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 31
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It is said that there are in the county nearly one hundred lakes and ponds of considerable size. Of these the most important are Schroon, Paradox, Teralt, Rich, Harries, Delia, Sanford, Pharaoh and Placid lakes, and Augur pond.
CLIMATE. The temperature is low, particularly on the moun- tains. In the valleys it is more mild, but the frosts are early and severe. It is not well adapted to the raising of fruit, or those grains and crops which require a long summer.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. The rocks in this county are pri- mary, with the exception of a narrow belt of transition on Lake Champlain. They are principally hypersthene, granite, pri- mary limestone, gneiss, hornblende, and magnetic iron ore.
Iron is found in immense quantities in almost every part of the county. The principal veins are the Penfield, the Adirondack ores, and the Sanford vein. The latter is estimated to contain at least 3,000,000 tons of pure iron. It is in fact a mass of pure iron ore, unmixed with rock or earth. The iron of this county, in all the qualities which render that metal valuable, is unsurpassed by any in the United States, and being situated in a densely wooded country, and with a con- venient access to the lake, can be smelted and conveyed to market as advantage- ously as any in the country.
There are in the county, and particularly on the shores of the lakes, fossil veg- etables and shells. The other principal minerals are Plumbago, marble of the Verd Antique variety, Labradorite, calcareous spar, pyroxene, hornblende, serpen- tine, scapolite, tabular spar, Brucite, apatite, tourmaline, sphene, colophonite, graphite, zircon, garnet, epsom salta, porcelain clay, and peart spar.
VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS, SOIL, &C. The soil, though broken, is rich and fertile. The timber is very abundant, and of large size, sonsisting of white and black oak, white and yellow pine, maple, beech, hemlock, poplar, walnut, butternut, birch, ash, elm, basswood, cherry, fir, spruce, &c.
Upon Mount Marcy, the gigantic beech and hemlock gradually diminish in size to mere shrubs, and the former, unable to sustain the weight of its stem, creeps on the rocky surface of its elevated suthmit. The forests abound with game, and the waters with fish.
PURSUITS. A majority of the inhabitants are devoted to agri- cultural pursuits. The greater part of the county is adapted to grazing, and in some of the valleys grain succeeds well. Po- tatoes, oats, together with some wheat, corn and rye are grown. Butter and wool are produced in considerable quan- tities.
The preparation of. lumber for market is a prominent pursuit
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with the inhabitants. The amount of lumber and timber ex- ported is very large.
Among the manufactures, that of iron is the most impor- tant; it is smelted from the ore in large quantities.
The commerce of the county upon the lakes is very consider- able, and every year increasing.
STAPLES. Iron, lumber, butter, wool, and potatoes.
SCHOOLS. There were in the county, in 1846, 167 school- houses, in which 7925 children were taught an average period of six months, at an expense for tuition of $8758. The district libraries contained 13,774 volumes.
There were also in the county twenty private schools, with 270 pupils, and two academies, with ninety students.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Congregationalists, Baptists, Presbyterians, Roman Catholics, and Universalists. The number of churches of all denominations in the county is forty-two, and of clergymen, twenty-nine.
HISTORY. In 1731 a fort, called Fort St. Frederick, was erected by the French, at Crown Point, on the bank of Lake Champlain; it was afterward blown up, but the place was again fortified, and retained as a military post.
In 1756, the French erected Fort Ticonderoga, named by them Carillon. In 1758, General Abercrombie, with a large force, composed of British and provincial troops, attacked the fortress, but was repulsed, with the loss of nearly 2000 killed and wounded. Among the former was Lord Howe, who was universally beloved by the troops.
In 1759, both Ticonderoga and Crown Point were abandoned by the French, on the approach of the English forces. The British general garrisoned Ticonderoga, and caused a fort to be erected at Crown Point, which was likewise garrisoned by English troops.
In 1775, both fortresses were captured by a corps of Connec- ticut and Vermont volunteers, under the command of Colonels Ethan Allen,* Seth Warner and Benedict Arnold. Crown Point was evacuated the next year.
On the eleventh of October, 1776, the disastrous expedition against Canada was terminated, by the capture of the lake fleet, under the command of General Arnold, near Crown Point.
In July, 1777, Ticonderoga was besieged by General Bur- goyne; with great labor and difficulty that officer succeeded in
* It is related that when Colonel Allen, who had rushed into Fort Ticonderoga, sword in hand, ordered the commander of the fort to surrender, he enquired " by what authority !" Colonel Allen iummicdiately replied, " I demand it in the name of the great Jehovah and the continental congress."
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erecting a battery upon Mount Defiance, which overlooked and enfiladed the fort. General St. Clair, its commander, was thus compelled either to surrender, or evacuate the fort immediately, He chose the latter alternative, and made his escape, though with some loss. It was then garrisoned by the British.
In October, 1777, the garrison, hearing of General Bur- goyne's surrender, returned precipitately to Canada. Neither of the fortresses have since been occupied.
This county was chiefly settled by emigrants from Vermont, and other New England states. Considerable portions of it are yet covered with the primeval forests.
VILLAGES. ELIZABETHTOWN is a small village, situated in the midst of beautiful and picturesque mountain scenery. It is the county seat. Population 350.
Keeseville, lying upon both sides of the Au Sable river, and being partly in this county and partly in Clinton, is a large and flourishing manufacturing village. Iron, and woollen and cotton goods, are largely manufactured here. It has also flouring mills, saw mills, a brewery, machine shop, tannery, &c. The falls of the Au Sable give it a fine water power. Here is an incorpo- rated academy. Population 2200.
Westport is a thriving village on the lake. It has a flourish- ing incorporated academy. Population 700.
Ticonderoga, about two miles from the old fort of that name, is well situated for manufactures, having a valuable and exten- sive water power, very uniform in its supply, and being advan- tageously situated for commerce. Population 700.
Essex is a thriving village and has some commerce. Popu- lation 700.
Willsborough, in the town of the same name, Au Sable Forks and Jayville, in the town of Jay, are growing and impor- tant villages.
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XXX. GREENE COUNTY.
Square Miles, 583. Organized, 1800.
Population, 31,957. Valuation, 1845, $2,969,673.
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1. Catskill, 1788.
2. Coxsackie, 1788.
3. Durham, 1790.
4. Windham, 1798.
5. Cairo, 1803.
7. Athens, 1805.
8. New Baltimore, 1811.
9. Hunter, 1813.
10. Lexington, 1813.
11. Prattsville, 1833.
6. Greenville, 1803. .
Mountains. i. Catskill. u. Pine. .
Rivers. AA. Schoharie kill. C. Hudson. a. Catskill Creek. d. Kaaters kill. g. Batavia kill.
Falls. On the Kaaters kill east branch, three falls.
Villages. CATSKILL. Coxsackie. Athens. New Baltimore.
BOUNDARIES. North by Schoharie and Albany; East by Hud- son river; South by Ulster ; West by Delaware and Schoharie counties.
SURFACE. The county of Greene has a very hilly and moun- tainous surface. The Catskill mountains running centrally through the county, divide it into two sections, of which the eastern and northern is the most arable.
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The castern fronts of the mountains are precipitous, while upon the west their declivities are more gentle. The Pine mountain, or Kaatsbergs, form the southwestern boundary. The principal peaks of the Catskill mountains are Round Top and High Peak, which have elevations from 3000 to 3800 feet above tide water.
RIVERS. The principal streams are Catskill creek, Kaaters- kill, Schoharie kill, and Batavia kill. The Hudson forms its eastern boundary.
CLIMATE. This county has much diversity of climate. The peaks of the mountains are covered with snow nearly a month later than the valleys, and the summer is shorter, but when vegetation commences, it is more rapid than near the Hudson.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. The transition and red sand- stone formations prevail in this county. The predominant rocks of the Catskill division are conglomerates, red and gray shales, slates, slaty and coarse grits ; greenish gray and chocolate col- ored gray sandstone, known as the Catskill or North river flag stone, is abundant. The Helderberg range, consisting of water and common limestone and pyritous slate, predominates in the north portion of the county. The Hudson river group, compo- sed of slate, shales, shaly and thick bedded grits occupies the eastern and southeastern part.
Copper, lead, zinc, iron and coal, have been found in small quantities. Calca- reous spar and quartz crystals also occur.
VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The mountains are sterile-the uplands produce excellent grass, while the valleys are rich, yielding good crops of grain. The timber consists of oak, hick- ory, cherry, soft and sugar maple, and on the hills beech, birch, and in some places, spruce and hemlock. In the mountainous districts the trees are of great size.
PURSUITS. Agriculture is the principal pursuit of the inhab- itants Comparatively little grain is raised. The products of the dairy are large. Many of the farmers are turning their at- tention to wool growing, for which the county is well adapted.
Manufactures. Leather is manufactured to a greater amount than in any other county in the state. The other manufactures are flour, lumber, paper, fulled cloths, &c.
Commerce. Catskill, Athens, Coxsackie and New Baltimore, are largely engaged in the coasting trade.
The STAPLE PRODUCTIONS of the county are butter, oats, corn and buckwheat.
SCHOOLS. There were in this county, in 1846, 170 common schools, giving instruction to 9071 children, an average period of eight months each, at an expense for tuition of $13,147. The district libraries contained 19,713 volumes.
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There were also thirty-three select schools, with 601 scholars; four academies and one female seminary, with seventy-seven students.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Presbyterians, Bap- tists, Dutch Reformed, Episcopalians, Friends, Roman Catho- lics, Lutherans, and Unitarians. There are in the county, sixty- four churches, and sixty-four clergymen.
HISTORY. Greene county was settled in the latter part of the seventeenth century, by the Dutch. Cairo and Coxsackie were the principal settlements. Shortly before and after the revolu- tion, many families removed from New England into the county, and a majority of the present inhabitants claim a puritan de- scent.
It is a matter of regret that so little effort has been made to investigate the early history of a county, undoubtedly possessing so much historic interest.
The Hardenburgh patent comprises most of the towns of Windham and Lexington.
Athens was laid out in part, in 1790, by Edward Brockholst Livingston, and E. C. Goodrich.
VILLAGES. CATSKILL VILLAGE, in the town of the same name, was incorporated in 1806. It is the seat of justice of the county, situated on the left bank of the Catskill creek, nearly one mile from the Hudson, and is principally built upon a single street, about half a mile in extent.
It is a port for steamboats and sloops, the creek being naviga- ble from a short distance above the village, to the Hudson, opening a direct communication with the city of New York.
This village is sustained by a wealthy farming community in its own, and adjoining counties; also by a considerable manu- facturing interest.
In the business season of the year, Main street, and the wharves indicate great activity in trade and commerce.
The prospect of the Hudson from this village is obscured by a high bluff running parallel with the river, yet this bluff affords desirable sites for residences, some of which are occupied and highly improved.
The location of this village is important, being the terminus of a number of stage routes, some of which communicate with the valley of the Susquehanna. Its public buildings are neat, and its general appearance that of industry. It has an academy, and a select school for young ladies. Population 3000.
Athens, in the town of the same name, pleasantly situated opposite the city of Hudson, was incorporated in 1805,-it is ex- tensively engaged in manufactures, cspecially of brick and lime.
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A considerable number of sloops are owned here, which ply to and from New York. A steam ferry connects it with the city of Hudson. Population 1500.
Coxsackie Landing, in the town of Coxsackie, is a thriving village, engaged in the coasting trade, and in the manufacture of brick. It has an academy of some note. Population 1500.
Prattsville, lying on the Schoharie kill, manufactures more leather than any town in the United States. It received its name from Hon. Zadoc Pratt, who established extensive tan- neries here. The village is also engaged in other manufactures. Population 1200.
The "Mountain House," so widely celebrated as a summer resort for travellers, is within the limits of the town of Hunter. It is situated on the Pine Orchard, a peak of the Catskill mountains, twelve miles from the village of Catskill, and at an elevation of 2212 feet above the Hudson.
The prospect from this point is one of the most extensive and beautiful in the world. The majestic Hudson, with its green islets, its numerous sails. its cities, villages, and highly culti- vated farms, is visible, on a clear day, for sixty miles in extent, while in the distance, the dim outlines of the Taghkanic moun- tains bound the horizon.
About two miles west of the "Mountain House" are the Kaaters kill Falls, upon a stream issuing from two lakes in the rear of the hotel. The waters leap over a perpendicular bar- rier, 175 feet, and pausing momentarily upon a rocky ledge, plunge down eighty-five feet more, and are hid from the view, in the dark ravine through which they seek the valley of the Catskill.
The scenery around, the deep green forests, the rugged cliffs, covered with ivy and summer foliage, and the extended pros- pect, add to the sublimity of the waterfall, and render this one of the most picturesque and magnificent scenes in nature.
New Baltimore, Cairo and Coxsackie are villages of some importance, in the towns of the same names.
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XXXI. GENESEE COUNTY.
Square miles, 473. Population. 28,845.
Organized, 1802. Valuation, 1845, $5,873,385.
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1. Batavia, 1802.
2. Alexander, 1812.
3. Bethany, 1812.
4. Le Roy, 1812.
5. Pembroke, 1812.
6. Bergen, 1818.
7. Byron, 1820.
8. Elba, 1820.
9. Stafford, 1820.
10. Alabama, 1826.
11. Darien, 1532.
12. Oakfield, 1842.
13. Pavilion, 1842.
Creeks. b. Black creek. c. Allen's d. Oak Orchard. r. Tonawanda. Falls on Allen's Creek in Le Roy.
Villages. BATAVIA. Le Roy.
BOUNDARIES. North by Orleans and Monroe; East by Mon- roe and Livingston; South by Wyoming; West by Erie and Niagara.
SURFACE. The surface of this county may be considered as a table land, inclined toward the north, and divided into two sec- tions. The first embraces the northern portion, from five to eight miles in breadth, and includes the Tonawanda swamp. Separated from this by a rocky ridge, the second gradually rises to the southern boundary of the county.
RIVERS. The general direction of its streams is north-east and north-west, of which Tonawanda, Allen's, (so called after
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Indian Allen who had his residence in this neighborhood,) Oak Orchard, Black and Murder Creeks, are the principal.
RAILROADS. The Tonawanda railroad, entering the county in the town of Bergen, has a south ward course through Bata- via, to Attica. The Batavia and Rochester connects this with the eastern lines.
CLIMATE. Mild, temperate and equable. At the early set- tlement of the county, intermittent and remittent fevers prevail- ed, but they are now very rare.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY. The whole county is comprised in the transition formation. Its principal rocks are the different varieties of limestone, sandstone and calciferous and marly slate.
The minerals are few in number; the most important are gypsum, argillaceous iron ore, marl and peat.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil is chiefly a sandy or gravelly loam, highly productive in grass, summer crops, and especially in wheat. The timber of the county is oak, elm, beach, maple, birch, &c. The maple is very abun- dant, yielding large quantities of sugar.
PURSUITS. The inhabitants are principally employed in agri- culture. Wheat is extensively raised.
Manufactures. Flour, lumber, leather, woollen cloths, and potash, are the principal articles of manufacture.
Commerce. The railroads furnish the principal means of transportation within the county.
STAPLES. Wheat, potatoes, oats, wool, corn and butter.
SCHOOLS. The county, in 1846, contained 166 district schools, which were in session an average period of nine months each, and were attended by 9,316 scholars. $12,506 was paid to teachers, and the libraries contained 19,458 volumes.
There were also seventeen private schools, attended by 431 pupils; three academies, and two female seminaries, with 360 students.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Baptists, Presbyte- rians, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Universalists, Unita- rians and Friends. The total number of churches is fifty ; of clergymen, sixty-seven.
HISTORY. Nearly the whole of this county lies within the Holland Land Company's purchase, from whom the present inhabitants hold their titles. Some small tracts in the southern part of the county, still belong to the successors of that com- pany.
A tract of 87,000 acres, comprising the towns of Sweden and Clarkson, in Monroe county, and part of Bergenand Le Roy, in
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this county, and known as the Triangle tract, was sold by Rob- ert Morris, to Messrs. Le Roy, Bayard and McEvers.
The first settlement in the county was at Batavia, about the commencement of the present century. The Holland Land Company erected their land office here in 1801. In October, 1804, the settlement contained from twenty to thirty houses, mostly built of logs. It was at that time very sickly. The fer- tility of its soil and its adaptation to the culture of grain, caused a rapid immigration, and it was organized as a county, in 1802. It then comprised, however, the present counties of Allegany, Chautauque, Niagara, Erie, Cattaraugus, Orleans, Wyoming, and the western portions of Monroe and Livingston.
VILLAGES. BATAVIA village, the county seat, was incorpo- rated in 1823. It is laid out in a plat, two miles square, and has over 300 buildings, a female seminary, the office of the Holland Land Company, and a number of manufactories.
Le Roy, in the town of Le Roy, is a thriving village, situated on Allen's Creek, and incorporated in 1834. The village lots are spacious, and the dwellings are generally built of stone, pre- senting a very neat appearance. The rapid growth of this vil- lage is due to the hydraulic power of the creek, which has three considerable falls.
The first fall at the village, is eighteen feet, the second about a mile below, twenty-seven feet, and the third within two miles, eighty feet, affording great facilities for manufacturing purposes. A number of sites are occupied by flour, oil, and other mills.
It is a remarkable fact that much of the water of this creek disappears before it reaches the highest fall, which is supposed to supply the Caledonia spring in the adjoining town, in Livings- ton county. It has about 2000 inhabit-ants. Here is a flourish- ing female seminary.
Alexander is a village of some importance, in the town of the same name. It has an incorporated classical school. Popula- tion, 500.
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XXXII. ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
Square miles, 2,717. Organized, 1802.
Population, 62,354. Valuation, 1845, $3,645,208.
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TOWNS.
1. Lisbon, 1901.
2. Oswegatchie, 1802.
3. Madrid, 1802.
4. Massena, 1802.
5. Hopkinton, 1805.
6. Brasher, 1805.
7. Canton, 1805.
8. Russel, 1805.
9. De Kalb, 1806.
10. Potsdam, 1806.
11. Stockholm, 1806.
12. Gouverneur, 1810.
13. Louisville, 1810.
14. Rossie, 1813 ..
15. Parishville, 1814.
16. Pierrepont, 1814.
17. Fowler, 1816.
18. Morristown, 1821.
19. Norfolk, 1822.
20. De Peyster, 1825.
21. Edwards, 1827.
22. Hammond, 1827.
23. Lawrence, 1828. "
24. Hermon. 1830.
25. Pitcairn, 1837.
26. Fine, 1842.
27. Colton, 1842.
28. Macomb, 1842.
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Mountains. PP. Highlands of St. Lawrence county.
Rivers. I. St. Lawrence. a. Oswegatchie. b. Indian. c. Grasse. d. Racket. e. St. Regis. f. Deer. g. East branch Oswegatchie. h. West branch Oswegatchie.
Lakes. k. Black.
Falls. On the St. Regis, in Brasher, Hopkinton and Parishville. On the Racket, at Potsdam, Colton and St. Regis. On the Grasse, at Canton and Pierrepont. On the Oswegatchie, at Canton and Rossie.
Forts. Ogdensburgh.
Battle Fields. Ogdensburgh.
Villages. CANTON. Ogdensburgh. Rossie. Brasher's falls. Pots- dam. Gouverneur, Waddington. Massena. Norfolk.
BOUNDARIES. North by the river St. Lawrence; East by Franklin county ; South by Hamilton and Herkimer ; and West by Lewis and Jefferson counties, and the St. Lawrence river.
SURFACE. The surface of this county is agreeably diversified. Along the bank of the St. Lawrence river, for a distance of seventy-five miles in length, and from thirty to forty in breadth, the county consists of gentle swells, broad valleys, or extensive plains. Farther south it rises into hills, and finally assumes a mountainous character, in the southeast, where are situated the Highlands of the St. Lawrence.
RIVERS. The principal streams of the county besides the St. Lawrence, are the St. Regis, Racket, Grasse, Indian, Oswe- gatchie and Deer rivers, which by their long and circuitous courses and numerous tributaries, abundantly water it. A nat- ural canal, six miles long, connects the Oswegatchie and Grasse rivers, in the town of Canton.
FALLS. Most of these streams have numerous falls or rapids, furnishing a large amount of water power.
LAKES. Black Lake is the only one of importance. There are many extensive marshes.
CLIMATE. The climate is less variable than in most counties of the state. The air is clear, and the seasons uniform, compen- sating for the severe cold of winter, and contributing to the health of its inhabitants.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. That portion of the county lying along the St. Lawrence, for a width of ten or fifteen miles, be- longs to the tertiary, or rather the alluvial formation, consisting of clay and gravel; this is succeeded, at a distance of fifteen or twenty miles from the river, by a belt of Potsdam sandstone, running nearly parallel to the St. Lawrence, and varying in width from five to ten miles; the remainder of the county be- longs wholly to the primary formation, and consists of hypers- thene, gneiss, granite and primitive limestone.
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The Potsdam sandstone forms one of the finest building materials in the worki. Specular iron ore is found in this county in immense quantities, and is largely manufactured. The magnetic and bog iron ores are also quite abundant. Gra- phite or black lead is found in several localities. Lead exists in vast quantities in the neighborhood of Rossie. Zinc and copper occur frequently. Marble, ser- pentine, and other forms of carbonate of lime are deposited in various parts of the county ; steatite or soapstone is plentiful. The other principal minerals are phosphate of lime, sulphate of barytes, quartz crystals, Brucite, talc, pyrozene, bornblende, asbestus, feldspar, albite, Labradorite, mica, spinel, tourmaline, zircon, Babingtonite and sphene.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The greater portion of the land is of excellent quality. The soil consists of a dark veg- etable mould, often underlaid with lime and marl, and is very productive of grasses, grains, &c. Much of the county is yet covered with dense forests of oak, beech, maple, basswood, but- ternut, ash, elm, hemlock, white and Norway pine. In the marshes white cedar, tamarack and black ash, are the principal trees. From the maple, large quantities of sugar are manufac- tured.
PURSUITS. The people are chiefly engaged in agriculture. Great numbers of cattle are reared, and much attention paid to the products of the dairy. They are becoming interested in manufactures, which at present are mostly limited to flour, lumber, fulled cloths, potash and leather.
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