Le Ray

1888 Birds Eye View of Antwerp NY

The First Settlers of Antwerp, New York

Jefferson County

It is doubtful whether the honor of having made the first settlement in the territory now forming the town of Antwerp belonged to Captain William Lee or to Peter Vrooman, for it appears evident that both settled during the same year, 1803, though both were then but squatters on land which they afterwards purchased. Lee located on the State road on lot No. 657, and Vrooman built his log house at the great bend of the Oswegatchie, at a point near the lower end of the present village of Ox Bow. Both these settlers opened their log dwellings as public-houses […]

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1864 Map of Alexandria Township New York

Alexandria Township New York History and Genealogy

Jefferson County

The first improvement in this town was made about 1811 by Le Ray, who caused a clearing to be made at Alexandria Center, to afford facilities to the first settlers, by supplying them with grain until it could be raised by themselves. He paid twelve dollars per acre with the ashes and half the first crop for these jobs, and built a log barn. In 1811 the proprietors made the Morris and Hammond road, extending from Hammond village to the Red tavern, near Theresa, where it intersected another road from the river to Philadelphia. The former was cleared four rods

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1864 Map of Plessis New York

History of Plessis Village, New York

Jefferson County

Plessis is a neat village situated midway on the old Alexandria and Theresa plank-road, three miles from Redwood. It derived its name from a place in France. It is familiarly known as Flat Rock, from the prevalence of the Potsdam sand-stone formation in the vicinity, which presents a considerable surface of naked rock. In 1817, Mr. Le Ray erected a grist-mill on Plessis creek at this place, which, having been purchased by Jason Clark and William Shurtleff, was in 1830 rebuilt. The first store was opened by Lull and Walton in 1820; but the place increased very slowly, and ten

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Sunken Rock lighthouse

History of Alexandria Bay, New York

Jefferson County

The site of this village was selected by Cadwallader Child, in 1804, while surveying a road from the Friends’ settlement to the St. Lawrence, as an eligible place for a port, and accordingly a reservation of a mile square was made by Mr. Le Ray for a village, which was surveyed out for that purpose by Edmund Tucker about 1818. Mr. Le Ray erected a tavern and warehouse, and for many years a thriving lumber trade was carried on, which continued as long as the supply lasted. This consisted of oak staves and square oak and pine timber. A considerable

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