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 33
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Meantime the enemy effected a landing, and commenced their march towards the village, but met with the most desperate op- position. Finding, however, that he was likely to be overpow- ered by the superior force of the enemy, General Brown con- certed a stratagem which gained him the day, and compelled the enemy to retreat. Learning that the militia, whose flight had prevented success in the onset, were still in the neighbor- hood, he hastened to them, put himself at their head, ordered them to follow him, and passing silently through a distant wood, in the direction of the enemy's boats, induced the British com- mander to believe that he intended to cut off his retreat.
Alarmed at this, and believing the American force superior to his own, in point of numbers, the British general withdrew his forces with the utmost precipitation, leaving his dead and wounded behind him. He was not pursued, because pursuit would have exhibited the weakness of the American force.
While the battle was at its height, intelligence was brought to Lieutenant Chauncey, that the Americans were about to sur- render, and accordingly he, in compliance with his orders, set fire to the stores and shipping, to prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy. Learning his error, however, he made the utmost effort to arrest the flames, and succeeded in saving a considerable portion. The British loss was severe in this ac- tion, three of their field officers being killed, and not less than 150 wounded, killed and prisoners. The American loss was about the same in number,
After retreating to their shipping, the British demanded the surrender of the village, which was promptly refused.
On the thirtieth of May, 1814, a number of boats coming from Oswego, with cannon and rigging for the new vessels, building at Sacketts Harbor, and well manned with sailors, riflemen and Indians, were pursued into Henderson harbor, by five British gunboats, manned with about 200 English marines and sailors.
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Captain Woolsey, of the American navy, had command of the American boats, and landing as quickly as possible, stationed a part of his riflemen and Indians in ambuscade on each side of the road, and placed a small body of militia in front of the land- ing, to contest the passage of the enemy. His stratagem was successful. The British rushed on, and the militia fled before them, but the party in ambush poured upon them so deadly a fire as to compel them to surrender, with the loss of twenty killed, and forty or fifty wounded. The number of prisoners was 137. Five gunboats, armed with heavy cannon, were also cap- tured.
After the war, the extraordinary facilities afforded by the county, for sustaining an abundant population, gave it a rapid growth, and it is now one of the largest counties in the state.
Its population quadrupled between 1810 and 1840, and is still fast increasing.
VILLAGES. WATERTOWN, the seat of justice for the county, is a large and flourishing manufacturing village, situated at the falls of the Black river.
Perhaps no village in the United States possesses more ex- tensive and easily available hydraulic privileges.
The Black river here has a fall in the space of a mile, of eighty-eight feet, over seven artificial dams and five natural cascades, each of which can be used for manufacturing purposes.
The volume of water is estimated at 10,000 cubic feet per second-being sufficient to keep in motion more than one million of spindles. But a small portion of this immense water power, is employed; yet the manufactories of cotton and woollen goods, flour, leather, paper, machinery, pumps, sash, wagons, and carriages are extensive.
The Jefferson County Institute, located here, is a highly flourishing and well conducted seminary. It has about 180 pupils. There are several other schools of considerable repu- tation.
The village has also a " Young Men's Association for Lite- rary Improvement," which is in a flourishing condition, and has accumulated a respectable library. Population 4200.
Sacketts Harbor, in the town of Houndsfield, is an important village, having one of the best harbors on Lake Ontario. It has also some manufactories, propelled by water power, furnished by a canal, extending from the Black river, near Watertown, to the lake at this place.
The United States government has erected extensive stone barracks here for troops. They occupy a lot of about forty acres, surrounded by a fence, on three sides, and the fourth open to the water. In the military burial ground, attached to
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the barracks, is a monument to the brave and lamented Gene- ral Pike, and others, who fell on the northern frontier, during the late war with Great Britain.
The government has also a ship yard, and ship houses, in one of which is the frame of a ship of the line, commenced during the war of 1812.
During the war, Sacketts Harbor increased with great rapid- ity; but at its close, it experienced a decline, from which, how- ever, it has revived, amid the general prosperity of the county. Population 2000.
Brownville, in the town of the same name, is a thriving man- ufacturing village, situated on the Black river, four miles below Watertown. Population 1000.
Dexter, in the town of Brownville, is a growing and impor- tant village. Its harbor has been improved by the United States government, and it has now considerable commerce and some manufactures, Population 1000.
Adams, in the town of Adams, is situated on both sides of Sandy creek, which here affords a good water power. It has a young ladies seminary, in a flourishing condition. Population 800.
Carthage, in the town of Wilna, is a village of considerable importance. A large quantity of iron is annually manufactured here. Population 600.
In the same town is a natural bridge, twelve feet in width, and six feet above the water, extending over the Indian river. There is a small settlement near it.
Cape Vincent, at the head of the St. Lawrence, is a lake port of some importance.
Belleville and Ellisburgh, both in the town of Ellisburgh, are thriving villages.
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XXXVI. ALLEGANY COUNTY.
Square Miles, about 1050. . Organized, 1806.
Population, 31,611. Valuation, 1845, $4,337,756.
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TOWNS.
1. Angelica, 1805.
2. Alfred, 1808.
3. Caneadea, 1808.
4. Ossian, 1808.
5. Friendship, 1815.
6. Centreville, 1819.
7. Independence, 1821.
S. Cuba, 1822.
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9. Hume, 1822.
18. Grove, 1827.
10. Allen, 1823.
19. Rushford, 1827.
11. Scio, 1823.
20. Birdsall, 1829.
12. Andover, 1824. 21. Amity, 1830.
13. Belfast, 1824.
22. Genesee, 1830
14. Almond, 1825.
23. Clarksville, 1835.
15. Bolivar, 1825.
24. West Almond, 1835.
16. New Hudson, 1825.
25. Granger, 1837.
17. Burns, 1826. 26. Wirt, 1837.
Rivers. N. Genesee River. e. Angelica Creek. i. Black. j. Cold. o. Canascraga. p. Little Genesee.
Willages. ANGELICA. Friendship. Cuba.Rushford.
BOUNDARIES. North by Wyoming and Livingston; East by Steuben; South by the state of Pennsylvania, and West by Cat- taraugus county.
SURFACE. This county forms a portion of the elevated table land which extends through the southern tier of counties, but the deep channels, worn in the rocks which underlie the county, by the Genesee and other streams, and the long narrow valleys thus formed, give its otherwise level surface, a broken appear- ance. The height of the table land is from 1200 to 2000 feet above tide water. It declines gradually toward the north.
RIVERS. The principal streams are the Genesee river, An gelica, Black, Cold, Canascraga and Little Genesee creeks.
CANAL. The Genesee valley canal has been commenced, but is not yet completed.
RAILROAD. The line of the New York and Erie Railroad has been laid out across its southern portion.
CLIMATE. The elevation of the surface produces a low tem- perature. The winters are long, and the snows heavy. The county is generally healthy.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. This county lies wholly within the Chemung sandstone formation, though the tops of some of the highest hills are capped with the old red sandstone, and con- glomerate of the Catskill groups.
Like the rest of this formation, it possesses few minerals of interest. There is, however, some bog iron ore and hydrate of manganese, associated with calca- reous tufa. At Cuba is a petroleum, or Seneca oil spring, which has attracted considerable attention. The shales of this vicinity are all bituminoun.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. Much of the soil of the county is fertile, consisting of a clayey and sandy loam; but it is generally moist, and better adapted to grass than grain. The forests are quite dense, and the timber is of large size, consisting of oak, maple, beech, basswood, ash, elm, hemlock, white and yellow pine.
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PURSUITS The people are mainly devoted to Agricultural pursuits, particularly to raising cattle and sheep. The products of the dairy are quite large.
Manufactures are principally confined to lumber, flour, fulled cloths, leather, oil and potash.
Commerce. The county has little commerce.
STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. Butter, cheese, oats, potatoes, wheat and wool.
SOROOLA In 1846, there were in the county, 234 district schools, averaging seven months' instruction each, expending for tuition, $13,979, and attended by 13,946 children, The libra- ries contained 20,595 volumes.
The number of private schools was eight, with 142 scholars; of academies two, with 229 pupils.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Baptists, Methodists, Presbyte- rians, Congregationalists, Episcopalians and Unitarians. Total number of churches sixty, of clergymen, eighty-seven.
HISTORY. Allegany county was taken from Genesee, April seventh, 1806. The two western tier of towns are within the Holland Land Company's purchase. The interest of that com- pany has been purchased by another, since formed. The rest of the county is comprised in the tract constituting the Morris estate.
It was first settled by Philip Church, in 1804. In 1838 a remarkable tornado passed over the western section ; of a dense forest of 400 or 500 acres, scarcely a single tree escaped unin- jured. The wind for the space of twenty miles left traces of its devastation, yet, strange to tell, though several individuals were buried under the ruins of their houses, none lost their lives.
In 1846, the towns of Eagle, Pike, Portage and Nunda, were taken from this county and added to Wyoming and Livingston counties.
VILLAGES. ANGELICA, located in the town of the same name, is the county seat. It is a pleasant village and has some man- ufactures. Population 1000.
Cuba is a flourishing village. In this place is a spring, from the surface of which is collected the famed Seneca oil, so much used for rheumatism and sprains. It was highly valued by the Indians, and a square mile around the spring has been set apart for the Senecas. Population 800.
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Friendship is a village of considerable importance, on the proposed route of the Erie railroad. Population 800.
Rushford is a thriving and important village. It is increasing in population quite raipidly. Population 1000.
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XXXVII. BROOME COUNTY.
Square Miles, 627. Organized, 1806.
Population, 25,808. Valuation, 1845, $2,087,167.
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1. Chenango, 1721.
2. Union, 1731.
3. Lisle, 1801.
4. Windsor, 1807.
5. Sandford, 1821.
6. Colesville, 1821.
7. Vestal, 1823.
8. Conklin, 1824.
9. Barker, 1831.
10. Nanticoke, 1831.
11. Triangle, 1831.
Mountains. e. Oquaga. f. Binghamton. g. Randolph.
Rivers. CC. Chenango River. G. Susquehanna River. Q. Tiough- nioga River. a. Nanticoke Creek. h. Otselic.
Villages. BINGHAMTON.
BOUNDARIES. Bounded North by Cortland and Chenango; East by Delaware; South by the state of Pennsylvania, and West by Tioga county.
SURFACE. This county forms the eastern termination of the great table land of the southern tier of counties. Like the other portions of this elevated plain, its surface is much broken by nu- merous streams, which have worn deep valleys through the soft and perishable sandstones which underlie it. The general ele-
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vation of the surface is from 1400 to 1600 feet above tide water, and the valleys are depressed from 300 to 400 feet below this level. In the eastern part the Randolph, Binghamton and Oquaga mountains rise above the general level. The Susque- . hanna sweeps around the base of the latter, making a very ex- tensive bend.
RIVERS. The Susquehanna, Chenango, Otselic, Tioughnioga and west branch of the Delaware, are the principal rivers of the county.
CANAL The Chenango canal enters the county with the Chenango river, and terminates at Binghamton.
RAILROAD. The route of the New York and Erie railroad has been laid out through the county.
CLIMATE. The climate is salubrious, but from the great ele- vation of the county, necessarily cool. Large bodies of snow fall during the winter, and continue late in the spring.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. The eastern and southern parts of the county belong to the Catskill group, and are composed prin- cipally of the old red sandstone and conglomerate-the western is comprised in the Chemung group, and consists mostly of grey sandstone and slate.
Specimens of garnet, tourmaline, agate, porphyry, jasper, &c., have been col- lected from the pebbles on the banks of the Susquehanna and Chenango rivers. There are several sulphur and one or two brine springs.
SOLL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The broken character of the soil renders the county generally better adapted to grazing than to the culture of grain. In the valleys of the streams, oats and corn thrive well, and wheat is raised to some extent. The principal timber trees are the white and pitch pine, oak, beech, maple and hickory. Much of the surface of the county is yet covered with wood.
PURSUITS. Agriculture is the chief pursuit of the inhabitants. Much attention is paid to the products of the dairy. Some grain is also raised, and summer crops thrive well.
Manufactures. The water power of its many streams fur- niches abundant facilities for manufacturing purposes, which the people of this county are beginning to improve. The New York and Erie railroad will, when opened, give a new impetus to its manufacturing interests, by affording increased facilities for transportation.
Lumber and flour, fulled cloths and leather, constitute the chief articles of manufacture.
STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. Butter, oats, corn and potatoes ..
SCHOOLS. There are in the county 170 district schools, which in 1846, averaged seven months instruction each. $8676 was
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paid for tuition; and the school libraries contained 13,800 vol- umes. The number of children taught was 8285.
There are sixteen select schools, attended by 166 pupils; and one academy, with 212 students. -
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Presbyterians, Baptists, Congre- gationalists, Episcopalians, Universalists and Roman Catholics. There are forty-six churches, and sixty-one ministers, of all de- nominations, in the county.
HISTORY. During Sullivan's campaign, in 1779, he encamped at or near the present site of Binghamton, in this county, for several days, awaiting the arrival of the detachment under the command of General James Clinton. No settlement was made in the county, however, till 1787, when Captain Joseph Leonard removed here from Wyoming, Pennsylvania. He was soon followed by Colonel William Rowe, who emigrated from Con- necticut.
The land in the southern part of the county had been granted a few years previously, to Mr. Bingham, an eminent banker of Philadelphia, associated with whom was a Mr. Cox ; and that now composing the northern towns of the county, was purcha- sed in 1786, or perhaps earlier, by a company from Massachu- setts. The amount of land belonging to this company was 230,000 acres. Having obtained a grant from the Massachu- setts legislature, (this being a portion of the ten townships ceded to Massachusetts by New York,) they purchased the title from the Indians, by a treaty, concluded at the Forks of the Che- nango.
By the enterprise and good management of General Whitney, the agent of Mr. Bingham, the settlements flourished and in- creased rapidly in population. In 1806, Broome county was set off from Tioga, as a separate county, and named in honor of John Broome, at that time Lieutenant Governor of the state.
A large proportion of the emigrants were from New England, and probably a majority from Connecticut.
VILLAGES. BINGHAMTON, formerly Chenango Point, is the shire town of the county. It is rapidly increasing in business, and has become already an important inland town. It is much engaged in manufactures, and furnishes a ready market for the produce of the surrounding country, which is mostly shipped by canal to the Hudson, and by the Susquehanna to Philadelphia.
The New York and Erie railroad will soon be opened to this place, and contribute still farther to its prosperity. Toll bridges constructed of wood, cross the Chenango and Susquehanna rivers, from this village. Population, nearly 4000.
Chenango Forks, Windsor and Harpersville are villages of some importance.
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XXXVIII. MADISON COUNTY.
Square miles, 389. Organized, 1800.
Population, 40,987. Valuation, 1845, 96,490,881.
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TOWNI.
1. Brookfield, 1795.
2. Cazenovia, 1795.
3. De Ruyter, 1798.
4. Hamilton, 1801.
5. Sullivan, 1803.
6. Eaton, 1807. .
7. Lebanon, 1807.
8. Madison, 1807.
9. Nelson, 1807.
10. Smithfield, 1807.
11. Lenox, 1809.
12. Georgetown, 1815.
13. Fenner, 1823.
14. Stockbridge, 1839.
Rivers, &c. CC. Chenango river. II. Unadilla. k. Oriskany Creek. a. Cowasalon. b. Canaseraga. d. Chittenango. j. Oneida. Lakes. Z. Oneida. e. Cazenovia, or Linklaen.
Marshes. f. Great Swamp.
Universities. Madison University.
Villages. MORRISVILLE. Hamilton. Cazenovia. Canastota. Chit- tenango.
BOUNDARIES. North by Oneida Lake; East by Oneida and Otsego counties; South by Chenango county, and West by Onondaga and Cortland counties.
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SURFACE. Diversified, and generally hilly, except where the. great swamp extends for a distance of eight or ten miles, along the borders of Oneida Lake ..
The elevated ridge or watershed, which divides the waters of the Susquehanna from those flowing north, crosses this county near its centre. The hills are, however, generally rounded, and susceptible of cultivation. This ridge is about 1500 feet above tide water.
RIVERS. On the south, the county is drained by the Chenan- go, Otselic and Unadilla rivers. On the north by the Oriskany, > Oneida, Cowasalon, Chittenango, and Canaseraga creeks. The Erie and Chenango canals pass through the county.
LAKES. Oneida Lake forms the northern boundary of the county ; Cazenovia, or Linklaen lake, called by the natives Haugena, is a beautiful sheet of water, four miles long by one broad, surrounded by a fine waving country .. There are several small ponds on the dividing ridge.
CLIMATE. Healthful, but cool, and very subject to untimely frosts.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. Slate is the basis rock of the coun- ty. It is, however, overlaid for the most part with limestone, of that formation denominated the Onondaga salt group. Along the Oneida Lake, sandstone appears, and is found in bould- ers throughout the county. Fresh water limestone, containing fresh water shells, is found near the great swamp.
Argillaceous iron ore occurs in large quantities, in Lenox, and is used for castings; water lime and gypsum are abundant in Sullivan and Lenox ; sulphur and brine springs are found in the same towns, and in the former is a magnesian spring, and several others so highly charged with carbonate of lime as to form incrustations on whatever is cast into them. Marl exists in large quantities, in the northern part of the county.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil is generally fertile; in the valleys highly so : adapted to grain in the north, and to grazing in the south.
The timber is similar to that of the adjacent counties, consisting principally of hemlock, maple and beech. The sugar maple is abundant, and yields large quan- tities of sugar. In the great swamp, cedar, tamarack, &c. are the principal trees.
PURSUITS. Agriculture is the principal pursuit of the inhabit- ants, whose attention is divided between the culture of grain and the rearing of stock.
Hops, oats, corn and barley, are more largely cultivated than wheat.
Manufactures are considerably extensive, for which the fine water power of the Chittenango and other streams, furnishes ample facilities. Flour, lumber, woollen goods, distilled liquors, leather, iron and potash, are the principal articles manufactured. . . The commerce of the county is confined to the transportation
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of its produce and manufactures, upon the Erie and Chenango canals.
STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. Hops, cheese, butter, wool, oats, sugar and potash.
SCHOOLS There are in the county 234 district school- houses. The schools were taught in 1846 an average period of eight months ; 13,523 children received instruction at an expense of $15,721. There were 26,456 volumes in the district libraries.
There were, aino, in the county, forty-three private schools, with 1072 pupils, and four academies, with 198 pupils. There is one University in the county, chartered in 1846, and called Madison University. It has in all its departments 809 studenta.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Baptists, Methodists, Congrega- tionalists, Presbyterians, Universalists, Friends, Dutch Reform- ed, and Episcopalians.
There are eighty-one churches, and ninety-four clergymen, of all denominations, in the county.
HISTORY. Madison county originally formed a part of Che- nango county, from which it was taken in 1806. The first set- tlement in the county was made at the village of Eaton, in the town of the same name, by Mr. Joseph Morse, in 1790.
In 1793, Colonel John Linklaen, agent for a company in Hol- land, settled in Cazenovia. This Holland Company owned a large portion of the county, and their agent sold most of it to New England settlers. The growth of the county was not rapid until the completion of the Erie and Chenango canals by which a market was opened for its produce.
VILLAGES. MORRISVILLE, in the town of Eaton, is the seat of justice for the county. It is situated on the Cherry Valley turn- pike. It was settled principally by emigrants from Connecticut, and has some manufactories. Population, about 800.
Eaton, another village in the same town, has a number of manufactories. Population, about 700.
Cazenovia village, in the town of the same name, is pleasantly situated on the south-eastern margin of Linklaen lake. It is well laid out, and has some manufactures and considerable trade. The Oneida Conference Seminary, located here, is under the direction of the Methodist Episcopal church, and is a flourishing and well conducted institution. Here is also a high school and a seminary for young ladies. The village contains nearly. 2000 inhabitants.
Hamilton village, in the town of the same name, is principally noted as the seat of Madison University, formerly the Hamilton Literary and Theological Institution, This institution was in- corporated in 1819, and commenced operations in 1820. It received a charter as an University in 1846. It is well endow-
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ed, has an able corps of professors, and is in a highly prosper- ous condition.
There is also an academy of some distinction, in the village. Population, about 1600.
Chittenango, in the town of Sullivan, is largely engaged in the manufacture of water-lime, or hydraulic cement. It has also other manufactures. There is a sulphur spring of some note, one mile south of the village. It has also other springs, charged with carbonate of lime, and celebrated for their petri- fying quality.
In this village is an academy, under the patronage of the Dutch Reformed Church. Population, 1000.
Canastota, in the town of Lenox, is a thriving and busy vil- lage, on the canal and railroad. It derives its name from the Indian appellation, given to a cluster of pines, which united their branches over the creek, which passes through the village. In this village is a high school of some celebrity. Population, about 1300.
De Ruyter is a small but pleasant village, in the town of the same name. Here is located the "De Ruyter Institute," a flourishing literary institution, under the direction of the Sev- enth Day Baptists. Population, 500.
Madison, in the town of the same name, is a thriving village. Population, 600.
Clockville, in the town of Lenox, and Bridgeport, in the town of Sullivan, are villages of some importance.
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XXXIX. CATTARAUGUS COUNTY.
Square miles, 1932.
Organized, 1808.
Population, 30,369. Valuation, 1845, $3,035,315.
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