USA > New York > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 17
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" Thursday, October 1 .- Prepared my dispatches for my brother, and sent tben by Mr. Broadhead, who returns to the High Falls. This surveyor embarked at nine o'clock, in the little canoe, with the In- dian ITitto. IIad some pieces of white oak split for the mill-wheels,
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.
and placed them on the joists so that they will dry more rapidly, as well as the pins that I had arranged on them. Our great canoe of last year is entirely lost. .. . The recent flood of water carried it down the falls. The workmen are employed in rooting up stumps on the line of the canal. . . . The smith made a heavy bar to aid in separa- ting the rock. . ..
" Friday, October 2 .- In the highest part of the line traced for the canal, we fortunately found much sand and clay, which will facilitate the excavation. The rocks which we found intermixed are very easily . removed. I have caused part of the large flat stones taken out to be piled by themselves, as they will serve for building purposes another year. . . . In the afternoon the blacksmith and his brother brought coal, and re-covered the pit. They then aided the other men in bring- ing earth from the trench between the rocks, to put along the river to make an embankment opposite the mill, to increase its security against the ice. Finished the road from the house to the pit, which will also be a convenient way to bring up wood when cut. llave had the In- dian huts built near the coal-pit saved, to give our Indian brothers an example of respect for property.
" Saturday, October 3 .- Worked in digging the canal. The black - stuith forged a mattock. The carpenter made a hand-barrow to carry off the dirt, from want of a wheelbarrow. I had them carry the soft sand from the ditch between the two great rocks to the river- bank, to protect the flank of the canal. We examined and estimated the amount of rock that it will be necessary to blast, and as the strata are inclined, they may be raised to advantage by the aid of imple- ments. I have had some iron wedges and levers forged.
" Monday, October 5 .- Employed the men under cover, on account of the rain. The smith and his brother made chisels for piercing and mining the rocks. The two carpenters made mill-cogs. Robinson and Warren made pins. The new barrel of flour had heated, and was very mouldy and solid. . . . In the afternoon they cut some wood for the carpenters, who have blocked out the pins of the drum- wheel.
" Tuesday, October 6 .- Split and put to dry on the joists some new square pieces. Made mill-cogs, etc., but the bad weather retarded all our operations. The laborers, crowded together in the log house, could not work as freely as they could in a large shed, on which ac- count we have determined to make one another year, as at the High Falls. Work the same as yesterday.
" Wednesday, October 7 .- Peck and Robinson got out some stumps and stones on the line of the caual. Trueman cut down and trimmed off the trees on the bank of the river, at the entrance of the canal. As the water is high, I have improved this occasion to clear away this part more easily.
" Thursday, October 8 .- Dug out the opening of the canal into the river, and had the earth and stones thrown out on the left and right to support the banks. The smith forged two picks and a hoe. Dixon worked on the wheel.
" Friday, October 9 .- . . . The blacksmith forged some drills for piercing the rocks, and I had one tried. In four hours' time two men were not able to make a hole more than a foot in depth. The rock is harder to drill perpendicularly, because the beds are inclined, and we have to go against the grain of the stone. In the afternoon we charged this hole with powder to blast the rock, and it made a great blast. . . . The late rains have done much injury to our coal, the weather not having allowed us to get it in. Dixon and Ilobley drilled new holes, and the stone yields more easily to the chisels and drill. Trueman, Peek, and Robinson worked at the entranco to the canal. The elder Ifobley and Warren returned at night without the cattle. They brought back a bird a third larger than a domestie goose, with feet like a goose, a long bill without notches, and curved at the end. The lower part of the beak is of a saffron yellow. The wings had a spread of four foet. The plumage was of a blackish gray. Over the eyes there was a streak of bright yellow, like an eyebrow. They called this bird the cormay. The fat was oily, flesh dark, liver large, like that of a goose, but not bitter, and the whole excellent for cook- ing. Opened the last barrel of flour, which is a little better than the previous one.
" Saturday, October 10 .-- Dixon and Peck went to cut somo fino white oaks to mako some very large planks. Warren and Hobley having found the cattle, I had them get the charcoal. They drilled some holes, which wore charged with powder and fired, with but little effect. Two men have continued at work on the canal, which does not advanco notwithstanding the labor bestowed, and I despair of
being able to finish it this year. . . . At six o'clock in the evening we were visited by an Onicegatchie Indian and his two children. Hfe had been three days on the way, and was going to hunt on the Boyls- tou side. As he was going up in the moruing I sent a letter by him to my brother. This Indian could speak a little French.
" Sunday, October 11 .- Rest for our men. In the morning I had the spectacle of an Indian hunt, and of their management of bark canocs, in which they aseend the rapids with a wonderful facility. The Iu- dian and his oldest boy killed two bucks on a little island in front of our house. They had seen four of these animals struggling against the rapids, which had drawn them down the falls, and the other two escaped by going from island to island. The Indian, in return for our good reception, presented ns with half of a deer, and then went off after breakfast.
" Monday, October 12 .- Found myself short of provisions, and, as I have received no news from my brother, I have decided to send to him three of our men to lessen the number of mouths, and to bring down provisions if we are to remain here, or two canoes if we are ordered to return. They set out at two o'clock. Had the charcoal drawn. Dixon and Peck felled and squared timber. Our supply of charcoal will not be sufficient for next year. Killed two snakes, striped yellow and black, with the belly white; these reptiles are not venomous. Noticed a beetle that was green, black, and bronze colored ; it carried on its belly a swarm of little ones as large as rape- secd, resembling little spiders, with long legs.
" Tuesday, October 13 .- The cattle could not be found until ten o'clock. I then continued to have the coal drawn in, and finally sue- ceeded in getting it all under cover before it rained. . . .
" Thursday, October 15 .- . . . A storm that has uprooted many trees. I had previously caused one to be cut dowu that would havo crushed the house in its fall.
" Friday, October 16 .- Continued our labors. Had still more trees cut down near us. The smith forged some axes. . . . I am uneasy about the return of our men ; but finally I saw them arrive at four o'clock, with some flour and the half of a pig. They had takeu but ten hours to come down from the High Falls, although it had required two days to ascend the forty-five miles. They brought me my brother's letter. Observed some flocks of little birds, with the back and upper side of the wings, like the throat, light brown, and belly white. They came from the north, and anuouneed to us that the cold weather is at hand. They were about as large as sparrows.
" Saturday, October 17 .- The river is higher than it has been before this season. It comes a little into our canal. My brother had in- structed me to arrange all the timber before coming to rejoin him with my men and cattle. I therefore had the oxen got up to draw the pieces together and aid in piling them. The wood will be dry and better to use next year. I secured all the pieces.
" The rain coming on, they made oars and tool-handles. The smith has repaired some axes and forged two pieces to fasten on our large canoe, to strengthen the two ends. . . . In the eveuiug it snowed.
" Sunday, October 18 .- The river is still rising : filled the upper part of the canal. We had a very brilliant aurora borealis last night.
" This morning the snow was two inches deep on the ground. Our men were alarmed at this bad weather, and our hired men weut the more willingly to look for the cattle. I will send thetu by land, and the rest will go up the river by canoe. Our workmen brought me a thorn brauch, with red fruit as large as a fine cherry, and very good to eat. The thorns are very long, and they would quake a very good hedge. The flower is very fragrant.
" Monday, October 19 .- Seut our men to hunt for the cattle, but they were not able to find them. As our provisions are getting short, I have sent five men in the large canoe, with a letter to my brother inclosing an inventory of the things that I had placed in their charge. I asked that Baptiste should bring the dog to aid in finding the trace of our cattle, which the overflow of the meadows had driven into the interior. . . . As the weather is bad, and all the low grounds are over- flowed, we have been prevented from looking for the cattle. This casualty has delayed our departure, which my brother believed was nearer, and, accordingly, he sent only the provisions necessary for a speedy return. I had some plum-trec plants embarked for the lligh Falls.
" Tuesday, October 20 .- Dixon made some cogs for wheels. True- man dug a little ditch to bring a spring down. 1 gave the proper slope for his canal, so that on the melting of the snows the waters that are brought in it cannot reach the coal-house, at the foot of which
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.
this diteh would naturally pass. I then had it dug between the house and the mill-race. It is seven days since we have seen our cattle. In the afternoon the carpenter aud Trueman cut down some white oaks, and squared them for the mill-race.
" Thursday, October 22 .- The arrival of the ox last evening led me to hope that the rest were not far distant, and I sent out Trueman to search for them. At cight o'clock he came back with the horse, which I . . . gave the little corn I had left. The calf returned without the cow. At five o'clock Mr. Mitchell arrived with a letter from Mr. Broadhead, followed dircetly after by our men.
"Friday, October 23 .- As soon as breakfast was over I sent off all the men to look for the eattle. They have piled up in the forge all the little pieces that have been prepared, the better to save them. Mr. Mitchell informs me that our road is twenty miles from the High Falls to Cas- torville, and fifteen miles from Castorville to this place. There are only three creeks that it will be necessary to bridge, and it will be necessary to make two causeways across swamps of considerable size. The site designed by my brother for Castorville is very favorable ; the falls excellent for mills, and there are some springs of very good water. Our men have found three oxeu aud the cow. The fourth ox had not been brought in at night; Dixon found traces of the calf; but, since our provisions are low, we shall be obliged to give up the search, if it does not come in before morning. I was fortunate to discover by the sound of the bell that our horse had got loose and was going off. We had him caught and secured.
" Saturday, October 24 .- Mr. Mitchell and his party went away in the morning. Had some look in the rain for the calf while they were loading the canoes, but finally embarked all hands at eleven o'clock."
Desjardines was succeeded by Rodolph Tillier, and no further records of affairs at this point are to be obtained from the journal.
The land at Carthage was subsequently sold to Henry Boutin, about 1798.
OTHIER EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
Probably the oldest settlement in Jefferson County was made by the French, on Carlton island, but at what date it is impossible to say. Charlevoix, in 1721, speaks of the island as then occupied by them. The English also occu- pied it from the date of the surrender of Canada, in 1760, at least as late as the American Revolution.
The earliest settlements in the various towns of the county, as near as can be ascertained, were about as fol- lows :
Adams, 1798-99 ; Alexandria, 1811; Antwerp, 1803; Brownville, 1799 ; Cupe Vincent (mainland), 1801 ; Clay- ton, 1801 ; Champion, 1797 ; Ellisburg, 1797 ; Hlender- son, 1802; Hounsfield, 1801; Le Ray, 1802 ; Lorraine, 1802 : Lyme, 1801; Orleans, about 1806; Pamelia, 1799 -1802; Philadelphia, about 1803-4; Rodman, 1801; Rutland, 1799; Theresa, about 1810; Watertown, 1800; Wilna, 1798; Worth, 1802.
A full account of the settlements, with the names of set- tlers, and much interesting matter will be found in the his- tory of the respective towns and villages, in another por- tion of this work.
A large proportion of the early settlers were from New England and the older counties of the State of New York, but there were many from other portions of the Union, together with quite a number from France and Canada. The German and Irish clements, so prevalent in many sec- tions of the country, have never been numerous in Jeffer- son County, the great bulk of the population being of native Americau birth.
.
CHAPTER VI.
CIVIL ORGANIZATION.
Capitulation of the Dutch-Colonial Charters of Liberties-Erection of Counties-Albany, Tryon, Montgomery, Herkimer, Oncida, Jef- ferson-Organization of Towns-Boundaries of Towns-The Courts -Board of Supervisors-Court- House and Jail-Poor-House and Asylums.
IN tracing the history of the habilitation of a county with the powers of local self-government, some account of the source whence, or power by which, that sovereignty has pro- cecded is necessary for a full understanding of the subject. The beginning, therefore, of such a history of Jefferson County is made at the transfer of the power of the Dutch colonists in New Amsterdam (New York), in 1664, to the English over the Dutch possessions in that region and sur- rounding country.
The articles of capitulation of the Dutch were drawn up and subscribed in the governor's Bowery, August 27 (O. S.), 1664. Of the twenty-three articles in the document, twenty of them were guaranties of the civil and political rights of the capitulators,-one guarantied freedom for the the exercise of their religious worship, one saved their mil- itary honor, and one looked to the regaining of their lost supremacy.
This important State paper was signed by the following representatives of the contracting powers :
For the Dutch .- John De Decker, Nich. Verleet, Sam. Megapolensis, Cornelius Steenwick, Oloffe Stevens Van Kortlant, James Cousseau. For the English .- Robert Carr, Geo. Carteret, Jno. Winthrop, Sam. Willys, Thomas Clarke, John Pinchon. The.governor assented to the arti- cles, and signed his assent, "Richard Nicolls."*
This convention passed the authority and power of gov- ernment of the Dutch colonies in America to the king of Great Britain, who appointed his Royal Highness, the Duke of York, lord proprietor of the province, the name of which was changed from New Amsterdam to New York, the settlement on the Hudson river, called New Orange, receiving the name of Albany at the same time. The duke appointed a governor and council, and gave the colo- nists the right to elect representatives from among the free- holders of the colony and freemen of the corporations to mcet as a general assembly, to make laws for the govern- ment of the province, subject to the approval of the gov- ernor and council, and the confirmation of the duke himself and the king. The first assembly, being the first legisla- tive body that ever assembled in what was afterwards the State of New York, met in October, 1683,-Thomas Dungan being governor and M. Nicolls speaker of the assembly.
The assembly, on the 26th of October, drew up a charter of liberties and privileges granted the colonists by his Royal Highness, wherein they stipulated so liberally in their own behalf, that although the charter was approved by the governor and council (October 30), it probably was repealed by the duke or crown, as no record of its confirmation has been discovered. However, the provisions in the same, not conflicting with the grant to the duke, were retained,
# Smith's History of New York.
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.
and the government administered accordingly. The pre- amble and first two elauses of the charter are as follows, verbatim et literatim :*
" For the better establishing the Government of this province of New York, and thatt Justice and Right may bee equally done to all persons within the same : Bee it en- acted by the Governor, Couneell and Representatives, now in Gen'all Assembly mett and assembled, and by the author- ity of the same-Thatt the Supreme Legislative Authority under His Majesty and Royall Highnesse; James, Duke of Yorke, Albany &c, Lord Proprietor of the said province, shall forever bee and reside in a Governour, Couneell and the people, mett in Gene'all Assembly. That the exer- eise of the chiefe magistraey and administration of the government over the said provinee, shall be in the said Governour, assisted by the eouneell, with whose advice and eonsent, or with att least four of them, hee is to rule and govern the same aeeording to the laws thereof."
The assembly was to be convened once in every three years, at least, and " every freeholder in the province, and freeman in the corporations," had the right to vote for the representatives, a majority of which votes were to govern. This first assembly was composed of sixteen representatives; two of the counties into which the province was divided for the purpose of such representation, viz., Dukes and Cornwall, never sending any representatives, but were enti- tled to send one each.
On November 1, 1683, the assembly divided the prov- inee into twelve counties, namely, city and county of New York, Westehester, Ulster, Albany, "Dutchesses," Orange, Richmond, King's, Queen's, Suffolk, Dukes, and Cornwall.
Albany county, which ineluded the territory now form- ing the area of Jefferson County, was bounded thus : "To conteyne the towne of Albany, the Colony of Renslaerswyck, Schonecteda, and all the villages, neighborhoods, and Chris- tian habitaeons on the East side of Hudson's River from Roeleffe Jansen's Creeke, and on the west from Sawyer's Creeke to the Sarraaglitoga."
This assembly proceeded to legislate for the colonists for a time, but its aets were never ratified and confirmed by the duke of York or the king, and therefore the second assembly, which met in 1691, declared the legislation had under the first assembly, and the ordinances of the gov- ernors and couneil, null and void, f and proceeded to draw up another charter of liberties and privileges similar to the first one, and which was repealed by the Crown in Sep- tember, 1697. The assembly redivided the province into the same number of and namned counties, with the same boundaries.
This assembly was composed of twenty-one members, two of whom failed to attend, and two others, being Quakers, from Queen's county, refused to swear to the oath of office, and were dismissed and two others eleeted,-one of whom, Jolın Tradwell, was arrested by the under-sheriff of the eity of New York on his arrival to attend the assembly, which aet was resented in vigorous terms by the assembly, which ordered the under-sheriff arrested and brought be-
# Smith's History of New York.
t Journal of Colonial Assembly.
fore that body for contempt, and ordered Tradwell to at- tend the service of the house immediately. Upon the appearance of the member and offieer the assembly went into an examination of the cause of Tradwell's commit- ment, when the developments were so unwholesome the assembly resolved they could not have him among them as a member, but ordered him discharged from his com- mitment on payment of costs, as his coming to the city on his majesty's writ privileged him from arrest. They ordered a new election in Queen's county, and John Rob- inson was returned and took his seat in the assembly.
The government at this date was composed as follows: Henry Sloughter, Esq., governor and commander-in-chief; Joseph Dudley, Frederick Phillipse, Stephen Cortlandt, Chidley Brook, and Gabriel Monville, council; and the following-named assemblymen: eity and county of New York, James Graham (speaker), William Merrett, Jacobus Van Cortlandt, Johannis Kipp; eity and county of Albany, ' Direk Wessells and Levinus Van Schaick; Ulster and Dutchess, Henrieus Beekman, William Demiere; West- ehester, John Pell; Richmond, Elias Duksberry, John Dally; Suffolk, Henry Pierson, Mathew Howell; Queen's, Daniel Whitehead, John Robinson; King's, Nieliolas Still- well, John Poland; Manor of Rensselaer Wyck, Killian Van Rensselaer.t
Notwithstanding the repeal of the charter of liberties, the assembly remained intaet, and continued to legislate for the government and benefit of the colonists until the Revolution, or at least until 1773, to which year the last- published journal of its proceedings reaches and ineludes. On March 12, 1772, the assembly erected a new county from a portion of Albany, and named it Tryon, in honor of the governor of the province at the time. On March 24, 1772, the assembly divided Tryon county into five dis- triets, the eastern one being ealled the Mohawk district, the southwestern one Kingsland, the northwestern one, north of the Mohawk, German Flats, the eentre one, north of the Mohawk, Stone Arabia, and the eentre one, south of the Mohawk, was ealled Canajoharie district. The first election was to be held in May, 1772, on the first Tuesday of the month, whereat the freeholders were to elect one su- pervisor, two assessors, one colleetor, two overseers of the poor, two eonstables, two fenee-viewers, and one elerk in each district, who were to have the same powers as the same officials had elsewhere in the province. The Mohawk district was bounded on the east by the west boundary of Schenectady district in Albany county, on the west by a north and south line drawn from the pass in the mountains called " Anthony's nose," continued to the north and south bounds of the county, on the south by the south boundary of the colony and the county of Albany, and on the north by the bounds of the province. Stone Arabia lay next west of the Mohawk distriet, north of the Mohawk river, the west line being a line drawn north from the Little falls of that river to the north bounds of the province, and Canajoharie district was the corresponding one south of the Mohawk. German Flats was the northwestern distriet, bounded west and north by the boundary of the province
# Journal of the Colonial Assembly.
66
HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.
in those directions, and Kingsland, the southwestern one, was similarly bounded south and west. On March 8, 1773, the name of Stone Arabia was changed to Palatine, and German Flats and Kingsland exchanged names, each taking the other's. On this same day two market fairs were ordered to be held in Johnstown yearly, and the reprc- sentative in the assembly from Tryon county was allowed twelve shillings per day while in attendance on the same, and in going to and returning therefrom. February 6, 1773, an act was passed authorizing the authorities of Tryon county to levy a tax sufficient to raise sixteen hun- dred pounds to complete a court-house and erect a jail at Johnstown, and offered bounties for the killing of wolves and panthers in the county. At the adoption of the first constitution of the State, April 20, 1777, the counties pre- viously named were recognized, except Dukes and Corn- wall, the territory included in which, having been previ- ously surrendered to Massachusetts colony, and three others formed previously, viz., Charlotte (now Washington), and Cumberland and Gloucester (since eeded to Vermont). The convention framing the constitution gave Tyron county six of the seventy assemblymen of which the lower house of the legislature was to be composed, and divided the twenty-four senators in four classes, and the State into as many districts, the western one including the counties of Albany and Tryon, which were entitled to six of the senators. The delegates to this convention from Tryon county were William Harper, Isaac Paris, V. Veeder, John Moore, and Benjamin Newkirk.
On April 2, 1784, Tryon county was subdivided into several counties, and its own name lost. Montgomery county was organized in that portion of the territory which included Jefferson's area ; and in 1788 the boundaries of the county were defined as follows : Bounded easterly by Ulster, Albany, Washington, and Clinton counties, south- erly by the State of Pennsylvania, and west and north by the bounds of the State in those directions. The county was, on March 17 of the last-named year, divided into nine towns, of which Whitestown included within its limits all of the territory north, south, and west, to the bounds of the State. On March 3, 1789, a bill was passed by the As- sembly to raise money in Montgomery county to liquidate claims arising therein for the erection of a court-house and jail at Whitestown. Montgomery then had seven assem- blymen. On February 16, 1791, Herkimer county was erected from Montgomery county, including in its bound- aries the present Jefferson County. Courts were provided for the new sovereignty, provision made for erecting county buildings, and one assemblyman assigned to it. April 10, 1792, the town of Whitestown was subdivided, and out of its territory the towns of Westminster, Steuben, Paris, Peru, and Mexico were framed. The latter and Steuben included, besides other territory, all of the present area of Jefferson County; Mexico including the territory south, and Steuben that north, of Black river. The first town-meeting in Mexico was dirceted to be held at the house of Benjamin Moorhouse. On March 10, 1797, the town of Leyden was set off from Steuben, and the first town-meeting ordered to be held at the house of Andrew Edmunds. March 15, 1798, Oneida county, including
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