Слике страница
PDF
ePub

forty. Nearly the same number of the enemy were killed, and about fifty taken prisoners.

VILLAGES. JOHNSTOWN is a fine and thriving village, in the town of the same name. Its location was selected by Sir William Johnson, and several of its public edifices erected by him.

It has a flourishing academy, the bell of which was the gift of Queen Anne, to a chapel called after her, which was destroyed. during the revolution. It is the county seat. Population 1000.

Kingsboro' is another village in the same township, famous for the manufacture of deerskin gloves and mittens. It has an academy of some note. Population 400.

Gloversville, in the same township, is also celebrated for the manufacture of mittens, gloves and moccasins, of buckskin. Population 400.

At the confluence of Mayfield creek with the Sacandaga river, is the Fish House village, so named from Sir William Johnson's summer residence, which stood at this point, and at which he was accustomed to spend a considerable portion of each summer, in hunting, fishing and rural amusements.

About 1000 acres of the Vlaie, or great marsh, extending over some 5000 acres, lie in this vicinity, and afford a valuable range for cattle in the dry season, and a fine fishing and hunting ground for the sportsman.

Rawsonville, in the town of Broadalbin, is a village of some importance. Population 500.

mercy to any, however innocent and helpless, who had implored it at his hands, begged for quarter from the Indian. "Me give you Sherry valley quarters," was the broken reply of the savage; alluding to the bloody massacre of Cherry valley, in which Butler had acted so conspicuous a part. With this answer, he buried his tomahawk in the brain of the murderer.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed]

1. Wells, 1805.

2. Lake Pleasant, 1812.

3. Hope, 1815.

4. Morehouse, 1835.

TOWNS.

5. Arietta, 1837.
6. Long Lake, 1838.
7. Gilman, 1839.

Mountains. EE. Kayaderosseras. GG. Chateaugay. HH. Clinton range. JJ. Au Sable range.

Rivers. a. Sacandaga.

Canada Creek.

b. Oxbow. c. Moose. d. Indian. f. West

Lakes. h. Teralt. j. Long. k. Oxbow. 1. Piseco. n. Pleasant. Villages. PISECO. Lake Pleasant.

BOUNDARIES. North by St. Lawrence and Franklin counties; East by Essex Warren and Saratoga; South by Fulton and Herkimer, and West by Herkimer, counties.

SURFACE. The surface of this county is mountainous, four chains of mountains traversing it, viz: the Kayaderosseras, Clinton, Chateaugay and Au Sable ranges. Much of it is covered with dense forests and lakes, presenting to the eye an appearance very similar, probably, to that of New England, two hundred years ago. The hills are generally susceptible of cultivation, the soil being strong and productive, and considerable tracts as arable and fertile as the timber lands of the west.

RIVERS. The principal streams which drain the county are the Racket, Indian, Sacandaga, Oxbow, Moose and Beaver rivers, and West Canada creek.

LAKES AND PONDS. These are almost innumerable, and in the purity of their waters, the picturesque and majestic scenery which surrounds them, the abundance of trout and other fish which they afford, are equal to any in the world.

Long, Indian, Racket, Transparent, Clinch, Crotchet, Pleasant, Round, Piseco, Elm, Oxbow, Beaver and Squaw lakes, are the principal. The forests abound with deer and other game, not excepting panthers, bears, catamounts and wolves.

CLIMATE. From its elevation, as well as the density of its forests, the climate is cold, and the winters long.

GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. The county belongs almost entirely to the great northeastern primitive formation; and its rocks are mainly granite, gneiss and hypersthene.

Iron has been discovered, and probably the other metals and minerals of a primitive country exist. The ore of iron discovered is the magnetic, and of excellent quality.

VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The timber is principally beech, maple, black birch, butternut and elm; the lower range of hills

produces pines of gigantic growth. Portions of the county are well adapted to the culture of grain.

PURSUITS. The inhabitants are mostly devoted to agricultural pursuits and fishing. The county possesses much land suitable for grazing.

The manufactures are principally domestic.

STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. Butter, cheese, lumber, corn, oats, buckwheat and potatoes.

SCHOOLS. There are twenty-six schools in the county, attended by 690 children. The number of months in which schools were taught, during the year 1846, was five, and the amount paid for teacher's wages $677. The number of volumes in the district libraries was 1043.

There is one private school in the county.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Baptists and Methodists. There are three churches and three clergymen, of all denominations, in the county.

HISTORY. Very little can be said of the early history of this county. The first settlers probably removed from the counties of Montgomery and Fulton, into the wilderness. The first town was organized in 1805. In some sections of the county considerable bodies of Welch emigrants have located themselves.

VILLAGES. PISECO, on the Piseco lake, in Arietta, has been designated as the county seat. It is a small but pleasant village.

Lake Pleasant, on the lake of the same name, is a small village. It is a favorite resort for sportsmen and anglers.

[blocks in formation]

Villages. WARSAW. Attica. Genesee Falls. Perry.

BOUNDARIES. North by Genesee; East by Livingston; South by Allegany and Cattaraugus; and West by Erie.

This sum is exclusive of the three towns of Eagle, Pike and Genesee Falls, added in 1846, from Allegany county.

« ПретходнаНастави »