of*** .(V .» ./V ^0* vfwb 4 o ■ry ^ -0 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Sfe**- *W : •>/ BALLSTOM SF>A SCHOOL'S 1905 LIBRARY of CONGRESS Two Copies Received FEB 7 '906 r\ Copyright Entry Aj&c.irt, tqoS CLASS Os ' XXc No. ' ' COPY B. Copyright 1905 by Adelbert A. Lavery, A. M, PREFACE ? N" the ild be m ■ ■ ess oi vironn ..id conducts nuix ■ - ship. V surrounding commt iths, expands 1 - iish entht - En§ elop from child wt by the rah ■ - ■ ave a stanc . at he does raozo. The lattei I [Jpon the f oregoini " ame t - bnral steppinf - - re ant _:_. tej ----■-■■. ■ I - e . ' ■•■•■ - ete, si ate s he real to th< a with 1 i rocks, minerals, trees, flowers, and especially the industries should be a subject of individual investigation by each pupil. Not told by the teacher to be repeated by the pupil. The excuse for this publication is the needs of the pupils of Saratoga County. In the preparation of this work we acknowledge the aid of the Prin- cipals of the schools, from whose experience many valuable sugges- tions have been given. Respectfully, The Author. TOPOGRAPHY r \ BE v. -face of Saratoga ( . ——i v, wmtain. Along the Hudson *^«^J rising from an altitude of aboi f the 14 - to about s:x bun<] i « of Hadley. This valley is bordered or fcl - e ' from forty to t id feet buj Back fi running fceiiy from about South Glens Falls to the Mol river in Clifton Park, lie six towns: Moreau, Wilton, IS ind, Saratoga & and Clifton Park and parts of ot The :an?e.s of the Adirondack mountains the county. The Palme \ lamefrom lageai . - . - ig Park, t and be .f Lake Georf i Sug ' The :.'-- : ■ named fron - - the foot . ■ ■ Tja.T a eyintc Warren sountj Point. 3 a fcber- i or Edin trarghandl - E entei the telong to the X a the - tin in the 1 of Hadlej - ' eL SI ■ I .- te Tear of the < I the E sjes to Spier • Pal v. earl Port 1? " - ' Ehe Atianl The Mohawk river — Te-uge-ga of the Indians — rises north of Oneida Lake in the Adirondacks and runs southeasterly into the Hudson at Cohoes, and forms most of the southern boundary of the county. Be- sides its natural beauty the falls at Cohoes, — Ga-ha-oose, or the falls of the wrecked canoe of the Indians — furnishes splendid water power. Another important stream is the Sacandaga, which rises among the Adirondack mountains in Fulton county and enters the county in the extreme northwest corner of the town of Providence, and runs thence northeasterly into the Hudson river. The name means in the Indian language, the river of the sunken lands, from the meadows or dutch vlaie, later vey, thru which it runs for "about twenty miles in the valley between the Kayaderosseras and Palmertown ranges before en- tering the Hudson. This vlaie was long a favorite hunting ground, and here Sir William Johnson had his favorite hunting lodges. The Fish House still exists in the village of that name. The only large stream lying wholly in the county is the Kayaderosseras — named from the Indian hunting grounds bordering it. the hunting grounds of the crooked river — which rises in the Kayaderossei^as mountains in Corinth and Greenfield and runs thence southerly in the valley of the same name to Ballston Spa, thence easterly into Saratoga Lake. From there, as Fish Kill, it runs northeasterly into the Hudson river at Schuyler- ville. There are but few lakes in the county. Saratoga being the largest, Round Lake — Ta-nen-da-ho-ra of the Indians, Ballston Lake, — Sha-nen- da-ho-ra, of the Indians, and Lake Desolation so named from its ap- pearance. The Champlain canal with its barges and tows has taken the place of the Indian canal and the log rafts of the early settlers. A ride may be had on it from Whitehall at the head of Lake Champlain to Fort Edward ; thence down the east bank of the Hudson river to near the southeast corner of Northumberland where it crosses the Hudson and follows the west bank down to Waterford and Albany. What would the boats likely be loaded with going south f Going north ? And in the place of the Mohawk we can now travel on the Erie canal from Albany thru Albany county to Crescent where it crosses the Mohawk to its north bank and runs along its banks to Rexford Flats where it leaves this county, but we may go to Schenectady and on west to Buf- falo and Lake Erie. Tell what the boats would likely be loaded with going either^way. We may also travel by railroad from Albany to Waterford, Mechan- icville, Round Lake, Ballston Spa, Saratoga Springs and Gansevoort to Glens Falls, Montreal, etc. Also from Schenectady to Ballston Spa on the Delaware and Hudson railroad. From Saratoga Springs we may go to Schuylerville, or Mechanicville on the Fitchburg railroad. What would they carry besides passengers ? And where would they get their loads ~i Other pleasant trips thru the county may be made on the Hudson Valley electric road from Saratoga Springs north to YTilton, Fortsville, passing Mt. McGregor and to South Glens Falls. Or from Saratoga Springs on the Hudson Valley road to Ballston Spa, Round Lake. Mechanicville, TVaterford and Troy. From Ballston Spa we may take the Schenectady electric car and go to Schenectady, and from the same place the electric car for a pleasant ride up the Kayaderosseras valley to Middle Grove. Tell what of interest you would see on such journeys. ^sn HISTORY JS/ SHE County of Saratoga lies between latitudes 42 c 47' and 43' 22' north and longitude 74° west from Greenwich, being about forty-three miles north and south in its longest part, while its greatest width is about twenty-three miles east and west, containing eight hundred and sixty-two square miles, or five hundred and fifty-one thousand, six hundred and eighty acres. Many years ago it was a part of Albany County, but on February 7, 1791, they named all the land north of the Mohawk, and now included in the County, Saratoga, with four towns : Ballston, Half-Moon, Sara- toga and Stillwater. From Xew York almost to Montreal and the St. Lawrence river there is a remarkable depression between the mountains and thru this runs almost a continuous waterway, while for miles either side are high mountains. From Albany, west to Lakes Erie and Ontario is an- other similar fold or depression and waterway. In fact it is the only natural passage across the mountains until you reach Georgia on the south and the St. Lawrence river on the north. So naturally all of the Indians went thru these valleys on their journeys, and when the white men came they paddled their canoes over the same waters to trade with the Indians. Located in one angle formed by the meeting of these two great lines of travel lies our county. Find these lines of travel. In its eastern part was one of the five great beaver hunting grounds of the Iroquois Indians who lived along the Mohawk river on this line of travel to Lake Erie. Besides this the vallev of the Kavaderosseras was a favorite place for deer, and the Sacandaga river and valley for fish and deer. So you see the Indians were very fond of it. Those from the St. Lawrence valley — the Algouquins and the Iroquois (locate them)— were enemies and often fought over this hunting ground. Now we will go with one of these parties which has come down the Mohawk to the mouth of Alphlats — or Eel Place Creek — so named from the numher of eels found there. Their canoes were made from white birch bark, bound over a frame and held together by strips of deer skin, and made water tight by filling the holes with spmce gum. Each Indian wore moccasins, had a blanket, hatchet, knife, bow and arrows, and a spear for spearing fish. After paddling up this stream as far as they could they would carry their canoes to Ballston Lake, then down this and its outlet to about East Line, when they would carry their canoes again and this time to the Mourning Kill. (See Galway.) Then they could paddle all the way to Saratoga Lake, thru Fish Kill to the Hudson river, where they could hunt, or by going farther north could find their enemies. Sometimes they went down the Mohawk to just below Crescent, in the town of Halfmoon, and from here carry their canoes to the Hudson. Many times they went afoot from about Schen- ectady, up along Middle Line road to Milton Centre. From here they went northwesterly to near Lake Desolation, where they could join parties coming thru from Fonda, and could hunt, or go north just west of Mt. McGregor, to the Hudson, where, if they were going to fight the Indians of the St. Lawrence, they would cross and go to Lake George and then down Lake Champlain. From near Lake Desolation a trail ran east thru Wilton Village to the Hudson and later became a highway. But these trails were not like our roads, but a dim path winding thru the woods and brush. It was over the one from Cham- plain to Fonda that the first white man — the noble and lamented Father Isaac Jogues, a martyr to his faith — passed to his death near Tribes Hill — called by the Indians, Cach-na-na-ga — on the 18th of October, 1646. These trails, dyed by the blood of friends and foes were destined to play an important part in the making of the great United States. In fact to witness the most important victory in her struggle for independence — Saratoga, one of the fifteen most important battles known. Having the only open route to the great west upon her south- ern boundary, and to the north on her eastern, her fertile acres and noble pines and forests attracted early settlers. But before these the fur traders came to the great beaver grounds to buy furs of the Indians. Can you see the first settlers in their log houses, built in Waterford Village — then known as Half-Moon Point, or the Foreland of Half- Moon — as they settled among the trees about July 10th, 1664, the date the patent, or deed, was given to Phillip Pieeterseu Schuyler and Goosen Gerretsen? But the great beaver hunting ground was along the Hudson, farther north, and soon we find one, Bartel Vroman, liv- ing at Schuylerville — then Saratoga — where the Indian trail from the north branched, one going up the Batten Kill and over the mountains t'i the Connecticut valley, and one going west thru Wilton, as men- tioned above. This place grew until 1742, when it was burned by the Algonquins, who killed, or carried away captive, all the inhabitants but one, who escaped to tell the tale. Of its thirty houses, barns, mills and fort, nothing but the black and burned logs and the brick walls of Schuyler's house were left, and the beaver hunting grounds of Saratoga was again left for a while to the Indians. France and England were at war in 1690. During this winter a force of one hundred and four French and ninety-six Indians, commanded by D'Aillebant de Mantel and LeMoyne de Saint-Helene left Montreal on snow shoes and came over the ice on Lakes Chauiplain and George, down the Hudson to Schuylerville and from there along the trail to Schenectady, where on the 8th of February they fell upon the sleeping inhabitants, whom they killed or took prisoners, burned the town, and then retreated along the trail to Mt. McGregor and to Canada. From Schenectady to Montreal we think is a long journey, even by railroad, but on foot and in the deep snows of winter, with no tents, and the thermometer at times over 80° below zero, none but those brought up to such trials dare undertake it, and many of the captives died on that awful journey. However, the French must have considered it a suc- cess, for we find them again in the winter of 1693 attempting to destroy the Mohawk towns of the Five Nations. Count Frontenac, the able Governor-General of Canada, sent a force of six hundred and twenty- five men dressed in suits similar to those sometimes worn by toboggan enthusiasts, and wearing snow shoes. They soon reached Mt. McGregor and the hills of Greenfield, thence to the Mohawk where they destroyed three forts. Then with their plunder and more than three hundred prisoners they commenced their return. On the 23d of February they encamped about where King's station now is. Here one John Baj/tiste Tan Eps — captured in 1690 at Schenectady — escaped and reported the invasion to the settlements at Albany. Troops assembled at 5 nectady under Major Peter Schuyler to the number of two hundred and sev-nty-three whites and three hundred Mohawks and Oneidas, and attacked the French on the 27th. After a bloody battle lasting until dark and a fierce snow storm covering their movements, the French left their camp and hastily crossed the Hudson on the floating ice as the river was breaking up and was impassable when reached by Major Schuyler. The prompt action taken by Governor Fletcher and Major Schuyler in behalf of the Five Xations won the friendship of the Indians for the coming struggle, and taught the French a lesson. Peace was soon made only to be broken by Queen Anne's war, and we see Colonel Peter Schuyler leading an army north over the Hudson river trail towards Canada. On his route he built forts at Still- Schuylerville and Fort Edward, which,were the principal events. From Queen Anne's war to 1745,King George's war, the settlers could farm their lands, cut the timber or hunt in peace, and settlements were made rapidly. In 1747 Schuylerville was attacked June 30th, when twenty-eight or more were killed and forty-five made prisoners. As this was the last attack until the Revolution, and peace brought new settlers, let us go a hunting in this "great beaver hunting country" of the Indians. But you must promise to be very quiet, wear your moc- casins, so as not to crack the brush, and must not talk, or even cough, when we get neur the beavers' home, for they are very shy and know a great many things, as we shall see. First we must have a small party, as too many would frighten them and they would run away. We will go up the Batten Kill or some other small stream where they have built their houses, for they are good cai'penters and masons. They make their houses cone shaped of mud and sticks to hold them together. On the inside, just above the water level, was their floor where they lived. The front door was away down at the bottom, under water, as was their pantry, well stocked with twigs of birch bark and other nice barks for them to eat. At the foot of their yard they built a dam so that the water might not go down and leave the houses dry. Did you ever see a beaver? How do you suppose he built his dam ? First he cut down trees along the bank and floated them to the dam, where they were sunk and brush placed over them and the whole plastered with mud, which the beavers carried on their broad tails. But now we are near their houses and only the Indians can go still enough to the head of the pond. From this point they quietly swim clown to the houses, close and lock the front doors by putting in stones and sticks. Now we may go and break open the roofs and get the beavers. Great, fat, sleek fellows, whose flesh was considered finer than any other meat, while their skins were valuable, and at this time passed for money, for values were reckoned by beaver skins, there being but little money. Are you surprised that many farms were paid for by beaver skins ? Did you ever hear of Jane McCrea, the beautiful "maiden martyr of the Revolution ? " and did you know that she lived in this county ? About three miles below Fort Edward you could have seen her home — a log house and barn but neat and thrifty. Altho her brothers were then with General Schuyler at Stillwater, while David Jones — a neigh- bor's boy, her betrothed, was in the advancing army of General Bur- goyne. For the British were coming down the old Indian trail to try to whip our ancestors, just as the Algonquin Indians used to the Iroquois. Now Lieutenant Jones had been some time with the British. Miss McCrea wished to see him to secure protection from the Indians for every American fled from their route. On Sunday, the 27th day of July, 1777, she was captured by some Indians as she was about to reach the British army about two miles north of Fort Edward. In cold blood, without any good reason they murdered her and carried her 10 scalp back into the British ranks where her beautiful hair was recog- nized. This event so stirred the hearts of men that they rallied to the res- cue of the stars and stripes — Old Glory — and whipped the best troops that Europe could produce, and that here in our county. With the death of Miss McCrea the British doom was sealed on that July day. But it was not until Saturday, September 13, 1777, that the enemy's army first came into this county at Schuylerville as they had crossed the Hudson river in the extreme southeast corner of Northumberland. On the 15th they advanced to the Dovegat farm, on the 17th a further advance was made to the Sword's farm. General Horatio Gates, who took the command of the American troops from the noble Genera} Schuyler, with the American army was at Bemis Heights, where a fortification had been made from the Hudson to the Neilson farm, un- der the direction of the Polish patriot, Kosciusko. In the afternoon of the 19th, the first battle was fought, the English having advanced to the Freeman farm where they were stopped by the Americans. Har- rassed by the howling of the wolves and the determined American riflemen, who were the best shots in the world, the British lay here un- til October 7th, when Burgoyne left his camp, which he had fortified, for the purpose of finding out more about the Americans. Forming in line of battle so that his centre rested on the road running northerly from the Neilson house to Freeman's farm and about half a mile south of the Freeman house, he advanced, and at 2.30 p. m., the Now York and New Hampshire troops under General Poor had a hand to hand fight with them for half an hour when the English fled leaving many dead and wounded. But the American advance was checked thru the efforts of the gallant General Frasier. At this moment, General Benedict Arnold — later the traitor Arnold — rushed upon the field and with the famous Colonel Morgan and his expert riflemen, turned the tide of battle and the British fled again. Arnold charging the center of the enemy routed them again in confusion. Again he charged the Germans — the Hessians. Their colonel, Breyman, being killed, they surrendered, or fled, when the British retreated to Wilbur's Basin. Stopping long enough to bury the noble Frasier, who had been killed by one of Morgan's riflemen, the Americans ceased firing during the funeral for friend and foe alike honored such a man. The British con- tinued their retreat to the Dovegat farm and on the 9th, in a cold rain storm, crossed the Fishkill to the hills north of Schuylerville, where they encamped and built fortifications. The never tiring and elated Americans surrounded them and kept up a continual fire. Unable to retreat, their whole camp under fire, they at last were compelled to surrender. On the 13th, while considering their desperate state, an American cannon ball whizzed across the table around which the British officers sat. They agreed that surrender was best. Terms having been 11 agreed upon by General Burgoyne for the British and General Gates for the Americans, the British marched out, piled their arms and be- came prisoners. General Burgoyne having handed his sword to General Gates, the battle of Saratoga was over. At 3 p. m., October 17th, 1777, the last act was performed, and the prisoners took up their march for Al- bany to the tune of Yankee Doodle. One of the fifteen decisive battles of the world was won by the American farmers and then and there made possible the United States and our beloved "Old Glory," which the sons of Saratoga have ever been foremost to protect and honor. This county — the key to the situation in the north — was not to be given up by the British, who again invaded it in 1780 by one Captain Munro — a former merchant of Schenectady — and Captain John, of the Mohawks, left Crown Point to attack Schenectady. Passing thru Schroon Lake to Greenfield on the old Indian trail and later the govern- ment road, they reached Greenfield and encamped in the northwest corner of Milton. As Schenectady and Ballston Spa were too well protected they decided to capture Colonel James Gordon. On the night of October, being led by one James McDonald — a Tory, they went to Gordon's house on the Middle Line road — now owned by P. Heeney— captured the colonel and his family. Also Captain Collins, who operated Col. Gordon's mill, located where the Mourning Kill crosses this road ; also Thomas Barnum, John Davis, Elisha Benedict and his sons, Caleb, Elias, Pelix and many others. Then they retreated and crossed the Kayaderosseras at Milton Centre. They tied the hands of the prisoners and placed each in charge of two men, who had orders to kill their prisoners if they were attacked. Captain Stephen Ball with a detachment of militia started from the fort at Ballston Spa, in pursuit. But they were met at Milton meeting house by a messenger from Colonel Gordon, who advised that no attempt at rescue should be made, so Captain Ball returned. Taking the Indian trail to Mt. Mc- Gregor, the British reached Crown Point on the 24th and later Mon- treal. Colonel Gordon with other Ballstonians escaped from the Isle of Orleans, where they were confined, in a fisherman's boat and crossed the St. Lawrence and plunged into the hundreds of miles of forest be- tween them and liberty. After intense suffering, and when even those experienced woodsmen were so weak that they had to leave a com- panion by the side of a stream sheltered by brush, they came out at the settlement on Passamaquoddy Bay in Maine in 1783 and later re- turned to Ballston to take an active part in the community. Joe Bettys — a Ballston boy — embittered by the usage he received from the Americans, for no man fought more bravely than he at the battle of Lake Champlain, became a Tory. In 1781 he captured five men and took them to Canada, except Samuel ISTash, who escaped near Lake Desolation. Bettys having been once condemned and pardoned by General Washington, was at length captured by Jacob Fulmer and 12 Messrs. Perkins and Corey, of Clifton Park, about a mile west of Jonesville. Later he was convicted and hanged as a spy at Albany, and this relieved us of our most vicious enemy. This short history brings us to acts of peace and industry. The -county was erected February 7th, 1791. At this time there were four towns : Ballston, Ha If -Moon, Saratoga and Stillwater. From the ter- ritory then comprised in their limits the towns as now known have been formed : Ballston, Charlton, Clifton Park, Corinth, Day, Edinburgh, Galway, Greenfield, Hadley, Halfmoon, Malta, Milton, Moreau, Northumberland, Providence, Saratoga, Saratoga Springs, Stillwater, Waterford, Wilton. John Thompson of Stillwater was the first Judge ; Colonel James Gordon and Beriah Palmer of Ballston, Jacobus Van Schoonhoven of Half -Moon and Sidney Berry of Saratoga, Judges ; Sid- ney Berry, Surrogate; Jacob Fort, Jr., Sheriff; Dirck Swart. Clerk. The first Court House and Jail were located at Court House Hill, Ballston and first used in 1796. This was burned in 1815. The new buildings, which were erected in the Tillage of Ballston Spa were oc- cupied in 1819. To the Ballston Journal is accredited the honor of being the first newspaper of the county, appearing June 11, 1798 under the name of The Saratoga Register, or Farmer's Journal, edited by Increase and William Child, whose office was at Court House Hill. The trials, hardships and bravery of early settlement were all found here. But many heroes of the Revolution came to this famous county which has ever been known for its sturdy, wide-a-wake residents, ful of enterprise and patriotism. From a few inhabitants there soon grew a thrifty population of thousands, engaged in agriculture, manufactur- ing, lumber, iron, glassware, leather, etc. In 1861 the spirit of the heroes of the Revolution sent out the 77th N. Y. S. V., the "Bemis Heights regiment," sometimes called the Red Cross Regiment, under Colonel James B. McKean, which became one of the noted organizations of the army. Noted for its bravery and steadiness in the face of the enemy, and thus did honor to the name of Saratoga, and for which it stands. There were other brave sons of the county, but no complete regiment from this county in the army. Altho that was years ago, we responded again to the call of the nation in the Spanish-American war, when Company L went to the front under Captain Amos C. Rich, First Lieutenant John A. T. Schwarte and Second Lieutenant Obed M. Coleman, and though their service was short, the spirit of 1776 blazed anew in 1898. 13 OUTLINE FOR STUDY j& HE first work is to thoroly instruct the child in drawing ob- jects smaller than his paper. From this any familiar object larger than his paper, particular care being taken to use a scale, also a major and a minor axis. Continue this until the pupil thoroly understands these, then the school yard or other plats of ground well known. To much drill on scale and its uses will be largely due the success of the next step— the town in which the child resides Having mastered these the county should be drawn, the towns sketched and each studied and filled in by the pupil. Some order should be ob- served in this work, the teachers preference and judgment determining that. The teacher should acquaint himself with places where all types- may be observed. The smallest forms may be utilized, and there are but few localities where every one can not be found. Having prepared the children an excursion should be made, the types noted and ex- plained. After this the best of English lessons may be had from writ- ten description, or descriptions of others known to the child. The concrete is what children love and even the very young will tell, or write pages on objects of interest to them. This is english and no at- tempt should be made to distort it, until by comparison with the known,, fields beyond their vision may be made real to them. The following outlines should be observed :— 1 Position : — Map drawn to scale. (2) Boundaries, 2- Surface. 1. Elevations. 2. Depressions. re i — i a 1 rc> W 1 r % 1 "D < ft CD # 1 # 1* i pi ■ re & " $ ! g 5 [ ifl ; l ^ T~] §* |; ?p- ;] li-fj o) o V 1 r* __L_ o 1 1 o d s I •< 1 r | re 1 en 1 I > H m DO r- 1 70. «• 1 u ►0 te It- 1 f & s ft J! 1 ED M 1 &B ? i Pf.tA „ O K t 1 ^ Ot w R cd ■ 'J & 3 bj 53 re Pur' w 3- 5?j : J - '-'s Hi 00i -; -;.' ~ir^ re ca TOWNS OF THE COUNTY BALLSTON Ballston lies southwest of the centre of the County and contains seventeen thousand four hundred and fifty acres. Bound it. The surface is rolling and in the north sandy. Along the east side of Ballston Lake and in the western part are found good farming lands. It rises from three hundred feet in the southernmost corner to four hundred feet in the northern part at the Middle Line road. Ballston Lake — Colonial times, Long Lake and Sha-nen-da-ho-ra of the Indians — its largest body of water, lies in the eastern and southern part and has an elevation of two hundred and eighty-five feet. Its nut- let — Outlet Creek — flows northeasterly into Malta, thence southeasterly into Round Lake. The Mourning Kill — See Galway — rises in Galway and flows southeasterly into Ballston, thence northeasterly into Malta where it empties into the Kayaierosseras Creek, in the northwest cor- ner of that town. Michael and Nicholas McDonald settled upon the west shore of Ballston Lake in 1763 and are supposed to be the first settlers. It was at their house that Sir William Johnson passed a night on his first trip to High Rock spring (see Saratoga Springs) in 1767. But from the Rev. Eliphalet Ball, its next settler, the town was to take its name. He purchased four hundred acres at what has since been known as Acad- emy Hill and moved in in 1770; altho his deed was dated October 12, 1771. He paid ten shillings and his influence to settle the town for his farm. His daughter, Mary, became the wife of General James Gor- don (see history.) Mr. Ball was a third cousin of our first president, General George Washington. General James Gordon came also in 1771 and settled on the Middle Line road on the farm now owned by P. Heeney. He took an active part in the Revolution aud was promoted to the rank of General for his brilliant services. In 1780 he was taken prisoner during the Munro raid and carried a prisoner to Canada. From here he, with five others among whom were Henry and Christian Banta, Epenetus White, from Ballston, made their escape and crossed the St. Lawrence in a boat, made their way thru the Maine and New Hampshire forests to Passamaquoddy Bay in Maine, and thence to Ballston in 1783. Dr. Elisha Miller settled in 1770 on the farm now owned by Mr. Lahey on the east side of Ballston Lake near the outlet. Thru this town many an Indian raid has been made over the old In- dian trail from Schenectady to Alplaus Creek — Aal Phlaats— or Eel 17 Place brook— up the same to about a mile and one-half south of Burnt Hills ; thence overland to Ballston Lake; thru the lake and down its outlet to near East Line; thence by a short carry or portage to the Mourning Kill ; down this to the Kayaderosseras to Saratoga Lake and down Fish Creek to the Hudson. This town has the honor of being the residence of the late Honorable Neil Gilmour, Superintendent of Public Instruction, 1872-1883 and the county may well be proud of the fact— Hon. Gideon Hawley (see Charl- ton) the first and sixth Superintendents, men whose effortsdidso much for the schools, were residents of it. The town was originally called Ball's Town and was formed as a town from Saratoga in 1775. Besides the public roads the Schenectady branch of the Delaware & Hudson railroad from Schenectady to Ballston enters its southern border about the center and runs northeasterly to its noitheast corner. This road is paralleled most of the way by the Schenectady electric road connecting the same places. Ballston Lake and Burnt Hills are pleasant villages in the town and are the survivors of many other points which once were villages, but change of business has occasioned their decline. The most noted of which is Court House Hill, once the county seat. Farming is its sole industry, producing butter, milk, poultry, eggs, apples, potatoes, rye, oats, corn, etc. There are no large schools in the town, but a good graded school is maintained at Burnt Hills. The usual public schools are found in other parts. CHARLTON Charlton lies in the southwest corner of the county and contains twenty thousand two hundred and thirty seven acres. Bound it. The surface is rolling and very fertile, sandy loam in the south and clay loam in the north. In the western part is found lime stone, which was once quarried for building purposes and for lime. Being so level, for it runs from five hundred feet elevation in the eastern part to seven hundred and fifty feet at Blue Corners, its highest point, it has many streams and is well watered. The Alplaus Creek rises near its north- ern boundary, west of the centre, and flows southeasterly to its south- east corner and empties into the Mohawk in the eastern part Glen- ville, Schenectady county. A branch of the Mourning Kill (see Gal- Avay) rises in the eastern part and runs easterly and joins the main stream in Ballston and thence northeasterly thru Ballston and Malta emptying into the Kayaderosseras in the northwestern corner of Malta. Joseph Gonzalez settled in the southwestern part in 1770 and seems to have been its first white inhabitant. In 1774 Thomas Sweetman . 18 and David Maxwell settled in the town. Aboi t the i : me time John :r. John Taylor, brother of Hon. John W. Taylor, see H:- -- -..--. amb« ' : . - and others - - residents. The 1 feh ttl< ttei time? f 1 - ! - -" otion. Ir. 178i marauding band of the S1 Indians murdered -7 --; J-onzalez and bis sun Emanuel. His John. was earried ~. Canada and forced into the Bii1 in time* - - and education particul: rly, 1 town has a j ;-.-_.•- _ ■ . - f the state of 3ft S leonHawle] f the i tiers. He was a f be oi fc from 1813 to 1821. Depni entS- S- 1 - 1 no indiTidnal in tbe stat< : omm on school education m: re leepb " - i - e en1 ts infancy than to Gideon Ha~ - 7 Charlton is accredits I the first - tat* sing formed in 1836 for * •' mutual impr ■:■ vement It was organized from ] si 17,1792 and was named i Dr. Charlton, a physician in yew Tort d.tj tho previously Freeh* Id :: m Fret •". J. - n has no lines oi I - _ : spi ~ - : - .. - gi sits metropolis arltonand mlets A1— - " - - e industry is Terming. \- - - ■ - BaUston Spa and S toga Spri ng s products >fitsf€ '.le and well tilled soil. "Milk , br.--- oltry ■ Be ; - s1 - irlion Aeadem> tin If sdaprc minent place in the edueai strtul The Charlton Indnsl e - :f >"t^ V ; - - ti i . - - E t of the tows Home i fatal aing amagnifieenl txvi - thi CLIFTON P.^R-K I ins ":"_"" ' - ■ • 2 : c :. :' i genl - b of Tuggec Flats form celt I gi ntheMohawi tw and five feet, it ati " e i -our hm. Ixed f eei ! and west. There are several small streams flowing into the Mohawk and Hudson. The Mohawk bounds it upon the south. The soil is generally fertile, except in the north, where it is sandy. It is supposed that as early as March 4, 1009, it was settled by Jan Yerbeck, Philip Pieter Schuyler and Pieter Van Olincla and there are evidences that settlements were made even before, but no definite records have been found. The fertile valley and easy communication thru the Mohawk made it a favorite spot. Claes Jansen van Boeck- hoven bought the land at Niskayuna, which was earlier known as Canastigonie. Over this town many of the Indian raids were made. On the Jacob Van Vranken farm is an old Indian burial place. The Erie Canal — from Albany to Buffalo — runs along the Mohawk thru the southern part and across the river at Rexfords Flats on an aqueduct. The Schenectady branch of the Delaware & Hudson rail- road from Schenectady to Mechanicville enters the town near the south- western corner and runs northeasterly thru the town. This line is paralleled by the Fitchburg from Voorhees Junction to Mechanicville thence to Boston. The Schenectady electric road from Schenectady to Ballston Spa passes thru the northwest corner. The villages are Jonesville, Clifton Park Village, Rexfords Flats. Vis- cher's Ferry, Fort's Ferry, Grooms Corners. Originally this territory belonged to Halfmoon, but was organized as a town March 3d, 182S. Farming is the chief industry, producing grains, apples and potatoes, besides dairy farm products, hay, etc. The schools at present are the common schools of the state, but for- merly the Jones\ille Academy was a noted institution. CORINTH Corinth is one of the northern towns and contains thirty -six thousand four hundred and fifty-nine acres. Bound it. Its surface is wild and mountainous. The Kayaderosseras range ex- tend thru the north and west, and the Palmertown the eastern and south- ern j>arts. Mt. McGregor is partly in Moreau, Wilton and Corinth and is famous as the death place of General Ulysses S. Grant. In the east the average altitude is about eight hundred feet. In the west from thirteen to nineteen hundred, while its highest point is about the centre about two thousand and twenty feet. In the northwest are several small lakes, Efnor, Hunt, Jenny lakes and Black Pond being the larger ones. There are no large streams, except the Hudson on the north and east boundary. In 1775 Ambrose Clothier settled near Mt. McGregor, also Samuel Eggleston, being its first settlers. April 20, 1818, the town was formed 20 from HacUey. Across its eastern part it is probable the old Indian trail led from the Hudson to probably near Spier Palls, past Alt. McGregor and thru Greenfield to the M obawk. However of all the stirring scenes which may have been enacted here, none have come down to us. The Adirondack railroad, Saratoga Springs to Xorth Creek, is its only line of communication, except the public roads. The village of Corinth with a population of two thousand one hun- dred and eighty-six is the largest in the town. Palmer Palls, South Corinth, Jessup's Landing and Morleyville are the other villa. On account of its surface, farming is not extensive but lumbering, pulp wood and the manufacture of paper is largely engaged in. At Corinth and Palmer Falls large paper mills are operated.' In addition to the district schools, the schools of Corinth, grades and High school, are in excellent condition. DAY Day is the most northwesterly town in the county and contains nine- teen thousand two hundred and sixty-two acres. Bound it. It is very mountainous, rough and rugged. The Kayaderosseras range of mountains occupy the center and southern part and are noted for their beautiful scenery, but the soil is poorly adapted to agricul- ture. Bising from the Sacandaga valley with an altitude of about seven hundred feet its highest point is probably near the northeast cor- ner about two thousand four hundred feet. (This is not given as a f ac} as the author could find but part of the elevations.) There are three small lakes, Mud, Sand and Livingston Lakes. The Sacandaga river is its only stream of importance and enters the town at its southwest ner and flows in a winding tortuous course northeast across the town and empties into the Hudson river. Paul Creek drains Livingston Lake and flows south into the Sacandaga at Day Centre. The town was first settled in 1797 by David Johnson, who located on the Sacandaga in the extreme eastern part. It was organized as a town April 17, 1819, and named Concord. But as another town of the same name was in the state, it was changed to Day in honor of Eliphaz Day, a prominent citizen. But little of historic note has happened on this soil, so far as known, altho some Indian relics prove it to have been a favorite hunting ground. The public roads are its only lines of communication. Its chief industries are lumbering, peeling of hemlock bark for tan- ning, cutting and drawing of pulp wood, grazing and some farming. 21 EDINBURGH The town of Edinburgh contains 41,253 acres and lies in the north, western part of the county. Bound it. The Sacandaga river enters the town near the southwest corner and runs northeasterly to the Hudson. The river has an elevation of about seven hundred feet with a narrow fertile valley, while the re- mainder is hilly highlands reaching an altitude of eighteen hundred feet in many places. The Kayaderosseras range in the south is high, rough and rocky. The soil is light. Johnny Cake Lake and some other small ones lie in the east and southern parts ; also a few small ponds in the northwestern corner. Butler's creek rises in Sand Lake in the town of Day and flows southerly thru the northwest corner into the Sacandaga, Batcheller's Creek rises near the centre and flows south- westerly into the Sacandaga river. Abijah Stark, a nephew of General John Stark, the hero of Ben- nington, was the first settler in 1787, and' located near the Providence line. Soon after Johnathan Anders'on, Nathaniel Boss, Sylvester West- cot and Samuel Randall settled near Stark. In 1800 John Sumner built the first saw mill at Batchellerville and Isaac Deming, the first grist mill and store. The town was erected from Providence, March 13, 1801, as Northfield, but the name was changed to Providence, April 6, 1808. The public roads are its only means of communication. Batchellerville near the centre of the town and on the east side of the Sacandaga river, with Edinburgh across the river, is its only vil- lage. The soil being so poor and rough, and the timber mostly exhausted the industries are chiefly grazing and dairy farming, with such cuts of wood as may be of market value. GALWAY Galway is one of the western towns and contains 27,805 acres. Bound it. The surface is slightly rolling in the southern part— elevation from five hundred to six hundred feet, but higher, more broken and rough in the north. Highest point one thousand one hundred and ninety-five feet just east of the centre on northern boundary. The soil is generally sandy, with some clay mixed and is quite productive. Chuctanunda creek rises near the northwest corner and flows south- erly to about west of the centre, where it has been dammed to form the Amsterdam Reservoir of five hundred and thirty acres — elevation eight hundred and sixty seven feet— f or the purpose of supplying water to the Amsterdam mill owners. The creek thence flows southwesterly 22 and empties into the Mohawk at Amsterdam. Feegowesee creek rises north of the centre and flows easterly into the Kayaderosseras. Near the southeast corner a branch of the Mourning Kill rises and runs east- erly into the town of Ballston; thence northeasterly into the Kayader- osseras in the northwest corner of Malta. Where the creek crosses the road once occurred a bloody battle between the Mohawk and Algon- quin Indians. The name comes from the friends of the slain who came each year to mourn for their lost relatives on the anniversary of the battle. In 1774 the first settlement was made by William Kelly, John and James Major and John McHarg at what was known as Scotch Street, which began north of Galway village and ran southerly into Charlton. The town was formed from Balls-Town March 7, 1792, and was named from Galloway, Scotland, the early home of many of the settlers. Besides the public roads there are no lines of communication. Galway— Population one hundred and forty-nine, is its largest vil- lage. East Galway— York's Corners ; North Galway — Green's Corners ; West Galway — Top Notch; and Mosherville are its villages. The principal industries are farming, the cutting and drawing of wood and the manufacture of iron, principally the Mosher plows at Mosherville. Besides the public schools in the town Galway Village has a fine school of Junior grade and fits many for the higher walks in life. GREENFIELD The largest town in the County is Greenfield, containing 37,745 acres. Bound it. The Kayaderosseras mountains extend thru the western part in a southwesterly direction. In the eastern part are hills of the Palmer- town range while between these two ranges lies a valley about six miles in width. The soil in which, is fairly fertile. The surface rises from the southeast corner with an altitude of 532 feet to the Kayad- erosseras range, with an altitude of 1800 feet on the east shore of Lake Desolation and of 1900 feet, its highest point, in the extreme northwest corner. Lake Desolation lies on the western border and there are a few smaller lakes or ponds. The Kayaderosseras creek, which rises in the southern part of Corinth enters the town near the northeast corner and flows southwesterly leaving the town west of the center of its southern boundary, and flows thence south and easterly emptying into Saratoga Lake. This stream and its small tributaries, is the only one of importance. In the spring of 1786, Gersham Morehouse, Charles Deake, Charles Deake, Jr., William Deake and Benjamin Deake, settled near Middle 23 Grove; William Scott at Scott's Comers, North Greenfield; Isaac Reynold's near Greenfield Centre; and the Fitch family at St. John's Corners. This town is historic for thru here, just east of Lake Desolation, was the old Indian trail from the north to Schenectady, Amsterdam and Fonda, also east to Schuylerville. Over this route passed the martyred Father Isaac Jogues in 1642 ; Tracy and Caucelle with their army on their way to the Mohawk country in 1066 ; also the Indians and Tories in their descent upon Ballston in 1780, and many other adventurers not now known, as this was an Indian road known to all the tribes and used both in war and peace. Greenfield was erected as a town March 12, 1793. Besides the highways the Adirondack railroad— Saratoga Springs to North Creek — enters the southeastern corner, runs west then north, thru the town and just east of the centre. The Ballston Terminal elec- tric road follows the Kayaderosseras creek from Ballston Spa to Mid- dle Grove in the southern part. The villages are Middle Grove, (formerly Jamesville), Greenfield Centre, Porter's Corners. The principal industry of the town is farming, producing hay, oats, rye, corn, potatoes, apples, poultry, eggs, butter, milk, etc. The cut- ting and drawing of pulp wood furnishes much employment to the in- habitants. The schools are of the usual public school system. HADLEY Hadley is one of the northern towns and contains 17,497 acres. Bound it. The surface is rough and hilly and poorly adapted to agriculture. The Kayaderosseras range lies in the southern part. Their highest part being Mt. Anthony, 1,664 feet elevation. The highest point in the town is West Mountain, 2,665 feet. There are no large streams, except the Hudson on the east and Sacandaga River running thru the south- ern part from west to east and emptying into the Hudson. Its bed being precipitous and rocky as well as that of the Hudson fine water- power is furnished. In 1788 one Richard Hilton made the first settlement. This was fol- lowed in 1790 by Alexander Stewart, who settled on the banks of the Hudson. The town has ever been quiet and with but little history, except of the domestic affairs of the settlers, as it was to one side of the stirring events of early colonial times and for the further reason that it was not settled. 24 While a resident of this town the Hon. John W. Taylor was elected to the Assembly in 1812, at the age of 28 years. After serving two years there, he was elected a Congressman and served from 1813 to 1833. He was speaker of the 19th Congress and the only one from New York state. He died in Cleveland, September 13, 1863. The Adirondack railroad from North Creek to Saratoga Springs fol- lows the Hudson thruout its eastern part. Hadley village is really a part of the village of Luzerne across the Hudson and Conklingville is its only village. Its industries are farm- ing to a limited extent; the manufacture of paper at Hadley and wooden-ware works, buckets, clothes-pins, barrels, measures, wash, boards and wooden bowls are manufactured at Conklingville. The schools are the usual district schools as found thruout the county. HALFMOON Half moon contains 20,781 acres. Bound it. The surface is rolling. Along the river in the eastern part the soil is alluvial. The bluffs extending along the alluvial flats are from 60 to 100 feet high. Extending back from these the soil is gravelly loam and clay, except in the west which is sandy. There are no large streams. Small rivulets run at the bottom of deep ravines making the surface somewhat broken. When first settled is a matter of tradition, but supposed to have been about 1680. The "Old Stone House," or the Dunsbach House, was erected in 1718 and still stands about two miles above Crescent. The earliest record in Mechanicville. south of the creek — Anthony Kill- was of an inn kept by one Gates. History is very uncertain as to facts in the early days of the town. But it is certain that it was known and occupied early being on the military road from Albany north and west. William Clark was one of the pioneers of Halfmoon Village. Just below Crescent, at the mouth of Bouton creek, the Indians landed and carried their canoes to the Hudson on their journeys up that river. The name is derived from the bend in the Mohawk near Crescent. It was one of the two original districts of the county, Saratoga and Halfmoon, as erected in 1772, being then a part of Albany county. In 1788 it was organized as a town and was one of the four original towns, Halfmoon, Ballston, Saratoga and Stillwater, comprising the County of Saratoga. The Erie Canal passes thru the eastern part, running northwesterly and crosses the Mohawk; thence thru its southern part, at Crescent. This with the Delaware and Hudson railroad from Albany to Mechan- icville and to Schenectady, the Boston and Maine railroad from 25 Voorhees Junction to Boston, the Hudson Valley Electric Koad from Troy to Saratoga, Ballston Spa and to Schuylerville and Glens Falls and north give the residents fine commercial opportunities. Mechanicville, the largest village, has a population of 5,876 and lies partly in this town and partly in Stillwater. It derives its name from the number of mechanics employed at an early date, then as now it was largely a manufacturing center. At present it is a large railroad center. In business and enterprise it has few rivals in this part of the State. Smith Town, named from the Smith family ; Crescent, named from the bend in the river; Clifton Park; Halfmoon and New Town are its vil- lages. Farming is largely carried on producing butter, milk, beef, eggs, poul- try, barley, rye, corn, potatoes and garden truck, vvhile at Mechanic- ville are extensive paper industries, largely in Stillwater; also large brick yards southeast of the village, sash and blind factory, knitting mills. Below the village the Hudson has been dammed and an impor- tant station of the Hudson Biver Electric Light and Power Company established. The school system of Mechanicville is large and constantly growing and developing, the rest of the town has the usual public schools. MALTA Malta contains 17,009 acres. Bound it. It is generally slightly rolling. The northern part is mostly sandy and poor farming lands, while the southern part is more fertile. Its highest point is near the crossing of Dunning Street road by the road to George Crum's and Saratoga lake, from Ballston Spa 336 feet. It has no large streams. Saratoga lake — altitude of 240 feet — bounds it in part on the east. The Mourning Kill (see Galway) passes thru the northwest corner, and empties into the Kayaderosseras. The Kayad- erosseras forms its northern boundary emptying into Saratoga lake. Outlet creek — from Ballston lake to Bound lake — enters the town south of the center of the western line and flows southeasterly, empty- ing into Bound lake, which is in the southern part. Anthony creek is the outlet of Bound lake and empties into the Hudson at Mechanic- ville. The origin of the name is uncertain. It is supposed two Tories by the name of Drummond and McKelpin were the first settlers. John Hunter and Ashbel Andrews are accredited with being its first per- manent settlers and located near Bound Lake in 1764 and Michael Dun- ning at Dunning Street in 1771. The town was formed from Stillwater March 3, 1802. Bound Lake village is its only hamlet and is a noted summer resort place of religious assemblages of the Methodist Episcopal church. 26 Its industries are mostly agriculture, producing butter, milk, beef, poultry, eg^s, apples and other fruit, potatoes and hay. Besides the numerous district schools, Round Lake Academy is an institution of learning widely known. MILTON Milton contains 20,935 acres. Bound it. This town comprises much of the upper valley of the Kayaderosseras — crooked stream of the Indians. It is undulating in the south with an elevation above sea level of about 300 feet and more hilly and higher in the west and north having its greatest altitude in the northwest corner, being 823 feet, and has an elevation of about 500 feet on the western boundary. The west and north being higher its streams flow east and south. Its largest stream, the Kayaderosseras, rises in the south central part of Corinth, flows southeasterly thru Greenfield and enters this town about two and a sixteenth miles east of the northeast corner; flowing southeasterly it leaves the town about one and one fourth miles north of its southeast corner; thence between the towns of Saratoga Springs and Malta to the northern part of Saratoga Lake, into which it emp- ties. From its source to Ballston Spa its bed is steep forming many rapids. What do these furnish '? From Ballston Spa it runs thru the lower Kayaderosseras valley, a low alluvial plain and is very sluggish. Why ? Of what use ? The soil is principally sandy. This was left ages ago by great banks of ice, which came down from the north and melted leaving the dirt they carried on our hills, many of which are mostly composed of this sand. In the southwest it is more loamy and fertile. Its chief occupations are farming — producing butter, milk, eggs, beef, pork, rye, oats, buckwheat, corn, barley, hay, potatoes, apples. There is quite a large amount of market gardening. Where sold '? Manu- facture of leather. Where and what made of it ? Also paper, ma- chinery and foundry work. Its commerce is considerable. What shipped ? What imported ? Stone quarrying, and the making of lime at Rowland's Hollow. Its first settlement seems to have been made just before the Revolu- tion by David Wood at Milton Hill and probably others. While Jus- tiss Jennings, a soldier of the Revolution, settled near Hop City in 1783. Along the Middle Line road ran the old Indian trail from Sche- nectady to Mt. McGregor and to Montreal. In 1771 some surveyors discovered the "Old Iron Spring," and it soon became a "favorite stopping place for hunters as game gathered in abundance to drink of the mineral waters. In 1787 Benajah Douglas — 27 grandfather of Stephen A. Douglass, the "Little Giant"— settled at Ballston Spa and built a log tavern for the accommodation of guests, for many were already coming to use the waters. He bought one hun- dred acres just west of the spring, and in 1792 erected the first frame house on the site now occupied by W. S. Waterbury's house. The same year Nicholas Low purchased land east of Douglas' and erected the second house. In 1794 a fine trade in summer travel set in and we find that Joseph Westcot became its owner in the following year. The Sans Souci Hotel, elegant for those days, was erected by Nicholas Low in 1793, then the village began to grow and become famous, and the town to flourish. Like the rest of Saratoga County the nearness to and ease of getting to market made it a favorite place for settlement. Its railroads, the Delaware and Hudson, lessee, from Albany to Montreal, etc., the Schenectady Railroad, electric from Schenectady to Ballston Spa, the Ballston Terminal from Ballston Spa to Middle Grove and the Hudson Valley from Albany, Mechanicville to Ballston Spa, Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls, these with numerous telegraph and telephone lines make communication and business easily carried on. The villages are Ballston Spa, capital or shire town of the County, with a present population of 4,131, Bock City Falls and West Milton. The chief industries are manufacture of leather, paper, machinery and foundry work, ladies' wrappers and bottling of mineral waters at Balls, ton Spa ; paper at Bock City Falls and paper at West Milton. At Ballston Spa are located the County Court House, Jail, County Clerk's Office, County Poorhouse and the Carpentier Infirmary for the indigent, the finest of its kind in the State, the Ballston Spa High School and graded schools of the village, also the Ballston Spa National Bank and the First National Bank of Ballston Spa, large pulp and paper mills, also one of the largest tanneries in America. The med- icinal value of its many springs have long been known. Good district schools are conveniently situated thruout the town. MOREAU Moreau is situated in the northeast corner of the County and con- tains 23,656 acres. Bound it. The central and eastern parts of the town are broken and rolling, gradually rising from an elevation of two hundred feet in the eastern part to the Palmertown Mountains, the highest peak of which is Mt. McGregor, one thousand, one hundred feet. In the south and east the land is fertile, but the remainder is principally sand. Its largest stream is Snook Kill (old spelling Snoek Kill) rising in the northeastern part 28 of Northumberland it flows northeasterly thru the southeastern corner into the Hudson. There are numerous small streams and some lakes, the Hudson touching it upon three sides furnishes water power. The town was named from a French gentleman, Marshal Moreau, who visited this country as an exile in 1804-5. It appears that Elijah Parks and family were the first settlers in 1766, having purchased 800 acres at South Glens Falls, where he erected '-th» old castle," also mills. Daniel Parks one of his sons, aroused by the news of the battle of Lexington, gathered a few neighbors, and about the same time, if not before Ethan Allen's capture of Ticonderoga, marched thru the woods nine miles and captured Fort George then held by the British. The father and one brother were subsequently killed by the Tories and Indians. John Glen, of Schenectady bought a tract of 2,000 acres in 1770 and cut a road from Schenectady to it. The falls at this place were named for him, altho earlier known as Wings Falls. Near here also settled the Jones family heretofore mentioned in connection with the mas- sacre of Jane McCrea, but the Jones' were Tories, while the McCrea's were patriots and lived about three miles below Fort Edward. (See history.) The town was organized March 28, 1805. The Delaware & Hudson railroad and the Hudson Valley electric road crosses the eastern part of the town and form good communica- tion with other parts of the State. South Glens Falls with a population of 2,097 is the largest village, others are Fortsville, Feeder Dam, Clark's Corners and Reynold's Corners. The industries consist of farming, producing barley, oats, corn, pota- toes, butter and milk, poultry and eggs, hay, etc. At South Glens Falls are large paper mills and lumber mills. The quarrying is of marble for different purposes, also the making of lime. Besides the usual district schools South Glens Falls has a fine sys- tem of grades and a High School. NORTHUMBERLAND Northumberland lies in the eastern part of the County and contains 19,441 acres. Bound it. The surface is gently rolling and sandy. Its principal streams are Snoek Kill rising in the town of Wilton and flows northeasterly thru the northern part and thru Moreau into the Hudson; and Deer creek rising west of the centre flows northerly into Snoek Kill. It has an altitude of about 200 feet at the bluffs bordering the Hudson river valley and reaches its highest point west of the centre being about 300 feet. 29 About 1765 James Brisbin settled about a half mile west of Fort Miller. In the same year Hugh Munro also settled here. Being a Tory, Munro left his home and went to Canada and his property was confiscated by the State, which, about the close of the Revolution, sold it to General Peter Gansevoort. It is interesting to note that General Gansevoort was in command at Fort Stanwix when invested by St, Legers r troops in 1777 and so gallantly relieved by Generals Herkimer and Arnold. This defeat materially aided General Gates at the battle of Saratoga as it deprived him of the aid of a large body of troops. A few miles north of Fort Miller, lived the McCrea's, the sad fate of Miss Jane has been mentioned previous. (See history.) Fort Miller was erected in 175-"> by Colonel Miller to guard the river and the ford at this place. The old military route lay on the eastern bank of the Hudson, and it is not believed that many military events took place in the town, altho Burgoyne crossed the river into the town when marching south to the battle of Saratoga. The Delaware & Hudson railroad from Albany to Montreal crosses the northwest corner and the Champlain canal the extreme southeast corner. The villages are Gansevoort named from the renowned general, Bacon Hill from the family of that name, Fort Miller Bridge and Northumberland. The chief industry is farming, producing butter, milk, poultry, eggs ., rye, oats, corn, apples and potatoes in large quantities. The usual district schools are conveniently located, but there are no large systems. PROVIDENCE Providence lies in the western part of the County and contains 27,161 acres. Bound it. Its surface is chiefly hilly and of a poor, sandy and stony quality. The Maxon mountain, highest point in the town, 1805 feet, a high table land, occupies the northwestern and mostly the northern part. Its lowest point is in the extreme southeastern corner, 823 feet. Northeast of the centre is Round Lake, which is drained by Hans creek. This flows southwesterly into Fulton county; thence northerly into the Kennyetto creek. IS! orth of the centre on the eastern bound- ary lies Lake Desolation, which is drained by Kennyetto creek, which flows southwesterly and runs to the southwestern corner ; thence north- erly thru Fulton county into the Sacandaga river less than eight miles from its source. While the Chuctanunda creek, which rises about one mile south of the Kennyetto creek in the town of Galway, flows into the Mohawk. 30 From Antioch hill. Antioch school h of the finest views in the county may be had to the south, east and west. In fact it is one of the finest in eastern Xorth America. Thomas Shackland settled in 1786 at Hagadonrs Mil e he erected saw and grisl Qs. [nil id and Samuel 1 ttled at Barkersville and from them the village was name:.. This t* wn has but little history, being unsettled until after the Kevolution. The town was ere ruary 5, 11 from 1 It was named from Providence. Ehode Island, Br- - there are no lines of communication. There are several villages'. Barkersville. Glenville, Fayviile. Providence and Hagadonrs Mills. The principal occupations are lnmbe. - tting and drawing of pulp wood. . hemlock bark, some farming; and manufacturing of lumber at Barkersville and Hagedorn s Mills. The usual pul - 3 are found thruout the town. SARATOGA ■ - '?. — "Old Saratoga"— lies in the central eastern part of the County and contains 14,399 acres. Bound it. In the east the surface is flat with an elevation of about 1 feet. In the center and west a range of hills extend northerly and southerly, the highest point being 57 feel eing about one mile and three fourths northeast of Dean's Comers. The hills jusl east fS toga Lake are about feet. There is one stream of importance within the town. I" toga Lake and flows easterly thru the northern part in- to the Hudson. The Hudson upon the east - ;a Lake on tt- of the town gave it much importance in early times as a means of com- munication and power, the m it oi is at SehuylervilLe, on Fish Creek. - -rah-to-ea, the Hill side country of the great rive famous thru all Indian tri • s a hunting ground, many a battle between the great Iroquois nation of central > Algonquin ene - ftheS enee. Here. ~ 8 viUe. the Indian trail from C ranehed The one g - st, tc hilethe fcher followed F: ; C Creel-:. - toga] t e Mourning Kill \ ■. le Ltlet Greet tc and thi thenee to Eel Creek and the Mohawk, I tc Lake Desolation and Fonda. This place saw nearly every hv m the north and every army marching north to attack - me of the greatest even:? in the world- History - this Here Gates won andBurgoyce 1 :-: me h the flfteei -. 31 battles of record, and made possible the United States. Kear the monument erected to commemorate the event, Burgoyne surrendered his sword to Gates. (See history.) Bartel Vroman seems to have settled here as early as 1689 and probably others. It is believed that the famous Schuyler family settled and erected mills here as early as 1709. In 1745 occured the massacre heretofore alluded to. After peace had been declared in 1763 many settlers came to this town and began to make homes farther from the Hudson. Granger- ville being settled in 1790 by Jesse Toll who built mills. It was organized as a town March 7, 1788. The town has easy access to markets thru the Champlain canal which runs northerly and southerly near the Hudson. The Fitchburg rail- road from Schuylerville to Saratoga and from there to Mechanicville , also the Hudson Valley electric road from Troy to Glens Falls along the eastern border. The Hudson, Fish Creek and Saratoga Lake, once the scenes of lively canoe trade are but little used, except for pleasure. The chief village is Schuylerville, population 1,529, situated in the easterly part at the mouth of Fish Creek. Victory Mills, a short dis- tance south of Schuylerville. Grangerville, Coveville, Quaker Springs and Dean's Corners, are its principal villages. The town is largely engaged in farming. There are paper mills at Schuylerville, and cotton fab ics are manufactured at Victory Mills. The Schuylerville High School and village grades are a credit to the town. The usual public schools are found in the town. SARATOGA SPRINGS Saratoga Springs is situated a little to the south of the centre of the County and contains 16,680 acres. Bound it. The surface is sandy and rolling. Saratoga lake has an altitude of 204 feet and the Kayiderosseras flats of about 220. Its highest point is on the northwest corner, 393 feet. Saratoga lake and its outlet, Fish creek, forms the southeastern bor- der. Lake Lonely is the largest body of water wholly within its bor- der. The Kayaderosseras creek forms its southern boundary. Lough- berry lake lies partly in this town and partly in Wilton and is drained by Spring Bun brook, flowing southeasterly into Lake Lonely. Bog Meadow brook rises in the southern part of Wilton and flows south in- to Lake Lonely. Its largest stream, Ellis creek, rises in Greenfield and flows southeasterly into the Kayaderosseras. The history of this town is that of the village of the. same name — America's great summer resort. 32 In 1776 Samuel Norton constructed a rude logr hotel near High Rock spring. Amos Stafford settled at Stafford's Bridge, also John, Henry and Nicholas Wagman. In 1790, David Abell and Benjamin Avery settled on the west shore of Saratoga lake, while Robert Ellis built a saw mill at the Geysers in 1800 and a grist mill a few years later. The fame of the springs spread early thru a visit made by Sir William Johnson in August, 1707, led by his faithful Indian friends to whom "the Medicine Spring," High Bock, was well known. The cure effected by its water brought this spring into notice. General Schuyler cut a road from his country seat at Schuylerville, to the springs in 1783, for the purpose of enabling him to get to the springs, and the next year erected a frame house. He and his family passed a part of their summers here until his death and it was during his first summer here, 1783, that General Washington visited him in his tent. Alexander Bryan settled here in 1787 and opened a hotel for the public. But to Gideon Putnam the village owes its greatest debt as he was the founder of modern Saratoga Springs. Building Union Hall in 1800 and laying out streets and planning public parks he made it a worthy rival of the older Ballston Spa. Now with over twenty springs and magnificent hotels, its fame is world wide. The town was organized April 9, 1819, and has been the residence of many famous men among whom was Reuben Hyde Walworth, the "Last of the Chancellors," one of New York's greatest judges. With the Delaware & Hudson railroad from Albany north to White- hall and Montreal, the Fitchburg, Boston and Maine lessees, to Me- chanicville and Schuylerville. Also the Hudson Valley electric line from Troy to Glens Falls, it has ample communication for the thou- sands who yearly visit the springs. Saratoga Springs and the Geysers are its only villages. The soil being poor farming is not extensive. The care of the many thousands of summer visitors, bottling of water and carbonic acid gas, foundry and machine work are the chief occupations at Saratoga Springs. At the Geysers are bottled famous waters. Besides the common schools, the High schools and grades of Sara- toga Springs have long been famous as some of the best in the country. Besides its excellent school buildings the Town Hall, First National Bank, Citizens' National Bank and Adirondack Trust Company have substantial and elegant quarters. While its Convention Hall is one of the largest and best in America and has witnessed many stirring scenes in civil, political and fraternal life. But to its many and magnificent hotels much of its reputation is due. For here multitudes may find health from her springs, luxury and ease in her hostelries as in no other place in America. 33 STILLWATER Stillwater contains 24,740 acres. Bound it. It lies in the southeastern part of the County. The surface is some- what hilly and contains a part of the famous Bemis Heights,— (For what'?) in its northern part. Along the flats of the Hudson are ranges of bluffs varying from sixty to a hundred feet in height. While its highest point, about 600 feet, is northeasterly from Ketchum's Corners. At Bemis Heights we find an elevation of about 300 feet. In the north- western corner we find the famous Snake Hill, a bold promontory ex- tending into Saratoga lake, which touches the town at this point ; also the famous White Sulphur Spring. There are no streams of import- ance, but the Hudson at Stillwater village has always furnished abund- ance of power. The remarkable fertility of the clay soil has made it a favorite resort for man and beast from the earliest records. Colonel Peter Philip Schuyler built Fort Ingolclsby near the present village of Stillwater, in 1709. Doubtless there were some settlements earlier than 1750, but in that year Isaac Mann is recorded as having made a home here and many others followed. Over its surface passed nearly all of the armies whose history have been mentioned in the foregoing pages. The Champlain Canal from Albany to Whitehall follows the Hudson thru its eastern side, also a branch of the Hudson Valley electric road to Glens Falls and Saratoga. The Fitchburg railroad has a branch from Mechanicville to Stillwater and Boston; also from Stillwater to Saratoga Springs and connects with the Schuylerville branch at Schuy- ler Junction. This gives much ease and rapidity in moving freight, or travel. Its villages are Stillwater, population 923 ; Wayville, Ketchum's Cor- ners, Bemis Heights and Wilbur's Basin. This town is rich in its farm produce of butter, milk, beef, eggs corn, rye, oats, potatoes, apples, peaches, pears, grapes and garden truck. Besides the extensive paper mills at Stillwater and in the ex- treme southeastern corner, a part of the Mechanicville plants. The Stillwater High School and grades have long exerted an influence in this part of the County. Outside of the village are found good pub- lic schools. WATERFORD Waterford lies in the extreme southeast corner and is the smallest town having an area of seven square miles. Bound it. It is very little above sea level at the Hudson but attains an elevation of 300 feet in the northerly part and is mostly level and very fertile. 34 It has no large streams within its borders, but the Cohoes Falls in the Mohawk furnishes one of the finest water powers in the world. This was the first land occupied in the County. Being on the then only lines of travel to the west and north it occupied an important position in the history not only of the County but of the State and even the nation both in commerce and war. In fact Albany and Saratoga counties were keys to American success and British defeat. Their sons have ever been among the foremost in making possible and later in de- fending our banner — Old Glory. The first patent was given under the hand of Governor Dongan, May 31st, 1687, to Anthony Van Schaick and known as Halfmoon. At Halfmoon Point, now Waterford, the first permanent settlement was made by Colonel Jacobus Van Schoonhoven and others. Small manu- factures were begun here, but about 1831 Waterford became famous for the manufacture of fire engines. It was incorporated in 1801, as a village and was the first in the County, and as a town in 1816. The name is derived from the old ford which crossed from the main- land to Harve Island used by the Indians before the coming of the whites. It was not until 1804 that the Hudson was bridged, the open- ing of which was celebrated with much pomp, the governor being present. Besides the Hudson and Mohawk rivers it has the Champlain canaj and the Delaware and Hudson railroad, which makes transportation cheap and markets quite accessible. It has but one village, Waterford, 3,134 inhabitants, a stirring bus- iness place and largely engaged in manufacturing. The town is largely engaged in farming, while in the village of Waterford are manufactured knitted and textile goods. Its products have long been famous. The schools under the late Superintendent, A. Falconer, are well known in the State and are the outgrowth of the once famous Water- ford Academy. They consist of the Waterford High School and village grades. The usual district or public schools are found outside of the village. The Saratoga County Bank was incorporated May 29, 1830. WILTON Wilton contains 22,001 acres of land. Bound it. From the southern to about the central part the surface is rolling and broken by low ridges. The north and west contains masses of the Palmertown range of the Adirondacks, and its highest point in the town is Mt. McGregor, 1100 feet in altitude ; the lowest at the Hudson, 153 feet. At the foot of the mountains is some good farming lands, but most of the town is yellow sand and sandy loam and not fertile. Per- ry's pond northwest of the center, and the Loughberry Lakes, in the 35 southwestern corner, partly in Saratoga Springs, are the principal bod- ies of water. The principal stream is Snook Kill, which rises in Green- field and flows northeasterly to near the northeast corner; thence thru the southeast corner of Moreau into the Hudson river. The first settlement was made by two brothers, William and Samuel Brisbin on the south branch of the Snook Kill. They made clearings, built a saw mill and cut roads, but abandoned their property at the be- ginning of the Revolution. In 1770 Rowland Perry and family settled near the mountains, but in 1781 and 1782 the town received many im- migrants. There was a battle fought during the Revolution near the old Stiles Tavern, west of Wilton village. Mt. McGregor was used as a signal station by the British, but most of the historic events of the County were enacted in other towns. Altho thru the town following an old Indian trail, ran the old highway from Schuylerville to Johnstown and the western settlements, both Indian and white. It is thought that an Indian village once existed near the foot of Mt. McGregor. "The region that now constitutes the town of Wilton was known in Colonial times as Palmertown. This name, tradition says was given it by a band of Indians who came there from the east sometime after King Phillip's war and settled at the base of the mountains somewhere in the Perry and Stiles neighborhood," near Wilton village. As Pal- mertown it became a place of considerable trade and importance, while what is now called Saratoga Springs was known as ' a deer lick ' in the woods, six miles south. During the Revolution two block-houses were built at Palmertown, in which sometimes troops were quartered, and in which the early settlers often sought shelter from the British and Canadian Indians. Early in the century, Palmertown was regarded as a more eligible place of settlement for business and professional men than Saratoga Springs. It was in Palmertown and its neighbor- hood that Dr. Johu H. Steel, Judge Esek Cowen and other distinguish- ed professional men first opened their offices and began their practice. With the early merchants of Palmertown the earliest settlers at Sara- toga Springs did most of their trading." The town was organized from Northumberland in 1817. Besides the public roads the town is crossed by the Delaware & Hud- son railroad from Albany north. It enters near the southwest corner and runs northeasterly, leaving the town north of the centre of its eastern line. The Hudson Valley electric line from Saratoga Springs to South Glens Falls runs from its southwestern corner thru the town to nearly the centre of its northern boundary. Wilton is its largest village. Emerson's Corners, southeast of Wil- ton, is another hamlet. The industries are exclusively agriculture, producing butter, milk, beef, poultry, eggs, rye, oats, corn, potatoes, apples and hay. The schools are the usual public schools of the State. 36 INDEX Topography 5 History 7 Outline for Study 14 Conventional Signs 16 TOWNS OF THE COUNTY Ballston IT Charlton 18 Clifton Park 19 Corinth 20 Day '.... 21 Edinburgh.. „ 22 Galway 22 Greenfield 23 Hadley 24 Halfmoon 25 Malta ,.. 26 Milton 27 Moreau 28 Northumberland 29 Providence ..'. 30 Saratoga - 31 Saratoga Springs 32 Stillwater 34 TVaterf ord _ 34 Wilton 35 Outline Map of Saratoga County ^ ** .**Slfef. "^ a* .v ,,4< ^ o o V „4< A ^ o x o «J^ ■ *> :> w* -?'. o •> '* o ^ A"*- - > A, i^ ° " ° o "^ 0° ^ A "' .* O ^ o » " • ♦ ^ o^ . l **. .*" O :. -■:■■ $m: . v . « o MAY~ 79 N. MANCHESTER, INDIANA 46962 *V M WM +o. ■& .. I