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 Franklin County Organization

Notwithstanding that the territory now embraced within the boundaries of Franklin County was remote from the flourishing settlements in various parts of the State, and was traversed by none of the great trails of the red man, still it received its first white settler as early as 1796, and soon after the rude cabin of the pioneer might have been seen in various sections of the county, and was resounding among the stern old monarchs of the forest.

"The axe, that wondrous instrument,
That, like the talisman, transforms
Deserts to fields and cities,"

Upon the organization of Franklin County it consisted of only three civil subdivisions, as follows: Chateaugay, Constable, and Harrison (Malone).

As the population increased other civil divisions were erected, and the county now consists of the following towns:

Bangor, organized from Dickinson, June 15, 1812.

Belmont, organized from Chateaugay, March 25, 1833.

Bombay, organized from Fort Covington, March 30, 1833.

Brandon, organized from Bangor, Jan. 23, 1828.

Burke, organized from Chateaugay, April 26, 1844.

Chateaugay, organized from Champlain, Clinton Co., March 15, 1799.

Constable, organized from Harrison, March 13, 1807.

Dickinson, organized from Harrison, April 4, 1808.

Duane, organized from Malone, Jan. 24, 1828.

Fort Covington, organized from Constable, Feb. 28, 1817.

Franklin, organized from Belmont, May 20, 1836.

Harrietstown, organized from Duane, March 19, 1841.

Malone, organized from Chateaugay, March 2, 1805.

Moira, organized from Dickinson, April 15, 1828.

Westville, organized from Constable, April 25, 1829.

Brighton, organized from Duane, Nov. __, 1858.

First County Officers

The first officers of the county were as follows:

First Judge, Ebenezer Brownson, appointed February 21, 1809
Surrogate, Joshua Nichols, March 23, 1808
Clerk, James S. Allen, March 17, 1808
Sheriff, John Wood, March 17, 1808
Treasurer, Nathan Wood
District Attorney, Asa Hascall, 1818
Coroners, Ezekiel Payne, Oliver Brewster, 1808
Loan Commissioners, Asa Wheeler, John Mazuzan, August 11, 1808

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