USA > New York > Albany County > Albany > The annals of Albany, Vol. III > Part 10
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It was probably at this place that Burgoyne passed his army, and whose encampment extended hence to Fishkill, a distance of two miles, from the 10th to the 17th of Oc- tober, 1777, when this gallant band was under the morti- fying necessity of piling its arms.
Passed the Fishkill or Schuyler's creek, two hundred and nine miles. To the right I saw the church at Sara- toga; on the left, due east, was a mountain which I had long had in view : this remarkable mountain is, I have great reason to suppose, the same which I observed from the heights west of Albany.
23 P. M. Took a second slight refreshment at Fitzsim- mons' tavern, two hundred and fourteen miles.
33 P. M. Proceed on foot, and cross the two fields of battle, of the 19th of September and 7th of October, 1777. Pass through Stillwater, prettily situated.
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52 P. M. My driver again baited his horses, two hun- dred and twenty-three miles ; proceed on foot.
73 P. M. Take up my lodging for the night at a Dutch tavern, two hundred and thirty-one miles, having jour- neyed forty-seven miles this day ;- good traveling for a farmer's waggon !
My landlord, like the generality of Dutch innkeepers, was churlish, and extravagant in his charges. The soil of America appears not to have any influence upon the character they brought with them from the fens of Hol- land : they are still to the tenth and twentieth generation Dutch in person, dress, mind and manners. On crossing the Hudson, the Dutch ferryman asked me for my fare as a foot passenger. "How so? " "Because you got out of the wagon; had you remained in it, I must have been obliged to consider you as part of the load." Fine pleasant day and evening; moonlight night.
Wednesday, October 1st. 6 A. M. Begin my last day's journey. Pass through the handsome village of Water- ford,* or Halfmoon-point, two hundred and thirty three miles. View of Lansingburg,; on the opposite side of the river. Cross the Mohawk, over the bridge at the foot of the Cohoes Falls, near which I breakfasted at Forth's tavern, two hundred and thirty-five miles. After breakfast I visited the celebrated cataract of the Cohoes, and strange to say, I was more pleased with it now that I had seen Niagara, than I was five years ago, when I beheld it with disappointment. I then expected a grand and romantic fall ; I now amused myself with comparing its features and character with those of the many falls which I had lately seen. Niagara overhangs its base ;- this projects in massy abutments ; the rock is of a very hard quality, yet in the bed of the river, which is solid rock, the water has worn
*"On December the 3d, 1804, an excellent bridge, 800 feet in length, across the Hudson, from Waterford to Lansingburg, was opened with much ceremony and eclat. A procession, military, civil, and masonic, was formed at Lansingburg, crossed the Bridge, and partook of an entertainment at Waterford; the governor and other respectable characters being among the guests."-New York Paper.
+ I visited this place and Waterford on the 23d of June, 1795.
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deep furrows and channels; so that in one place, the water being low, the water was collected into one of these channels, about thirty feet wide, where the stream was very deep and rapid, all the rest of the bed being dry excepting the pot-holes, circular cavities formed by the rotary motion of stones and water. This river furnishes pike, bass, and trout.
9 A. M. Proceed.
92 A. M. Opposite to Troy, the view of which is highly beautiful from the ferry-house; a noble river ran in front, and in its rear rises a high screen of varied woodlands.
I now passed through a range of meadows that might vie with the celebrated German flats, previously men- tioned. I may here observe, that the country improved in beauty and fertility as I proceeded from Skenesborough to Albany. I had observed on my route pheasants, black, red, and ground squirrels, a sca-gull, and a skunk. I had almost forgotten to observe, that in the meadows just spoken of, are some of the noblest elms I ever saw, and many covered with grape-vines to their very summits.
I was now no longer in a strange country ;- step by step I recognized some well known object pointing out the vi- cinity of Albany. Far in the horizon rose the Catskill mountains, so beautifully arranged as justified my former admiration of them. The Hudson, broad, rapid and clear, reflected the early beams of the morning, and the neat and comfortable dwellings lining its eastern banks with the towns of Troy, Lansingburg, and Bath, overtopped and contrasted by the neighboring wooded heights : these, with the gay spreading meadows and their vine-covered elms, formed a glowing scene, that gave fire to my spirits; for a more animated prospect I had not beheld since I left New York. All that eagerness and anxiety, all that " pleasing hope and fond desire," which agitates the bosom of those returning after a long absence to the abodes where affection has been awakened, and where expecting friends are stretehing out the arms of welcome, took possession of my soul : not that Albany, or its inhabitants, had any strong hold upon my affections; but in Albany I saw the haven from whenee I had departed, and where
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I should end, all that had been new and doubtful of an expedition, which, however pleasantly prosecuted, and however happily terminated, had not been without its cares, its apprehensions. and its dangers.
" The Genesee fever " was still proverbial for its malig- nancy, though now unjustly so; yet a schoolfellow of mine, Mr. Dennison, of Nottingham, would have been added to the list of its martyrs, had not the benevolence of Captain Williamson interfered. Many others of my acquaintance who visited the Genesee were seized with the fever ; indecd few of them escaped it. Shooting the rapids of the St. Lawrence will never be considered as boy's play : unknown dangers, too, no doubt, oft hung about me, but hidden from my sight and averted by that Almighty Being, who, in two impressive instances, snatched me from destruction, when all hope of other aid had died within me. With such sentiments, (and who in like cir- cumstances would not entertain such sentiments ?) could I do other than hail the sight of Albany ?
10% A. M. Reach Lewis's tavern, Albany, two hundred and forty-five miles from Montreal. Waited upon the Rev. Thomas Ellison, Mr. Ramsay, and Mr. Walsh. Tca and supper at Mr. Ellison's. Pleasant bright day.
Thursday, October 2d. Wrote an account of my ad- ventures to John Johnstone, Esq , of Geneva. Met with Mr. Archibald Kane, who had so well entertained me at Canajoharic. Dined with the mayor, Philip Van Rensse- laer, Esq., who invited a large party to meet me. Took my passage for New York.
Friday, October 3d. I passed the morning in wandering about the environs of Albany.
43 P. M. Embarked. On stepping on board the sloop Magdelene, captain Wendal, I recognized Mr. Cuyler, of Greenbush, from whom I had received civilities on my first visit to Albany in 1795, and father to Mr. Wm. Cuyler, of Bath, Steuben county, with whom I had formed a friendly intimacy during my residence in captain William- son's family.
Mr. Cuyler introduced me to my fellow-passengers, Mrs. Bruce, a widow lady of New York; and Mrs. Le
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Roy, his daughter, the wife of Mr. Robert Le Roy, mer- chant, of New York. I was so much pleased with the appearance of these ladies, as to be happy in so respecta- ble an introduction; while to them it was no little gratification to find that their future associate was no stranger, but one to whose protection Mr. Cuyler cheer- fully confided them as his aequaintanee and his son's friend.
Mrs. Le Roy had her two children with her; Jacob, about seven years of age, and Louisa, in her third year. Immediately after my introduction, Mr. Cuyler took his leave, and we set sail with a smart fair wind at N. W.
5 P. M. Grounded on the upper Overslaugh three miles. 7 P. M. Grounded on the lower Overslaugh, eight miles. As there was no prospeet of our getting over this shoal till the tide had attained its highest point, we took in all our sail and carried out an anchor into deep water. This lower Overslaugh has seldom more than eight feet of water upon it even in spring tides, and our sloop drew seven feet, though a great part of her lading was on board a lighter, and not to be shipped till we had passed these shoals which are a severe interruption to the navigation between New York and Albany, and which might otherwise be car- ried on in vessels of larger burthen than are now employed in this trade. There are a variety of channels among those beds of sand called the Overslaughs, and the main channel shifts almost every year. The remedy is easy : block up all the channels exeept one, and the water will accumulate there, and keep it ever free.
Having made all snug on deck, we sat down to an exeel- lent supper, which had been sent on board by Mr. Cuyler. I found the two ladies precisely what I wished ladies in a ship's eabin to be ;-- not so free and easy, as to forget the manners of the drawing-room; nor so starch and full of self-importance, as to raise contempt and disgust.
Hitherto I had voyaged with ladies too free or too con- sequential. Having at this time nothing to fear from coarse manners, or mistaken pride, I had only to guard against, and prevent, another source of mueh uneasiness and constraint, which, among those the best disposed for harmonious intercourse, inevitably arises from the want
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of that proper understanding which delicacy, seemingly, forbids. I thus opened the subject: "You will observe, ladies, that we all sleep in the same cabin; that a slight curtain only separates us. I know from experience that a system, understood by both parties, should be adopted for our mutual convenience; for where false delicacy has prevented explanation,-constraint, inquietude, and real indelicacy, has been the consequence. My plan is simply this :- that we sup at eight, breakfast at eight, and dine, as wind, weather, and circumstances permit ;-- that we chat and talk an hour or two after supper, when I will keep the watch on deck for an hour, -- time sufficient, surely, for you to put on your night-caps! one hour be- fore, and two hours after dinner, I will leave you in full possession of the cabin; but at no time do I wish to have exclusive possession of it myself, as I shall always make my toilet before breakfast. I am an early riser, and will walk the deck till you announce breakfast."
The ladies very kindly thanked me for yielding so much to their accommodation, assuring me, at the same time, that I had removed their only objection to the sloops, so superior in other respects to the journey by land. Plea- sant weather and fair wind, N. W. ; very bright moonlight night.
Saturday, October 4th. Went early on deck; the dawn brought a heavy fog.
7 A. M. Being high water, we endeavored to warp off the shoal; we succeeded only in part, and were obliged to wait another tide. It is always high water at Albany at the rising and setting of the moon.
8 A. M. The fog having dispersed, I took the boat and rowed to Castleton, on the E. shore, and having procured milk and eggs, I hastened back to breakfast. On the W. shore I noticed Colonel Nicol's house, where we landed the accomplished tutor of his children on my voyage up. An island which lay a short distance above us, I recog- nized to be Overberg or Highhill island, which in June last afforded me nothing better than sour cherries; I de- termined, therefore, to try my fortune after breakfast on a smaller island that lay nearer to the sloop, and was
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about two miles in length. I took two hands in the boat with me, and finding the island uninhabited, we took for- mal possession of it. The province of discovery was left to me, while my companions undertook to proeure a mess of fish.
There was great plenty of good timber on the island, and so much underwood, that I found it very difficult to make the tour of it. I collected the small black frost grape, and the large tough fox grape. I was informed that on some of the islands in this part of the Hudson, there were not only other species of the fox grape, but also a red grape, and a very fine white grape, both un- known in either parts of the United States.
On re-joining the two sailors at our rendezvous, I found that they had caught a dishfull of yellow perch.
On my return on board, I was sorry to observe that we had received two additional passengers, a Mr. Thur- man, and his niece, Miss Brazier.
6 P. M. Being high water we succeeded in warping off the Overslaugh. We now took on board our full lading from the lighter, our cargo consisting of four hundred barrels of potash, of four cwt. each, value £3 per ewt. or £4,800* New York curreney, being thirty dollars per barrel.
Falling calm we out sweeps, and rowed three miles, eleven miles from Albany, when we came to an anchor. Very fine day and night.
Sunday, October 5th. As the moon set the fog rose.
91 A. M. Fog cleared off with a light air from the north.
10 A. M. Light head wind from the south.
Noon ; drifted to leeward of an island opposite to Coey- man's twelve miles. Here was another detention, but fully compensated to the original party, by the beauty of the surrounding scenery, and the harmony of our society, Mr. Thurman was a sensible person, of a quiet and se- rious east. His nieee was apparently of an unsociable disposition, which every effort of ours to amend proved
* As the New York currency is eight shillings the dollar, £4,800 is 12,000 dollars, or £2,700 sterling.
Maude's Visit to Albany in 1800. 133
unavailing. She seemed best pleased when left to her own meditations ; and these, judging from her countenance, were not very profound.
As for Jacob, he was too wild for his mother, and was put entirely under my care. Louisa was my little dar- ling. In the evening I took Jacob with me (a great favor), and made a trip to the village of Coeyman's, consisting of about thirty houses on the W. shore, and at the mouth of Cocyman's-kill. Visited general MeKay's. Calm morning ; rain in the night.
. Monday, October 6th. During the whole of this morn- ing we had a severe storm of wind and rain, thunder and lightning from the south. Our situation to leeward of Coeyman's island, which we yesterday considered as a piece of bad fortune, now turned out to be the most se- cure situation we could have chosen.
3 p. M. The storm having spent its fury, and the wind having got into the W. and being moderate, we got under weigh.
3.4 P. M. Abreast of Baltimore, fourteen miles. This is a shabby village on the W. shore, and contains about twenty-five houses.
. 5 P. M. Abreast of Mr. MeMachin's house, near Kinder- hook landing, on E. side, twenty miles. Moderate as was our present rate of sailing, we made still less progress in the night, the wind having less influence than the tide.
Tuesday, October 7th. 1 A. M. Came to an anchor off Lunenberg, thirty-four miles.
6 A. M. I took the boat and allowing my young friend to accompany me, we erossed over to the E. side of the river, and landed at the city of Hudson, thirty-four miles, where we procured milk. bread and beef, but no porter could be had. Jacob was quite delighted with the fre- quent trips I made on shore, when I never failed to take him with me, if circumstances would admit of it. It had two beneficial effects: it put him on his good behavior, and tranquilized his mother, who never thought him safe but when I had charge of him ; for, like a true " Pickle," his delight was to alarm her by running into danger: the more danger, the more fun. Louisa saw her interest in
12
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these expeditions ;- she never was forgotten in our traf- ficking with the natives ; she took care to be the first to rummage the basket, and generally found something for her own store-room.
8 A. M. Weighed anchor. The wind being S. we had to beat down the river.
10 A. M. Abreast of the village at the mouth of the Catskill, forty miles. It is a pretty situation in Jay's valley. We had a fine prospect, including the Catskill mountains. On the opposite or E. side of the river was Oakhill, the seat of John Livingston, Esq., of New York. Forty miles. Up topsail.
11 A. M. The old manor-house of the Livingstons, on E. side, forty-two miles.
23 P. M. Chancellor Livingston's and his mother's house, a fine situation, fifty miles. Wind increased. Down top-sail.
31 P. M. Abreast of the pretty and well-built, village of Redhook, E. side, fifty-two miles. The Catskill moun- tains now appeared to their greatest advantage.
4} P. M. A stately house, built by John Livingston, which, with two hundred acres of land, cost fifty thousand dollars, E. side, fifty-six miles. When we were abreast of the Esopus meadows, (sixty-miles), we thought it time to fill our water-casks, but to our vexation this work had been deferred too long, for the water was already brackish, at this distance of one hundred miles from New York. The captain, in justification, assured us, that he had never known the water brackish so high up the river; that the water is generally fresh in the Highlands, and sometimes even in Haverstraw bay, sixty miles below our present situation.
10 p. M. Abreast of Poughkeepsie, E. side, half way between Albany and New York, eighty miles. The wind had been very variable the whole day, and our rate of sailing about three knots an hour. Fine clear weather.
[The above will suffice to show the mode of passage, and the facilities afforded for a trip to New York by water, half a century ago.]
( 135 )
ALBANY COUNTY.
From Mather & Brockett's Geography of the State of New York.
1845.
Square miles, 515.
Population, 77,268.
Organized, 1683. Valuation, $15,603,161.
TOWNS.
1. Albany, 1686. 6. Berne, 1795.
2. Watervliet, 1788.
7. Guilderland, 1803.
3. Rensselaerville, 1790. 8. Westerlo, 1815.
4. Coeymans, 1791. 9. Knox, 1822.
5. Bethlehem, 1793. 10. New Scotland, 1832.
Mountains. Helderberg hills.
Rivers, &c. Hudson, Mohawk, Norman's kill, Cocymans creek, Haivnakraus kill, Provost creek, Foxes creek. Falls. Cohoes falls.
Cities and Villages. Albany, West Troy, Coeymans, Rensselaerville, Cohoes.
BOUNDARIES .- North by Schenectady and Saratoga counties; east by the Hudson; south by Greene; and west by Schoharie county.
SURFACE .- The surface is much varied. Along the Hudson, extends an alluvial valley, from a fourth of a milc to a mile in width. From this vallcy the land rises abruptly, 140 feet, and thence a table land gradually ascends, to the base of the Helderberg hills. Along the Mohawk, the surface is rugged and broken.
The Helderberg hills extend through the western part of the county, uniting, on the south, with the Catskill range. They are from 400 to 500 feet in height, and very precipitous. Their elevation is quite uniform, dis- playing no isolated peaks.
RIVERS AND STREAMS .-- The county is well watered. Besides the Hudson and Mohawk rivers, which partially bound it, the Norman's kill, Coeymans creek, Haivna- kraus kill, Provost creek, Foxes creek, Boza kill, Vlaman's kill and the Patroon's creek, are the principal streams.
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Most of these, as well as several smaller streams, have valuable waterfalls, affording great facilities for manufac- turing.
The Cohoes, or Great Falls of the Mohawk, at the village of Cohoes, lie partly in this, and partly in Sara- toga county. The river here descends, at a single leap, 70 feet, and then pursues its way, over the rocks, in the channel, which its waters have cut through the solid rock, to the depth of more than 100 feet, to the Hudson. Few cataracts possess more picturesque beauty.
RAILROADS .-- The Troy and Schenectady, and the Mo- hawk and Hudson railroads, cross the northeastern sec- tion of the county, and the Catskill and Canajoharie, the southeastern.
CLIMATE .-- The climate is quite variable, being subject to great extremes of heat and cold. Though unfavorable to those affected with pulmonary diseases, it is considered as generally healthy.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALOGY .-- The geological formation of the county is transition ; graywacke and slate are the prominent characteristics of the banks of the Hudson and Mohawk. In the Helderbergs, are found lime and sandstone, both abounding in organic remains.
In the elevated table lands, lying between the Helder- bergs and the Hudson river, are thick beds of blue and yellow marl, of clayey consistence, and destitute of fossils. They are covered with yellow sand. Bog iron ore is found in numerous localities in the county. Marl and water limestone also abound. There are several mineral springs, some of which contain sulphuretted hydrogen, others car- bonic acid gas, iron and magnesia. Epsom salts are found at Coeymans landing, and petroleum in Guilderland. In the limestone cliffs of the Helderbergs, are several exten- sive caverns, containing quartz and other crystals, stalac- tites and stalagmites of great beauty; calcareous spar, bitumen and alum also occur in the county.
SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS .-- A portion of the soil is fertile and productive, and most of that which was naturally sterile, has, by the skill of the husbandman, been made to yield abundant returns. Considerable tracts, however, are not susceptible of cultivation. The timber
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of the county is principally pine, hemlock, oak, hickory, elm. chestnut and birch.
PURSUITS .-- Agriculture is the pursuit of a majority of the inhabitants. This may be reckoned as one of the grain growing counties, although not one of the most productive. Oats, corn, rye, buckwheat and barley, are the principal grains ; potatoes are raised in considerable quantities. The western part is favorable to grazing, and butter is there largely produced. The number of sheep in the county is large, and increasing annually.
Manufactures also occupy the attention of a large number of the citizens of the county. In 1845, these considerably exceeded two and a half millions of dollars, of which about two millions were produced in the city . of Albany. The principal articles manufactured were, iron ware, flour, malt liquors, coaches and sleighs, ma- chinery, cotton and woollen goods, brick, cordage, oil and oil cloths.
Commerce .-- The navigation of the Hudson river, and the Erie and Champlain canals, furnishes employment to large numbers, and this commerce is increasing, in a rapid annual ratio. Tolls were received, in 1845, in the county, upon produce valued at about twenty-seven millions of dollars. About thirty-five steamers, seventy tow-boats, and 630 sloops and schooners, besides scows, &c., are employed in the Albany trade, on the Hudson. The total amount of shipping, belonging to the county, is about 60,000 tons.
STAPLE PRODUCTIONS .-- Oats, corn, rye, barley, buck- wheat, butter and wool.
SCHOOLS .-- There are, in the county of Albany, 160 district school houses. In 1845, schools were taught, on an average, ten months. During that year, 14,600 child- ren were instructed, at an expense of about $25,000, for tuition. The district libraries contained about 29,000 volumes. There were also in the county, the same year, 111 unincorporated private schools, with 3,856 pupils; three academies, and two female seminaries, with 637 pupils ; one state normal school, with 294 pupils ; and one medical college, with 114 students.
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RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS .-- Methodists, Dutch Re- formed, Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Friends, Unitarians, Lutherans, Congregation- alists, Universalists, and Jews.
HISTORY --- When Henry Hudson ascended the North river, in 1609, he despatched Hendrick Corstiaensen, with a small crew, in a boat, to ascertain the highest point to which that river was navigable. Corstiaensen penetrated as far as Troy, or Lansingburgh, but landed at the present site of the city of Albany.
In 1611, or 12, he returned and erected a trading house on Boyd's island, a short distance below the Albany ferry. In the ensuing spring. this was so much injured by the ice and the freshet, that he was compelled to abandon it. He then erected a fort on a hill about two miles south of Albany.
In 1623, a fort was erected near the present Fort Orange Hotel, in the city of Albany, mounting eight large cannon .* It was named Fort Orange, in honor of the Prince of Orange, who, at that time, presided over the Netherlands. This fort was intended to subserve the double purpose of affording convenient accommodations for the traffic with the Indians, and also of serving as a protection against sudden attacks from them. It was only occupied during the autumn and winter, by the traders, whose object was trade, not colonization.
In 1630, Kilaen Van Rensselaer, a wealthy pearl mer- chant, of Amsterdam, purchased, through his agents, a large tract of land, including most of this, as well as seve- ral of the adjacent counties.
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