USA > New York > Fulton County > History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents > Part 25
USA > New York > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery and Fulton counties, N.Y. : with illustrations and portraits of old pioneers and prominent residents > Part 25
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The place of meeting which up to this time had always been at Johns- town, was now changed to Fonda.
CHAPTER XXIII.
ORIGINAL LAND GRANTS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY-DISSENSIONS ARISING FROM THEM-THE CLARKE ESTATE.
Under the colonial government it was customary that the aboriginal, or Indian title, should be extinguished before land grants were issued to the parties making application to purchase. A deed from the Indians was usually procured by holding a council with them, and this being accom- plished, the Surveyor General was directed to make the survey and in his report furnish a map and field notes of the premises The draft of a patent was then prepared by the Attorney General, and, if approved by the Governor of the colony and his council it was granted and recorded.
Under an established ordinance, only one thousand acres could be granted to one person, but this regulation was frequently evaded by asso- ciating as patentees a large number of persons, who were only nominally parties to the purchase. Land speculators were plentiful in those early
Frothingham Fish.
1861.
Nicholas Newkirk.
1862. Freeman P. Moulton.
1863.
John Kellogg. 1864.
Conrad P. Snell.
Abraham Hoffman.
4 William Clark.
Darius V. Berry.
1869.
James Shanahan.
Martin L. Stover.
71
LAND GRANTS AND CONTROVERSIES.
times, as well as since, nor was there less corruption, perhaps, among the officials. The latter, in addition to the remunerative fees obtained by the performance of their duty, were often largely interested as participants in the purchase. In a few instances land grants were issued from the Crown of England, instead of through the colonial government. In some of the grants under the colonial government, the conditions required the payment of the annual quit-rent, which at that time constituted an important source of revenue, and which subsequently became due to the State. The pay- ments for quit-rent were sometimes specified to be made in money, but oftener in grain or other produce.
The first two land grants on record, covering territory now embraced in Montgomery county, bear date of April 22d, 1703. They were issued on the same day, one to Geraldus Camfort, for twenty acres, located in the present town of Amsterdam, and the other to John Peterson Mabie, con- veying lands on the Schoharte creek. Mabie surrendered his grant of this date, and on the zoth of July, 1705, took another for a tract in the same vicinity. The description of this piece of land will show how indefinitely the boundaries were given in some instances at that period. It was de- scribed as "a tract on Tiondowgoes creek, on both sides, commonly called Kadarode ; as you go up the Mohawk river, about twenty English miles westward of the land of Adam Vrooman, there comes the said creek into the river, and going from the mouth of said creek along the same about 4 miles up there is the said piece of land, being a flat plain on the west side of said creek, containing 80 acres lowland, surrounded by a stony hill, near a small island in said creek, the like quantity of upland, also called Kadarode, surrounded by a great hill downward of said creek, called Tiondowgoes, till you come to a great cove running to the water side, it being all on this side of the praying Indians' castle."
The most fraudulent practices were sometimes resorted to in obtaining the lands from the Indians, only the semblance of a purchase being made of them in some instances. Conspicuous among the extensive tracts lo- cated in this section of the country, and obtained in such an underhand manner was the Kayaderosseras, which, like some others, was the subject of a long controversy. In 1704, Samson Broughton, Attorney General of the province, procured of the Mohawk Indians, for himself and associates, the above named tract. The Mohawks received but a very small compen- sation, understanding the tract to be in quantity only sufficient for a farm. With this title, thus fraudulently obtained, a patent was procured on the 2d of November, 1708, for about seven hundred thousand acres of land, lying between the Hudson and Mohawk rivers. The watchfulness of the Indians, however, deterred the patentees from any movement for maintaining their claim to this vast territory for more than half a century, no survey even being made. Owing to the inaction of the patentees, the Indians became almost unmindful of the transaction, supposing the claim, from the so- called purchase, abandoned.
Several families, however, immediately after the conquest of Canada by the English, settled upon the tract. This awakened the slumbering jea- lousy of the Indians, who not only demanded that the settlers should re- move, but that the claim to the Kayaderosseras tract be relinquished. The dispute was renewed and continued for several years before an adjustment of the difficulty was arrived at. Sachem Abraham in conference recalled the fact that the Mohawks had helped to conquer the French with the ex- pectation that they could remain in peaceful possession of their territory, but they now found that some of their brethren wished to deprive them of the chief hunting ground they had left and which they never could learn had been sold by the nation.
Sir William Johnson, in behalf of the Mohawks, represented to the Colo- nial Government the fraudulent manner in which the patent had been procured and made strenuous exertinns to have it vacated, but not meeting with success from this source in his solicitations, he endeavored to obtain redress for the Mohawks by placing the matter before the English board of trade with a view to procuring through the board an act of Parliament annulling the patent. The patentees, fearing they might Inse their claim, at length offered to compromise the affair by relinquishing a portion of the tract and making some further compensation for the part retained, but the sum offered was so small that the Mohawks declined to accept it. Failing in this attempt to compromise, the claimants gave the matter into the hands of the governor of the province, with instructions to settle the affair as he should deem proper. In the summer of 1768, the governor repaired to the Mohawk country and called and held a council with the Indians prepara- tory to a settlement, but there having been no survey of the lands in ques-
tion, it became necessary to wait until a survey could be made. This hay- ing been performed by order of the governor, an amicable settlement of difficulty was shortly after arrived at. The patentees on their part relin- quished a portion of the tract, and the Mohawks, for the consideration nf five thousand dollars, conveyed the remainder to them. The boundaries of this patent as established, include a portion of the towns of Broadalbin, Perth and Amsterdam.
Succeeding the grants issued to Camfort and Mabie, a small tract was patented to Wilson and Abeel, in 1706, lying in the town of Amsterdam. In 1713, Hendrick Hansen and his son Hans took a patent for two thousand acres in the present town of Mohawk, having obtained a deed of the same from the Indians, at a general meeting held at the lower castle in 1710. Two thousand acres were granted, in 1714, in three equal parts to John, Margaret, and Edward Collins at Caughnawaga, and two years later the same quantity was granted to Harman Van Slyck, as far up the river as the present town of Palatine. In the same year, 1716, a grant of seven hundred acres was issued to Johannes Harmanse Fisher, near Fort Huoter, in the town of Florida, and in the year following another small tract, in the same town, was granted to Samuel and Elizabeth Babington.
These grants were followed by others, some of which were for large tracts. In 1722, Lewis Morris, in company with five others, took a patent for six thousand acres, and the ensuing year the same party took another for the same quantity adjoining it, all on the south side of the Mohawk, in the present towns of Canajoharie and Root. The Stone Arabia patent, for the benefit of the Palatines, containing nearly thirteen thousand acres, was granted in 1723. These industrious people immediately settled upon and improved their lands. From this period many other grants speedily fol- lowed, conveying tracts in various localities, some of which embraced a large extent of country.
In regard to some of these patents, serious controversies have arisen. The Canajoharie patent, in which Philip Livingston was most largely in- terested, is noticeable in that respect. The Indian deed for a tract of land in which this patent was located, was procured from them in such a man- ner as to make its validity doubtful. Only a few of the Indians had signed the document, and they were not influential ; whereas, it was cus- tomary for all the sachems of the tribe to sign a deed. Not only was the title thus questionable, but the surveyor in the interest of the patentees fraudulently managed to include, in the lines which he ran, considerably more than the deed called for. The line, by which the tract was thus en- larged, was surreptitiously run by the light of the moon. When the Mo- hawks discovered the fraud practised upon them, they complained so loudly, that further proceedings were for many years abandoned by the patentees.
In the mean time the neighboring Germans rented of the Indians the disputed territory, settling upon and improving it. In this situation the matter remained until 1762, when the settlers were served with writs of ejectment by order of Wm. Livingston, son of Philip, the original patentee. This at once revived the contention which had begun by fraud, and which was continued by the same means, receiving a new impetus and becoming more complicated by the rascality of George Klock. He resided at Cana- joharie, and possessed a share in the disputed territory, acting also as agent for the other claimants. Having invited the Indian proprietors to the house he filled them with rum, and when they had become intoxicated he obtained their signatures to a paper declaring the legality of the original purchase and their relinquishment of further claim to the premises. This paper, together with two new deeds procured in like manner, was for- warded to the governor. The matter was brought to the notice of Sir William Johnson, the Indian agent, who, at the recommendation of the governor, held a council with the Mohawks, to ascertain their true feelings in regard to the transaction. The council was well attended, not only by the Indians, but by others, among whom were several justices, especially invited to be present at the occasion, The fraudulent character of the proceedings was clearly brought to light; the claimants desisted from fur- ther efforts to possess the land, and all except Klock shortly after executed a release to the Indians.
After the State Government was firmly established in place of the Colo- nial, the lands remaining in its possession, as well as those derived from forfeitures and other sources, were usually sold in small parcels as portions of some large tract. Corry's patent, granted the 19th of November, 1737, has since the establishment of the State Government been a matter for hti- gation, and dissensions in regard to it continue at the present time. This
72
THE HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
grant was obtained from the Crown, and covered upward of twenty-five thousand acres, lying in what are now the towns of Charleston, Root and Glen. It was granted to William Corry and twelve others. George Clarke was at that time Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony, and was secretly inter- ested in the purchase, but was precluded from taking his share openly for the reason that an English law forbade a Colonial Governor being an inter- ested party in grants of land made by the Government. Clarke was super- seded in the office of governor in 1743, and shortly afterward the lands, having been surveyed and laid out into lots and farms, were divided be- tween Corry and Clarke, the latter of whom returned to England in 1745. He died in 1763, and his possessions were bequeathed to his two sons, George and Edward, then living in New York. George went to England in 1772, and four years later died there, childless. Edward, who also went to England, died there in 1744, leaving an only son named George Hyde Clarke, to whom the property was devised. Corry sold his share, which was confiscated by the State, in consequence of the toryism of its owners, during the war of the Revolution.
George Hyde Clarke remamed in New York during the war, and taking the part of the Colonists against the British Government, was confirmed in the large landed possessions of his father. Immediately after the war, he succeeded in leasing this land to settlers, to whom he granted "three-life" leases. The lessees cleared the lands, built upon them, and exc. ised all the rights of ownership. The farms were bought and sold, the occupants paying to the landlord the moderate rent of one shilling per acre. In this condition the property has descended from father to son until the present time, each owner bearing the name of George Clarke. There was no seri-
1
ous difficulty until after the present proprietor came into possession. He was a minor when his father died. When he arrived at his majority the agitations concerning leasehold estates, popularly known as " Anti-Rentism," which commenced in 1844, had extended to this county.
At the instance of prominent gentlemen, John Van Buren, who was At- torney General, began an action in behalf of the State against Clarke, to set aside his title to the land, on the ground of its having been fraudulently procured from the British Government. It was first tried before the emi- nent and learned Judge, Daniel Cady. His decision was, that possessions of the tenants were the possession of the landlord, and that he having held the property as against the State for more than twenty years, was the ab- solute owner. This decision was sustained hy the General Term, and hy the Court of Appeals, to which it was carried. Since then the leases have expired in accordance with their conditions. In some few instances, the present owner, George Clarke, extinguished the leases by negotiation or purchase. On the expiration of the others, the rent was raised from the former price of one shilling an acre until the proprietor now demands, and in some instances receives, from two to three dollars an acre.
This, however, has brought about a most lamentable condition of things. On more than one quarter of the Clarke farms, the tenants have refused to pay the rents demanded, and on their ejectment, the buildings have been fred. Many of the farms are thus unoccupied, and those occupied are worked by dissatisfied and angry tenants, who make no improvements and pay the rents demanded only on compulsion, and until such times as they can procure other places. This condition of things operates prejudicially to the interests of the towns as well as to the county.
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1
LAND PATENTS IN MONTGOMERY AND FULTON COUNTIES.
73
TABULAR STATEMENT OF GRANTS AND GRANTEES.
The counties of Montgomery and Fulton comprise within their limits the following tracts and parts of tracts of lands granted by the Crown before the Revolution, and in two instances by the State since the treaty of 1783 ;
NAMES OF PATENTS OR NAMES OF SOME OF THE ORIGINAL
TRACTS.
PROPRIETORS.
WHEN GRANTED.
NO. OF ACRES.
TOWN IN WHICH SITUATED.
REMARKS.
Arieskill Patent. Alexander Patent,
James DeLancey and 4 others,
Nov. 12, 1737,
10,000
Glen, Montgomery County.
Granted in two tracts, one of 4,000, the oth- er of 6,000 acres.
Bagley's Patent,
Timothy Bagley and C. Williams,
June 17,
`37,
4,000
Root and Canajoharie.
Bagley's Patent,
Timothy Bagley and 12 others, Henry Barclay,
Nov. 27,
41,
300
Babington Tract,
Samuel and Elizabeth Babington,
| Ang. 24,
'17,
343
Bleecker Patent,
Rutger and Nicholas Bleecker,
Aug. 14,
'30,
675
Minden.
To each one-half.
Bleecker Patent,
Rutger and Nicholas Bleecker, J. De Lancey and J. Haskall, John Bracken,
Sept. 22, '29,
4,300
Minden and Canajoharie.
Bradt Patent,
Arent Bradt and Philip Livingston,
Feb. 14,
'33,
3,200
Burnet Patent,
William Burnet, Jr.,
Feb. 24,
'26,
775
Butler Patent,
Walter Butler and 3 others,
Dec. 31,
'35,
4,000
Johnstown and Mohawk.
Bergen's Purchase, Canajoharie Tract,
Lewis Morris, C. Colden, J. Alex- ander, A. Van Horne, John Collins, [Oct. 23, '22, &
· M. Vedder,
June 20, '23,
12,450
Canajoharie and Root.
Camfort Tract,
Geraldus Camfort,
April 22, '03,
20
Caughnawaga Patent,
Nov. 4, '14,
2,000
Claus Patent,
Sept. 29, '70,
3,000
Colden Patent,
Alexander Colden,
Dec. 30,
'36,
2,000
Canajoharie.
Colden Patent,
Elizabeth Colden,
Dec. 30,
'36,
2,000
Canajoharie.
Corry's Patent,
Nov. 19,
37,
25,400
Root, Glen, Charleston, and Scho-
Collins' Tract,
July
16,
42.
1,250
Florida.
Cosby's Patent,
William Cosby,
Oct.
II,
35.
2,000
Florida.
Cosby's Patent,
June 25,
.36,
2,000
Canajoharie.
De Lancey Patent,
Nov.
12,
37,
'36.
2,000
Fisher Tract
Johannes and Harmanse Fisher,
Feb.
14.
'16,
700
Freeman.Tract,
Thos. Freeman & wife & D. Martin,
July 3. '36,
5,000
Glen, Bleecker and Lan- sing Patent,
J. Glen,
Jacob Glen and others,
Ang. 21, '53. 6,000
M'rch 30,
'86,
7,100
Root.
Gunterman Tract,
Coenradt Gunterman,
Oct.
13,
.53.
905
Guerin Tract,
Maynard Guerin and his wife, Ed. and Phillis Harrison,
Aug. 29,
35,
4.000
Harrison's Tract,
Oct. 11,
'35, 4,000
Harrison's Patent,
Franc. Harrison, L. Morris, J. Spratt, J. Schuyler, A. Wendell, J. Haskall,
M'rch 18, '22. 1 2,000
July 17,
'13.
2,000
Mohawk.
Herkimer Patent,
Henry Holland,
July 16,
'12. 1,250
Henry Hoofe,
Dec. 12,
27. 539-544
Jerseyfield Patent,
Henry Glen and 93 others,
April 12,
'70, 94,000
Kennedy Patent,
Archibald Kennedy,
April 18,
`27, 775
Klock's Patent,
George Klock and 14 others,
Dec. 21.
:54. 16,000 08.
Oppenheim and Ephratah. Amsterdam and Perth.
Kayaderossera- Patent, Lansing Patent,
Jacob Lansing and others,
June 23.
'53 .; 6,000
Livingston Patent,
Philip Livingston and 19 others,
Feb. 10,
'62, 20,000
Livingston Patent,
Philip Livingston and 19 others,
Nov. 8 *60.
4,000
Fulton and Saratoga Counties.
Livingston Patent, Lyne Patent,
John Lyne,
Aug. 12, '36,
2,000
Canajoharie
Lott Patent,
Abm. Lott and 19 others,
Sept. 16, '61.
20,000
Oppenheim, Ephratah & Stratford.
Mc Leod's Patent,
Norman McLeod,
Sept. 29. '70.
3,000
Mayfield and Northampton.
Sarah Magin and others,
M'rch 31
'61. 1 26,000
Oppenheun and Ephratah.
Magin's Patent, Mase Patent,
Jac. Mase & J. R. & J R. Bleecker Peter Mabie,
John l'etersen Mabie,
July 20, '05.
Glen.
Morris l'atent,
Frederick Morris,
June 25, '26. 2,000
¡C'anajoharie
Morris Patent.
lewi- Morris and other»,
Oct. 23,
22.
6,000 Montgomery County.
Morris Patent,
Lewis Morris and others,
June 30,
6,000 | Montgomery County.
In Northampton Pat. Within a tract of 86.000 acres.
Cosby's Patent,
Henry Cosby,
Ang.
29,
.35,
2,000
Florida.
Cosby's Patent,
Alex. Cosby & his sons Wm. & Philip, William Cosby,
Feb. 9,
38,
6,000
Part of Cadwallader [Caldwell Tract.
Dick Patent,
Canajoharie.
Florida.
Florida.
Part of 8,000 ac. tract.
Stratford, Caroga and Bleecker. Broadalbin. Minden.
To each one-third.
Gros Tract,
John Daniel Gros,
Minden.
Florida.
Part of 86,000 acres. Part of 86,000 acres.
Hansen Patent,
Hendrick Hansen and son Hans, J. J. and H. Herkimer.
April 13, 52, 2,324
Minden and Herkimer County. Northampton.
[Indians.
Haring Patent,
Holland l'atent,
Northampton
Hoofe Patent,
Amsterdam and Florida.
Stratford and Herkimer County. Root.
Kingsborough Patent,
Arent Stevens and others,
June =3, '53. 20,000
Ephratah, Johnstown & Mayfield.
Naning Heermanse and 12 others,
Nov. 2,
Robert livingston, Jr.,
M'rch 10. '26
775
Root
Mabie Patent,
Oct. 17. April 15, '26, '11. 6,000 600 80
Glen.
Part of Northampton [Patent.
0
37,
25,400
Charleston 'chiefly ..
Barclay Tract,
James Alexander, A. Coeymans, S. States, R. Walter, R. Van Dun, Peter
Hansen, A. Governeur, J. Dunbar, J. Mynders, L. Claese,
May 6, '25,
8,000
Mohawk, Montgomery County.
Granted in two tracts, [2,000 each.
To each one-fourth. Opposite Ft. Hendrick.
Bracken Patent,
M'rch 26, '68,
280
St. Johnsville.
Canajoharie
Root.
Fulton and Hamilton Counties.
13 lots.
Butler 3-7, Scott 2-7, [Milne & W'ms e. 1-7.
Two tracts of 6,000 ac., another one of 450.
John, Margaret and Ed. Collins, Daniel Claus,
Mohawk.
To each one-third.
W'm. Corry, Geo. Clarke, and others, Ed. Collins,
James De Lancey and others, William Dick,
Ang.
1 2.
10,000
Glen.
Glen Patent,
Glen Patent,
Florida.
Palatine and St. Johnsville.
Purch'd from Indians. Granted from Mohawk
Part of Northampton [Patent.
Minden and Herkimer County.
Minden and Herkimer
Northampton.
Mabie l'atent,
Nov. 19,
Florida.
Florida.
Amsterdam.
Mayfield.
Northampton. [harie County.
74
THE HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
NAMES OF PATENTS OR TRACTS.
NAMES OF SOME OF THE ORIGINAL PROPRIETORS.
WHEN GRANTED.
NO. OF ACRES.
TOWN IN WHICH SITUATED.
REMARKS.
Mayfield Patent,
Francis Beard and 13 others,
June 27,
'70,
14,000
Caroga, Bleecker and Mayfield.
Otsquaga Patent,
Rutger Bleecker and others,
Sept. 22,
29.
4,300
Minden.
Otsquage Patent,
Weiser, Lawyer and Wagenar,
July
8,
125.
1,637
Minden.
Provoost Patent,
Provoost, Cocus, Van Wyck, &c.,
March 8,
'26,
8,000
Root.
Koberts' Patent,
Benjamin Roberts,
Sept. 29,
'70,
2,000
Mayfield and Northampton.
Roseboom Patent,
Johannes Roseboom,
April 29,
*26.
1,500
Root.
Sacondaga Patent,
Lendert Gansevoort and others,
Dec. 2,
'41.
28,000
Johnstown, Perth. Mayfield and
Scott Patent,
Lt. John Scott,
Oct. 22,
'22,
1,500
Glen.
[ Broadalbin. Commandant of Fort
Scott Patent,
John Scott, Jr.,
June 23,
'25,
1,100
Glen.
[Hunter.
Stone Arabia Patent,
John Christian Garlack & 26 others.
()ct.
19,
'23.
12,700
Palatine.
Divided into 51 lots.
Stone Heap Patent,
Daniel Claus, Bowen and 15 others,
Sept. 15, '70,
15.500
Charleston and Schoharie
Shuckburgh Patent,
Rich. Shuckburgh and Jacobus Van Dyke,
May
28,
55,
& 180
Glen.
Stringer Patent,
Samuel Stringer,
Nov. 26,
'85,
1,350
Broadalbin.
Stephens Patent,
Arent Stephens,
July
16,
'42,
1,200
Northampton.
Schuyler Patent,
Cornelius Schuyler,
July 16,
42,
1,300
Northampton.
Ten Eyck Patent,
Hendrick T'en Eyck,
April
2,
*61.
185
Glen.
Ten Eyck Patent,
Hendrick Ten Eyck,
April 29,
'26,
1,500
Glen.
Van Slyck Patent,
Harman Van Slyck,
Sept.
I,
'16,
2,000
Palatine.
Van Rensselaer Patent,
Jeremiah Van Rensselaer,
Oct.
4,
'74.
28,964
Fulton County.
Van Driessen Patent,
Petrus Van Driessen,
May
19,
37,
1,000
St. Johnsville.
Visger Patent,
Johannes Visger,
Feb. 25,
'26,
900
Glen.
Van Horne Patent,
Abm. Van Horne and 3 others,
Nov. 13,
'31,
8,000
Minden.
Williams Patent,
C. Williams and others,
Aug. 29,
'35,
14,000
Florida.
Called Warren's Bush.
Wilmot Patent,
Anne Wilmot,
Aug. 29,
'35,
2,000
Florida.
Windecker's Patent,
Harmtman Windecker,
Nov. 12,
'31,
2,000
Minden.
Winne's Patent,
Peter Winne and others,
Oct.
6,
'$1,
4,000
Root.
[ Patent.
Wemp Patent,
John Wemp,
Dec. 16,
37,
464
Florida.
Wilson & Abeel Patent. Ebenezer Wilson and John Abeel,
Feb. 22,
Amsterdam,
Part of 86,000 acre Call'dChatsandackte P.
CHAPTER XXIV.
FEATURES OF THE GEOLOGY AND PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF MONTGOMERY AND FULTON COUNTIES.
Though the counties of Montgomery and Fulton are less rich in minerals than some others in the State, yet the subject of their geology is an inter- esting one. The facts respecting this topic are derived from the report of the geological survey made under the authority of the State, the results of which were published in 1842. The two counties are considered together in this chapter to avoid the repetition which would result from treating them separately. The whole area of Montgomery and Fulton lies to the north of the Helderberg range, and contains a less number of rocks than the counties to the west through which that great elevation ex- tends. The rocks are : 1, Gneiss of several varieties, granite, etc., being the primary rocks ; 2, Potsdam sandstone ; 3, the Calciferous group ; 4, the Black river limestone ; 6, Utica slate; 7, Frankfort slate, and its sandstone. Of these only Nos. 1, 3, 6, and 7 form important masses as to the surface which they cover. The primary rocks cover the northern part, their greatest breadth being to the northwest. They bound the Sacondaga valley at the northeastern corner of Fulton county, turning to the south- west a few miles below the line of Hamilton county, forming the high ridges known as Mayfield and Kingsborough mountains, turning west to the north of Kingsborough village, and joining Klip hill, the northern pro- longation of the " Noses." They form Royal hill, and pass into Herkimer by an irregular line, inclining to the northwest. Beyond these limits the primary rock appears but in two places, on Zimmerman's creek, below Lassellsville, and on both sides of the Mohawk, forming the basis of the Noses.
The calciferous group forms three areas to the north of the river, no- where extending more than a mile to the south of it. It forms the whole surface of the eastern part of these counties, excepting some partial over- lying masses. It forms also the great south portion of the Noses, and the greater part of the space from the ridge east of Mother creek and the Little Sprite to the East Canada creek, The Utica slate separates the three areas of the calciferous, the eastern edges ranging conformably with the lower rocks, and the western unconformably, being the edges upturned by the uplifted rocks. The first of these masses forms that fine section of country near the centre of which Johnstown is placed ; the other is that through which Garoga creek flows from Ephratah to Palatine church. There are besides these two large areas on the north side of the Mohawk a few isolated patches, one on Frenchman's creek, in the town of Broadalbin, a second back of St. Johnsville, a third on East Canada creek, extending
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