History of Lewis County, New York; with...biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 6

Author: Hough, Franklin Benjamin, 1822-1885
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Syracuse, New York : Mason
Number of Pages: 712

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chase, acted as agent for an association, and the lands were to be by him held in trust for Constable until paid for, and disposed of in sections of one hundred acres each, at the rate of eight livres Tournois per acre .* The State reser- vations for roads, etc., were stipulated, and a deed for 625,000 acres having been made out, was delivered to Rene Lam- bot, as an escrow, to take effect on the payment of £52,000. Constable bound himself to procure a perfect title, to be authenticated and deposited with the Consul General of France in Philadel- phia, and Chassanis agreed that the moneys paid to Lambot should be re- mitted to certain bankers in London, subject to Constable's order, on his pre- senting the certificate of Charles Texier, Consul, of his having procured a clear title. If the sales should not amount to £62,750, the balance was to be paid in six, nine and twelve months, in bills upon London. The pre-emption of Great Tract No. IV, for one month, was grant- ed at one shilling sterling per acre.

GREAT TRACT NUMBER FOUR OF MA- COMB'S PURCHASE.

On the 12th of April, 1793, Constable sold in London, with the consent of Chassanis who held a pre-emptive claim, this tract of 450,950 acres for 300,000 florins ($125,356) to Charles J. Michael De Wolf of Antwerp. The town of Diana lies wholly in this tract, which also embraces a large portion of Jefferson county. DeWolf published in Dutch a plan of settlement under a company of which he was to be the president. The

* The romantic scheme of settlement which was founded upon this purchase, renders the subject one of extraor- dinary interest, and in a subsequent chapter we will pre- sent many of its details. It is sufficient here to notice, that Mr. James D. LeRay, who was one of the original members of the company, afterwards by means of purchase, power of attorney from other proprietors, tax sales and otherwise, acquired the control of the tract, and sold it through his agents to settlers. A few titles trace back to other associates, but the greater part to him.

* In a deed in Oneida Clerk's office (c. 405) this is called great lot No. V, of Macomb's purchase. It ap- pears that the French originally contracted 1, 255,000 acres on all south of No. IV, both sides of the river, but soon relinquished a part.

MACOMB'S PURCHASE.

following is a full translation of this doc- ument :-

" Plan of a negotiation for 1,200,000 florins, current money, to be invested in 440,000 acres of land lying in the State of New York, in North America, upon Lake Ontario and along the River St. Lawrence ; under the direction of C. J. M. De Wolf of Antwerp ; who offers these lands to the public upon the following conditions, being convinced that after a few years they will turn out to be very remunerative, especially for these rea- sons: First, for their cheapness and good situation, as they are situated as mentioned above, upon Lake Ontario and along the river St. Lawrence, oppo- site the great island which is used as a depot for the above mentioned lake and river, whose navigation, commerce and abundance of fish are well known. Sec- ondly, for the fertile soil of these lands on which are found different kinds of trees, from 80 to 100 feet high, and even higher, different kinds of vegetables for food for cattle and horses, a great amount of birds and game, and many other advantages of this kind. This has been stated by disinterested authors, and will be corroborated by persons who have been there, who have communi- cated these facts many times to the President. Thirdly, the pleasant and healthy climate of the State of New York, whose population since the year 1756 to July, 1791, has gained 96,000, en- tire population 340,000, which since that period has grown considerably by the continual emmigration from Europe and is increasing every day and is a proof of what is stated above. I would say that many lands not far situated from these lands have in six years risen to four or five times their first value, and in some places still higher, and this statement can be corroborated by disinterested persons who have been there.

" I. These lands will be in the name of C. J. M. DeWolf aforesaid, and four gentlemen whose names will be made known in the shares and who will be directors of these negotiations on the part of the buyers, which directors, to- gether with the President, shall have the control of the whole negotiation, and shall use every possible means that in their judgment is of advantage to this ne-

gotiation, namely, to sell these lands, or part of them over again, to see to their cul- tivation and emigration without being in the least responsible for anything what- soever, and in case one of them may die or resign, his place will be filled by the four others by electing one from the shareholders.

" 2. The aforesaid sum of 1,200,000 flor- ins current money will be disposed of as follows, namely :

" First, 800,000 florins for the payment of the aforesaid 400,000 acres for which good titles will be given, and of which copies will be kept at the office of the President, and all other papers in rela- tion to this negotiation will be kept there also.

" Secondly, 400,000 florins current money will be invested by the said five directors in such stocks as they may deem advisable for the best interest of the negotiators, and in case they deem it necessary to send emigrants there, or to clear some of these lands, or make other expenses for the improvement of the same, or if they cannot pay the year- ly dividends, the said directors may sell or use so much of the said stock as is necessary to cover the expenses.

" Thirdly, The interest which may ac- crue on the said 400,000 florins shall be for the benefit of the negotiators.

" 3. Asit is evident that this negotiation will be beneficial to its stockholders, the directors will issue with each share of 1,000 guilders each, three coupons as a dividend, each of fifty guilders current money, each of them payable the first of June, 1794, 1795 and 1796, and after the expiration of this time, or if possible even before, the directors will call a gen- eral meeting of all the stockholders who are known to have ten shares each of 1,000 guilders, and in this meeting will be given an account of the negotiation.

" 4. The aforesaid 440,000 acres will be divided according to an exact map into 1, 100 parts each of 400 acres, in order to effect better the sale of the same.

"5. The President shall have for the payment of the yearly dividend and for all other work, one per cent. without re- gard to any other expenses, to be paid out of the account kept with the negoti- ators.

"6. There will be issued 1,200 shares,

HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.

ach of a thousand guilders, numbered rom No. I to No. 1,200, dated primo une 1793, signed by the President afore- aid, and by J. D. Deelen, and of which hares the latter shall keep an account, o show that there have not been issued more than 1,200 shares."

It was evident that this scheme was nly a trap, and as such it served its end, or De Wolf soon sold for 680,000 florins › a company of large and small capital- its of Antwerp, who organized the " Ant- verp Company." The several schemes which were devised by these people for nproving their lands belong rather to efferson county.

In January, 1800, Governeur Morris ceived a trust deed of half of the tract and on the next day, James D. Le Ray ceived a like deed for the other half .* [orris and Le Ray exchanged releases ug. 15, 1802,t and the former June 15, 309, conveyed 326 lots of 143,440 acres › Moss Kent who conveyed the same to e Ray, June 24, 1817.# The operations the Antwerp company like those of s neighbor were a failure, and Le Ray timately purchased the most if not all the rights of the individual sharehold- 's in Europe. Not the slightest settle- ent had been undertaken by the mpany before Le Ray's connection ith the title.

A large part of Diana, with portions Jefferson county adjoining, were con- :yed to Joseph Bonaparte, ex-king of pain and brother of the illustrious Na- leon, under circumstances which are us related by Mr. Vincent LeRay :- " Mr. LeRay de Chaumont was at his tate in Tourraine in 1815, when he ard of Joseph Bonaparte's arrival at ois. He had known this prince before 3 great elevation and was his guest at ortefontaine when the treaty of Sep-

tember 30, 1800, between the U. S. and France was signed there, but he had ceased meeting him afterwards. Seeing however that misfortune had assailed the prince, he remembered the man and hastened to Blois. The prince having invited Mr. LeRay to dinner, said sud- denly to him: 'well, I remember you spoke to me formerly of your great pos- session in the United States. If you have them still, I should like very much to have some in exchange for a part of that silver I have there in those wagons, and which may be pillaged any moment. Take four or five hun- dred thousand francs and give the equivalent in land.' Mr. LeRay ob- jected that it was impossible to make a bargain where one party alone knew what he was about. 'Oh!' said the prince, I know you well and I rely more on your word than my own judgment.' Still Mr. LeRay would not be satisfied by this flattering assurance, and a long discussion followed, which was termi- nated by the following propositions im- mediately assented to by the prince. Mr. LeRay would receive 400,000 francs and would give the prince a letter for LeRay's son then on the lands instruct- ing him to convey a certain designated tract, if after having visited the country (whither he was then going), the prince confirmed the transaction, otherwise the money was to be refunded."

The purchaser, who in the United States assumed the title of the Count de Survilliers, in closing the bargain, is un- derstood to have made payment in cer- tain diamonds brought from Spain, and in real estate. A trust deed with cove- nant and warranty, was passed Decem- ber 21, 1818, to Peter S. Duponceau, the confidential agent of the Count, for 150,- 260 acres, excepting lands not exceeding 32,260 acres, conveyed or contracted to actual settlers .* This was recorded with a defeasance appended, in which it is declared a security for $120,000, and it provided for an auction sale of lands to meet this obligation. The tract con- veyed by this instrument included the

These conveyances were made by James Constable, ler powers from his brother, dated Nov. 16, 1798. y's. office, N. Y., Ivi., 169. See Deeds, Oneida Co., 612, E., 307.

Deeds, Jefferson Co., A., 358. Deeds, Oneida Co., 464.

Deeds, Jefferson Co., K., 279.

* Mortgages, Jefferson Co., A. 626; Deeds N, I.

JOSEPH BONAPARTE'S LANDS IN LEWIS COUNTY.

greater part of Diana, two tiers of lots on the southeast side of Antwerp, the whole of Wilna and Philadelphia, a small piece south of Black river at the Great Bend, a tract four lots wide and seven long, from LeRay, and nine lots from the easterly range in Theresa.

Diamonds having fallen to half their former price, the fact was made a sub- ject of complaint, and in 1820 the Count agreed to accept 26,840 acres for the nominal sum of $40,260. These lands lay in the most distant portion of No. IV, and Mr. Le Ray, in a letter to one of the Antwerp company, dated April 9, 1821, complimented the Count upon his taste in selecting a " tract abounding with picturesque landscapes, whose re- mote and extensive forests affording re- treat to game, would enable him to establish a great hunting ground; quali- ties of soil, and fitness for settlers were only secondary considerations. * * * He regrets, notwithstanding, that thus far he has been unable to find among the 26,000 acres of land, a plateau of 200 acres to build his house upon, but he in- tends keeping up his researches this summer." The attempt of Joseph Bon- aparte to establish himself in Diana, is elsewhere noticed. By an act of March 31, 1825, he was authorized to hold lands in this State, without his promis- ing or expecting to become a citizen. In his memorial he alludes to the liberal- ity of other States, especially Pennsyl- vania, in allowing aliens to hold lands, "and not being of the number of those who would wish to abandon this land of hospitality, where the best rights of man prevail, but nevertheless bound to his own country by ties which misfortune renders more sacred," he solicited the privilege of holding titles in his own name .*

Duponceau executed to Joseph Bona- parte July 31, 1825, a deed of all the rights he had before held in trust .* In 1835, John La Farge bought for $80,000 the remaining interests of Count Survil- liers in Lewis and Jefferson counties,+ and attempted more active measures for settling these lands. The hard reputa- tion he had acquired in the sale of .Penet's Square, and the severe measures he had adopted in ejecting squatters and delinquents, however, prejudiced the minds of settlers to such an extent that but few in this county ventured to com- mit themselves to his "tender mercies." La Farge had been a merchant at Havre, and afterwards resided in New Orleans. While in France he purchased the title to much of Penet's Square, and in 1824 came to reside upon it. In about 1838 he removed to New York, where he became concerned in extensive pecun- iary operations on his own account, and as agent of Louis Phillippe, who, while king of the French, invested large amounts of funds in American stocks. A magnificent hotel on Broadway, New York city, was named from its owner, the La Farge House. The La Farge Fire Insurance Company was also named from him. He died in New York about the year 1856.

On the 3d of June, 1825, William and Gerardus Post, for $17.000, purchased 11,888 acres (out of which 3,503 acres were excepted) in the present towns of Wilna and Diana, portions of which were afterward conveyed to T. S. Ham- mond of Carthage.#

The Swiss company that made the first investment at Alpina, received July 28, 1846, a conveyance from La Farge of a tract embracing two ranges of lots in Antwerp, and 122 lots in Diana,s and

* This memorial is preserved in Assembly papers xii, 37, 41. Sec. office, and is given in full in the History of Jefferson County, p. 566.

* Deeds, Jefferson Co., N. 181 ; Lewis Co., I, 16.

+ Deeds, Jefferson Co., U. 2, 43.

# Deeds, Jefferson Co., X, 108 ; mortgages B. 3, p. 311. § Deeds, Jefferson Co., 81, p. 532.

HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.

the whole of La Farge's interest has since been sold in this county. The principal owners of the unimproved lands of his tract in Diana, in 1850 were Loveland Paddock of Watertown, and David C. Judson of Ogdensburgh. Their agent was Joseph Pahud * of Har- risville.

A part of Diana and the adjoining parts of Antwerp, are still a wilderness, but the demand for lumber and bark, and the establishment of iron furnaces has, in recent years, done much in clear- ing up these lands, and bringing them under settlement.

CHAPTER IV.

TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY.

EWIS County lies mostly in the L

valley of the Black river,t which flows centrally through it from south to north. The river is broken by frequent cascades and rapids, until it reaches the High Falls, [Lyon's Falls,] where it plunges down a steep, broken ledge of gneiss rock, to the still water that affords a navigable channel to Carthage, 42 I-2 miles below. This is the lowest part of the county, and is 714 feet above tide level. The amount of water passing at Carthage at the lowest stages was com- puted in the days of canal survey, at 30,- 000 cubic feet per minute, but now in dry seasons, it must be considerably less. The principal tributaries of Black river

on the east, are Beaver river, Crystal, Independence, Otter and Fish creeks, and Moose river, which mostly issue from lakes or swamps, and have their waters soft and highly discolored by organic or mineral matter in solution. On the west, the river receives Deer river, Stony, Sulphur Spring, Lowville, Martin's, Whetstone, House's, Bear and Mill creeks, Sugar river and a few other streams. Such of these as rise in swamps on the western plateau region are also highly discolored, but the smaller ones, fed by springs from the slates and limestones, are very clear and the water "hard." Along the river, but little above its level, are extensive swamps in Mar- tinsburgh, Lowville and Denmark, on the west side, some of which are cap- able of being brought into use. They were mostly covered with black ash and alders, but the lower one of these was in 1854, burnt off, and is now covered with wild grass and reeds capable of being mowed. The soil of this vlaie, or natural meadow, is a deep black muck, underlaid by clay. Along the river- bank is a ridge of hard land formed by its overflow, and west of it, a drift-ridge of sand, originally covered with hemlock timber. Still west of this, is a long nar- row cedar swamp, extending several miles. It is higher than the meadow near the river, and in the early days of the iron industry, furnished a large amount of bog iron ore for the Carthage furnace .* A cedar lot has by many been regarded as an essential appendage of a farm, but the supply is now nearly washed out, and but little pains have been taken to secure another growth.

The river flows over limestone a short

* Pronounced Pi-u.

t The Indian name of this river, as given by the late Lewis H. Morgan, of Rochester, in his " League of the Iroquois," is Ka-hu-ah-go. As given by the St. Regis Indians to the author, in 1852, it is Ni-ka-hi-on-ha-ko- wa, and by E. A. Squier, in his "Aboriginal Monuments of New York," Ka-mar-go. The authority first cited gives the name of Deer river, as Ga-ne-ga-to-da ; Beaver river, Ne-ha-sa-ne ; Otter creek, Da-ween-net ; Moose river, Te-ca-hun-di-an-do ; Great Fish creek Ta-ga- so-ke ; Salmon river, Ga-hen.wa-ga ; Sandy creek, To- ka-da-o-ga-he ; and Indian river O-je-quack. The St. Regis nained Indian river, O-tsi-qua-ke, " where the black ash grows with knots for making clubs."

* This ore never occurs in swamps liable to overflow from the river. It has been found largely in Watson, New Bremen and Denmark, occurring as a loam, or in solid masses, sometimes replacing the particles of roots, leaves and wood, but preserving their form. It is said to have been mostly exhausted, but if allowed to remain without drainage, would be again deposited. Limited quantities of this ore have been found in Diana.

GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS.

distance from Oneida county, when its bed comes upon gneiss rock, the primi- tive formation extending from about half a mile west of the river, throughout the whole eastern part of the county, ex- cepting a portion of Diana. This rock, when it appears at the surface, rises into round ridges, mostly naked, or with soil only in the crevices and hollows. It is largely composed of feldspar and quartz, with particles of hornblende, magnetic iron ore, and more rarely of garnets. It is everywhere irregularly stratified and highly inclined. The general surface rises gradually from the river eastward, until it reaches an elevation of from 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the river on the eastern border. This rock covers a comparatively small part of the sur- facc, the intervals being a light sandy soil of drift, with occasional intervals of alluvial deposit, sometimes appearing to have been formerly ponds or small lakes. The disintegration of this rock affords the iron sand so common along the streams, and upon the shores of lakes in this region. A vein of mag- netic iron ore has been opened in the north part of Greig, but not worked to any extent. It was highly charged with sulphuret of iron, and probably other ingredients, but was never analyzed. At Port Leyden, a more extensive bed of ore was found interstratified with the gneiss, and hopes of its abundance and value, led to the establishment of the iron furnace at that place. It was found to contain, besides iron pyrites and phosphorus, a considerable amount, (said to be ten per cent.) of Titannium, one of the most refractory and worthless of the metals. It is not now used, and the furnace is supplied from elsewhere. In Diana, white crystaline limestone occurs, presenting a great variety of interesting minerals, and many instructive points for the study of geology. The region is highly metamorphic, and presents

marked indications of former igneous agencies.

The minerals of Diana and vicinity, are Apatite in small green crystals ; Cal- cite in great variety, including satin spar, and a coarse crystaline· limestone of sky blue tint; Hornblende ; Mica of the varie- ties known as "Phlogopite ;" Pyroxene, white and black in crystals, and in grains, known as "Coccolite ," Quartz in crystals, and of the forms known as "Ribbon agate " and "Chalcedony ;" Rensselaerite ; Scapolite in rounded pearly gray crystals ; Serpentine, opaque and greenish ; Sphene of the variety known as "Ledererite;" Sulphurets of copper and of iron ; Tremolite; Wollastonite or tabular spar, and Zircon in square prisms, sometimes a third of an inch on a side, and with terminal prisms. Mining for silver was attempted by Enoch Cleveland many years since, and a small blast furnace was put up which produced a few hundred pounds of very hard metal apparently iron. The reputed ore is a fine grained greenish- black rock which occurs abundantly, and appears to consist of chlorite and specular iron ore in variable proportions.

The primitive region of this county still comprises large areas of unsettled lands, and where not ravaged by fires, and by lumbermen, presents the same wild forest scenery of lakes, dark wind- ing streams, tangled swamps and sombre pine and hemlock forests, as when first explored by surveyors and hunters. The whole of Diana, and about half of Cro- ghan are drained by the Indian and Oswegatchie rivers. A small part of Diana is underlaid by calciferous sand- stone, which usually occurs level and covered by a thin but fertile soil. This formation extends further northward un- derlying the flat country in Wilna, Ant- werp and Philadelphia. Detached cap- ping masses of Potsdam sandstone also occur in this town, but the most remarka- ble locality of this rock in the county, is

HISTORY OF LEWIS COUNTY.

due east of Martinsburgh village, at the place where the railroad crosses Roaring brook, where a stratum is found resting directly upon the gneiss, in the bed of the stream. Its thickness does not ex- ceed three feet, and its surface exposure is slight. It is directly covered by lime- stones and is composed of masses of peb- bles and sand cemented as if by heavy pressure.

Parallel with the river, and on an average of about a mile west, rises an irregular series of terraces, consisting of Birdseye, Black River and Trenton lime- stones. The first of these may be quar- ried in rectangular blocks, and is highly valuable for building and for lime. A portion of it furnishes hydraulic lime, which has been made to some extent in Lowville and Martinsburgh. It does not form a surface rock of much extent and occurs chiefly on the edge of the lower terrace, and in the beds of streams. This limestone is less pure in quality for the making of lime than the Trenton limestone, and contains in some places a considerable amount of silica. The lime makes a mortar that sets quickly but is not as hard nor durable as that from the upper limestones. The Birdseye lime- stone of geologists is locally known as the "blue limestone," and has been largely used for the piers of bridges and for canal locks. The Black River lime- stone that next succeeds this, is the formation which forms the surface rock between the first and second terrace, is not adapted to building, contains masses of flint, and is so soluble that every ex- posed angle has been rounded and every seam widened by the action of rains and running water. Streams usually sink into crevices and flow under it, often forming caverns of limited extent, espec- ially in Leyden. This rock is more largely developed further down the river in Jefferson county, in Champion, Rutland, Watertown, Houndsfield, Le-

Ray, Pamelia, Brownville, Lyme and Cape Vincent, and extends over into Canada. It is everywhere distinguished for its cavernous structure, and for its nodules of flint. These siliceous nodules are petrified sponges, or other forms of animal life of the lowest grade. It also contains the coraline masses so closely resembling a honeycomb, and very large conical fossils, sometimes of immense size. In excavating for the foundations of the railroad bridge at Lowville village the largest specimen of these " ortho- cera" was found that the world has ever seen. The original is now in the collec- tions at Cornell University, and a speci- men in plaster is in the Lowville Academy. This enormous shell must have been at least fifteen feet long when entire. It was from the interior of a creature like the " devil fish " of modern times, and corresponds with the "cuttle bone " of a modern Cephalopod. It had long jointed arms that brought food within its reach, and almost justifies the wild and strange descriptions by Victor Hugo, the modern French writer, in his " Toilers of the Sea."

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History of Lewis County, New York; with...biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 6

Author: Hough, Franklin Benjamin, 1822-1885 Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Syracuse, New York : Mason Number of Pages: 712

Author: Hough, Franklin Benjamin, 1822-1885
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Syracuse, New York : Mason
Number of Pages: 712