USA > New York > Lewis County > Gazetteer and business directory of Lewis county, N.Y., for 1872-73 > Part 11
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* In order to unify their interests it was proposed to give to each member of the co ::.- pany a deed for only fifty acres, or one-hit. for each shure he held, and allow the re- mainder of the tract to remain an undivided interest until the expiration of seven years, so that its value would be uniformly enhanced by their common improvements. The price per share was fixed at 800 livres. Thirty thousand acres of the common reserva- tion was to be devoted to the following purposes : 2.000 acres for the site of a city to be named Basle, to be located near Dexter villare, at the month of Black River ; 2,000 acres for a second city to be named Castorrille, and to be located at Beaver Falls. on Beaver River ; 6,000 to be appropriated to the uses of poor artisans, and to be charged to them at the end of seven years, at the rate of twelve vous (12-20 of a livre, or franc) per acre ; and 20.000, or the proceeds therefrom. for the construction of roads, bridges and other improvements in which they were mutually interested. Each city was to be divided into 14,000 lots, 2,000 of which were to be devoted to churches, schools and other public conveniences, and to poor artisans, and the remaining 14.000 were to consist of two classes, one of which would bo distributed among the proprietors immediately. and the other at the end of seven years, when a final report was to be made, and those who so elected might receive their remaining shares.
+ Brunel subsequently distinguished himself as an engineer. The Royal Navy Yard at Portsmouth, manifcent raffroad structures in England, and the Thames Tunnel are monuments of his constructive gemus .- Hough's History of Lewis County.
# Pharoux, with seven of his companions, was drowned in 1795, while attempting to cross Black River, near Long Falls. His body was found npon an island in Black River Bay, upon which, many years after, LeRay caused to be elected a tablet bearing this in- ecription :
"TO THE MEMORY OF PETER PHAROUX, THIS ISLAND IS DEDICATED."
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LEWIS COUNTY.
having suitably epuipped themselves for the journey in the wilderness which then marked the fruitful vales of Lewis County, they started out, and spent two months during the fall of 1793 in explorations and surveys. "Early in 1794, Desjar- dins and Pharonx petitioned for an act to allow Chassanis to hold lands in New York," in which, owing to his political relations. he was unable to become a resident, and although this privilege was denied him it was accorded to them, they having signified their intentions to establish their residences there, as his agents.
The survey of Castorland was begun in the summer of 1794, and the first settlers established themselves upon it in June of that year, at High Falls, or Lyons Falls, which, it is supposed, was mistaken for Long Falls, in Jefferson county. They cut their way from Fort Stanwix. A road was opened from Steu- ben to High Falls this year, and the surveys were continued during the summers of the two succeeding years. The growth of the colony was checked by the death of Pharoux, who was succeeded for a short time, as agent, by Desjardins. Rodolphe Tillier was appointed agent by Chassanis, April 11, 1797, but his management failed to inspire confidence at the home office, and in November, 1798, Chassanis requested Gouverneur Morris, (with whom he became acquainted while the latter represented the United States at the French court,) to accept the supervision of the company's affairs in America. This Morris declined, but in August, 1799, be submitted a plan by which a person was to be appointed to take charge of the store, previously established, upon inventory, keep it supplied with goods needed by the colonists at a moderate price, and each year improve a farm of forty acres in the environs of Castor- ville, on the undivided lands, and in September following he appointed Richard Coxe to succeed Tillier and carry out the provisions of his plan. Coxe was to serve for four years for $4.000. Inconsiderable sales and settlements were made under the respective agencies, but owing to the general mismanage- ment,* the disaffection resulting therefrom, and the inaptitude of the persons who were induced to settle upon the tract, many of whom were highly educated and had lived in opulence in
* The lack of prescience manifested by those highest in authority is well illustrated by a communication trom V. Le Ray, from Paris, Nov. 16. 1859, to Dr. F. B. Hough, which is recorded in the latter's History of Lewis County. We quote :
"I would hardly dare state such a fact, if a sample of such folly was not known in the country, where the traces of a road once opened, but of course never traveled, were vi-ible a few years ago in the south part of the tract, which among other obstacles, was to cross an almost impassable precipice ; but orders were imperative, and the road was made on both sides, leaving them to be connected when the thing became feasible."
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LEWIS COUNTY.
their native France, the settlements gradually dwindled into insignificance and were finally abandoned .*
In July, 1814, at the expiration of the term fixed upon for the existence of the company, a public sale was resolved upon to pay the debt of 561.766 livres, owed to its Swiss creditors, who, as no one else offered to become purchasers, bid in the land. James D. Le Ray was one of the original members of the company and acquired a large interest in it. He became the principal American agent, and under him and his son Vincent Le Ray the lands were finally settled.
Watson's Tract, embracing the east and west triangles, the former of which lies wholly within Herkimer county, and the latter principally in Watson, was purchased by James Watson of New York. Much of the west and all of the east triangle are still a wilderness.t
Brantingham Tract lies in Greig and contains 74,400 acres.] It was sold for £5,000, Feb. 13, 1793, by Wm. Constable, to P. Colquhoun, and conveyed Aug. 18, 1793, by S. Ward and wife, to the name of Wm. Inman, in trust for him.§ After some change in ownership it was sold by William Inman, April 10, 1794, for another, to Thos. Hopper Brantingham of Philadelphia, for $23,013. From Brantingham's connection with it the tract derived its present name. The changes in
ownership subsequent to that time were too numerous and the interests involved too unimportant to be detailed in this con- nection.| During these mutations Colquhoun again acquired a fourth interest, and in September, 1818, John Greig, agent of Kerry and Colquhoun, appointed Caleb Lyon his sole agent. The latter, upon assuming the agency, purchased 10,000 acres, and he subsequently bought Livingston's interest. At his death he was succeeded in the agency by his son Lyman R. Lyon, and his son-in-law, Francis Seger. Greig succeeded to Kerr
*"In 1800," says Dr. Hough, "after contracting a debt of 300.000 livres, the company could only show one saw mill, eighteen log houses, and 82 acres cleared, besides what belonged to the company. Several roads had, indeed, been made, but there were ren- dered impassable by the first gale of wind, and from want of population speedily re- lapsed into the state of nature."
t Mr. Watson's interests in this County were represented by his son Jamos T. Wat- son, of whom further mention will be made in the history of the town of Watson.
# Cockburn's survey in 1794.
& Colquhoun requested Iaman to ofer to Capt Chas. Williamson a portion of this tract at first coar, but Inman betrayed his trust in doing so by impugning Colquhoun's mo- tives, and within two months ho off red to buy theso lands himself.
" Aaron Burr was at one time interested in this tract.
" Kerr was contemporary with . Colquhonn in holding a fourth interest. The other two who were inter - ted with them were Brockholst Livingston and Sanmel Og- den. The tract was surveyed Into lot- hy Benj. Wright, in 1816, and divided into four parts, Nov. 25. 1-15. The north-pust and Ratth- west divisions were drawn by Kerr and. Colquhoun, and the othery by their associate owners. Lots 259 and 235, including the High Fails, remained undivided common property.
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LEWIS COUNTY.
and Colquhoun's remaining interest in 1821, and in 1851, up to which time the agency was continued, L. R. Lyon purchased it of Greig, and at the same time a part of the Ogden tract. The Lyon family was largely and actively interested in the sale and settlement of the lands in Greig .*
Brown's Tractt embraces 210,000 acres, lying in Lewis, Her- kimer and Hamilton counties. It was conveyed by Samuel Ward and wife, Nov. 25, 1794, to James Greenleaf, who, July 29th, 1795, mortgaged it to Philip Livingston. The mortgage was foreclosed, and Thomas Cooper, Master in Chancery, united in a deed to John Brown, a wealthy merchant of Providence, R. I., Dec. 29, 1798.1 Nathaniel Smith surveyed the tract into towns in 1796, and Cliff French surveyed Township No. 2. into lots. Brown made an attempt to settle his purchase, but it proved an unprofitable project and resulted in failure.§
Constable's Four Towns lie between the Thirteen Towns and Inman's Triangle, and extend from the west bank of Black River to the south border of the County.||
Boylston's Tract, or the Thirteen Towns, lies in Lewis, Jeffer- son and Oswego counties. It originally included all of Macomb's Purchase lying south and west of Black River, and west of Inman's Triangle, or 817,155 acres. Six of the towns in this tract are in this County."
The Black River Tract lies south of Black River and north of the Thirteen Towns, or between the two. It is divided into eleven towns, four of which are in this County, and is also known as the Eleven Towns. The remaining seven towns are in Jefferson county .**
Inman's Triangle embraces the town of Leyden and a small portion of Lewis. It lies upon the south border of the County and the west bank of Black River, and contains 26,250 acres. It was conveyed in trust to Wm. Inman, chiefly for Patrick Col- quhoun, Feb. 12. 1793.
* A further mention of the Lyons will be made in the history of the town of Greig.
t This name is generically applied to the whole northern wilderness in this State.
$ Numerous unessential conveyances were made prior to Brown's purchase.
$ Brown gave his towns the simple and suggestive names of Industry. Enterprise, Perseverance, Unaninaty, Frugality, Sobriety, Economy and Regularity. Parts of the first and second are in Greig, and parts of the third and for rtb, in Watson.
! The original names of the towns in this tract were Xenophon, now Lewis ; Flora, now Lewis, High Market and West Turin ; Lucretia, now High Market, Turin and Martinsburgh ; and Pomona, now Turin and West Turin.
" The six of the Thirteen Towns in this county are Nos. 3. 4, 5, 8, 9 and 13. or Shakespeare, now in Montagne,) Cornelia, Porcia, (both the latter are now in Mar- tinsburgh,) Hylla, (how in Osceola and Montague,) Poncops, (now in High Market) and Rurabella, (now in Osceola.)
** The four towns in this County are Nos. 5, 9, 10 and 11. or Mantua. (now Denmark,) Hunde!, (now Pinckney,) Fluting, (now Harrisburgh,) and Lou ville, which still retains that name.
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LEWIS COUNTY.
While the efforts of the French to establish a colony upon the east side of Black River. at High Falls and upon Beaver River, were in progress, a different class of people were settling the more inviting lands upon the west side; and while the former proved a signal failure for the reasons before indicated, the latter, under more enlightened exertions and a class of people better able to adapt themselves to the exigencies of pioneer life, proved successful. The first permanent settlement was com- menced in the town of Leyden, by emigrants from New Eng- land, in 1794, the same year in which the French colonists arrived. From these the fame of the Black River country soon spread to their native States, and within the next decade the tract of fertile land lying between Black River and the elevated plateau on the west border of the County was taken up by a hardy, industrious and thrifty people, who brought with them those sturdy, estimable qualities which characterized the prim- itive settlers of the New England States in an eminent degree.
Rev. John Taylor, in the journal of his mission through the Black River country, in 1802, thus speaks of the people who had then settled in the latter :
"People frequently raise their provisions the summer of their settling; if they go on in season, they chop down the trees, and get them off as soon as possible; and they sow spring wheat and plant corn. The wheat is sown and dragged; and if there is no blast, they reap from 25 to 35 bushels [to] the acre. Corn is only planted upon the ground without plow- ing, and is seldom hoed more than once-and then no more is done than to cut up the fire weed: and corn planted and tended in this manner, I have measured, which was 11} [feet] in height. It, however, does not appear to be so stocky as corn in Deerfield [Mass. ] meadows. They tell me it produces from 40 to 70 bushels [to] the acre. It would not answer here, however, to tend corn in this manner after ye first year of its being cleared-it would become weedy. Crops of all kinds appear to flourish, though the ground is not half tilled.
"Poor people have, in general, been the first settlers. They have bought farms of about 100 acres -- have cleared 10 or 20-built a log house-and then sold to others, for a sum as much greater than they gave, as to purchase them another 100 acres-and by this means have placed themselves in a short time in a good situation. It is considered here but a small atfair for a man to sell, take his family and some provisions, and go into the woods upon a new farm, erect him a house, and begin anew.
"Society is here made up of all characters. It is a mixture of every- thing that can be well conceived of, both as to nation's and religions. The great body of the inhabitants are, however, from Massachusetts and Connecticut.
"One thing is peculiar in this wilderness,-every countenance indicates pleasure and satisfaction. The equality of circumstances cuts off a great proportion of the evils which render men unhappy in improved societies, and the influence of hope is very apparent. I do not know that I have seen an unhappy person for 90 miles on this river. There is no complain- ing of hard times; but every one is cheerful and contented-for they all
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LEWIS COUNTY.
foresee, that in a few years they will have a great plenty of worldly goods, in a common course of events."
On the completion of public work on the Black River Canal, many laborers who had been employed upon that work took up small tracts of land beyond the first settlers upon the west side of the river, and about this time a systematic effort was made to settle the high table lands upon the west border of the County. With the exception of the futile effort of Mr. Brown, no attempt has been made to settle the tract to which he gave his name, and but little effort has been made since the exodus of the French colonists to settle that part of the County lying east of the river .* The lumbering and tanning interests of the County are largely represented in that section ; but when cleared of its vast growth of timber the land is not susceptible of as high a degree of cultivation as that upon the west side of the river.
Owing to the insufficiency of data at command, we are un- able to give a full and concise history of the part taken by Lewis County in the war of the Rebellion, as we should like to do. Enough is determined, however, to warrant the asser- tion that she was not behind her sister counties in the per- formance of her duty, and when the future historian shall be enabled to do her justice, her record in that eventful period will be a noble one-worthy the devotion of the illustrious sons whose lives she sacrificed on the altar of liberty. Although no full regiments or batteries were raised in the County, it contributed to the complement of various organiza- tions.t
* The five towns east of Black River contain. within a slight fraction, fifty per cent. of the whole area of the County, though their population is but a trifle over 342% per cent. of that of the County.
t Capt. H. R. Lahe, of Lowville, raised a company for the 14th N. Y. Infantry. Capt. Wm. N. Angle, of Copenhagen. raised Co. B. for the 35th Infantry. A part of a com- paty was raised for the 1st Infantry. Capt. P. W. Smith raised a company for the 9th Infantry. and Capt. A. F. Coles, of Greig, a member of the same regiment. recruited about 180 men for it from the County. A company was raised for the 94th Infantry ; and one for the 186th, the latter, a one year regiment. by Capt. Chas. D. Squires. of Den- mark. Lients. L. F. Dewey and H. P. Chambers raised a part of a company for the @th N. Y. Cavalry. Capt. - Hail, of Leyden, raised a part of a company for Van Allen's Cavalry, and Capt. Fred. M. Leonard, of Copenhagen, a whole one for Col. Lord's Cav- alry. Capt. HI. E Turner, of Lowville, organized Co. H. 9th N. Y. Cavalry from re- crufts enlisted by the Provoet Mar-hat in this and Jefferson counties. Many of them Were veterans. Lieut .. afterwards Capt. Chas. E Mink raised a battery for the Ist N. Y. Artilley, which was afterwards united with a Watertown company. Four companies were raised for the 5th Heavy Artillery, one at Lowville, by Capt. H. B. Wider, one by C.pt. II. L. Smith, of Martineburgh, one by Capt. Frank E. Root, of Turin, and one by Capt. Gro. W. Hubbard, of Copenhagen. A battalion composed of these font com- pisies was commanded by Maj. G. F. Merriam. of Leyden. Capt. Treadwell, of New York. raised a company at Lowville for the Hth Heavy Artillery, and the 10th Heavy Artill ry was partly raised in this County. There who entered the 35th, 11th, 51-t and 94th Infantry regiments, the 7th and Van Allen's Cavalry, 1st Artillery and a part of thear who entered the 59th Infantry enlisted in 1-61 ; those who entered the 5th Heavy Artillery. in 1962 : those who entered the 1 4th Heavy Artillery and the remainder of the 53th Infantry. in 1-63; and those who entered the 186th Infantry, the goth and Col. Lord's Cavalry, and the 10th Heavy Artillery, in 1864. [Foot note continued at foot of next page.
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CROGHAN.
GAZETTEER OF TOWNS.
CROGIAN* was formed from Diana and Watson, April 5, 1841 .¡ A part of New Bremen was taken off March 31, 1848. It lies east of the Black River, in the north part of the County, and on the north line extends from the east to the west border of the County. It is by far the largest town in the County, covering, as it does, an area of 103,330 acres.t The surface has an inclination toward the north and west, and in the cen- ter and east parts it is broken and hilly. Its streams are Black, Beaver, Indian and the west branch of Oswegatchie rivers and Swiss and numerous other creeks tributary to these. Black River forms the south half of the west boundary ; Beaver River enters the town in the south-east corner and flows in a westerly direction to a point a little north of the center of the south border, when it deflects to the south and west and forms the south boundary of the town from a point a little west of Cro-
The following named field officers entered the survice from this County: H. E. Turner, Lieut .- Col. 1st Artillery ; Frank Smith, of Copenhagen. Major 10th N. Y. Caral- ry (Lord's) ; G. F. Merriam. of Leyden. Mujer 5th Artillery, succeeded by H. B. Wilder. of Low ville : Ches. E. Mink, Bread Madrid Artillery ;- - !! Rll, of Leyden, Major Brd Curdiry : Dr. F. B. Hough, of Lowville, Surgeon With N. Y. Infantry ; Dr. S. P. Uhlein, of Lowville, Surgeon 59th Infantry ; and Dr. N. S. Hendec, of Denmark, Asst. Surgeon.
* The name is locally prononneed Cro-guin, but more correctly Craw-an, as it was named in honor of Col. Geo. Croghan, whose name was so pronounced. Col. Croghan Was born at Locust Girove, near the Falls of the Ohio. Nov. 15, 1791. In 1810, he gradu- ated at the College of William and Mary and commenced the study of law ; but the opening of the war lured him from that pacific vocation. He entered tho army and served with such distinction as to receive from Congress a gold medal in acknowledy- ment of his brilliant services. He died at New Orleans, Jan. 8. 1849. His father Was Major Win. Croghan, who rendered edleicht service in the Revolution.
The name of Tippecanoe was proposed and that of New France applied to the bill as passed in the Senate, but the present haine was substituted on the third reading of the bill in the lower house.
+ The fret town meeting was held at the griet infil of John C. Fox, at Belfort, and the following maned officers were elected: Renj. R. Ilhe, Supervisor ; Abraham Fox. foun Clark ; Joseph Hammond, Frederick Ford and Ira Wilcox, Assessors ; Silas Wilder. Joshua Spyder and Sinon Phivam, fir mian mers of Highways ; Robert A. Dekm and John C. Pox. trerssers of the Poor ; simon Putnam, Abraham Fox, Joseph Hamnen and Willard Barrett, Inst.ces ; B nj. R. Fris. Joseph Virkler and Robert C. Smith, In- apertoiz of Schools ; Jacob House. Isaac shaver and Charles Holines, School Commis- sioners : Joseph Virtier, Collector ; Jacob House, John C. Cook, Jehu Farr and James Ropainat, Constations.
# An unsuccessful attempt was made to erect another town from this in 1859.
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Y
.
CROGHAN.
ghan village to its intersection with Black River; Indian River rises near the center of the town and flows north-west into the town of Diana; the head waters of the west branch of Oswegat- chie River are in the east part of the town, and that stream also flows north-west into Diana. Swiss Creek rises in the north-west part and flows south-west into Black River. . There are several lakes in the east part, the principal of which is Oswegatchie Pond. The soil is light and sandy, and along the river intervales it is moderately fertile. The central and south- western parts of the town are somewhat thickly settled, but the east part and much of that west of the center is still a wilder- ness.
In 1870 the town had a population of 2,433, of whom 1,638 were natives and 795 foreigners; 2,425, white and 8, colored .*
During the year ending Sept. 30, 1871, the town contained fifteen school districts and employed fifteen teachers. The number of children of school age was 986; the number attend- ing school, 662; the average attendance, 282; the amount expended for school purposes, $3,011.81; and the value of school houses and sites, 85,339.
CROGHAN (p. v.) (better known as the French Settlement,) is located on Beaver River, about the center of the south border, and contains five hotels, six stores, two tanneries,t two saw mills, one planing mill, three or four blacksmith and carriage shops, two shoe shops, two churches and about 100 dwelling houses. It is about ten miles north-east of Lowville, with which it is connected by daily stage.
BEAVER FALLS, Į (p. o.) located on Beaver River and on the south line of the town, is two and one-fourth miles south-west of Croghan, and contains one church, (Methodist) one tannery, two saw mills, one store and about fifty houses.
NAUMBURGH (p. o.) (also known as the Prussian Settlement) is located in the south-west part, about twelve miles north of Lowville. It contains two churches, (Evangelical Baptist and Reformed.)
* The population ef the town in 1845, four years after its erection, was 1,014. Cotil the last census decade it had no colored citizens.
The tannery located here, owned by Mesers. Rice Bros., who are extensive tanners is the town, was built in 1857, burned in 1565, and immediately rebuilt. It gives em- ployment to abont thirty men. In 1870, this firm built a tannery at Jordan Falls, which gires einployaient to seventy-five men. The two tanneries neo about 8,000 cords of bark and are capable of tanning about : 0.000 sides of leather per ounum.
# This village is situated on the site of ancient Castorville, and wue formerly called " Bohr's Mills." It lies about half a mile above the head of navigation. " The steam- e". Lawrence and Norcross," says F. B. Hough, in his History of Lawris County, "each amended the stream to this point, and canal boats are loaded within half a mile of the tannery, on the lowest fall in Beaver River."
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CROGHAN.
BENT SETTLEMENT (Indian River p. o.) is located north of the center, on the ridge between Indian River and the west branch of Oswegatchie River, and is distant seven and three- fourths miles north of Croghan.
BELFORT is situated on Beaver River, about three miles above Croghan, and contains one church, (St. Vincent de Paul) a store, a grist* and saw mill, a tannery,f a hotel und about thirty dwellings.
JORDAN FALLS is situated on the west branch of Oswegatchie River, two and one-fourth miles east of Bent Settlement, and contains a tannery.f a store and about twenty houses, the pro- perty of the Messrs. Rice Bros., who commenced operations here in 1870.
The first permanent settlement in the town is believed to have been made in 1824, by Thos. W. Bent, who came from the town of Watson and located at what was afterwards known as Bents Settlement. Wm. Ash and Patrick Burns became residents of this town in 1826, and Patrick Clark, in 1827. P. Somerville Stewart, who settled at Belfort in 1830, and erect- ed a saw mill and store, and two or three years later, a grist mill, was, as the agent of LeRay, instrumental in bringing set- tlers to this locality. Under his exertions many immigrants from Europe were attracted here. The first of these was John "Keifer. Since the latter date the infinx from European coun- tries has continued, and the present population has a large intermixture of the foreign element, among which the French and German predominate. May 30, 1831, the only two finished buildings in the settlement initiated by Stewart were consumed by fire. At Naumburgh the Prussians have mainly segregated and have given their name to the settlement in its vicinity. Says Dr. Hough :
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