GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF THE COUNTIES. LAND PURCHASES REFERRED TO IN THIS WORK. IN the description of the several counties, references are made to the Manor of Rensselaerwyck, the Livingston Manor, the Kayaderosseras Patent, the Hardenburgh Patent, Phelps' and Gorham's Purchase, the Holland Land Company's Purchase, the Pulteney estate, the Military tract, Bingham's Purchase, Morris' estate, &c. The first three of these, are fully described in the general historical sketch, and in the description of the counties of Albany, Rensselaer, Columbia and Saratoga. The Hardenburgh Patent was granted at an early date to a Dutch citizen of wealth, and comprised the larger part of Delaware and Sullivan counties. Phelps' and Gorham's Purchase included the Holland Land Company's purchase, the Pulteney estate, and the Morris estate. The history of this purchase is as follows: The second charter of Massachusetts, granted by William and Mary in 1691, bounded the territory of that colony westwardly, by the Pacific Ocean: thus dividing the present state of New York into two parts, separated from each other, by a section of the width of the state of Massachusetts. The colony of New York, under the grants made to the Duke of York and Albany in 1664, claimed the whole extent of territory, at present included under her jurisdiction. These conflicting claims gave rise to long and harassing disputes, and protracted legal proceedings, but on the 16th of December, 1786, the controversy was settled, by a convention between the two states, concluded at Hartford, Conn. By this convention, Massachusetts ceded to New York, all claim to the government, sovereignty, and jurisdiction, of the lands in controversy; and New York granted to Massachusetts, the right of pre-emption, (or first purchase,) from the Indians, and when so purchased, the fee simple of the soil, of all that part of the state, lying west of a meridian drawn through Seneca lake, except a tract one mile wide, along the shores of Lake Erie, and the Niagara river; a territory now comprising thirteen entire counties, and the larger part of Wayne county, and containing nearly 600,000 inhabitants. On the first of April, 1788, the state of Massachusetts contracted to sell to Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham, the right of pre-emption, to the whole of this vast tract, for the sum of one million dollars, to be paid in three equal instalments. On the 8th of July, of the same year, Messrs. Phelps and Gorham made a treaty with the Indians in the neighborhood of Canandaigua, by which the Indian title was extinguished to the tract lying east of the Genesee river, and a tract extending twelve miles west of that river, from York, in Genesee county, northward to the lake. This tract was confirmed to the contractors, by the Massachusetts legislature, in November, 1788. In February, 1790, Messrs. Phelps and Gorham, having paid $666,666, on the purchase money, and being unable to pay the third instalment, at the time agreed, proposed to the state of Massachusetts, to surrender to the state the remaining portion, to which the Indian title was not extinguished, and should the amount already purchased of the Indians, prove more than one-third of the whole tract, to pay for the excess, at the average price of the whole. This proposition was accepted. On the 18th of November, 1790, Messrs. Phelps and Gorham sold to Robert Morris, all of their tract east of the Genesee river, except the portion already sold to settlers, and two townships reserved to themselves. The tract thus sold, contained 1,264,000 acres, and Mr. Morris paid about $200,000 for it. The lands surrendered to the state of Massachusetts were sold to Samuel Ogden, and by him to Robert Morris, who extinguished the Indian title for the sum of $100,000. Mr. Morris, by this purchase, became possessed of the greater part of the tract, originally purchased by Messrs. Phelps and Gorham. Mr. Morris, soon after, sold to a company formed in Holland, a portion of the land thus purchased, comprising 3,200,000 acres, and including the present counties of Erie, Niagara, Chautauque, and Cattaraugus. This company was known as the Holland Land Company, and their tract as the Holland Purchase. They established a land office at Batavia, and sold the land to actual settlers. Those lands which remained unsold, were, after a time, transferred to other associations, but by far the larger part, are now owned by the inhabitants. The tract purchased of Phelps and Gorham, by Mr. Morris, was sold by him, to Sir William Pulteney, and hence called the Pulteney estate. It comprised nearly all of Steuben, Yates, and Ontario counties, the east range of townships in Allegany, and the principal part of Livingston, Monroe, and Wayne counties. About one-third of the whole tract had been sold to companies and individuals, previous to Sir William's purchase. Mr. Williamson was appointed his agent, and opened land offices at Geneva and Bath. To his energy, public spirit, and liberality, the people of those counties are much indebted. The tract lying between this estate, and the Holland purchase, was retained by Mr. Morris, and sold by him to actual settlers. It embraced portions of Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, and Allegany counties, and contained 500,000 acres. The Military tract, or rather tracts, for there were two to which this name was applied, were bounty lands, granted by New York, to her soldiers, who had served during the revolutionary war; an appropriation of 600 acres was made to every private soldier, and larger quantities to the officers. The act, granting these lands, was passed in 1786, and the grant was made, with the proviso, that the Indian title should first be extinguished. The lands thus granted, comprised the present counties of Onondaga, Cortland, Tompkins, Cayuga, Seneca, and part of Oswego, and Wayne. It contained 1,680 000 acres. As, however, the Indian title was not immediately extinguished, the legislature, the same year, appropriated twelve northern townships in the present counties of Clinton, Franklin, and Essex, containing 768,000 acres, to the location of revolutionary patents. This was called the Old Military tract. The Indian title to the other traɔt, however, being extinguished in 1789, the greater part of the bounty lands were located in Onondaga, and the adjacent counties. Bingham's Purchase was a tract some twenty miles square, lying partly in Broome county, and partly in the state of Pennsylvania. It was purchased by Messrs. Bingham, Wilson, and Cox, of Philadelphia, in 1785. Immediately north of this, was another purchase, made the succeeding year, by a company from Massachusetts, and containing 230,000 acres. There were sixty proprietors in this company. Large tracts of land are also held in the counties of Jefferson and St. Lawrence, by the Messrs. Van Rensselaer, and Governeur Morris; and in different sections of the state, by Gerrit Smith, Esq., of Peterboro, Chenango county, and the heirs of the Messrs. Wadsworth, of Livingston county. Mountains. g. Helderberg Hills. Rivers, &c. C. Hudson. 6. Berne, 1795 10. New Scotland, 1832. F. Mohawk. h. Norman's kill. c. Cof. Foxes eymans creek. d. Haivnakraus kill. e. Provost creek. creek. Falls. b. 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 mile to a mile in width. From this valley 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, displaying 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, Haivnakraus kill, Provost creek, Foxes' creek, Boza kill, Vlamans kill, and the Patroon's creek, are the principal streams. Most of these, as well as several smaller streams, have valuable waterfalls, affording great facilities for manufacturing. The Cohoes, or Great Falls of the Mohawk, at the village of Cohoes, lie partly in this, and partly in Saratoga 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 Mohawk and Hudson railroads, cross the northeastern section 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 fond lime and sandstone, both abounding in organic remains. In the elevated table lands, lying between the Helderbergs 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 carbonic 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 extensive caverns, containing quartz and other crystals, stalactites 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 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, machinery, 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, beside 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. butter and wool. Oats, corn, rye, barley, buckwheat, 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 children 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. RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Dutch Reformed, Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Friends, Unitarians, Lutherans, Congregationalists, Universalists, and Jews.* HISTORY. When Henry Hudson ascended the North river, in 1609, he despatched Hendrick Corstiaensen, with a small The religious denominations are given, throughout this work, in the order of their numbers, beginning with the most numerous. |