TOWN OF CAPE VINCENT

Contact person:
Phyllis Putnam

History of the Town of Cape Vincent linked from Shirley Farone's Home Page taken from CHILD'S GAZETTEER OF JEFFERSON COUNTY by HAMILTON CHILDS, published in 1890, transcribed by Shirley Farone.

History of the Town of Cape Vincent from from OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE by EDGAR C. EMERSON, 1898

Its French connection makes the history of the Town of Cape Vincent unique among Jefferson County townships. One of the last towns to be organized, it was formed from the Town of Lyme 10 April 1849, although its settlement began as early as 1801, with the arrival of Captain Abijah Putnam. Cape Vincent is the northwesternmost township of Jefferson County, being that part of New York State where Lake Ontario empties into the St. Lawrence River. For that reason, it has been the home of many river pilots, needed to guide vessels through the maze of the Thousand Islands. By land, it is bounded by the Town of Clayton on the east, and by Lyme on the south.

The population centers of Cape Vincent, as given in Child's Gazetteer of Jefferson County published in 1890, include Cape Vincent, the largest and the home of the town offices, St. Lawrence (also known locally as St. Lawrence Corners), Millen's Bay, Rosiere, and French Settlement, the latter two being heavily of French extraction in population.

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From the 1864 Jefferson County Atlas: a summary of statistics for Cape Vincent

ACRES OF LAND
  Improved                   20,631
  Unimproved                 10,561 3/4

VALUATION
  Real Estate                465,816
  Personal Property           34,996
  Total                      500,812

POPULATION
  Males                        1,843
  Females                      1,768

Number of Dwellings              611

Number of Families               664

Freeholders                      463

SCHOOLS

  Number of Districts             14

  Children Taught              1,393

LIVE STOCK
  Horses                         899

  Working Oxen and Calves      1,593

  Cows                         2,054

  Sheep                        2,050

  Swine                        1,280

AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

  Bushels of Grain

    Winter                     7,892

    Spring                    88,427 3/4

  Tons of Hay                  4,736 1/2 

  Bushels of Potatoes         13,107

  Bushels of Apples            9,419

  Dairy Products               

    Pounds of Butter         159,146 

    Pounds of Cheese          24,800

YARDS OF DOMESTIC MANUFACTURE  2,877