Darrell A. Martin wrote: "Can anyone provide me with information on the history of the name of Salem, Washington Co., N.Y.? As I understand it, there was a dispute about the name. At one point at least part of the town (maybe all of it) was called "White Creek". This is all secondary information, and either it, or my understanding of it, may be confused." This may help. I'll check for more. Regards, Rick ------------------------------------------- The History of New York State, Book III, Chapter III, Part I The History of New York State Book III, Chapter III Part I Editor, Dr. James Sullivan Online Edition by Holice, Deb & Pam CHAPTER III WASHINGTON COUNTY #1 Washington County, or Charlotte County, to give it the title under which it was erected, march 12, 1772, comprised a great slice of Northern New York, mostly west of Lake Champlain, reaching from the Hudson to Canada, a distance of more then 100 miles, extending westward a width of fifty. The name was changed to the present nomenclature April 2, 1784, and there began but a few years later a series of reduction of its area. Clinton County was set off in 1788; the east portion ceded to Vermont in 1790; and Warren was taken from the north part in 1813. Its present dimensions are sixty-one miles in length with an average of about fifteen miles in width, comprising a surface of 830 square miles. Of the "Fall of Burgoyne," a full account may be read in another part of this work, but it must not be forgotten that, while Saratoga county had the battle that cause his overthrow, it was forts and garrisons stationed in Washington County that made the consummation possible. After the surrender of Burgoyne, in 1777, the subsequent history of the county has been the record of agricultural and commercial triumphs. With the change of name by the county in 1784, came a movement to establish some definite place for the holding of the courts. In 1792 there were three rivals for the honor of being named the shiretown (A town or city that is the administrative center of its county as in a county seat)--Salem, Fort Edward and Fort Miller. The Legislature empowered the supervisors to determine the place and they chose Salem. Fort Edward, not satisfied with this decision, managed to have the hamlet named as a half shiretown. With one courthouse placed in the east and the other in the west, the remaining county buildings were located in the center at Argyle, 1806. The division of Washington into towns, when and by whom settled, may be best told in the story of each. The names of the towns, with their populations, are: Washington County Argyle town, including Argyle village Cambridge town, including part of Cambridge village Greenwich town, including part of Greenwich village Salem town, including Salem village White Creek town, including part of Cambridge village Whitehall town, including Whitehall village TOWNS Argyle was granted by patent March 13, 1764, and formed as a town March 23, 1786. Greenwich was taken off in 1803, and Fort Edward in 1818. Cossayuna and Argyle; on the shores of both are pleasant summer resorts. This is one of the few sections of Washington which has made much of its growth in more recent years. the first attempt at the settlement of the region was made in 1764 by Alexander McNaughton, and 106 others who had received a patent for 47,700 acres of the land between the Salem and Fort Edward grants, May 21, 1754. Argyle is a dairy town, although the making of cheese is not of such prominence as formerly. The villages are: Argyle, North and South Argyle. Greenwich, formed March 23, 1786, is situated on the west border. Greenwich village, with its splendid connections by railroad and other lines is the foremost industrial place of the district. Other settlements are: Center Falls, East Greenwich, Middle Falls, Clark's Mills, North Greenwich, Lake, Bald Mountain. Salem, formed by patent August 7, 1764, was recognized as a town March 23, 1786. The largest village of the area is Salem, incorporated April 4, 1803. White Creek, formed from Cambridge April 17, 1815, is the southeast corner town. The History of New York State, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, Inc., 1927 This book is owned by Pam Rietsch and is a part of the Mardos Memorial Library Transcribed by Holice B. Young

Very interesting facts about these towns in Washington County. And approximately 200 years later, the pendulum swung again and the power seat is in Fort Edward. Would you have similar information about Hampton, NY which is also in Washington County ? At one time, it was known as Greenfield, Charlotte County.Anne B.> Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:02:10 -0600> From: rick2920@msn.com> To: nywashin@rootsweb.com> Subject: Re: [NYWASHIN] Salem town information> > > > Darrell A. Martin wrote:> "Can anyone provide me with information on the history of the name> of Salem, Washington Co., N.Y.? As I understand it, there was a> dispute about the name. At one point at least part of the town> (maybe all of it) was called "White Creek". This is all secondary> information, and either it, or my understanding of it, may be> confused."> > This may help. I'll check for more.> Regards,> Rick> -------------------------------------------> The History of New York State, Book III, Chapter III, Part I> The History of New York State> Book III, Chapter III> Part I> Editor, Dr. James Sullivan> Online Edition by Holice, Deb & Pam> > > CHAPTER III> WASHINGTON COUNTY #1> > Washington County, or Charlotte County, to give it the title > under which> it was erected, march 12, 1772, comprised a great slice of > Northern New> York, mostly west of Lake Champlain, reaching from the Hudson to > Canada, a> distance of more then 100 miles, extending westward a width of > fifty. The> name was changed to the present nomenclature April 2, 1784, and > there> began but a few years later a series of reduction of its area. > Clinton> County was set off in 1788; the east portion ceded to Vermont in > 1790; and> Warren was taken from the north part in 1813. Its present > dimensions are> sixty-one miles in length with an average of about fifteen miles > in width,> comprising a surface of 830 square miles.> > > > Of the "Fall of Burgoyne," a> full account may be read in another part of this work, but it > must not be> forgotten that, while Saratoga county had the battle that cause his> overthrow, it was forts and garrisons stationed in Washington > County that> made the consummation possible. After the surrender of Burgoyne, > in 1777,> the subsequent history of the county has been the record of > agricultural> and commercial triumphs.> > With the change of name by the county in 1784, came a movement to> establish some definite place for the holding of the courts.> > In 1792 there> were three rivals for the honor of being named the shiretown (A > town or city that is the administrative center of its county as in a > county seat)--Salem, Fort> Edward and Fort Miller. The Legislature empowered the supervisors to> determine the place and they chose Salem. Fort Edward, not > satisfied with> this decision, managed to have the hamlet named as a half > shiretown. With> one courthouse placed in the east and the other in the west, the > remaining> county buildings were located in the center at Argyle, 1806.> > > The division of Washington into towns, when and by whom settled, > may be> best told in the story of each. The names of the towns, with their> populations, are:> Washington County> Argyle town, including Argyle village> Cambridge town, including part of Cambridge village> > Greenwich town, including part of Greenwich village> > Salem town, including Salem village> White Creek town, including part of Cambridge village> Whitehall town, including Whitehall village> > TOWNS> Argyle was granted by patent March 13, 1764, and formed as a town > March> 23, 1786. Greenwich was taken off in 1803, and Fort Edward in 1818.> Cossayuna and Argyle; on the shores of both are pleasant summer > resorts.> This is one of the few sections of Washington which has made much > of its> growth in more recent years. the first attempt at the settlement > of the> region was made in 1764 by Alexander McNaughton, and 106 others > who had> received a patent for 47,700 acres of the land between the Salem > and Fort> Edward grants, May 21, 1754.> > Argyle is a dairy town, although the making> of cheese is not of such prominence as formerly. The villages > are: Argyle,> North and South Argyle.> > Greenwich, formed March 23, 1786, is situated on the west > border.> Greenwich village, with its splendid connections by railroad and > other> lines is the foremost industrial place of the district. Other > settlements> are: Center Falls, East Greenwich, Middle Falls, Clark's Mills, > North> Greenwich, Lake, Bald Mountain.> > Salem, formed by patent August 7, 1764, was recognized as a town > March 23,> 1786.> The largest village of the area is Salem, incorporated April 4, > 1803.> White Creek, formed from Cambridge April 17, 1815, is the > southeast corner> town.> > > The History of New York State, Lewis Historical Publishing Company, > Inc., 1927> This book is owned by Pam Rietsch and is a part of the Mardos Memorial > Library> Transcribed by Holice B. Young> > > > > -------------------------------> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to NYWASHIN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message _________________________________________________________________ Keep your kids safer online with Windows Live Family Safety. http://www.windowslive.com/family_safety/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_family_safety_072008