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334 GREENE COUNTY.
and East Jewett, are p. offices. The first settlement was made near Schoharie Creek in
1783-84, by Wm. Gass, a Scotchman.1 There are 4 churches in town; 3 M. E. and Presb.
EEXING-TON—was formed from Windham as “New Goshen,” Jan. 27, 1813, and its name
was changed March 19,1813. A part of Jewett was taken off in 1849, hut reannexed in 1858, and
a part of Halcott was taken off in 1851. It lies on the s. border of the co., w. of the center. More
than one-half of the surface is occupied by the lofty peaks and ridges of the Catskills. Schoharie
Creek, flowing through the n. e. corner of the town, is bordered by high and steep rocky ridges*
West Kil, its principal tributary, drains a valley 9 mi. in length, everywhere bordered by lofty
mountains except on the w. Bush Kil Clove is a natural pass in the mountains, extending from
the Schoharie Yalley s. into Ulster eo. The soil is a slaty and gravelly loam. Only about two-fifths
of the surface is susceptible of cultivation. Lexington, (p. v.,) on Schoharie Creek, n. of the
center of the town, contains 2 churches and 27 dwellings, and West Kill (p. v.) 1 church and
31 dwellings. Buslmellsville is a p. o. on the line of Ulster co. The first settlement was
made in 1788, on the flats of Schoharie Kil.* There are 3 churches in town; 2 Bap. and M. E.
NEW BALTIMORE—was formed from Coxsackie, March 15, 1811. Scutters, Little, and
Willow Islands were annexed from Kinderhook April 23, 1823. It lies upon the Hudson, in the
n. e. corner of the eo. The general surface is hilly and broken. A line of high, rugged clay and
slate bluffs rises from the river to a height of 100 to 200 feet, and a range of high, broad hills, ex¬
tends s. through the center of the town. The w. part is comparatively level. The principal streams
are Hannakrois Creek in the n.w. corner, Deep Clove Kil, Cabin Run, and the e. branch of Potick
Creek. Nearly all these streams flow through narrow and rocky ravines. The soil is chiefly a
heavy clay loam, with limited patches of sand and gravel. New Baltimore, (p.v.,) on the
Hudson, in the n. part of the town, contains 2 churches, and has a pop. of 709. Medway is a p.
office. Settlement was commenced upon the Coxsackie flats at an early period. The Broncks,
Houghtalings, and Conyns were among the first settlers. There are 9 churches in town.3
PBATTSVIEEE—was formed from Windham, March 8, 1833, and named from Col. Zadock
Pratt. A part of Ashland was taken off in 1848. It is the n. w. corner town of the co. Its sur¬
face is principally occupied by broad mountain uplands bordered by steep and rocky slopes.
Schoharie Creek and. Batavia Kil flow through wild and narrow mountain gorges. The soil is a
heavy, reddish, gravelly and clayey loam, moderately fertile and profitable only for grazing,
Prattsville, (p.v.,) on Schoharie Kil w. of the center of the town, contains 3 churches an<J
several manufactories.2 Pop. 617. Bed Falls, (p.v.,) on Batavia Kil, contains a cotton fac¬
tory, a paper mill, and several other manufacturing establishments. Pop. 231. Settlements were
made on the flats at Prattsville by Dutch immigrants from Schoharie eo., during the period between
the close of the Old French War in 1763 and the breaking out of the Revolution in 1776.5 During
the latter war the settlement was attacked by a body of Indians and tories led by a British officer.
The inhabitants rallied, and a battle took place upon the hank of Schoharie Kil, a little below the
Windham Turnpike Bridge, N. of the village, in which the Indians and their allies were routed.
Rev. Cornelius D. Schermerhom was the first settled preacher. There are 3 churches in town;
Ref. Prot. D., Prot. E., and M. E.
WINBHAM—was formed from Woodstock, (Ulster co.,) as part of Ulster co., March 23,1798.
“ Greenland” (now Hunter) and Lexington were taken off in 1813, Prattsville in 1833, and a pari
of Ashland in 1848. A part of “ Freehold” (now Durham) was annexed March 26,1803. It lies upon
the w. declivities of the Catskills, n. w. of the center of the co. Its surface is very broken and hilly.
A high range of mountains extends along the s. border, at the N. foot of which flows Batavia Kil,6 in
a deep, rocky valley. The central and n. parts are occupied by mountain spurs divided by narrow
ravines. The soil is a heavy, gravelly and clayey loam, of which disintegrated shale forms a large
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son the first gristmill, in 1792; and Richard Peck opened the
first inn, in 1795.
* 3 Friends, 2 M.E,, Bap., Christian, Ref. Prot.D., and Prot. Meth.
4 At this place, at the extensive tannery of the Hon. Zadock
Pratt, 60,000 sides of sole leather were tanned and 6,000 cords
of bark consumed annually for 25 years.
5 Among the first settlers were John Laraway and his sons
John, Jonas, Derick, andJMartinus, Isaac Van Alstyne, -
Vrooman, John and Peter Van Loan, Hendrick Becker, and a
family by the name of Shoemaker. The first school was taught
bjT Mr. Banks, in 1790. Martinus Laraway kept the first inn,
soon after the Revolution, and, with his brother John, erected
the first gristmill.
6 The Indian name of this stream was Chough-tig-hig-nick. |
1
Zephaniah Chase, from Marthas Vineyard, (Mass.,) settled
in the’town in 1787; and Chester Hull, from Wallingford, Conn.,
a soldier of the Revolution, in 1789. Among those who settled
soon after were Zadock Pratt, Theop. and Sam. Peck, Eb’r David,
and Stephen Johnson, Laban, Ichabod, Abraham, and Amherst
Andrews, Benajah, John, and Jared RiGe, Henry Goslee, Justus
Squires, Daniel Miles, Adnah Beach, Isaac and Munson Buel,
Gideon, Reuben, and Joel Hosford, and Samuel and Daniel Mer-
vin. The first birth was that of Henry Coslee, Jr. Wm. Gass kept
the first inn, in 1790, Elisha Thompson the first store, in 1795,
and Laban Andrews built the first gristmill the same year.
2
S. Bray built the first tannery, in 1818 or ’19; Thaddeus Bron¬
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