Recollections of the Early Settlement of the Town of Greene
Chenango American, Greene, NY, December 24, 1857
Part 4
"At a treaty held at Fort Herkimer on June 28, 1785, Governor George Clinton, of New York purchased from the Indians the land between the Unadilla, Chenango and Susquehanna Rivers. This was the land of the Oneidas and Tuscarora's, for which was paid $11,500 in goods and money, and has since been called the Governor's Purchase" [Mildred English Cochrane, From Raft to Railroad, A History of the Town of Greene, Chenango County, New York, 1792-1867 (Johnson City Publishing Co, Binghamton, NY, 1967), p4]
[portion unreadable] of Gov. George Clinton, of the Oneida and Tuscarora Indians in the year 1785. The treaty describes the boundaries of this purchase as follows: "Beginning at the mouth of the Unadilla River, thence up said River ten miles, thence due west to the Chenango River, thence down said river to where it empties into the Susquehanna." It was also bounded on the east by a former purchase, or a line established by a treaty made in 1768 so as to comprehend all the lands belonging to the Oneida and Tuscarora nation of Indians, lying south of the line running from the Unadilla to the Chenango River and the north line of the State of Penn.
The land obtained by the Indian treaty above referred to, was subsequently sold by the State to individual patentees. It will be our object to refer briefly to such patents as were included in the original bounds of this town. At the same time we cannot avoid including such portions of the adjacent towns as may lie within the bounds of the several tracts or patents. The western part of Coventry and the whole of Smithville, was formerly a part of this town. The Chenango Triangle includes a part of the towns of Triangle and Barker in the County of Broome. These circumstances are mentioned to avoid needless repetition, and at the same time is an apology for what might otherwise appear as an encroachment upon the rights of the neighboring towns.
A portion of the town lying east of the Chenango River, was included in the Treat and Morris tract, already referred to in connection with the account of the French settlement. The patent was issued in 1789. After the title had reverted to the original patentees, it was divided by a partition deed between the proprietors, each taking alternate lots. Mr Treat's share was sold to sundry individuals in small parcels. These persons chiefly resided in and near the city of Albany. They held the land for a number of years, without the appointment of any local agent. The part held by Mr. Morris, was kept entire, with the exception of single lots sold to actual settlers, until it passed into the hands of the late William James of Albany, about the year 1817. After this the land was settled more rapidly. The circumstances attending the original purchase and sale of this tract, the failure of the French title, and the subsequent changes of ownership, had a tendency to retard the settlement and improvements of this portion of the town.
Another part of the town lying east of the Chenango River, was embraced in a tract of land granted by letters patent from the people of the state to Walter Livingston in 1788. This tract was described as being the north east quarter of the town of Greene containing sixteen thousand acres. After the decease of the patentee, the whole was purchased by John Juhel, a wealthy gentleman residing in New York, who had previously married Cornelia Livingston, one of the heirs to the estate. He purchased the shares that fell to the other heirs, and thus became sole owner. One of the sisters of Mrs. Juhel, who inherited a share of this estate was Mrs. Fulton, the wife of the celebrated inventor, Robert Fulton. Another sister was the wife of William Curtiss, a lawyer of considerable eminence. Mr. Juhel appointed Capt. Juliand his local agent, soon after he became the proprietor. The settlement of this tract continued without interruption until the whole passed into the hands of settlers.
The inhabitants who occupy this portion of the original town were mostly emigrants from Connecticut. They brought with them the enterprise and industrious habits which are sure passports to success. It is now [in 1857] one of the most independent and wealthy farming districts in the county. The largest part of this tract is now embraced within the bounds of the town of Coventry.
That part of the town lying west of the Chenango River is included in the tract of land known as the "Chenango Triangle." This tract is bounded on the north by the south line of what had been known as the twenty Townships, by a tract called the Gore and a part of the Military tract. On the south west it is bounded by the Onondaga River and on the south east by the Chenango River embracing a territory of about ninety thousand acres. This tract was originally purchased from the State by Wm. Smith, a son-in-law of John Adams.
While the latter gentleman was minister from this Government to Great Britain in the early years of our national history, Mr. Smith was his Secretary. While there he formed an acquaintance with William Hornby, a wealthy English gentleman from whom he obtained funds to invest in American lands. Mr Smith purchased this land by deed in the name of his brother -?- B. Smith. It is supposed that this course was rendered necessary by the fact that Mr. Hornby was a foreigner. [portion unreadable] ...of the Legislature could be obtained to legalize the transfer. Be this as it may, it is certain that after a few years, Mr. Hornby, through his attorney William Walker, Esq. of Utica, succeeded in obtaining a title to the land. A few choice lands were selected and retained by -?- B. Smith as compensation for his services in the matter.
William Hornby died soon after and the property descended to his son John Hornby, who appointed William Walker his agent to dispose of the lands. After a few years, John Johnston was sent over from England by Mr. Hornby as general agent of the estate. He resided in Utica. The first sales to actual settlers appear to have been made in 1802 by Elisha Smith who was appointed local agent in that year. In 1806, John Grieg of Canandaigua was appointed general agent and lasted in that capacity until the lands were all sold.
Elisha Smith continued to act as local agent until 1811 when he was succeeded by Robert Monell, who resigned in 1819, when John D. Henry served temporarily in that capacity, until the appointment of Charles Cameron, who became the local agent in 1821 and continued to act in that capacity until all that remained of the tract, being about 5,000 acres was sold to Col. Joseph Juliand in 1848. Mr. C. removed to this place from Canandaigua at the solicitation of his friend and countryman John Grieg, where he continued to reside until his death.
The first survey of the Treat and Morris tract was made by John Harris in 1792. It was laid out into 150 lots including the village plot, which was the seat of the French settlement, It is supposed that it was the intention of the proprietors that the lots should contain 100 acres each and should be as nearly equal as possible. Subsequent surveys have proved that this survey was very inaccurate. In many instances the quantity of land would vary in the different lots, from ten to twenty acres, from the contents indicated by the map. A re-survey was made by William McAlpin in 1807 and a new map made which has governed the subsequent sales and is considered authentic. The discrepancies in these two surveys and the supposed changes of the order in considering the lots has led to considerable difficulty among the settlers and no small amount of litigation.
The Walter Livingston tract was surveyed and subdivided into lots of about 100 acres each in 1796 by Richitson Burlingame. This survey was found to be unusually accurate and all subsequent conveyances have been predicated upon it.
The Chenango Triangle was laid out originally into four Townships, commencing with number one at the northwest corner of the tract, on the Onondaga River. Number two occupies a central position on the north end of the tract. Number three lies in the north east corner, having the Chenango River for its east bounds. Number four has it north bounds about one mile north of the village of Greene, with the Chenango River for its east bounds, and running along the same to its junction with the Onondaga, embracing the southern and most acute angle of the tract.
The first survey and subdivision of the Chenango Triangle was made by Nathaniel Locke in 1792. This appears to have been a very accurate and reliable survey. The lots varied in size from 250 to 350 acres each. The average contents of the lots were about 300 acres. Townships number one and two had 74 lots each. Number three had 78 and number four 10.
As sales progressed, and smaller subdivisions were required, various surveyors were employed. In 1806, Elisha Johnson was engaged in laying off such portions of the various lots as had been contracted to settlers.
Mr. Johnson also surveyed and laid out the plot of the present village in that year. In 1809, Orren O. Dow was extensively engaged as a surveyor upon this tract. Notwithstanding the number and variety of the surveyors employed at different times, we are not aware that any serious conflicts have arisen in consequence. In the north west part of this tract and about three miles east of the Onondaga River are indications of salt. A spring issuing from the ground in a small valley has the taste of a weak brine; this has led to the belief that a strata of salt might be reached by boring. With this view, enterprising gentlemen have sunk a shaft to a depth of 800 feet and at an expense of several thousand dollars without materially increasing the strength of the water. It is thought that the enterprise will be abandoned. It was known to the first settlers that the Indians knew of the existence of a Salt spring in this vicinity.
To be continued
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