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SARATOGA COUNTY. 587
ton was changed March 5,1795. It lies upon the border of the co., s. w. of the center. The surface
is gently rolling. Mourning Kil and the Outlet Creek are the principal streams. Ballston Lake,
m the s. e. part, is a long, narrow, and deep body of water, the outlet of which is the principal inlet
of Round Lake. The soil s.e. of the lake is generally a light sand, and n.w. it is a clayey
and gravelly loam. Ballston (p. v.) is situated on the line of Milton. A small portion only
of the village is within the limits of this town. Burnt Hills,1 (p.v.,) in the s. part, contains
42 dwellings. Ballston Center (p. o.) and Academy Mill, near the center, are hamlets.
East Une, (p.o.,) on the border of Malta, contains 15 houses. It is a station on the R. & S.
R. R. Soutk Ballston is a p. o. The first settlement was made in 1763, by two brothers
named Michael and Nicholas McDonald,2 who located near the w. bank of Ballston Lake. In
1770, Rev, Eliphalet Ball, with his three sons John, Stephen, and Flamen, and several members,
of his congregation,, removed from Bedford, N. Y., and settled in the vicinity of Academy Hill.2
Soon after their arrival a large number of settlers came in from New England, N. J., Scotland,
and the north of Ireland.3 The settlements in this town were twice invaded during the Revolu¬
tion, and several of the inhabitants were carried away prisoners to Canada.4 The first church
(Presb.) was organized Oct. 6, 1792.5 There are 6 churches in town.
CHABl/IBM—was formed from Ballston, March 17, 1792. It is the s. w. corner vwn of the
co. Its surface is undulating, with a gentle inclination toward the s. Its streams are the Aal-
plaats6 and a branch of the Mourning Kil. The soil is an excellent quality of sandy, gravelly, and
clayey loam. Ledges of limestone in the w. part, affording an excellent quality of building stone,
are extensively quarried. Cliarltoia, (p. v.,) in the s. e. part, contains 3 churches and 38 houses;
West Charlton (p.v.) contains about 20 houses. The commissioners appointed to divide the
Kayaderosseras Patent appropriated 5,000 acres in the s. part of this town to defray the expenses
of the division. The first settlement was commenced in 1774, by Thos. Sweetman, who located in
the e. part of the town.8 The first church (Presb.) was incorp. Dec. 11,1792; Rev. Wm. Schenck
was the first pastor.9
C1LIFTGM PARK—was formed from Half Moon, March 3, 1828, as “ CliftonJ’ Its name
Was changed March 31, 1829. The surface is level or undulating, except in the n.e., tv here it is
broken by sand hills and ravines. A line of rugged clay bluffs borders upon the Mohawk Yalley.
Stony Creek, Swarte and Dwaas Kils are the principal streams. A belt of heavy clay and gravelly
loam extends along the river above the bluffs. The soil is alluvial upon the Mohawk flats and a
sandy loam in the central and n. parts, Clifton Park, (p. v.,) on the border of Half Moon,
contains 2 churches and 22 houses; Amity, (Yisschers Ferry p.o.,) a canal village in the s. part,
contains 1 church and 45 houses; Josiesville, (p.v.,) in the n. part, 1 church, the Jonesville
Academy,10 and 30 houses; and Bexford Flats,11 (p.v.,) a canal village in the s.w. corner
of the town, 25 houses. Grooms Corners, (p. o.,) in the s. w., Hry Bock, (p. o.,) in the
S. e., and Forts Ferry, on the Mohawk, are hamlets. Part of this town was included in the
“Clifton Park” or “ Shannondhoi” Patent, granted Sept. 23,1708.12 Settlements were made in the
and took 24 prisoners. After crossing the Kayaderosseras, Maj.
Munro addressed his men, stating his expectation that they
would be pursued, and directing that in case of an attack every
prisoner should at once be killed'. For this brutal order he was
cashiered on his arrival at Montreal. Three aged or infirm
prisoners were allowed to return, and the rest reached Bulwaggy
Bay on the eighth day, whence they passed into Canada. The
notorious Joe Bettys, with about 30 refugees, in May, 1781,
captured 5 prisoners; and at the same time Judge White and
4 others were taken on the e. side of Long Lake, by another
gang, and marched off to Canada, excepting one, who escaped.
Col. Gordon and several others afterward escaped from the Isle
of Orleans, and with great hardship made their way through
the wilderness to the St.Johns, and thence to the settlements in
Maine. They there learned of the peace, and returned home by
way of Halifax and Boston.
6 2 Christian, Bap., Presb., Prot. E., and R. C.
1 Pronounced All-Ploss, and signifies “ eel-place.”
8 Among the other early settlers were David Maxwell, Josepn
La Rue, John McKnight, John Taylor, and Jesse Conde, who
came in 1775. Davis & BoStwick kept the first store; —- Har¬
mons the first inn, John Rogers built the first sawmill, and
John Holmesdhe first gristmill.
6 The census reports 4 churches; 2 Presb., Prot, E., and M. E.
10 Established in 1841, by Roscius R. Kennedy. It is under
the patronage of the Troy (M. E.) Conference.
n At this place the canal crosses the river on a fine stone
aqueduct.
12 The patentees were John and Johannes Fort, Gerret and
Maas Ryckse, John and Ryerse Quaekenboss, and Derick Bratt,
! most of whom were early settlers.
1
Named from a tract which had bhen burned over hy the In¬
dians for a deer pasture before white settlements began.
2
Mr. Ball was induced to settle by a donation of 500 acres of
land from the proprietors of the “ Five Mile Square.” He was
the pastor of the first religious society formed in town. His
father and Gen. Washington’s mother (Mary Ball), were first
cousins. His son, John, was a lieutenant in the army during
the Revolution.
3
i Among these early settlers were Judge Beriah Palmer, (after¬
ward M. C.,) Judge Epenetus White, Edward A. Watrous, Capt.
Stephen White, Paul Pierson, Capt. Tyrannus Collins, Hez.
Middlebrook, Elisha Benedict, John Higby, Edmund Jennings,
Sami. Nash, and Jos.eph Bettys and his son “Joe,” (who was
afterward hung as a tory spy.) all from' New England; Capt.
Kenneth Gordon, and McCrea, from N. J.; families named
4
Shearer, McDermids, and Frazers, from Scotland; and Gen. Jas.
Gordon, George Scott, Francis Hunter, and 3 brothers Kennedy,,
from the north of Ireland. The Scotch families settled in
“ Scotch Bush” and “ Paisley Street.” Gen. Gordon was a colonel
in the army during the Revolution, and afterward a prominent
citizen in the town and co. The first death recorded by tomb¬
stone in town was that of Gen. Gordon’s mother, who died in 1775.
5
On the 16th of Oct. 1780, a party of 400 regulars and Indians
6
from Canada, under Maj. Munro, a tory from Schenectady, made
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