A History of the Town of Queensbury, continued ...
A. W. Holden, M.D.
PART II
HISTORY OF QUEENSBURY.
CHAPTER XV., continued ...
A registry of a senatorial election, under the property qualification in 1786, shows the names of thirty-six voters, an evidence of the rapid increase of the population in the few years that had elapsed since the war.
The losses which the inhabitants had suffered during the war, and the unsettled condition of the country had disabled them from paying their quitrents, now lapsed to the state by the change of government; and the back arrearages had accumulated to a sum that was quite beyond their means.
In order to obtain some indemnity for the sacrifices and losses suffered by reason of the war, a plea was made and allowed in abatement and liquidation of all just indebtedness and future claims from the state.
As an evidence of the comparative valuation of property in the town at this time we append the following minute of proceedings of the board of supervisors of the county of Washington, held at the house of George Kilmer in the town of Argyle on the 1st Tuesday in September, 1786.
The town of Queensbury was represented on this occasion by Phineas Babcock, Esq.
The quota of the respective towns was equalized as follows: £ .s d.
Argyle, 59 6 7
Crownpoint, 300
Granville, 67 16
Hampton, 21 4
Hebron, 63 11 3
Kingsbury, 50 17
Queensbury, 50 17
Salem, 101 13 7
Westfield, 33 18
Whitehall, 50 17
Total £800 5
TO BE CONTINUED ...
Holden's History of Queensbury
Re: Holden's History of Queensbury
A History of the Town of Queensbury, concluded ...
A. W. Holden, M.D.
PART II
HISTORY OF QUEENSBURY.
CHAPTER XV., concluded ...
In 1791 the two future presidents, Jefferson and Madison, passed through this town, on their way to visit some of the many scenes of historic interest at the north. 20
During the few years following, which rounded up the century, mercantile and manufacturing interests gathered rapidly here; professional men of rare talent were attracted to the place by the promise of its rapid growth, and its resources, even in, that early day, were operated with an energy, which in many instances commanded success, and won an enviable repute for industry and enterprise.
The flow of emigration, which, in less than fifty years, has since peopled the once dense wilderness, and far reaching prairies of the mighty west with a busy and teeming population, in the closing years of the century following the revolution, spent its first feeble waves along the sea shore, and the tide waters of our navigable rivers.
During the first decade of the present century, that tide instead of seeking the then miasmatic flats, and rich alluvial plains of the Genesee country, set rapidly northward along the old military routes where less than half a century before, mighty armies, flushed with the pride of conquest, glowing with honors won on foreign fields of glory, dissolved and disappeared beneath the sturdy blows and unerring rifle shots of the hunter chivalry which guarded our northern border.
At that period, when the cities of the west and interior were the haunts of savages and beasts of prey, Glen's Falls was a thriving settlement whose opening business prospects and natural advantages, were attracting capital, and gathering the germs of that thrift and success, which have since built up our village to its present prosperous condition.
We have seen in the sketches of its churches, and the notices of its business and leading men, the gradual progress and development of the town and village through all its transitions; until from a scattered forest hamlet, it has reached almost the proportions, wealth, and importance of a city.
Upon the future historian will devolve the duty of perpetuating the events of more recent interest and importance, which relate to the town and its citizens; while to the author is left the satisfaction of believing that he has rescued from oblivion many facts, and details connected with the past, which if left ungleaned, would now have been lost, or with difficulty attained even by an enthusiastic antiquarian.
20 Extract of letter from Thomas Jefferson, secretary of state, to Genl. Washington. "Bennington 5th June 1791. Sir; In my last letter from Philadelphia, I mentioned that Mr. Madison and myself were about to take a trip up the North river, as far as circumstances should permit. The badness of the roads led us quite on to Lake George, where, taking boat, we went through that, and about twenty-five miles into Lake Champlain. Returning then to Saratoga, we concluded to cross over through Vermont to Connecticut river, and go down that instead of the North river, which we had already seen; and we are so far on that route. In the course of our journey we have had opportunities of visiting Stillwater, Saratoga, Forts William Henry and George, Ticonderoga, Crown Point, and the scenes of General Stark's victory." Sparks's Letters to Washington, vol. IV, p. 374.
A. W. Holden, M.D.
PART II
HISTORY OF QUEENSBURY.
CHAPTER XV., concluded ...
In 1791 the two future presidents, Jefferson and Madison, passed through this town, on their way to visit some of the many scenes of historic interest at the north. 20
During the few years following, which rounded up the century, mercantile and manufacturing interests gathered rapidly here; professional men of rare talent were attracted to the place by the promise of its rapid growth, and its resources, even in, that early day, were operated with an energy, which in many instances commanded success, and won an enviable repute for industry and enterprise.
The flow of emigration, which, in less than fifty years, has since peopled the once dense wilderness, and far reaching prairies of the mighty west with a busy and teeming population, in the closing years of the century following the revolution, spent its first feeble waves along the sea shore, and the tide waters of our navigable rivers.
During the first decade of the present century, that tide instead of seeking the then miasmatic flats, and rich alluvial plains of the Genesee country, set rapidly northward along the old military routes where less than half a century before, mighty armies, flushed with the pride of conquest, glowing with honors won on foreign fields of glory, dissolved and disappeared beneath the sturdy blows and unerring rifle shots of the hunter chivalry which guarded our northern border.
At that period, when the cities of the west and interior were the haunts of savages and beasts of prey, Glen's Falls was a thriving settlement whose opening business prospects and natural advantages, were attracting capital, and gathering the germs of that thrift and success, which have since built up our village to its present prosperous condition.
We have seen in the sketches of its churches, and the notices of its business and leading men, the gradual progress and development of the town and village through all its transitions; until from a scattered forest hamlet, it has reached almost the proportions, wealth, and importance of a city.
Upon the future historian will devolve the duty of perpetuating the events of more recent interest and importance, which relate to the town and its citizens; while to the author is left the satisfaction of believing that he has rescued from oblivion many facts, and details connected with the past, which if left ungleaned, would now have been lost, or with difficulty attained even by an enthusiastic antiquarian.
20 Extract of letter from Thomas Jefferson, secretary of state, to Genl. Washington. "Bennington 5th June 1791. Sir; In my last letter from Philadelphia, I mentioned that Mr. Madison and myself were about to take a trip up the North river, as far as circumstances should permit. The badness of the roads led us quite on to Lake George, where, taking boat, we went through that, and about twenty-five miles into Lake Champlain. Returning then to Saratoga, we concluded to cross over through Vermont to Connecticut river, and go down that instead of the North river, which we had already seen; and we are so far on that route. In the course of our journey we have had opportunities of visiting Stillwater, Saratoga, Forts William Henry and George, Ticonderoga, Crown Point, and the scenes of General Stark's victory." Sparks's Letters to Washington, vol. IV, p. 374.