|
582 ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
is the seat of an academy.1 It also contains a bank and a printing office. Ra.cketville
(North Potsdam p. o.) lies on Racket River, in the n. corner of the town. Pop. about 150. It lias
an extensive water-power, and is the Potsdam Junction station on the Ogdensburgh R. R. BssckS
Bridge2 is a hamlet upon Grass River, in the w. part.of the town. West .Potsdam (p. a.)
is a small village in the midst of an agricultural region. The first settlement commenced in 1803,
under Benj. Raymond, agent for the proprietor, and the town rapidly filled up by immigrants
from Vt.1 In Nov. 1804, Wm. Bullard took up 2,427 acres of land, and formed an association,
styled “ The Union,” holding the land in common. The association broke up in 2 or 3 years.
There are 10 churches in town.5 • ■ ■
R©SS1E6—was formed from Russell, Jan. 27,1813. A part of Fowler was taken off in 1816,
and a part of Hammond in 1827. A part of Hammond was annexed in 1844. It lies on the s. w.
border of the co. Its surface is level in the e., and broken by ledges of gneiss, limestone, and
sandstone in the remaining parts. It is drained by Oswegatchie and Indian Rivers. Its soil is
like that of the adjoining towns. Between the gneiss and limestone, near Indian River, are
extensive and valuable mines of lead and iron,7 and a great variety of valuable minerals.8
Rossie (p. v.) is situated on Indian River, at the head of the Black Lake navigation. Pop. 214.
It owes its importance to its iron manufacture, commenced here in 1813. CimrcllS Mills,2
(Wegatchie p. o.,) situated on the Oswegatchie, is the seat of a furnace. Pop. about 170. Somer¬
ville (p. v.) contains 20 houses. Shingle Creek is a p. o., in the s.e. corner. The first settle¬
ment was made in 1807.3 A number of Scotch families came in about 1810. A blockhouse was
built near Somerville in 1812. There are 2 churches in town; Univ. and M.E.
RUSSELL4—was formed from Hopkinton, March 27, 1807. Rossie was taken off in 1813,
a part of Fowler in 1816, Pierrepont in 1818, and a part of Fine in 1844. It lies upon Grass
River, s. of the center of the co. Its surface is much broken, and its s. part is still a wilderness.
Its soil is light and .sandy, but fertile in the valleys. Russell (p. o.) is a small village, upon
Grass River, in the central part of the town; Norik Russell is a p. o. The first settlement
was made in 1804, under the agency of R. Atwater.5 A State arsenal was built in the village in
1809 ;6 and the St. Lawrence Turnpike was opened the same year. The principal growth of the
village was received in 1811 and 1812. A forge was built in 1846, and supplied with bog and
magnetic ores. There are 2 churches in town; Bap. and M. E.: the Presb. and Prot. E. each
have societies formed.
STOCKHOLM14—was formed from Massena, Feb. 21,1806. A part of Norfolk was taken
off in 1834. It lies in the northeasterly part of the co. • Its surface is rolling. Its soil is a light,
sandy loam, generally productive. It is watered by the two branches of St. Regis River. It is
strictly an agricultural town, and one of the most wealthy in the co. Stockholm Repot
(p. o.) is a small village upon the r. r., in the e. part of the town. East Stockholm (Stock¬
holm p.o.) and Sanfordville are hamlets of a dozen houses each. West Stockholm
(p.o.) is a small manufacturing village upon St. Regis River. Knapps Station (North
Stockholm p. o.) is a r. r. station on the n. w. border of the town; and South ville is a p. o.
SkisinCrville is a hamlet on the w. branch of the St. Regis, The first settlement was begun in
1802, by Ebenezer Hulburd and Dr. Luman Pettibone, agents.15 The census reports 5 churches.16
1 The St, Lawrence Academy was commenced, through the ex¬
ertions of Benj. Raymond, in 1812. It has long maintained a high
reputation among the schools of Northern New York. .
2 Named from Isaac Buck, who settled here in 1807.
3 Among the early settlers were Wm. and Gurdon Smith, Benj.
Stewai't, John Delance, David French, Chester DeWey, Joseph
Bailey, Bester Pierce, Roswell Parkhurst, Wm. Bullard, Reuben
Field, and Abner Royce. The first birth was a daughter of Wm.
Smith; and the first death, that of Jas. Chadwick. Mills were
built by Raymond.
4 The members were not professedly united in religious or
political views. Spafford, in his Gazetteer, erroneously calls
them “ Moravians'.”—Hough’s Hist. St. L. and Frank. Cos., p. 435.
8 3 M. E., Presb., Univ., Prot. E., (Trinity,) Bap., Ref. Presb.,
R, C., and Catholic Apostolic.
6 Pronounced Ros-see. Named from a sister of David Parish,
the proprietor. It embraces “ Somerville,” or No. 2 of Great
Tract No. Ill, Macomb’s Purchase.
7 The first lead mining operations in this town were unskillfully
performed and attended with ruinous results, which led to their
abandonment. After 20 years’ suspension, the mines were re¬
opened by an English company, (The Rossie & Canada Lead Com¬
pany,) formed under special act, and working upon a lease of 20
years from June 1,1856; and they are said to have been success¬
ful. The Caledonian and Keene Iron Mines, near the R. r., owned
> o- Parish, have yielded an immense quantity of ore, which has
WKStly been worked at Rossie Iron Works.
1
Among these minerals are marble, graphite, heavy spar,
phosphate of lime, copper pyrites, calcite, pearl spar, apatite,
zircon, tremolite, satin spar, celestino, carbonate of iron, chon-
drodite, and spinelle.
2
Formerly called “ Caledonia,” and “ Howards Mills,” from
Jas. Howard, former proprietor.
3
to Among the first settlers were Jos. Teall, Renben Streeter,
A. Simmons, O. Malterner, A. Keeney, jr., S. Bonfy, S. Waters,
and J. Stearns. The first child born was Wm. Rossie Williams.
Reuben Streeter built the first mill,
u Named from Russell Atwater, first settler.
i2 Among the early settlers were Nathan, Loren, and David
Knox, Heman Morgan, Elias Hayden, Reuben Ashman, Jesse
Bunnell, Elihu Morgan, and Joel Clarke, who came in 1805. The
first child born was a son of Reuben Ashman, in 1806; the first
marriage, that of Calvin Hill and Harriet Knox; and the first
4
death, that of Curtis. Rollin Smith taught the first school,
5
and Atwater built the first mills.
6
18 Sold for a school building, in 1850.
|
