SCHENECTADY COUNTY 

 This county lies in the valley of the Mohawk and extends to 

 within about seven miles of its mouth, the greater part being 

 included between the Mohawk River and the Schoharie Creek. 

 Its total area is about 131,840 acres; it extends approximately 

 15 miles from north to south, and 25 miles from east to west. The 

 population is shown in the following tabic : 



Population by Cities and Townships 



(Census of 1915) 



Schenectady (city)* .. 80.381 Rotterdam 6,198 



Duanesburgh 2,280 . 



Glenville 6,538 Total 98,625 



Xiskayuna 2,607 



Princetown 621 



* Schenectady is the county seat. 



Note. — The preliminary reports of the 1920 census indicate a population 

 of 88,723 in the city of Schenectady, and a total of 109,363 in Schenectady 

 County. 



HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS 



Schenectady was formed from Albany in 1809, its name being 

 derived from the original Indian name of the site of Schenec- 

 tady (Scagh-negh-ta-da), meaning, " the end of the pine woods." 

 This name for the same reason was applied by the aborigines to 

 the site of Albany. The site of Schenectady is said to have been 

 the principal seat of the Mohawks even before the confederacy 

 of the Iroquois, or Five Nations, and was abandoned at a very 

 early period in the colonial history. 



The first grant of lands was made to some Hollanders in 1G61 

 on condition that they purchase the soil from the Indians. The 

 deed was signed eleven years later by four Mohawk chiefs. 

 Although the town was enclosed by a stockade, in February, 1G90, 

 during the French and Indian War, the settlement was surprised 

 at night by a party of French and Indians and nearly every house 

 was burned. The few who escaped massacre fled to Albany. The 

 town recovered but slowly from this disaster. 



After the Revolution the settlement shared in the general pros- 

 perity and business profited greatly from the improvements in 



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