As appeared in the Cazenovia Republican, about 1876.
 

ED. REPUBLICAN: - The enclosed was copied from the journal of Dr. Coventry, of Utica, by D. G. Ambler, Esq., and sent to me some time ago.  It is of interest to us to see the impression our "settlement" made upon an observing man in 1806, and the description given corresponds in date and detail with the view sent our village by Mons. de Cazenove.

        Arrived about noon, yesterday, at Cazenovia, which by the road we traveled is thirty- seven miles from Utica--eight miles from Petersburgh.  The last twenty miles very hilly, most through wood--turnpike badly made and in bad repair, narrow and rutted.  No pains taken to level the knolls, although the toll is double twenty-five cents for horse and shay.  It is the most hilly road I ever traveled  (crossed the Bennington Mountain excepted).  The soil seems good loam.  Timber, beach, maple, elm, and basswood.
        Approaching Cazenovia you perceive several good looking houses, the lake, and the churches on a gentle rise to the north of the village.  There are two or three doctors, a lawyer, and several mechanics.  Here counted twenty or twenty-four buildings.
        The site of the town -- Cazenovia is situated on the east side and near the south end or outlet of a lake, which is about three-fourths of a mile wide and four miles in length.  The main street runs at right angles to the lake and extends to the shore, is roomy or wide, and about the middle is extended into an oblong square.  Two more streets extend northly, parallel with the lake. The ground rises gently in the point.  About forty rods north of Main street, on the eminence, is the church built, a handsome and large edifice, and has a good bell.  To the south of the town the land appears level and rather low. The outlet runs here in an easterly course and about sixty or eighty rods from the lake joins the main branch of the Caneserago Creek, which, after the junction and supplying a mill, runs northerly, so that approaching the town from the east you cross it, and the village is encompassed on three sides with water-the lake, west; outlet, south; and creek, east.  The land south of the lake lies very level and handsome.  On the west side rises gradually, and upon the whole the place has a very pleasant aspect.
        On a beautiful little eminence, about twenty rods from the east of the lake, and little north of the main street, is the house occupied by Mr. Lincklaen.  It is a large two-story house, seems almost square, and has painted fences, &c., about it.  The garden extends from the house to the lake, but has no fruit in it.
        About one-fourth of a mile from this, near the outlet, is a beautiful piece of ground with some forest trees, and the barns and sheds, which are very extensive, belonging to Mr. Lincklaen.
        A new turnpike road, which leaves the Seneca turnpike at Manlius Square, (at forty miles from Utica) and crossing to the lake on the west side, passes easterly along the south end, turning northerly on the east side, (crosses the outlet) till it meets the main street, then easterly along that till it again crosses the outlet, thence, I suppose, rather southeast to Cherry Valley.  Has a very good appearance, being forty feet wide and hitherto well made, the soil first drawn off, then greatly convex, it appears superior to any turnpike I have seen.  The hill must be an angle of 5°  It is supposed this road will attract the travel from the west and prove serviceable to Cazenovia, which has increased more in eighteen months than for several years before.
        Walked with Mr. Lincklaen to see where he intends building, which is on a gentle elevation, about twenty rods from the turnpike, thirty or forty rods from the east end of the lake, to which the land is nearly level or very gentle descent.  He will have a very fine prospect, the lake in front town to the right, handsomely rising ground to the left, and behind, his farm, extending to the Caneserago main stream, on which are some fine flat lands.  It will afford an opportunity of laying out the pleasure grounds to much advantage, and will be one of the most beautiful seats in the state.  The road in front is six rods wide, on each side a board fence.  Mr. Lincklaen is planting trees along it and leveling it for a walk, for which it is excellently adapted, leaving the lake on the north and his improvement south.
        Viewed his barns and sheds, which are very extensive and excellently constructed, all under-pinned with stone work.  The posts of the front of the shed have each a short pillar of stone and lime, so that the wood is everywhere elevated from the surface.  Saw a new invented machine for threashing.  There are two upright shafts and thro' these are fixed a number of arms, extending perhaps two and one-half feet from the shaft, and one to one and one-half inches in diameter.  Each shaft has these and similar arms, but shorter, extend from the covering or box surrounded.  When the machine is put in motion the shafts move in contrary directions with velosity and beating the straw with the horizontal arm or spoke that are fixed in the shaft and box, thresh out the grain. Mr. Lincklaen said that with a man to feed, one to draw the straw, and a box to keep the horses a going, one hundred bushels might be threshed in one day. Cost about $80....