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 6
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SECTION I. Article 1. The 600,000 acres of land which Peter Chassanis has purchased of Wm. Constable (in which are reserved five acres in each 100), shall be subdivided into 6000 portions, including the fractional por- tions.
Art. 2. A direct title shall be given upon application by the holders of certificates, in their own name.
Art. 3. These certificates shall be of the following form :
Title of the associaton of the New York company, in the purchase of 600,000 acres of land in Montgomery county, State of New York :
"The bearer of this certificate has paid the sum of eight hundred livres " which renders him the owner of a hundred acres in six hundred thou- " sand acres which have been sold to us as representatives of the com- " pany of Proprietors [ Companie des Actionnaires], according to the pre-
" sent contract, which requires us to pass the necessary titles of this por- " tion of the estate, in favor of the holder of this certificate, whenever he " may wish to receive it in his own name. The present certificate is for
47
The New York or Chassanis Company.
" an integral part, and a fraction of the purchase above mentioned, hy " virtue of which, the bearer is entitled to all the rights of this association, " of which the articles and rules are fixed by the terms of agreement " annexed to this common title.
" This certificate bears the number In evidence of which it " has been signed by myself, countersigned by the commissaries of the " company, and inspected by M. Lambot, notary."
Paris, this-of- "
These shall remain deposited in the hands of M. Lambot, Notary at Paris, who shall make the distribution after the inspection and signature, of which we shall speak hereafter. The price of a certificate, shall remain fixed at 800 livres, which shall be paid into the hands of M. Lambot. Of this sum one tenth part shall be placed at the disposal of the trustees, to defray the expenses of the concern, such as purchasing of tools, materials, provisions, the opening ofroads, necessary fixtures, surveys, and explora- tions. The nine other tenths, shall belong to the seller, who shall convey, after the transfer has been duly made by Wm. Constable in America, a title with all the formalities required by the usages of the country. This remit- tance shall be made by the depository, directing the sums received to Messrs. Ransom, Moreland & Hammersley, bankers in London, in drafts upon that city ; which shall be sent as received, without waiting the return of' titles, but till that time that the said Wm. Constable shall not draw from the hands of the said bankers in London.
.Art. 5. The 600,000 acres shall be divided into 12,000 lots of 50 acres each, of which six thousand shall be divided, and set apart in the begin- ning, for individual properties, and six other thousand shall belong to the company, who shall ultimately take measures for increasing its value, and for a divison after the manner hereinafter mentioned.
Art. 6. Each holder of certificates shall have one separate lot, and one in common and undivided stock.
.Art. 7. The 30,000 acres additional, resulting from the reservations in the above tract, shall be divided as follows: two thousand acres in the formation of a city, in the interior of the tract, on the banks of the great river that traverses the concession, . 2000.
Two thousand acres besides, to the founding of a second city, upon the banks of Lake Ontario, at the mouth of the river upon which the first city shall be built to serve for a port and entrepôt of commerce ... 2000.
Six thousand acres shall be divided among artisans, who shall be dis- tributed in the settlements, such as masons, carpenters, locksmiths, and joiners, to be charged to them after seven years, by paying a rent of twelve sous per acre .. 6000.
The twenty thousand acres remaining shall be expended in the con- struction of roads and bridges, or disposed of as the society may direct. 20,000.
Art. 8. The location of the two cities shall be divided into 14000 lots, of which 2000 shall be reserved for markets, and edifices, such as churches, schools, and other public establishments, and for poor artisans, who shall be desirous of locating there. The 12,000 remaining lots shall be divided into two classes, the one of separate and the other of undivided ownership. One lot of each class shall belong to each owner of certificates.
Art. 9. The choice of divided lots, in the country as well as in the cities, shall belong to the holders of certificates, in the order of the dates of the presentation of their titles, by themselves or their authorized agents to the trustees of the company.
Art. 10. The trustees of the company shall make upon the spot, before the term of seven years, a report of the property remaining in common ,
48
The New York or Chassanis Company.
and its condition; of the improvements of which it is susceptible, and an estimate of its value. After this report there shall be made a division into 6000 lots, which shall be designated on a plan. The trustees shall advertise three months in advance of drawing, which shall be done in a general assembly, by those only who shall have declared a fortnight before the drawing, that they wished to take part in the same. Those who do not make this declaration, shall be deemed to have chosen the continuation and non-division of the common property.
Art. 11. The holders of certificates, who remain in common, shall regulate in a general assembly their particular interests, as well for the care of lands which remain with them as for selling them, as they may decide.
Art. 12. After the drawing, the society shall no longer exist, except among such as do not take part in it; the certificates shall be furnished to those entitled, containing a title and adjudication of their lots.
Art. 13. The affairs of the company shall be managed by trustees, living in Paris, three in number, and by at least two other trustees, resi- ding upon the tract. These different trustees shall be in regular corre- spondence, and shall be chosen by an absolute majority of the general assembly. These meetings shall be held in Paris, and every owner may attend and assist by himself or by proxy. Each share shall entitle to one vote, yet no person shall have more than five votes, whatever the number of shares he may possess.
Art. 14. All the articles aforesaid, are essential to the existence of certificates, and can he modified only in a general assembly, convened ad hoc. and by a majority of two thirds.
SECTION II. Government. Article 1. Within one month, there shall be held a meeting of the subscribers, at the rooms of the said Sieur Chassanis, at Paris, No. 20, Rue de la Jussieune, for the election of trustees.
Art. 2. The trustees, residing in Paris, shall have the charge of proving the certificates, with the depository, and of personally examining each, to guard against errors ; the notary shall also compare them as received, and paid, after which they shall be signed by the said Sieur Chassanis, to be delivered to the shareholders. Consequently no certificate shall be issued until after these inspections and signatures, and the subscribers shall in the mean time only receive a provisional receipt of deposit.
Art. 3. To guard against all errors in distribution, the certificates shall be registered by their numbers, by Sieur Chassanis, upon their present- ation by the holders, and the record kept in his office, and without this entry, of which notice shall be' written upon the certificate by the said Sieur Chassanis, or by the one whom the trustees shall appoint for the purpose, no holder of certificates shall be admitted to the' meetings, nor have right to take his chance in the selection of his location.
Art. 4. The trustees, designated for removal to America, shall be the bearers of the instructions, and of the general powers of the assembly ; shall survey the land, decide upon the location of the two cities, and there prepare for the company, within three months from their arrival, a report of their examinations and labors, with a detailed plan of the com- mon property.
Art. 5. trustees shall be chosen from among the holders of certificates.
Art. 6. The trustees shall decide the location of the fifty acres which shall belong originally to each certificate, after which the holders shall have the right of choice.
Art. 7. The locations shall be marked upon two registers, in the hands of the trustees in America, who shall retain one and transmit the other annually to the general assembly in France.
49
Chassanis Tract-Surveys.
Art. 8. The titles directed to be delivered to the holders of certificates, who make known their wish, shall contain a declaration by Sieur Chas- sanis, that in his general purchase, there belongs a certain portion to *** as his own, in accordance with a common title, and a social regulation of which he is a party; this declaration shall bear the number of the certificate, which shall remain attached, under pain of forfeiture of the action, even though the certificate had been previously canceled, and this title shall not be complete till after the registration of the trustees to whom it shall be presented.
Art. 9. The trustees in America, shall be clothed with a similar power by Sieur Chassanis, for granting like titles to those who require it. This power shall be granted after a model of the declaration, for the purpose of securing uniformity of registry.
Art. 10. All decisions and acts of the company done in France, as relates to trustees, have no need of public formality when they are legal- ized by the minister or other public functionary of the United States, residing in France.
Art. 11. There shall be delivered, upon demand, a duplicate of title to the holders of certificates, containing a copy of the original, and in it shall be mentioned that it is a duplicate."
The agreement of Constable and Chassanis, of August 30, 1792, was canceled, and the tract reconveyed March 25, 1793, in consequence of the amount falling short, upon survey, far be- yond the expectation of all parties. On the 12th of April, 1793, Constable conveyed 210,000 acres, by deed, for £25,000, to Chassanis,* since known as The Chassanis Tract, Castorland, or The French Company's Land, bounded north by No. IV of Macomb's Purchase, south and west by Black River, and east by a line running north, nine miles, from a point near the High Falls, and thence northeasterly on such a course as might include 210,000 acres.
On the 11th of April, 1797, Chassanis appointed Rodolph Tillier, "member of the sovereign counsel of Berne," his attorney, "to direct and administer the properties and affairs concerning Cas- torland, to follow all which relates to the surveying and subdividing of this domain, as well as to its improvement, clearing, and amelioration; to make the useful establishments; make all bar- .gains with settlers, artists, and workmen; make all payments and receipts; give and take receipts; pass all title of property, to the profit of those who will have acquired lands forming part of Castorland; to put, or have them put in possession of the said lands; sell of these lands to the amount of ten thousand acres, either paid down for, or on credit, but in small parcels of a hun- dred or two hundred acres at most." In case of death, Nicholas Olive was to succeed him. On the 18th of February, 1797, a new agreement was made between Constable and Tillier, con- veying the Castorland tract to Chassanis, after the survey of William Cockburn & Son, of Poughkeepsie, in 1799, and giving
* Oneida Deeds, 3, 56.
1
50
Surveys-Incident.
with greater detail the bounds of the tract. The former convey- ances made the north and east bank of the river the boundary, but in this the centre of the channel was agreed upon .* On the 6th of March, 1800, Constable deeded to Chassanis, for one dol- lar, a tract of 30,000 acres in the eastern corner of Tract No. IV, which was afterwards subdivided into twenty-seven lots, and conveyed to James Le Ray .; Cockburn's survey divided the purchase into six very unequal tracts, formed by the intersec- tion of the principal lines and the river. The tract was subdi- vided by Charles C. Brodhead and assistants, in 1794. John Cantine, Philip R. Freys, Peter Pharoux, and Benoni Newman, were among his surveyors. In dividing the tract, the line run- ning north from the High Falls was assumed as the cardinal line, from which ranges were counted east and west. An east and west line, crossing the other nine miles from the Falls, was fixed as a second cardinal, from which ranges were reckoned north and south. The ranges extended to nineteen east, fifty-one west, twenty-seven north, and about nine south; and the lots included 450 acres each, except those on the margin. These were again subdivided into nine square lots, of fifty acres each, which were numbered from 1 to 4,828. This system of numbering has since been observed in designating the location of lands.
Mr. Brodhead was a native of Pennsylvania, and had held the rank of captain in the Revolution. He was employed by Tillier, through the influence of Edward Livingston and Dr. Oliver, and while performing the survey, encountered many hardships. An obituary notice published soon after his death, which occurred within the last year, at Utica, contains the following:
" In running the great lines of division his party had crossed the Black River several times, the men and instruments being ferried across. On one occasion when they had approached the river, having journeyed through the woods without noting their route by the compass, they arrived at a part of the bank which they recognized, and knew to be a safe place of passing. Making a raft of logs, they started from the bank, and began to pole across. When in the midst of the current their poles failed to reach the bottom, and simultaneous with this discovery, the noise of the waters below them revealed the horrid fact that they had mistaken their ferrying place, aud were at the head and rapidly approaching the Great Falls of the river, the passage of which threatened all but certain death. Instantly. Mr. B. ordered every man who could swim to make for the shore, and he prepared to swim for his own life. But the piteus appeals of Mr. Pharoux, a young Frenchmaan, of the party, who could not swim, arrested him, and he determined to remain with him to assist him, if possible in the awful passage of the falls. Hastily directing his men to grasp firmly to the logs of the raft, giving similar directions to Mr. Pha- roux, he then laid himself down by the side of his friend. The raft passed the dreadful falls and was dashed to pieces. Mr. Pharoux with
Oneida Deeds, 4, 279.
f Oneida Deeds, Q, p. 524.
51
Original Surveys.
several of the whites and Indians was drowned, and Mr. Brodhead him- self thrown into an eddy near the shore, whence he was drawn senseless by an Indian of the party."*
The surveyors were in their instructions directed to note " all kinds of timber, wild meadows, useful plants, wild fruit trees, hills, swamps, creeks and objects of interest generally." The south line of Tract No. IV, was run by John Campbell and others, in August, 1794. At a very early period, a settlement was begun by Tillier and others near the High Falls, east of the river, and several families were settled. Several extensive sales were made by Chassanis, and Tillier to Frenchmen of the better class, who had held property and titles in France before the revolution. Desjardine & Co. bought 3002 acres on Point Peninsula; Odier & Bousquet, 1500 acres on Pillar Point; Nicholas Olive (Dec. 17, 1207+) a tract of 4050 acres north of Black River and Bay; Henry Boutin, 1000 acres around the present village of Carthage;} C. C. Brodhead, 400 acres in the presnt town of Wilna,§ and others. Among these were a conveyance dated March 31, 1801, of 1,817 half acres in scattered lots to twenty or thirty French people,|| many of them widows of persons who had acquired an interest in the New York Company. On the 1st of May, 1798, James Le Ray purchased 10,000 acres in Cortland, T and Feb. 15, 1801, all his lands not previously sold .** Chassanis in his early sales had reserved about 600 acres (R. 26 W. 24 and 25 N.). between the present villages of Brownville and Dexter, for the City of Basle. The appendix of a worktt printed in Paris in 1801, contains a letter relating to this company which must have been written by one familiar with the country. The work from which we translate, purports to have been made from an English manuscript cast ashore on the coast of Denmark from the wreck of the ship Morning Star, and from its romantic style it scarcely merits notice in history. The letter is dated Sept. 4, 1800, and is as follows;
* The body of this young man was afterwards found on a small island at the mouth of the river to which his name was given. Mr. J. Le Ray caused to be prepared a marble tablet to be inserted in the rocks here, with the follow- ing inscription :
" To the memory of PETER PHAROUX, this Island is Consecrated." For 1, 780.49. Ranges N. 27, W. 42, 43, and part of 44, since called the Olive Tract. Sec. Office Rec., July 16, 1813, C. to Tillier.
į April 2, 1798, 500 acres for £1000, and Dec. 18. 1798, 500 acres. Oneida Deeds, A. 2, p. 132.
§ Ib. Deeds A. p. 10, sold Oct. 26, 1797.
li Oneida Deeds, 11, 233.
TIb. Deeds F. 249.
** Jeff. Deeds C. p. 378.
tt Voyage dans la haute Pennsylvanie, et dans l'état de New York, par un membre adoptif de la nation Oneida. Traduit et publié par l'auteur des Lettres d'un Cultivateur Americain, 3 vols. 12mo.
52
Account of the French Settlement.
" This northern part of the state of New York, which contains the three great districts, known as Richland, Katarkouy, and Castorland, is bounded on the north by the River St. Lawrence, on the west by the Ontario, on the east by the counties of Washington and Clinton, and Lake Champlain, and on the south by the new cantons of Oswego, Onon- daga, and Herkimer, is traversed nearly its entire length by Black River, which has 45 to 50 miles of navigation to its falls, situated a short dis- tance from its mouth, in the bay of Niahouré, on Lake Ontario. This river receives in its course many considerable streams and creeks, abounding in hydraulic privileges. This region is very favorably situated for access. On the one side it communicates with Canada by the St. Lawrence, with the English establishment upon the right bank of the river, as well as those from Kingston, in the bay of Katarokouy, on the other with Lake Ontario, by the bays of Niahouré, and Cat Fish. and lastly with the Mohawk Country, by a route just opened by Richland, Rome, and Castorville. They have surveyed another from the chief place, (Castorville?) the first navigable waters of the Oswègatchée, at the con- fluence of which with the St. Lawrence, Major Ford has founded a considerable establishment. Long Lake, the waters of which are nearly parallel with the Great River, offers another route to those who wish to go to Ford'sbourg and Lower Canada. With the exception of the mount- ains, the soil is deep and fertile, as may be judged by the height and variety of the trees that compose the forest. The country, which borders the river from our Katarakouy to the line which separates us from Canada, (the 45th parallel) abounds in oak, a timber the more precious, as it is rare and valuable at Montreal and Quebec. In other sections we see a mixture of elms, button wood, sugar maple, butternut, hickory, beech, water ash, and basswood. We also find hemlock, white pine, and different kinds of spruce, wild cherry, and red",and white cedar. From the boughs of the spruce is made that beer so praised by Capt. Cook, and known to be the best of anti scorbutics. The sugar maple is so common in some sections as to form a third of the trees. Not only do we derive from thence all the sugar we need, but vinegar also of an excellent quality. As is the case in all northern countries this is filled with woody marshes and natural meadows, in which pasturage is had in summer, and forage for winter. We find in many places limestone, clay, and ore of iron, very ductile, but we are still too young to think of building a furnace or large forges. It will not be so in ten years; it is probable we shall then be in a condition to furnish to the inhabitants of Upper Canada, who, not having contracts to assure them the possession of their lands, can not think of engaging in such enterprises. We already begin to cultivate corn, wheat flax, and even hemp, since it had been observed to what height it grows on land, formerly flowed by beaver dams; but it being only the fourth year of our settlement, the details of our progress can not be very interesting.
An event, as unfortunate as unexpected, has much hindered the pros- perity of this colony. The death of a young man of much talent, whom the Castorland Company had sent from Paris, to render a wild and hitherto unknown country fit to favor the reunion of a new born society, to divide the lands, open roads, begin the first labors, built bridges and mills, and invent machines, where man is so rare. A victim of his zeal, in taking the level of a bend of the river, he perished in trying to cross above the great falls. His comrades, so unfortunate as not to be able to assist him, have collected the details of this disastrous event in a paper, which I have been unable to read without emotions, and which I send.
Our rivers abound in fish, and our brooks in trout. I have seen two
.
53
Account of the French Settlement.
men take 72 in a day. Of all the colonies of beavers, which inhabited this country and raised so many dams, only a few scattering families remain. We have destroyed these communities, images of happiness, in whose midst reigned the most perfect order, peace, and wisdom, fore- sight and industry. Wolves, more cunning and warlike than the former, live at our expense and as yet escape our deadly lead. It is the same with the original elk. It is only seen in this part of the state, for our hunters will soon make it disappear, for, you know, that, wherever man esta- blishes himself, this tyrant must reign alone. Among the birds we have the pheasant, drumming partridge, wild pigeon, different kinds of ducks, geese, and wild turkey, &c. Our chief place, situated on the banks of the pretty Beaver River, and from thence so appropriately named Castorville, begins to grow. It is still only, as you may justly think, but a cluster of primitive dwellings, but still it contains several families of mechanics, of which new colonies have so frequent need. Several stores, situated in favorable places, begin to have business. The Canadians, on the right bank of the river, come thither to buy the goods which they need, as well as sugar and rum, which, from the duties being less at our ports than at Quebec, are cheaper with us than with them. The vicinity of these French settlements are very useful to us, in many respects. Cattle are cheaper than with us, as well as manual labor. Such are the causes of communication between the inhabitants of the two sides, that it is impossible for the English government to prevent it.
Our colonists are, like others, a mixture of many nations; we have some families of Scotch and Irish, but the greater number come from the northern states, which, as you know, is the "officina humani generis" of this continent. Many of the settlers have already made considerable improvements. One of these families from Philadelphia, besides a hun- dred acres well enclosed, has begun a manufacture of potash, where the ashes of the neighborhood are leached; another of the Quaker sect has settled on the route to Kingston, where he has already built a saw mill, and a considerable manufactory of maple sugar, where he made last year about 16 quintals. The head of this family is a model of intelligence and industry; the goods which he brought, easily procured him much labor at a good rate. He paid twelve dollars per acre for clearing his lands and half the ashes ;* besides this he furnished to the potash makers the great iron chaldrons and hand labor, and retains half of the salts, the value of which, with the first crop of wheat, pays and more all the expenses of clearing, fencing, and harvesting. The average yield per acre, being 24 to 28 bushels, and the price of wheat 6 to 8 shillings, it is easy to see that there is still a margin to cover accidents, and that the second crop is clear profit. Among these families we have some, who, driven from their country, by fear and tyranny, have sought in this an asylum of peace and liberty, rather than wealth, and at least of security and of sweet repose. One of these, established on the banks of Rose Creek, came from St. Domingo, where he owned a considerable plantation, and has evinced a degree of perseverance, worthy of admiration. One of the proprietorst has a daughter, as interesting by her figure as by her industry, who adds at the same time to the economy of the household, the charms or rather the happiness of their life. Another yet is an officer, of cultivated mind, sprightly, and origin; who, born in the burning climate of India, here his health is strengthened. He superintends the
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