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WARREN COUNTY.
CHESTER —was formed from Thurman, March 25, 1799. It lies upon the n. border of the
co., between Hudson and Schroon Rivers. The surface is broken. The Kayaderosseras Mts. extend
through the s. part, and the Schroon Range occupies the n.w. portion. A continuation of the
valley of Schroon Lake, extending in a s.w. direction to the w. branch of the Hudson and sepa¬
rating’the mountain ranges, contains a chain of small lakes. Loon Lake is the principal one in
this valley; and s. of it, among the hills, is another sheet of water, called Friends Lake. Schroon
Lake is about 1,000 feet above tide, and the hills that surround it are 500 to 800 feet above its
surface. The soil is generally light and sandy. A cave in Mt. Moxon is quite a curiosity, and
has some local notoriety. Near the n. border of the town, upon Stone Bridge Creek, is a natural
bridge.1 Feldspar has been quarried to a considerable extent and exported for the manufacture
of porcelain. Chester!©wn (p.v.) contains the Chester Academy and 246 inhabitants; and
Pottersville (p. v.) 126. The settlement of this town commenced toward the close of the last
century.2 The first church (Bap.) was organized in 1796; and the Rev. Jehiel Fox was the first
pastor. There are now 6 churches in town.8
HAGUE—was formed from Bolton, Feb. 28, 1807, as “ Rochester.” Its name was changed
April 6, 1808, and a part of Horicon was taken off in 1838. It lies upon tbe shore of Lake George,
in the n. e. corner of the co. The surface is very mountainous, not above one-fourth being suscep¬
tible of cultivation. The mountains along the lake generally descend abruptly to the very edg6
of the water. The narrow valleys of Trout and North West Bay Brooks form the line of separation
between the two mountain ranges. Ash Grove Hill, upon the w. border, is 2,000 to 2,500 feet above
tide; and upon the shore of the lake, in the n.e. corner, is another mountain peak of nearly the
same elevation. Rogers Rock is on the lake shore, in the n. e. corner. It rises from the water's
edge at an angle of about 45° and attains an elevation of 300 feet.4 Sabbath-Day Point is a head¬
land projecting into the lake near the s. border.5 Tbe soil is a light, sandy loam. Iron ore has
been found near Seventh Pond; and mines have been worked to some extent, but they are now
abandoned. The beauty of the lake and the solitary grandeur of the mountain scenery of this
town render it a favorite resort for hunting and fishing parties and the lovers of the beautiful in
nature.6 Hague, (p.o.,) on McDonalds Bay,.and Wardboro (P-0-) are hamlets. The prin¬
cipal improvements are along the lake. The first settlement was made about 1796.7 There is a
union church in the town.
HORICOIV—was formed from Bolton and Hague, March 29, 1838. It lies upon the n. border
of the co., e. of Schroon Lake. The greater part of its surface is occupied by the two branches of
the Kayaderosseras Mts., which are here divided by tbe valley of Brant Lake. In the n. and e.
these ranges rise, in numerous sharp, rocky peaks, 1,600 to 2,000 feet above tide; but in the s. and
w. they sink into a hilly plateau region. About one-half of the surface is arable. Among the
hills are great numbers of small lakes, laving with their crystal waters the base of the huge, rocky
masses which tower above them. Brant Lake, the principal of them, is 10 mi. long and is every¬
where surrounded by precipitous hills. The soil is a sandy loam. Horicon, (p.v.,) situated
on Schroon River, in the s. w. part of the town, contains about 20 houses; and Mill Hrook,
(p.v.,) on Schroon Lake, 15 houses. Aaron Harris, Joseph Gregory, Bishop Carpenter, and Timo¬
thy Bennett were some of the earliest settlers.8 The first church (Wes. Meth.) was formed in 1820;
Nathaniel Streeter was the first minister. There are 4 churches in town; 2Bap., M. E., and Wes. Meth.
JOHJVSRERCrH9—was formed from Thurman, April 6, 1805. It lies upon the bank of tbe
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— Tierce, Andrew Edmonds, Reed Wilbur, Obadiah Hunt,
Thaddeus Bradley, Elias Prosser, Nathan Burdick, Geo. Van
Deusen, Butler, and Christopher Potter. The first inn and
gristmill were erected by Gen. Caldwell. I
1 The stream, after falling into a basin, enters a passage in
two branches under a natural arch 40 feet high and about 80
broad, and emerges in a single stream from under a precipice
54 feet high, 247 feet from its entrance. This bridge is described
in Morse’s Geography (1796) as follows:—“In the county of
Montgomery is a small, rapid stream emptying into Schroon
Lake, west of Lake George: it runs under a hill, the base of which
is 60 or 70 yards in diameter, forming a most curious and beauti¬
ful arch in tho rock, as white as snow. The fury of the water
and the roughness of the bottom, added to the terrific noise
within, have hitherto prevented any person from passing through
the chasm.”—Am. Univ. Geog., 508.
2 The first settlers were Titus, Jabez, Levi, Gideon, Enos, Jona¬
than, Daniel, and Caleb Mead, Beman, Isaac Bennett, John
Haskins, Obadiah and Benj. Knapp, Noel Wightman, James
Starbuck, - Steward, and D. and J. Punderson. The first
birth was that of a son of Caleb Mead; and the first death, that
»f Martin Wightman.
* 2 M. E., Bap., Presb., and Prot. E. |
* This rock, sometimes called Rogers Slide, receives its name
from an incident traditionally related of the escape of Maj. Robert
Rogers at this place in the winter of 1758. He was surprised
at the top of the rock by a band of Indians, and most of his party
were cut off; but he escaped by sliding down the rock to the
frozen surface of the lake.
6 It is generally supposed that this name was derived from the
fact that Gen. Amherst and his suite, while passing down the
lake on their way to Ticonderoga in the summer of 1759, stopped
here to refresh themselves upon the Sabbath; but this deriva¬
tion of the name is doubtful, for it is mentioned in Rogers’s Jour¬
nal, June 28, 1758,—the season before.
6 On the 29th of July, 1856, the steamer John Jay, while on
her way up the lake, was burned near Garfields. Six persons
jumped overboard and were drowned; but the rest were rescued
by boats from the shore. '
1 Among the first settlers Were Abel Rising, Abner Briggs,
Elijah Bailey, Samuel Cook, Ellis Denton, Samuel Patchin, John
Holman, Isaac and Urial Balcom, and Hri Waiste.
8 Howard Waters, Nathan, Benj., and James Hayes, Benj.
Hayes 2d, John Robbins, James Frazier, and Benj. Wright were
also early settlers. Hannah Reynolds taught the first schooL
9 Named from John Thurman, an early settler. |
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