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 37
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The commerce of the county is mostly confined to the trans- portation of its own productions to market, by the Champlain canal.
THE STAPLES are lumber, corn, potatoes, oats, butter and wool.
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SCHOOLS. In 1846, there were 115 district schools, sustained an average period of six months each, and at an expense for teachers wages of $4869. The number of scholars was 4993, and of volumes in the school libraries 7951. There were eleven private schools, with 525 scholars, and one academy, with ninety-five pupils.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Baptists, Methodists, Presbyte- rians, Friends, Universaliste, and Episcopalians. The whole number of churches is twenty-eight, of clergymen, thirty-four.
HISTORY. In the French war of 1754-63, a number of inter- esting events occured in this county.
In August, 1755, General Johnson, (afterwards Sir William,) led a force of about 5000 troops, including 1000 Indians, under the command of Hendrick, the celebrated Mohawk chieftain, to attack Crown Point. About the last of the month he encamped at the south end of Lake George, and made preparations to convey his troops, by water, to the foot of the Lake. The Ba- ron Dieskau, the commander of the French forces, meantime, had descended the lake in search of his antagonist. On the 8th of September, General Johnson received intelligence of his ap- proach, and despatched Colonel Williams, with 1200 men, to attack him.
Taking advantage of the dense forests, Dieskau had formed his troops in a crescent, and Williams erelong found himself surrounded by the enemy. He soon fell, as did Hendrick, both fighting with the utmost bravery. Lieutenant Colonel Whiting, of New Haven, Connecticut, the second in command, ordered a retreat, which he conducted with such skill and intrepidity, that his troops returned to the camp without disorder, and took their places in the ranks.
Dieskau pressed on in pursuit, but halting his men, to arrange them for the onset upon the English camp, the English forces recovered their firmness and awaited his attack without dis- order. The Indians, in the employ of the French, were soon driven off' by the cannon, and fled.
Dieskau led up the main body of his troops, but in vain ; they were repulsed again and again, and after an obstinate action of five hours, the English, leaping over the breastwork, engaged the French hand to hand, and soon put them to flight. Dies- kau was mortally wounded and taken prisoner. The loss of the French was very severe. The British commander. Gene- ral Johnson, was wounded in the early part of the conflict, and resigned the command to General Lyman.
For this success, the first which had attended the English arms during the war, General Johnson was rewarded with a baronetcy and a donation of £5000.
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The day following the battle. a detacht: ent from Fort Ed- ward attacked the fugitives of Dieskau's army, on French moun- tain, and killed the greater part of them.
Sir William did not proceed after this vi t y to Crown Point, which if attacked might have been easily carried, but satisfied himself with erecting and fortifying Fort William Henry at the head of Lake George.
In August, 1757, this fort was taken by the Marquis de Mont- calm, the commander of the French forces. Colonel Monroe, who commanded the garrison, made a brave resistance, but the failure of General Webb to send him reinforcements, and the want of ammunition, at length compelled him to capitulate, which he did on the most honorable terms.
No sooner, however, had the French obtained possession of the fort, than the terms of capitulation were most shamefully broken; the Indians rushed upon the defenceless troops, and plundered and murdered them without resistance. Montcalm had promised an escort, but it was withheld, and they were compelled to flee, as best they might, from the murderous as- saults of savages thirsting for blood. The wounded and the women and children were the first to fall victims to their bar- barity, but the more able-bodied did not escape. It was com- puted that nearly 1500 were thus butchered.
The fort was destroyed by Montcalm. Fort George was erected as a substitute for it, on a more commanding site, but was never the scene of any important action. Burgoyne de- posited most of his stores here in 1777.
Many interesting incidents also occurred during the French war, along the shores of the Horicon lake. At Sabbath-day Point, in 1756, a party of Provincial troops defeated a force of French and Indians, who attacked them. Here, too, Lord Am- herst, with his army, stopped on a Sabbath morning for re- freshment.
Rogern' Rock, is noted as the place where that bold and fear- less partizan eluded the pursuit of the Indians, and gave them the impression that he had escaped down the face of the pre- cipice.
The name of Pierson's Island, marks the spot where Eng- lish prisoners were confined during the French war. Howe's Point, the spot where that brave and much lamented young nobleman landed, immediately previous to the battle of Ticon- deroga; in which he was slain.
The first settlement in the county was made about 1770, at Luzerne and Queensburgh. Johnsburgh was settled in 1790.
The Jessup patent, in the southern part of the county, com-
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prised 40,000 acres of land. It was granted in 1774, to a large company. The town of Caldwell was founded by Mr. James Caldwell, a large landed proprietor. In most parts of the county the population is sparse.
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VILLAGES. CALDWELL, the shire town of the county, is de- lightfully situated on the southern extremity of Lake George. It abounds with interesting associations connected with the carly history of this county. Population 300.
bin dy Pond, a short distance southeast of the village, com- memorates by its name the bloody conflict of September 6th, 1755. The bodies of nearly 1000 of the slain, mostly French- men, were thrown into it.
Glen's Falls, located on the north bank of the Hudson, in the town of Queensburgh, was incorporated in 1839. It is largely engaged in the manufacture of marble, lime, and lum- ber. The marble is found on both sides of the river, and is highly prized for the beauty of its color, (black) and its free- dom from flaws. The falls at this place have a total descent of fifty feet, affording great hydraulic power, and presenting a picturesque and beautiful landscape. A bridge 600 feet in length crosses the river just above the falls. The navigable feeder of the Champlain canal passes through the village. Here is an incorporated academy, and a female seminary. Population 2500.
Chester, in the town of the same name, is a pleasant village, situated in the midst of a fertile country. The "Sione Bridge" in the northern part of the town of Chester, is a great natural curiosity. The stream which it crosses, enters the county from Essex, about thirty rods above the bridge, where it falls over a rocky precipice into a natural basin ; thence, turning to the east, it divides into two branches; the northern passing under an arch of granite forty feet high and about eighty feet chord, diminish- ing in size as the stream descends; this branch may be followed 156 feet from the entrance; the southern and larger branch forces its way through the rock, by a passage which is explored with great difficulty, being at times narrow and confined, and at others opening into caverns of great depth, and thirty or forty feet in diameter. At the distance of 247 feet from the entrance, the two streams, having united during their subterranean pas- sage, again make their appearance, beneath a precipice fifty- four feet high, which terminates the bridge. The arch on this side is five feet high and ten wide.
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XLVIII. OSWEGO COUNTY.
Square miles, 993. Organised, 1816.
Population, 48,441. Valuation, 1845, $5,332,085.
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1. Mexico, 1792.
12. Granby, 1818.
2. Redfield, 1800.
13. Hastings, 1825.
3. Williamstown, 1804.
14. Albion, 1825.
4. Volney, 1806.
15. Sandy Creek, 1825.
5. Hannibal, 1806.
16. Boylston, 1828.
6. Richland, 1807.
17. Parish, 1828.
8. Scriba, 1811.
19. Palermo, 1832.
9. New Haven, 1813.
20. Schroeppel, 1832.
10. Orwell, 1817.
21. West Monroe, 1839.
11. Oswego, 1818.
22. Greenboro, 1844.
Rivers. a. Oswego River. i. Oneida Outlet. b. Little Sandy Creek. c. Salmon River. d. Salmon Creek. e. Deer Creek. h. Oswego · Falls.
Lakes and Bays. J. Ontario. Z. Oneida. k. Fish. 1. Mexico Bay. f. Little andy Creek Bay.
Battle Fields. Sacketts Harbor.
Forts. Oswego. Ontario.
Villages. PULASKI. Oswroo. Fulton. Mexico.
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18. Amboy, 1830.
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BOUNDARIES. North by Lake Ontario and Jefferson county ; East'by Lewis and Oneida; South by Oneida Lake, Onondaga and Cayuga counties, and West by Cayuga and Lake Ontario. SURFACE. The southeastern, southern and western portions of the county are level, the interior rolling, and the northern portion rising into hills. A ridge, 110 feet in height, runs wes- terly through the county, about eight miles north of the south- ern boundary, forming the watershed or dividing line between the northern and southern waters. The Oswego breaks through this at the great falls at Fulton in the town of Volney.
RIVERS. The Oswego is the principal river of the county. The other important streams are Salmon river, Salmon creek, Little Sandy and Catfish creeks, flowing into Lake Ontario; Scriba and Bay creeks, flowing into Oneida Lake, and Scott and Black creeks, tributaries of the Oswego. The west branch of Fish creek, from Oneida county, drains some of the eastern towns of this county.
LAKES, BAYS, &c. Lake Ontario washes the whole north- western boundary of the county. Oneida lake forms nearly one- third of its southern boundary. Fish lake, and several other small ponds add to its picturesque beauty. Mexico bay is an indentation of Lake Ontario some ten miles broad. Little Sandy Creek bay is a small land-locked inlet from the lake in the northwestern part of the county.
The Oswego canal, which connects the Erie canal with Lake Ontario, passes through the southwestern portion of the county, following the valley of the Oswego river.
CLIMATE. The climate, influenced by its proximity to the lake, is more uniform than in some of the other counties. Fruits thrive well. It is considered healthful.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. The geological formations of this county are v ry simple. The basis rock is a slaty sand- stone, making its appearance on the surface in the northwest section of the county. Grey sandstone overlies this on the east, extending into Lewis county. Red sandstone comes next in order, and covers the southern portion of the county, except a narrow strip along the south border. The Clinton group, (limestone,) occurs in several sections of the county, but is gen- erally thickly covered with alluvial deposits.
The county has no minerals of importance. There is a single locality of bog fron ore, and some weak brine springs, in the red sandstone formation.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil is generally . rich and fertile, but better adapted to grazing than the growing of grain. The timber is oak, pine, beech, basswood, ash, but- ternut and hemlock. The grass crops are very large and of fine quality.
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PURSUITS. Agriculture is the pursuit of a majority of the in- habitants. The culture of grain and the rearing of cattle, sheep, and swine, each receive a large share of attention. The county is usually reckoned one of the first of the grazing coun- ties. Oats and corn are raised to a greater extent than wheat.
Manufactures. Some attention is paid to manufactures, and such is the amount and convenience of the hydraulic power of the county, that we may anticipate a great increase in this re- spect, when the county becomes more fully settled. At present, flour, leather, and fulled cloths, are the principal articles pro- duced.
Commerce. The commerce of this county is large, Oswego being one of the best ports on Lake Ontario. Much of the Can- ada trade enters the state from this direction, as well as that from Lake Erie by the Welland canal. The commerce on the canal is also very large .*
STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. Butter, cheese, wool and oats.
SCHOOLS. There are 272 district school-houses in the county. In 1846, schools were taught on an average eight months. 17,143 children received instruction, at an expense of $17,838. The district libraries contained 24,511 volumes.
There were in the county, twenty-two private schools, with 403 pupils, and three academies, with 178 students.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Baptists, Methodists, Presbyte- rians, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Dutch Reformed, and Roman Catholics .. There are fifty-two churches, and seventy- two clergymen of all denominations in the county.
HISTORY. In 1722, under the direction of Governor Burnet, a trading hous was erected at Oswego, on the east side of the river. In 1726, in order to prevent the encroachment of the French, Governor Burnet erected old Fort Oswego, on the west side of the river. In 1755, Fort Ontario, on the east side of the river, was constructed, under the direction of Governor Shirley. On the 14th of August, 1756, both these forts, with a garrison of 1600 men, and a large quantity of ammunition, were surrendered to the French, under Montcalm, who had be- sieged them with a well appointed force of 5000 men, and met with stubborn and long continued resistance.
In 1759, the pentagonal fort, called Fort Oswego, was built. The post was surrendered to the United States, by the British Government, by the treaty of 1794. .
During the late war, its garrison, commanded by Lieutenant
* TABLE OF COMMERCE OF OSWEGO COUNTY.
Tonnage enrolled and licensed, 1845, tons, 11,410
Flour chipped at Oswego, 1845,
.6 44,560
Property shipped for other states by way of Oswego,
71,416
Tohis on the Oswego canal, 1845,
$58,347
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Colonel Mitchell, with an effective force of less than 300 men, sustained an attack from the British force, which consisted of more than 3000 troops, for two days, and fi . Ily retreated in good order, with a loss during the whole conflict of o ly forty- four in killed and wounded, while the loss of the enemy was 235. The British, chagrined at their want of success, e acua- ted the fort in about twelve hours.
Fort Oswego, on the east of t' e river, occupies a station a little north of Fort Ontario, and has recently been repaired by the United States government. It is one of the most impor- tant military posts on the lake.
The settlement of the county did not commence till after the Revolution. The towns west of Oswego ri r belonged to the Military Tract, and were granted by the state to officers and soldiers of the New York line.
The townships on the east side of the river constitute a part of "Scriba's patent." These lands were originally granted by the state to Nicholas Roosevelt, of New York, but he not com- plyi ich the terms of the purchase, a large portion of them were sold to George Scriba, a native of Germany, and then an opule merchant in New York. The town of Richland, part f Volney, and about one half of Scriba, were purchased by Messrs. Alexander Hamilton, J. Lawrence, and J. B. Church.
VILLAGES. OsWEGO village, situated o ot sides of the Oswego river, in the towns of Oswego and Scriba, is the half shire town of the county. As the terminus of the Oswego ca- mal, it is a place of considerable importance, having an exten- sive forwarding trade. It has an inexhaustible water power, and is largely engaged in manufactures. Its flour : ills are of great size. The barbor is artificial, and is formed by two piers, extendin from the mouth of the river, one 1250 feet long, the other 250. These were erected by the general government, at an expense of $93,000. The village is regularly laid out and well built. Population about 5000.
PULASKI, the other county seat, is a small but thriving village, in the town of Richland. It has valuable water privileges, as yet but partially improved. Population 800.
Mexico, in the town of the same name, is a thriving village, situated on Salmon creek. It has some manufactures, and an academy of some note. Population 600.
Orwell. The falls of the Salmon river at this place are wor- thy of notice. The stream is about ten rods wide, and after rushing over rocks for about two miles, plunges perpendicularly 107 feet. The banks of the stream are eighty feet high above the falla, and about 200 below them.
Fulton is a large and busy village, in the town of Volney, en- gaged in manufactures, før which the falls in the Oswego, fur- nish ample facilities. Population 2400.
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XLIX. TOMPKINS COUNTY.
Square Miles, 580. Organized, 1817.
Population, 38,168. Valuation, 1845, 84,001,719.
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1. Ulysses, 1801.
6. Hector, 1812.
2. Dryden, 1803.
7. Groton, 1817.
3. Caroline, 1811.
8. Lansing, 1817.
4. Danby, 1811.
9. Enfield, 1821.
5. Newfield, 1811. 10. Ithaca. 1821.
Rivers. a. Fall Creek. b. Salmon. c. Six Mile. e. Halsey's. Falls. f. Taghannuc falls in Ulysses. Falls at Ithaca.
Lakes. BB. Seneca. DD. Cayuga.
Villages. ITHACA. Trumansburgh.
BOUNDARIES. North by Seneca and Cayuga counties; East by Cortland and Tioga; South by Tioga and Chemung, and West by Chemung county and Seneca lake.
SURFACE. Tompkins county forms a portion of the great table land of Western New York. Its southern portion is most ele- 17
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vated, rising from 1200 to 1400 feet above tide water while on the shores of Cayuga and Seneca lakes it is 800 or 900 feet lower. 500 feet of this depression, however, occurs within two miles of' the lakes, where the streams running northward fall over the ledge of the Chemung sandstone, which forms the limit of the highest terrace of the table land.
RIVERS, &c. Salmon, Fall, Six Mile, and Halsey's creek are the only streams of importance. By their rapid descent. they furnish extensive and valuable hydraulic privileges.
FALLS. The most remarkable falls in this county are the Tag- hannuc, upon Halsey's creek, at the distance of one mile from Cayuga lake. The whole descent, within a short distance, is 300 feet. The water falls, in a single cascade, over a precipice 216 feet in height, with a sheet of water sixty feet wide and two feet deep. The falls around Ithaca also possess great attrac- tions to the lover of the wonders of nature. Fall creek has a descent of 438 feet within one mile. On the Cascadilla, is a fall of 100 feet, in the form of a gigantic stairway.
LAKES. Seneca lake forms a portion of the Western boun- dary of this county. while Cayuga lake indents it on the north for a distance of about eighteen miles. The scenery at the south- ern extremity of the latter is highly picturesque.
RAILROADS. The Ithaca and Owego railroad extends from . Ithaca to Owego, the county seat of Tioga county. It is twenty-nine and a half miles in length. The proposed route of the New York and Erie railroad is through this county.
CLIMATE. The climate of the county is mild and agreeable, modified in some degree, perhaps, by its proximity to the Sen- eca and Cayuga lakes. Fruits thrive here in great perfection. It is regarded as healthful.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. The whole county, with the ex- ception of two small tracts on the shores of the Cayuga and Seneca lakes, in the towns of Lansing and Hector, belongs to the Erie group, and consists in the north, of the Ludlowville shales, and in the south of the Chemung sandstone. The two small tracts, to which we have referred, are patches of lime- stone, belonging to the Hamilton group, which appear, beneath the sandstone, near the shores of the lake.
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It has but few minerals. Marl and gypsum occur in considerable quantities Calcareous tufa has been found, near Ithaca, investing moss, &c. and producing, in popular phraseology, petrifactions. There are two or three sulphur springs, of no great reputation, in the county.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil is, from the geological structure of the rocks, highly fertile, and does not re- quire, in most parts, the addition of any fertilizing agent to maintain or increase its productiveness, the decomposed rocks affording a sufficient stimulus. The hills are productive to their
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marmita, and afford luxuriant grazing, while the valleys yield large crops of grain. Fruit is extensively and profitably cultiva- ted. The timber consists of oak, white and yellow pine, hem- lock, beech, maple, basswood, elm, ash, poplar, cherry and chestnut.
PURSUITS. Agriculture is the pursuit of a majority of the in- habitants. Oats, corn, buckwheat, wheat and potatoes are raised in considerable quantities; the products of the dairy are very large, and much wool is grown by the farmers.
Manufactures also occupy the attention of a considerable number of the inhabitants. Flour, oil, woollen goods, lumber, leather, distilled liquors, paper and potash, are the principal articles produced. The manufactures of the county in 1845, amounted to nearly one and a half millions of dollars.
Commerce. Its commerce is quite extensive. By means of the lakes, it has a direct communication with the Erie canal, while by the Ithaca and Owego railroad the produce of the counties south of it, is brought to a market, and the manufactures of the county distributed over Tioga and Chemung counties, and northern Pennsylvania.
STAPLES. Butter, cheese, wool, oats, buckwheat, wheat and potatoes.
SCHOOLS. In 1846, there were in the county 215 district schools, which were in session an average period of eight months, furnishing instruction to 12,881 children, at an expense for tuition of 821,045. The number of volumes in the district libraries was 24,648.
There were also seventeen private schools, with 497 scholars, and two acad- emies, with 231 pupils.
RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Baptists, Presbyte- rians, Episcopalians, Congregationalists, Unitarians, Dutch Re- formed, Universalists and Friends. The whole number of churches, is seventy-four ; of clergymen, seventy-five.
HISTORY. The towns of Newfield, Danby, and Caroline, were purchased of the state, by Messrs. Watkins and Flint. The remainder, (except a small portion in the northeastern part of the town of Dryden, which belonged to the ten town- ships granted to Massachusetts,) formed a portion of the Mili- tary Tract, and the settlers derived their titles through the sol- diers' patents. The county was organized in 1817, and was named in honor of the late Daniel D. Tompkins, formerly Governor of the state, and Vice President of the United States. Previous to the completion of the Erie canal, it was in a lan- guishing condition, but since the opening of the canal, its agri- cultural and manufacturing interests have greatly prospered.
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Its carly settlers were chiefly from New England. The found- ers of the town of Landing, were Germans from Pennsylvania.
VILLAGES. ITHACA Village, in the town of the same name, is the seat of justice for the county. It is situated partly on the alluvial flats bordering Cayuga lake, (from which it is about one and a half miles distant, ) and partly upon the hills, which form a natural amphitheatre around it. It is regularly laid out, its buildings are neat and tasteful, and its streets well shaded.
It is tinely located for trade, communicating freely by means of the lake and canal, with eastern and western New York, and by the railroad and the Susquehanna river, with the coal region of Pennsylvania. The completion of the Erie railroad will still further increase its facilities for business. Its lumber trade is very great.
In available hydraulie power for manufacturing purposes, it is second to no village in New York. It is already largely en- gaged in manufacturing. Here is located an incorporated acad- emy, with spacious buildings, for the instruction of both sexes, a large Lancasterian school, and numerous select schools, in a flourishing condition. Population, 4800.
Trumansburgh, in the town of Ulysses, is a flourishing vil- lage, with some manufactories. Population, 1000.
Danby, in the town of the same name, is a thriving village. Population, 500.
Dryden, in the town of the same name, Burdette, in the town of Hector, Ludlowville, in the town of Lansing, and New- field, in the town of the same name, are villages of some im- portance.
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L. ERIE COUNTY.
Square miles, 876. Organized, 1821.
Population, 78,635. Valuation, 1845, 811,831,969.
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1. Newstead, 1804.
2. Aurora, 1804.
3. Clarence, 1808.
4. Buffalo, 1810.
5. Eden, 1812.
6. Concord, 1812.
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7. Hamburgh, 1812.
8. Boston, 1812.
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