The Spafford's 1824 Gazetteer typing project is one of the first of several valuable group projects we have planned for 1998. In 1824 the boundaries of the counties of Herkimer and Montgomery were quite different than they are today. Familiarizing yourself with some of the place names mentioned in the old township profiles can help you better pinpoint the whereabouts of your earliest area ancestors. Some of the 1824 townships are now in neighboring counties. The section below, prepared by Nancy Sicotte covers the Towns of Litchfield, Manheim, Newport and Norway.
LITCHFIELD, a Post-Township in the SW corner of Herkimer County, 11 miles SW. of Herkimer, 11 S. of Utica, and 88 a little N. of W. from Albany; bounded N. by Frankfort, E. by Columbia, S. by Winfield, W. by Oneida County. Its situation is elevated, and it gives rise to the Unadilla of the Susquehanna, and some small streams that run N. 7 or 8 miles to the Mohawk. For the general character of its surface, soil and products, see Warren. The 3d Great Western turnpike, from Cherry-Valley to Manlius, leads across the S. end, and there are many other roads. Its inhabitants are practical farmers, of domestic habits, enjoying much of the blessings of farming industry. There is a furnace in the N. part of this town, but my Correspondent does not inform me where it gets a supply of ore. Population, 1729; taxable property, $230150; electors, 329; 10110 acres of improved land; 2489 cattle, 496 horses, 4995 sheep; 17218 yards of cloth made in the household way in 1821; 3 grist mills, 112 saw mills, 2 fulling mills, 2 carding machines, 2 iron works, 1 trip hammer, 2 distilleries, and 2 asheries; 11 school districts; schools kept 8 months in 12; $262.93, public monies; 587 children between 5 and 15; 686 received instruction in 1821. The Post-Office is near the centre, 11 miles SW. of Herkimer Village. There are 2 churches, erected by Presbyterians and others. MANHEIM, a Post-Township of Herkimer County, 11 miles ENE. of Herkimer, 69 WNW. of Albany; bounded N. by Salisbury, E. by E. Canada Creek, or the town of Oppenheim of Montgomery County, S. by the Mohawk River, W. by Fairfield and Herkimer, being about 6 miles square. Except along the Mohawk, there are no intervales, but the upland is of superior quality, and it probably yields as much wheat as any town of the same size in the County. Its situation is high, it is well watered, and healthy: -- has no mountains, lakes or ponds, nor metals, yet discovered. The inhabitants are principally farmers, tho' with a competent number of mechanics, and there are 200 families principally of Dutch extract. There are 2 Dutch Reformed churches, and 9 school-houses and schools; 6 grist mills, 9 saw mills, 3 fulling mills, and 2 carding machines. The first settlements commenced about the year 1770, but the inhabitants were driven off during the Revolutionary War, and returned with the peace. The Post-Office is near the SE. corner, on the river-road, 14 miles E. of Herkimer Court-House. Population 1777; 329 electors, 8809 acres of improved land; 1542 cattle, 615 horses, 2577 sheep; 13842 yards cloth made in the household way in 1821. This town was formerly in Montgomery County, and was attached to Herkimer in 1817, with Salisbury and Danube. NEWPORT, a Post-Township of Herkimer County, 13 miles N. of Herkimer, and 95 NW. of Albany; bounded N. by Russia, E. by Fairfield and Norway, S. by Herkimer and Schuyler, Westerly by Oneida County. Along the W. Canada Creek is a deep valley, where stands the Village of Newport, or Bowen's Settlement, near the centre of the town, where are falls and good mill-seats, with some mills, and a cotton factory. About one quarter of Newport is on the NE. side of W. Canada Creek, which is hilly, but interspersed with fine vallies, of a light, easy soil. The other side has a high ridge, with sloping, arable borders, somewhat broken, but which admit of cultivation, almost without exception. The general character of the soil and products is similar to that ot Norway, except that the lands are less stony. Along the creek, they are sandy, rather light, but warm. Middleville Post-Office, is in a pleasant and flourishing little Village of this name, in the SE. quarter of Newport, 8 miles N. of Herkimer, on both sides of W. Canada Creek, partly in Newport, and partly in Fairfield. On the E. side, in Fairfield, are the Post-Office, several well built stone houses, and some other buildings; and on the Newport side, are several houses, an extensive cotton factory, the building of stone, and a grist mill and saw mill. It is a busy little place, and enjoys advantages that seem likely to make it increase. Population, 1746; taxable property, $229657; 313 electors; 6001 acres of improved land, 2050 head of cattle, 327 horses, 3150 sheep; 13131 yards of cloth; 4 grist mills, 5 saw mills, 1 oil mill, 4 fulling mills, 2 carding machines, 2 cotton and woollen factories, 1 iron works, 3 trip hammers, 1 distillery, and 1 ashery; -- school districts, 8. The Village of Newport has 30 houses, the Post-Office, a church and school-house, both of stone. It is on the Black River road, 13 miles from Utica, and the same distance from Herkimer. NORWAY, a Post-Township of Herkimer County, 18 miles N. of Herkimer, and 90 NW. of Albany; bounded N. by Russia, E. by Salisbury, S. by Fairfield, W. by Newport. Its extent N. and S. 15, E. and W. 6 miles. About four-fifths of the whole surface has a gentle slope to the W., the soil a dark colored grit loam, warm and productive. A tract of light sand occurs in the N., and of a cold wet loam in the NE. corner, comprising, together, about one-fifth of the whole. The surface is considerably hilly, but the ridges are not very high, and much of the land is very stony. Beech and maple, are the most abundant forest trees, variously interspersed with basswood, butternut, elm, ash, and some hemlock. Norway has abundance of mill-seats, on waters of W. Canada Creek. Newport was erected from this town, Fairfield, and Schuyler, in 1806. The Post-Office is at the centre, where there is a church for Presbyterians, and for other denominations, in proportion to what they contributed in erecting it, and a small hamlet of houses, 18 miles N. of Herkimer. Population, 1612; taxable property, $270409; electors, 299; 9772 acres of improved land; 2724 head of cattle, 376 horses, 3131 sheep; 15867 yards of cloth; 1 grist mill, 4 saw mills, 1 oil mill, 2 fulling mills, 2 carding machines, and 1 ashery; school districts, 9. There was made, in this town, in the spring of 1822, 43704 lb. maple sugar. Our appreciation to Nancy Sicotte, who is the first volunteer to work on the transcribing of the Herkimer County 1824 Gazetteer info. Nancy is researching the family of Orrin Brown (1797-1872) and Laura Cady Brown (1800-1875) of Newport, Herkimer Co. NY. Their children were:
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