The French Emigres
Historic New York
Following the social upheavals of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Era, some French aristocrats sought refuge in the wilderness of Northern New York. The vast Macomb Purchase provided lands for speculators who sold to French promoters. In 1782, J. D. Le Ray de Chaumont, scion of the noble family which sponsored Benjamin Franklin in Paris, came to America and became principal developer of the region. He laid out an estate, built a mansion and promoted settlement. In 1792, William Constable sold 200,000 acres to a Paris company for "Castorland," but many of its plans were visionary and impractical.
After Napoleon's fall in 1815, a new wave of refugees came to the region, including Joseph Bonaparte, the emperor's brother and erstwhile King of Naples and Sicily and Spain. While staying at Lake Bonaparte, he entertained fellow emigres and plotted to rescue Napoleon from exile. But pioneering life was not easy, and few emigres remained after Europe became more tranquil.
Permanent settlement expanded about 1820 with an influx of New Englanders attracted to the timber and mineral resources. Lacking good transportation, the region developed slowly. Today, the rugged country and the lakes and streams afford excellent opportunities for recreation.
Marker is on New York Route 3 west of Richardson Rd, on the right when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
