Phil Lord requests accounts of stage coach rides from Utica to Geneva
ca.1797.  In 1803 the Scottish colonizer, the Earl of Selkirk, recorded
details of just such a voyage by stagecoach. [see Patrick C T White, ed., _
Lord Selkirk's Diary 1803-1804 -- A Journal of his Travels in British North
America and the Northeastern United States. Toronto:The Champlain Society,
1958.]:

" 6 Nov 1803 -- The Road to Canadaigua in Genesee is turnpike -- not quite
finished & very injudiciously done the road being merely formed by keeping
the soil from the water tables on the middle of the road -- no hand
materials are at hand to lay above. This forms a good enough Summer Road,
but rain makes it a quagmire except on very dry ground -- the cost was $1000
a mile & it will probably require as much more to make it a good road." (pp
102 et seq)

He gives a detailed accounting of Young's Tavern 20 miles from Utica, Rice's
Tavern at Baldwin (Onondaga), Grieve's Brewery and comments on Williamson
work with the London Associates, Sir William Poultney, and Robert Troup.

Selkirk is important in the history of the Canadian west (Red River Colony)
and the Hudson's Bay Company. I should like to ask the members of this
maillist if there is and commemoration of his property holdings in northern
New York State.





        David G Anderson  <[log in to unmask]>
               Glengarry Historical Society - 1784
          Williamstown, Ontario, Canada   K0C 2J0
               613 347-3006
   _____________________________________