This mark (*) denotes that the patents are partly situated in Herkimer, and partly in adjoining counties.

Name of Patents or Tracts	Date	No. of acres	Names of Original Patentees
Adgate's Tract, *	1798	43,907	Mathew Adgate
Bayard's Patent,*	1771	50,000	William Bayard, Alexander Ellis, and fifty-three others
Brown's (John) Tract*	1792	. . . . . .	A part of 1,920,000 acres granted to Alexander Macomb
Burnetsfield Patent	1725	9,400	Johan Joost Petri, and ninety-three others
Colden's (C.) Patent	1738	3,000	Cadwallander Colden the younger, and Coenradt Ryghtmeyer
Cosby's Manor*	1734	22,000	Joseph Worrell, William Cosby, and nine others
Colden's (A.) Patent	1761	4,000	Alexander Colden, and three others
Frank (Conrad) & Co's Patent	1765	5,000	Coenradt Frank and five others
Fall-Hill Patent	1752	2,324	Johan Joost and Hendrick Herch-
Glen's Purchase	1739	25,076	[keimer (exactly as it is written-ajb)
Hommedieu's (L) Patent	1786	4,000	Ezra L'Hommedieu and Nathaniel Platt
Henderson's Patent*	1739	6,000	James Henderson, and two others
Hasenclever's Patent	1769	18,000	Peter Hasenclever, and seventeen others
Johnson' (Guy) Patent	1765	2,000	Guy Johnson. Forfeited by attainder of G. J.
Jerseyfield Patent	1770	94,000	Henry Glen, Alexander Ellis and ninety-two others
Kass's Patent	1724	1,100	Johan Jurgh Kass, and his children
Lindsay's Patent	1730	3,000	John Lindsay and Philip Livingston
Livingston's Patent*	1762	20,000	Philip Livingston and nineteen others
Lispenard's Patent*	1770	9,200	Leonard Lispenard and thirteen others
Lansing's Patent*	1753	6,000	Jacob and Abraham Lansing and Jacob Glen
McComb's Purchase*	1792	. . . . .	Alexander Macomb
McNeil's Patent	1761	4,000	John McNeil and three others
Matchin's Patent*	1786	1,600	Thomas Matchin
Nobleborough Tract*	1787	40,960	Arthur Noble
Moose River Tract*	. . . .	. . . . .	Owned by the state, except 13,080 granted in 1847 to Anson Blake
Petrie's Purchase	1740	6,000	John Jost Petrie and two others
Royal Grant	. . . . .	. . . . . .	Sir William Johnson
Remsenburgh Patent*	1787	48,000	Henry Remsen and three others
Snell and Timmerman's Patent	1755	3,600	Jacob Timberman and Johan Joost Schnell
Staley's 1st and 2d Tract	1755	34,000	Rudolph Staley, Johan Jost Herchkeimer, Jr. Nicholas Herchkeimer and fifteen others
Schuyler's Patent	1755	43,000	Abraham Lynsen, and twenty-one others
Totten and Crossfield Patent*	. . . . .	. . . . . .
Vrooman's Patent*	1790	9,760	Isaac Vrooman
.......do (meaning ditto? ajb)	1786	4,000	do
.......do	1790	433	do
Van Driesen, Peter	1737	1,000	Petrus Van Driessen
Van Driesen, John	1786	428	John Van Driesen
Van Horn's Patent*	1731	8,000	Abraham Van Horne, and three others
Vaughn's Patent	1770	8,000	John Vaughn and seven others
Watson's James Tract*	1792	. . . . .	A part of Macolm's purchase
Winne's Patent	1741	2,000	Peter Winne
Walton's Patent	1768	12,000	William Walton, Jr., and eleven others
Young's Patent*	1752	14,000	Theobald Young and ten others

The Indian title to Glen's purchase, was extinguished in 1734. The whole tract was subdivided into thirty-nine large lots, of unequal quantities. In 1738 five of these lots were granted to Patrick McClaughry; and Andrew McDowell, and eight to James DeLancey, John Lindsay, and Abraham Glen. In 1739 three were granted to Lendert Helmer, two to Jacob Glen, three to Archibald Kennedy, three to John Schuyler, Jr., three to Arent Brant, and three to Philip Schuyler. In 1761 three were granted to Samuel Auchmuty, three to William Mitchell, and three to William Ogilvie.

The patent for the royal grant was never recorded in this state. The grant was made by the king in council, and not by the colonial authorities, consequently the date and number of acres can not be given from any entries in the Secretary's office at Albany.

The Guy Johnson tract was conveyed by Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, Jacob G. Klock, and Henry Oathoudt, commissioners of forfeitures of the western district of New York, to Benjamin Tallmadge, major in the army of the United States, June 7th, 1784, and by Tallmadge to Caleb Brewster, July 9th, 1794.

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The above abstract shows that the title to most of the lands in the county, with the exception of those in the lands in the county, with the exception of those in the extreme northern part, were granted by the crown before the commencement of the revolutionary struggle, and those grants were recognized as valid by the constitution of 1777. But although declared valid by the fundamental law of the state, this declaration was in effect nothing more than an inhibition upon the legislative power of the state to resume these grants at pleasure. The state was left free to protect itself against the treasonable acts or hostile aggressions of any of the parties holding under these grants. This power was exercised by the legislature and carried into effect to some extent in this county, and this makes it expedient to give that subject a little examination.

The attainder act of 1779 embraced fifty-nine persons, three of whom were married females, and they were also declared convicted and attainted with their husbands of offenses against the act. It had been the practice under the colonial government to include females in the grants by the crown, even when the patents were issued to parties for lands not intended for immediate settlement. At this day a proceeding of this kind against a married lady would seem harsh, discourteous and ungallant. The particular reasons, if any existed, which induced the legislature to adopt a measure so stringent, is not disclosed in the act, and there were none probably which marked them as special objects for confiscation and banishment, except the fact that they were seized in their own rights of large landed estates within the colony, and their husbands had been prominent and influential partisans in the cause of the crown, and continued their active and devoted adhesion to the king to the date of the act. It was expedient to disarm such persons of all the powers of mischief which wealth and appliances would bestow, as well as to punish past and future aggressions against the state; and besides, this was but a slight departure from the British maxim that an attaint of blood cut off the inheritance.

The legislature passed an act on the 12th of May, 1784, directing the speedy sale of confiscated and forfeited estates, requiring the proceeds to be applied to the sinking and discharging the public securities, created for the purpose of carrying on the war. This was the first step taken to dispose of these estates and the functions of the commissioners ceased in 1788. The act of 1784, designated the kind of money and certificates or bills of credit issued by the state, which might be received in payment for lands sold; and one class of bills were receivable at the rate of one dollar in silver for every one hundred and twenty nominal dollars of such bills; others at the rate of one dollar in silver for every forty of the nominal dollars specified in the certificates, and a certain class of warrants payable in wheat were receivable at the rate of one silver dollar for every bushel of wheat expressed therein.

Most of these certificates and bills had not been issued, at the date of the act, over four years, and the commissioners of forfeitures were directed not to receive in the aggregate over five millions of dollars in these bills and certificates for lands sold by them under the act. A large nominal sum of public debt was by this process extinguished with a small amount of actual cash, or its equivalent. This was a heavy depreciation of public securities, and was severely felt by the people, who were compelled to take them from the government. The purchasers of the public domain, however, were in no respect losers by the operation. Having purchased these securities at the current specie market price, or at the sum fixed by the continental scale of depreciation, they exchanged them in most instances for some of the best lands in the state, at a price per acre a little more than nominal, and thus accumulated large fortunes, which have been or soon will be wasted by their posterity. These purchasers hazarded nothing; the state warranted the title against all claims, and assumed to pay the debts of any person owning the forfeited estate which existed prior to 9th of July, 1776, and were due to an inhabitant of this state on that day, who had not been attainted or convicted of adhering to the public enemy during the war.

The commissioners of forfeitures of the western district of the state, sold and deeded between September, 1784 and September, 1788, ninety-three lots in the 1st allotment of the royal grant; ninety-one in the second allotment; one hundred and thirty in the 3d allotment; and one hundred and thirty-seven in the fourth allotment.

This proceeding on the part of the state was founded on the attainder of Sir John Johnson, by the act of 1779.

The map made by Lawrence Vrooman, in 1797, shows that Sir William gave by his will to six of his natural children by Molly Brant or Brandt, fifteen thousand acres of this grant, as follows: To Margaret, 2000 acres; George, 3000; Mary, 2000; Susan, 3000; Ann, 3000; Brandt, 1000; and to William, 1000 acres. The portion of this tract thus devised adjoins the East Canada creek, and is in the present towns of Manheim and Salisbury.

The lots as numbered on the map are, 166 in the 1st allotment; 102 in the second ; 136 in the third; and 143 in the fourth. These are the highest numbers, but in several instances intervening numbers below are not found.

A specific half of eighteen lots in Jerseyfield patent, was also sold and deeded by the commissioners of forfeitures, within the periods above mentioned. The original patentees of this large tract were mostly of the Dutch extraction, not German, and residents in Albany, Schenectady and the lower Mohawk valley. None of these names appear in the attainder act of 1779. Some party known to be obnoxious to the penalties of the act, must have been proceeded against by indictment for treason against the state, and the lands declared forfeited on inquisition found. The whole of five lots and a specified half of four others in Livingston's patent was also sold and conveyed by the commissioners. Peter Du Bois, who was attainted by the act of October 22d, 1779, was one of the patentees of this grant, and the sales probably covered his interest, or what remained of it, in the whole patent.

One lot, No. 52, Bayard's patent, was also sold by the commissioners, under the attainder of some of the patentees.

A part of Glen's purchase seems to have been owned by some one obnoxious to the law attainder. James De Lancey was one of the three joint patentees of several lots in this purchase. He was attainted by the act of 1779. Six small lots in that tract were sold and deeded for 1095 pounds, New York currency, on the 27th August, 1788, to replenish an exhausted treasury. James Caldwell purchased five of the lots and Michael Myers one of them. Johan Jurgh Kast's little patent of eleven hundred acres in Schuyler, contributed five hundred dollars to pay war expenses. One lot in that patent seems to have been sold to make compensation for treason against the state. Surely none of the descendants of that sturdy old Palatine could have been recreant to his country and a traitor to humanity.

Two of the Bayards, grantees in the patent of that name, were attainted by the act of 1779, and if they had not then disposed of their interest, the commissioners of forfeitures no doubt gave their attention to a subject of so much importance, and a portion of that patent is held under a title from them.

Diligent search and examination has been made in the proper quarter to find some evidence of grants under the authority of the state, of the John Joost Herkermer's property, but without success.

Some part of the Herkimer property came into the hands of Alexander Ellice, soon after the revolution. The precise time has not been ascertained by the writer, nor has he been able to lay his hand upon any papers showing the title to have come from the state. This, however, must be so, for Mr. Ellice, being a British subject, would not have been allowed to hold forfeited lands except by a grant from the state.

In respect to that part of the royal grant, devised by Sir William to his Indian children, the sale by the commissioners could not be sustained, and consequently was abandoned in regard to some of them, who had not committed any overt act of treason or offense against the statute. One of these children, however, did bear arms against the colonies, and may have been proceeded against under the attainder act, by indictment. The present titles of a portion of the grant are therefore derived from Sir William's will, through his Indian children, but all the remainder, which passed to Sir John Johnson, as heir at law, is held under the state by virtue of his attainder.

The county covers an area of 1370 square miles, or 887,000 acres, and is bounded on the north by the county of St Lawrence, on the east by the counties of Hamilton, Fulton, and Montgomery, on the south by the county of Otsego, and on the west by the counties of Oneida and Lewis. It lies in the central part of the state, between 42 degrees and 50 minutes, and 44 degrees and 5 minutes north latitude, and 1 degree and 43 minutes, and 2 degrees and 14 minutes east longitude from the city of Washington; and is 75 miles long from north to south, and about 26 miles in width from east to west.

RIVERS, STREAMS AND LAKES.

The Mohawk river runs through the southerly part of the county from the west, on an easterly course, and is the most considerable stream of water in it. The East Canada creek, or kill, as formerly called, takes its rise in Hamilton county and discharges itself into the Mohawk river from the north, and forms the eastern boundary line from the river to the northeast corner of the royal grant.

The sources of the West Canada creek, or kill, called by the Indians Tueghtaghrarow, are traced to the northerly part of the county, and into the westerly part of Hamilton, running a southwesterly course to the southwest corner of Matchin's patent, and thence southerly and easterly to the northwest corner of Walton's patent, it forms the boundary line between Herkimer and Oneida counties. It empties into the Mohawk river from the north, near the village of Herkimer.

The Moose, Black and Beaver rivers, which flow into Lake Ontario, have their sources in the north part of the county, fed by numerous lakes and ponds of' pure water, none of which, however, are of any commercial note, but are now often visited by the amateur angler and hunter, as they formerly were by the veteran aboriginal of the forest, and sad is the fate of him who is not proof against the assaults of the mosquito and midge. The bite of these insects is very annoying and poisonous to many of the whites. There are two small lakes or bodies of water in the south part of the town of Warren, called the Little Lakes, but there are no others of note on the south side of the Mohawk.

The Nowadaga creek, in the town of Danube, which flows north into the Mohawk river; the Otsquaga creek, that drains the town of Stark, and the head waters of the Unadilla and Susquehanna rivers take their rise in the towns of Columbia, Warren, Litchfield and Winfield, and flow south, are the only streams which are worthy of note on the south side of the Mohawk. On the north side, besides those already noticed, are several tributaries of the Mohawk and East and West Canada creeks, affording eligible sites and water power for mills and manufactories, improved to a limited extent.

FACE OF THE COUNTRY.

The surface is much diversified, and it may properly be called " a hill country," but it is not mountainous, as it has been sometimes asserted. The Adirondack range of elevated lands enters the county on the northeast from Hamilton and extends to the Mohawk at Little Falls, where it is broken through by the river; thence the same range extends southwesterly in the southern part of the county, forming a dividing ridge for the waters running south and those that flow into the Mohawk river. The settlements now extend about thirty miles north of the Mohawk and the most elevated points of land on the north and south sides of the river, are productive of grass, Indian corn, and coarse grains. These remarks apply particularly to the settled parts of the county. The ranges of upland are quite elevated, in some places being eight hundred feet above the waters of the river. The Ostrander hill, south of Newville in the town of Danube, the hill east of Fairfield academy, and an elevated plat in Russia, observable in a clear day, on the road from Little Falls to Middleville, fourteen miles distant in a northerly direction up the valley of the West Canada creek, are prominent points of this description, and still these elevations are not precipitous or inapproachable.

The northern part of the county, remaining in forests, is elevated, but not more broken than the southern portions under cultivation, and along the valleys of the Mohawk and the East and West Canada creeks.

SOIL.

This is somewhat various, depending upon localities. Sandy and argillaceous loams, based on limestone, sandstone and primitive granite gneiss, clay and calcareous loam, calcareous and sandy loam, calcareous loam, sandy and clay loam, are the general characteristics of the uplands. Rich alluvial flats are found in the Mohawk valley, and quite as productive in grains of various descriptions, as any of the best lands in the state. The alluvial flats of the smaller streams are also rich and productive. The soil north of the royal grant is light and sandy, producing fair summer crops, and is pretty well adapted to grazing.

PRODUCTIONS.

Before the war of 1812, and as recent as 1820, the principal productions of this county were wheat, corn, rye, barley, peas, beans, oats, bay and potatoes ; wheat and barley forming the chief articles of export to the Albany market; of corn, oats, peas and rye, there was some surplus, and also of fat cattle and hogs. The Mohawk valley and the Schoharie were once the granaries of the Albany and New York markets, even when " York flour " had attained some celebrity in New England, and was preferred there to the southern article. The opening of the Eric canal in 1825, brought a rival into market, against which it was useless to contend-Western New York and the country on the south shores of Lake Erie, where the harvests were gathered nearly two weeks earlier than in Oneida, Herkimer and Montgomery, and the crops in bulk would be in market before the grain growers in those counties had begun their wheat harvests. If there was no difference in the quality of the article produced, the difference in the price of land in western New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, and that along the Mohawk valley and in the county, and the disparity in the quantity of the yield per annum, made grain-growing an onerous and unprofitable business to the Herkimer county farmer.

During the period of ten years, from 1820 to 1830, agriculture was at a low ebb in the county. Year after year the insect destroyed all the fields of wheat, and year after year the toil-wearied farmer found himself without the means of paying even his small debts, much less to grapple with bonds, mortgages and interest, given to secure the purchase money of his lands.

In 1820, if all the personal or movable property in the county had been sold at a fair appraisal, it would not have produced sufficient means to pay the domestic debt of the county, and probably not more than half of it. But the recuperative energies of the American can not be borne down even by formidable obstacles, nor can " his hopeful and go-ahead resolution" be " crushed out." As early as 1825, some few of our farmers began to think seriously of changing their mode of husbandry." They abandoned grain growing and turned their attention to grazing, and now the dairy house, and not the granary, is the great point of attraction. Butter, cheese and fat cattle now constitute the staple of the agricultural exports from the county. At one period, Herkimer county cheese stood the first in the market, and it has not lost any of its qualities, but other localities have no doubt improved their productions, still the supply hardly keeps pace with the demand, so that prices do not recede but advance moderately. The business has been quite remunerative for years past to those who bought lands as prices ranged about ten years since. Formerly, the most considerable portion of cheese made was taken to market in the fall of the year; the shipments by canal commencing in September and continuing until the close of navigation, or until all the early made cheese was sent off, and that made late was kept over the winter and sent forward in the spring. But since the rail roads have carried freight, the article is now sent to market as soon as it becomes sufficiently cured to bear transportation in boxes. The raising of broomcorn and the cultivation of the hop has lately attracted attention, and are now being produced to some extent, and on some soils it will no doubt be found quite as profitable as raising grain or devoting the lands to grazing. The soil of the royal grant is said to possess, in an extraordinary degree, the quality of yielding sweet fall pasturage even until covered with snow.

Sawed lumber from the North woods is yet produced in moderate quantities and forms an article of export; and since the construction of plank roads in that direction this business has somewhat increased, and will continue to afford employment for the hardy pioneer lumberman for some years to come.

At no period within forty years have the agricultural interests of the county been as prosperous and healthful as at present, and the domestic or home indebtedness so small; and with the balance of trade largely in its favor, the future prospects of its people are most cheering and hopeful. In the article of breadstuffs, and particularly flour, the consumption greatly exceeds the production, and very considerable quantities of western flour and wheat are annually brought into the county for home use. Wheat is not raised in any quantity; the home supply of corn, oats, rye, buckwheat, potatoes and apples is equal to the consumption ; and apples are sometimes exported when the crops are good and the eastern supply short.

MINERALS.

Iron ore is found in large quantities in the north part of the county, and formerly in what is called Brown's tract, there were works for smelting the ore, but these have been long since abandoned. This ore is said to have been discovered in the town of Salisbury, but the quantity is not sufficient to afford any encouragement to capitalists to work it, or the quality of it is not as good as that found in other localities at much greater distance from the market, as no efforts have as yet been made to open and work the mine since its discovery. Gypsum has been obtained in small quantities in the town of Stark. Some specimens of lead ore have been found in the county, but neither lead or gypsum has yet been found in sufficient quantities to attract ,attention. The rock crystal, or false diamonds, were formerly found at Little Falls and at Middleville, nine miles north, on the West Canada creek, in large abundance, and more beautiful than in any other portion of the United States. They were of different sizes, and most of them beautifully clear and transparent, and exceedingly multiform in shape. Those found at Little Falls were taken from the sandstone ; and those at Middleville were obtained in cavern or grotto, apparently formed by the crystallization of some mineral waters. Some specimens were found larger than a walnut, with water in the centre, and others with dark spots entirely enclosed or surrounded with clear crystal. The writer was several years ago told by a gentleman, that be took a number of these crystals, obtained at Little Falls, to London, England, and the lapidary informed him that one of them was a real and not a false diamond ; and that he saw the stone submitted to the test of fire. No positive indications of coal have yet been found, and there probably will not be, as the geological formations are not characteristic of that fossil. At present the wealth of the county consists principally in its agricultural products; but we might speculate a moment, in these days of improvement and progress, and fancy the navigation of the Moose river, improved as high up as the iron region of the county, by which the products of the ore beds will be brought to market oil the Black river canal.

MANUFACTURES.

These, although not numerous, or employing large amounts of capital, when compared with some other counties in the state, or some other localities in the United States, are respectable, taken altogether, and contribute an important item to the sum of our integral prosperity and wealth.

The manufacture of leather has heretofore been successfully carried on, and several large tanneries have been erected in different parts of the county. Several extensive paper mills are in operation in the county. An extensive building is now being erected at Little Falls, by Mr. George W. Beardsley, to be used in manufacturing paper of various descriptions and qualities, from wood.

ROADS, CANALS, TURNPIKES.

Before and during the revolutionary war, the Mohawk river was navigated by batteaux of light draught and easy transport over the carrying place at the lesser falls. At this time the main traveled road between the East and West Canada creeks, was on the south side of the river. As early as April, 1790, the legislature appropriated " one hundred pounds for the purpose of erecting a bridge across the East Canada creek, not exceeding three miles from the mouth thereof, upon the road from the Mohawk river to the royal grant."

On the 6th of April, 1793, the legislature appointed commissioners, and directed them to erect " a bridge over the East Canada creek, nearly opposite Canajoharie castle, on the public road leading from Tribes Hill to the Little Falls; the building and erecting a bridge over the West Canada creek, on the public road or highway leading from the Little Falls aforesaid, to Fort Stanwix."

The Western Inland Lock Navigation Company, was incorporated March 30th, 1792. The object of this company was to open and improve the navigation of the Mohawk river, and other streams, from the Hudson to the Seneca lake and Lake Ontario, to "encourage agriculture, promote commerce and facilitate intercourse between the citizens" of the state, as put forth in the preamble to the act. The improvements made by the company, in this county, consisted in opening a short canal in the river flats, and the construction of a lock, to avoid a rapid in the river, near old Fort Herkimer, in the town of German Flats; and the construction of the canal and locks, at Little Falls. This work was completed in 1795. The locks were first made of wood, were rebuilt of stone in 1804, and in good condition in 1825, when the Erie canal was opened. On the completion of these works, the river was navigated in a good stage of water, by the large Durham boats, between Schenectady and Lake Ontario. There was a light and commodious passenger boat on the river, in the year 1817. The trip from Utica to Schenectady was rapid and agreeable, but the return was so slow and tedious, that passengers did not incline to embrace it. The entire cost of this company's improvements was about $450,000.

The state owned $92,000 of the stock, and individuals, $140,000. The state wishing to use the waters of the Mohawk and Oswego rivers, and occupy some portion of the company's canal, for the purpose of the Erie canal, and being unable to agree with the company, on the sum to be paid, took the franchises and property of the corporation by appraisal, paying to the individual stockholders, for their interest, $91,616; the interest of the state, at the same rate of allowance, being $60,204.80. This company, it appears, sunk of capital in twenty-two years after their works at the Little Falls were completed, $298,180.20.

The next improvement in roads, which materially affected the interests of the people of the county, was the construction of the Mohawk turnpike. The charter of the Turnpike and Bridge company, was granted April 4, 1800. The road from Schenectady to Utica, on the north side of the river, was built in an expeditious and unsubstantial manner, of the material found along the line. Although the opening of the Erie Canal, in 1825, materially affected the income of the company, by diverting transportation from the road, it was an immense thoroughfare for travel, until August, 1835, when the corporate franchises of the company and the road itself were transferred to the Utica and Schenectady rail road company, for $62,500, and the successors of the company, now own and control the turnpike, from the west bounds of the town of Herkimer, to its termination on the west bank of the river, at Schenectady. I need not say, perhaps, for the information of any inhabitant of the county, that the Erie canal traverses its territory, from west to east, on the south side of the Mohawk river, passing through the villages of Frankfort, Ilion, Mohawk and the town of Danube; nor that the New York central rail road traverses the county from east to west, on the north side of the river, passing through the town of Manheim, the villages of Little Falls and Herkimer, and part of the town of Schuyler, crossing the Mohawk, near the west bounds of the county; having five passenger and freight stations along the line in the county.

One of the most, if not the most, successful enterprises of modern times, was the Utica and Schenectady rail road company, chartered in 1833, and now forming a part of the Now York central rail road. The original capital was $2,000,000. The road was constructed, equipped for running and opened on the 1st of August, 1836, for a sum somewhat less than capital. It was a pioneer road, and the art of chisseling had not then been brought to its modern perfection.

On the first organization of the company, in 1833, after the distribution of the stock, Erastus Corning, John Townsend, Lewis Benedict, James Porter, of Albany; Alonzo C. Paige, of Schenectady; Tobias A. Stoutenbergh, of Montgomery; Nathaniel S. Benton, of Herkimer; Nicholas Devereaux, Henry Seymour, Alfred Munson, Utica; James Hooker, Poughkeepsie; John Mason and Churchill C. Cambreleng, of New York, were chosen directors; James Porter was appointed secretary ; Gideon Hawley, treasurer; Win. C. Young, chief engineer; and Gideon Davidson, commissioner. The charter required that one director, at least, should be a resident of the county through which the line of the road passed. Messrs. Corning, Townsend, Paige, Devereaux, Benton and Hooker, of the first board chosen, remained in the direction twenty years, and until the consolidation took place, May 17th, 1853. Mr. Young was appointed engineer and general superintendent after the road was finished, and held that highly responsible place until 1851, when he resigned, went on to the Hudson river road, and was succeeded by Mr. Chauncey Vibbard, who had been several years an efficient aid to Mr. Young. Mr. Vibbard is now the general superintendent of the New York central company. It is not too much, nor out of place here, to say, that Mr. Young was a most valuable and efficient officer. There were but few men in this country at that time, who could have taken the charge and active superintendence of an entirely new enterprise, organized and arranged the running of the trains, selected competent and suitable agents to aid him, with better or more complete success than he did. He lived on the road for years, until order and exactitude pervaded the whole line, and at every station, and in every department of service. But it may be said, he did not and could not do all this work alone and single handed. This is true; he had active, able and vigilant assistants on the line, as local superintendents; and. Maj. Zenas C. Priest, who entered the service of the company before the road was opened for traffic, and has remained on it ever since, was among the most reliable and efficient of Mr. Young's assistants.

At the time of consolidation, the stock capital of the company was $4,500,000, on which the shareholders received fifty per cent premium in six per cent bonds of the consolidated company, equal at par to $2,475,000, and how much of the two and a half millions of increase to the original two millions was made up by extra dividends in the old company, and how much of surplus has been and will be paid by the trustees to the stockholders of the company, I need not name, to make good the assertion, that the Utica and Schenectady company has turned out the most successful of modern railway enterprises.

The Utica and Schenectady rail road is now enrolled among the things that wore, and history teaches by the examples inscribed on its pages. Twenty years the directors of that company served the shareholders without compensation or reward, and not only repaid them their whole capital, with interest, but gave them a little surplus, and left the original stock unimpaired in the new company. If this success does not show that there was ability, application and integrity in the direction and management of the concerns of the company, it will be extremely difficult to produce an example of this sort that will. I am not aware of a single year, and I marked the progress of affairs with considerable attention, when the annual expenses of the road exceeded thirty-three per cent of the gross earnings. Those expenses seldom reached that sum during the whole seventeen years the road was operated. Why, then, do we now see those expenses reaching to and even exceeding fifty per cent of the gross earnings of rail road companies? I place these facts on the record, and those who have time, and are so disposed, may discuss causes and their effects.

The shareholders of these, companies have a remedial power in their own hands, and can apply it once in each year, if they choose to do it. They can know, if they will, whether the laws of the state have been strictly observed by the directors and agents of the company; and they should know, too, whether the principal agents of the corporations have been interested in contracts with the company; or have used the information or knowledge which could only come to them confidentially, for the purpose of dealing in the stock of the companies to which they belong, and speculate, on a rise or fall in the market. When men seek places in rail road directions, to control and participate in the contracts for supplies, and when the chief agents of these companies are allowed to be contractors, the stockholders directly, and the general public indirectly, suffer materially.

I will dismiss the subject of rail roads, and go back in order of time a half century or more. March 26, 1803, an act was passed, authorizing certain great roads in this state to be opened and improved, and for that that purpose $41,500 was directed to be raised by lottery.

The State road, so called, from Johnstown to the Black river country, passing through parts of Manheim and Salisbury and the towns of Norway and Russia in this county, was laid out and surveyed, and probably opened by commissioners appointed by the governor, pursuant to the authority conferred by the above act. This road was used a good deal in the early part of the present century, when the eastern emigration was flowing towards the present counties of Lewis and Jefferson, the western portion of St. Lawrence and the northern parts of Oneida and Herkimer.

The Fall Hill turnpike and bridge company, incorporated in 1801, was authorized to build a toll-bridge over the Mohawk at Little Falls, and construct a road from the house of Ira Crane in Minden, Montgomery county, to the Mohawk river, thence along said river to Henry A. Vrooman's, in German Flats, and thence to Samuel Abbott's house and Kassler's mills. The object of this improvement was to avoid the difficulties of the road over Fall hill, which was pretty steep and rugged. The bridge was erected and used many years, and until the charter was abandoned. The road was not made.

In the year 1806, commissioners were appointed to lay out and straighten the road on the south side of the Mohawk river, from Schenectady to Utica, where they should judge the same expedient. This road was directed to be opened three rods wide, and the towns through which it passed were required to work it. In all the cases which I have noticed, if any portion of these roads, surveyed by the directions of the legislature, was laid out through improved lands, compensation was made to the owners, and after the roads were surveyed and opened by the state, the towns through which they passed were required to repair and maintain them. This requirement could only be observed where there was sufficient population.

An opinion prevailed at an early day, that the northern travel would leave the Mohawk valley at East Creek or Little Falls, and turn towards the Black river country, but the project of opening and improving a road from Little Falls in that direction was never carried into effect. The people of Johnstown, Utica, Whitestown and Rome, were too much alive to their own interests to allow such a project to get the start of them. The route from Johnstown through the northern parts of Montgomery and Herkimer, crossing the East Canada creek at Brackett's bridge, and the West Canada creek at Boon's bridge, near Prospect, in Oneida county, was much the shortest, and the best adapted to emigrant travel.

The Great western turnpike passes through the southeast corner of the town of Warren, at the Little lakes, a distance of two or three miles. This road does not touch the Mohawk valley. The Minden and Utica turnpike company was incorporated in 1809. The designated line of this road in the county passed through the present towns of Stark, Warren, Columbia, Litchfield, the southwest corner of Frankfort into Oneida county. Some part of this turnpike was completed, and one or more gates were erected to collect tolls, but it, has long since been abandoned, the charter having been declared forfeited for a misuser, and the people are not obstructed by the toll-bar.

Col. Jeremiah Drake projected a rail road, to connect with the Utica and Schenectady line, near A. A. Fink's, two miles east of Little Falls, and running northerly a distance of about fifteen miles in this county, to the northeast corner of the Royal grant. He procured an act of incorporation in 1834, had the line of road surveyed and located, and estimates of cost of construction and traffic made up. Col. Drake was sanguine the road would yield a good return upon the investment, but failing to convince capitalists of this fact, he was compelled to abandon the project. The line of the road as surveyed, passed through Manheim Center, Wintonville, Salisbury Center to Devereaux. This line would not have yielded an income quite as prolific as the Utica and Schenectady, but that company and the New York central line would have found it a most valuable auxiliary in furnishing fuel from the North woods.

The plank road mania of 1847-8, in its epidemic progress thorough the state, visited the county, and roads of this description were constructed in various directions.

The first, in point of time, was the road from the village of Mohawk, through Herkimer and Middleville to Newport, tip the valley of the West Canada creek.

The Little Falls and Middleville, connecting the two places named by plank.

The Manheim and Salisbury, connecting Little Falls with Salisbury Four Corners. This line has been extended to Graysville, a village on the Black creek in the north part of Norway.

The Little Falls and Salisbury, connecting the former place with Devereaux at the northeast corner of the Royal grant. The route of this road is nearly on the line of Col. Drake's proposed rail road. The plank road from Utica, passing through Frankfort, Litchfield and West Winfield to Unadilla.

The Mohawk and Ilion, connecting the two places named by plank.

The Frankfort and Utica, extending from Frankfort village to the west line of the county, along the Erie canal.

Ilion and Cedarville, extending from the former village south to Cedarville.

The plank road from Fort Plain, in Montgomery county, to Cooperstown, passes through Starkville and Van Hornesville, in the town of Stark.

The North Gage and Russia. Plank road, connects Russia, in this county, with North Gage, in Oneida county.

The Utica, Deerfield and Schuyler plank road.

Although not in the order of time, I may here remark that a charter was granted in 1.836, to construct a rail road from Herkimer to Trenton, Oneida county, along the valley of the West Canada creek; but no further effort was ever made to carry into effect the objects of the law. Like many other projects of this kind, its promoters found it difficult to obtain the capital to build the road, although the route was quite feasible and unobstructed by deep cuts and heavy embankments.

THE NEWSPAPER PRESS OF THE COUNTY.

Strange as it may seem to the reader, the history of the newspaper press of the county, although covering only about half a century, has come to rest in tradition, and while itself the recorder of events that have moved a world in arms, and shook crumbling empires into dust, it has failed in this county to place its own existence and career beyond a surmise, and a probability; or, the frail memory of man when he makes the effort to speak of dates and limit periods without a written or printed record before him. Tradition is much more uncertain among a civilized people who claim to record events as they transpire, than with the aboriginal natives of this continent, who perpetuate their legends and important national events by reciting them in a full assembly of the tribes, where the young, the old and the middle aged of both sexes are seated around the great council fire to hear repeated and impress upon the memory, the history of their tribe, the exploits in war of their great chiefs and distinguished braves, to describe the limits of their hunting grounds, and to recount the moons and the seasons since the happening of some great event.

In the beginning of the present century, and probably about the year 1802, Mr. Benjamin Cory published the first newspaper in the county, called the Telescope, designed to uphold the interests of the federal party. In January, 1805, David Holt a (name long familiar to the people of the county) and J. B. Robins purchased Mr. Cory's interest in the paper and issued another instead of it, called the Farmer's Monitor.

The Monitor was continued until the summer of 1807, when it was discontinued for want of patronage; Mr. Cory having established another federal paper, which, as the lawyers and merchants of the village were mostly of that party, engrossed nearly all the advertising patronage.

The Herkimer Pelican established by Cory, was probably continued until the year 1810. The Pelican supported Governor Lewis, and the Monitor, it is said, was attached to the George Clinton branch of the, republican party.

The fourth paper was established in January, 1810, by J. H. & H. Prentiss, called the Herkimer American; it was published several years by them and William L. Stone, afterwards of the New York Commercial Advertiser, when Edward P. Seymour purchased the establishment and conducted the paper to "its life's end" in 183 1. Mr. Seymour always kept his paper to the true party lines while he controlled it, but he would not refuse to print tickets for the republicans when they had no press in the county.

The Bunker Hill made its appearance some time in the year 1810, established by Mr. G. G. Phinney? The political tendencies of this paper were pretty high-toned. The motto, " Live free or die ! Death is not the greatest of evils," (Gen. Stark), showed its conductor was ready for the fight. Mr. Phinney brought out the Honest American about the year 1812. The editorial courtesy of those times was quite pungent, taking the following article as a specimen :

"A Mean Blackguard..--Captain Consequence, or in other words, Charley Holt, has been pleased, if lie ever was pleased, to daub in his paper the following ridiculous paragraph against the editor of the Honest American :

"'A Dishonest American.-The foolish rascal in Herkimer, who to the disgrace of the name of an editor, is the lickspittle of the Public Advertiser, can not expect further newspaper notice, but will be silenced without disturbing our readers by so pitiful a subject.'

" Capt. Charley talks of 'silencing us,' but the captain is informed that he nor all the men he could raise while a captain in Hudson, will be able to silence us. Capt. Charley says we can not expect further 'newspaper notice.' God grant we may not receive any further notice from so mean a scoundrel. This 'pitiful subject' wishes not to 'disturb' his 'readers.' It is well known, that as far as Capt. Charley's influence extends, he has done more to disturb the republican party than any other editor in the state. An eternal good-bye to you, Capt. Charley, unless you intend to take other notice of us than that of 'newspaper.' "

This language smacks some of an indictment or prosecution for a libel. These two papers, the Bunker Hill and Honest American were both discontinued before 1821, and in September of that year, Edward M. Griffin established the People's Friend, a democratic paper, at Little Falls, which was published by him until about the year 1832, when several of the leading democrats of the county, to prevent the sale of the establishment and discontinuance of the paper, bought out the concern. Messrs. C. S. Benton & Co., continued the publication of the paper under the title of Mohawk Courier, until the proprietors sold out their interest to Josiah A. Noonan. Mr. Noonan transferred his interest in the paper to Horatio N. Johnson who after publishing it some time, sold it to Elias G. Palmer, and again purchased it of Mr. Palmer, and now conducts the paper.

The Herkimer Herald made its appearance at Herkimer in 1828, under the direction of Mr. John Carpenter, and advocated the election of General Jackson.

Next in order of time came the Republican Farmer's Free Press, in 1830, an anti-masonic paper, established by an association, printed by David Holt and edited by B. B. Hotchkin. Its life was short. Then came the Herkimer County Journal in December, 1837, a Whig paper. It was owned by a company, commenced at Herkimer, under the editorial charge of J. C. Underwood, and printed by E. P. Seymour. In about one year Mr. Q. A. Bowe took charge of the paper and published it about six years. It was at different times edited by R. U. Sherman, G. W. Smith and A. H. Prescott. Mr. Orlando Squires took charge of the paper in 1849, and removed the establishment to Little Falls, where the paper is now published under the direction of Mr. Daniel Ayer, and has nearly reached the close of the 17th volume.

The Republican Farmer's Free Press was transferred to Little Falls, its name changed to the Herkimer County Whig, and published by Larned W. Smith, who also issued from the same press the Inquirer, a deistical affair. This was not a very long lived concern. It commenced its career in 1834, and closed I believe in about two years.

Mr. E. M. Griffin established The Enterprise at Little Falls in 1839, and continued its publication about two years, and then started the Mohawk Mirror, a quarto sheet which be published or pretended to publish twice a month. This paper died out in 1844.

Next in order of time came the Frankfort Democrat, established at Frankfort in the fall of 1842, by J. M. Lyon, now of the Utica Gazette. It was afterwards removed to Herkimer village, and the name changed to Herkimer County Democrat. Until 1853 this paper was the organ of the Hunker section of the democratic party, and enjoyed a pretty good patronage. Mr. Robert Earl, who succeeded Mr. Lyon in the proprietorship of the paper, sold out his interest, and the paper has since sustained the other section of that party.

When Mr. Bowe quit the Journal, in 1844, he established at Little Falls an abolition journal, called the Herkimer Freeman, which he published about six years, using the type and press of the Enterprise. Failing to accomplish all he designed and all that his industry and application to his business deserved, Mr. Bowe in April, 1850, started the Mohawk Times at the village of Mohawk. Hope again with him "on trembling pinions soared," and the advocacy of "free soil " with a spice of "news and miscellany," was to conduct his bark to a haven of rest. Mr. Bowe soon abandoned this, his last enterprise in the state, in a short time, and established a press some where among the green hills of Vermont.

The Mohawk Valley Sentinel was established by L. W. Peters and G. W. Gould, at Mohawk In the winter of 1855. It has been conducted by Mr. Peters several months, Mr. Gould having left the concern. Its motto, "Put none but Americans on guard" (Washington), very clearly denotes the political bias of the paper.

The Ilion Independent, the last to be now chronicled in history, was brought out in February, 1855, at the village of Ilion by Mr. George W. Bungay. It seems to be devoted to temperance and advocates the prohibitory liquor law. Its motto, "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity" show an enlarged and comprehensive benevolence.

Out of the seventeen or eighteen newspapers established in the county during the past fifty-four years, only three of them, the Courier, Journal and Democrat have stood the test of time. The Sentinel and Independent have not yet passed the ordeal. Fourteen have enjoyed a brief existence, have performed their mission and are now forgotten. The Herkimer American attained the respectable age of twenty-one years. The Courier and People's Friend conjoined have seen thirty-four years. The Herkimer County Journal has thrown its banner to the breeze eighteen successive years and rallied its friends to many political defeats in the county ; and the Herkimer County Democrat, although thirteen years an active campaigner can not claim always to have recorded victories of its friends.

The reader will notice as an act of justice to J. Munsell of Albany, that I am much indebted to his interesting work, The Typographical Miscellany, for the important matter contained in this article.

COLLEGES AND ACADEMIES FAIRFIELD MEDICAL COLLEGE.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of the western district of New York, located at Fairfield, Herkimer county, had its origin in the medical school established by the trustees of Fairfield academy, in 1809, This school had acquired some reputation while attached to the academy. It was even such in the second year of its existence, as to induce the legislature of the state to endow it with $5,000, and when it received the rank of college, they generously added to its funds the further sum of $10,000.

The charter of the college bears date June 12, 1812, to which is appended the seal of the university of the state, and signed by DANIEL D. TOMPKINS, Chancellor of the University of the State of New York. H. BLOODGOOD, Secretary.

In the charter the following persons are named as constituting the first board of trustees, viz.: Westel Willoughby, Jun., Jonathan Sherwood, Luther Giteau, Solomon Wolcot, Isaac Sears, Abijah Tombling, Amos Hale, Simeon Ford, Clark Smith, Joseph White, Alexander G. Fonda, Oliver C. Comstock, John Miller, Isaac Sargeant, Reuben Hart, Amasa Trowbridge, Francis A. Bloodgood, William D. Ford, James Kennedy, Oliver Ellis, Andrew A. Bartow, William Smith,

John Stearns and James Hale ; they and their successors were to have perpetual succession.

At a meeting of the board of trustees, held Dec. 1, 1812, the following individuals were appointed officers of the college, viz.:

Lyman Spalding, professor of anatomy and surgery.

Westel Willoughby, Jun., professor of obstetrics.

James Hadley, professor of chemistry.

John Stearns, professor of the theory and practice of physic.

The class of 1812-13, as appears by the records, consisted of eighteen medical students. During the session of 1813-14, it numbered twenty-four.

At a meeting of the board, March 23, 1815, T. Romeyn Beek was recommended to the honorable regents to fill the office of professor of the institutes of medicine.

Jan. 30, 1816, the degree of doctor of medicine was conferred on two individuals, viz.: Horatio Orvis and Sylvester Miller. Dr. Beck gave his first course on medical jurisprudence. Number of students, 28; 4 graduates.

At a meeting of the board, May 20, 1817, Doct. Joseph White, of Cherry Valley, was appointed president and professor of anatomy and surgery in the college, in place of Dr. Spalding; at the same meeting, it was resolved, that President White have leave to substitute his son, Delos White, M. D., to deliver lectures on anatomy in his stead.

Jan. 20, 1818, the class consisted of 41 students, of whom 7 were considered worthy of the degree of doctor of medicine.

Jan. 19, 1819, a resolution was passed by the board of trustees, dismissing any student who should be concerned directly or indirectly in digging up any dead human body, for the purpose of dissection in the college.

Jan. 20, 1820, the legislature were petitioned for a law for giving the dead bodies of unclaimed convicts of the state prison, at Auburn, to the college, for the purposes of dissection.

Jan. 23, 1821, Dr. Delos White resigned his professorship of anatomy, in consequence of the difficulty of procuring subjects for dissection. The same year, it was resolved to extend the course of lectures from twelve to sixteen weeks.

Jan. 22, 1822, James McNaughton, M. D., made professor of anatomy and physiology. 62 students; 14 graduates.

For several years subsequent to this period, the affairs of the college continued to prosper, and the number of students to increase. At the close of the session ending in January, 1827, Joseph White, M. D., inconsequence of age and infirmities, resigned his professorship, and was succeeded in the chair of surgery by John Delamater, M. D. Number of students in attendance this session, 144; graduates, 25. In consequence of the increase of students, an additional college edifice was erected, containing thirty-two lodging rooms, and the lecture rooms of the old college edifice were enlarged and rendered more commodious.

1828, number of students, 171; graduates, 33.

1832. This year the number of students had increased to 205; graduates, 39.

1834. The largest class ever assembled at the college was during the session ending in January, 1834, when the number reached 217, of whom 55 received the degree of doctor of medicine. The following year the number was 198.

The organization of the medical department of Geneva college, and subsequently the incorporation of a medical college in the city of Albany, together with other causes, had the effect to diminish the number of students in attendance at the Fairfield college from the year 1834, until the final suspension of lectures in the latter institution, by the faculty; yet the numbers continued to be respectable, and probably would have been until the present time, had the proper efforts been continued to sustain it. During the year 1836, the regents confirmed the following alterations, by which the professorships stood as follows:

Subsequently, Frank H1. Hamilton, M. D., succeeded Prof Mussey in the chair of surgery, and with this exception, the faculty remained as above during the operation of the institution. The last course of lectures was given during the winter of 1839-40. The number of students in attendance was 105, of whom 26 received the degree of doctor of medicine. Since the cessation of medical lectures, the college buildings have undergone material modifications, and have been thoroughly repaired, for enlarging the accommodations of Fairfield academy, for which purpose they are at present appropriated. Lyman Spaulding, M. D., was the first president of the college, and was succeeded in office by Joseph White, M. D. , in 1817, who resigned in 1827. The venerable Prof. Willoughby succeeded Dr. White, and held the office until his decease.

Fairfield Academy.

This institution was incorporated March 13th, 1803, by the regents of the university of this state, and has been in successful operation ever since. The first board of trustees consisted of Moses Mather, Thomas Manley, Nathan Smith, Samuel Giles, Westel Willoughby Jr., William Griswold, Alvah Southworth, Cyrus M. Johnson, John Meyer, Jonathan Hallet, Abijah Mann, Mathias B. Tallmadge, Samuel Wright, William Smith, Benjamin Bowen, Charles Ward, Clark Smith, Thomas Bennett, Moses Wheeler, Francis A. Bloodgood, Aaron Hackley, John Snell, John Herkimer and Henry Coffin, and the school was opened under the supervision of the Rev. Caleb Alexander, as the principal, and under his care and management of about ten years, the institution became extremely popular, and was esteemed the best academic school in the country. It enjoyed a wide field of patronage and usefulness, the first twelve or fifteen years of its existence, it being the only school of the kind in central or western New York in which thorough academic instruction could be obtained.

Even at this late day it is not an unfrequent occurrence to hear the members of the legal profession, advanced in years and living in the central, western and northern parts of the state, speak of their having been educated at Fairfield. The same remarks may no doubt be made with truth by many engaged in other pursuits, or have devoted themselves to medicine or divinity. Fairfield Academy has sent out many worthy and excellent men, and some who have distinguished themselves in public life and in the learned professions, and it may well have done this. She had the young and aspiring talent of the country flocking to her halls, and she maintained sound, thorough and enlightened instructors. The trustees and patrons of this institution have just grounds to felicitate themselves on the past success of the school.

At former periods the aid of the state has been bestowed, with sparing munificence, and it may be with as much liberality as justice to other institutions and the ability of the state would allow. It is however gratifying to know that this institution, the oldest in the county, and the first established in a now widespread, populous and wealthy region of country, enjoys a permanent endowment which places the successful progress of the school beyond a continency.

No people ever committed a graver mistake than those who make up their minds that almost any body or thing will do for a school teacher. Those who look for cheap instructors, without inquiry as to qualifications, err exceedingly. The youthful mind is quite as capable of erroneous as rightful impressions when engaged in learning, and all experience teaches us how difficult it is to eradicate error and impress truth in its place in the mind of the pupil; hence the importance of placing in our schools teachers capable, accomplished and experienced. " Set the blind to lead the blind," and what will be the end? The reader will, I hope, bear with me a moment longer. It has seemed to me, we regarded less than we should the permanent endowment of our academic schools. I mean such an endowment as would give a permanent annual income sufficient to carry the institution through all temporary adversities that may overtake it in the progress of years. This enables the trustees to retain an efficient corps of teachers and maintain the usual grade of instruction, and when prosperity returns no changes will be required to meet that fortunate exigency. There are no people within the pale of civilization who practice expediency so much as the Americans in accomplishing proper objects and achieving just results. This may be the mighty lever that has brought the country to its present elevated position; but are the foundations sufficiently strong and adamantine to sustain us in that position? The truths of science can only be reached by keeping on the right tract and within its orbit; and who can lead and direct the neophyte save the accomplished master, the experienced teacher and guide?

Caleb Alexander was a native of Northfield, Massachusetts, who graduated at Yale College, and having been admitted to the ministry, settled as pastor over the church at Mendon. He came into Western New York as a missionary in 1801, and I am enabled through the kindness of one of his descendants to consult his journal, from which I have made some extracts:

"August 10, 1801. Having received my commission from the Rev. Nathaniel Emmons, D. D., President of the Massachusetts Missionary Society, having obtained the consent of my church and congregation and committed myself and family to the direction and disposal of God, I began my missionary tour to the people in the western parts of the state of New York."

He visited various localities on the North river, in Saratoga, Schenectady, Albany, Schoharie, Otsego, Madison, Oneida, Cayuga, Onondaga, Ontario and Herkimer counties, and finally reached Norway, in this county, November 10, 1801, and remained until 23d, visiting and preaching at Fairfield, Norway and Salisbury. At this period Mr. Alexander says, that Fairfield contained 2065, Salisbury, 1694 souls, and the whole county, 14,503.

While at Fairfield and Norway, on this occasion, be made arrangements for opening a school at the former place. A frame building was erected, and in May, 1802, he returned from Massachusetts with his family, and commenced in good earnest to lay the foundation of an institution which gave birth to the Academy. During the whole period of his engagement at the head of the Fairfield Academy, he preached alternately at Fairfield, Norway, Salisbury and at other places in the northern part of the county.

He left Fairfield in 1812, and took charge of the academy at Onondaga Hollow, where he remained engaged in teaching and preaching, giving a portion of his attention to farming, until he was called home to give in account of his stewardship, at the venerable age of 73 years.

Mr. Alexander was the author of several educational works, and among them were his Latin and English Grammars, which were of high repute in their day, although he sold the copy right of the "Grammatical Elements, or a Comprehensive Theory of English Grammar," &c., to Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews, of Boston, in 1793, for $133.33. His education was as thorough and complete as could well be obtained in this country at the time he graduated, and he evinced no lack of energy and application in subjecting his acquirements to the severe test of writing out an elementary treatise on the English language.

The present trustees of this institution are Charles Willard, Sidenis Teal, David W. Cole, Jarius Mather, William B. Porter, Roswell D. Brown, George Pierce, James Seaman, Thomas A. Rice, Richard R. Smith, Henry Tillinghast, Lorenzo Carryl, Jeremiah Cory, Varnum S. Kenyon, Ezra Graves, William Lamberson, Parley Arnold, Horace Ford, Jeremiah Smith, Alden S. Gage, William Mather, George W. Philips, Asa Chatfield and John Green. Jeremiah Smith, president of the board of trustees, Jarius Mather, secretary.

The Academy at Little Falls in the county of Herkimer,

was, incorporated by the regents of the university of this state, October >em>17, 1844.

The trustees named in the charter were, Nathaniel S. Benton, Arphaxed Loomis, Frederick Lansing, George H. Feeter, William C. Craine, David Petrie, Henry Heath, Martin W. Priest, Harry Burrell, Richard N. Casler, Albert G. Story, Zenas C. Priest, Thomas Burch, Nathan Brown, Soloman Petrie, Stephen W. Brown, Henry Eysaman and William Ingham.

The whole value of academic property, consisting of lots, buildings, furniture, library and apparatus, as appears from the first annual report of the trustees made December 8th, 1845, was $14,849.38.

Merritt G. McKoon, Esq. A. M., opened the school, as principal teacher, and the same has been continued to the present time, under the direction of different instructors.

The citizens of the town and surrounding country exhibited a generous liberality in donating funds towards the erection of the splendid stone edifice occupied as the academic building.

The present trustees of this institution are, Nathaniel S. Benton, Arphaxed Loomis, Harry Burrell, Martin W. Priest, Albert G. Story, Thomas Burch, Zenas C. Priest, John Beardslee, Seth M. Richmond, James Feeter, William J. Skinner, William Ingham and Philo Reed.

The academy at Herkimer was incorporated in 1838 or 1839, and was subject to the visitation of the regents of the university. It flourished a few years and was finally abandoned for want of patronage.

This school, as is well known, was located in one of our most pleasant villages, containing a population, able of itself to form the nucleus of a very liberal support, but owing to some serious difficulty, originating with some of the faculty, the school unfortunately failed to command the public confidence.

West Winfield Academy.

Incorporated by the regents of the university, February 14th, 1851.

The trustees named in the charter are, William Stuart, Alonzo Wood, James M. Rose, Walter Palmer, Joseph Harding, Joel Wadsworth, Rufus Wheeler, Zenas Eldred, J. L. Moore, David R. Carrier, Ira Walker, Samuel Smith, H. D. Kellogg, Orange Holmes, Newton Wilcox, William McLoughlin, Levi S. Knight, Alvah Barker, Hiram Brown, L. G. Holmes, T. W. Morgan and N. M. Morgan.

The present value of the academic buildings, library and apparatus, at the date of the application, was stated at $3,200. The location of this institution in an elevated and healthful district of country, easy of access, and being surrounded by a vigorous and wealthy population, must make it an inviting spot for youth to pursue academic studies, and it should not fail, as it seems to me it need not, to become highly useful and influential in disseminating classical instruction over a wide and extended territory. The academy, thus far, gives promise of much usefulness.

RELIGIOUS ASPECTS OF THE COUNTY.

I shall not add one word to what has been said in the introductory chapter, in reference to the small show now made in this important and interesting branch of our local history. If the extracts from the two missionary journals, here presented to the reader, contain truthful views of our condition, more than fifty years since, we must know our situation, in this respect has changed, and we doubt not for the better. Reliable data to show these facts are beyond my reach. There is, or has been, an organized Bible society in the county. Unfortunately, its records and proceedings can not be obtained, to exhibit its operations and prospects.

The state census of 1855, affords materials for the following brief table of statistics respecting the religious aspects of the county. The United States census tables of 1850, give as the whole number of churches in the county, 54. The Methodists have only 8, and the Presbyterian only 2 in those tables. I notice this because I have learned not to confide implicitly in statistical evidence of this character. Differences like these can not easily be reconciled or accounted for:

Names	Churches	Members
Baptists	12	713
Congregational	1	72
Dutch Reformed	6	498
Episcopal	3	74
Free Will Baptists	3	152
Lutheran	4	94
Methodist Episcopal	28	1430
Presbyterian	10	345
Universalist	7	141
Union Churches	9	275
Whitfield Calvinists	1	5

Presenting an aggregate of 88 churches and 4,593 church members, or persons attached to the several churches, and conforming to the rituals in discipline, government and doctrine. This, then, I apprehend, does not embrace among the Protestant congregations, at any rate, the whole number of persons attending religious services in those congregations. The above number is only one in four of the adult population of the county, and one in eight and four-tenths of the whole number of inhabitants. A beggarly account of empty pews, when we assume, as we should, that the capacity of the churches is equal to seating the whole population of the county.

The Rev. Caleb Alexander having performed a missionary tour to the western parts of this state in 1801, by the directions of the Massachusetts missionary society, I have transcribed such portions from the original journal as are of local interest :

NOVEMBER, 1801. - Tuesday, 10. - Rode east 11 miles, to Norway, dined at Lieut. Smith's, in the morning delivered a sermon on Rom., vii, 7, 8, "The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the flesh can not please God." After lecture a conference was formed in which we had much free conversation on religious subjects. Here is a Presbyterian Church of about 27 members, of whom some appear to be pious. At their request I agreed to visit them, next Friday preach a lecture and attend a church conference on the subject of their difficulties. Lodged at Lieut. Smith's.

Wednesday, 11, rainy and snowy, rode 6 miles south, to Mr. Nathan Smiths, in Fairfield; very muddy, chilled with the storm and much fatigued.

Thursday, 12, rainy and snowy, pain in my limbs, kept house all day visited by Capt. Griswold. By him I learned that religion is in a low state in this town. There is a Congregational Church, but no officers, and no meeting on the Sabbath. Proposed to call the church together and converse with them. The storm and badness of traveling rendered it unadvisable to attempt to collect the church.

Friday, 13, returned to Norway, dined at: Deacon Brownson's, preached a lecture at a Mr. Cook's; text, Prov., xxix, 1: "He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." After lecture attended a conference with the church on the subject of' difficulties, and agreed to meet them again next Monday morning at nine o'clock. Lodged at Mr. Cook's.

Saturday, 14, breakfasted at another Mr. Cook's, returned to Fairfield and wrote journal.

Lord's Day 15, delivered two sermons in the school house near Mr. Nathan Smith's. A. M. text 2 Tim., iv, 7, 8: " I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous judge shall give me at that day." P. M. text Acts 1v, 11, 12: " This is the stone which was set at nought by you builders which is become the head of the corner, neither is there salvation in any other. For there is none other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." A full assembly and attention. The people contributed $2.33 cents for the use of the M. M. Society.

At Steuben the people contributed $6.96 cents for the use of the M. M. Society.

Monday, 16, rode early to Norway, met with the church at Mr. Newland's and attended all day to the settling of difficulties of long standing. It appeared that in many instances they had been irregular in their proceedings, which served to be the principal cause of the contentions and animosities existing among them. These were all canvassed and reduced to a happy train of accommodation. Adjourned to meet on Saturday morning, at which time I agreed to preach a lecture, and to administer the sacrament of the Lord's Supper on the next Sabbath so be that all difficulties should be settled.

Lodged at Mr. Lewis Hinman's, and spent the evening in preparing papers to be laid before the church on Saturday.

Tuesday, 17, breakfasted at Mr. George Cook's, dined at Mr. Moses Mather's, returned to Fairfield. There has been some attention to religion in Norway, several have attained a hope and give evidence of true piety. The church consists of 37 members, incorporated three years since by the Rev. Mr. Marsh in union with the associate churches of Morris County Presbytery. Mr. Marsh preached here two years and is now settled in Ballstown. In Norway are two Baptist churches, one on the open communion and the other on the close communion plan. The open communionists are Armenians in sentiments.

Wednesday, 18, visited. In Fairfield is a Congregational church of 24 members, some attention to religion. This town contains 2065 souls, no minister; some Baptists and some never attached themselves to any denomination. The royal grant is a tract of land 20 miles square of excellent soil, situate north of the Mohawk, and between the two Canada creeks and contains Salisbury, Fairfield and Norway in which are 3606 souls and no minister. The county of Herkimer contains 14,503 and no minister, excepting illiterate Baptist preachers, who are exerting every possible means to gain converts to their denomination.

Thursday, 19, rode east 4 miles to Salisbury, in Montgomery county, called upon Aaron Hackley, Esq., and preached a lecture on Titus, iii, 5, 6: "Not by works of righteousness, which we have, but according to his mercy, he saved us by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour." A decent congregation in the school house. There is a Presbyterian Church of 36 members, belonging to the Northern Associate Presbytery of Morris County Presbytery. A Baptist Church has lately been established here. There has been in this place last summer much attention to religion, and almost every convert has joined the Baptist communion through the vigorous exertions of the Baptist teachers itinerating. Salisbury contains 1694 souls, a Presbyterian meeting house.

Friday, 20, cold; extremely bad riding, delivered a lecture P. M. in the school house, on Rom., i, 16: "1 am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ." The people contributed $1.12 cents for the use of the M. M. Society. Returned to Fairfield and called on Mr. Nathan Smith.

Saturday, 21, rode early in the morning to Norway, very cold and rough riding. Convened with the church at Mr. Ruland's, and attended to the difficulties and controversies existing among them. After much conversation, explanations and mutual confessions it was unanimously agreed that they would all make a public confession tomorrow in the presence of the congregation, and renew their covenant with God and one another. During the whole of the transaction they all appeared to manifest a tender, charitable and forgiving spirit, and it appeared that their divisions arose more from mistake of judgment than error of heart. Went to Mr. George Cook's for lodgings.

Lord's Day, 22, cold, snowy and very bad traveling, the church and congregation convened about half-after eleven. Delivered a sermon, text John xv, 5: " He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit." A full and attentive assembly. An inflammation in my throat and nose rendered speaking very difficult. Read the confession of the church for their past misconduct, read their covenant to which they all gave consent, administered the sacrament and took tea at Lieut Smith's. The congregation contributed $2.44 cents for the use of the M. M. Society. Returned to Mr. Nathan Smith's.

Monday, 23, set out from Fairfield on my journey homewards. Cold weather. Rode south 7 miles to the Little Falls, with a view of taking a boat to fall down the river to Schenectady. Found the Mohawk covered with ice, then rode up the river 7 miles to German Flats to take the stage. Finding that the stage is not to run till tomorrow I crossed the Mohawk to Herkimer Court House, 2 miles. Around the Little Falls the country is hilly and very rocky near the river. On the northern bank are seven looks and a canal for the conveyance of boats. Here is a village of 40 houses, several merchant stores, mechanical shops and a new meeting house of hexagonal construction. The people are principally English, and they seldom have preaching. The place abounds in vice especially profanity Since my arrival on the river, I have heard more cursing and swearing, horrid oaths and imprecations, than in ten years past. They fell chiefly from the lips of boat men. In some taverns were English and Dutch farmers drinking and swearing, and the English appeared to be the most abandoned. They regard not the presence of a clergyman, for the Dominie drinks and swears as much as the common people. At the German Flats I observed an old Dutch stone chapel. There is a Dutch clergyman who preaches to the people every second Sabbath.

On the flats in the town of Herkimer is a handsome flourishing village. Nine years since there were only two

Dutch buildings in the place. There is now a handsome street, a meeting house, a court house, a gaol, about 30 elegant dwelling houses, a printing office, merchant stores and several mechanical shops. No minister. Religion appears to have no footing here.

Between Fairfield and the Little Falls is a Dutch settlement, called Manheim; rich farms, a meeting house, and a minister. Meinden, another Dutch settlement, lies south of the Little Falls; no minister. Hasenclevers hills, north of Herkimer courthouse, about 8 miles, and 7 west of Fairfield. No preaching. Schuyler Short Lots lie N. W. of Herkimer; many English, a Baptist church and some Congregationalists.

In the whole county of Herkimer, there is neither a Presbyterian nor Congregationalist minister. The people seem, in general, to be growing up in ignorance and wickedness. A resident missionary might do much good in this county.

Tuesday, 24. Took the stage at Herkimer, and passed through the German Flats, Minden to Canajoharie, 26 miles. In Minden is a Dutch Reformed church, and one at Canajoharie, which are supplied by Dutch clergymen.

The Rev. John Taylor, of Massachusetts, performed a missionary tour through the Mohawk and Black river country, in 1802, and believing the subject would not be uninteresting, I have transcribed such portions of his journal and remarks as relate to this county. He commenced his journey July 20th, 1802, and on his way out he reached the Mohawk valley on the 26th of the month, and his journal proceeds:

"Manheim, the last town in Montgomery county-extent 6 by 6--vacant, not a large congregation.

"Salisbury, north of Manheim-extent about 6 by 8 miles; contains not far from 1700 souls. One Presbyterian ch, vacant. The people, it is said, are tolerably well united and wish to settle a minister.

Rode this day 36 miles. Weather extremely hot and dry. The people in the towns thro' which I have passed, are something sickly with the dysentery and influenza.

"Herkimer, Little Falls. The Albany stage arrived at the public house which I now am at, one o'clock last night."

The Journal then gives an account of the loss from the stage and recovery of some boxes of books. "This parish," Little Falls, contains six or seven hundred inhabitants. They have a new meeting house, but do not improve it.

"Before I go to Utica, I have concluded to visit Fairfield and Norway. About 3 o'clock I left the river, traveled 8 miles, and called on some of the principal men in Fairfield, and found things respecting religion very discouraging. I offered to tarry and preach the next day, but it was thought no people, would attend. I find that people are universally in the midst of their harvests, and it is extremely difficult for them to attend lectures. At night I arrived at Norway, 6 miles north of Fairfield.

"Norway, bounded east by Salisbury, west on Canada creek, south on Fairfield. A young gent. by the name of Johnson, has preached in this town several Sabbaths, and the people have hired him for 3 or 4 Sabbaths to come. But it is in this town, as in all those parts. There is a mixture of Baptists, of Methodists, Universalists and Deists. In the various parts of the town, there is preaching by sectarians of almost all kinds, every Sabbath.

"There is one Methodist church, numerous; two Baptist churches, and part of a third; no meeting houses........The people almost universally inclined to hear preaching, of their various sects. I have concluded to visit this place and several other towns in this quarter, near the close of my mission, should I be able to make it convenient.

"29th July. I this morning left Norway for Utica, and arrived at Utica about 5 o'clock, having traveled 23 miles. I passed through a corner of Schuyler, and found the people to be generally Baptists; from there I passed into Deerfield, upon the Mohawk. There is a considerable congregation of Presbyterians. In Deerfield the people are Baptists, and are vacant."

I will observe in passing, that Norway at this time comprised most of the present town of Newport, and all the town of Russia, and the country north. On his return from the north part of Oneida county, in September, Mr. Taylor continues:

"24th. Rode to the royal grant, 6 miles; found that in this part of the town of Norway the people are all Baptists, and that they had not appointed a lecture. I accordingly passed on ten miles to another part of the town, called Pottersbush. Here I found a church of 30 persons, and was received with gladness.

25th. Too much fatigued to preach.

26th, Sunday. Preached to about 200 persons-very attentive. Administered the Lord's Supper. After meeting endeavored to settle a difficulty in the church, but could not effect it. Rode 11 miles to visit a dying person, and baptise a child. This town is almost ruined by the Methodists and Baptists, [I suppose he means so far as regards his own denomination] and the difficulty in the congregational chh has had a very bad influence. The chh is proceeding upon ye advice of Mr. Alexander" [the Rev. Caleb Alexander, then having charge of Fairfield Academy], " which I think is very wrong. 2 of the best members of this chh are become baptists in sentiment, and they came forward and stated their difficulty between their consciences and their covenant-and no one in ye chh supposes that they are not conscientious in the matter -and yet Mr. Alexander advised the chh not to dismiss ye, but to proceed to excommunion, and brought the chh to a vote that there was no possible way by which any member could be separated from the covenant only by excommunication. This is what is stated to me by ye most judicious members of the chh, and I think this will be ye ruin of ye congregational interest in this town.

27th. Rode ten miles to Salisbury [county of Montgomery], having previously appointed a lecture this day. Preached to about 150 persons -appearances good. Had a conference in the evening-as many present as in the afternoon. This people, like most others in these parts, is very much divided, and the Methodists prevailing."

The voluntary system of supporting religious institutions, which prevails in this county, is the only one which can be recognized, or would be tolerated, by a population made up of almost every nation, kindred, tongue and language in the civilized world. The inconveniences of this system are hardly seen and scarcely felt at this day, and we can only hope they may be less, far less, than the evils and inconveniences that have heretofore grown out of systems established by law and supported by governments.

COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY.

This venerable society was organized on the 5th day of August, 1806, at a general meeting of the physicians of the -county, held at the Court House, pursuant to an act of the legislature of the state, regulating the practice of physic and surgery, passed April 4th, 1806.

Dr. George Rogers was chosen chairman, and Dr. Westel Willoughby, Jr., secretary, for the day. On canvassing the votes for officers of the society, Dr. Westel Willoughby, Jr., was elected president; George Rogers, vice-president; Andrew Farrell, secretary; and Amos Haile, treasurer.

Drs. Amos Haile, Andrew Farrell, Johathan Sherwood, Rufus Crain and Isaac Sears were chosen censors.

The names of the physicians present at this meeting were, Westel Willoughby, Jr., George Rogers, Andrew Farrell, Amos Haile, Abijah Tombling, David Perry, Jonathan Sherwood, John Eastman and Samuel Redfield.

The first Tuesday in January in each year, was assigned as the anniversary of the society. At the annual meeting, held at the court house in January, 1807, the society resolved, that to entitle a physician to become a member of the society, he must either produce a diploma from some medical society in the United States, agreeable to the late law of this state, or a voucher that he is a reputable physician.

Westel Willoughby, Jr., M. D., was appointed a delegate from the society to meet the delegates from the other counties in the state, on the first Tuesday in February, 1807, to form a state medical society.

Drs. Benjamin Hazen, Nathan Harwood, James Hadley, Isaac Sears, Jacob Abrams and William Traver, were admitted members of the society. A committee was appointed to form a code of by-laws, who reported the same at an adjourned meeting, on the 5th of May, following, which were adopted, and ordered to be printed. Dr. Willoughby was requested to deliver a dissertation before the society, at the adjourned meeting in May, 1807. In 1808, at the quarterly meeting in May, a seal was ordered to be procured for the use of the corporation; and at the anniversary meeting in January, 1809, the meetings of the society were reduced from four to two annually, and a fine of one dollar imposed for nonattendance.

Having thus briefly noticed the establishment of this highly interesting and beneficial institution, I shall continue my historical abstract to the present time, noticing as I pass, any marked or interesting incidents. Dr. Willoughby was continued president of the society, until January, 1816, when Rufus Grain was elected, who held one year, and was succeeded by James Hadley, who also held the office one year, and was succeeded by Westel Willoughby, M. D., in 1818. This year the society passed an order, that the county censors of any incorporated medical society should not proceed to examine a student for a license to practice physic and surgery, unless he produce a certificate of having attended at least one session at one of the medical colleges in the United States or in Europe, after the first day of January, 1818.

Dr. Willoughby hold the office of president of the society until January, 1837, when lie delivered a farewell address, for which, and for his constant and unwearied exertions for the interest and welfare of the society, a vote of thanks was tendered to him. The society also, by resolution, requested a copy of the address, and also a copy of a communication that day made by him, to be deposited in the archives of the society. In 1818, a vote was taken to apply the funds of the society to increase the library of the medical college at

Fairfield, on condition that its members could have the benefit of the library during the recess of the lectures at the college. In January, 1819, a resolve was passed, that every medical practitioner in the county who was not then a member, be notified by the secretary to attend at the next regular meeting of the society, and connect himself therewith, pursuant to the act passed in 1818.

In January, 1823, all order was passed to apply the funds of the Society, In the hands of the treasurer, to the benefit of the College library, in accordance with a previous resolution. The funds afterwards received were also appropriated to the same object. In 1825, the society asked the trustees of the college to pass a resolution, that all the books purchased by its funds should be delivered to the society, when the college should be located in some other place than Fairfield. In 1828, the society adopted resolutions of condolence with the families of Drs. Bryan, Willard and Todd, who died the preceding year, and requested biographical sketches of their lives to be deposited in the archives of the society. The society had not met with a more severe loss in one year. These gentlemen were of high professional repute, and of great personal worth. The society in 1830, had its attention called to evils of intemperance, and resolved unanimously to discountenance the use of ardent spirits; and the annual meetings were changed to the first Tuesday in June, in each year.

In 1831, measures were taken to procure a medical topographical survey of the county, in accordance with a circular from the state medical society. I have not noticed that the several committees, appointed under the resolution, to procure the survey, ever made any reports. Dr. Calvin W. Smith was designated as the candidate to the state medical society, for the honorary degree of doctor of medicine.

The society this year, 1832, took measures to petition the legislature, to restore that part of the revised statutes, regulating the practice of physic and surgery, repealed by the act of 1830; and appointed a committee to circulate memorials for that object.

In 1837, the society adopted a regulation requiring the physician employed at the county poor house to make an annual report of his cases of practice; that the library committee should make an investigation into the state of the society's library, count the number of books on hand, and compare the treasurer's reports, and the augmentation of the library for the preceding five years. Also, that each member of the society be requested to keep a record of all the deaths which might occur in his practice, the age of the patient, the diseases of which they died, and how far said deaths were caused by intemperate habits of life, and report thereon to the society. This was a very important regulation, easily carried into effect by the members of the profession, and if strictly attended to, would afford useful and important information. We must abandon all hope, for the present, at least, of obtaining accurate information by the agency of state regulations, in respect to the statistics of births, marriages and deaths. The medical profession could well supply the number of births and deaths, and without much trouble and no expense. Annual abstracts of these would present actual results within a small portion, and would entitle that profession to the gratitude of the country. We must now resort to tables compiled in foreign countries, upon a far distant continent, if we desire to ascertain the probable duration of human life, or calculate the value of an annuity. These are the best data we have. They approximate to the truth, or they are supposed to do so, or they would not be used. We should, however, long since have laid the foundation for results, applicable to our own climate, population and condition of society, which would no doubt have been more accurate and satisfactory.

Doct. Harvey W. Doolittle was chosen president of the society in June, 1837, was succeeded by Dr. Calvin W. Smith for one year in June, 1838, and was again chosen in 1839, and held the office by annual election until June, 1842.

In January, 1839, the society adopted the following:

"Whereas, by the dispensation of Divine Providence, since our last meeting, this society has been deprived of one of its most valuable members, and community one of its brightest ornaments, in the death of Doct. John Holmes:

Resolved, That the members of this society will wear the usual badge of mourning for thirty days, as a testimony of their high respect for their deceased friend ; and that the secretary be a committee to present the condolence of this society to the relations of the deceased."

At the semi-annual meeting in January, 1840, the society adopted a like resolution on the announcement of the death of Dr. Calvin W. Smith, and appointed a committee to write a biographical sketch of the lives of Drs. Smith and Holmes.

The professors of the Medical college at Fairfield, having resigned, and the trustees of that institution having failed to procure the appointment of others to continue the lectures, the society, in 1843, took effectual measures to reclaim, secure and preserve the society library, which had been deposited in the college under the care of the trustees and professors of that institution, as before noticed.

In June, 1842, Doct. Lester Green was elected president of the society, and a resolution was adopted, pledging the influence of the members to forward any feasible plan for resuscitating the Medical college at Fairfield, and tendering the use of the society's library to the trustees of the college when the professorships should be filled and the lectures resumed.

At the annual meeting in 1843, Doct. Green was reelected president. The whole number of volumes on the catalogue of the society's library was 590, of which 473 were brought from Fairfield, 54 were charged to members and 63 were lost or missing. The society adopted a set of by-laws, regulating the safe keeping and use of the library. Doct. Alfred E. Varney was chosen president at the annual meeting in 1844, and the delegate to the state society was requested to lay before that body the opinion entertained by this society, " that it was the duty of the medical faculty generally, to memorialize the legislature of this state to procure the passage of a law to prohibit the sale or use of any secret compound as a medicine," and to ask the state society to adopt measures to lay this subject before the legislature at the next session. These proceedings were rescinded at a subsequent meeting. Some doubts having been entertained, growing out of the legislation of the state in respect to medical societies, in regard to the legal existence of the society, a resolution was adopted in January, 1845, to continue the association as an organized body, and the unanimous opinion of the society to that effect, was declared.

The republican principle of rotation in office, even without emolument, seems to have obtained some footing in the society, and Dr. Abram Snyder was chosen president in June, 1845. A resolution was passed to raise a committee to present the condolence of the society to the family of Doct. Westel Willoughby, deceased, and request a biography of his life, and also that the society would wear the usual badge of mourning.

At the annual meeting in 1846. Doct. Caleb Budlong was elected president; Dr. Walter Booth in 1848, and Dr. Abram Snyder again in 1849. Drs. J. R. Brown, Wheeler, Griffith and Snyder delegates to the National medical association. Drs. Brown and Wheeler were appointed a committee to prepare and present to the society a biographical sketch of the life of Dr. Lester Green. The transactions of the society at its annual meeting in June, 1847, do not appear to have been recorded, nor is the death of Dr. Lester Green noticed except as above mentioned.

Dr. Harvey W. Doolittle was elected president of the society in 1850 and 1851. Drs. Booth, Brown, A. F. Doolittle and D. Belknap were appointed delegates to the National medical association in 1850. In June, 1852, Dr. A. Green was chosen president, and Drs. A. F. Doolittle, C. A. Griffith, A. Hawn and W. Booth, appointed delegates to the National medical association. The proceedings of the society this year were important and interesting, but they are such that I shall not venture to publish them so long as the society hold them under the injunction of secrecy.

The society, at its annual meeting in June, 1853, elected Dr. Walter Booth president, and appointed Drs. Budlong, Griffith, Hawn and Parkhurst delegates to the National medical association.

The proceedings of the semi-annual meeting of the society in January, 1852, are deeply, nay more, solemnly interesting. Although crowded for space, I shall let those who know the man better than I did, pronounce his eulogy on these pages. Dr. C. A. Griffith presented the following resolutions, which were unanimously adopted:

" Whereas, It has pleased the Allwise Disposer of events to remove from this life our late friend and brother, Harvey W. Doolittle, one of the oldest, most eminent and highly respected physicians of this county, and who was for many years president of this society; Be it therefore,.

Resolved, That we deeply deplore the loss sustained by his bereaved family, by the medical society, of which be was long an active member, and by the public at large, in the death of that excellent man and physician, Dr. Harvey W. Doolittle, whose professional attainments, not less than his own personal qualities, contributed to render him a most useful and estimable member of the community:

That we know and cherish his qualities as a man and a citizen ; that we admire his sound judgment, his scientific knowledge and philanthropic spirit, which gave him, a desirable eminence in his profession:

That we loved and lament him as a friend, and we doubt not his translation to a higher and happier sphere, where the pains and cares of this transient life give place to unbroken rest and unspeakable felicity.

Resolved, That as a mark of respect for the talents and virtues of our departed brother, the members of this society will wear crape on the left arm for the space of thirty days.

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be sent by the secretary to the family of the deceased, and that copies be also furnished to the editors of the several newspapers in the county, with a request to publish the same."

A committee was appointed to prepare a biographical sketch of Dr. Doolittle's life.

Dr. W. H. Parkhurst was chosen president of the society in 1854, and Drs. Doolittle, Booth, Parkhurst and Griffiths, delegates to the National medical association. At the annual meeting in June, 1855, the following officers were chosen : Drs. Abm. Hawn, president; L E. Casey, vice-president; C. A. Griffith, secretary; A. Green, treasurer; A. F. Doolittle, W. H. H. Parkhurst, F. B. Ethridge, A. Miller and S. Smith, censors; delegates to the national medical association, Drs. J. R. Brown, A. Hawn, 1. E. Casey, and C. A. Griffith. The president of the society, Dr. Parkhurst, read the annual address. Biographical sketches of the lives of Drs. Doolittle, Snyder, Belknap and Sherwood were presented and deposited in the archives of the society. My abstracts must close for want of material. I do not find any record of the proceedings of the semi-annual meeting in January, 1855, in the manuscript document from which the preceding notes were compiled. I would have been pleased to have given a more extended and particular account of the doings of a body of professional gentlemen, in which the community at large have so great an interest, and upon whose professional progress so much depends to sooth and alleviate "the ills that flesh is heir to," but my chapter is fast growing to a volume.

It must suffice to say, that this society held its regular meetings for nearly fifty years, elected all its officers, secretary, treasurer, delegates to the State medical society and censors, on whom it enjoined the most rigid and careful attention in examining students for admission to practice. That fines were imposed for nonattendance at the stated meetings, but their collection was not at all times rigidly enforced. The initiation fees appear to have been punctually paid, and from a small beginning the society had collected a very respectable medical library. Members were annually designated to deliver discourses on subjects relating to the practice of medicine, and members were invited to report special and unusual cases coming under their observation and care. The archives of the society must be replete with important and interesting information.

The common remark, "that Americans are careless of human life," is most strikingly illustrated in our treatment of this profession. We are quite as likely to deliver a valued friend or dear relative, laboring under some critical or latent disease, into the bands of some "quack doctor," who knows no more about the anatomy or organism of the human system, than a Malay does of ethics, as we are to search out the best-read and most experienced medical practitioner.

The county has sustained, if it did not produce them, several men of eminence and distinguished ability in this profession. But the avaricious grasp of the "almighty dollar" may strike down science and the arts and accomplishments, or invite them to new fields of enterprise and exertion in the westward track of emigration, and leave us nothing but a dull stultified mass of imbecility. There is no reason, within human cognizance, why the country, and such a country as ours, should not uphold and maintain men of eminence in all the professions and pursuits of life. No man with us holds the tenure of his existence and his labor on a lease from another. None are so poor but he can cast in his mite to the erection of the splendid monument of American progress; there are thousands who lack the will. Progressive ignorance is a broad and steep declivity which must quickly land us on a platform of anarchy or under a throne of absolutism.

THE POOR HOUSE ESTABLISHMENT.

This county was among the first in the state to come under the provisions of the act of November 27th, 1824. The board of supervisors met at Herkimer, May 5th, 1825, and appointed Abijah Beckwith of Columbia, Robert Shoemaker of German Flats, and William Griswold of Fairfield, a committee to examine into the subject of establishing a poor house in the county and to report at a subsequent meeting of the board. This committee reported on the last Monday of May, 1825, when the supervisors resolved to purchase the property in German Flats, near the line of the canal formerly owned by Mr. Gillespie, for the sum of two thousand dollars, to be appropriated to the purposes of a county poor house ; appointed Samuel Etheredge and Gideon Johnson to negotiate the purchase, and Rudolph J. Shoemaker, Alfred Putnam, Lauren Ford, John B. Dygert and Caleb Budlong superintendents. The supervisors also directed their clerk, as soon as the proper officers had taken possession of the house, to cause public notice of the fact to be published in the Herkimer American and People's Friend.

On the 16th November, 1827, the supervisors resolved by a vote of 10 to 6 to abolish the distinction between town and county poor in accordance with the provisions of an act of the legislature then recently passed. Up to this time each town had supported its own poor at the county establishment, that is, such persons as had according to existing laws become settled in the respective towns, were, when supported at the public expense, known as town paupers. The new system had not worked to the public satisfaction, either through defects in the management or want of proper accommodation as to buildings and grounds. On the 16th of December, 1827, the supervisors resolved to ask the legislature for authority to sell at their discretion the " present county poor house establishment, and purchase a more suitable piece of land and erect buildings thereon for the future reception and accommodation of the paupers of the county." A. law was passed to this effect, but no immediate action seems to have been taken under it. In November, 1829, the supervisors authorized the county superintendents of the poor to provide for support out of the county house, idiot and lunatic paupers. In 1837, the question of disposing of the poor house was again agitated, although at the annual meeting that year the superintendents were authorized to purchase a part of the Steel farm for the use of the county, which was subsequently effected. In 1839 and 1840, the question of a sale and change of location was discussed by the supervisors, and there appears to have been a settled opinion that something should be done, but what it should be, was very difficult to settle upon. The legislature again passed laws on the application of the board of supervisors, allowing a sale and change of location. In 1842 the superintendents were authorized by the board of supervisors to sell the "present poor house and the small piece of land contiguous thereto for five hundred dollars," a pretty clear indication that the house was not considered of much value and was deemed entirely inadequate to the purposes it had been devoted. It was agreed on all hands that the time contemplated by the resolution of 1828 had fully arrived, but the difficulty about the new location and the plan of a new house were not very easily settled. The legislature in 1844 vested in the board of supervisors full power to sell out the old establishment, purchase a new site and erect suitable buildings thereon.

An active and exciting controversy of nearly three years, duration was kept up in the county before a majority of the supervisors made a final disposition of the subject. That body was almost equally divided on the question of the new location. The centralists were very urgent to keep it on the south side of the river, or near the centre of the county, while the supervisors of the northern and eastern towns were very zealous to have the poor house establishment removed from the Erie canal. While the contest existed, the towns placed their best and most influential men in the board of supervisors, when Greek met Greek in the tug of war. After the board had appointed commissioners to select a new site, the friends of the river location carried a resolution at a subsequent meeting of the board, to rebuild on the old site, and after repealing all former resolutions of the board relating to this subject, adjourned. Before any further action was taken in reference to carrying this project into effect, this resolution was repealed, and the matter was again entirely afloat, and continued undetermined some time.

At a meeting of the board, on the 17th March, 1846, the supervisors, by a vote of 11 to 7, sanctioned the contract for the new buildings, made by the commissioners previously appointed, and directed the superintendents of the poor to deliver and assign to the said commissioners all moneys and securities belonging to the county poor house establishment. The board had, at a meeting held on the 15th January, 1846, fixed upon a new site, by a vote of 10 to 9. The commissioners who superintended the erection of the new establishment were, George W. Alton, George Burch and Cornelius T. E. Van Horne.

The new Poor House is located in the town of Herkimer, on the west side of the West Canada creek, on the road from Herkimer to Newport, and about two miles south of Middleville, and far enough from the canal and rail road thoroughfares to discommode roaming mendicants, which I conclude was the leading object of the advoeates of the change. The establishment is large and commodious, and well adapted to the benevolent purposes for which it was erected. The supervisors of this county now perform all the duties in respect to pauper relief that formerly devolved upon the overseers of the poor by law.

COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY

A society to promote the improvement of this important branch of our industrial pursuits, was organized under the act of April 7th, 1819. The objects of the society met the approval of the non-agricultural portion of the people of the county to a considerable extent, and some exertions were made to induce the farming community to attend the annual fairs and exhibitions, but the coercive tax authorized by the act to sustain these county institutions was not looked upon with favor in that quarter, and after one or two efforts to make a respectable show, the affair was abandoned.

A reorganization of the society was had in the county, under the act of May 6th, 1841, and the annual exhibitions which have taken place have been highly creditable to the agricultural, manufacturing and mechanical interests of the county. It could not be expected that the extent and variety of show would be as large as in the more populous and wealthy counties. The proceedings of this society are found published with the annual transactions of the State society, and I will not recapitulate them. I notice with regret, the fact, that of late years the society has been sustained mainly by the population in the southern and western parts of the county, while the northern and eastern sections do not seem to have participated in these annual social meetings and industrial exhibitions, with the zeal and alacrity which might well be expected from an intelligent, wealthy and progressive population.

I must close this notice of the society with giving the last annual meeting of its executive officers.

At the annual meeting of the officers of the Herkimer county agricultural society, held pursuant to adjournment, at the Remington House, in Ilion, on the 2d day of January, 1855, the following members were present, viz.: Messrs. McKee, Morgan, Bonfoy, Smith, Jones, J. B. Smith, D. Bonfoy, Hawks and Wilcox.

Resolved, That Wm. Stewart, Esq., be appointed chairman, pro tem., and Hon. Jonathan Jones, secretary.

The following gentlemen were elected officers for the current year:

President-Geo. B. Judd, Frankfort.

Vice President-Duane Richardson, Schuyler.

Secretary-Wm. Dygert, Frankfort.

Treasurer-J. A. Rasbach, Ilion.

Resolved, That an executive committee of nine persons be appointed, whereupon the following gentlemen were chosen: Daniel Mason, Frankfort; James Felts, Frankfort; Geo. W. Joslin, Frankfort; Ezra Graves, Herkimer; Samuel H. Kinney, Litchfield; Win. P. Pryme, Schuyler; J. D. Ingersoll, Ilion; Lemuel F. Hawks, Columbia; Amos Gilbert.

Resolved, That a corresponding secretary be appointed, from each town in the county.

The following gentlemen were then chosen: Conrad Oxner, Columbia; Ralph Simms, Danube; L. B. Arnold, Fairfield; Amos Maim, Frankfort; E. W. Patridge, German Flats; Samuel Earl, Herkimer; Jeremiah Kinney, Jr., Litchfield; Josiah Davis, Little Falls; John Markell, Manheim; Seth Fenner, Newport; Benjamin Hurd, Norway; Wm. Coppernoll, Ohio; Stephen Pryme, Russia; Lorenzo Carryl, Salisbury; Amos Bridenbecker, Schuyler; Daniel Hawn, Stark; Chas. Delong, Warren; Gardiner Hinckley, Wilmurt; E. W. Willcox, Winfield.

Resolved, That the secretary furnish each of the corresponding secretaries with a printed subscription to solicit persons to become members of the society.

Resolved, That the vice president act as chairman of the executive committee.

Resolved, That the several examining committees be directed to report in writing, the result of their examinations, before the delivery of the address.

Resolved, That the executive committee meet at the house of D. M. Golden, in Frankfort, on the first day of February next, at 10 o'clock A. M.

Resolved, That the secretary furnish the several papers of the county, with the proceedings of this meeting.

Resolved, That the next annual meeting be held at the Remington House, in Ilion, on the first Tuesday of January, 1856. -Adjourned.

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