Rossie, New York
Encyclopedia
Rossie is a town
in St. Lawrence County
, New York
, United States
. The population was 787 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the sister of an early land owner.
The Town of Rossie is located on the southwestern border of the county and is west of Gouverneur
.
The town was formed in 1813 from a section of the Town of Russell
.
During the War of 1812
, residents constructed a block house in the south part of Rossie.
The iron
industry was important to the early town economy, and the Rossie Furnace of 1815 was the first to be built in northern New York. Lead mining was also important. The Rossie Shot Tower
is still standing.
, the town has a total area of 39.1 square miles (101.3 km²), of which, 38.1 square miles (98.7 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (2.6 km²) of it (2.53%) is water.
The southwest town line is the border of Jefferson County
, New York
.
The Oswegatchie River
, looping back, flows in two directions in the south of Rossie.
US Route 11 crosses the town. Yellow Lake and Grass Lake are partly in the town. A very small southern bay of Black Lake
is at the north end of Rossie.
of 2000, there were 787 people, 298 households, and 214 families residing in the town. The population density
was 20.7 people per square mile (8.0/km²). There were 482 housing units at an average density of 12.7 per square mile (4.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.59% White, 0.89% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.25% from other races
, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.38% of the population.
There were 298 households out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples
living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $27,566, and the median income for a family was $35,893. Males had a median income of $29,167 versus $19,028 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $14,205. About 16.1% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.7% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in St. Lawrence County
St. Lawrence County, New York
St. Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 111,944. The county seat is Canton. The county is named for the Saint Lawrence River, which in turn was named for the Catholic saint on whose Feast day the river was discovered by...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 787 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the sister of an early land owner.
The Town of Rossie is located on the southwestern border of the county and is west of Gouverneur
Gouverneur (village), New York
Gouverneur is a village in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 4,263 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Gouverneur Morris, one of the authors of the Constitution of the United States, as well as a prominent landowner and part-time resident of the area.The...
.
History
The first settler arrived around 1807.The town was formed in 1813 from a section of the Town of Russell
Russell, New York
Russell is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 1,801 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Russell Attwater, the pioneer land owner....
.
During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, residents constructed a block house in the south part of Rossie.
The iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
industry was important to the early town economy, and the Rossie Furnace of 1815 was the first to be built in northern New York. Lead mining was also important. The Rossie Shot Tower
Shot tower
thumb|The Shot Tower, Bristol, EnglandA shot tower is a tower designed for the production of shot balls by freefall of molten lead, which is then caught in a water basin. The shot is used for projectiles in firearms.-Process:...
is still standing.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 39.1 square miles (101.3 km²), of which, 38.1 square miles (98.7 km²) of it is land and 1 square miles (2.6 km²) of it (2.53%) is water.
The southwest town line is the border of Jefferson County
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
The Oswegatchie River
Oswegatchie River
The Oswegatchie River is a river in northern New York that flows north from the Adirondack Mountains to the Saint Lawrence River at the city of Ogdensburg. The river mouth was the site of a Jesuit mission, Fort de La Présentation, founded in 1749. Also a fur trading post, the village had 3,000...
, looping back, flows in two directions in the south of Rossie.
US Route 11 crosses the town. Yellow Lake and Grass Lake are partly in the town. A very small southern bay of Black Lake
Black Lake (New York)
Black Lake is a lake in the northern part of New York in the United States and is the largest lake in Saint Lawrence County. The lake is south of the Saint Lawrence River and parallels the river for many miles....
is at the north end of Rossie.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 787 people, 298 households, and 214 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 20.7 people per square mile (8.0/km²). There were 482 housing units at an average density of 12.7 per square mile (4.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.59% White, 0.89% African American, 0.25% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.25% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.38% of the population.
There were 298 households out of which 35.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the town the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 31.3% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $27,566, and the median income for a family was $35,893. Males had a median income of $29,167 versus $19,028 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $14,205. About 16.1% of families and 20.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.7% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over.
Communities and locations in Rossie
- Keenes – A hamletHamlet (place)A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
on the west town line in the south part of the town. - Nelson Corner – A location in the north part of the town, west of Rossie village.
- Pikes Corner – A hamlet in the south part of the town on County Road 9.
- Rossie – The hamlet of Rossie is on County Road 3 at the junction of County Road 8 in the northern part of the town.
- Sommerville – A hamlet in the south part of the town on US-11.
- Spragueville – a hamlet formerly called "Spragues Corners," located on County Road 9 at the county line in the south part of the town.
- Wegatchie – A hamlet in the south part of the town on County Road 12.