An Old Text-Book on Geography by a Local Author^ 



William T. Davis 



This is a duodecimo volume of 363 pages and numerous maps, 

 which latter are, of course, of general interest to the student of 

 political geography, as are all similar illustrations issued eighty or 

 more years ago. To us, however, the work also possesses a local 

 interest. On page 66, for instance, may be found the following 

 brief description of our island : " Staten Island, lies west of 

 Long Island, from which it is separated by ' the Narrows ' ; it is 

 about 14 miles long and 8 broad. The surface of the island is 

 hilly. The highest hill is called ' Mount Tompkins,' from Daniel 

 D. Tompkins, formerly Governor of this state, and Vice Presi- 

 dent of the United States. The island contains the town of 

 Castleton, in which is the village of Tompkins ville, situated near 

 the shore, and is the site of the Quarantine and Health estab- 

 hshment of the City of New York. Staten Island constitutes the 

 county of Richmond." 



This particular copy was presented by the author to John C. 

 Thompson, grandfather of the present writer, and it possesses an 

 added local interest by reason of the author's having probably 

 prepared the manuscript of the work while residing on the island. 

 Mr. Clute was principal of the Tompkins Academy at the time 

 when the geography was published, as may be learned from the 

 following advertisement, which may be found in the New York 

 Free Press of Saturday, May 25, 1833 : 



1 The I School Geography | by John J. Clute | New York | Published by 

 Samuel Wood & Sons | No. 261 Pearl-Street | 1833. 

 Presented in abstract at the meeting of the Association January 15, 1915. 



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