USA > New York > Geography of the state of New York. Embracing its physical features, climate, geology, mineralogy, botany, zoology, history, pursuits of the people, government, education, internal improvements &c. With statistical tables, and a separate description and map of each county > Part 25
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There were in addition, thirty-five select schools, with 706 scholars, two acad- emies, and one female seminary, with 246 pupils, and one college with eight pro- fessors, and, including both departments, 260 students.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Baptists, Presbyte- rians, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Friends, Universal- ists, Dutch Reformed, Unitarians and Roman Catholics. To- tal churches seventy-six-clergymen ninety-five.
HISTORY. The whole of this county, as well as the counties of Steuben, Genesee, Allegany, Niagara, Chautauque, Monroe, Livingston, Erie, Yates, and the western half of Wayne and Orleans, was included in the lands ceded by New York to Mas- sachusetts, and by that state to Messrs. Gorham and Phelps, in 1787.
In 1788 Oliver Phelps, one of the proprietors, left Granville, Massachusetts, to explore this far distant and unknown coun- try, amid the tearful adieus of his family and friends, who parted with him, not expecting his return.
On his arrival at Canandaigua, he assembled the chief's of the Six Nations, and purchased from them their title to two and a half millions of acres of land. In 1789, he opened, at Canandaigua, the first land office in America, for the sale of forest lands to settlers.
His system of surveys by townships was subsequently adopt- ed by the United States government, in their surveys of new lands. Almost the whole of the lands of this county were thus sold to actual settlers, a large proportion of whom were from New England.
With a soil of extraordinary fertility, and a thrifty and indus- trious population ; possessing scenery of unrivaled beauty, and removed from the danger of hostile incursions, the growth of
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this county has been rapid and prosperous, since its first set- tlement.
VILLAGES. CANANDAIGUA VILLAGE in the town of Canandaigua, was laid out by Messrs. Gorham and Phelps, in 1788, and is the county seat. It is delightfully situated, on an ascent, at the northern extremity of the lake of the same name, commanding a fine view of that beautiful sheet of water. Its buildings, many of them handsome, are principally situated on a single broad street, running north and south, and are surrounded by highly cultivated gardens.
The Canandaigua academy, located here, was founded by the munificence of Messrs. Gorham and Phelps, and is amply sus- tained by the liberality of the inhabitants. It is also the seat of the Ontario female seminary, an ancient and respectable insti- tution. Population about 3000.
Geneva, in the town of Seneca, was founded by Messrs. An- nin and Barton, in 1794. In the beauty of its situation, it is unrivaled among the many beautiful villages of western New York. Situated at the northwest extremity of Seneca lake, its principal street runs parallel with the shore of the lake, at an elevation of about 100 feet, and from many of its residences ter- raced gardens extend to the banks of the lake.
It has some manufactures, but is chiefly distinguished for its .refined society, and for the advantages it affords as a retreat for the scholar, the retired merchant, or the gentleman of fortune. The college, here, has an able corps of instructors, and is rising in reputation and usefulness. In beauty of location it is not surpassed by any institution in the United States. It has a flourishing medical department. There is also in this village a female seminary. Population about 4000.
East and West Vienna, in the town of Phelps, are thriving villages, situated one mile distant from each other, on the out- let of Canandaigua lake. They are in the midst of a fine agri- cultural region and have some manufactories, East Vienna has a female seminary. The Auburn and Rochester railroad passes through the village. Population 1500.
Rushville, partly in this county and partly in Yates, is a vil- lage of some importance. Population about 800.
Port Gibson, in the town of Manchester, is the only place where the Erie canal touches the county.
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XVI. HERKIMER COUNTY.
Square Miles, 1370. Population, 37,424. Organized, 1791. Valuation, 1845, $6,572,473.
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TOWNS.
1. German Flats, 1788.
2. Herkimer, 1788.
3. Schuyler, 1792.
4. Norway, 1792.
5. Fairfield, 1796.
6. Frankfort, 1796.
7. Litchfield, 1796.
8. Warren, 1796.
9. Manheim, 1797.
10. Newport, 1806.
11. Russia, 1806.
12. Columbia, 181.
13. Winfield, 1816.
14. Danube, 1817.
15. Salisbury, 1817.
16. Ohio, 1823.
17. Stark, 1928.
18. Little Falls, 1829.
19. Wilmurt, 1837.
Mountains. GG. Chateaugay. j. Otsquaga. i. Hassencleaver.
Rivers. F. Mohawk. a. Black. h. East Canada Creek. f. West Canada Creek. b. Beaver. c. Moose.
Falls. g. Trenton. t. Little.
Lases. d. Moose.
Villages. HERKIMER. Little Falls. Fairfield.
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BOUNDARIES. North by St. Lawrence county; East by Hamilton, Fulton and Mont- gomery ; South by Otsego ; and West by Oneida and Lewis counties.
SURPACE. The surface is di- versified, and crossed by moun- tains in every direction. The Chateaugay range enters the
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county from the northeast, and runs southwest and unites with the Otsquaga Hills, which form the dividing ridge between the Mohawk and Susquehanna.
This ridge is broken through, by the Mohawk river, at Little Falls. It varies in height from 700 to 1200 feet. The Otsquaga Hills run from east to west, extending across the whole south- ern portion of the county. They are about 1000 feet high.
Between the Chateaugay mountains and the western line of the county, are the Highlands of Black river, which are broken through by West Canada creek. The Hassencleaver moun- tain, an isolated summit, having a base of eight or nine miles, and a height of 800 or 1000 feet, also occupies its central portion.
The northern portion is elevated and rugged, but has not been thoroughly explored. The dividing ridge, between the waters of the St. Lawrence and the Mohawk, crosses it.
RIVERS. The Mohawk passes through the county from east to west. Its principal tributaries are the East Canada and West Canada creeks. The latter, in a course of sixty miles, falls 1220 feet, or on an average twenty-three feet to the mile. The Black, Moose, Beaver, and the head waters of the Oswe- gatchie river, all aid in draining the northern portion of the county.
FALLS. The Little Falls, at the village of that name, on the Mohawk, deserve notice. They received their name in contra- distinction to the Great Falls of the Mohawk, at Cohoes. They extend, upon the Iver, three-fourths of a mile, the fall in that distance being forty-two feet, divided into two rapids, each of nearly a fourth of a mile in length, and separated by a stretch of deep water.
The beauty of the fall is very much increased by the depth of the river bed, below the adjacent banks of the defile, through which it passes. This defile is about 100 rods wide, two miles in length, and rises from 360 to 400 feet above the river, which has worn for itself this deep channel through the crumbling rocks, which compose the mountain. The scenery is highly picturesque and beautiful.
Trenton Falls, on the West Canada creek, are described un- der Oneida county.
I AKES. There are numerous small lakes scattered over the northern part of the county, among which Moose lake is the largest.
CANALS AND RAILROADS. The Erie canal, and the Utica and Schenectady railroad, pass through the county, on either side of the Mohawk.
CLIMATE. The climate, ewing to the numerous mountains, is cold, but healthy.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. The northern part of the county is
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primitive, the rocks being either granite or gneiss. On the bor- ders of the East and West Canada creeks, as well as in some other sections, this is overlaid with limestone and slate. South of the Mohawk, the prevailing rock is slate, covered with sand- stone, or limestone, except at Fort hill, where the granite again makes its appearance.
Its minerals are quartz, crystals of rare size and beauty, heavy spar, calcare- ous spar, peari and brown spar, sulphuret of zinc, galena, iron and copper pyrites, bog iron ore, fibrous celestine, tourmaline, and anthracite, though not in sufficient quantities to be of any practical value. Fossils, of great beauty and perfection, are found in the vicinity of Trenton falls, and petrifactions on the Otsquaga creek, in the town of Stark.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil is generally arable, and some portions of it highly productive. It is better adapted to grass than to grain. The northern portion is said to be barren and unproductive.
The timber is principally oak, hemlock, pine, beech, chestnut, black birch, hick- ory, butternut, elm and maple. Pine and hemlock are abundant in the northern section.
PURSUITS. Agriculture is the pursuit of a majority of the in- habitants. From the hilly character of the surface, more atten- tion is necessarily paid to grazing, than to the culture of grain, and Herkimer stands in the front rank of grazing counties. Its cheese is particularly celebrated, and almost one fourth of the whole amount produced in the state, is made in this county. More than eight millions of pounds mere made in 1845. It also ranks high in the production of butter, wool and pork.
Some attention is paid to manufactures, for which the water falls of the principal streams afford fine facilities. The principal articles are leather, cotton and woollen goods, flour, lumber and paper.
The transportation of its produce upon the Erie canal, consti- tutes the only commerce of the county.
STAPLES. Cheese, butter and wool.
SCHOOLS. There are 200 public school-houses, in which schools were taught, in 1846, an average period of eight months, and 11,800 children received instruction, at a cost, for tuition, of $15,459. The district libraries numbered 22,750 volumes.
The county has also thirty-three select schools, with 442 pupils, three academies, and one female seminary, attended by 321 pupils.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Baptists, Dutch Re- formed, Universalists, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Epis- copalians, Roman Catholics, Unitarians and Jews.
HISTORY. A tract of land, twelve miles square, lying between the East and West Canada creeks, in this county, constituted the royal grant, which Sir William Johnson obtained of old King Hendrick, and which was afterwards confirmed by the
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king of England .* Another of ? non acres, lying in the north- ern part of the county, was granted in 1770, and called the Jer- seyfield patent.
The fertile tract now known as the German Flats, was patented by a company of German Lutherans, in 1725. It con- sisted of a little more than 9000 acres of excellent land. Their residence was called Burnet's field, after Governor Burnet. A church was erected here, previous to the revolution, and a par- sonage of stone, which having been fortified, received the name of Fort Herkimer.
In common with the adjacent counties of Montgomery, Ful- ton, Otsego, Oneida and Schoharie, Herkimer suffered from the incursions of the savages and tories, during the revolution- ary contest. The brave old general whose name it perpetuates, died at his residence, in Danube, in this county, in August, 1777, of wounds received at the battle of Oriskany.
In 1778, the village of Herkimer was burned by the Indians and tories, under the direction of the Mohawk chieftain, Brant. Fortunately their approach had been discovered by the inhabit- ants, who fled to Forts Dayton and Herkimer, for protection. Two individuals, however, were killed, every house and barn destroyed, and the cattle, horses and sheep driven away by the Indians.
In 1780, a party of Indians and tories visited Little Falls, for . the purpose of destroying the mills there, which were of great importance to the inhabitants. They accomplished their object, killed one man, and took five or six prisoners. 'Two of the oc- cupants of one of the mills, concealed themselves in the race- way, beneath the water wheel, and after the conflagration of the mill, and the departure of the Indians, made their escape.
VILLAGES. HERKIMER, the county seat, is handsomely situa- ted in the valley of the Mohawk, in the town of the same name. It has a fine hydraulic power, sufficient to drive a large amount of machinery. The academy here is in a flourishing condition. The county buildings are on the most improved models, com- bining security and comfort. Population about 1000.
Little Falls, situated on both sides the Mohawk, in the town of that name, is celebrated for the beauty of its scenery. It is
* The way in which this land was obtained, was said to be the following. dir William having received, from England, several rich suits of uniform, the old Sachem, Hendrick, visited him soon after, and spent the night. In the morning he came to Sir William and said, " Me dream last night." "And what did you dream ?" inquired the baronet. "Me dream you give me one fine suit of clothes," was the reply. The baronet, of course, complied with his request.
Not long after, he returned the visit, and in the morning, said to bis Indian host, "I dreamed last night." " Ah," said the Indian, " What did you dream ?" "I dreamed," replied dir William, " that you gave me such a piece of land," (describing it). "Well," said the old dachem, "Me give it you, but me no dream with you again ; you dream too hard for me."
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largely engaged in manufactures, and has an academy for the education of both sexes, for which the citizens have erected a noble granite edifice. Its houses, mostly of stone, are remark- able for their neat and substantial appearance.
Here is a deep cut on the canal, of two miles, through solid rock, which presented an obstacle to the Erie canal, only sur- passed by that at Lockport. The canal constructed by the Western Inland Lock Navigation Company, in 1802, is con- nected with the Erie canal at this place, by a magnificent aque- duct of white marble. The finest quartz crystals in the United States are found here. Population about 3000.
Fairfield is a pleasant rural village, the seat of an academy of considerable distinction. The college of physicians and sur- geons, of the western district, was formerly located here, and occupied a fine building. This medical school, though formerly highly popular, has recently been discontinued.
Mohawk, in the town of German Flats, is situated on the line of the canal. It is a flourishing village, and furnishes a good market for the produce of this section of the county. Pop- ulation 800.
Newport, in the town of the same name, is a thriving village, with considerable manufactures. Population about 600.
Frankfort, in the town of the same name, has some manufac- tures. Population 600.
Middleville, in the town of Fairfield, Winton, in the town of Salisbury, and Russia, in the town of the same name, are vil- lages of some importance.
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XVII. RENSSELAER COUNTY.
Square Miles, 696. Organized, 1791.
Population, 62,338. Valuation, 1845, $12,624,258.
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1. Hoosick, 1788.
2. Pittstown, 1788.
3. Scaghticoke, 1788.
4. Stephentown, 1788.
5. Petersburgh, 1791.
6. Greenbush, 1792.
7. Schodac, 1795.
8. Troy City, 1.796.
9. Nassau, 1806.
10. Berlin, 1806.
11. Brunswick, 1807.
12. Grafton, 1807.
13. Lansinburgh, 1807.
14. Sand Lake.
Mountains. Y. Peterborough. g. Williamstown.
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Rivers and Creeks. C. Hudson River. k. Hoosick. b. Tomhenick Creek. i. Kinderhook. h. Vallitje. e. Wynantskill. f. Poes- tenkill.
Falls. Hoosick.
Villages. TROY CITY. Greenbush. Lansingburgh. Scaghticoke Hoosick Falls.
BOUNDARIES. North by Washington county ; East by the states of Massachusetts and Vermont; South by Columbia county ; and West by the Hudson river.
SURFACE. The surface of the county is diversified. From the valley of the Hudson it rises, somewhat precipitously, more than 200 feet. Thence the county is rolling, to the base of the Peterborough mountains. These mountains attain their high- est elevation near the centre of the county, subsiding into mod- erate hills, at the northern and southern extremities. This ridge is separated from the Taghkanic range, here called the Williamstown mountains, by a valley from one to three miles in width.
RIVERS. This county ie abundantly watered. . Beside the Hudson, its principal streams are, the Hoosick river, Tom- henick, Kinderhook and Vallitje creeks, Wynantskill, and Po- estenkill.
RAILROADS. The Western Railroad, which connects Boston and Albany, terminates at East Albany. The Troy and Green- bush Railroad connects this with Troy. The Troy and Sara- toga, and the Troy and Schenectady Railroads, both terminate in this county. They cross the Hudson at Troy, on a noble bridge, 1650 feet in length.
CLIMATE. The climate of the county is mild, but exposed to great extremes of temperature. It is considered healthful.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. The county is wholly of the trans- ition formation. The basis rock is clay slate, upon which is imposed limestone, graywacke, and some red sandstone.
Roofing slate is extensively quarried in Hoosick, Stephentown, and Troy. Iron is found in several places, but is little wrought. Marl, of superior quality, is abundant in Sand Lake, and Scaghticoke. Epsom salts are found in Lansingburgh ; in the same vicinity are quartz crystals of great beauty. There are several sul- phur springs in the county.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. There is considerable variety in the soil, but a loam, composed of sand and clay, and quite fertile, extends over the greater part of the county. Con- siderable tracts are well adapted to wheat, but grass and sum- mer crops succeed better in the uplands, in the northern and eastern sections. . The principal timber is oak, hemlock, spruce, chestnut, and hickory.
PURSUITS. Agriculture is extensively and profitably pursued. The productions of the dairy are large. The rearing of cattle,
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horses, and sheep, receives much attention. It is the largest flax growing county in the state.
The Manufactures of the county are numerous and varied. The principal articles are flour, cotton and woollen goods, various kinds of iron ware, leather, carriages and sleighs, railroad cars, malt and distilled liquors, oil, &c.
Commerce. The commerce of the county is quite extensive, and is carried on principally through the ports of Troy, Lan- wingburgh, and Greenbush.
STAPLES. Flax, oats, potatoes, corn, butter and wool.
SCHOOLS. In 1846, there were in the county, 192 district school-houses, in which schools were maintained an average pe- riod of nine months, and 13,040 children received instruction. The wages of teachers amounted to $21,83 . The number of volumes in the district libraries was 26,921.
There were also seventy-five private schools, with 1923 pupils, six academies and two female seminaries, with 556 students, and the Rensselaer Institute.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Presbyterians, Bap- tists, Dutch Reformed, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Uni- versalists, Unitarians, Friends, and Congregationalists. There are ninety-five churches, and eighty clergymen.
HISTORY. All the towns of this county, except Scaghticoke, Pittstown, Hoosick, the north part of Lansingburgh, and part of Troy, belong to the Manor of Rensselaerwyck. The farms are generally rented at the rate of ten bushels of wheat for the hun- dred acres.
Pittstown was probably settled at an earlier period than any other portion of the county, emigrants having located there in 1650.
Scaghticoke was also settled by Dutch and German families at an early period, probably about 1700. The first settlement on the present site of Troy, was made in 1720, by Derick Van- derheyden. He obtained a lease of 490 acres, now constituting the most densely populated portion of the city, for three and three quarters bushels of wheat and four fat fowls annually.
His descendants continued to occupy the land, and from them it assumed the name of Vanderheyden's ferry, which it con- tinued to bear till 1789, when the more classic appellation of " Troy" was substituted for it.
On the 16th August, 1777, a portion of the battle of Benning- ton was fought within the limits of Hoosick, in this county.
A cantonment was erected at Greenbush, for the United States troops, during the late war with Great Britain.
CITIES AND VILLAGES. TROY CITY, the seat of justice for the county, is pleasantly situated on the Hudson, six miles north of Albany. It was laid out in 1789, and made the county seat in
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1791. It is well built, with wide and well shaded streets. The court house, and several of the other public buildings, exhibit great architectural merit.
It is largely engaged in manufactures of almost every descrip- tion ; cast and bar iron, nails, cotton and woollen goods, coaches, sleighs, wagons, railroad cars, flour, distilled and malt liquors, leather, cordage, steam engines, machinery, &c., are the principal. The entire value of its manufactures exceeds $4,000,000 per annum.
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'The schools of Troy have long maintained a high rank. The Rensselaer Institute, founded by, and named after, the late Pa- troon, is an excellent practical school, designed to furnish young men with a thorough mathematical education, and to fit them for the practice of civil engineering.
The Troy Female Seminary, begun in Middlebury, Vermont, in 1814, and removed to Troy in 1821, has long ranked among the first institutions of its kind in the country. Nearly 6000 pu- pils have been educated in it, many of whom have afterwards become teachers in various parts of the Union.
Its former and present principals, have won for themselves the highest reputation as instructors. It has twenty-four teach- ers and other officers, and more than 200 pupils.
The Troy Academy is also an excellent institution.
The Lyceum of Natural History has a fine library and cabi- net, and is well conducted. The Young Men's Association pos- sess a large and well selected library, a cabinet. and reading room, and sustain a course of lectures annually.
The city is connected with Schenectady, Saratoga, and East Albany, by railroads, and by means of the last with the great Western Railroad to Boston. Excellent McAdamized roads have also been constructed to Albany and to Bennington; the Erie and Champlain canals, here forming the Junction canal, bring immense quantities of lumber and produce to the city, and receive in return manufactured goods.
The commerce of the city is quite large. Three large and seven or eight smaller steamboats, about sixty sloops and schooners, and twenty-five or thirty barges, are owned here, and employed in transporting produce and manufactured arti- cles to New York. There are also several lines of packets ply- ing to other ports, together with a large number of packet and freight boats, on the Erie and Champlain canals. Population 25,000.
The village of West Troy, on the west bank of the Hudson, though in another county, may almost be considered a suburb
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of Troy, with which it is connected by a fine bridge and two ferries.
Lansingburgh, in the town of the same name, is three miles north of Troy. It was settled before that city, and was for a considerable period the more important village. It has exten- sive manufactories. By means of a lock, in the state dam across the Hudson, sloops ascend the river to the village. The Lan- singburgh Academy was one of the first institutions of the kind established in the state. The village is one of the oldest in the state, having been organized in 1771, and incorporated in 1787. Population 3500.
Scaghticoke Point, in the town of Scaghticoke, is a thriving manufacturing village; cotton, linen, and hemp goods, powder, and powder kegs, are largely manufactured here. Popula- tion 1400.
Greenbush is a thriving village in the town of the same name, opposite the city of Albany. The great Western railroad, and the Troy and Greenbush railroad terminate here. The United States barracks, erected in 1814, were on an eminence about a mile southeast of the village. They were very extensive, having been intended for the accommodation of 5000 troops, but are now in ruins. Population 1200.
Hoosick Falls, in the town of Hoosick, is a thriving manufac- turing village. Population 500.
Nassau and Berlin, in the towns of the same names, are vil- lages of some importance.
Schodac Landing, in the town of Schodac, is a thriving village.
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XVIII. OTSEGO COUNTY.
Square miles, 899. Organized, 1791.
Population, 50,509. Valuation, 1845, 05,408,040.
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1. Otsego, 1788.
2. Cherry Valley, 1791.
3. Richfield, 1792.
4. Unadilla, 1792.
5. Burlington, 1792.
6. Butternuts, 1796.
7. Milford, 1796.
8. Oneonta, 1796.
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