forty from east to west, being on the Essex border. Its average
length is about forty miles, and breadth twenty-five. These give



8TATR or NTW-TORK. 17

one thousand square miles, or «x hundred and forty thousand teres
of land, includine; the waters of lake George, &cc.

This county has an elevated and broken surface. The Palmer-
town, Kayadcrosseras and Clinton mountains pt9s throorii h frofn
north-cast to south-west. The soils arc mostly light, ^andy loams».
and sand ; occasionally clays occur.

The Hudson holds a dinL'onal cour»c through this countv. letr-
inj5 some over two-fifilis uf rtwardly of it. Its direction, after en-
lering from Kisex, is south-easterly alx>ut twenty-two miles,
and then soiitli-weslcrly about six. Here it flows southerly fif-
teen miles, nn<l constitutes the Iwundary l>etween lliis county
nnd Saratoca. Its course is ilim east north-east to the south-
eastern corner of the coimty, fourteen miles in a straight line ; but
somr more by its windings. I n the latter distance it also forms the
boundary ns brforc. Tin* Srhroon issues out of the lake of th«
same name, and pursues a southerly course, inclining to the we* to
its ontrnnce into the Hudson. Sionebridee creek, and the outlet of
Hrnnt lak«! join it. The norlh-oaslerly branch of Sacondaga river
has its origin in Johnsburg, in the north-western part of the county,
and passes olF into Hamilton. East Siony creek, which falb into
Sacondnga river, originates in the south-westerly part of the co*jnty.
Above half of lake George is in this county, nnd nearly half of
Scbraon lakr. Hrant lake, French Pond, &u:. are also in the same
counfy.

Warren, in 182ft, conlaincd ten thousand nine hundred and six
inhabitants, and was subdivided into nine towns. It contains the
villages of GIrn's Falls, and Caldwell. Tlie improved land, io
lS2r>, comprised fifty-two thousand three himdred and forty-seven
acres, not quite the one-twcllth of the whole. The average popu-
lation to tiie square mi''" is eleven. This county \va= erected
iMarch 12, 1813.

Forts William Henry nnd George were in this county, at the
head of lake George. Few vestiges of the former remain. Th&
latter is in a very ruinous condition. The first was constructed h>
1755, and taken in 1756, by the French, under the Marquis de
Montcalm, after a short siege. Tiie second was erecved ia

VOL. II. * 3



JS HISTOET OF THE

1 757. The British and colonial troops employed in ihc reduc-
tion of Canada encamped here.

On the east side of the road leading from Glen's Falls lo the head
of lake George there is a small sheet of water, called the Bloody
pond, on account of an action fought on its border, between a de-
tachment of the British and colonial iroojis and the French, in
whicii the former were defeated.

Hamilton, which is not yet organized for want of a sufikicnt
population, is bounded on the east by Essex and Warren, on the
south by Montgomery, on the west by ihe uninhabited part of Her-
kimer, and on the north by St. Lawrence and Franklin. This
county is little else than one continued forest. In fact it may be
said to be surrounded by woods. The adjacent parts of Herkimer,
St. Lawrence, Franklin, Essex, and we might also add, those of
Warren and Montgomery, are still in a state of nature ; the few
settlements along Sacondaga and Hudson rivers, scarcely forming
exceptions. Hamilton embraces that elevated portion of the stale
from whence the Hudson, Sacondaga, Black and Racket river.s,
and the East and West Canada creeks derive their sources. It
is traversed by severardiains of mountains : besides being sprin-
kled with countless anri almost nanieless lakes, and ponds. The
soil, except in some few places, is poor and barren.

Hamilton is fifty-six miles in length from north to south, and twenty-
eight in breadth from east to west, and contains one thousand five
hundred square miles, including water ; or nine hundred and sixty
thousand acres of land. It is subdivided into three towns, and in
1820 contained about one thousand two hundred and fifty-one in-
habitants. Its population is not in the table furnished me by I\Ir.
Campbell, the deputy Secretary of State, being included under that
of Montgomery. That of 1820, is taken from Dr. H. G. Spafford's
Gazetteer, of 1822. The improved land, in 1820, according to
the same author, amounted to only three thousand one hundred and
seventy acres, which was not quite the three-hundredth part. The
general elevation of the country, exclusive of mountain ranges, is
from one thousand five hundred to two thousand feet above the



sTATt or !«ew-Tam&. 19

ocean. The count jr wai tct off from MontrOtoery m ib€ n inter of
I81C.

Sf HENr-rTAUT 1, .')• br Snnipja, w«t-

irtrtWy tnd north - u) M -v, ^fstwtrdlr tad

•outh-Wf^'\Tar(!!y by ?>' , »nd ►- . .^ .i.ii* , or ncaHy », br

the •am<; cr)uiity tnd A. ;>..... . In fiorm, «khoui,h not • «»; - -'»

■pproachci nrarcr if '''^" •• ^ ' 'her . If J Icncth oo its ;

»idc is l\fl»nt\ -fivp i \ drniri throMr'i it* rrntrf, ^>.m

Sarnto{!;a to ^ , «. (), ■,._

S«rntof»a border it h?^ n hrriiflfh of twenty mile^. nm^ nt the op-
jK>*il«5 lordir, in I ' ' f«Mir. ' inp 'tis »r^

froni the alKivc data, &:r. tre hav*- "d it to contain two

drod nn<l >ixry !««j'iir • llllI^•^, r«j'n! lo one hmnfrrd md tixty-rour
thousand ncrm of land.

Schenectady i* n and | Th«

Ittler nre nr<nind th« of Albany, 1"

Bton nnd Dn t hiil nin« a) nide of

Schiiharic m-iK. an 'y to thr ^' . ul.re It

tMul» in Kottrrdnm. iiicuvillc is n>o9tly «1 by an ekrated

ridpr of Innd, extrndinc from thr rounly o! SU» y v)uth-ea»-

terly within three mile^ of the rity. This ridpc, n:. ii>c one side,
tlescenils to the Icvil of the .Mohan' '' - : and «injhe other (Or

that of thr plains, and eharr" — - "m? connect the

hilN nnd plains, jjenerally ^j.. ... _ j . ,,; , ^.en to pood ad-

V«mnj»r from fhr plain nnwliirh Lnion collece standi The quality
of the lands (Iitrrr5 con- v. Alone ilir Mohawk fhe alluvions

nrc rich and hiijidy prtxluctive : in the hilly tracts the lands are
iisiinlly middlin!;, occasionally pood; in the cham]»aicns and plains
they nrc liclnish, nnd sometims barren.

The Molinwk crosses the comity in an east south-east direction
into Albany and Sarafo-'a. The Schoharie nms alonp its west
soiith-uesterly border four or five miles. The other streams are
Norman's Kill, Sand Kill, and Aelplas. In Duanesburgh mere is a
pond called Maria, which is two miles in circuit.

Schenectady county contains one city and five towns; these
being its»subdivisions. It was raised to the rank of a countv ilie 7th



20 HISTORY OF THE

of March, 1800. Its population, in 1825, was twelve thousand
eight hundred and sevent}'-six ; and its cultivated land sixty-seven
thousand seven hundred and sixty-two acres. The average inhab-
itants to the square mile are nearly fifty.

The city of Schenectady was founded between 1616 and 1620,
by some Hollanders. It is the oldest place in the state, we be-
lieve, after New-York, Albany and Kingston. In 1819, it suffered
severely by a conflagration, which consumed one hundred and sev-
enty buildings. The Erie canal runs through this county.

Montgomery is bounded on the east by the counties of Sar-
atoga and Schenectady, on the south-east by a part of the latter
county, on the south by Schoharie and Otsego, on the west by
Herkimer, and on the north by Hamilton. Its greatest length from
north to south is thirty-nine miles, and its greatest breadth from east
to west about thirty-seven. Making some allowances for the irreg-
ularities of its outlines, which are not great, it will be found to con-
tain about one thousand and eighty-eight square miles, equal to six
hundred and ninety-six thousand three hundred acres of land. In
1825 its population, after deducting one thousand two hundred and
fifty-one for Hamilton, amounted to thirty-nine thousand six hun-
dred and fifty-one. The improved lands, including those of Ham-
ilton, amounted to two hundred f»nd forty-three thousand three hun-
dred and thirty-five acres ; we shall, however, call them two hun-
dred and forty thousand. The average population to every square
mile is rather o\er thirty-six. But little over one third of the
lanil is cleared. The county is subdivided into sixteen towns. Its
villages arc Johnstown, Caughnawaga, Amsterdam, Canajoharie,
Palatine, Fort Plain, Johnsvillo, and Euphrata. It was erected in-
to a county by the name of Tryon, March 12th, 1772; subse-
quently it obtained its present name, in honour of Gen. Montgo-
mery, who fell at Quebec the olst of December, 1775.

Forts Johnson, Hunter, l*lain, Paris, House, he. were in this
county : they were small ; very few of their remains are now to be
seen.

Montgomery is diversified with mountains, hills, champaigns,
plains, and vailics. May field mountain, Cliphill, or as we have



STATE OF NEW-YORK. 2l

fcalled it in the first chapter of the preceding volume, Clinton moun-
tain, stretches in a south-westerly direction from the south-easterly
part of Hamilton to the Mohawk river at Anthony's Nose. North-
west of this there are some mountain ranges, but they subside before
they reach the latter river. The Kayaderosseras range of mountains
enters the county, but it soon falls to the level of the country. Flint
hill on the southeast is partly in this county and partly in Schenectady.
The Osquake hill courses along die southern borders of Canajoharie
and Minden, passing on the one hand into Otsego and Schoharie, and
on the other into Herkimer. The country on the south side of the
Mohawk, and westerly of the Nose, on the nordi side as far as the
forest, may in general be called hilly. Parts of Charlestown, most of
Root, some parts of Canajoharie, Minden and Palatine may be termed
champaign. That part of the county south-easterly of Clinton
mountain, and between the Sacondaga and Mohawk rivers, is either
champaign or plain. The country, on both sides of the Mohawk,
rises as you leave the valley. The valley extends east south-east
through the county. It is deep and somewhat winding.

The lands of Montgomery, if we except those on the north-west
side of Clinton mountain and north of the Black river road, are
commonly good, and comprise at least three-quarters of the county.
Those along the Mohawk, and in some other parts, rank with the
best in the state.

Montgomery is well watered. The Mohawk holds its course
through the county from west north-west to east south-east. Its
main tributaries are East Canada, Caroga, Cayadutta and Chuch-
tononeda from the north, and the Osquake, Canajoharie, and Scho-
harie from the south. These water the greater part of the county.
The Sacond-aga crosses the north easterly part from Hamilton to
Saratoga, and receives in its way West, Stony and Sacondaga
creeks. The Erie canal runs along the Mohawk valley.

Herkimer is bounded on the east by the counties of Montgom-
ery and Hamilton, on the south by the county of Otsego, on the
west by the counties of Oneida and Lewis, and on the north by the
county of St. Lawrence. Its extreme length is about ninety miles, but
its breadth is much less, varying from twenty-three down to ten



22 HISTORY OF THE

miles. Its average breadth is about eighteen miles, vvhich vvould give
one thousand three hundred and forty square miles, or eight hundred
and fifty -two thousand four hundred and eighty acres. The northern
and middle parts, comprising about nine hundred square miles, are
still covered with woods, and do not contain fifty familes. The south-
erly part, or that south of Black creek, of West Canada creek con-
tains the improvements and population, or what may be called with'
propriety the county. The unsettled parts, owing to the poorness
and barrenness of the lands, will not be populated to any consider-
able extent for many years. The population of this county, in 1825,
was thirty-three thousand and forty. The number of acres of im-
proved land in the same year, was one hundred eighty three thou-
sand one hundred and forty-eight acres, or about three-fourteenths
of the whole. The number of inhabitants to the square mile was
nearly twenty-five.

That part of the county which is settled is variegated with moun-*
tains, hills, champaigns and vallies. On the north is Tug hill, towards
the east Fall hill, while in the west is Hassencleaver, and on the south
the Osquake hill. The towns oi ]Mi\nheim, Warren and Columbia,
are chnmpaign. The remaining parts are in general hilly. The
Mohawk valley, which extends east south-easterly through the
coimty, lias great beauty. In some places it expands a mile. On
bnih sides, the country usually rises with considerable acclivity.-
The soil in general is fertile.

The county is watered by many streams. The IMohawk, which
ranks first in size, crossses the southerly part of the county in an
east snuth-oa<:t direction. It is augmented by I\l}er's, Steel's, Ful-
mer's and Nowadaga creeks from the south, ;md Staging's and West
Canada creeks from the north. The latter ct)nstitutes nearly one
Ijalf of ihe stream at the union. The West Canada crosses the county
on the north side of Tug hill, and for some way forms the division
line between Herkimer and Oneida. Below Trenton falls it turns
to the soulh-oast running wholly in the former county, and afterwards
southerly. Nearly the whole course of this stream is in Herkimer
and on its border. Black creek, north of Tug hill, falls into it.

East Canada creek, in the lower part of its course, is common to
Herkimer as well as Montgomery. Spruce creek that joins it is iis'



STATE OF NEW-YORK, 23

this county. The streams of note, in the unsettled parts, are Black,
Moose, Beaver and Oswegatchie rivers. The head-waters of the
Susquehanna issue from the southerly part of this county.

Herkimer was erected February 16th, 1791. It is subdivided
into seventeen towns. Its villages are Little Falls, Herkimer, and
Frankfort on the Mohawk; Middleville and Newport on West Can-
ada creek, and Fairfield.

Forts Herkimer and Dayton were in this county. The former
stood in German flats, and the latter where the village of Herkimer
is built.

The Erie canal runs through this county on the south side ofihe
Mohawk.

Onetda is bounded eastwardly by Herkimer, southwardly by
parts of Otsego and Madison, westwardly by part of Madison,
Oneida lake, and part of Oswego, and northwardly by Lewis.
This county is very irregular in its outlines. Its length from
north to south is forty-seven miles, and its breadth from east to west
forty-six; and the area about one thousand one hundred and twenty
square miles, being equal to seven hundred and sixteen ihousarid
eight hundred acres of land. In 1825, Oneida contained fifty-sev-
en thousand eight hundred and forty-seven inhabitants, being rather
over fifty-two to every square mile. The improved land, at the
same time, amounted to two hundred and twenty-lour thousand
nine hundred and nineteen acres, some under one third.

Oneida was formed into a county March 15th, 1798. It is subdi-
vided into twenty-two towns. Its villages are Utica, Whitesboro,
Oriskany, Rome and Deerfi'eld, on the Mohawk; New Hartford on
the Sauquait ; Manchester and Clinton on the Oriskany ; Vernon
on the Skanando, and Trenton on the Lowville road. Utica is
one of the largest and handsomest towns in the state, hs population
being eight tliousand.

Fort Schuyler was at Utica, and Fort Stanwix at Rome. The
latter is noted for sustaining a siege in the revolution. Colonels
Gansevoort and Willet commanded there. During the siege, the
Mohawk militia, while oil their march to relieve the fort, were to-



24 HISTORY OP THB

tally defeated by a detachment of the British army, a Tittle the-
other side of the village of Oriskany.

Oneida has diversity of aspect. The Highlands of Black river,
and Hassencleaver mountain, traverse and pervade the northerly
parts. Paris, Clinton, Stockbridge, and some other hills, ad-
vance from the south. Paris subsides near New Hartford, but
Clinton crosses the great western road. Between these hills are
fine valleys. The residue of the county, comprising the space
between the hills, Hassencleaver and the Highlands, and south-
westerly of them, as far as Oneida lake and Oneida creek, is ei-
ther level, or conveniently undulating. The southerly and south-
westerly parts of this county, have fertile soils. The northerly
and north-easterly parts, although containing comparatively no
barrens, have less favoured soils.

The Mohawk, which heads in Lewis, winds through the mid-
land parts of the county. Sauquait and Oriskany enter the Mo-
hawk from the south, and Deerfiekl from the north. Oneida creek,
which falls into Oneida lake, is common to this county and Ma-
dison. Skanando, is a branch of the latter stream. Fish creek
empties into Oneida lake. Wood creek joins it. The Mohawk
river, Oneida, and Fish creeks, with their branches, water up-
wards of three-quarters of the county. Black river and West
Canada creek, with their branches, water the north-easterly part.
The Erie canal passes through this county.

Schoharie is bounded eastwardly by Albany, south-eastwardly
by Greene, south-westwardly by Delaware, westwardly by Otsego,
and northwardly by Montgomery, and north-eastwardly by Sche-
nectady. Its greatest length, from north to south, is twenty-eight
miles, and breadth from east to west, twenty-seven. Taking its
length, and averaging its breadth, at twenty-two miles, it will be
found to contain six hundred and sixteen square miles, equal to
three hundred'and ninety-four thousand two hundred and forty acres.
The lands under cuhivation comprised one hundred and forty-
three thousand four hundred and sixty acres in 1825. The pop-
ulation, the same year, was twenty-five thousand nine hundred and
twenty-six, rather over forty to each square mile. The ratio of



iTATE or mtw-ioax. ftj

the improved land to the whole is as fourteen to thirty-nine, some-
thing over one-third.

Schoharie was established a county April Gih, 1795. It is sub-
divided into ten towns. Its villages are Schoharie, and Esperance.
This county is in general mountainous. The lofty Kaatskills cross
it on the south, while branches of the sanie mountains stretch north-
erly along the creek that gives the county its name. That on the east
side passes off into Schenectady, while that on the west side stops
near the court house. Cobuskill mountain, on the south side of the
creek of that name, extends from the confmes of Otsego to Scho-
harie creek. The hilly parts comprise ihe towns of Sharon, Car-
lisle, and parts of Cobus kill and Schoharie. These towns are
along the stale road, except Cobus kill, aad are in the northerly
part of the county. The hilly parts and the valley along Schoharie
creek are generally, fertile, but the mountainous parts are usually
moderately productive, or barren.

Schoharie is mainly watered by Schoharie creek and its branches.
The sources of Delaware river and Catskill creek are in this county.

In this, and the following section, we shall describe the counties
in the basin of the Delaware.

Sullivan is bounded norlh-eastwardly by Ulster, souih-east-
wardly by Orange, south-weslwardly by Delaware river, which se-
parates it from Pennsylvania, and norlh-westwardly by Delaware^
Its greatest length, from north-west to south-east, is forty-five milesj
and its greatest breadth, from north-east to south-west, thirty-seven.
Its contents, after deducting for the irregularities in its outlines, are
about nine hundred square miles, or five hundred and seventy-
six thousand acres of land. The improved land, in 1825, amoun-
ted to forty-one thousand six hundred and seventy-seven acres, a
little over the one-fourteenth of the whole. The population, the
same year, was ten thousand three hundred and seventy-three, ra-
ther over eleven for every square mile.

Sullivan is very much broken with mountains. The Blue moun-
tains, and several other ridges, cross it frotn south-west to north-
east, and, with their branches, overspread the greater part. Tfc©
lands, except in some of the valliesare poor and barren,

â–¼OL. II. 4



iQ HlSTORt or TR«

The Delaware runs along the south-westerly side of the county
for upwards of forty miks. Neversink river, which rises in Ulster,
ffows across it into Orange. Basler's kill also has part of its course
in this county. It falls into the Neversink after entering Orange.
The Mongaup', after a southerly course of twenty -five miles, falls
Tnlo the Delaware. Beaver kill, from Ulster, winds across the
north-westerly corner, in its way to Delaware county. The Run^
dout has its source in this county. It passes into Ulster. Besides
the streams noticed, there are some others; but we shall have to
omit them on account of their minor importance.

Sullivan is subdivided into nine towns It was erected into
a county the 27th of March, 1809. The Hudson and Delaware
canal has some part of its course in this county. It may be a
means of adding to its population. The Erie canal has had such a
tendency. Several flourishing villages have sprung up since its
location and construction, which had not an existence before. Such
are the benign efFects of internal improvements.

Delaware is bounded north-eostwardly by Schoharie, east-^
wardly by Greene, south-eastwardly by Ulster and Sullivan, south-
westwardly by Delaware river, which separates it from Pennsylva-
nia, westwardly by Broome and Chenango, and north-wcstwardly
by Oisego. Its greatest length, from north-east to south-west, is
fifty-three miles, and its greatest breadth, from north-west to souths
east, thirty-eight. It contains about one thousand five hun-
dred square miles, equal to nine hundred and sixty thousand acres
of land. The cultivated lands, in 182r), were one hundred and
fifiy-seven thousand eight hundred and forty-two acres ; very
nearly one-sixth. The same year the population was twenty-nine
thousand five hundred and sixty-fiive ; rather over nineteen to every
square mile. Delaware is subdivided into seventeen towns. It was
made a county the 10th of Marcli, 1797.

Delaware may be called mountainous. The Kaatskill mountains
bVerspread the north-easterly part of this county. Along the rivers
Papachton and Delaware ore mountain ranges stretching south-
westerly. The mountains of tliis county are, for the most part,



STAT£ Oi; N£W-¥OBK. S?

covered with a good depth of soil. Between and among the moun-
tain chains are many rich valleys.

Delaware river traverses the county lengthwise, in a south-wes-
terly direction, to Broome, dividing it into two nearly equal parts.
Here it turns, making a large sweep, dividing this county from
Broome, and takes a south-easterly direction, separating it from
Pennsylvania. Little Delaware, and other streams join it. '^he
Papachton flows throughout the whole of the south-easterly part of
the county, in a south-westerly direction, and then unites with the
Delaware. Charlotte and Susquehanna rivers, on the northwest,-
fiom the boundary of the county. Delaware and Papachton rivers,
with their branches, water most of the county.

Tile counties situated in the basin of the Susquehanna next clainl
â– oar attention. They are Oisego, Chenango, Broome, Cordand,
Tioga^ and Steuben. Otsego is on the Susquehanna proper;
Broome is mostly on that river ; Chenango is chie/iy on Chenango
river; Corlland is mainly on the Tioughnioga ; Tjoga is on the
Susquehanna and Tioga rivers ; and Steuben is on the latter river,
Conhocion and Canisteo. These counties are hilly and mountain-
ous.

Otsego is bounded northwardly by Oneida, Herkimer and
Montgomery; eastwardiy by Schoharie, south south-eastwardly by
Delaware and Schoharie, and westwardly by Chenango and Ma-
iiison. Its length, on the borders of Delaware and Schoharie, is
forty-five miles, and its breadth, in an opposite direction thirty-six*
It contains about eight hundred and fifty-square miles, or five hun-
dred and fortv-four thousand acres of land, -of , which two hundred
and sixty-eight thousand nine hundred and seventy-nine acres are
improved, being almostone-half of the whole. In 1825 the popula-
tion wns forty-seven thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight, rather
over fifty-six to every square mile. Otsego is subdivided into
twenty-two towns. Its principal villages are Cooperstown, Cherry
Valley, Butternuts, Burlington, and Unadilla. It was created ptoia
county February 16, 1791.

Otsego is diversified with mountainsj hills and valleys, and even