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TOWN OF WEBB HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
 
P. O. Box 513, Old Forge, NY 13420 ~ Phone/Fax: 315 369-3838
 
Museum Hours:  Tuesday through Saturday - 10am - 3pm  ~  or by appointment
 

Adirondack Guides of Brown's Tract



Photo of Guides at Rocky Point Inn, 4th Lake

Brown's Tract is the name given to the Central Adirondack region that surrounds the three branches of the Moose River. The 210,000 acre tract was purchase by John Brown of Providence, RI in 1798 from the McComb Purchase. The minutes from the Guides first meeting in 1898 are transcribed below.

Members of Brown's Tract Guides 1907


Ansley C. V. - White Lake Corners

Ainsworth, Jr. D. R. - Big Moose

Ball J. E. - Old Forge

Barber George - White Lake Corners

Burke William H. - Old Forge

Burke Fred - Old Forge

Bull M. E. - Old Forge

Burdick George A. - Big Moose

Burdick George H. - Inlet

Brown William T. - Old Forge

Bratten Charles T. - Big Moose

Barrett Eugene - Big Moose

Barrett Thomas - Big Moose

Barrows Frank P. - Talcottville

Crego Richard - Boonville

Chandler Nelson - White Lake Corners

Commerford William - Boonville

Commerford John - Boonville

Commerford Garry - Boonville

Church A. M. - Boonville

Charbonneau David T. - Old Forge

Charbonneau W. D. - Moose River

Covey H. H. - Big Moose

Covey Earl W. - Big Moose

Christy Philip - Old Forge

Crego Roy G. - Boonville

Delmarsh Eri S. - Inlet

Dart William - Big Moose

Delmarsh A. G. - Inlet

Dalton James - Boonville

Davis William S. - Lowville

Fraula Dana A. - Fulton Chain

Farley Silas K. - Boonville

Grant H. D. Boonville

Goodsell George - Old Forge

Griffith Edwin L. - McKeever

Gardner L. D. - Old Forge

Goodrich Charles M. - Old Forge

Hamilton L. S. - Big Moose

House Eugene M. - Glenfield

Holmes Frank - Old Forge

Joslin F. S. - Old Forge

Joslin G. V. - Big Moose


Kenwell Wellington - Inlet

Kirche C. D. - Inlet

Lamont James - Fulton Chain

Lamont Carl - Fulton Chain

Loson Frank - Inlet

Leitch Milo - Inlet

Marks E. L. - Old Forge

Martin Charles - Big Moose

Norton R. D. - Inlet

Oley M. J. - White Lake Corners

Parsons Ira H. - Old Forge

Parsons Ben - Old Forge

Perkins J. J. - Old Forge

Puffer G. D. - Big Moose

Rivette George A. - Old Forge

Rivette Peter - Old Forge

Riggs Garrie - Boonville

Rose John J. - Big Moose

Rarick John J. - Inlet

Risley A. F. - Old Forge

Stell William - White Lake Corners

Sperry W. D. - Old Forge

Sprague John H. - Old Forge

Sperry D. F. - Old Forge

Smith Charles H. - Petries Corners

Smith George W. - Big Moose

Shepard George E. - Turin

Sperry Benjamin - Old Forge

Sherman S. B. - Boonville

Stoddard George H. - McKeever

White M. M. - Boonville

Wadsworth J. B. - Honnedaga

Wood Charles D. - Point Rock

Wood J. A. Old Forge

Weedmark Wellington - Old Forge

Wood Alvin W. - Old Forge

Yule Frank L. - Old Forge

Young Francis A. - Petries Corners

Van Aerman E. J. - Inlet

Tiffany F. L. - Inlet

Smith Millard - Hawkinsville

Smith F. V. - McKeever

Villiere George - Old Forge

 


Brown's Tract Guide Association Minute Book
TOW Historical Association Journal Collection

(Handwritten notes - some transcription errors possible, transcribed by Town of Webb Historian - Peg Masters)

March 8, 1898

Proceedings of meeting held at H. D. Grant's Boat Shop for the purpose of organizing.

These Guides were present:

G. Garie Riggs, Peter Rivette, Ira H. Parsons, Nelson Chandler, John Commerford, A. M. Church, Frank D. Williams, George Barber, Merritt M. White, Robert N. Roberts, William Commerford, H. Dwight Grant, Richard Crego

On a motion of Mr. Grant, Merritt M. White was chosen chairman and A. M. Church, clerk.

It was unanimously decided to organize a separate and distinct Guides Association for and in the Brown's Tract region. Richard Crego was duly elected President. Garie Riggs, Vice President, A. M. Church, Secretary/Treas.

At the suggestion of W. Commerford, it was decided that the name of the Association be The Brown's Tract Guide Association.

That John Commerford, William Stell, John E. Ball, Henry H. Covey, H. D. Grant, and Merritt M. White consitute an Executive Committee.

That all the Guides who were members of the Adirondack Guides Association from the Fulton Chain Branch be admitted as members without being further passed upon by the Executive Committee.

That the Executive Committee shall meet April 5th, 1898 at Grant's Boat Shop for business purposes.

That the Secretary procure all necessary books, stationary, and constitutions, and see to all printing for the use of the Association.

The following was adopted as a constitution and bylaws:

I. Whereas, The Brown's Tract Guides' Association was organized by about fifty of the leading guides of that section for the purpose of protecting fish, forest and game of the Adirondacks. They were encouraged in this undertaking by all the true sportsmen and law abiding citizens who loved the forests and native inhabitants of the woods and waters. They were lead to this action by practical knowledge of the rapid destruction of fish and game, both in and out of season, and fully realizing that some radical measure must be taken to prevent the wanton destruction of this most noble game and sport, they have banded themselves together to prevent as far as lies within their power its rapid and unlawful destruction by irresponsible persons, market and pot hunters. And

Whereas, during the past season the association has been instrumental in placing in the Adirondacks five elk thus showing their interest in propagating and preserving the game of the forests, it is earnestly urged that the public show its appreciation of this action by aiding in every possible way to preserve them from destruction, whether by the acts of lawless pot hunters, or others who would depopulate the woods of these and all other noble specimens that are the pride of all true sportsmen. Therefore be it resolved, that it is the sense of this Association and meeting, that the state should increase the number of game protectors and assign more protectors for the Forest Preserve.

II. Resolved, that this Association condemn buoy or anchor fishing and respectfully request the legislature to pass a law prohibiting fishing at buoys or anchors in waters inhabited by trout within the Forest Preserve.

III. Resolved, that this Association recommend the close season for wild deer from November 1st to August 1st inclusive.

IV. Whereas, In years past many men have been mistaken for deer and shot. And

Whereas, Hunters and sportsmen in their eager pursuit of deer have ot used sufficient precaution to distinguish the difference between men and deer. And

Whereas, The time has come when radical measures must be taken for the further protection of the deer in the forests which are fast being depleted. Therefore be it Resolved , that this Association most strenuously urge that no doe or female deer shall be killed at any time within the Forest Preserve.

V. Resolved, that this Association condem the sale of deer, venison, partridge, grouse, woodcock, or quail; also brook or lake trout, taken from the inland waters of this state, except the sale of live fish or game raised in confinement for the purpose of stocking or restocking the inland forests or waters.

VI. Resolved, that a close season for black bear shall be from May 1st to September 30th inclusive.

VII. Whereas, there is much talk of the appropriation by the state of 20 to 80 million dollars for the enlargement and improvement of the canals of this state, and Whereas, such improvement and enlargement would call for a much greater supply of water for their operation. Therefore, be it resolved, that it is the sense that this Association and meeting that the legislature should appropriate sufficient funds to purchase lands in the Adirondacks to the end that the supply of water may be increased, and not diminished by the cutting away of the forests.

VIII. Whereas, the question of lumbering the state lands within the Forest Preserve is now being discussed and whereas this in our judgment not only means the destruction of the forests but the destruction of the water supply of the state as well. Therefore, be it resolved, that this Association most strenuously protests against lumbering or cutting timber from state land.

IX. Whereas, Section 176 of the game laws of the state gives to the state game protectors the right to search without a warrant and withholds such rights from special protectors appointed by the state, and whereas the special protectors are much hampered in their work by their inability to make such search without a warrant.

Resolved, that the right of search without warrant given to the state protectors by law should also be extended to the special game protectors.

Goodsell Museum ~ TOWN OF WEBB HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
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