From ROMAN CITIZEN newspaper, Rome, Oneida County, New York, Wednesday, September 11, 1850

                                                               WESTMORELAND

                    Its Situation --Early Settlement -- Soil -- Manufactures and Inhabitants.

Westmoreland is the centre Town of Oneida County, lying as it does, surrounded by so rich a country or number of towns on every side, resembling a jewel set in diamonds.  Well may Oneida be pround of such a town and point to its richness of soil and pleasantness of location, as the traveler passes through it.

Westmoreland was first settled in 1792, by Messrs. Deans, Bettis, Jones, Blackman, Morse, and in 1793 the Messrs. Peck, Seely, Smith, Judson, Patterson and Judge Enos.  There were no roads previous to this time, except an Indian path from Oriskany to Oneida Castle, and the roads now reminds one of what is said of the early settlement of Albany --that "the first inhabitants built on the paths their cows made in going into the woods for pasturage."  So in Westmoreland; every man's farm is provided with a road without any reference to the point of compass.  The soil of the town is rich, producing the best of grass, or being suitable for the plough, having no waste land, and in gently undulating, being the most level except Verona, of any town in the County, having many fine farms for dairying purposes, or for English Grain and Indian Corn.  Dean's Creek passes through and empties into Oriskany Creek, which passes through the east corner of the town at Walesville.  The land is well watered by many smaller streams which run in all directions.  Its inhabitants by the census this year, are 3,072, mostly a farming population.  The town is said to be 8 miles by 6.

Hampton is a small village of  four stores, two churches and a malable iron foundery of considerable size just going into operation, owned by Messrs. Buel & Co.  Two miles west of the village are the Hecla Iron Works, owned by Messrs. Seymour's and doing a heavy business in castings for house-trimmings of every kind, turning off superior articles for the New York, Boston and Philadelphia markets, their business increasing every year.  Hampton is nine miles from Utica and seven miles from Rome, on the road to Clinton, a plank road from Whitestown to Hampton is built, and is to continue to Vernon.

Its first inhabitants were of New England, and early established the institutions of Religion and Common School system, and their descendents are now reaping a rich reward in possessing one of the most virtuous and intelligent set of inhabitants, of any town in the county, a richer legacy and better parentage than the miners of California or the boasted peerage of Old England.  There is an Academy of note at Hampton, which is well patronized.

But few towns in the county are better located for markets.  Numerous are the Factories in the neighborhood.  Utica east, Rome north, and their boundaries unite, and these different places furnish as good a market for the farmer as he can wish, and every thing he has to spare will command the best of prices.
                                                                               M.
N.B.  Judge Pomeroy Jones, of this town, has been engaged for some time in writing the early history of Oneida County --it will be a first rate work no doubt, as coming from his pen and ought to be in the possession of every man in the county.
                                                                                Mechanic