of the greatest benefit to the county, although the precise locality has always been somewhat inconvenient on account of its dis- tance from the business part of the village. This question of location was not settled without the most active efforts being · made by Brownville to secure the site; but the balance of settle- ment was then south of Black River, and the level lands in the north part of the county were represented to the commissioners as swampy and incapable of settlement. Jacob Brown, finding it impossible to secure this advantage to his place, next endea- vored to retain it, at least, north of Black River, and offered an eligible site in the present town of Pamelia; but in this he also failed. The influence of Henry Coffeen is said to have been
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Location and Erection of Buildings.
especially strong with the commissioners, although he was se- conded by others of much ability. It is said that the site was marked at some distance below the business part of the village of Watertown, to conciliate those who had been disappointed in Its location. A deed of the premises was presented by Henry and. Amos Coffeen which were, it is said, intended to include the triangular lot since sold to private individuals.
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