SUSSEX, extreme northern county of New Jer sey, bounded by Orange county of New York NE; Bergen of New Jersey E. SE. and S; Warren SW; and Delaware river separating it from Pike county, Pennsylvania, 'W. and NW. Length 25, mean width 18, and area, 450 square miles. Extending in lat. from 54' to 41° 22', and in long. from 2° 3' to 2° 40' E. from the meridian of Washington City.
The features of Sussex county of New Jersey are in some respects not only curious, but peculiar. The county embraces a part of the valley between the Kittatinny and Blue Ridge chains, and in no part falls below an elevation of 800 feet above the surface of the Atlantic tides. On the side towards the Delaware river it is traversed by the continua tion of the Kittatinny, and on the opposite side, is separated from Bergen and Morris counties by the Blue Ridge. The intermediate valley about 15 miles wide is a real table land, discharging south westwardly towards the Delaware, Pequest and Pawlings creeks, and to the northwestward the sources of the Wallkill.
On the heads of the Wallkill, though elevated above eight hundred feet above tide water, spread marshy plains, having the aspect of the alluvial flats along the border of the Atlantic Ocean. The southeastern section on the heads of Pequest and Pawlings creeks, the country rises into hill and dale; and the transition from a comparative mo notonous to a broken and diversified surface, is in no other part of the Appalachian system so rapid and striking.
The western borders between the Kittatinny and Delaware river, is a narrow slope or valley, from two to four miles wide, and extending the entire length of the county. Along this confined declivi ty flows the Flatkill, 17 or 18 miles between the mountains on the SE. and Delaware river NW. and seldom two miles from either.
The Morris canal touches, but only merely touches, the southeastern angle of Sussex. The
summit level of this canal is at the place where it passes the Blue Ridge, 915 feet above the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.
The author of this article traversed Sussex in the latter part of September, and proceeded from Newburg on Hudson river, by Goshen, Newton, and by Somerville to the Delaware at New Hope, and had a fair opportunity of seeing the difference in the advance of the season at the different points. In Sussex early frost had destroyed tender vegeta bles on the high plains and vallies of Sussex, no similar effect was perceptible on the Hudson, nor had frost yet occurred on the Dela ware.
By the Post-Office list of 1831, there were post offices in Sussex, at Andover, Augusta, Benville, Bevins, Branchville, Coursenville, Deckertown, Flat Brookville, Fredon, Gratitude, Greenville, Hamburgh, Lafayette, Lockwood, Monroe, Mon tague, Newton, Sandyston, Sparta, Stanhope, Still water, Vernon, Walpack, and Wartage.
Newton, the seat of justice, is situated on an ele vated site and on the waters of Pawlings Kill or creek, 40 miles NE. from Easton, 60 miles NW. by W. from the city of New York, about a similar distance SW. from Newburg, and by post road, 70 miles very nearly due N. from Trenton, and 228 miles NE. from W. C. N. lat. 41° 3', long. 9' E. from the meridian of Washington City.
The village is small, with the ordinary buildings for public use at a county seat. The adjacent country is diversified and pleasant to the eye.
When the census of 1820 was taken, Sussex county embraced the area now included in Warren, and of course, the aggregate population 32,752, was that of the superficics now constituting both counties. DARBY.