716 [Assembly 



seems to have been to secure the erection of a school house. For 

 many years in the early stages of the settlements, these schools had 

 no legdl organization and were sustained alone by the volnntary 

 contributions of the people, unaided by the public bounty.* The 

 school house supplied the place of public worship. The missionary 

 at an early day appeared in the midst of these settlements, super- 

 ceding in the religious duties, the humbler offices of the private 

 christian. Churches were soon orgauizfrd in various sections of 

 the county. Many colonies, were accompanied in their emigra- 

 tion^ by their own spiritual guides. f 



The cold season of 1816, which produced such universal distress 

 and suffering, inflicted a scarcity upon this new country, that 

 visited it almost with the horrors of famine. So close and pressing 

 was the destitution, that the indigent, gathering from many miles 

 about a mill, would crave the privilege of collecting its sweep- 

 ings, to preserve the lives of their families. 



A few suiriciently provident to cut the corn in the sap, saved 

 it sound enough for planting. In the succeeding spring, many 

 traveled fifty miles to procure this seed.] Partial failure of crops 

 had b.-fure occured, but the^eason of 1816, v»'ill long be memorable, 

 as the only instance in the history of the county, of extreme penu- 

 ry and suffering. 



In presenting with a rapid sketch, a general outline of the 

 further civil and social progress of the county, I propose, in order 

 to avo:d repetition, and to render the exhibition of its agricultural 

 and industrial pursuits more intelligible, to glance first at the 

 topographical features and soil of the several towns. 



Ticonderoga and Crov/n Point present, upon the margin of 

 Lake Champlain, a low and beautiful tract, gently undulating 



»John HoJTnagle. i 



• 



^ I f I applied soon after my appointment from which has emanated this report, to the Rev. Cjrua 

 Comstock, who for near sixty years, had been intimately and with prominence, associated 04 

 missionary and pastor, with the religious affairs of Essex countj^, for rraterials to prepare an ex- 

 tended sketch of its ecclesiastical history. He engaged to comply with my request, but his sick- 

 ness and death, have disappointed my expectations and extinguished a source of valuable and 

 interesting information on this subject, which I fear cannot be supplied, 



^John HoCnagle, 



