and cheese are largely produced, particularly in the southern towns. The county ranks among the first in the state in the production of butter, cheese, wool and flax.

Manufactures are receiving increasing attention. At present, however, the most important are those of flour, lumber, leather, fulled cloths, and cotton and woollen goods.

The commerce of the county, through the medium of the Chenango canal, and the Susquehanna river, is large and constantly increasing.

STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. Butter, cheese, wool, flax and oats.

SCHOOLS. In 1846, there were in the county 287 district school-houses, in which schools were maintained an average period of seven months, at an expense for tuition of $16,283; 14,750 scholars attended these schools. The district libraries contained 26,598 volumes.

There were also thirty-five select schools, attended by 658 pupils, and four incorporated academies, with 416 students.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Baptists, Methodists, Congregationalists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Universalists, and Friends. The entire number of churches, is eighty-three; of clergymen, ninety-four.

HISTORY. Chenango was formed from the counties of Tioga and Herkimer, in 1798. The first settlement was made in Oxford, in 1790; another was made at Bainbridge, in 1791. The latter township was granted by the state of New York, to Vermont, as a compensation for losses of individuals who had suffered on account of grants made by the state of Vermont, before the settlement of her difficulties with New York. Most of the early settlers of the county were from New England, and a majority of them from Connecticut.

The first settlers in the village of Greene, were a party of French emigrants, some of whom were men of distinction in their own country. After some years, however, owing to pecuniary difficulties, they became discouraged, and removed to Pennsylvania. An academy was established and incorporated at Oxford, in 1794. The town of Sherburne was settled by a party of twenty families, from Connecticut, who organized themselves into a church before emigrating. They arrived at their location on Thursday, and by the succeeding Sabbath had erected a log meeting-house, in which they met for worship, and it is said that not a Sabbath has since passed without divine service.

ANTIQUITIES. In the town of Greene is a remarkable mound, which, before it was disturbed by the plough or spade, was about seven feet high, and nearly forty feet in diameter. It

contained human bones, flint arrow-heads, and utensils of the natives; and was probably the place where the slain of som.e sanguinary battle had been entombed. In Oxford, are the remains of a fort, about three-fourths of an acre in extent. Trees of more than 200 years' growth were standing on this fort when it was first discovered. Its position was admirably calculated for defence. When or by whom it was erected is unknown. The Indian traditions on this subject are by no means definite.

VILLAGES. NORWICH, in the town of the same name, is the seat of justice for the county. It is pleasantly situated on a neck of land formed by the Canasawacta creek and the river. It is surrounded by a rich agricultural district, whose produce finds here a ready market. The Chenango canal connects it with Utica and Binghamton. It has a considerable number of manufactories. Here is a flourishing academy, and a female seminary. Population, 1600.

Oxford, in the town of the same name, is situated on both sides of the Chenango. It is in the midst of a fine agricultural country, and has considerable trade. The academy here is an old and flourishing one, founded in 1794. Population, 1300.

Sherburne, in the town of the same name, is a pleasant incorporated village, on the line of the canal. It has a chartered academy, and considerable trade. Population, 700.

Greene, in the town of the same name is a flourishing village, situated on the Chenango river and Canal. It has considerable manufactures. Population, 800.

New Berlin and Bainbridge, in the towns of the same names, are thriving and important villages.

Smithville and Smyrna, are also villages of some importance.

Mountains. T. Matteawan. d. Closter. e. Nyack Hills. f. Dun

derberg.

Rivers. C. Hudson. c. Hackensack. a. Ramapo. Saddle.

Forts. Stony Point.

Villages. NEW CITY. Haverstraw. Piermont.

BOUNDARIES. North by Orange county; East by Hudson river; South by New Jersey; and West by New Jersey and Orange county.

SURFACE. The surface of this county is very much broken, rising in the west and north-west into the Highlands, or Matteawan ridge. The Closter mountain, or Palisade range, enters from Bergen, New Jersey, and receding on the west, forms the Nyack Hills. The summits of some of these rise to the height of 1000 feet. Between these hills and the Highlands, is a valley formed by the Saddle river. Dunderberg and Caldwell mountains, are in the north part, opposite Peekskill.

RIVERS. Rockland county sends forth the Hackensack river and its branches, draining the Nyack valley, and Saddle river, a tributary of the Passaic. The Ramapo, also a tributary of the Passaic, crosses the county in the town of Ramapo.

CLIMATE. The climate of this county is healthy; agreeable in summer, but cold in winter.

MINERALS AND GEOLOGY. The Nyack Hills belong to the Catskill group, being based on red sandstone and capped with greenstone. The Palisades are composed entirely of trap rock. The Matteawan range is primitive; granite, gneiss, mica, feldspar, hornblende, &c. are its principal constituents. South of the Highlands, the whole country is underlaid with red sandstone, supposed by some of the Geologists to be the new red sandstone.

Limestone is abundant in the valleys, and magnetic iron ore in the hills. The other principal minerals are calcareous spar, serpentine, actinolite, zinc ore, green and red copper ores, datholite, stilbite, asbestus, Prehnite, Thompsonite, &c.

VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. Notwithstanding the roughness of the surface, the soil is rich and highly cultivated, amply rewarding the labor of the husbandman. This county is well adapted to the culture of both grass and grains.

PURSUITS. Agriculture is the leading pursuit, particularly in the more fertile valleys.

Manufactures are also carried on to some extent. Iton wire, nails, sheet iron, and lead, cotton and woollen fabrics are the principal articles.

COMMERCE. Some shipping is owned on the Hudson, by the inhabitants of the county, of whom a considerable number are engaged in commercial pursuits. Ice is extensively exported to New York from this county.

STAPLE PRODUCTIONS. These are corn, potatoes, oats, buckwheat, rye, and ice.

SCHOOLS. In this county, there were in 1846, thirty-nine common schools, averaging nine months' instruction each, at an ex

pense of about $7271, and having 2501 pupils. The district libraries numbered 6418 volumes.

There are eight private schools, numbering 149 scholars.

RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Methodists, Dutch Reformed, Presbyterians, Baptists and Friends. The number of churches, of all denominations, is thirty-two; of ministers, twenty.

HISTORY. This county originally belonged to Orange, and many of the early settlements were made within its limits. Orangetown was originally the county seat, before its division, and remained so till 1737, when Goshen, now in Orange county, was made a half shire town. In 1774, the court-house and jail in Orangetown being burned, the county seat was removed to New City. During the revolution, this little county was the scene of many thrilling events.

On the 27th of September, 1778, Colonel Baylor, the commander of a troop of cavalry, had crossed the Hackensack with his regiment, and taken post at Tappan; on the night of the 28th, they were surprised by a British force, under General Gray, who attacked them in a barn, where they had their quarters, and sixty-seven out of one hundred and four privates were butchered. The orders of the British guard were to give no quarter; about forty were made prisoners through the humanity of one of the British captains. After the capture of Forts Montgomery and Clinton, (the latter of which was in the limits of this county,) by Sir Henry Clinton, in 1777, General Washington directed a fortification to be built at Stoney Point, a commanding promontory on the Hudson, and another at Verplank's Point, opposite the former, on the east bank of the Hudson ;the latter was first completed, and both were garrisoned by the Americans.

In May, 1779, Sir Henry Clinton ascended the river; the fortress at Stoney Point being unfinished, the garrison abandoned it at his approach, and the garrison at Verplank's Point, or Fort Fayette, as it was called, being surrounded by a superior force, were compelled to surrender. Sir Henry immediately caused both forts to be strongly fortified, and manned them with efficient garrisons. General Washington determined to recover them, and accordingly despatched General Wayne, with a sufficient corps of light infantry, on the fifteenth of July, to storm the fortress at Stoney Point. The hill on which the fortress was erected, extends into the Hudson, and is surrounded by it on three sides. The other side was a deep morass, passable only at one point, and this enfiladed by the batteries of the fort. A passage to the fortress was also practicable at low water, along the beach, but this too was commanded by the guns of the fort.