I

CLINTON COUNTY.

wide, discharges its waters e. into Chazy River. Upper Chateaugay Lake, on the w. border, 5 mi
long by 1} broad, discharges its waters w. into Chateaugay River. The few settlements in town
are confined to the s. e. corner. Dannemora (p. v.) is a small village grown up around the
Clinton Prison. This prison was located here in 1845, for the purpose of employing convicts in
the mining and manufacture of iron, so that their labor would not come so directly in competition
with the other mechanical trades.¹ The first permanent settler was Thomas Hooker, who came to
reside in 1838. The census reports 1 religious society (Presb.) in town.

EE1LEMBURGII²—was formed from Mooers, April 17,1830. Clinton was taken off in 1845. It
lies upon the w. border of the co., n. of the center. Its surface is an upland, mountainous in the
s. and rolling in the n., with.an inclination toward the n.e. English River flows e. across the
N. border. The soil is generally sandy; but in many places the sand is covered with a rich vege¬
table mold. The settlements are principally confined to the valley. Potatoes are raised in large
quantities. Lumbering is extensively carried on. Ellenburgh (p.v.) contains 3 churches, a
sawmill, tannery, and 125 inhabitants. Ellenburgll Center (p.v.) contains a church, saw
and grist mill, 2 starch factories, a machine shop, and 15 dwellings. Ellenfoairgil Depot is a
hamlet on the line of Altona. James Hanchett came to this town in 1796, but left soon after. The
first permanent settler was Abner Pomeroy, from Vt., about 1800.³ There are 4 churches in town.³

MOOERS ⁴—was formed from Champlain, March 20, 1804. Ellenburgh was taken off in
1830. Its surface is generally level, with a gentle inclination to the sr. e. The principal streams
are Great Chazy and English Rivers. The surface is • entirely, underlaid by Potsdam sandstone,
and is covered with a light, sandy soil. Along the n. border are several small swamps. Upon the
Canada line, in the N. w. corner, is a remarkable chasm in the rocks, called The Gulf.⁶ Center¬
ville, (Mooers Forks p. o.,) upon the Chazy, contains 3 churches, a sawmill, stave factory, and 30
houses. It is a station on the N. R. R. Mooers, (p. v.,) upon the Chazy, in the e. part, con¬
tains 3-churches and 40 houses. It is near the junction of the 0. and P. & M. R. R’s. Angell-
Vllle, upon Corbeau Creek, in the s. e. corner, is a hamlet ; Woods Falls, in s. part, contains
a starch factory, 2 sawmills, a store, and 20 houses. The first settler was Joshua C. Bosworth,
who located in town in 1796.⁷ The first preacher was Rev. Andrew Blackman, in 1800; and the
first settled minister was Rev. Martin Powell, in 1807.⁸

PERU⁸ —was formed from Plattsburgh and Willsborough, (Essex co.,) Dec. 28,1792. A part
was annexed to Willsborough in 1799, and Au Sable and Black Brook were taken off in 1839. It
lies upon the lake, s. of the center of the co. The surface in the center and e. is roiling and
slightly inclined toward the lake, and in the w. broken and mountainous. The Au Sable flows
across the s. e. corner, and along its course are extensive swamps. Little Sable drains the greater
part of the remaining portions of the town. The principal body of water is Military Pond, on the
w. line. A strip of land 2 mi. wide, extending along the lake, has a soil composed of clay and
clay loam. West of this is a plain 4 mi. wide, covered with sand and interspersed with swamps.
In the w. the soil is a light, sandy loam. Peril, (p. v.,) on the Little Sable, near the center of
the town, contains 2 churches, a gristmill, starch factory, and tannery. Pop. 504. Eapfeams
Mills, 2 mi. below Peru, contains a large flouring mill, a plaster mill, forge, and 15 dwellings;
Peasleville, on Salmon River, in the sr. w. corner, a forge and 25 dwellings. Port JacKson,
(Valcour p. o.,) on the lake, opposite Valcour Island, i's a hamlet containing a church. Peru

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The prison was erected under the superintendence of Ransom
Cook, under an act passed May 1,1844. The prison grounds,
comprising 25 acres, are located upon the slope of a hill, and are
surrounded by pickets 23 feet high. The main buildings, con¬
structed of dressed stone, are in the form of a T, and are respect¬
ively 364 by 56 feet, and 160 by 46 feet. The cells are con¬
structed in a block 3 stories high in the center of the building,
a wide corridor extending completely around between them
and the outer walls. The main buildings have slate roofs and
are completely fireproof. Within the greunds are a steam forge,
with 10 fires, a'rolling mill, foundery, steam separator capable
of washing 600 tons of ore per month, 7 coal kilns, a steam saw¬
mill. machine shop, and the ruins of a blast furnace, burned June

26,1856. A large share of the labor of constructing these works
has been done by convicts. The prison works were first supplied
with ore from the Skinner Mine, owned by the State; but more
recently from the Averill Mine. A new mine has lately been
discovered upon the State grounds. Besides the manufacture of
iron, stave making, coopering, and shoemaking are carried on.
The total earnings in 4 years, ending in 1857, were $120,537.56;
and the total expenses, $212,901.22.

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Named in compliment to Ellen, daughter of John R. Murray,

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tary Tract.

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* Among the early settlers were Aaron Broadwell and Lewis