Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 5

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1368

USA > New York > Jefferson County > Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York > Part 5

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Then followed an equally obnoxious act imposing a duty on tea and other staples imported into the colonies, which action called forth a loud protest from Massachusetts, and the Assembly of that province addressed a circular letter to the other colonies soliciting their assist- ance in the defense of the common liberties. This action so angered the ministry that each of the colonial governors received a letter for.

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

bidding their Assemblies to correspond with Massachusetts. This man- date. however, was not respected, and the New York Assembly accom- panied its disobedience with declarations of rights, and denunciations of Parliament; and the people sustained their representatives and re- turned nearly all of them to the next Assembly in 1:69.

Governor Colden was succeeded by Lord Dunmore in 1770, and came to his office with the royal direction to issue colonial bills of credit. In the mean time the duties had been removed from all articles except tea, and for a time colonial affairs moved more smoothly, but on July 18, 1821, William Tryon was appointed governor, and soon afterward the old difficulties were renewed. The East India Company tried to have the duty on tea removed, but without avail; the mother country was determined to raise a revenue by tax on colonial imports and the result of this refusal was the destruction of the tea shipped to Boston, an event ever known in history, as the " Boston Tea Party." This bold de- fiance so enraged the ministry that the port of Boston was declared closed-an outrage which called forth national indignation, and at pub- lic meetings held for the consideration of the grievance, among the plans suggested for mutual protection was the assembling of a Colonial Congress.

The "Continental Congress " was held at Philadelphia in September, 1414, and having adopted a declaration of rights, it addressed a peti- tion to the king, and an appeal to the people of Great Britain and Can- ada. The New York Assembly alone did not sanction the proceedings, but instead addressed a remonstrance to Parliament, which was treated with disdain. "On January 12, 1175, at a cabinet council, it was de- clared that there was nothing in the proceedings of Congress that af- forded any basis for an honorable reconciliation. It was therefore re- solved to break off all commerce with the Americans; to protect the loyalists in the colonies, and to declare all others to be traitors and rebels." (Lossing).

At this period of our history all that part of the province of New York which lay west of the Delaware River and a line extending thence north through Schoharie county and along the east line of Montgomery, Fulton and Hamilton counties (as now existing), and thence direct to Canada, comprised a single county by the name of Tryon, created in 1172, and named in allusion to William Tryon, then governor of the colony. At that time, and indeed for all the years between the close of the last French war and 1774, the leading spirit in the county was

BEGINNING OF THE REVOLUTION.

Sir William Johnson, whose home was at Johnstown, the seat of jus- tice of the county. He was then superintendent of Indian affairs, and was busily engaged in settling the troubles occasioned by Pontiac's uprising. But Sir William also felt a deep interest in the questions which were then in the public mind, and was undoubtedly much dis- turbed by the situation and the probability of another war, for he saw that such an outbreak was inevitable. In 1774 the baronet was again called upon to settle some Indian trouble, and although quite ill at the time he held a council at Johnson hall and delivered an address to six hundred Iroquois who were present, all the time being exposed to the burning heat of the July sun. The effort produced a fit, from which he died the next day, July 11, 1274.

Had Sir William lived it is believed he would have espoused the cause of the colonies against the mother country, and many writers think his policy indicated such a purpose; but Sir John, his son, and the brothers in-law, Guy Johnson and Daniel Claus, were mere crea- tures of the king, having no sympathy with the oppressed colonists, and used every energy they possessed to incite the Mohawks and other hostile Indians to deeds of inhuman butchery during the years of the Revolution. Sir John had succeeded to the superintendency of Indian affairs, and used his position to carry out his awful work. Indeed, so inimical was the conduct of this unworthy trio that public indignation was aroused against them, and they fled from Johnstown and took up their abode in Canada; and with them also departed the Mohawk warriors, the armed Scotch Highlanders, and a considerable number of tory sympathizers. The Indians who remained friendly to the Ameri- cans were the Oncidas and the Tuscaroras.

In April, 1775, with the battle at Lexington, the Revolution began. All through Tryon county the greatest fear of the people arose from the probability of an Indian invasion, instigated by the Johnsons, therefore all possible preparations were made to prevent surprise and resist an attack. The policy of the Americans had been only to secure the neutrality of the Indians, but their success was limited to the Oneidas and Tuscaroras, while the British made every possible effort to unite them in close alliance with the royal cause. Said one of theil officers: "We must let loose the savages upon the frontier of these scoundrels to inspire terror and make them submit."

Governor Tryon wrote to Germain, the British war secretary, that he was agreed as to the employment of Indians in the war, and Brant,

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

the Mohawk chief, was taken to England (1775-76) and shown marked favor by the government, and was authorized to lead all who would follow him against the colonists. Lord Chatham, however, hurled his bitterest invective against this inhumanity, and when it was advocated in parliament, "It is perfectly justifiable to use all the means that God and nature have put in our hands, " he indignantly exclaimed; "I know not what idea that lord may entertain of God and nature, but I know that such abominable principles are equally abhorent to religion and humanity." But the appeal was in vain, and Germain gave instructions to employ the Indians against the colonists. A council had already been held in Montreal by the chiefs and warriors of the Iroquois, the Johnsons, Butlers and Brant taking part. Here the savages swore fealty to the king, this being the first act in the catalogue of slaughter and devastation that followed. The Senecas held off for a time, but the prospect of both blood and British gold was too much for them to withstand, and in 1856 they, in common with the Cayugas, Onondagas and Mohawks made a treaty with the British at Oswego, agreeing to serve the king throughout the war.

The post at Oswego was first occupied by Col. Guy Johnson after he left Johnstown on his way to Canada; but later on its importance was so apparent that the British provided a strong garrison and supplied all necessary artillery for its defense. The British force comprised 400 regulars, 600 tories and :00 Indians, all commanded by General St. Leger, with Sir John Johnson and Joseph Brant officers of lower rank. They designed an attack upon Fort Schuyler, ' which was defended by 150 men under Col. Gansevoort. The battle of Oriskany followed, with no substantial success for the British, and they were prevented from forming a line of communication with Burgoyne through the Mohawk valley. Indeed, it was the intention of the Johnsons to make a com- plete conquest of the region and then once more possess themselves of their old estate at Johnstown, but the results at Fort Schuyler and Oriskany seriously interfered with the plan.

The most important features of the war during the years 1ft and 1118 were the Indian depredations in this State, beginning with Cobles- kill, and following with the more serious affairs at Wyoming and Cherry Valley, and still others of less consequence in the mean time; but these

1 To avoid misunderstand ng on the part of the reader, it is proper to mention that Fort Stan- wix was built in 175> on the site of the present city of Rome, but was not used during the French ard English war; and after the return of peace it fell into decay. In June, 1226, Col. Dayton re- built the fort, and it was then named Fort Schuyler.

CLOSE OF THE REVOLUTION.

atrocities at last became so numerous that Congress determined to draw upon the troops in service for a general expedition against the Indians. The plan of the campaign called for two forces, one under General John Sullivan to march through the Susquehanna and Chemung valleys; thence down Seneca lake on both sides and into the Genesee country, destroying, burning and devastating as they went. The other force, under General Clinton, was to sweep through the Mohawk valley and thence westward into the upper Susquehanna region, destroying every vestige of the Indian occupancy and then join forces with Sullivan. Both of these movements were wholly successful, and the result was that the Indians, especially the Senecas, were driven to the protection of Fort Niagara, nor could they afterward be persuaded to again oc- cupy their villages until the end of the war.

The complete subjugation of the Indians in the Genesee country was one of the most profitable expeditions of the war. Oswego of course had been abandoned by the British soon after the defeat at Fort Schuy- ler and Oriskany, and Johnson and his troop of Royal Greens moved to the more congenial locality of Oswegatchie (Ogdensburg); Butler and Brant went to Niagara, while St. Leger made his headquarters at Montreal. In July, 1778, Lieutenant McClellan and a detachment from Gansevoort's army proceeded to Fort Ontario and destroyed all buildings and defenses save one which was occupied by a white woman. Thereafter, during the period of the war, this portion of the St. Law- rence region was not so much used by the British as formerly; still, in 1780, Sir John followed this route on the occasion of the attack on Johnstown, and an ineffectual attempt was made to cut off his retreat by the same way.

During the entire period of the war, this was the natural and in many respects the most convenient avenue of travel between the Can- adian frontier and the American settlements in New York, but as his- tory records no conflicts of importance other than those already men- tioned, it hardly becomes this chapter to pursue the subject further at this time. The devastation and bloodshed that had thus far marked the track of war throughout the States was now approaching an end, and with Sir John Johnson's attempts at repossessing the Mohawk val- ley, and the occasional depredations by the Indians in that and other parts of the State, hostilities were practically at an end; but in the marauding incursions the savages accomplished no such results as at Wyoming and Cherry Valley. In the mean time the war in other States

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

had gone forward with varying fortunes, and one after another of the British strongholds fell into the hands of the victorious Americans. In October, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered after which there were no active hostilities. However, peace between Great Britain and her revolted colonies was not restored until the treaty of Paris (January 20, 1783) was formally signed. By the stipulations of the treaty the boundary line between the possessions the two countries was established along the forty-fifth parallel, the middle of the St. Lawrence River, Lake Ontario, Niagara River and Lake Erie.

Notwithstanding the fact that the results of the war just closed de- feated the expectation of Great Britain in compelling the American colonies to pay the expenses of the French war in this country, she nevertheless sought to secure some little comfort from defeat, and therefore directed that all importations to the States from Canada should be subject to duties; and in order to collect this tax custom posts were established along the Canadian border. However, before this act had been long in operation, and in June, 1784, all commercial intercourse between the province of Canada and the States was entirely prohibited; and still more, for a time no person was permitted to pass from Canada into the States without special authority in writing. This unfriendly relation between the mother country and her late subjects on this side of the Atlantic could not but be prejudicial to general in- terests, but among all the petty acts of annoyance the most serions on the part of Great Britain was her violation of treaty stipulations in maintaining an armed force on the United States side of the line after peace had been agreed upon and signed; and when appealed to for reasons the British commanders replied that their orders were simply to cease hostilities and not to evacuate the territory.

These garrisons were maintained all along the border, even from the eastern part of the New Hampshire grants (now Vermont) to a point as far west as Detroit, and occasionally a rupture took place be- tween the victorious American pioneer and some disaffected subject of the king, which at times threatened to become serious and again in- volve the nations. Great Britain attempted to excuse her action by pretending that the United States frequently violated the treaty pro- visions, and while there was some foundation in fact for the claim the transgression was never serious, and not sufficient to even call for a protest from any other than a recently defeated nation. However, some of the military posts referred to were held by the British as late

THE FORT SCHUYLER INDIAN TREATY.

as 1996, and the agents of the French company when first visiting the Castorlands were somewhat surprised to discover an armed British force in the country and in the immediate vicinity of the lands on which they proposed to found settlements.

CHAPTER VI.

Extinguishing the Indian Titles to Land-Treaty with the Six Nations at Fort Stanwix-Special Treaty with the Oneidas - Conflicting Claims of Massachusetts and New York-The Hartford Convention-The Macomb Purchase-Its Extent and Subdivision-The Chassanis Tract-Penet's Square.

In the treaty of peace between Great Britain and the United States at the close of the Revolution no provision whatever was made for the Indian allies of the former power. The English offered them lands in Canada, but the Mohawks alone accepted, the others of the once fa- mous confederacy preferring their old territory in New York. However, all the Six Nations except the Oneidas and the Tuscaroras were on the side of the British during the war, which proved an alliance with a falling power, and by the fortune of war they had no right whatever to hold or occupy the land as against the authority of either general or state government. Moreover, the Iroquois had twice violated their pledges and had plunged into war against the colonies without any provocation whatever except mere wantonness, which with the savage was nothing less than blind instinct.

Notwithstanding the forfeiture of all their property rights, the Iro- quois were treated with great moderation by the United States, were readily admitted to the benefits of peace, and were even recognized as owners of all the land in this State over which they had roamed pre- vious to the Revolution. The property line, as it was called, previous- ly drawn between the whites and the Indians, ran along the eastern border of Broome and Chenango counties, and thence northward to a point seven miles west of Rome. In October, 1784, at Fort Schuyler, formerly Fort Stanwix (Rome), a treaty was made between three com- missioners representing the federal government and the sachems of the Six Nations. La Fayette was present and addressed the council, but was not one of the commissioners. All the nations were represented 6

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

at this treaty, the Oneidas by two of their "chiefs," says Dr. Hough, but of course meaning sachems, it frequently happening in making treaties that both chiefs and sachems were present and took part in the proceedings.

The treaty at Fort Schuyler in 1784 was general in its character, but the United States wanted particularly to extinguish whatever claim the Six Nations might have to lands in Ohio and other western territory, and as well to further provide for certain rights in the western part of this State acquired under a previous treaty. However, the treaty car- ried all the territory west of the property line.

In September, 1788, the Oneidas made a definite treaty and sale of their lands in this State, at a council held at Fort Schuyler between George Clinton, governor, William Floyd, Ezra L'Hommedieu, Rich- ard Varrick, Samuel Jones, Egbert Benson and Peter Gansevoort, jr., commissioners representing the State of New York, and acting in pur- suance of authority specially conferred. While all the lands now com- prising Jefferson county were included and ceded by this treaty, a detailed description or reproduction of the conveyance itself can hardly be considered necessary to this chapter. The deed of cession is an in- teresting document, yet it is sufficient to state that in consideration of the sum of $2,000 in money, a like sum in clothing and other goods, $1,000 in provisions, and also $500 in money, "to be paid towards building a grist mill and a saw mill at their village," the Oneida In- dians conveyed to the State all their domain, with few and inconsid- erable reservations. The whole transaction was honorably conducted, the consideration was fair, and no advantage whatever was taken of the ignorance of the Indian.

As a matter of historic interest the statement may be made that at about this time New York was having a spirited controversy with an element of capital, influence and power, which for a time threatened much trouble in public affairs. After the close of the Revolution, when the States were looking somewhat carefully after their boundary lines, New York and Massachusetts fell into a dispute regarding the right of sovereignty, jurisdiction and ownership of this State, growing out of the indefinite and conflicting character of the royal grants to the Plymouth Company and to the Duke of York, which proved to be overlapping. To amicably settle the matter both States agreed to cede their claimed rights to the general government, but before the federal authorities could act the States themselves sent commissioners to the

LAND CONCESSIONS.

"Ilartford convention " (December 16, 1786), where the differences were adjusted. The result was that New York ceded to Massachusetts the pre-emptive right to all that part of the State which lay west of the eighty-second mile stone on the Pennsylvania line, and a line drawn thence about dne north to Great Sodus Bay. By this cession Massa- chusetts acquired the first right to purchase the land from the Indians, New York still retaining sovereignty and jurisdiction over the terri- tory, as over the other part of the State.

When the State of New York recognized the Indians as owners of any part of their former domain, just so soon did the country fill with speculators who sought to acquire these lands, with or without just compensation being paid therefor. One of these land companies was organized on an elaborate scale, and by various methods obtained a lease from the Six Nations for the term of 999 years of all their terri- tory. The law at that time forbade the purchase of Indian titles by individuals or companies, whereupon this noted organization, the New York Genesee Land Company, which comprised several of the most influential and wealthy men of the State, negotiated the lease and this attempted to evade the provisions of the law. The Legislature, how- ever, refused to ratify or confirm the lease, whereupon it was annulled as of no effect, except that the proprietors succeeded in obtaining some very desirable concessions to which they were not justly en- titled. These incidental observations may not have direct relation to the history of land titles in what is now Jefferson county, or Northern New York, but the definite and special treaty made with the Oneidas at about the time these events were taking place, naturally leads to the inference that the action of the State had some connection with them ; which indeed was the case as by the proceeding referred to (the treaty of September 22, 1788) the State specially acquired title to the terri- tory of the Oneidas, and gave them ample consideration therefor, and thus saved the Indian from the machinations of speculators, whose promises were fair, but who seldom fulfilled according to verbal agree- ment.

By the treaty at Fort Schuyler, October 22, 1784, with the Six Na- tions, and by the supplemental treaty with the Oneidas, made Septem- ber 22, 1188, the State became the absolute owner of all the lands formerly held by the Six Nations to which title had not previously been extinguished, and subject, of course, to the reservations contained in the deeds of cession, particularly of the tract known as Penet's

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

Square, which the Oneidas reserved for the benefit of Peter Penet as a token of gratitude for services rendered by him.

The office of "Commissioners of the land office" was created by an act passed May 11, 1784, to carry into execution the promises of bounty lands made by the State for Revolutionary services. The original bounty act was passed in 1780, and while it was designed primarily to carry out the pledges made by the State, it was also hoped that the commissioners would relieve the Legislature from the impor- tunities of land operators and speculators who were constantly asking concessions to the great embarrassment of that body. However, the commissioners themselves soon became the subjects of severe censure and were charged with unfairness and favoritism.

Macomb's Purchase, so called, stands on the public records as the largest extent of lands ever granted by the State to individuals, and originally included, after deducting allowances, 3,670,715 acres. The whole of Jefferson county, except Penet's Square and Tibbet's Point, is on the tract, and also the greater portion of Franklin and St. Law- rence counties, the whole of Lewis and a part of Oswego. On June 22, 179], Alexander Macomb made application to the land office for a grant or patent of lands in the northern part of the State, for the use and benefit of himself, Daniel McCormick and William Constable, all of the city of New York. The price offered, which was accepted, was eight pence per acre, payable one sixth part in one year, and the bal- ance in five equal annual payments; yet, in the Macomb interest, it was agreed that in case one-sixth part of the consideration should be secured by satisfactory bonds "and paid, and another sixth in like manner secured," the grantees were to receive a patent for a sixth, in a square, "in one of the corners of the tract," and this manner of pro- ceedure was to be observed by the parties until the whole tract was paid for and patented to the proprietors; a very fortunate understand- ing for the proprietary if for any cause they should not be able to take and pay for the entire tract, they would nevertheless hold any sixth part, or any additional parts desirable, at the almost nominal price of eight pence per acre.

The tract was surveyed at the expense of the purchasers, and on January 10, 1792, a patent was issued carrying title to 1,920,000 acres, being substantially all the original tract lying outside the present coun- ties of St. Lawrence and Franklin. Indeed, the Macomb purchase is so important an element of Jefferson county history that a copy of the letters patent may properly be reproduced in this chapter, viz :

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS

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MAP OF THE MACOMB PURCHASE IN 1791.

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WIRI. VAM

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Showing Great Lots Nos. 4, 5 and 6, which include all of Jefferson County. The above cut is reproduced from the original map in the public records at Albany.

THE MACOMB PATENT.

" The people of the State of New York, by the grace of God free and independent, to all to whom these presents shall come, greeting :

" Know you, that we have given, granted and confirmed and by these presents do give, grant and confirm, unto Alexander Macomb, in consequence of a purchase by him thereof made from the Commis- sioners of our Land Office, all that certain parcel of land situated in the northern part of our said State, and comprehended within the fol- lowing bounds, viz. : beginning at the most westerly corner of the tract of land commonly called Totten and Crossfield's purchase; running thence along the same south 30 degrees east about 21 miles to the most westerly corner of township No. 5 of said purchase; thence westerly in a direct line to the northwest corner of a tract of 16,052 acres of land granted to Henry Oothoudt; thence with a direct line to the month of Salmon River where it empties into Lake Ontario to the northward of Oswego; thence northerly along the said lake and River St. Lawrence to a tract of land granted to Peter Penet; thence along the same south ten miles east ten miles north ten miles and west ten miles to the said River St. Lawrence; thence down along the said river to where a course south 54 east will strike the place of beginning; and thence south 54 degrees east about 54 miles to the said place of beginning; estimated to contain 1,920,000 acres; reserving out of the same 800 acres of land, as the same is located in the surveyors' charts in this office, and with such bounds as shall be described in Letters Patent therefor hereafter to be granted. Together with all and singular of the rights, heredita- ments, and appurtenances to the same belonging or in any wise apper- taining, excepting and reserving to ourselves all gold and silver mines and five acres of every hundred acres of the said tract of land for high- ways. To have and to hold the above described and granted premises unto the said Alexander Macomb, his heirs and assigns, as a good, in- defeasible, established inheritance forever. On condition, neverthe- less, that within the term of seven years, to be computed from the date hereof, there shall be one family actually settled on said tract of land hereby granted for every 640 acres thereof. Otherwise these Letters Patent and the estate herewith granted shall cease, determine and be- come void. In testimony whereof we have caused these our letters to be made patent and the great seal of our said State to be hereunto affixed.

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Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 5

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed Publication date: 1898 Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co. Number of Pages: 1368

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1368