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THE ANCRAM LEAD MINE ANCRAM, COLUMBIA COUNTY NEW YORK By Capt. Franklin Ellis249 1878 About seventy years ago Henry Keefer had what is called a "stone bee," at which his neighbors lent their assistance to clear a field of the stone that so greatly interfered with the work of cultivation. While prying out some projecting rock he was struck by the strange metallic lustre it possessed, and upon investigation found it to be lead ore. The farm was held under lease, and Livingston, hearing of the discovery, immediately bought him out and erected a small smelting-furnace, in which he reduced the ore. He continued to run the mine for about ten years. It was then abandoned, and remained idle until in 1836 or 1837 the lease was bought by a New York company, who worked it a couple of years. In 1848, Harmon McIntyre became owner of the mine by virtue of a purchase of the soil. In 1850--March 1--the mine was leased for a period of twelve years to Josiah Sturgis, of New York, who worked it for about three years, and then sold the lease to Alexander C. Farrington for $2000. It remained idle till 1863-64, when a stock company was formed and the mine was fitted up with all the most improved machinery for crushing, washing, hoisting, and handling the ore, at a great expense. The company continued operations about two years, and then stopped, since which time nothing has been done. The shaft was sunk to a depth of one hundred feet, and galleries of varying length were opened in all directions.
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