History of the town of Hope

1824 History
The following is taken from "A Gazetteer of the State of New-York Ebracing an ample Survey and Description of its Counties, Towns, Cities, Villages, Canals, Mountains, Lakes, Rivers, Creeks, and Natural Topography," by Horatio Gates Spafford, LL.D., 1824. Transcribed by Lisa Slaski.
HOPE, a Township in the SE. corner of Hamilton County, 25 miles NNE. of Johnstown, bounded N. by Wells, E. by Edinburgh of Saratoga County, S. by Northampton of Montgomery County, W. by Lake Pleasant. It was erected April 15, 1818, from the S. part of Wells, and by the act, would seem to be about 10 miles square. It comprises parts of Benson, Bergen's Patent, and Palmer's Purchase, names of surveys found on the maps of the Surveyor-General, and has the Sacandaga River running SEasterly through its whole length. The land is very broken, and excepting some small tracts, of little value. The population, by the late Census, amounted to 608; of which number, 112 are farmers, 5 mechanics, and 4 foreigners not naturalized: taxable property, $61551: 4 shcools, 5 months in 12; $39.70; 210; 174; 95 electors; 1187 acres of imporved land; 445 cattle, 88 horses, 498 sheep: 4056 yards of cloth; 1 saw mill. Besides the settlements on the Sacandaga, there are two small ones in the survey township of Benson, and one infant one on Stony Creek, a branch of the Sacandaga from the E., about 9 miles N. of the Fish-House. The lands principally belong to the State the best of which are surveyed into small tracts for farms.

1841 History

The following is taken from "Historical Collections of the State of New York," by John W. Barber and Henry Howe New York: Published for the Authors by S. Tuttle, 194 Chatham Square, 1841. Transcribed by Martha Magill.
HOPE, the SE. corner town, was taken from Wells in 1818. It is about 10 miles long, E. and W., and 7 1/2 broad, N. and S. Hope, HopeCentre, and Benson, are post-offices. Pop. 711.

1860 History

The following is taken from the "Gazetteer of the State of New York; Embracing a Comprehensive View of the Geography, Geology, and General History of the State, and a complete History and Description of Every County, City, Town, Village, and Locality with Full Tables of Statistics," by J. H. French, Syracuse, N.Y.: Published by R. Pearsall Smith, 1860. Transcribed by Marcia Buffett.

Hope¹was formed from Wells, April 15, 1818. A part of Lake Pleasant was annexed May 10, 1847. It lies upon Sacandaga River, in the southeast corner of the county. Its surface is broken and mountainous. It is the most populous town in the county, and the settlements are chiefly in the eastern part. The west portion is still a wilderness, known only to hunters. The mountains are very irregular; but, in general they extend upon both sides of the river, and as usual in the region, have their longest slope to the southwest. The principal tributary of the Sacandaga is East Stony Creek, and the main range of mountains lies between this stream and the river.² Lumbering and tanning are extensively carried on. Hope Center, Benson, and Benson Center are post offices. Hope Falls post office is a hamlet. Settlement was begun in 1790, in the southern border of the town.³

FOOTNOTES
1. There are two large tanneries in town, and several sawmills.
2. These mountains are entirely primitive, and incline to the hypersthene and feldspathic varieties.
3. Gideon and Jeremiah Olmstead, from Mass., were the first settlers. Issachar Robinson, Peter Wager, Asa Devile, Jacob Houck, John Graff, and Elisha Wright settled about 1791-92, a little north of the center of town. Zadok Bass, ----Conklin, Elkanah, Amos and Isaac Mason come into the eastern part in 1805. The first birth was that of Lucinda Olmstead; and the first death, that of Mrs. Conklin about 1800. ---Wilson, a Scotsman, kept the first school.

1872 History

The following is taken from the "Gazetteer of the State of New York; Embracing a Comprehensive Account of the History and Statistics of the State with Geological and Topographical Descriptions," by Franklin B. Hough, Albany, N.Y.: Andrew Boyd, 394 and 196 Broadway, 1872. Transcribed by Martha Magill.

HOPE - was formed from Wells, April 15, 1818. A part of Lake Pleasant was annexed May 10, 1847, and the greater part of Benson was taken off April 6, 1860. It lies upon Sacondaga River, in the s.e. corner of the co. Its surface is broken and mountainous. It is the most populous town in the co., and the settlements are chiefly in the e. part, the w. being still a wilderness. There are several tanneries and sawmills in this town. The principal tributary of the Sacondaga is East Stony Creek; and the main range of mountains lies between this stream and the river.³Hope Centre, and Hope Falls, are p. offices and small villages. Settlement was begun in 1790, in the s. border of the town.⁴
Footnote 3: These mountains are entirely of crystaline rock, and incline to the hypersthene and feldspathic varieties.
Footnote 4: Gideon and Jeremiah Olmstead, from Mass., were the first settlers. Issachar Robinson, Peter Wager, Asa Deville, Jacob Houck, John Graff, and Elisha Wright settled about 1791-92, a little n. of the centre of the town. Zadock Bass, ___ Conklin, Elkanah, Amos and Isaac Mason came into the e. part in 1805. The first birth was that of Lucinda Olmstead; and the first death that of Mrs. Conklin, about 1800. ___ Wilson, a Scotchman, kept the first school.