USA > New York > Gazetteer of the State of New York: embracing a comprehensive view of the geography, geology, and general history of the State, and a complete history and description of every county, city, town, village, and locality, Part 1 > Part 5
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Worth, General, monnment to, 423.
Wreckmasters, 117, 544, 631.
Wright, Benjamin, 59, 70, 519. Silas, 576, 685. Wyandance, Montauk sachem, 633, 634, 638. Wyoming massacre, 265, 410.
Yarn manufactory, 276, 346, 505, 569. Yellow fever, 428.
Yeo, Sir James, 399, 525, 694.
Yorkshire, on Long Island, 365, 544, 545.
Young, Brigham, 495. John. 326. Samuel, 59, 137, 481.
Young Men's Association, 147, 161, 275, 287, 369. Christian Association, 146. Christian Union, 147, 287.
Young's Patent, 342.
Zenger, Peter, trial of, 431. Zinc ores, 26, 704. Zinzendorf, Count, 274.
Zoological Garden, 423.
GAZETTEER
OF THE
STATE OF NEW YORK.
STATE BOUNDARIES.
TH
OF
THE STATE OF NEW YORK is situated between 40º 29' 40'' and 45° (' 42'' N. latitude, and between 71º 51' and 79º 47' 25'' longitude w. of Greenwich. It is bounded on the N. by Canada, E. by Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, s. by the ocean, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, and w. by Pennsyl- vania and Canada.
The Northern Boundary, commeneing in the middle of Lake Ontario, N. of the mouth of Niagara River, extends eastward through the lake, midway between the opposite shores, to its E. extremity, thenee north-easterly through the St. Lawrence River to the 45th parallel of N. latitude, and thenee easterly in a gradually diverging line from the parallel, and terminating upon Lake Champlain 4,200 feet N. of it.
The Eastern Boundary extends s. through Lake Champlain to its s. extremity, thenee a short distance s. E. along Poultney River, and thenee in an irregular line, but in a generally southerly direetion, to Lyons Point, at the mouth of Byram River, on Long Island Sound. From this point the line extends eastward through the Sound, very near the Connectieut shore, to the E. extremity of Long Island, ineluding within the limits of the State nearly all the islands in the Sound.
The Southern Boundary extends from the E. extremity of Long Island along the ocean to the s. w. extremity of Staten Island, thenee northward through the channel between Staten Island and New Jersey and through New York Bay and the Hudson to the 41st parallel of N. latitude, thence north-westerly to a point upon the Delaware at latitude 41º 20' N., thenee north-westerly along Delaware River to latitude 42º N., and thenee w. along the 42d parallel to a meridian passing through the w. extremity of Lake Ontario.
The Western Boundary, commeneing upon the 42d parallel, extends N. to the middle of Lake Erie, thence eastward to the E. extremity of the lake, and thenee N. through Niagara River and to the middle of Lake Ontario.1
1 The boundary through Lake Ontario is 175 mi. ; through the St. Lawrence. 108 ini .; along the Canada frontier, E. of the St. Lawrence, 62.75 mi .; through Lake Champlain, 105 mi. ; along Poultney River, 17.25 mi .; the Vt. line, s. of that river, 54.06 mi .; the Mass. line, 50.52 mi .; the Conn. line, to Lyons Point, on Long Island Sound. 81.20 mi .; through the Sound, 96 mi .: along the ocean to the N. J. shore, 150 mi. ; through the Bay and
Hudson River, to latitude 41º N., 44 mi. ; along the N. J. line, w. of the IIudson, 48.50 ini .; through Delaware River, 78 mi. ; along the Penn. line, on latitude 42º, 225.50 mi .; on the me- ridian to Lake Erie, 18.75 mi., and upon the ineridian in Lake Erie, 22 mi .; through Lake Erie to Buffalo, 50 mi. ; and through Niagara River, 34 mi.
2
18
NEW YORK GAZETTEER.
The boundaries of the State have been settled from time to time by commissioners appointed by the several governments whose territories are contiguous. In several instances long and angry controversies have occurred, which have extended through many years and almost led to civil war. The boundaries are all now definitely fixed, except that of Conn., respecting which a controversy is now pending.1
1 Canada Boundary .- By royal proclamation, issued in Oct. | the town of Mount Washington, separated by a rugged mountain 1763, the line of 45º N. was fixed as the boundary between the from the convenient jurisdiction of Mass. was surrendered by that State May 14, 1853, accepted by N. Y. July 21, 1853, and the transfer was confirmed by Congress, Jan. 3, 1855. Russell Dorr was appointed on the part of N. Y., and John Z. Goodrich by Massachusetts, to run and mark the line. provinces of Quebec and New York, and this was confirmed in couneil, August 12, 1768. The line was surveyed by Valentine aud Collins, October 20, 1774. By tho treaty of 1783 the 45th parallel was recognized as the N. boundary of the State from Lake Champlain to the St. Lawrence. By the treaty of Ghent Connecticut Boundary .- By the charter of 1662 the territory of Coun. extended to the " South Sea;" and by patent granted in 1664 tho territory of the Duke of York was bounded E. by Connecticut River. Commissioners sent over in 1664 settled upon a line 20 mi. E. of the lhudson as the boundary, fixing the starting point on Mamaroneck River. The decision proving grossly erroneous, the controversy was renewed, and in 1683 another commissioner was appointed to settle the matter. It was finally agreed to allow Conn. to extend her boundaries w. along the Sound, and N. Y. to receive a compensation in the N .; and the line was definitely established May, 1731. By this agree- ment a traet called the " Oblong," containing 61,440 acres, along the N. part of the w. border of Conn., was surrendered to N. Y. The exact line of Conn. has to the present day been a subject of controversy, and in 1856 commissioners were appointed by each State to effect a settlement, but without success. N. Y. owns all the islands in the Sound to within a few rods of the Conn. shore. the same line was recognized as the boundary, and provisions were made for a re-survey. In 1818-19, Gov. Vau Ness and Peter B. Porter on the part of the U. S., aud John Ogilvie on the part of Great Britain, ran the line with great care; and it was found that the old line coincided with the parallel only at St. Regis, and that from that point E. it diverged, until at Lake Cham- plain it was 4,200 feet too far N. The deepest channel of the St. Lawrence was not always adopted, as a mutual exchange of islands was made satisfactory to both parties. Before the N. line was re-surveyed, in 1818, the U. S. Government had com- menced the erection of a fortress at Rouses Point, on Lake Champlain ; and this was found to be within the British terri- tory. By the treaty of August 9, 1842, the old line of Valentine and Collins was restored, and the strip of territory before taken off again came under the jurisdiction of the U. S. The com- missioners to ruu the line under the treaty of 1842 were Albert Smithi on the part of the United States, and J. B. B. Estcourt on the part of Great Britain.
Vermont Boundary .- The territory of Vermont was originally claimed by both New York and New Hampshire, and conflicting grants wero made by the two governments. Most of the actual settlers holding title under N. II. resisted the claims of N. Y., and many actual collisions occurred. Jan. 15, 1777, the settlers declared themselves independent, and laid claim to the territory w. to the Iludson, N. of Lansingburgh, and along the w. shore of Lake Champlain. By an aet of Congress passed Aug. 20, 1781, they were required to recedo from this claimn. A final agree- mient was entered into between Vt. and N. Y., Oct. 7, 1790, by which N. Y. surrendered all her claim to jurisdiction to the present territory of Vt., and Vt. paid $30,000 to certain persons who had been deprived of lands granted by N. Y. The boundary line was run by Robert Yates, Robert R. Livingston, John Lan- sing, jr., Gnlian C. Verplanck, Simeon De Witt, Egbert Benson, Richard Sill, and Melancthon Smith on the part of N. Y., and Isaac Tichenor, Stephen R. Bradley, Nathaniel Chipman, Elijah Paine, 1ra Allen, Stephen, Jacoh, and Israel Smith on the part of Vt. The final line was established June 8, 1812.
Massachusetts Boundary .- The charter of Massachusetts em- Iraced all the territory between 44º end 48º N. latitude ". thirongli- out the Maine lands from sea to sea." Grants inade under this authority conflicted with those of N. Y., and angry controversies ensued, which in colonial times often resulted in violence and bloodshed. On the 18th of May, 1783, an agreement was en- tered into hetween John Watts, Wm. Smith, Robert R. Livings- ton, and Wm. Nicoll, commissioners on the part of N. Y., and W'm. Brattle, Joseph Hawley, and Jobn Ilancock, on that of Mass. ; but the Revolution soon followed, and the line was never run. Commissioners appointed by both States in 1783 failed to agree; and December 2, 1785, Congress appointed Thomas Hutchins, John Ewing, and David Rittenhouse commissioners to run the line and finally end the controversy. The claims of Mass. to the lands westward were finally settled at Hartford, Conn., Dec. 16, 1786, by James Duane, Robert R. Livingston, Robert Yates, John Haring, Melancthon Smith, and Egbert Benson, commissioners on the part of N. Y., and John Lowell, James Sullivan, Theophilus Parsons, and Rutus King, on the part of Mass. By this agreement Mass. surrendered the sove- reignty of the whole disputed territory to N. Y., and received in return the right of soil and pre-emptivo right of Indian pur- chase w. of a meridian passing through the 82d milestone of the Penn. line, excepting certain reservations upon Niagara River. The title to a tract known as "The Boston Ten Towns," lying E. of this meridian, previously granted by Mass., was also con- firmed. Nantucket, Marthas Vineyard, and the adjacent islands, were purchased from the Earl of Sterling by the Duke of York, and civil jurisdiction was exercised over them, under the name of " Dukes County," by the governors of N. Y., until it was an- nexed to Mass, by the provincial charter of 1692. " Pemaquid and its dependencies." comprising a considerable part of the coast of Maine, was also bought from tho Earl of Sterling, and governed by N. Y., as " Cornwall County," until 1686, when it Fas transferred to Mass. Boston Corner, a small arable tract in . 1788-89.
New Jersey Boundary .- The original patent of New Jersey was bounded N. by a line running directly from a point on tho Delaware, latitude 41° 40', to a point on the Iludson, latitude 41º, and E. by IIudson River. The N. line was run and marked in 1774, and the E. was claimed by N. Y. as extending only to low- water mark on the adjacent waters. N. J. clahned "full right and lawful authority to exercise jurisdiction in and over the said IIudson River and the said main sea," including Staten Island, and, by an act of Nov. 2. 1806, appointed Aaron Ogden, Wni. S. Pennington, James Parker, Lewis Condiet, and Alexander C. McWhorter commissioner's to settle her clainis. The New York Legislature, on the 3d of April, appointed Ezra L'Ilonimedieu, Samuel Jones, Egbert Benson, Simeon De Witt, and Joseph C. Yates to meet the commissioners of N. J .; but their interviews led to no result. The question of jurisdiction was finally settled in 1833, by an agreement between Benj. F. Butler, Peter A. Gay, and Ileury Seymour on the part of N. Y., and Theodore Freling- huysen, James Parker, and Lucius Q. C. Elmer on the part of N. J .; confirmed by N. Y. Feb. 5, by N. J. Feb. 26, and by Con- gress June 28, 1834. The right of each State to land under water and to fisheries extends to the center of the channel. Tbe Stato of N. Y. has sole jurisdiction over all the waters of the bay and of the river w. of New York City to low-water mark on the Jersey shore, except to wharves and vessels attached thereto. This jurisdiction covers tho waters of Kil Van Kull and of Staten Island Sound to Woodbridge Creek, as for quarantino purposes. South of this, N. J. has exclusive jurisdiction over the waters of the Sound and of Raritan Bay westward of a line from Princes Bay Light to Manhattan Creek, subject to right of property in lands under water, of wharves, docks, and ver- sels aground or fastened to any wharf or dock, and the right of fishing to the center of the channel.
Civil process in each State may be executed upon the waters of the river and bay, except ou board of vessels aground or at- tached to wharves in the other State, or unless the person or property be under arrest or seizure by virtue of authority of the other State. By the late survey of N. J. the point of de- parture of the boundary from the Delaware is 41º 20'.
Pennsylvania Boundaries .- The original boundary line he- tween New York and Pennsylvania extended from the N. w. corner of New Jersey along the center of Delaware River to 42º N. latitude, and thence due w. to Lake Erie. Samnel IIol- land on the part of N. Y., and David Rittenhouse on the part of Penn., were appointed commissioners, Nov. 8, 1774, to run this boundary ; but the Revolution soou after commenced, and nothing was done. In 1785-86 the line was run w. to the 90th milestone. and the survey was certified Oct. 12, 1786, by James Clinton and Simeon De Witt, of N. Y., and Andrew Elliott, of Penn. By authority of the State Legislature, the N. Y. delegates in Congress, March 1. 1781, released to the General Government all the lands to which they had claim w. of a meridian extend- ing through the w. extremity of Lake Ontario. The trian- gular tract so surrendered was sold to Penn. for $151,640, and secured to that State 30 mi. of lake coast and an excellent harbor. The line was run by the U. S. Surveyor General in
TOPOGRAPHY.
Surface .- This State lies upon that portion of the Appalachian Mountain system where the mountains generally assume the character of hills and finally sink to a level of the lowlands that surround the great depression filled by Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Three distinet mountain masses or ranges enter the State from the s. and extend across it in a general N. E. dirce- tion. The first or most easterly of these ranges-a continuation of the Blue Ridge of Va .- enters the State from N. J. and extends N. E. through Rockland and Orange eos. to the Hudson, appears on the E. side of that river, and forms the highlands of Putnam and Dutchess cos. A northerly extension of the same range passcs into the Green Mts. of Western Mass. and Vt. This range culminates in the Highlands upon the Hudson. The highest peaks are 1,000 to 1,700 feet above tide. The rocks which compose these mountains are principally primitive or igneous, and the mountains themselves are rough, rocky, and precipitous, and unfit for cultivation. The deep gorge formed by the Hudson in passing through this range presents some of the finest seenery in America, and has often been compared to the celebrated valley of the Rhine.
The second series of mountains enters tho State from Penn. and extends N. E. through Sullivan, Ulster, and Greene cos., terminating and culminating in the Catskill Mts. upon the Hudson. The highest peaks are 3,000 to 3,800 feet above tide. The Shawangunk Mts., a high and con- tinuous ridge extending between Sullivan and Orange cos. and into the s. part of Ulster, is the extreme E. range of this series. The Helderbergh and Hellibark Mts. are spurs extending N. from the main range into Albany and Sehoharie eos. This whole mountain system is principally composed of the rocks of the New York system above the Medina sandstone. The summits are generally crowned with old red sandstone and with the conglomerate of the coal measures. The deelivities are steep and rocky; and a large share of the surface is too rough for cultivation. The highest peaks overlook the Hudson, and from their summits are obtained some of the finest views in Eastern New York.
The third series of mountains enters the State from Penn. and extends N. E. through Broomc, Delaware, Otsego, Sehoharie, Montgomery, and Herkimer cos. to the Mohawk, appears upon the N. side of that river, and extends N. E., forming the whole series of highlands that occupy the N. E. part of the State and generally known as the Adirondack Mountain region. South of the Mohawk this mountain system assumes the form of broad, irregular hills, occupying a wide space of country. It is broken by the deep ravines of the streams, and in many places the hills are stcep and nearly precipitous. The valley of the Mohawk breaks the continuity of the range, though the connec- tion is easily traced at Little Falls, The Noscs, and other places. North of the Mohawk the high- lands extend N. E. in several distinct ranges, all terminating upon Lake Champlain. The eul- minating point of the whole system, and the highest mountain in the State, is Mt. Marcy, 5,467 feet above tide. The rocks of all this region are principally of igneous origin, and the mountains are usually wild, rugged, and rocky. A large share of the surface is entirely unfit for cultiva- tion ; but the region is rich in minerals, and especially in an excellent variety of iron ore. West of these ranges, series of hills forming spurs of the Alleganies enter the State from Penn. and oceupy the entire s. half of the w. part of the State. An irregular line extending through tho southerly counties forms the watershed that separates the northern and southern drainage; and from it the surface gradually deelines northward until it finally terminates in the levol of Lake Ontario.1 The portion of the State lying s. of this watershed and occupying the greater part of
1 TABLE Of Heights of the Principal Summits in the State.
NAME OF MOUNT.
LOCATION.
FIET.
NAME OF MOUNT.
LOCATION
FEET.
Mount Marcy
Essex
co ..
5,467
Pine Orchard
Greene
co ..
3,000
Dix Peak
¥
5,200
Mount Pisgah.
Delaware
3,400
Mount McIntyre ..
66
:
5.183
Rockland Mount.
Sullivan
2,400
McMartin
Sandanoni
5,000
Mount Toppin
Cortland
1,700
Nipple Top ..
4,900
Pompey Ilill
Onondaga '
1,743
White Face.
4,900
Beacon Hill
Dutchess
1,655
Pharaoh
66
4,500
Old Beacon
Putnamı
1,471
Taylor
Hamilton
4,500
Bull Hill
"
1,586
Seward
Franklin
5,100
Anthony's Nose.
1,228
Emmons
Hamilton "
4.000
Butter Hill
Orange
1,529
Warren
3,000
Crows Nest
1,418
Round Top
Greene
3,804
Bear Mount
"
1,350
High Peak.
1
3,718
Break Neck
1,187
5,000
Walnut Ilill
66
1,980
Crane ..
19
20
NEW YORK STATE GAZETTEER.
the two southerly tiers of counties is entirely occupied by these hills. Along the Penn. line they are usually abrupt and are separated by narrow ravines, but toward the N. their summits become broader and less broken. A considerable portion of the highland region is too steep for profitable cultivation and is best adapted to grazing. The highest summits in Allegany and Cattaraugus cos. are 2,000 to 2,500 feet above tide.
From the summits of the watershed the highlands usually deseend toward Lake Ontario in series of terraees, the edges of which are the outcrops of the different roeks which underlie the surface. These terraees are usually smooth, and, although inelined toward the N., the inelination is generally so slight that they appear to be level. Between the hills of the s. and the level land of the N. is a beautiful rolling region, the ridges gradually deelining toward the N. In that part of the State s. of the most eastern mountain range the surface is generally level or broken by low hills. In New York and Westchester cos. these hills are principally composed of primitive roeks. The surface of Long Island is generally level or gently undulating. A ridge 150 to 200 feet high, composed of sand, gravel, and elay, extends E. and w. aeross the island N. of the eenter.
Rivers and Lakes .- The river system of the State has two general divisions,-the first comprising the streams tributary to the great lakes and the St. Lawrence, and the second those which flow in a general southerly direction. The watershed which separates these two systems extends in an irregular line eastward from Lake Erie through the southern tier of counties to near the N. E. corner of Chemung; thenee it turns N. E. to the Adirondack Mts. in Essex eo., thenee S. E. to the E. extremity of Lake George, and thenee nearly due E. to the E. line of the State.1
The northerly division has 5 general subdivisions. The most westerly of these comprises all the streams flowing into Lake Erie and Niagara River and those flowing into Lake Ontario w. of Genesee River. In Chautauque eo. the streams are short and rapid, as the watershed approaches within a few mi. of Lake Erie. Cattaraugus, Buffalo, Tonawanda, and Oak Orehard Creeks are the most important streams in this division. Buffalo Creek is chiefly noted for forming Buffalo Harbor at its mouth; and the Tonawanda for 12 miles from its mouth is used for eanal navi- gation. Oak Orehard and other ereeks flowing into Lake Ontario deseend from the interior in a series of rapids, affording a large amount of water-power.
The second subdivision comprises the Genesee River and its tributaries. The Genesee rises in the N. part of Penn. and flows in a generally northerly direction to Lake Ontario. Its upper course is through a narrow valley bordered by steep, rocky hills. Upon the line of Wyoming and Livingston eos. it breaks through a mountain barrier in a deep gorge and forms the Portage Falls, -one of the finest waterfalls in the State. Below this point the course of the river is through a beautiful valley 1 to 2 mi. wide and bordered by banks 50 to 150 ft. high. At Rochester it flows over the precipitous edges of the Niagara limestone, forming the Upper Genesee Falls; and 3 mi. below it flows over the edge of the Medina sandstone, forming the Lower Genesee Falls. The prineipal tributaries of this stream are Canaseraga, Honeoye, and Conesus Creeks from the E., and Oatka and Black Creeks from the w. Honeoye, Canadiee, Hemloek, and Conesus Lakes lie within the Genesee Basin.
The third subdivision ineludes the Oswego River and its tributaries and the small streams flow- ing into Lake Ontario between Genesee and Oswego Rivers. The basin of the Oswego ineludes most of the inland lakes which form a peculiar feature of the landseape in the interior of the State. The principal of these lakes are Cayuga, Seneea, Canandaigua, Skaneateles, Crooked, and Owaseo, - all oeeupying long, narrow valleys, and extending from the level land in the center far into the highland region of the s. The valleys which they oeeupy appear like immense ravines formed by some tremendous foree, which has torn the solid roeks from their original beds, from the general level of the surrounding summits, down to the present bottoms of the lakes.2 Oneida and Onondaga
I TABLE Showing the height above tide of the passes between the principal river basins of the State.
BETWEEN
AT
FEET.
BETWEEN
AT
FEET.
Hudson River and Ramapo River.
Moncey
557
Susquehanna River and Cayuga Lake
Ithaca Summit ...
969
Delaware River ....
Otisvlile
900
" Seneca Lake.
Horseheads .....
8941
"
Nevereink River ....
Wawarsing ....
Alfred Summit
1,780
4
Lake Ontario.
Rome
427
Genesee River and Allegany River ....
Cuba ..
1.699
Touawanda
557
Allegany River and Lake Erie.
Little Val. Sum ..
1.614
Delaware River and Susquehanna Riv.
Deposit Summit ..
1,373
Mohawk River and Lake Ontario
Kasoag.
536
Susquehanna River and Mohawk Riv.
Bouck ville ...
1,127
" Black River.
Boonville
1.120
Oneida Lake .. Tully
1,247
Lake Champlain and St. Lawrence ..
Chateangay Sum.1
1,050
The most remarkable passes through the mountains are, first, that of the Hudson, through the eastern mountains; second, that of Wood Creek, from the Hudson to Lake Champlain ; and, third, that of the Mohawk, through the central mountains.
2 The ravines of these lakes, and the streams which flow down parallel to them, are usually bordered by steep hillaides, the strata of which lie in parallel layers nearly level E. and w., and slightly inclined toward the 8. Upon the opposite banks the
66
" Genesee Riv ..
Lake Erie.
21
TOPOGRAPHY.
Lakes occupy basins upon the level land in the N. E. part of the Oswego Basin. Mud Creek, the most westerly branch of Oswego River, takes its rise in Ontario co., flows N. E. into Wayne, where it unites with Canandaigua Outlet and takes the name of Clyde River; thencc it flows E. to the w. line of Cayuga co., where it empties into Sencca River. This latter strcam, made up of the outlets of Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, from this point flows in a N. E. course, and receives success- ively the outlets of Owasco, Skaneateles, Onondaga, and Oneida Lakes. From the mouth of the last-named stream it takes the namc Oswego River, and its course is nearly due N. to Lake Ontario.
The fourth subdivision ineludes the streams flowing into Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence E. of the mouth of the Oswego. The principal of these are Salmon, Black, Oswegatchie, Grasse, and Racket Rivers. Thesc strcams mostly take their rise upon the plateau of the great Northern wilderness, and in their course to the lowlands are frequently interrupted by falls, furnishing an abundance of water-power. The water is usually very dark, being colored with iron and the vegetation of swamps.
The fifth subdivision includes all the streams flowing into Lakes George and Champlain. They are mostly mountain torrents, frequently interrupted by cascades. The principal streams are the Chazy, Saranac, and Au Sable Rivers, and Wood Creek. Deep strata of tertiary elay extend along the shores of Lake Champlain and Wood Creek. The water of most of the streams in this region is colored by the iron over which it flows.
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