Frontiersmen of the Adirondacks: Economic Development in Early North America

By Cyrus Durey

Reverence for the past and its principal actors tends to be universal and they become heroic figures to posterity in the passage of time.

These pioneers selected land for their farms and bore the hardships of an isolated and primitive life with the wild beasts always and the Indians often as enemies.

They finally fought a war with their kinsmen across the seas to establish their right to live their own lives in their own way without interference from the homeland. They made a new government that has served as a model for the entire world since.

This knowledge is vague enough with most of us but it is so generally diffused that it unifies the country in the consciousness of a common origin, a common surmounting of dangers and a common destiny. It makes for a patriotic citizenry.

When this knowledge is supplemented by adequate information concerning the history of country, state and their subdivisions down to the story of the neighborhood’s traditional hero, the patriotic reaction is deeper; resulting from the knowledge of these old time individuals’ doings that have a far-reaching effect on posterity for different reasons.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Agno
• Release date: Jun 27, 2013
• ISBN: 9780975856185

Cyrus Durey

Cyrus Durey (May 16, 1864 – January 4, 1933) wrote a history of Fulton County, New York around 1920 regarding the colonial and revolutionary war periods from which this book is based upon. Durey was elected to the Sixtieth and Sixty-first U.S. Congresses (March 4, 1907 - March 3, 1911). He was appointed on March 20, 1911, collector of internal revenue, fourteenth district of New York, and served until September 30, 1914. He was again appointed collector of internal revenue on September 30, 1921, and served until his death at Albany, New York, January 4, 1933. He was interred in North Bush Cemetery, near Johnstown, New York. The author had a large lumber mill on Canada Lake and split his time between Albany and his house on Pine Lake.

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Frontiersmen of the Adirondacks:

Economic Development in Early North America

By Cyrus Durey (May 16, 1864 – January 4, 1933)

Copyright 2013 John G. Agno.

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This book may not be reproduced in any form without permission. However, permission is granted to people that have purchased this publication and wish to reproduce the content of the book or select pages for their own personal use.

Limited of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher has used its best efforts in preparing this book, it makes no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents and specifically disclaims any implied warranties or merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by booksellers or sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate.

The publisher and/or author shall not be held liable for any loss of profit or any other personal or commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

ISBN-13: 978-0-9758561-8-5

ISBN-10: 0975856189

Table of Contents

Forward

Introduction

Memories

The American Baron and his Indian Bride

The County of Tryon

Johnstown was a place of real importance

The Revolutionary War (1775-1783)

The Tories or Loyalists

Changing Trading Routes Affect County Divisions

American Immigrants

Major Nicholas Stoner

Is it Caroga or Garoga?

A land of lakes and mountains within what is now the Adirondack Park

Postscript

About the Author

Forward

Nietzsche's famous maxim, That, which does not destroy me, makes me stronger.

The economist Albert O. Hirschman said, This sentence admirably epitomizes several of the histories of economic development projects in recent decades. We are now told that the presence of war-like Indians in North America and the permanent conflict between them and the Anglo-Saxon settlers was a great advantage, because it made necessary methodical, well-planned, and gradual advances toward an interior which always remained in close logistic and cultural contact with the established communities to the East.

The lesson for entrepreneurs and leaders is: Developing businesses and countries requires more than capital. They need to practice in making difficult economic decisions. Economic progress is the product of successful habits--and there is no better teacher than a little adversity.

An excerpt of a letter, dated December 8, 1978, from my mother to me: …"You may not be interested in your roots now but I do think it becomes fascinating as you get older. So often families die out before you have assembled any knowledge of your ancestors… The stories my aunts have received from their grandmother, Tanneke Bradt Durey, [can be of interest to you later in life]."

My mother, Marion Margretta Luff, was born in the Village of Broadalbin, NY on April 15, 1918; during World War I when the Black Plague—the 1918 flu pandemic--was circulating the globe. At that time, the only way to protect yourself and your children from this pandemic was to isolate your family.

My grandparents decided to move out of the populated villages and cities