MONTGOMERY COUNTY 



Montgomery County lies in the eastern part of the state in 

 the valley of the Mohawk, centrally distant 39 miles from 

 Albany. Its area is 254,720 acres ; its extent from north to 

 south is approximately 15 miles, and from east to west 33 miles. 



The population is distributed as follows: 



Population by Cities and Townships 



(Census of 1915) 



Amsterdam (city) 34,319 Mohawk* 2,575 



Amsterdam 3, 375 Palatine 2, 449 



Canajoharie 4, 023 Root 1, 327 



Charleston 898 St. Johnsville 3, 458 



Florida 1,912 



Glen 2,065 Total 61,030 



Minden 4, 629 ■ : 



* Fonda, in the town of Mohawk, is the county seat. 



HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS 



This county was formed from Albany, March 12, 1772, under 

 the name of " Try on " County, in honor of the colonial governor. 

 At that time it included Ontario, Herkimer, Otsego, Tioga, Hamil- 

 ton, and Fulton. Twelve years later it was given the present 

 name in honor of General Richard Montgomery, who fell in the 

 attack on Quebec early in the Revolution. 



When the whites first arrived in this section it was the prin- 

 cipal seat of the Mohawks, one of the most powerful tribes of 

 the Five Xations. The policy adopted by the early Dutch settlers 

 of the county, and continued by their English successors, won 

 the favor of a large majority of these savages, and the unprovoked 

 attack of Champlain in 1609 led them to hate the French in 

 Canada with intense bitterness. In the wars that ensued, the 

 Five Xations proved faithful allies to the English, and on many 

 occasions shielded them from hostile attacks. 



A military post known as Fort Hunter was established near 

 the mouth of Schoharie Creek in 1711. About the same time a 

 large number of German Palatines sent over by Queen Anne 



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