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WASHINGTON COUNTY. 685
Canal. Manufacturing is carried on to a considerable extent.1 Sandy Hill2 (p.v.) has a popu¬
lation of 1,260. Moss Street contains 25 houses; Kingsbury (p. v.) 25; Pattens Mills
(p.v.) 20; Hunbams Hasin 10; Taugbns Corners 12; Adamsville (p.o.) 12;
Eangdons Corners 5; and Smiths Hasin (p. o.) 8. Kingsbury Patent, containing 26,000
acres, was granted to Jas. Bradshaw and 22 others, from Conn., May 18, 1762. The first settlers
were James Bradshaw, Albert Baker, and his sons Albert and Charles, from New York City.3 A
sawmill was built at Bakers Falls before the Revolution, and a gristmill in 1807. The town was
the scene of many an adventure during the French War,4 and the settlement was entirely broken
up daring the Revolution. Traces of a road cut by Burgoyne’s army are still visible near Kings¬
bury. Tbe first minister was Francis Baylor, a Moravian, about 1776. Meetings were held by
tbe Prot. E. and tbe Bap. in 1795.5 Several noted men have been residents of this town.6
PUT1SAM1—was formed from “ Westfield,” (now Fort Ann,) Eeb. 28, 1806. Dresden was set
off in 1822. This town lies in the extreme n. end of the co., upon the mountainous peninsula
between Lakes George and Champlain. The mountains are divided into two separate ranges by
the valleys' of Mill and Charter Brooks. The w. range of mountains rises abruptly from the surface
of Lake George, and in the s. part of the town attains an elevation of 900 to 1,000 ft. above the surface
of tho lake. The greater part of the surface is rocky, broken, and unfit for cultivation; but sections
of arable land extend along the valleys of the small streams and the borders of Lake Champlain.
The soil is generally a hard, gravelly loam. Graphite of a fine quality is found in abundance. A
small pond lies among the mountains, on the w. side of the town, 300 feet above Lake George.
Putnam Corners, (Putnam p. o.,) containing about 10 bouses, is the only village. The tilla¬
ble lands were mostly granted to privates of the N. Y. Provincial regiments, and feeble settle¬
ments had probably commenced before tbe Revolution.8 The first church (Asso. Presb.) was
built in 1801 ;9 Rev. James Miller, from Scotland, was tbe first pastor. A private academy at
Putnam Corners was established in 1854.
SAEEM—was formed by patent Aug. 7, 1764, and was recognized by statute March 23, 1786.
It lies on the e. border of tbe co., s. of the center. Its surface consists of moderately elevated ridges,
separated by narrow valleys, all extending in a n. e. and s. w. direction. The hills are usually
bordered by gradual slopes and their summits are crowned with forests. There is very little
waste land in town. Batten Kill, forming the s. boundary, and Black, White, and Trout Creeks,
are the principal streams. Lytles Pond, in the n. part, is a beautiful sheet of water lying in a
basin among the hills and surrounded by forests. The soil is a rich, slaty or gravelly loam.
Salem, (p.v.,) incorp. April 4, 1803, has 832 inhabitants; Shuslian (p.v.) has 2 churches, 4
mills, and about 50 houses; and Eagle ville, (East Salem p. o.,) Clapps Mills, and Fitch’s
Point have each 40 to 50 inhabitants. James Turner and Joshua Conkey, from Pelham, Mass.,
settled in 1761. They were joined, the next year, by Hamilton McCollister. In 1764 a patent
of 25,000 acres was obtained,—one-half owned by a company of New England settlers and the
other by Oliver De Lancey and Peter Du Bois, two Government officials.10 These last sold their
share to Rev. Thos. Clark and his company of Irish and Scotch immigrants at a perpetual rent
of one shilling per acre.11 The Camden Tract, on the e. part of the town, was granted to captains
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Henry C. Martindale, of Sandy Hill. Lient. Gov. Pitcher, for
some time Acting Governor, was a citizen of this town. Hon.
Wm. P. Lee, late Chief Justice and Chancellor of the Sandwich
Islands, was a native of Sandy Hill.
7 Named in honor of Gen. Israel Putnam, who in this vicinity,
as major in the colonial service, performed some of his most
daring exploits.
8 The first sawmill was erected by Robt. Cummings, in 1802,
on Mill Creek, 1 mi. from Lake. Champlain. The first child
bora was James Jennings, in 1803; the first death was that of
Anne Thompson, in 1804. Robt. Patterson kept the first school,
in 1804. Many of the first settlers were Scotch, and among
them were Obadiah' Blake, Robt. Cummings, John Blair, Wm.
Hutton, George Easton, Pelatiah Bugbee, John Butterfield, and
Josiah Clark.
8 There are 2 churches; Asso. Presb., and F. W. Bap.
10 This patent was surveyed into 308 lots, and a large pine lot
was reserved for the common benefit, and cut up into small lots
for division; 3 lots near the center of the town were set apart
to support the minister and schoolmaster.
11 The New England and Scotch settlers were mixed together
in their settlements, and often on alternate farms; and, in con¬
sequence of the rivalry between the two parties of proprietors,
the town was speedily settled. The New Englanders wished to
call the town “White Greek,” and the Scotch “New Perth;” and
each name was strongly insisted on. |
1
The dam at Sandy Hill, across the Hudson, 1,200 ft. long and
10 ft. high, furnishes water-power for several mills and a woolen
factory. At Bakers Falls there are a paper mill and 2 gristmills.
The lumber business of the town is very extensive and im¬
portant, the sawmills being supplied with logs floated down
from the Upper Hudson. There are also in town establishments
for the manufacture of pianos, steam engines, portable saw¬
mills, &c.
2
This village has been a half-shire town since 1807. It was
incorp. March 9,1810.
3
s Among the other first settlers were Michael Hoffnagle, Solo¬
mon King, Oliver Colvin, and Nehemiah Seely.
4
At one time 17 soldiers were taken prisoners by the Indians
and carried to the present site of Sandy Hill Village. They
were seated on a log, in a row, when their captors deliberately
began to tomahawk them, taking them in order from one end
5
of the log. When all were killed but one, (John Quackenboss,
of Albany,) a squaw claimed him, and his life was spared. He
returned after a few years of captivity, and resided near Hoo-
sick, in Cambridge. In Aug. 1758, Majs. Putnam and Rogers
encountered a party of French and Indians in this town, during
which engagement Putnam was made prisoner. The enemy were
finally compelled to withdraw, with a loss of 90 men.
6
The census reports 9 churches; 3 Bap., 3 M. E., Presb.,
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