History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 137

Author: Hurd, D. Hamilton (Duane Hamilton) 1n; Lewis, J.W., & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia : J. W. Lewis & co.
Number of Pages: 922


USA > New York > Clinton County > History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 137
USA > New York > Franklin County > History of Clinton and Franklin Counties, New York : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 137


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The present officers are S. N. Dickinson, W. M .; Wm. P. Gibson, S. W .; E. J. Clough, J. W. ; C. H. Sumner, Treas. ; J. C. Jameson, Sce. Present membership, 60.


MILITARY RECORD.


The following is a list of those who enlisted in the war of the Rebellion from this town, as compiled by C. B. Ste- Vens, town clerk, in 1865 :


John W. Mooney, Co. E, 92d Regt .; enl. Oct. 30, 1861 ; died.


Samuel V. Griffin, Co. E, 92d Regt. ; enl. Oct. 10, 1861; died from wounds re- ceived at Chapin's Farm.


John Burkett, Co. II, 106th Regt .; cnl. July 26, 1872; wounded. Wallace 11. Wilbur, Co. D, 41st Regt .; enl. Nov. 10, 1863. Daniel Cushing, Co. H, 106th Regt .; enl. Aug. 13, 1862. R. Bidgood, Co. C, 14th Regt .; eul. Dec. 28, 1863.


James Larock, Co. H, 92d Regt .; enl. Jan. 14, 1861. Adolphus Larock, Co. II, 98th Regt .; enl. Sept. 20, 1861 ; wounded. Charles Brown, Co. D, 39th Regt .; enl. Sept. 4, 1864.


A. Larock, Co. H, 98th Regt .; cnl. Sept. 19, 1861. F. Il. Petit, surg., 106th Regt .; enl. Aug. 8, 1862; died.


Horace Wood, 2d lieut., Co. F, 142d Regt .; enl. Aug. 5, 1862; dicd.


II. L. Aldrich, capt., Co. H, 106th Regt .; enl. July 24, 1862. George W. Pease, 98th Regt .; enl. Dce. 18, 1861. Ilenry H. Clary, Co. F, 16th Regt .; enl. May 14, 1863. David Griffin, corp., Co. Il, 14th Regt .; enl. Dec. 24, 1863.


Loren Mallory, corp., Ist Wis. Inf .; enl. May 25, 1861 ; died a prisoner of war.


Adam B. Mallory, Co. H, 106th Regt .; enl. Ang. 22, 1862; died in 1863.


James M. Mallory, Co. H, 98th Regt .; enl. Sept. 22, 1861.


Adolphns Bryant, corp., Co. D, 98th Regt .; enl. Oct. 15, 1861; died. Vilas E. Bryant, Co. F, 42d Regt. ; enl. Aug. 15, 1862. Andrew J. Bryaut, Co. F, 142d Regt .; enl. Aug. 15, 1862; died in 1864.


Ilorace B. Manchester, Co. C, 14th Regt .; enl. Dec. 1863; died of wounds. Obed Sisco, Co. H, 106th Regt .; enl. Aug. 6, 1862. Angustus S. Ilovey, Co. B, 98th Regt .; enl. Jan. 5, 1862. Theodore Hovey, Co. B, 98th Regt .; enl. Jan. 5, 1862; wounded. David M. Watson, Co. F, 142d Regt .; enl. Ang. 13, 1862. Isaac Crozier, Co. F, 142d Regt .; enl. Aug. 25, 1865; died. John N. Tryon, Co. D, 98th Regt .; enl. Oct. 11, 1861. Dennis E. Meads, Co. B, 98th Regt .; enl. Nov. 10, 1861. Franklin Brown, Co. F, 142d Regt. ; enl. Aug. 17, 1862. Oscar R. Royce, Co. I, 16th Regt .; en1. April 30, 1861 ; died. William Crozier, Co. F, 142d Regt .; enl. March 10, 1864. Stillman Griffin, Co. H, 13th Regt .; enl. Sept. 4, 1864.


William H. II. Conger, sergt., Co. H, 106th Regt .; enl. July 29, 1862; mortally wounded, July 9, 1864.


Henry II. Whitney, Co. H, 106th Regt .; enl. Aug. 9, 1862. William Broderick, Co. H, 13th Regt .; enl. Sept. 5, 1864.


Patrick Savage, Co. H, 106th Regt. ; enl. July 26, 1862; died at Andersonville, Georgia.


William Pickering, Co. F, 14th Regt. ; enl. Jan. 4, 1864.


Thomas Quain, eorp., 14th Regt .; enl. Dec. 28, 1863. John R. Coney, Co. E, 18th Cav. ; enl. Jan. 4, 1864. W. W. Churchill, Co. E, 18th Cav .; enl. Jan. 4, 1864; died. Nelson White, Co. E, 18th Cav .; enl. Jan. 4, 1864.


Henry G. Williams, Co. E, 18th Cav .; enl. Jan. 4, 1864. James Kingsley, 12th Cav .; enl. Nov. 25, 1863. Horatio Mears, "Scott's Nine Hundred"; enl. Dec. 25, 1863. Sylvester Dayton, "Scott's Nine IIundred"; enl. Jan. 4, 1864. Patrick Kennedy, 14th Art. ; enl. Jan. 4, 1864.


Isaac Gonnier, 18th Cav. ; enl. Jan. 4, 1864. George Moshier, Co. K, 14th Art .; enl. Dec. 31, 1863.


Il. C. Burr, 14th Art .; enl. Jan. 2, 1864. Sylvester Stanhope, 98th Art. ; enl. Jan. 1, 1864.


William C. Wilson, 98th Regt .; enl. January, 1864. Abner Stanhope, 193d Regt .; enl. March 13, 1865. William R. Streeter, 98th Regt .; eul. Dec. 26, 1863; killed at Cold Harbor.


Dennis Avery, 98th Regt .; enl. Dec. 26, 1863; killed. Israel De Salette, 98th Regt .; enl. Dec. 30, 1863. Stephen Shepherd.


Rufus Fisk, 193d Regt .; enl. March 14, 1865.


J. F. Packard, 185th Regt .; eul. Sept. 6, 186-1. Edward Carey, 185th Regt .; enl. Sept. 10, 1864. Oscar P. Selleck, 185th Regt .; enl. Sept. 1, 1864. Lyman Weeks, 185th Regt .; enl. Sept. 13, 186-1. R. C. Fulsom, 185th Regt .; eul. Sept. 5, 186-1. F. L. Gray, 188th Regt .; enl. Sept. 14, 1864. James R. Shaw, 185th Regt .; enl. Sept. 6, 1864. Daniel Ahlrich, 185th Rogt .; enl. Sept. 15, 1864. George C. Field, 185th Regt. ; onl. Sept. 8, 186.1. Willinm Bustin, 185th Regt. ; enl. Sepl. 11, 186-1. Solon S. Moore, 185th Regt .; enl. Sept. 11, 1861. Henry T. Hamillon, 185th Regt .; enl. Sept. 11, 1864. William Brown, 185th Regt. ; enl. Sepl. 6, 1861. Edward Worthington, 185th Regt .; eul. Sept, 11, 1861 Alexander Hurst, 185th Regt .; oul. Sept. 14, 1861. Lyman 11. Brown, Ist Eng .; enl. Sept. 14, 15G1. William lleath, 185th Regt .; enl. Sept. 6, 186.4. Dunkel l'reston, lst Eng .; enl. Sept. 11, 1861.


496


HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY, NEW YORK.


llorace Baker, 13th Cav .; enl. Sept. 15, 1864. David N. Backus, 50th Eng .; enl. Sept. 14, 1864. D. P. Reynolds, 13th Cav. ; enl. Sept. 15, 1864. Rt. G. Reynolds, 13th Cav .; enl. Sept. 15, 1864. F. G. Drew, 185th Regt .; enl. Sept. 15, 1864. Joseph Ushton, Frontier Cav .; enl. Feb. 17, 1865. Andrew Seaver, 193d Regt .; enl. March 1, 1865. T. Hubert, 193d Regt .; enl. March 1, 1865. Alfred Peirce, Co. F, 193d Regt .; enl. Marelı 8, 1865. Charles P. Wood, Co. C, 142d Regt .; enl. Sept. 6, 1862. Jolın Horrigan, enl. June 15, 1863. Joseph J. Williams, Co. D, 98tl Regt. ; enl. April 4, 1864; dicd. C. J. Dailey, Co. G, 57th Regt .; enl. Feb. 27, 1864. Martin Driscoll, Co. K, 96th Regt .; enl. Sept. 1, 1863. D. J. Farmer, Ist Eng .; enl. Sept. 6, 1864.


John Broderick, Co. D, 98th Regt .; enl. Nov. 1, 1861. A. M. Sinclair, Co. I, 16th Regt .; enl. May 1, 1861.


Substitutes .- Joseph Liberty, Oliver Burkey, Henry Lafayette, Danicl Hussey, Dennis Brian, Robert Wells, Ferdinand Jacobson, Paul Souvenier, Joseph Feeley, Daniel Hannible.


CHAPTER XCVI.


WESTVILLE.


Geography and Topography-Proprietorship-The First Settlements -The Iron Manufacture-Villages-Churches-Civil History- First Town Officers-Supervisors from 1829 to 1880-Present Offi- cers-Military Record.


THE town of Westville lies in the northern part of the county, and is bounded as follows: On the north by Canada ; on the east by the town of Constable; on the south by Malone and Bangor ; and on the west by Fort Covington.


Its surface is generally level, with a slight inclination towards the north. It is drained by Salmon River, which flows in a northwesterly direction through the town, fur- nishing a fine water-power. The soil is principally a fertile elayey loam.


This town was held by the Constable family, and for many years Judge William Bailey and Albon Man were agents for this family. In 1822 the unsold portions of the town were conveyed to Edward Ellice, of London.


The settlement of the town was commenced in about the year 1800, and Amos Welsh, of Grand Isle, Vt., is said to have been the first settler.


Alric and Dr. Albon Man were prominent pioneers. They came from Addison, Vt., and settled in about 1803.


Among other early settlers are mentioned the names of a man named Haskins, Elias Sabius, Samuel Fleteher, John Reed, Silas Cushman, John Livingstone, Joseph and Theodore Wright, and Barabus Berry. These pioneers were chiefly from Vermont.


The first saw-mill in the town was built by Amos Welsh. The second mill was built by Dr. Man in 1803.


The first sale of land was made to Joseph Wright, Nov. 1.9, 1802.


Dr. Man's residence served as the first school-house, and Samuel Russell was the first teacher, in 1806.


In 1852, Dr. Hough writes, " Near the point where the principal road from Fort Covington to Malone erosses Sal- mon River in this town is a forge for the manufacture of bar-iron from bog ore, which occurs in the swamps of this town and Constable. This forge was erected by David Erwin about 1810, and has been more or less used nearly


every year since its first erection. It produced for many years the nails used in this country, which were made by the tedious and expensive methods in use before the inven- tion of the machinery now used. Plates of iron of the width of a nail's length were first plated out under the forge-hammer, and these were subsequently cut and headed by hand. The usual price for these nails was thirty cents a pound, and the cost for this necessary article formed no small proportion of the expense of building. There is another forge about three miles above." These forges have long since ceased to be operated.


There are two small hamlets in the town, Westville Centre and Westville, or West Constable.


In the early settlement of the town meetings were held by Rev. Alexander Proudfit. A Presbyterian Church formerly existed here, and Rev. Mr. Reed was pastor. A Universal- ist Church was formed in about 1847.


In about 1837 the Westville free church was erected at a cost of about $3300 as a union church. Of this sum Mr. Ellice contributed $1000. The church at Westville Centre is occupied by the Methodist denomination, and Rev. Mr. Dillenbeck is the present pastor.


CIVIL HISTORY.


Westville was formed from Constable, April 25, 1829. The first towu officers were appointed by Alric Man, Syl- vester Langdon, and Ezek Sprague, justices of the peace, and were as follows: Supervisor, Guy Meigs ; Town Clerk, Ebenezer Leonard ; Assessors, Ebenezer Mann, Goodrich Hazen, and Stephen B. Clough ; Collector, Samuel Fletcher ; Overseers of the Poor, Ira Briggs, Philemon Briggs ; Com- missioners of Highways, Buel H. Man, Henry G. Button, P. Berry ; Constables, S. Fletcher, Leonard Willson; Com- missioners of Schools, E. Man, John M. Rogers, S. B. Clough ; Inspectors of Common Schools, Stephen Felton, E. Leonard, and Samuel Coggin ; Pound-Keeper, P. Berry.


The following is a list of the supervisors of the town from its organization to 1880 :


SUPERVISORS.


1829, Guy Meigs; 1830, Philemon Berry ; 1831-32, Goodrich Hazen ; 1833-35, Alrie Man; 1836-37, Henry S. Button; 1838-39, P. Berry ; 1840-41, Buel HI. Man ; 1842-43, Alric Man ; 1844-45, Samuel Coggin ; 1846-47, James Walker; 1848-49, Samuel Man; 1850-51, Richard E. Morey ; 1852-53, P. Berry ; 1854-55, Samuel Coggin ; 1856, William C. Boyd; 1857, Darius Hardy ; 1858, Samuel Man ; 1859-62, C. N. Johnson ; 1863, Joseph P. Hadley ; 1864-67, Gilbert T. Clark ; 1868-71, John L. Rowley; 1872-75, L. M. Berry; 1876-78, Albert C. Hadley.


The officers elected in 1879 were as follows : Supervisor, Albert C. Hadley ; Town Clerk, Robert Clark ; Assessor, William C. Howe ; Justice of the Peace, Willard E. Hydc; Collector, Franklin Fairehild; Commissioner of Highways, Leonard Willson, Jr. ; Constables, Franklin Fairehild, Rob- ert MeCrcedy, Horace B. Ellsworth, William Avery; Over- seer of the Poor, William H. Freeman ; Inspectors of Elec- tion, O. S. Rhodes and Leonard Berry; Town Auditors, J. P. Hadley and Albert Man ; Excise Commissioner, Samuel Evarts.


MILITARY RECORD.


The following is a list of those who enlisted from this town during the late war of the Rebellion, as compiled by


JOSEPH P. HADLEY.


MRS. J. P. HADLEY.


FLOYD J. HADLEY.


JOSEPH PUTNAM HADLEY


was born in Westville, Franklin Co., N. Y., Aug. 9, 1821, and is descended from English ancestry. His grandfather, Jacob Hadley, was born in Hampstead, N. H., March 8, 1752 (O. S.), and died in Hyde Park, Vt , Oct. 14, 1840. He served in the Revolution under Gen. Stark, and was in the battle of Bunker Hill. In 1778 he was married to Elizabeth Put- nam (a cousin of Gen. Israel Putnam, of Revolutionary fame), who was born in Wilton, N. H., April 15, 1753, and died in Eden, Vt., Oct. 4, 1834. Their children were, Jacob Putnam, Betsey, Sarah, Joseph, and Abram.


Jacob Putnam Hadley was born in Goffstown, N. Il .. Jan. 18, 1780. He married Betsey Buswell, of Haverhill, N. H., who was born Oct. 31, 1780, and died Jan. 26, 1842. Jacob P. Hadley died Feb. 16, 1850, in Westville, N. Y., whither he had removed in 1820. The children of Jacob P. and Betsey ( Buswell) Hadley were twelve in number, only two of whom- Fidelia and Joseph-are now living.


Joseph P. Hadley, the subject of this sketch, was the youngest of these twelve children. At the age of eighteen he engaged in lumbering and farming on his own account. Oct. 3, 1844, at the age of twenty-three, he married Elvina Elizabeth Coggin, who was born Oct. 20, 1822, and was the eldest daughter of Samuel and Lydia (Chamberlain) Coggin, of Westville, N. Y. Lydia Chamberlain was the daughter of Capt. Thomas and Anna (Kennedy) Chamberlain, who were among the earliest settlers of Franklin County. She (Lydia) was born Sept. 19, 1800, and died Nov. 9, 1837, leaving a family of four children,-Elvina, Marion, Edwin W., and Oscar. The three eldest are still living.


Samuel Coggin was born in Goffstown, N. H., April 10, 1795. He was a lineal descendant of Jolin Coggin, who came from Staffordshire, Eng., and kept the first store opened in Boston, in 1646. (See Drake's " History of the By- Ways of


Boston.") Samuel Coggin was an enterprising man. He built the first starch-factory in Westville, which he conducted up to the time of his death. He was instrumental in the intro- duction of hops into Franklin County, which has since become one of the leading agricultural products. He was also exten- sively engaged in farming and lumbering. He died March 10, 1875, aged eighty years.


The children of Joseph P. and Elvina E. Andley have been : Herbert Coggin, born March 22, 1846, died Feb. 9, 1867 ; Floyd Joseph, born June 26, 1852; Howard Putnam, born March 27, 1861, died June 29, 1866.


We quote from an obituary published at the time of Herbert C. Hadley's death :


" A faithful, warm-hearted son and brother, a student of the most exemplary deportment and rare abilities, a young man aiming to be strictly honest and conscientious in all the duties which were upon him ; he had won the warm affections and high esteem of all with whom he had been associated at home and abroad."


Floyd Joseph, the second son, is a graduate of Franklin Academy, Malone; also of Fort Edward Institute, Fort Edward, N. Y. Ile subsequently entered Cornell University, but failing health compelled him to relinquish his studies befere completing the course.


In politics Mr. Joseph P. Hadley is n Republienn. He has, from time to time, filled the various offices in the gift of his town. During the war he was enrolling officer, in which capacity he justly earned the thanks of his towasmen by his exertions in raising money and procuring volunteers, thereby nverting a draft from the town. Mr. Hadley is a man of more than ordinary ability, and has, by his sterling w rth and integrity, gained the esteem of a large circle of friends and acquaintances.


1


A.A. Smith


497


TOWN OF BRIGHTON .- THE ADIRONDACKS.


W. E. Hyde, in 1865. The date given is that of enlist- ment :


David H. Dustin ; enl. Feb. 16, 1865. Calvin Brown, Co. D, 98th Regt .; enl. Nov. 8, 1861. Spencer KK. Wallace, 98th Regt .; enl. Jan. 6, 1864. L. Avery, Co. M, 18th Cav .; enl. March 6, 1864. Guy W. Holister, 9th N. Y. S. M. ; enl. July 14, 1864. John C. Rhinehart, Co. L, 18th Cav .; enl. Jan. 4, 1864; died. Benj. J. Daniel, 98th Regt.


Albert Claflan, Co. D, 98th Regt .; enl. Oct. 16, 1861. David Jewitt, Co. D, 98th Regt .; enl. Dec. 27, 1861.


Charles Rogers, Co. C, 98th Regt. ; enl. Dee. 4, 1861. Joseph S. Gates, Co. G, 142d Regt .; enl. Aug. 14, 1862. Moses Cummings, Co. D, 98tli Regt .; enl. Sept. 15, 1861; died.


Wni. H. McLean, Co. F, 16th Cav .; enl. Dee. 28, 1863; died in Andersonville prison.


George Avery, Co. M, 18th Cav .; enl. Jan. 5, 1864. Levi J. Barton, Co. E, 60tli Regt. ; enl. Sept. 10, 1861 ; died.


Francis Fountaine, Co. K, 98tl Regt .; enl. Dec. 28, 1863.


IIngh McCaffrey, Co. E, 98tli Regt .; eul. Dec. 18, 1861 ; died. William Adams, Co. C, 98th Regt .; enl. Dec. 18, 1861. Ilial Elmore, Co. F, 16th Cav .; enl. June 15, 1863. Antoine Prenis, Co. A, 98th Regt .; enl. Oct. 13, 1861. Edgar S. Kelsey, Co. C, 98th Regt .; enl. Dee. 28, 1861. Marshall W. Taylor, Co. D, 142d Regt .; enl. Aug. 29, 1863; died. Charles Downer, Co. C, 9th Regt., S. M .; enl. July 14, 1863; died. Charles H. Cheeney, Co. E, 60th Regt .; enl. Sept. 10, 1861. George Cheeney, Co. E, 60th Regt .; enl. Sept. 10, 1861. Winfield S. Shurwin, Co. E, 98th Regt .; enl. Feb. 5, 1862. Merril T. Griffin, Co. B, 193d Regt. ; enl. Feb. 22, 1865. Patrick McGrath, 5, 98th Regt. ; enl. Nov. 18, 1861. S. Downer, Co. Il, 106th Regt.


Henry Fairchiles, Co. G, 142d Regt .; enl. Ang. 13, 1862. Alonzo A. Rhodes, 2d lieut., Co. E, 98th Regt. ; enl. Oct. 19, 1861. Read Downer, Co. C, 98th Regt .; enl. Dec. 19, 1861. Ilenry S. Dustin, Co. G, 142d Regt .; enl. Ang. 22, 1862. Samuel Judd, Co. D, 98th Regt. ; enl. Oct. 11, 1861. George Waterman, Co. E, 98th Regt .; enl. Dec. 4, 1861. D. H. Alvord, Co. D, 98th Regt. ; enl. Nov. 2, 1861. Elias Cheeney, Co. C, 98th Regt .; enl. Oct. 12, 1861. George H. Williams, Co. E, 98th Regt .; enl. Oct. 12, 1861. Marshall Burghes, Co. E, 60th Regt .; enl. Nov. 13, 1863.


CHAPTER XCVII.


BRIGHTON.


THIS town lies in the Adirondack region, and its his- tory will be found detailed in the following chapter on the Adirondaeks.


The town was formed from Duane in November, 1858, and is bounded as follows: On the north by Duane, on the east by Franklin, on the south by Harrietstown, and on the west by Brandon.


The supervisors, from its organization to 1880, have been as follows : James M. Wardner, eight years; Appollos A. Smith, nine years ; and C. E. Martin, five years. Mr. Martin is the present ineumbent of the office.


The following eulisted from the town during the war of the Rebellion : Henry Otis,* Sylvester Otis Ford, G. Cole,* Peter Putts,* I. King, Joseph Reynolds, Henry Wel- lar, and Warren Morehouse.


CHAPTER XCVIII.


THE ADIRONDACKS.+


THE great plateau of Northern New York, comprising an area of some 6000 square miles, which rises to the average


altitude of about 2000 feet above the level of the sea, pro- jeets to a considerable extent into Franklin and Clinton Counties, and to that extent at least deserves special mention in this work, as its almost complete laek of eivil history euts it off from the style of treatment accorded to other portions. The title assumed for this sketeh, however, suggests a task of sueli magnitude, even when considered in the light of its partial application, that the impossibility of doing justice to the subjeet must become at onee appa- rent to any one who has even the most superficial acquaint- anee with it. Two reasons alone out of many afford ample basis for such an impossibility,-laek of space, and lack of sufficient data. The truth is, that in the great wilderness known by common consent as " The Adirondacks," the work of exploration has as yet been hardly commeneed. Tourists every summer wander aimlessly through portions of it, confining themselves pretty elosely between the banks of lakes, ponds, rivers, and ereeks, and gaining but little idea of the natural surface ; guides, hunters, and trappers have their trails here and there, and lumber agents are probably better informed than any other elass; but none of these, nor all combined, ean furnish the necessary informa- tion for anything like a complete deseription,-the num- ber of lakes and ponds, courses of streams, or the nature of soils or roeks beneath them; and it is undoubtedly a fact that a great portion of this territory has never been traversed by white men, while it is doubtful if even the Indians or their predecessors were to any considerable ex- tent familiar with these vast wastes. Henee, the futility of expecting anything more than an approximation to aceu- raey in the best maps published,-a condition which has been fully realized by all efforts of the kind,-and henee, also, the impossibility of giving here anything more than an outline. This is all that will be attempted in the direction of descriptive geography ; while for the rest the writer will be content if he affords a tolerably fair suggestion of the actual present status of the wilderness portion of these two counties.


GEOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.


In Clinton County, while a large part is yet covered with forests, a great proportion of the wilderness has been penetrated by the inroads of civilization, leaving these lands in comparatively small traets, the most strongly- marked exception to this condition being the forest about Lyon Mountain. But in Franklin County there are to-day no less than 10 complete townships with an aggregate area of upwards of three hundred square miles, which is eov- ered by a dense, and to a great extent primeval, forest, with hardly a single road except the hunter's trail, and even that so dimly marked by human footsteps that it is only possible to follow it by blazed trees.


This wilderness is comprised in what was formerly the towns of Dickinson, Brandon, and Duane, which extended in long parallelograms across the southwestern portion of the county from north to south, each having been originally nearly fifty miles in length and six miles in width. All these three towns are now divided-upon paper, at least- into square townships, inaccuracies of surveys, both an- cient and modern,-so troublesome to landowners,-being as a rule steadily ignored in mapping.


# Killed. 63


/ By Geo. F. Bixby.


-


498


HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY, NEW YORK.


Commeneing with Dickinson, we find in township No. 13, or Dayton, named after Jonathan Dayton, a landholder, the frontier settlements from the north. Into this township a road penetrates about half-way, to the base of Blue Moun- tain, which lies very nearly on the parallel of latitude 44º 30', and along this road in Dayton a few small openings have been made in the forest, and log houses ereeted by the settlers.


The most remarkable natural feature in this township is Blue Mountain, a eonieal elevation, with an altitude which, in the absence of any aeeurate measurement, is estimated at about 2500 feet. Its native rock is gneiss, and the north and south sides are flanked by steep bluffs. The name doubtless suggested itself to the early settlers from the faet that the summit always appears of such an intensely blue color as to suggest the faney that the elouds enveloping or passing over it have this tinge imparted to them. Near by, to the south, is West Mountain, considerably smaller, but similar in shape.


The middle branch of the St. Regis River runs northerly through nearly if not the entire township, in its eastern -part, and quite a number of small ponds are found, most of which, with the small streams, discharge their waters into the middle branch and the rest into the west branch of the St. Regis.


The next township subdivision of Dickinson, to the southward, is No. 16, or John's Manor, so named after a son of Wm. Constable, which contains no settlements or roads. It is abundantly watered by the west branch of the St. Regis and its tributaries, which flow from several large bodies of water, prominent among which are Wolf, Long, Whitney, Cranberry, and MeDonald Ponds, and a multitude of smaller ones. Buck Mountain, probably about 2500 feet high, lies partly in the northeastern corner. Some of the finest pine timber remaining in the State is found in this and contiguous townships, along the valley of the west branch of the St. Regis.


Cheltenham, or No. 19, named after an English town, lies next to the southward ; and here again we find neither roads nor settlements. One of the tributaries of the west branch rises in this township, but the main portion of the waters flow to the Raquette River. There are also many ponds, the largest of which is probably Windfall. A re- markable feature lying partly in this township is what is known as the windfall of 1845,-a swath over a mile wide, swept by a hurricane through the forest for many miles, leaving hardly a standing tree in its path.


This township is a noted resort of deer-hunters, who usually find an abundance of their favorite game upon the slopes lying about its abundant waters.


Coming to the next township south, No. 22, or Lough Neagh, so named after a noted lake in Ireland, we find one small settlement, partly in this and partly in the next town- ship south, of which further mention will be made hereafter. Raquette River runs westerly across the southern part, dis- charging its waters into Tupper's Lake, seven miles long, in the southwestern portion of the township ; the outlet from the lake, running thence northerly, empties into Raquette 1 Pond, or Lough Neagh, two miles long, which discharges its waters in a northwestward course, forming Raquette River.


About a mile below the outlet of Lough Neagh a dam has been erected by the State for the convenience of lum- bermen, which has flooded many thousand aeres of valuable lands about the shores of these waters and of the river above. Big Wolf (two miles long) and Little Wolf Ponds also lie in this township, and, as in all this region, a large number of smaller and nameless ponds, which have never appeared on any map.


Besides the settlement already noted, lying within a rad- ius of about two miles, the whole township is yet in its primitive condition, with the exception of changes wrought by lumbermen cutting off a portion of the spruee and pine timber and rafting it away. The roads in the town- ship are limited to those in the settlement, there being none eonneeting it with the outside world, except a winter road but little used, leading to Harrietstown.




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