raised, and considerable quantities of wheat, rye, and barley. Butter, cheese, wool, and pork are produced in great abundance. In the quantity of wool grown, it was, in 1845, the second county in the state. Manufactures are increasing in importance. Flour, lumber, cotton and woollen goods, leather, and iron, are the principal articles manufactured. Commerce. The Champlain and Hudson canal affords a convenient mode of transportation to the produce of the county, which is well improved. The tolls received on produce passing through this county in 1845, were about $70,000. STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. The staples of the county are potatoes, oats, corn, flax, butter, cheese, wool, and pork. SCHOOLS. The county contained, in 1846, 246 district schoolhouses, in which were taught 13,414 children, at an expense of $16,950 for tuition. The schools were maintained, on an average, eight months each. Number of volumes in the district libraries, 27,656. It had also twenty-two select schools, with 327 scholars, and five academies, with 345 pupils. RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Presbyterians, Methodists, Baptists, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics, and Universalists. Churches, eighty-eight. Clergymen, seventy two. HISTORY. The first settlement in the county was made at Argyle, in 1742, by eighty-three families of Highlanders, who emigrated from Scotland, under the direction of Capt. Laughlin Campbell, who had obtained a grant of 30,000 acres from Governor Clarke. These emigrants were intended to serve as defenders of the frontier, from incursions of the French and Indians. As they were scantily provided with food and clothing, application was made to the colonial legislature for aid, till they should be able to sustain themselves. This the house of assem. bly refused to grant, on the ground, it is said, that they had discovered that the Governor and Surveyor General insisted upon their fees and a share of the lands. Captain Campbell sought redress, but in vain, and with the remnant of his fortune, purchased a small farm in the province. His unfortunate followers were rescued from starvation, by enlisting in an expedition against Carthagena. In 1755, Fort Edward was erected, by Generals Lyman and Johnson, and in 1756, Fort Ann. Salem was settled the same year, by two companies of emigrants, one from Scotland and Ireland, the other from New ( England. In 1764, Alexander Turner au otper, worm from the same period, settlements were man r I peppe (afterwards General.) Putnam au Major Lover, ar i of French and Indians, under the comman e by the name of Motaire. The batte grour wat north of the village of Emgebu The French commander at stationer i per o' ta trony B ambuscade for the American Bur umper v manger de Putnam, with the coomes word away oneraren maintained his position and & fegriy motor was taken captive by the luate the river can troops prevailed and then freie Tyran left ninety dead benmc then. a prisoner, to Canada firing of 10 tatimo crys and but for the interposition of the 3 reami have burned him at the starre In May, 1775. Wunenal. turar cales BarP* 17 29its first settler, Major Sene # volunteers from Comertru tioned there, not beng sufire u pemer i ganar brugima the fort, stores, and a argue m'at me" Jay provisions, were burnet to the £ ing into his hands. In July, 1777 a severe skr tween the Sti. Brits American troops under the CUMBRIA, V British suffered Beveren BLUE WOLLA TEREYA stroyed but for the wait of anmunirea v tap per ✔ t Americans. On the 27th of Jur 1775 Ma Jae Woon and by the Indians near Fur. Eevert. VILLAGES. SANDY HILL, in the town of Kingsbury, is a half shire village of this county. It was incorporated in 1810. The village is well laid out, the streets enclosing a triangular area in the centre of the village, which was once the scene of Indian barbarities. The Hudson furnishes an immense water power which is but partially improved. Population 1200. SALEM, the other half shire village, was incorporated in 1803. It is situated in the midst of a fertile agricultural region, and is celebrated as a mart for wool. The Washington Academy is an old institution, and has sent out a considerable number of eminent scholars. Population 800. Whitehall, in the town of the same name, is eligibly situated at the foot of Lake Champlain, of which it is one of the principal ports. It is connected with the Hudson river by means of the Champlain canal, as well as by several lines of stages running to Troy, Albany, and Saratoga; and with Montreal by steamers which ply daily upon the lake. Thus favorably situated for commerce, its growth has been rapid and healthful. Population about 2500. Union Village, situated in the towns of Greenwich and Easton, is a thriving and pleasant manufacturing village, with a flourishing academy, and a number of large manufactories. Population 1400. North White Creek is a pleasant village, in the town of White Creek, in the midst of an agricultural region. It is a great mart for wool. Population 750. Cambridge, in the town of the same name, is the seat of Washington Academy, a flourishing and highly popular institution. Fort Edward and Fort Ann are small villages, worthy of notice principally on account of their historic interest. 200 in number, and fled towards the fort. The Indians pursued and killed eighteen of their number. As they passed the house of Mrs. McNeil, six of the Indians rushed in and seized Mrs. McNeil and Miss McCrea, and hurried with them to the main body of the Indians. Both of the ladies were placed upon horses, which they had probably stolen from the vicinity. As they ascended a hill about a mile from the fort, Miss McCrea was shot by one of the Indians, and fell from her horse. The savage who shot her, scalped her, and having secured the most valuable articles of her clothing, rolled her body down the declivity of the hill. On the ensuing day her body, and that of a young American officer who had also been killed by the Indians, were found and buried near a small creek about three miles from Fort Edward, by the Americans from the fort. Mrs. McNeil was not killed, but plundered of most of her clothing, and brought to the British camp. Jones, Miss McCrea's suitor, had never sent for her, nor is it certain that he knew that she was in the vicinity of the fort. He is reported to have been killed at the battle of Bemis' Heights, on the 19th of September following. 1. Hudson, 1785. 2. Canaan, 1788. 3. Claverack, 1788. 4. Clermont, 1788. 5. Germantown, 1788. 6. Hillsdale, 1788. 7. Kinderkook, 1788. 8. Livingston, 1788. 9. Chatham, 1795. 10. Ancram, 1803. TOWNS. Mountains. U. Taghkanic range. 11. Taghkanic, 1803. Rivers and Creeks. C. Hudson river. b. Claverack creek. c. Copake. d. Ancram. g. Roeliff Jansen's. h. Vallitje. i. Kinderhook. Falls. Kinderhook falls. Lakes and Ponds. k. Copake lake. 1. Charlotte. m. Fish. BOUNDARIES. North by Rensselaer county; East by the state of Massachusetts and Dutchess county; South by Dutchess county; and West by the Hudson river. SURFACE. The surface of Columbia county is greatly varied, but may be regarded as composed of two long and broken valleys, on the east of which the Taghkanic range forms a natural boundary between the county and the state of Massachusetts; the high banks of the Hudson form the western boundary, and the Peterborough mountains constitute the dividing ridge through the centre of the county. The western valley rises on the north and south, causing its waters to flow towards the centre; while the eastern, being highest in the centre, sends its streams north and south. The western valley being much the broadest, gives the county the form of a basin, retaining all the waters that rise in it, and discharging them into the Hudson, through the Kinderhook and Roeliff Jansen's creeks. RIVERS. The Hudson is the principal river; the other streams of the county are Kinderhook, Claverack, Copake, Roeliff Jansen's and Vallitje creeks. LAKES. Fish, Whiting's pond, Copake and Charlotte, are the only lakes worthy of notice. RAILROADS. The Hudson and Berkshire, and the Great Western railroad pass through the county; and the route of the Harlaem railroad is laid out through it. CLIMATE. The climate varies with the surface. In the valleys it is mild and pleasant, with early seasons; on the moun |