king of England.* Another of 94,000 acres, lying in the northern part of the county, was granted in 1770, and called the Jerseyfield patent.

The fertile tract now known as the German Flats, was patented by a company of German Lutherans, in 1725. It consisted of a little more than 9000 acres of excellent land. Their residence was called Burnet's field, after Governor Burnet. A church was erected here, previous to the revolution, and a parsonage of stone, which having been fortified, received the name of Fort Herkimer.

In common with the adjacent counties of Montgomery, Fulton, Otsego, Oneida and Schoharie, Herkimer suffered from the incursions of the savages and tories, during the revolutionary contest. The brave old general whose name it perpetuates, died at his residence, in Danube, in this county, in August, 1777, of wounds received at the battle of Oriskany.

In 1778, the village of Herkimer was burned by the Indians and tories, under the direction of the Mohawk chieftain, Brant. Fortunately their approach had been discovered by the inhabitants, who fled to Forts Dayton and Herkimer, for protection. Two individuals, however, were killed, every house and barn destroyed, and the cattle, horses and sheep driven away by the Indians.

In 1780, a party of Indians and tories visited Little Falls, for the purpose of destroying the mills there, which were of great importance to the inhabitants. They accomplished their object, killed one man, and took five or six prisoners. Two of the occupants of one of the mills, concealed themselves in the raceway, beneath the water wheel, and after the conflagration of the mill, and the departure of the Indians, made their escape.

VILLAGES. HERKIMER, the county seat, is handsomely situated in the valley of the Mohawk, in the town of the same name. It has a fine hydraulic power, sufficient to drive a large amount of machinery. The academy here is in a flourishing condition. The county buildings are on the most improved models, combining security and comfort. Population about 1000.

Little Falls, situated on both sides the Mohawk, in the town of that name, is celebrated for the beauty of its scenery. It is

The way in which this land was obtained, was said to be the following. Sir William having received, from England, several rich suits of uniform, the old Sachem, Hendrick, visited him soon after, and spent the night. In the morning he came to Sir William and said, "Me dream last night." "And what did you dream?" inquired the baronet. "Me dream you give me one fine suit of clothes," was the reply. The baronet, of course, complied with his request.

Not long after, he returned the visit, and in the morning, said to his Indian host, "I dreamed last night." "Ah," said the Indian, "What did you dream?" "I dreamed," replied Sir William, "that you gave me such a piece of land,” (describing it). "Well," said the old Sachem, "Me give it you, but me no dream with you again; you dream too hard for me."

largely engaged in manufactures, and has an academy for the education of both sexes, for which the citizens have erected a noble granite edifice. Its houses, mostly of stone, are remarkable for their neat and substantial appearance.

Here is a deep cut on the canal, of two miles, through solid rock, which presented an obstacle to the Erie canal, only surpassed by that at Lockport. The canal constructed by the Western Inland Lock Navigation Company, in 1802, is connected with the Erie canal at this place, by a magnificent aqueduct of white marble. The finest quartz crystals in the United States are found here. Population about 3000.

Fairfield is a pleasant rural village, the seat of an academy of considerable distinction. The college of physicians and surgeons, of the western district, was formerly located here, and occupied a fine building. This medical school, though formerly highly popular, has recently been discontinued.

Mohawk, in the town of German Flats, is situated on the line of the canal. It is a flourishing village, and furnishes a good market for the produce of this section of the county. Population 800.

Newport, in the town of the same name, is a thriving village, with considerable manufactures. Population about 600.

Frankfort, in the town of the same name, has some manufactures. Population 600.

Middleville, in the town of Fairfield, Winton, in the town of Salisbury, and Russia, in the town of the same name, are villages of some importance.

Rivers and Creeks.

C. Hudson River. k. Hoosick. b. Tomhenick Creek. i. Kinderhook. h. Vallitje. e. Wynantskill. f. Poestenkill.

Falls. Hoosick.

Villages. TROY CITY. Greenbush. Lansingburgh. Scaghticoke

Hoosick Falls.

BOUNDARIES. North by Washington county; East by the states of Massachusetts and Vermont; South by Columbia county; and West by the Hudson river.

SURFACE. The surface of the county is diversified. From the valley of the Hudson it rises, somewhat precipitously, more than 200 feet. Thence the county is rolling, to the base of the Peterborough mountains. These mountains attain their highest elevation near the centre of the county, subsiding into moderate hills, at the northern and southern extremities. This ridge is separated from the Taghkanic range, here called the Williamstown mountains, by a valley from one to three miles in width.

RIVERS. This county is abundantly watered. Beside the Hudson, its principal streams are, the Hoosick river, Tomhenick, Kinderhook and Vallitje creeks, Wynantskill, and Poestenkill.

RAILROADS. The Western Railroad, which connects Boston and Albany, terminates at East Albany. The Troy and Greenbush Railroad connects this with Troy. The Troy and Saratoga, and the Troy and Schenectady Railroads, both terminate in this county. They cross the Hudson at Troy, on a noble bridge, 1650 feet in length.

CLIMATE. The climate of the county is mild, but exposed to great extremes of temperature. It is considered healthful.

GEOLOGY AND MINERALS. The county is wholly of the transition formation. The basis rock is clay slate, upon which is imposed limestone, gray wacke, and some red sandstone.

Roofing slate is extensively quarried in Hoosick, Stephentown, and Troy. Iron is found in several places, but is little wrought. Marl, of superior quality, is abundant in Sand Lake, and Scaghticoke. Epsom salts are found in Lansingburgh; in the same vicinity are quartz crystals of great beauty. There are several sulphur springs in the county.

SOIL AND VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. There is considerable variety in the soil, but a loam, composed of sand and clay, and quite fertile, extends over the greater part of the county. Considerable tracts are well adapted to wheat, but grass and summer crops succeed better in the uplands, in the northern and eastern sections. The principal timber is oak, hemlock, spruce, chestnut, and hickory.

PURSUITS. Agriculture is extensively and profitably pursued. The productions of the dairy are large. The rearing of cattle,

horses, and sheep, receives much attention. It is the largest flax growing county in the state.

The Manufactures of the county are numerous and varied. The principal articles are flour, cotton and woollen goods, various kinds of iron ware, leather, carriages and sleighs, railroad cars, malt and distilled liquors, oil, &c.

Commerce. The commerce of the county is quite extensive, and is carried on principally through the ports of Troy, Lansingburgh, and Greenbush.

STAPLES. Flax, oats, potatoes, corn, butter and wool.

SCHOOLS. In 1846, there were in the county, 192 district school-houses, in which schools were maintained an average period of nine months, and 13,040 children received instruction. The wages of teachers amounted to $21,83. The number of volumes in the district libraries was 26,921.

There were also seventy-five private schools, with 1923 pupils, six academies and two female seminaries, with 556 students, and the Rensselaer Institute.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Dutch Reformed, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, Universalists, Unitarians, Friends, and Congregationalists. There are ninety-five churches, and eighty clergymen.

HISTORY. All the towns of this county, except Scaghticoke, Pittstown, Hoosick, the north part of Lansingburgh, and part of Troy, belong to the Manor of Rensselaerwyck. The farms are generally rented at the rate of ten bushels of wheat for the hundred acres.

Pittstown was probably settled at an earlier period than any other portion of the county, emigrants having located there in 1650.

Scaghticoke was also settled by Dutch and German families at an early period, probably about 1700. The first settlement on the present site of Troy, was made in 1720, by Derick Vanderheyden. He obtained a lease of 490 acres, now constituting the most densely populated portion of the city, for three and three-quarters bushels of wheat and four fat fowls annually.

His descendants continued to occupy the land, and from them it assumed the name of Vanderheyden's ferry, which it continued to bear till 1789, when the more classic appellation of "Troy" was substituted for it.

On the 16th August, 1777, a portion of the battle of Bennington was fought within the limits of Hoosick, in this county.

A cantonment was erected at Greenbush, for the United States troops, during the late war with Great Britain.

CITIES AND VILLAGES. TROY CITY, the seat of justice for the county, is pleasantly situated on the Hudson, six miles north of Albany. It was laid out in 1789, and made the county seat in