6. Liberty, 1807. Mountains. P. Shawangunk mountains. Rivers. H. Delaware river. R. Nevisink. a. Collikoon. e. Mon gaup. g. Bashe's kill. k. Beaver kill. i. Little Beaver kill. Falls. On the Mongaup and Nevisink, Fallsburgh and Forrestburgh. Lakes. h. White Lake. 1. Long Pond. m. Round. n. Sand. Canals. Delaware and Hudson canal. Villages. MONTICELLO. Bloomingsburgh, Wurtzborough. Fallsburgh. Cochecton. BOUNDARIES. North by Delaware and Ulster counties; East by Ulster and Orange; South by Orange county and the Delaware river; and West by the Delaware river. SURFACE. Hilly and mountainous. The Shawangunk mountains occupy the eastern section of the county. The western face of these mountains is precipitous, but they descend by a gentle declivity on the east. The remainder of the county has an elevated surface, divided into numerous ridges, by the streams which intersect it RIVERS. The Delaware forms the south-western boundary of the county; the other principal streams are the Collikoon, Mongaup and Nevisink rivers, Bashe's, Beaver and Little Beaver kills. LAKES. The county abounds with small lakes, among which are White Lake, Long Pond, Round Pond, and Sand Pond. CANALS. The Delaware and Hudson canal passes through the valley of Bashe's kill. CLIMATE. Cold but healthy. Vegetation is about two weeks later than in Ulster and Orange counties. In some parts of the county frost occurs every month. GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. This county comprises several geological formations of interest. The western half, and a portion of the northern section, belong to the old red sandstone formation, or Catskill group; the central and southern portions are composed of the Chemung sandstone and shales; as we proceed eastward we encounter successively the limestones of the Hamilton group, the Helderberg limestones, the gray Shawangunk sandstone and grit, which forms the largest portion of the surface rock of the county; and the Hudson river slate. The number of minerals is not large. In the vicinity of Wurtzborough, and in other parts of the county, mines of lead ore have been opened, which promise to be productive and valuable. Crystallized iron and copper pyrites, sulphuret of zinc, and quartz crystals of great beauty, have been found in connection with the lead at these localities. The red sandstone affords, in some places, a fine building material. SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil of the uplands is fertile and well adapted to the production of the grasses and more hardy grains. In the valley of the Delaware it is cold and wet. The county is well adapted to grazing. The timber consists principally of pine, hemlock, beech, maple, linden, oak and tulip tree. But little more than one tenth of the soil is under cultivation. PURSUITS. The people of this county are mostly devoted to agriculture. But little grain is raised, and that principally corn, oats and buckwheat. The products of the dairy receive considerable attention. Manufactures. Leather and lumber are extensively manu factured. The latter finds its way to market by the Delaware river. Commerce. The Delaware and Hudson canal furnishes an easy mode of transportation for the produce of the eastern section of the county. The Delaware river is navigable in the spring, and immense quantities of lumber are rafted down it. Mines. There are lead mines near Wurtzborough, in the town of Mamakating. STAPLES. Oats, corn, butter, beef, pork, lumber and leather. SCHOOLS. In 1846, there were in the county, 118 district school-houses, in which 6328 children were instructed at an expense for tuition, of $8793. The schools were in session an average period of eight months each. The district libraries contained 10,379 volumes. There were also eight select schools, with 178 scholars, and one academy with thirteen pupils. RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Presbyterians, Dutch Reformed, Baptists, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, and Friends. Total number of churches, twenty-eight; of clergymen, twenty-three. HISTORY. In 1777, or 1778, several persons having been killed by the Indians in Rochester, Ulster county, the commander of the garrison at Honkhill, in Wawarsing, who had two or three hundred troops under his command, determined to intercept the Indians on their return, and punish them for their barbarities. He accordingly called for volunteers, and Lieutenant John Grahams offered his services. They were accepted, and with a lieutenant's guard, consisting of twenty men, he made his way to a place since called Grahamsville, in the town of Nevisink. Unpracticed in the arts of Indian warfare, they were no match for their wily foes. The Indians decoyed them from their position, induced them to waste their fire upon a single Indian, and then shot them down, and scalped them. But three of the number escaped to carry to the garrison the intelligence of the loss of their comrades. The town of Mamakating belonged to the Minisink patent, and was settled by the Dutch at an early period. The remainder of the county belonged to the Hardenburgh patent, and was not occupied till near the commencement of the present century. The emigrants, with the exception of those who located at Mamakating, were mostly from the eastern states. The county was named in honor of General Sullivan, of revolutionary memory. VILLAGES. MONTICELLO, in the town of Thompson, was founded in 1804, by Messrs. S. F.and J. P. Jones, and made the county seat at the organization of the county in 1809. Population, 700. Bloomingsburgh is a pleasant village, in the town of Mamakating. It is in the midst of a fine agricultural country. It has an academy. Population, 600. Wurtzborough, in the same town, is a flourishing village, named after the projector of the Delaware and Hudson canal. Near the village is a lead mine of considerable importance. Population, 500. Liberty, Fallsburgh and Cochecton, in the towns of the same names, are villages of considerable importance. Rivers. AA. Schoharie kill. F. Mohawk river. a. Norman's kill. Lakes. e. Maria. Cities and Villages. SCHENECTADY. Duanesburgh. Rotterdam. BOUNDARIES. North by Montgomery and Saratoga; East by Saratoga; South by Albany and Schoharie; and West by Schoharie, counties. SURFACE. The surface of Schenectady county is agreeably diversified with hills, plains and valleys. Flint hill extends through a part of the southern section, and a spur of the Kayaderosseras range passes through the town of Glenville, nearly to Schenectady. On the banks of the rivers are extensive flats. RIVERS. The Mohawk, Schoharie kill and Norman's kill, are the principal streams. LAKES. Lake Maria is a small body of water in Duanesburgh. CANALS. The Erie canal crosses the Mohawk near the eastern line of the county, and passes along the south west bank of that river. RAILROADS. It has four lines of railroads, the Mohawk and Hudson, Troy, Saratoga and Utica railroads, all centering in the city of Schenectady. CLIMATE. The climate of this county is mild and salubrious, but subject to considerable extremes of temperature. GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. The Hudson river group, consisting of grits and shales, or slaty rocks, is the prevailing surface rock of this county. The Utica slate makes its appearance in the neighborhood of Glenville. The whole county is overlaid by clay and gravel, to the depth of from fifty to one hundred feet. Bog iron ore occurs near the line of Albany county. There are several localities of calcareous spar, one of which resembles arragonite. Quartz crystals and common jasper are also found in the county. SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. The soil is various. The extensive alluvial tracts along the Mohawk and other streams, are exceedingly fertile. The hills and plains are either a light sandy or clay loam, less fertile, and sometimes barren. Pine and oak are the principal forest trees. PURSUITS. Agriculture is the leading pursuit of the inhabitants. Wheat and barley are extensively raised. The rearing of cattle occupies some attention. Manufactures are quite limited. Flour, cotton goods, iron and leather are the principal articles. Commerce. By means of its canal and railroads this county enjoys ample facilities for the transportation of its produce. STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. Oats, potatoes, corn, barley, rye, buckwheat, wheat, butter and cheese. SCHOOLS. This county had in 1846, seventy-five common schools, with 3614 pupils. They were taught an average period of eight months, at an expense of $4960. The district libraries numbered 7115 volumes. There were two select schools, with twenty-two scholars; an academy with 108 pupils, and a college, with eleven professors and 242 students. RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Dutch Reformed, Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Episcopalians, Universalists, Roman Catholics and Friends. The whole number of churches is twenty-four, of clergymen, thirty-four. |