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 2 > Part 75
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8 2 M. E., Bap., Presb., Coug., Prot. E., Ref. Prot. D., Af. Meth., and R. C.
9 The manufactories are as follows :- 3 flonring mills, 3 paper milla, 5 plaster mills, I oil mill, 1 oilcloth factory, 1 brewery, 1 lead pipe factory, 1 rake factory, 4 carriage shops, 2 tanneries, 2 sewing silk factories, 3 furnaces and machine shops, 2 saw. mills, I manufactory of collars, bosoms, and neckties, and S boat- yards ; 25 to 30 boats are annually built, at an aggregate cost of $50.000 to $00.000. The silk manufactories employ 160 persous, and produce 000 lbs. of sewing silk per week.
others. For $13,500 it was put in operation, under the name of the Cayuga & Susquehanna R. R. The inclined plane was sul. sequently changed to a circuitous grade road. and horses wild superseded by locomotives. This road is now leased to the Dela- ware. Lackawanna & Western K. R., and it is. extensively used for the transportation of coal.
11 During the past few years the coal trade has averaged 90,000 tons per annum. This trade will probably largely increase with the increased facilities for moving the coal forward.
12 A Lancasterian school was early established here, and was continued to within a few years, when it was superseded by the preseut system of public schools.
42
658
TOMPKINS COUNTY.
Dumond, and Peter Hinepaw, who located on the present site of Ithaca Village in 1789. The land that they occupied had previously been partially cultivated by the Indians.1 The first church (Presb.) was organized in 1804-05, with seven members.
LANSING-was formed from Genoa, (Cayuga co.,) April 7, 1817. It lics upon the E. bank of Cayuga Lake, in the N. part of the co. The surface is principally a rolling upland, 500 ft. above the lake, bordered by stecp declivities. Salmon Creek, the principal stream, flows s. through ncar the center of the town. Its valley is narrow and bordered by steep hillsides. Swartz, Townly, and Hedden Creeks are its principal tributaries. The soil is generally a fertile, gravelly loam. Ludlowville, (p. v.,) on Salmon Crcck, about 1 mi. from its mouth, contains 3 churches, several factorics,2 and about 50 dwellings. Lansingville, (p. v.,) on the ridge w. of Salmon Creek, in the N. part of the town, contains I church and 25 dwellings. North Lansing, (p. o.,) in the N. E. corner, Lake Ridge, (p. o.,) on the bluff above the lake, in the N. w. corner, and Libertyville (South Lansing p. o.) arc hamlets of about a dozeu houses each. East Lan- sing and Forest City are p. offices. Forest City Water Cure is finely situated on the bluff overlooking the lake, in the s. part of the town. The first settlement was begun in 1792, by emi- grants from N. J.S The census reports 7 churches in town.4
NEWFIELD-was formed from Spencer, (Tioga co.,) as "Cayuta," Feb. 22, 1811. Its name was changed March 29, 1822, and a part was annexed to Catharines (Schuyler co.) in 1853. It is the s. w. eorner town in the co. The surface is high and hilly, the ridges being 400 to 600 ft. above the valleys and 1,500 to 1,700 ft. above tide. The streams are Cayuga Inlet and Ten Mile Creek and their branches. The valleys of these streams are usually narrow and bordered by stccp hillsides. A portion of the w. part of the town is yet uncultivated. The soil is a shaly and clayey loam, best adapted to grazing. Newfield, (p. v., ) in the N. E. part of the town, contains 3 churches, 2 flouring mills, 2 carriage shops, a woolen factory, an oilcloth factory, and about 80 dwellings. Trumbulls Corners, (p. v., ) on the N. border, contains I church and 20 dwellings. Poney Hollow (p. o.) is a hamlet in the s. w. part. The first settler was - Thomas, who located at Poney Hollow.5 The census reports 3 churches iu town.6
ULYSSES-was formed March 5, 1799. Dryden was taken off in 1803, and Ithaca and Enfield in 1821. It lies upon the w. bank of Cayuga Lake, on the . border of the co. A range of bluffs 600 ft. high, with steep declivities, borders upon the lake; and from their summits the surface spreads out in an undulating upland. The only cousiderable stream is Taughanick (Ti-kaw-nik) Creck, which crosses the town from the w. In its descent from the plateau to the lake this stream forms a series of cascades, the principal of which is known as Tauglianick Falls. These falls have receded about 1 mi. from the shore of the lake, and have worn a deep gorge in the yielding shales, with banks 380 ft. high. The stream now falls, in an unbroken sheet, over a limestone terrace 210 ft. in height. About 1 mi. farther up the gorge is another fall, of 80 ft. The soil is a finc quality of gravelly loam. Trumansburgh,' (p. v.,) near the N. border of the town, is the second village in the co. in amount of business and population. It contains 4 churches, the Trumansburgh Academy, and several manufacturing establishments.8 Pop. 1,052. Jack- sonville, (p. v.,) near the center of the town, contains 1 church and 50 houses. Water- burgh, near the w. border, contains 1 church, mills, and 40 dwellings. Halseyville' is a hamlet. The first settlements were commenced by Samuel Weyburn, at the mouth of Taughanick Creek, and by Abner aud Philip Tremaine, on the site of Trumansburgh, in 1792.10 The first church (Presb.) was formed by Jedediah Chapman, in 1803. There are now 6 churches iu town.11
1 Among the other early settlers were families named MeDowel, | stay in the house a rattlesnake crept into the bed and slept with Davenport, Bloom, King, Patchin, Star, Conrad, Markle, Sayers, his children. - Tooker kept the first store; Silas Ludlow, of Ludlowville, built the first mill, in 1798. 4 4 M. E., 2 Bap., and Presb. And Brink. The first child born was a daughter of John Dumond, Sept. 1789. The first death was that of Rachel Allen, in 1790. A man named Lightfoot brought a boat load of goods up the 5 Among the early settlers were S. Chambers, Elijah Moore, - Carter, and Dan'l B. Swartwood. Jeremiah Hall kept the first inn, George Dudley the first store; and John Greene built the first mil !. lake in 1792, and he continued a kind of itinerating trade for several years. David Quigg opened the first regular store; - Hartshorn kept the first inn ; and Jacob Yaple built the first mill. in 1790. Dr. Frisbee was the first physician, and - Howe 6 Bap., M. E., and Presh. the first teacher. The first families were a month in getting 7 Name derived and corrupted from Tremaine, the first family of settlers. from Kingston ( Ulster co.) to Owego, and 19 days from thence to their destination.
2 Grist and saw mills and an ax helve factory.
8 3 flouring mills and 2 furnaces and machine shops.
9 Named from Nicoll Halsey, the first settler.
10 John Mchallen. a young man, accompanied the Tremaineg in the capacity of teamster. The first child born was Calvin Tremaine. in 1794; and the first marriage. that of John Melallen and Mary King, Dec. 12. 1799. John Meballen kept the first inn, - Henshaw the first store: Abner Tremaine built the first mill; and Stephen Woodworth taught the first school, all at
3 Amons the early settlers were Wm. Goodwin, Silas Ludlow, Abram Bloom, and families named Beardsley, Depny, Minier, Allen. Atwater. and Bowker. who came in 1791 ; Sam'l Gibbs and - Holines, in 1792; and Abram Van Wagner, in 1797. The first marriage was that of Henry Bloom and Miss Goodwin ; and the first death, that of the wife of Henry Bloom, In 1798. Win. Boyse kept the first inn, at libertyville. The first night of his | Trumansburgh. 11 3 M. E., Bap., Presb., and R. C.
659
TOMPKINS COUNTY.
Acres of Land, Valuation, Population, Dwellings, Families, Freeholders, Schools, Live Stock, Agricultural Products, and Domestic Manufactures, of Tompkins County.
ACRES OF LAND.
VALUATION OF 1858.
POPULATION.
No. of Dwellings.
No. of' Families.
Freeholders.
Districts.
Children laught.
Caroline.
20,1201
12,004
$356,246
$23,761
1,250
477
496 488
456 424
19
1,065
Danby ..
21,993}
11,445
393,929
32,850
$380,007 426,779 1,091,264
1,182 2,497
968.
1,035
918
29
1,790
Enfield
17,611}
5,257
302,587
16,000
318,587 799,565
1,721
1,683 3,668
1,304
1,322
812
10
2,477
Lansing ..
29,363
7,912
918,755
135,275
1,054,030
1,636
1,620
616
643
414
20
1.340
Newfield
20,984₴
14,0401
419,731
23,000
442,731
1,440
1,360
557
571
482
22
1,239
Ulysses
16,752
3,4744
611,250
174,025
785,275
1,566
1,625
596
626
442
14
1,187
Total
205.6164
84.963₴
5,915,617
1,566,219
7,481,836
15,719 15,797
6,051
6,306
4,765
165 |11,913
LIVE STOCK.
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.
NAMES OF TOWNS.
Working
O,ren and
Calves.
Coros.
Sheep.
Swine.
Winter.
Spring.
Tons of Hay.
Bushels of
Potatoes.
Bushels of
Pounds
Butter.
of Pounds Cheese.
Domestic Cloths, in yards.
Caroline ...........
734
1,765
1.676
6,858
1,465
2.332₺
135.231₴
3,702}
9,629₺
33,834
191,160
5,343
3,381₺
Danby ..
954
1,946
1,342
7,051
1,467
7,838₴
148,763
3,453
17.791
49,142|
130,978
4,019
1,547
Dryden
1,870
3,120
3,316 12,327
2,638
11,6294
263,805₫
7,456₺
19,567
85,870
390,214
10,094
4,037}
Enfield
857
1,515
968
5,214
1,435
10,278 2,319
159,884
4,714}
16,343
86,169
326,616
36,001
1,747
Ithaca.
919
1,234
4,494
1,111
19,310}
85,690}
1,973}
8,420분
23,531
79,625
180
200
Lansing ..
1,270
1,706
1,617
9,340
1,847
13,675
208,043}
3,063}
7,923
48,677
168,125
1,386
731
Newfield
962
2,024
1,258
5,373
1.367
13,428분
119,267
3,022
13,614
29,758
145,145
1,300
1,407
Ulysses ..
725
1,232
964
5,133
1,123
21,105
102,177}
2,0771
4,786
29,055
106,159
1,310
38
Total
9,443 16,275 14,572 61,036 14,358
101,9162 1,364,1873 31,843} 111,106
417,757 1,645,947
60,128
14,847
Improved.
Unimproved.
Real Estate.
Personal
Property.
Total.
Males.
1,216 1,149 2,506 970
392
392
15
720
Groton.
23,581}
7,981
612,615
186,950
841,708
2,183,598
3,485
654
733
331 486
20
1,215
Ithaca.
15,395
3,828}
1,341,890
132,650
942
Amales.
No. of
16
880
Dryden
39,814ł
19,021₴
958,614
5,246
1,905
141,325
2,380±
13,032
31,721
107,925
495
1,758
Groton.
1,152
1,733
2,560 871
BUSH. OF GRAIN.
DAIRY PRODUCTS.
forBes.
Ca
Apples.
of
SCHOOLS.
NAMES OF TOWNS.
487
ULSTER COUNTY.
THIS county was formed Nov. 1, 1683,1 and ineluded the country ST between the IIudson and the Delaware, bounded N. and s. by due z. and w. lines passing through the mouths of Sawyers and Mur- derers Creeks. A part of Delaware was taken off in 1797, a part of Greene in 1800, and Sullivan in 1809. A portion was annexed to Orange in 1798, and the town of Catskill was annexed from Albany eo. the same year. It lies on the w. bank of the Hudson, eentrally distant 68 mi. from Albany, and contains 1,204 sq. mi. Its surface is mostly a hilly and mountainous upland. The Cats- kill Mts. oceupy the N. w. part; and the Shawangunk Mts. extend N. E. from the s. w. corner nearly through the eo. The mountain region consists of irregular ridges and isolated peaks with rocky sides and summits too steep and rough for cultivation. The summits are 1,500 to 2,000 ft. above the Hudson. The remaining parts of the eo. are generally broken and hilly. Esopus Creek flows in a tortuous course through the N. part and discharges its waters into the Hudson. It receives Platte Kil from the N. Rondout Creek enters the s. w. corner of the co. and flows N. E. along the w. declivity of the Shawangunk Mts. and enters the Hudson at Rondout. It receives as tributaries Sandburgh Creek in the s. w. part of the co., and Wall Kil near its mouth. The latter stream flows along the E. foot of the Shawangunk Mts. The remaining streams are small brooks and ereeks.
The rocks of the eo. are composed of the Portage and Chemung shales, in the E. part, and the Shawangunk grit or Oneida conglomerate, in the w. part. Drift deposits are found in nearly every part. Lead ore is found to some extent among the Shawangunk Mts .?
At an early period the Esopus grit was largely quarried and manufactured into millstones.3 Water-limestone of an excellent quality is found and largely quarried." The Ulster eo. Cement has an excellent reputation threughout the United States, and is used in immense quantities on fortifieations and other Government works requiring solidity. It was used on Croton, Brooklyn, Cochituate, Albany, Washington, and other water-works. It finds a ready market in every port on the seaboard from New Brunswick to Texas. It has been exported to California and South America, and is largely used in and around New York, Boston, and Philadelphia, upon publie and private buildings. The eement rocks are quarried usually on the hillsides, and these openings often extend in galleries under the overlying roek. The rock outerops in a belt running N. E. and s. w., first appearing on the Hudson a few miles N. of Kingston Point, and extending 20 to 25 mi. to the town of Rochester, but is lost from view at the surface in several places between these points. In the seetion occupied by the Portage group of rocks are found extensive outerops of thin bedded sandstone, yielding a fine quality of flagging, which is largely quarried and exported.5 The soil is generally a good quality of sandy and gravelly loam, in some places intermixed with clay. Most of the valleys are covered with a deep, rich alluvium.
Most of the land is best adapted to grazing. Dairying is extensively pursued, and spring grain
1 In its charter it is said to " contain the towns of Kingston, Hurley, aud Marbletown, Foxhall, and the New Paltz, and all villages, neighborhoods, and Christian habitations on the w. side of the Hudson's River, from the Murderers Creek, near the High- lands, to the Sawyers Creek." It was named from the Irish title of the Dukeof York. The boundary of this and Albany cos. were not fully settled at the Revolution. An act was passed in 1774, but nothing was done under it toward a settlement, and it was repealed in 1788. An act was also passed in 1774 to run and mark the boundary of this and Orange counties from E. of the Shawangunk Mts. to the Delaware.
" A mine was opened near Ellenville more than 40 years ago. It was never worked to profit, and is now abandoned. The Ulster Mine, near Sullivan co. line, was opened in 1837. It is 600 or 700 feet above the valley. The galena in these mines is associated with blende, iron and copper pyrites, calcite, and quartz. There are indications and vague traditions that these mines were worked at a much earlier period and yielded profits beyond computation.
3 In Smith's Ilistory, written in 1732, this co. is said to be noted for fine Hour, beer, and a good breed of draft horses. The millstones-then quarried about 10 mi. from the river-had ac- quired celebrity, and were said to far exceed those from Coleu, in Europe, formerly imported at £80 the pair, while Esopus
stones did not cost a fourth part of that sum. Small millstones for family use are still made for the Southern market; but the business has lost much of its former importance. A finer quality of these grits, when calcined and crushed, furnishes the silex used in the glass inanufacture at El'enville.
4 Water-limestone was accidentally discovered on the line of the Erie Canal, by Canvass White, an engineer, iu 1818. In 1820 he obtained a patent. and subsequently obtained judgment against one or more of the contractors for using it. The first waterlinie or cement made in Ulster co. was about the time the Delaware & Hudson Canal was commenced. Its mannfacture has now become a leading and profitable pursuit, employing about £1,000,000 of capital and 1,000 men. lu Marcb, 1859, there were 15 establishments in the co., owned by individuals and com- panics.
5 'T'he stone is of a bluish gray color and slaty texture, and may be split into slabs of almost any manageable size and from 1 to 4 inches in thickness. The rock is traversed by joints or seatins, that divide very smoothly and greatly facilitate the labor of quarrying. It is brought down to the river and shipped in immense quantities at every landing in the co. and transported to New York and other places along the coast. The business employs a large number of hands.
660
661
ULSTER COUNTY.
is raised to some extent. Fruit growing is becoming an important branch of business. Manu- factures of sole leather and lumber, are located in the western towns,1 and water-lime in the eastern. The commerce, carried on by means of the river and canal, is large, and is constantly increasing.
The co. seat is located at Kingston.2 The courthouse is a fine stonc cdifice, situated upon Wall St.3 The jail is a stone building in rear of the courthouse. It is well arranged and furnished and is kept in good order." The clerk's office is in a fireproof one story building on the corner of Fair and Main Sts.5 The poorhouse is located upon a farm of 140 acres, on the s. line of New Paltz, 16 mi. s. w. of Kingston. It is poorly constructed, not ventilated at all, and is entirely unfit for the purposes for which it is used. The average number of inmates is 175, supported at a weekly cost of $1.25 each. A school is taught 6 months in the ycar.6 The farm yields a revenue of $500. The Delaware & Hudson Canal is the only important work of internal improvement in the co. It extends from Rondout, on the Hudson, up Rondout and Sandburgh Creeks, through Kingston, Rosendale, Marbletown, Rochester, and Wawarsing. It opens a direct communication between the coal mines of Penn. and the Hudson. The Delaware & Hudson Canal Co. was incorp. April 23, 1823, and the canal was finished in 1828.7
One daily and 7 weekly newspapers are now published in the co.8
The Dutch established a trading post upon the present site of Rondout in 1614, and probably a few Dutch families settled in the immediate vicinity soon after. This early settlement was broken up by Indian hostilities, and a new one was commenced between 1630 and '40. This was again attacked by the Indians, and in 1655 was abandoned. Before 1660, settlers had again located at Kingston and vicinity. In 1660 a treaty had been concluded with the Indians; and the people were 80 unsuspicious of danger that they left open the gates to their fort both day and night. In June, 1663, the Indians came into the fort at Wiltwyck in great numbers, apparently to trade, while the greater part of the people were engaged in their usual avocations out of doors. At a given signal the Indians commenced the work of destruction. Recovering from their first panic, the whites rallied, under the leadership of Thomas Chambers, and finally drove the Indians out of the fort; 18 whites were killed, and 42 were carried away prisoners. The out settlements were all destroyed. A destructive war ensued, in which the Ulster Indians were nearly exterminated. During this war the valley of the Wall Kil was discovered, and soon after the peace of 1663 it was occupied by a colony of French Huguenots.9 The settlements gradually extended along the valleys of Esopus,
1 Tho principal tannerios are in Shandaken, Olivo, Woodstock, Denning, Hardenburgh, and Wawarsing.
2 A courthouse and jail were built soon after the incorp. of the co .. and an appropriation was made for their repair July 21, 1715. These buildings proving inadequate, an act of General Assembly, passed Oct. 14, 1732, allowed the old buildings and lot to be sold and new buildings to be erected. Repairs were authorized in 1745, 1750, 1765, and 1773; and in 1775 a further sum was granted to complete them. The courthouse and jail were burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, and a lottery was granted 6 months after to raise £2,000 to rebuild them. By act of March 19, 1778, the sheriff's mileage was directed to be computed from the house of Mrs. Ann Dubois, an innkeeper in New Paltz.
3 The first county officers under State government were Levi Pauling, First Judge; Egbert Dumond, Sheriff; and Joseph Gasherie. Surrogate.
4 The Senate Committee in 1857 report this jail as one of the best in the State; but. as 15 or 20 prisoners escaped in the winter of 1858 and '59 the correctness of the committee's conclusions may well be questioned.
6 Dutchess and Ulster cos. were incorp. at the same time, and were united for about 30 years. The records of Dutchess co. for that period are found in the Ulster co. clerk's office.
" The Senate Committee of 1857 report that they found 12 cells for lunatics in an old, dilapidated building so open that it was scarcely possible to keep the inmates from perishing.
I See page 63. The Canal Company owns a R. R. over the mountain from Honesdale to Carbondale, Penn., and the coal mines at the latter place. It formerly owned most of the boats on the canal, and leased them to boatmen. About 1850 the Penn. Coal Company made an arrangement, by which upon payment of toll they were allowed to transport coal in their own boats from Hawicy to Port Ewen.
8 The New York Journal and Advertiser-published by John Holt, and which was removed from New York to Pough- keepsie in 1776 in consequence of British occupation -- was published at Kingston from July to Oct. 1777.
The Farmers' Register was commenced at Kingston in 1792 by Nicholas Power and Wm. Copp.
The Rising Sun was commenced at Kingston in 1793 by Wm. Copp and Sain'l S. Freer.
The Ulster Gazette was commenced at Kingston in 1798 by Sam'l S. aud A. Freer.
The Plebeian was commenced at Kingston in Nov. 1805, by Jesse Buell, who continned as editor until 1813. In 1827 its name was changed to
The Plebeian and Ulster Co. Advertiser. The Ulster Antinel was published at Kingston about 1826-28 by Charles G. De Witt.
The Ulster Republican was commenced at Kingston in 1828 by S. Curtiss, jr. It is now published by Ilom- mell & Lounsbery.
The Ulster Palladium was commenced at Saugerties in 1828 by P. J. Fish and C. Frary. Its name was subsequently changed to
The Ulster Palladium and Manufacturers' Journal.
The National Pimeer was published at Miltou in 1830 hy Dan'! S. Tuthill.
The Ulster Star was commenced at Saugerties in Jan. 1833, by Wm. Cully.
The Ulster County Whig was commenced at Kingston in 1835 by Wallace & Brown.
The Kingston Democratic Journal was com. monced in 1837 hy Wm. IL Romcyn, its present publisher. The Political. Reformer was commenced at Kingston in 1840 by II. M. Romeyn.
The Ulster Huguenot was commenced at Kingston in 1843 by J. Cully and T. F. Baldwin.
The Hickory Democrat was issued at Kingston, as a campaign paper, in 1844.
The Ulster Democrat was commenced at Kingston in 1846 hy A. A. Bensall. It is now published by S. R. Ilarlow.
The Kingston Daily Chronicle is issned from the saine offico.
The Ulster Telegraph was commenced at Saugerties in 1846 hy Solomon S. Hommell. Its name was subsequently changed to
The Saugerties Telegraph, and it is now published by K. B. Taylor.
The Rondout Freeman was published in 1845.
The Rondout Courier was commenced in 1847. It is now published by J. P. Hageman.
The Ellenville Journal was commenced in 1847. It is now published by S. Maxwell Taylor.
The People's Press is published at Kingston by Daniel Bradbury.
9 After the peace of 1660 the Director General of New Nether- lands shipped 11 Indians prisoners to Curacoa to be sold as slaves. This outrage led to the attack made in 1663, and the bloody war that followed. Ninc days after the retreat of the Indians from the attack npon Wiltwyck, in June, 1663, a rein
662
ULSTER COUNTY.
Rondout, and Wall Kil Creeks and their tributaries. Besides the manorial grant of Fox Hall,1 the English made township grants of Kingston, New Paltz, Marbletown, Rochester, Hurley, Shawan- gunk, and Marlborough. During the Revolution the frontier settlements were exposed to Indian hostilities, and before the close of the war were all destroyed or abandoned. The river towns were taken by the British in 1777, and most of them were pillaged and burned. The Provincial Con- gress and State Legislature held several sessions at Kingston during the war and soon after. The people were nearly all ardent patriots; and there were probably fewer tories in this co. than in any other section of the State. Since the Revolution the co. has steadily progressed in wealth and population. The completion of the Delaware & Hudson Canal was a marked era in the history of the industry of the co .; and the commencement of the cement manufacture and stone quarrying have greatly added to its permanent prosperity.
DENNING ?- was formed from Shandaken, March 6, 1849. A part of Hardenburgh was taken off in 1859. It lies in the N. w. part of the co., upon the border of Sullivan. Its surface is a broken and mountainous upland. A spur of the Catskill Mts. extends through the town, with a mean elevation of 1,500 to 2,000 ft. Its streams are head branches of Rondout Creek and Never- sink River. The valleys are narrow ravines bordered by steep and rocky hillsides. The soil upon the uplands is a gravelly loam, and in the valleys a sandy loam. The settlements are chiefly confined to the valleys. Denning is a p. o. near the center. Dewittsville is a hamlet near the s. line. This town, though large, has the least population of any town in the co. Its chief wealth consists in its heavy growth of hemlock and hard wood. Settlements were made at a comparatively recent period."
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