DePeyster is a

town A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

in St. Lawrence County,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, United States. The population was 998 at the 2010 census. The name is taken from that of one of the land owners of the region,

Frederic de Peyster Frederic de Peyster II (November 11, 1796 in New York City – August 17, 1882 in Tivoli, New York) was a New York City lawyer and prominent member of the De Peyster family. Early life De Peyster was born in Hanover Square in New York City ...

, grandfather of

John Watts de Peyster John Watts de Peyster, Sr. (March 9, 1821 – May 4, 1907) was an American author on the art of war, philanthropist, and the Adjutant General of New York.Allaben, p. 205 He served in the New York State Militia during the Mexican–American War an ...

History

The town was first settled around 1802. The town was established in 1825 from parts of the Towns of

DeKalb DeKalb or De Kalb may refer to: People * Baron Johann de Kalb (1721–1780), major general in the American Revolutionary War Places Municipalities in the United States * DeKalb, Illinois, the largest city in the United States named DeKalb ** DeK ...

and Oswegatchie. The town name was proposed to be "Stilwell" after a prominent resident, but the town was given its current name in the hope of obtaining some benefit from DePeyster.

Notable people

Newton Martin Curtis,

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

recipient - born in the town and was a postmaster, brigadier general, and customs inspector. Patty Ritchie, New York State Senator - raised in DePeyster.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (4.54%) is water. The northeast town line is defined by the

Oswegatchie River The Oswegatchie River ( moh, Kaniatarahòn:tsi) is a river in northern New York that flows from the Adirondack Mountains north to the Saint Lawrence River. The Oswegatchie River begins at Partlow Lake in Hamilton County, New York. The river co ...

and the northwestern town line is defined by Black Lake. Mud Lake is a smaller lake in the southwest of the town. The southeastern town line is marked by Beaver Creek.

New York State Route 812 New York State Route 812 (NY 812) is a state highway in the North Country of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 12 and NY 26 in the Lewis County village of Lowvill ...

crosses the northern part of the town.

New York State Route 184 New York State Route 184 (NY 184) is a state highway in St. Lawrence County, New York, in the United States. The route is signed as east–west; however, it runs more in a northeast–southwest direction. It extends for between an inte ...

is a northeast–southwest highway.

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 936 people, 272 households, and 217 families residing in the town. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 21.7 people per square mile (8.4/km²). There were 307 housing units at an average density of 7.1 per square mile (2.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.61%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 1.07%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.11%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, and 0.21% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 0.43% of the population. There were 272 households, out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.9% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.9% were non-families. 16.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.44 and the average family size was 3.89. In the town, the population was spread out, with 37.3% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.4 males. The median income for a household in the town was $28,750, and the median income for a family was $31,500. Males had a median income of $25,000 versus $21,458 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the town was $10,667. About 24.5% of families and 27.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 36.0% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.

Communities and locations in DePeyster

*DePeyster – The

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

of DePeyster is in the northern part of the town on County Road 10. *Kokomo Corners – A locations west of DePeyster village on NY-184. *Lower Big Bay – A location on Black Lake.

References

External links

Early De Peyster history
{{Authority control Towns in St. Lawrence County, New York