Lewis County, New York Genealogical Records Information

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Lewis County History and Information

Lewis County Facts

Lewis County was created in 1805 and formed from Oneida County. Lewis County was named for Morgan Lewis, the fourth governor of New York and the County Seat is Lowville. See also Extended History for more historical details.

The Lewis County Courthouse is located at Courthouse, Lowville , NY 13367; 315-376-5355 and the Official County Website is located at http://lewiscountyny.org/.

Lewis County Borders St. Lawrence County (North), Herkimer County (Southeast), Oneida County (South), Oswego County (Southwest), Jefferson County (Northwest) .

Lewis County Municipalities: Castorland (village), Constableville (village), Copenhagen (village), Croghan (town), Croghan (village), Denmark (town), Diana (town), Greig (town), Harrisburg (town), Harrisville (village), Lewis (town), Leyden (town), Lowville (village), Lowville (town), Lyons Falls (village), Lyonsdale (town), Martinsburg (town), Montague (town), New Bremen (town), Osceola (town), Pinckney (town), Port Leyden (village), Turin (town), Turin (village), Watson (town), West Turin (town) . Town Clerks are responsible for vast amounts of local information from deeds, property transfers, and genealogical materials. Research on place and road names, the history of property transfers and much more are available through your Town Clerk. They are a tremendous resources.

Lewis County, New York History Books at Amazon.com
Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.

There are free downloadable and printable forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms, U.K. Census Extraction Forms, Research Calendar, Ancestral Chart, Research Extract, Correspondence Record , Family Group Sheet , Source Summary Form.

Lewis County Court Records

See Also New York Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

PLEASE READ!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

Lewis County Clerk has Land & Court Records from 1805 and is located at P.O. Box 232, Lowville, NY 13367; Phone: (315) 376-5333, x334 , Fax: (315) 376-3768 .
The county clerk is the keeper of most civil and criminal trial court records for Supreme Court and County Court, naturalizations, marriages (1908–35), censuses (Some county clerks' offices hold duplicate copies of some of the State censuses taken periodically between 1825 and 1925 and copies of the federal census), as well as deeds and mortgages.

Land conveyances (deeds and mortgages) are recorded in the county clerks' offices or in the New York City Register's Office. Recording of deeds became mandatory statewide in 1840. Before that many deeds were not recorded.
Marriages Prior to 1784 couples intending to marry were required to obtain licenses from and file bonds with the provincial secretary, if the impending marriage was not announced in a church. These Marriage Bonds were mostly destroyed in the 1911 Capitol fire. Published abstracts are available in Names of persons for whom marriage licenses were issued by the secretary of the province of New York, previous to 1784. (Albany: 1860; repr. with supplements 1984); and in New York Marriage Bonds, 1753-1783, comp. Kenneth Scott (New York: 1972).
Naturalization records are created by the Federal and State courts. State court naturalization records generally remain in custody of the county clerks. Older Federal court naturalization records have been transferred to the National Archives. Photocopies of naturalization documents and indexes for New York City for the period 1792-1906 (both Federal and State courts) are held by the National Archives--Northeast Region, 201 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014.

Lewis County Surrogate Court Clerk has Probate Records from 1805 and is located at 7660 State Street, 2nd Floor, Lowville, New York 13367; Phone: (315) 376-5344 .
The Surrogate's Court in each county generally has records dating back to the establishment of the county or 1787, whichever was later. Record keeping was systematized by an 1830 statute. Surrogate's Courts maintain records of wills, letters testamentary, letters of administration, orders and decrees, and appointments of guardians; and filed papers, including original wills, petitions for probate (gives date of death and lists next of kin), performance bonds, property inventories (seldom found after ca. 1900), administrator's or executor's accountings, etc. Surrogate's Courts create comprehensive indexes to records and files.

In recent decades many courts have ceased recording documents in books and substituted microfilm recording. Some courts have disposed of old property inventories, which have no continuing legal value. Most Surrogate's Court records are retained permanently because they may document title to real property or the legal status of individuals. Surrogate's Court records statewide occupy over 200,000 cubic feet, with over half a million record retrievals yearly. The court is authorized to charge substantial fees for records searches conducted by court staff. Prior to that time most estates were handled in New York City, the capital until 1797. Before 1787, some wills were recorded in the counties and occasionally in town records.

Click Here to Search New York Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records! - Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

Lewis County Historian is located at 7552 South State Street, PO Box 446, Lowville, NY 13367.In New York State, every municipality (town, city, village, county) must have an appointed historian. Most of the towns have their own historians as well and each can be contacted. A county historian may be appointed for each county, check for availability.

Below is a list of online resources for Lewis County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Lewis County Court Records by clicking the link below:

New York Wills, 1626-1836: This database is a collection of New York citizens' wills from 1626 to 1836 that were recorded in the office of the clerk of the court of appeals, of the county clerk of Albany and of the secretary of state.
Soundex Index to Petitions for Naturalizations Filed in Federal, State, and Local Courts in New York City, 1792-1906: NARA M1674. The Soundex index to naturalization petitions filed in federal, state, and local courts in New York City, including New York, Kings, Queens and Richmond counties, 1792-1906.
Index to the Naturalization Petitions of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Jul 1865-Sep 1906: NARA M1164. A card index to naturalization petitions filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York from July 1865 through September 1906
Index to the Naturalization Petitions of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, 1906-Nov 1925: NARA M1164. A card index to naturalization petitions filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York from October 1907 through November 1925.
Index to the Naturalization Petitions of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, 1865-1957: NARA M1164. A card index to naturalization petitions filed in the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York from November 1925 through December 1957.
Alphabetical Index to Declarations of Intention of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 1917-1950: NARA M1675. Alphabetical Index to Declarations of Intention of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, 1917-1950
Alphabetical Index to Petitions for Naturalization of the US District Court [and Circuit Court] for the Southern District of New York, 1824-1941: NARA M1676. Alphabetical Index to Petitions for Naturalization of the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, 1824-1941.
Alphabetical Index to Petitions for Naturalizations of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, 1907-1966: NARA M1677. Alphabetical Index to Petitions for Naturalizations of the US District Court for the Western District of New York, 1907-1966
Lewis County, New York Court Books at Amazon.com
New York Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.

Lewis County Vital Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Scattered town and precinct tax records for a few years in the 1770s and 1780s and nearly complete lists for the whole state, 1799-1804, are at the New York State Archives, although for the latter period the surviving 1804 rolls cover only delinquent taxes of nonresidents. New York City tax records are at the Municipal Archives. Some early assessment rolls have been published in The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, such as those for New York City, 1730, in volume 95; New Rochelle, 1767, in volume 107; and Ulster County, 1709-21, in volume 62. See also volumes 43-44 of the New-York Historical Society's Collections for New York City assessments 1695-99. A few counties such as Ontario have retained their early tax records, but most do not have them until about 1850 or even later. Many old tax lists are to be found in manuscript collections. Dutchess County is fortunate to have a long series of eighteenth century tax records. Some of the 1798 U.S. Direct Tax records survive for New York.

Below is a list of online resources for Lewis County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Lewis County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

Lewis County, New York Tax Books at Amazon.com

Lewis County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other New York Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Lewis County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Lewis County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

Directory of Archival and Historical Document Collections
Local New York Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
New York State Archives and Records Administration, The State Education Department, Cultural Education Center, 11th Floor; Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12230; (518) 474-8955, [EMAIL]
Referred to here as the New York State Archives for brevity, it was the last such archives to be established in the United States. It houses land and court records, military and tax records, New York state vital records indexes, pre-settlement survey maps, and legislative records.
New York State Library, Cultural Education Center, 7th Floor, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY 12230; The state library has a large collection of published and manuscript material on New York, including genealogies and local histories, federal and state censuses, city directories, and periodicals. It is also one of the two depositories for the State of New York DAR collection.
The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, 122 East 58^th Street, New York, New York 10022-1939; 212-755-8532, Fax: 212-754-4218; A private society, the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society publishes the NYG&B Newsletter and a quarterly, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record. Its library holds much New York State and related material, both for New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. For New York there are censuses, federal and state; a large manuscript collection of church, cemetery, Bible, and other records; and an extensive amount of published family and local histories. Nonmembers can use the library for a small fee, but only members have access to the stacks, manuscripts, and microforms. The library provides a list of area researchers.
New York State Historical Association, West Lake Road, P.O. Box 800, Cooperstown, New York, 13326-0800
National Archives--Northeast Region, 201 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014.
New York Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
New York Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com

Lewis County Church & Cemeteries

Click Here to Search New York Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Lewis County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Lewis County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Many church records, mostly early and particularly for Long Island, New York City, and the Hudson River Valley, have been published in The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record with a large collection of unpublished records maintained by the New York. Particularly useful as vital records substitutes among the surviving New York church records are those of the Dutch Reformed, Lutheran, Anglican, and Quaker groups.

The largest number of New York cemetery records (the bulk of which are actually transcriptions of cemetery marker inscriptions) is found in the multivolume collection of the Daughters of the American Revolution in the State of New York, Church, and Town Records, located at the New York State Library, the New York Public Library, and the DAR Library in Washington, D.C. Scattered volumes are found in other libraries including many local libraries in the area in which a particular cemetery is located.

Below is a list of online resources for Lewis County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Lewis County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Click Here to Search New York Family Tree Records! - The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Lewis County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Lewis County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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Genealogical Document Search and Retrieval Service
Lewis County, New York Family Books at Amazon.com

County History

This county was formed from Oneida, March 28, 1805, and named in honor of Gov. Morgan Lewis. Slight changes were made in the boundary on the erection of Pinckney, in 1808, and of Wilna, in 1813. It lies mostly within the valley of Black River, N. of the center of the State. It is centrally distant 116 mi. from Albany, and contains 1,288 sq. mi. Its surface consists of the broad intervales which extend along the course of Black River, and uplands which rise upon the E. and W. The eastern half rises gradually to the E. border of the co., where it attains an elevation of about 1400 feet above tide. This part of the co. forms a portion of the great wilderness of Northern N. Y. The surface in many places is broken by low ridges or isolated masses of naked gneiss. The streams generally flow over rocky beds, and in places through wild ravines. The soil is a light, yellow, sandy loam and unprofitable for cultivation. In the eastern forests are great numbers of picturesque lakes, many of which are scarcely known except to hunters and fishermen. The streams flowing from the plateau are generally rapid, furnishing an abundance of water power. (The water of these streams is discolored by organic matter, manganese, and iron, and imparts to Black River the color which has given it its name.) Magnetic iron ore has been found interstratified with gneiss and red specular ore on the N. E. border of the co., and along the margins of the streams is an abundance of iron sand. At the junction of the gneiss and white limestone in Diana are a great number of interesting minerals. (Zircom, sphene, tabular spar, pyroxene, nuttallite, blue calcite, bright crystallized iron pyrities, Rensselaerite, and coccolite are found near Natural Bridge.)

The W. side rises from the valley of Black River by a series of terraces to near the center of the W. half of the co., whence it spreads out toward Lake Ontario. These terraces are occasionally broken by oblique valleys from the N. W. The summit is 1500 to 1700 feet above tide. The intervale along the river, and the banks which immediately border upon it, are underlaid by Black River limestone. Next above this, in an irregular terrace, rises the Trenton limestone, 300 feet thick in the N. part of the co. and gradually diminishing toward the S. This limestone is very compact and strongly resists the action of the elements. In many places it presents the face of steep declivities approaching the perpendicular, and the streams from the W. plateau generally flow over this formation in a single perpendicular fall. This rock underlies an extremely fertile and nearly level tract of 1 to 3 mi. wide. Above it, on the W., the strata of the Utica slate and Lorraine shales rise about 500 feet higher, and from the summit the surface spreads out into a nearly level region, with its waters flowing both toward the E. and W. (The highest part of the range is said to be on Lot 50, in High Market, and is 1700 feet above tide. On a clear day the hills of Madison co. can be seen from this place.) This range in Lewis co. is known as Tug Hill. The soil in the limestone region is sometimes thin, but is everywhere productive. Near the foot of Tug Hill is a strip of stiff clay a few rods wide, extending the whole length of the co., and marked by a line of springs and swamps. The soil upon the slate is deep and well adapted to grazing, but, from its great elevation, it is liable to late and early frosts. Upon the summit of the slate table lands are extensive swamps, which give rise to streams flowing into Black River, Lake Ontario, Oneida Lake, and the Mohawk. Drift deposits are scattered promiscuously, and sometimes lie at a great depth, more particularly upon the northerly sides of the oblique valleys before mentioned.

The streams which rise on the summit of Tug Hill in many places flow through ancient beaver meadows, and upon the brow of the hill they have invariably worn deep ravines into the slates, and shales, in some instances 3 or 4 mi. in length and 100 to 300 feet deep. Chimney Point and Whetstone Gulf, in Martinsburgh, are localities of this kind. There are but few ravines in the limestone terraces, though the Deer River Falls, near Copenhagen, are in a gorge worn in this rock. A think layer of Potsdam sandstone rests immediately upon the gneiss in Martinsburgh. Waterlime of excellent quality has been made from the lower strata of Black River limestone, and veins of lead ore have been worked in the upper part of the Trenton limestone in Martinsburgh and Lowville. (About the year 1828 a silver mine was announced as discovered near Lowville; and in 1837 a lead mine was somewhat extensively wrought 1 mi. N. W. of Martinsburgh Village, and several tons of lead were made at a great loss. More recently a company of speculators have bought the premises; but work has not been resumed, and probably will not be. Black oxyd of manganese has been found in swamps upon the summit of Tug Hill in the S. W. part of Martinsburgh.) The outline of the hills readily indicates the character of the underlying rocks. (In the primary region the upheavals retain their original forms without change; the limestone terraces rise by steep slopes to their level summit; and the slate and shale hills exhibit the yielding character of the rocks which compose them, by their rounded outline and the gorges which every spring torrent has worn upon their sides.)

The S. W. part of the co. is drained by Fish Creek and its branches, and the headwaters of the Mohawk. Salmon River rises upon the W. border, and the Oswegatchie and Indian (Called by the Indians O-je´quack, Nut River) Rivers take their rise in the N. E. The principal tributaries of Black River are Moose (Indian name Te-ka´hun-di-an´do, clearing and opening) and Beaver Rivers (Indian name Ne-ba-sa´ne, crossing on a stick of timber), Otter (Indian name Da-ween-net, the otter), Independence, and Fish Creeks, and Fall Brook, on the E.; and Sugar River, Mill, Houses, and Whetstone Creeks, Roaring Brook, Lowville Creek, and Deer River (Indian name Ga-ne´ga-to´do, corn pounder) upon the W. Several mineral springs are found within the co. (The largest of these arises from the limestone in Lowville, near the line of Harrisburgh. Others rise from the slate upon Tug Hill. All of them emit sulphuretted hydrogen gas, and some have been used for medicinal purposes.) Spring grains are readily cultivated; but this co. is particularly adapted to pasturage, dairying forming the principal pursuit of the people. Droughts seldom occur; but the uplands are noted for their deep snows. Within a few years, several extensive establishments have been erected upon Black, Moose, Beaver, and Deer Rivers, for the manufacture of leather, paper, lumber, and articles of wood. Two furnaces for the manufacture of iron from the ore are located near the N. border.

The county seat is located at Martinsburgh. A wooden courthouse and jail were built here in 1810-11, upon a site given by Gen. Martin. (The co. seat was located by the same commissioners that were appointed for Jefferson co. Benj. Van Vleeck, Daniel Kelly, and Jonathan Collins, by act of 1811, were appointed to superintend the completion of these buildings. The first co. officers were Daniel Kelly, First Judge; Jonathan Collins, Judah Barnes, and Solomon King, Judges; Lewis Graves and Asa Brayton, Asst. Justices; Asa Lord, Coroner; Chillus Doty, Sheriff; Richard Coxe, Clerk; and Isaac W. Bostwick, Surrogate.) The present clerk's office was erected by citizens of Martinsburgh in 1847. Active efforts were made at an early day, and renewed in 1852, to obtain the removal of the co. seat to Lowville, and a fine edifice was built at the place for the courts, in the hope of securing their removal. The co. poorhouse is located upon a farm of 59 acres 1 mi. W. of Lowville. The average number of inmates is about 90. The institution is well managed in regard to economy, neatness, and the health of the inmates. The only internal improvement in the co. is the Black River Canal, connecting Black River below Lyons Falls with the Erie Canal at Rome. (The Black River & Utica R. R., now finished to Boonville, will probably be extended through the Black River Valley.) From Lyons Falls the river is navigated to Carthage, a distance of 42-1/2 mi., by small steamers. Three newspapers are now published in the co.:

The Black River Gazette

The Lewis Co. Sentinel

The Martinsburgh Sentinel

The Lewis County Republican

was established at Martinsburgh, in 1831 or ‘32, by James Wheeler, who sold it to Daniel S. Bailey, its present publisher, in 1837. It was removed to Lowville in 1844, but has since been returned to Martinsburgh.
The Lewis Co. Gazette was started at Lowville, in the spring of 1821, by Lewis G.
Hoffman, and continued 2 years. The Black River Gazette was issued at Lowville, Oct. 19, 1825, by Wm. L.
Easton. It was sold in 1830 to J. M. Farr, by whom it was continued a year or more.
The Lewis Democrat was started at Lowville, March 25, 1834, by Le Grand Byington, and continued 1 year.
The Northern Journal was commenced at Lowville, Feb. 14, 1838, by A. W. Clark. It has frequently changed owners, and is now published by Henry A. Phillips.
The Lewis County Banner was started at Lowville, Sept. 3, 1856, by N. B. Sylvester, and is now published by Henry Allgoever.
The Lewis Co. Democrat was commenced Sept. 23, 1856, at Turin, by H. R. Labe. It was removed to Martinsburgh in 1849 and discontinued a few weeks after.
The Dollar Weekly Northern Blade was started at Constableville in 1854. It was changed to
The News Register in April, 1857, by Merrill & Cook, its publishers, and was afterward removed to Carthage.

This co. is entirely within Macomb's Purchase, and includes a part of GreatTract No. IV, most of the Chassanis Purchase, Watson's West Tract, the Brantingham Tract, and a small part of John Brown's Tract, on the E. side of the river; and 4 of the "Eleven Towns, 5 of the Thirteen Towns of the Boylston Tract⁷, Constable's Five Towns⁸, and Inman's Triangle⁹ on the W.

This tract was bought by the Antwerp Company, and embraced an area of 450,950 acres. (See Jeff. Co.)
This tract was purchased by Pierre Chassanis in 1792, and was supposed to contain 600,00 acres. Upon a survey being made, it was found that the tract fell far short of this; and a new agreement was made, April 2, 1793, for 210,00 acres. A narrow strip of this tract extended along the E. side of the river to High Falls. The settlers of this tract were principally refugees of the French Revolution. Many of them were wealthy, titled, and highly educated, and, in consequence, were poorly fitted for the hardships of pioneer life. Large sums of money were expended to render the settlement successful, but the settlers soon after returned to France and the enterprise was abandoned. Rudolph Tillier was the first agent; and in 1800 he was superseded by Gouverneur Morris, who appointed Richard Coxe his agent. The first buildings were erected near the present residence of Francis Seger.
James Watson purchased 61,433 acres, in 2 tracts, connected by a narrow isthmus. The eastern tract is mostly in Herkimer co.
So called from Thomas H. Brantingham, of the city of Philadelphia, who at one time held the title. It is mostly in Greig, and contains 74,400 acres.
This tract, which is popularly regarded as the whole northern wilderness of New York, included 210,000 acres sold by Constable to John Julius Augerstein, and afterward conveyed to John Brown, of Providence, R. I. It was divided into 8 townships, as follows:

1. Industry
2. Enterprise
3. Perseverance
4. Unanimity 5. Frugality
6. Sobriety
7. Economy
8. Regularity

It has been said that all of these social virtues are needed for the settlement of this region. The first 4 townships are partly in Lewis co. Numbers 5, 9, 10 and 11, -- now Denmark, Pinckney, Harrisburgh, and Lowville.
⁷ Named from Thos. Boylston, of Boston, who held the title a few days. Nos. 3, 4, 8, 9 and 13, now Montague, Osceola, and parts of Martinsburgh and High Market, are in Lewis co. The whole tract included 817,155 acres.
⁸These towns were Xenophon, Flora, Lucretia, Pomona, and Porcia, and now form parts of Lewis, High Market, and Martinsburgh and the whole of Turin and West Turin.
⁹Leyden as it existed before Lewis was erected. It included 26,250 acres, forming a perfect triangle.
The first settlers came from New England and settled at Leyden in 1794. The fame of the "Black River country spread through Mass. and Conn., and within the next ten years the country between Tug Hill and the river rapidly filled up with a laborious, intelligent, and enterprising population. A romantic project of settlement formed by refugees of the French Revolution, in which Arcadian dreams of rural felicity were to be realized, was abandoned after a short experience of the real hardships of pioneer life. Except an expensive but ineffectual attempt by Brown to settle his tract, toward the close of the last century, little improvement was made E. of the river until about 1820; and this section has at present time less than one-fourth of the population, and a still less proportion of the wealth, of the co. A systematic effort at settlement of the extreme W. part was first made in 1840-46, under Seymour Green and Diodate Pease, agents of the Pierrepont estate. Much of this region is still a wilderness.

LEWIS COUNTY - TOWNS PORTION:

CROGHAN -- was formed from Watson and Diana, April 5, 1841, and a part of New Bremen was taken off in 1848. It lies E. of Black River, in the N. part of the co. The surface has an inclination toward the W. and N., and in the central and E. parts it is broken and hilly. Oswegatchie and Indian Rivers rise in the town and flow northerly into Diana; and Beaver River forms a portion of its S. boundary. In the E. part of the town are several lakes. The soil is light and sandy, and along the river intervales it is moderately fertile. The town is thinly settled along Black and Beaver Rivers, but in the N. and E. it is still a wilderness. Croghan, (p.o.,) on Beaver River, and Naumburg,(p.o.,) in the W. part of the town, are small villages. Indian River, (p.o.,) N. of the center of the town, and Belfort, on Beaver River, are hamlets. Settlement commenced before 1830, under P. S. Stewart, agent for Le Ray. Many of the settlers are French and Germans. There are 5 churches in town.

Named in honor of Col. Geo. Croghan. It is locally pronounced "Cro´gan;" its proper pronunciation is "Crawn."
Locally known as the "Prussian Settlement."
Evan. Asso. or Germ. Meth., Ref. Prot. D, M. E., and 2 R. C.

DENMARK -- was formed from Harrisburgh, April 3, 1807. It lies W. of Black River, on the N. border of the co. Its surface descends to Black River on the E. by a succession of irregular terraces. Deer River flows through the town, and upon its course are several falls, affording an abundant water power. The High Falls, one mi. below Copenhagen, descend 160 feet, at an angle of about 80o, and are celebrated for their picturesque beauty. Kings Fall, 2 mi. below, has a descent of about 40 feet. The E. part of the town is covered with deep deposits of drift. Near the mouth of Deer River are extensive flats; and Black River is bordered by a cedar swamp. The soil is very fertile. Copenhagen, (p.v.,) on Deer River, in the W. part, contains 3 churches and several manufactories. Pop. 505. Denmark, (p.v.,) in the E. part, contains about 50 houses; and Deer River, (p.v.,) on the river of the same name, 2 mi. from its mouth, 35. The first settlement was made in 1800, by Jesse Blodget. The census reports 6 churches in town.

This town embraces Township No. 6 (illegible), or Mantua, of the Eleven Towns.
Originally called "Mungers Mills," from Nathan Munger, one of the early settlers.
About 1830 the manufacture of cordage was commenced here on an extensive scale; but it has recently been abandoned.
Abel French was the first settler at this place, and it was originally known as "Frenchs Mills."
Among the early settlers were Freedom Wright, Major J. Crary, Robert Howe, Asa Pierce, Ichabod Parsons, Lewis Graves, Jonathan Barker, J. Rich, and Andrew Mills.
Bap., organized in 1810, Cong., M. E., Univ., and 2 Union.

DIANA -- was formed from Watson, April 16, 1830, and a part of Croghan was taken off in 1841. This is the extreme N. E. town in the co. Its surface is level, or gently rolling. In the E. part are 2 isolated hills, 300 to 500 feet above the surrounding surface. The principal streams are Oswegatchie and Indian Rivers and their branches. Bonaparte and Indian Lakes, in the N. part, and Cranberry, Legiers, and Sweets Lakes, in the E., are the principal bodies of water. The greater part of this town is yet a wilderness. The soil is light and sandy. Iron ore is found in the N. and E. parts, and coarse, crystalline marble, of a sky-blue tint, on the banks of Indian River, near Natural Bridge. Sterlingbush, (p.v.,) in the W. part, contains 15 houses; and Harrisville 12. Blanchards Settlement (Diana Center p.o.) is in the S. part. Diana is a p.o., and Alpina is a hamlet. There are 2 churches in town, (Bap. and M.E.,) but no church edifice.

Bonaparte Lake was so called in honor of Joseph Bonaparte, who built a log house upon its banks, for the accommodation of himself and friends while upon hunting and fishing excursions, during his stay at his summer residence at Natural Bridge.
Formerly called "Louisburg." It owes its origin to an iron furnace built here in 1833.
An iron furnace was built here in 1847 by Suchard & Farvager, Swiss capitalists, and the place has grown up around it.

GREIG -- was formed from Watson, April 5, 1828, as "Brantingham." Its name was changed Feb. 20, 1832. It is the S. E. corner town of the co. Its surface is rolling in the W., but it is broken, rocky, and in some places hilly, in the E. The principal streams all tributaries of Black River, are Moose River, Otter, Stony, and Fish Creeks, and Cole and Fall Brooks. The scenery along Moose River is celebrated for its wildness and beauty. The greater part of the town is yet a wilderness. In the E. part are several small lakes, which constitute some of the favorite resorts of fishermen. The soil is principally a light, sandy loam. Iron ore and ocher are found, and near Brantingham Lake is a sulphur spring. Lumber, leather, and paper are made, and on Otter Creek is an extensive match box factory. Lyonsdale, on Moose River, 3 mi. from its mouth, and Greig and Brantingham, near Black River, are p. offices. In 1796 the French, under Rodolph Tillier, settled on the Chassanis Tract, near Black River, below the High Falls. The only church in town (Presb.) was formed in 1807.

Named from the late John Greig, of Canandaigua, who owned large tracts of land in the town.
The first settlement was made in this place by Caleb Lyon, in 1819. He died in 1835, the year before his long cherished project of a State canal to the Black River was authorized by law. His son, Caleb Lyon of Lyonsdale, has at this place a Gothic villa, located in the midst of picturesque scenery and adorned with elegant collections of art.
See previous comments in County Portion.

HARRISBURGH -- was formed from Lowville, Champion, (Jefferson co.,) and Mexico, (Oswego co.,) Feb. 22, 1803. Denmark was taken off in 1807, and a