Macomb's Purchase

On June 22, 1791, Governor Clinton and the Board of Land Commissioners began to plan on getting Northern NY settled. Alexander Macomb purchased all land in what is now Jefferson County; except Penet's Square, most of Franklin County and St. Lawrence, all of Lewis County, and part of Oswego. This was called, appropriately enough, Macomb's Purchase. Macomb purchased the land on behalf of himself, William Constable, and Daniel McCormick. After the purchase, the land was divided into "Eleven Towns".

Macomb went into bankruptcy and Constable sold large parts of the property to other people in the state. He also went to France to talk to James D LeRay, thinking the French Revolution might cause many of the French to move to America. Le Ray invested in land, trying to get back money his family had lost while helping the Americans. He bought land in Pennsylvania but traded it for land in New York State, and lived in America from 1785 to 1790.