V- \2^ CORNELL -^ci UNIVERSITY

LJ^liWV^, '■^e-e^U^rj af'^f^^'-f '^f~e- '^^ ^^fi^c-fi'/^ >£«.»fJ/a^ti*s' ^f ^:i^n.JXv4-'^- a^^^fL^iJ ..itSt^^ J" --wvSfi- V- l^l^W^i'*^ ' t'^^'^'f*' /^^t^-p^^rrt* "^At^H. ^ .»»^^,fe^ ^ V ^,*^ J&r^- tn^f ^ • ■"y-^ W\. 'fe-yt' >^.:i-My^-, ?r ^ fy Viy, ^J ARTOTVPE, E. BlERSTfcDT, GENERAL HISTORY. 13 the said Jan Sybran and Lambert Dorlandt for a valuable con- sideration to them in hand paid by the said Adolph Philipse, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged and themselves there- with to be fully contented and paid: have granted bargained and sold, and by these presents, do grant bargain and sell unto the said Adolph Philipse all the said tract of land Island and premises together with all their right title and interest property, claime and demand, thereunto, or to any part or parcel of the said tract, of land. Island and premises. To have and to hold the said tract of land. Island and premises limited and bounded as aforesaid, unto the said Adolph Philipse his heirs and as- signs, to the sole and only proper use benefit and behoof of him the said Adolph Philipse his heirs and assigns forever. And for the further confirmation and assurance of the said tract of land. Island and premises they do deliver, up unto the said Adolph Philipse the said lycense and deed of sale from the In- dians for the said tract of land Island and premises, at the time of ensealing and delivery of these presents, and do likewise testify their consent and desire by the ensealing and delivery of these presents that a Patent be granted iinder the seal of the Province for the said tract of land. Island and premises to hold to the said Adolph Philipse his heirs and assigns forever. In witness whereof the partyes to these presents their hands and seals have interchangably sett, the day and year first above written. "Sealed and d. d. in Jan Sebeeinge, ye presence of us Lambert Dorlandt." Tho. Young, David Jamison. In this way began the ownership of the famous family whose name and deeds form so important a portion of the annals of the county and State. Adolph Philipse having thus acquired the title from the original owners, proceeded at once to take the necessary steps for obtaining a patent for his lands, and presented in due form the following petition to Benjamin Fletcher, who was then governor of the province of New York. "To His Excellency Benjamin Fletcher, Captain G-enerall, and Governor in Chief of the Province of JSTew York. "The humble petition of Mr. Adolph Philipse Sheweth, That for a valuable consideration, your Excellency's petitioner 14 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. has purchased from Jan Sybrante and Lambert Dorlandt, a cer- tain tract of vacant land on the East side of Hudson river, in Dutchess County, beginning at a marked cedar on the north side of that Hill called Anthony's Nose, and stretching along said river upward to the land of Col. Cortlandt and Company, and stretching backvi^ards from the said river into the woods as farr as the land of Col. Cortlandt and Company aforesaid, in- cluding Pollepells island, which land became theirs by a ly- cense and deed but was never yet patented. Your Excellency's petitioner being desirous to make some improvements thereon, and especially the backward parts from the mountains, there- fore hereby prays your Excellency to grant him a Patent for the same and that the bounds * * may be the dividing line between * * * under such moderate quit rent * * * *, and your Excellency's Petitioner shall as in duty bound ever pray. In accordance with this petition Gov. Fletcher granted the following: PATENT TO ADOLPH PHILIPSE. "William the Third by the Grace of God King of Eng- land Scotland France and Ireland, Defender of the faith &c. To all to whom these Presents shall come sendeth Greeting Whereas our Loving Subject Adolph Philips of our City of New Yorke Merchant hath by his peticon presented unto our trusty and well beloved Benjamin Fletcher our Captain General and Governor in Chiefe of our Province of New Yorke and Ter- ritoryes Depending thereon in America &c. prayed our grant and confirmacon of a certain tract of land in our Dutchess county, scituate lyeing and being in the Highlands on the East side of Hudson's River beginning at a certain Red Cedar Tree marked on the North side of the Hill commonly called An- thonys Nose, which is Likewise the North Bounds of Collonell Stevanus Cortlandts land or his Manour of Cortlandt, and from thence bounded by the said Hudson's River as the said river runs notherly until it come to the Creek River or Run of Water KnnLPH PHILTFSE- "The FatentBE"- (ob, 1749.) Frnin painting In paysEsslon of Philips?- G-nuverneur fo.rnlly, ARTOTrPE, E eiERSTADT, GENERAL HISTORY. " 15 commonly called and known by the name of Great fishkill to the Northward and above the said Highlands, which is like- wise the Southward bounds of another Tract of Land belonging to the said Coll Stephanus Cortlandt and Company, and so Easterly along the said Coll Cortlandts line and the South bounds of Coll Henry Beeckman until it comes twenty Miles, or until the Division or Petition Line between our Colony of Connecticutt and our said Province, and Easterly by the said Division Line, being bounded Northerly and Southerly by East and West Lines unto the said Division line between our said Collony of Connecticutt and this our Province aforesaid, the whole being bounded Westward by the said Hudson River, Northward by the land of Coll Cortlandt and Company and the land of Coll Beckman, Eastward by the Partition line between our Colony of Connecticutt and this our Province, and Southerly by the Mannour of Courtlandt to the land of the said Coll Cortlandt, including therein a certaine Island at the North side of the said Highlands called Pollepells Island; which rea- sonable request we being willing to Grant. Know Ybe that of our special Grace Certain Knowledge and meere mooon We have given granted ratifyed and confirmed, and by these Pres- ents Do for us our Heirs and Successors Give Grant Ratify and Confirme unto the said Adolph Philips, all the aforerecited Certaine Tract of Land and Island within the Limits and bounds aforesaid, together with all and singular the Woods underwoods Trees Timber Hills Mountains Valleys Rocks Quarrys Marshes Swamps Rivers Runs Rivoletts Waters Watercourses Pools Ponds Lakes Fountains Streams Meadows Fresh and Salt, Mines Mineralls (Silver and Gold Mines excepted) fishing fowl- ing hunting and hawking and all other Royaltyes Rights Mem- bers Benefites Profites advantages Commodityes Privileges Hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever, unto the afore- recited certaine Tract of Land and Island within the limites and bounds aforesaid together with all and singular the Woods un- derwoods Trees Timber Hills Mouniains Valleys Rocks Quarrys Marshes Swamps Rivers Runs Rivoletts Waters Water Courses Pools Ponds Lakes Fountains Streams Meadows Fresh and Salt, Mines Mineralls (Silver and Gold Mines excepted) fishing fowling hunting and hawking and all other Royaltyes Rights Members Benefites Profites Advantages Commodityes Privileges Heredi- taments and appurtenances whatsoever unto the aforerecited 16 HISTORY OF PUTNAM ^COUNTY. Certaine Tract of Land and Island within the Limites and bounds aforesaid belonging or in any wayes appertaining nnto the said Adolph Philips his heirs and assigns forever. To be holden of us our Heirs and Successors in Free and Common Soccage as of our Mannour of East Greenwich in our County of Kent within our Realme of England Yielding rendering and paying therefore yearly and every Year unto us our Heirs and Successors forever at our City of New Yorke on the Feast day of the Annunciation of our blessed Virgin Mary the yearly rent of twenty shillings currant money of our said province in Lieu and 8tead'[of all other Rents Services Dues Diitys and Demands whatsoever for the said Tract of land Island and Premises. " In Testimony whereof we have caused the Great Seal of our Province to be hereunto affixed, Witness our Trusty and well beloved Benjamin Fletcher our Captaine Generall and Govern- our in Chief of our Province of New York and Territoryes De- pending thereon in America and Vice Admirall of the same our Lieut: and Commander in Chiefe of the Militia and of all the forces by sea and land within our Colony of Connecfcicutt and of all the forces and places of Strength within the same in Council at our fort in New Yorke the Seventeenth Day of June in the Ninth Year of our Reigne Annoq Dm 1697. Ben. Fletcher by his Excellencys Command " David Jamison, D' Secr'y." It will be seen that the Indian deed to Dorlandt and Sybrant and the subsequent transfers only conveyed the land extending back from the Hudson River to a marked tree on the line of the Rumbout Patent or " Land of Cortlandt and Company," while the patent of Gov. Fletcher conveyed all the land between the river and the boundary line between New York and Connecti- cut. To confirm his title ro this additional tract Adolph Philipse obtained a new Indian deed, in 1702, which .embraced the fol- lowing extent: INDIAN RELEASE TO ADOLPH PHILIPSE. "Know all men by these presents that wee Sipoworak, Sow- wess, Gachquaran, Cowenhahum, Hingham, Meconop, Cam- atacht, Machgowwas, Wassawawogh, Perapowwes, Kochhe- IN jivd ■« vnyiasS' M C o /I . !LJ> JAMts S/lMUf;. ''Ifi'/lBOf/f BAKen, 0./ 2,2. '^ 2.0 Joshua "04 A/ ■ Bahmcs IHILAUD 17 AKtHlSALt) !%• KtNEpj Clark. J^ 1 ''> mii^l f J V / ^ '^'•fX/^/VCil \ f V \ 7 /y -7 1 V Jam^s V "'•^MwOE^f ^ _i > 2 '1 \ U O, CD /^ XfJ^IAH ■^% ^^1^0 OTS n; - ^\ 5 1^ 2 ^ e> \ r- ;2- Cao w/ii.Lf,f ;<" CoLoev . ?2 —~\^ A^ ^ ii " \ I t s ^ w«- 6f^rr) S r- u <° tn -ci^/2a/! f^iZ^na/ii^fA/' r^/(<^mr>^ ti ^mi&MffA y'fim^fif^ (^\(^Mr/ai^ i^f^iiy ir^ /i^j&t^ -Uf-f-fi-fi^^-iK? art' /^Li->-&ti'^ tU^/ier-nf-^ff^at?' a/z^ ^ep^ /4t^v-i^^ er/^/i) /^S^/a^V ^Ji-^iA /Wz^i^if M- ^i/' /u-it g A!9,t^ /^^^'^ i^^^^^^l y/i^ ■{?^Aif^^^ ,mJ^^^^ I'^^&nny ^^ f^n^-'-^/'^'i^ s^i-i -^S-— ^^//^M, ^^ny^^J^yah M- a^^ ^^^^ .<>^i«^; pa//tiy*/ ^,Wt /ictrS-^ /^^t^ ^^IKifT^^f ^«^Ak^ ^^<>t^-v/iH^ fif^t^f /^tr^^fie^ 4^<^ yi-f^^ fr ^tfn^ A^a^i'/t^i^ t7- ^ m ^/4 ;►#/•/ M/?^ .rrA: L-^ Vi^ra-K JrM^'iy2&.^Tf t>f;fijf - /V^^.^i?'^^ ,^jn^^ Ae)^cfM.f! AjAo^l •ft i^^JM^ i^jfi/iO^ i&i-i-i^ ^^^ ^C'^^/i^^ i '% \ /m Me**'>- 'fj'^L/i.Afu,^-^ ,/M-^a 'tm (*^ a /S^H^is- ^' ^^ //^^ A^u • .^i:.nt(i'^^(>Y- /M-fn^r^<^ :L^ Jhj ""'" ^ xA ^ .^■xJv R^. ^ t* "^^'^"^"'■infei^ )>^;Wi« **■■""■■ I "i^,^ iW^'^h' ; •^^'^/'«»^.'^<^^-/ r/a«^// ABTOTITE, e, BIERSTdDT, N Y GENERAL HISTORY. 19 uncle, his will is written at great lengtti, but the only portion of it which relates to his possessions in this county is the follow- ing item: " Whereas, there is a large tract of land situate and being on the east side of the Hudson River, which by letters patent bearing date on or about the seventeenth day of June, in the year of our Lord, one thousand six hundred and ninety-seven, was granted unto my said uncle Adolph Philipse and his heirs, butted and bounded as therein mentioned, reference being thereunto had which said tract of land is commonly called and known by the name of "Mr. Philipse' s Upper or Highland Patent" and which said tract of land and the estate right and title in and to the same is now belonging to and vested in me by his death as heir-at-law to him. Wherefore, I do devise and bequeath that said large tract of land with the appurtenances in manner following: — To my son Philip Philipse and the heirs of his body forever, one quarter part thereof ; to my said daughter Susannah, now the wife of Mr. Beverly Robinson and to the heirs of her body forever, one other quarter part thereof; unto my second daughter Mary Philipse and to the heirs of her body forever, one other quarter part thereof ; and the other quarter part thereof unto my youngest daughter Margrett Philipse and to the heirs of her body forever; and if my said son Philip Philipse, or any or either of my said daughters shall happen to die without issue, then and in sach case the quarter part or parts hereby devised to him, her, or those of them so dying without issue, I will, devise and bequeath unto the sur- vivors of them, equally to be divided between them to the respective heirs of their bodies forever. And if three of them should happen to die without issue, then I will, devise and bequeath the three quarter parts of those so dying without issue unto the survivor of them, and to the heirs of the body of such survivor forever." CHAPTER III. THE PHILIPSE FAMILY. THE family of which Adolph Philipse, the patentee, was so illustrious a member, and which has from the earliest time to the present day been so closely identified with the his- tory of this region of country, most justly merits an extended notice as the name is an inseparable portion of the annals of the county and State as well. The ancestor of this family was Vrederick Flypsen, who was, according to one account, a native of Bolswaert, in Friesland, where he was born in 1626. There is abundant evidence that his ancestry were among the nobility of Bohemia, but a claim to a truer nobility than kings can bestow is found in the fact that they were among the friends and supporters of the Re- formed Religion and adherents of the renowned John Huss and Jerome of Prague, and shared in enduring the persecutions which have made their names illustrious as champions of relig- ious freedom. For their adherence to the cause of Reformation, the family were compelled to flee from Bohemia, and they found in Hol- land, as did thousands after them, a home of peace and secur- ity. Compelled to leave their property, the family found them- selves in a strange land and in the possession of very limited means. A manuscript statement written by John Jay, and worthy of the respect due to anything emanating from the hon- ored chief justice, is authority for the statement that the founder of this family was born in Bohemia. " The first ancestor of this family was Frederick Flypsen, and he was a native of Bohemia, where his family being Protes- tants were persecuted. His mother becoming a widow was com- pelled to quit Bohemia with him and her other children. She fled to Holland with what little property she could save from GENERAL HISTORY. 21 the wreck of their estate. The amount of this little not permit- ting her to provide better for Frederick she bound him to a car- penter, and he became an excellent workman. He emigrated to New York, which was under the Dutch, but in what year I am not informed." A tradition of the family is that he came with Peter Stuyve- sant, and if this be the case, he must have arrived in 1647. It is certain that he was in New Netherlandin 1653, as at that time he was appointed appraiser of certain property in New Amster- dam. The surest proof of the nobility of his ancestry is the fact that although he came to this country without any of the advantages of fortiine, he was recognized as the social equal of the highest dignitaries of the colony, and the favor and as- sistance which he received from them, were doubtless in great part the means which in the end made him the richest man of his day. His first wife, Margaret, was the daughter of Adoph Hardenbrook, who came from Holland and settled at Bergen. She married Rudolphus De Vries, a merchant of New Amster- dam, in 1659. They had one daughter, who was baptized by th6 name of Maria, October 3d, 1660. Rudolphus De Vries died in 1661, lea,ving a considerable estate, which descended to his widow and child. In October, 1662, bans of marriage between Frederick Philipse and Margaret Hardenbrook were published, and the Court of Orphan Masters, of New Amsterdam, sum- moned her before them to render an inventory of her child's paternal inheritance. This she declared her inability to do, probably on account of the commercial quality of the assets, and the court received the ante-nuptial contract between her and Frederick Philipse, in lieu of inventory, in consideration of its containing an agreement on his part to adopt the child of Rudolphus De Vries, and bequeath unto her half of his estate, unless he had children of his own, in which case he would give her an equal share with them. The Dutch law permitted adop- tion, and also the limitation of successory estates by marriage contracts, and the child thus became the child of Frederick Philipse upon the occasion of his marriage, which took place, as recorded, in December following. It has been stated that she was baptized under the name of Maria. That is supposed by some to have been an error on the part of the registrar. It is possible that her name may have been changed at the time of her adoption: however this may be, it is certain that she ever 22 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. after bore the name of Eva Philipse and is thus named in her adopted father's will. By this marriage he became entitled to a community of prop- erty with his wife, but she did not relinquish the sole manage- ment of her estate, for which she seemed well fitted by nature. On the contrary she continued to conduct the business of her late husband, went repeatedly to Holland in her own ships, as supercargo, and bought goods and traded on her own account. By her fortune, enterprise and thrift, as well as his own exer- tions, Frederick Philipse soon became one of the richest men in the colony. His property was valued, in 1674, by commission- ers appointed by the governor, at 80,000 guilders, a sum which was large for those days, but small in comparison to the wealth he afterward accumulated. After the death of his wife,' which occurred about 1690, his business enterprises became still more extensive. He was one of the most extensive traders with the Five Indian Nations at Albany, sent ships to both the East and West Indies, imported slaves from Africa, and it is intimated by his enemies that he increased his gains by dealings with the pirates at Madagascar. It was generally believed that his profits were much enhanced by his connection with the government, and his intimacy with the governors, by which he obtained ad- vantages not granted to others. In official and political affairs, he was not less jjrominent than in his commercial transactions. He was a member of Council under all the governors, from Ed- mund Andros to the Earl of Bellomont, embracing a X)eriod of twenty years, with the brief exception of the rule of Jacob Leisler, whose authority he resisted for a while, but whom he afterwards recognized as the governor de facto. He was in high favor with Governor Sloughter and his successor Governor Fletcher, through whose favor both he and his son, Adolph, ob- tained large grants of land, the former gaining a large extent of territory in Westchester county, embracing the lands between the Hudson and the Bronx River, and extending from the Croton River to Kings Bridge, and afterwards established as the Manor of Philipsburg: and the latter obtaining the Highland Patent which has been described in preceding pages. In 1698, he resigned his seat in the Council, giving as a reason his advanced age, but apparently to escape removal, which seemed probable upon the accession of the Earl of Bellomont to the position of governor. GENEEAL HISTORY. 23 In 1692, Mr. Philipse married Catharine, daughter of Oloff Stevense Van Cortlandt, and widow of John Dervall. There were no children from this second marriage. The notice of his death is thus recorded, by his widow, in the family Bible. " Anno 1702 the 6th of November, Saturday night at 10 o'clock my husband Frederick Philipse died and lies buried in the church yard in the Manor named Philipsbnrg." On his Manor of Philipsburg, he ruled in true baronial style. Two manor houses stood upon the estate, one at the "Upper Mills" above Tarry town, and the other, now a venerated relic of the past, is the present citj'- hall of Yonkers. Thus passed away a man who was, during his long life, one of the most prominent personages of his time, and his earthly remains rest in the well known Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, at Tarrytown, hal- lowed as the last resting place of Washington Irving. Fred- erick Philipse had five children: Eva, his adopted daughter, who married Jacobus Van Cortlandt, and whose descendants are known as the Van Cortlandts of Yonkers; Philip, born in 1663 and baptized March 18th, 1664; Adolph, baptized Novem- ber 15th, 1665: Anatje (Anna), baptized November 27th, 1667, married Philip French'; and one child, Rumbout, baptized Jan- uary 9th 1670, died in early infancy. Philip Philipse, the eldest son, was a youth of delicate con- stitution. His father sent him to Barbadoes, in the West Indies, to look after a plantation and while there he married, in 1697, Maria Sparks, daughter of the governor of the island. His wife died soon after the birth of their only child, Frederick, Oct. 17th, 1698. Her husband did not long survive but died in 1700. WILL OP FREDERICK PHILIPSE. " I Frederick Flipse of ye City of New York Merchant, be- ing in health of body and of sound mind and perfect memory, thanks be to Almighty God, doe make and declare this to be my last Will and Testament, Revoking and annulling all former Wills and Testaments by me made either by word or writing. " First I surrender and bequeath my soul into ye merciful hands of ye Infinite Q-od who gave it, and I order my body to ' Philip French came from Kelsale, Suffolk, England. He died in 1707, leaving a son Philip (who married Susannah Brockholst), and four daughters: Anne, wife of David Van Home; Susannah, wife of Hon. WUliam Livingston; Eliza- beth, wife of David Clarkson; and Mary, wife of Hon. Wm. Browne, " of Bev- erly, New England." 24 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. be interred at my Burrial place at ye Upper Mills', with such charges and in such decent manner as to my Executors herein- after named shall seem convenient. And as touching ye dispo- sition of my lands, tenements, hereditaments goods chattels and credits I will, devise and dispose of them as follows: 1 give, grant, devise and bequeath to Frederick Flipse my grandson born in Barbadoes, ye only son of Philip my eldest son late de- ceased, ye following houses and Tenements in ye City of New York (to wit) That dwelling house with ye appurtenances I now live in, with ye house called ye Bolting house, and ye ground adjoining soe farr as ye Lean to stands, and soe farr as ye Gavell end of ye old Kitchen, and ye fence of ye widow De Kay, and also a Warehouse called ye middle warehouse and ye grounds behind it ye bredth of ye same Warehouse towards ye New Street and to extend in length to ye Broad Street, ye same ground lying there in bredth between my Cooper's house and ground of Isaac Kipp: and all those two dwelling houses and lotts of ground with their appurtenances lying and being near ye old Stadt-house at present in ye tenure of Mr. Carree and Mr. Droylett, and also these Lands tenements and hereditaments in the County of Westchester (to wit) That Island Papiriniman with ye meadows and Bridge' and ye Toll and all ye right and Title I have to ye same. And all those lands and meadows called ye Jonckers plantation together with all and singular houses. Mills, mill dams, orchards gardens Negroes, Negroes children, cattle horses swine and whatever else belongs to me within that Patent as well what is tenanted as nott: as also a piece of land in the mile square by me late bought of Michael Hawden. And all that Tract or piece of Land extending from the Jonckers patent or plantation to a creek called by ye Indians Wys qua qua, and by the Christians William Portuguese's creek and thence according to ye course of that creek into ye woods to ye head of ye same, and from thence on an east line to the creek called the Jonckers creek, and thence to continue on the samt! course to Bronks river as farr as my right extends, as also all that ye equall half of my meadow lyeing at Tappan with ye rights hereditaments emoluments and appurtenances to ye same, and all ye other estate herein before given and devised belonging or in any way appertaining. To have and to hold all 'By the old Dutch Church at Tarrytown. 'Now King's Bridge on Harlem River. GiCNERAL HISTORY. 25 ye real Estate, Tenements and hereditaments with ye appurte- nances here in before given and devised to ye said Frederick Flipse my grandson, and ye heires male of his body lawfully to be begotten, and for lack of such Issue ye Remainder thereof to ray son Adolphus Flipse and ye heires male of his body lawfully to be begotten, and for lack of such Issue to ye next right heirs of me ye said Frederick Flipse, ye Grandfather for ever Item I give and devise and bq/^ueath to my said G-randson Frederick Flipse beside ye Negroes at ye Jonckers plantation herein before given and devised to him, a Negro man called Harry with his wife and child, a Negro man called Peter, a Negro man called Wan, ye boat Joncker with her furniture ap- parell and appurtenances and ye equal half of all ye cattle horses and sheep upon and belonging to ye plantation at ye upper Mills. To have all to hold all ye said Negroes and all ye said personal estate to him his heirs executors and assigns for- ever. " Item I give and bequeath to my said grandson his executors and Assigns forever an equall fourth part of all ye shipps ves- sels, plate, goods, merchandise, debts and personal estate what- soever which shall belong to me at the time of my decease, my debts and ye particular legacys in this my will given being first satisfied and discharged. Provided always and I doe declare it my will mind and true meaning that I give ye lands extending from ye Jonckers plantation to William Portuguese creek and so to Bronks river to my said grandson with this restriction and condition, that it is in lew of a Tract of Land called Cinque- singh purchased by me and intended to be given to his father my eldest son, soe that if at any time hereafter ye said Fred- erick Flipse my Grandson shall claime and recover this tract of land called Cinquesingh, ihen it is ray will that the tract of land extending from ye Jonckers plantation to William Portuguese's creek, shall devolve unto and be vested in my said son Adol- phus his heires and assigns forever. "And I give devise and bequeath unto my son Adolphus Flipse ye following houses and tenements in ye City of New York (to witt) That house and ground that Isaac Marquise at present lives in and a house in ye Stone street next Isaac De Forrests with an old house formerly belonging to John Rider soe farr as to ye Lean to, and ye Gavell end of ye old kitchen, in length to ye fence of ye widow De Kay and in breadth to ye 26 HISTOKT OF PUTNAM COUNTY. fence of Isaac De Forrest or so farr as my right extends; as also a house and lott of ground over against ye house I live in, stretching in breadth to ye house of Anneke Grosens and in length to ye house of Mr. Anthony Brockholes and also a house and ground lyeing in ye broad street by ye house of Jacobus Kipp with a ware house in ye New Street, and the ground be- tween both upon a straight line from ye South corner of ye warehouse to ye south come]; of that house (to witt) from one street to the other, and also those lands tenants and heredita- ments in ye County of Westchester (to witt) all that tract of land lyeing at ye Upper Mills, beginning at a creek called by ye Indians Wys qua qua and by ye Christians William Portu- guese creek being ye bound of ye land given hereby to my Grrandson, and soe running up Hudsons river to ye creek called Kightawan or Croton River, soe along that river or creek ac- cording to the Patent, then on an east line into the woods as far as Bronks river thence to ye head of that river and along Bronks river according to its course to ye lands herein before devised to my Grandson, as also ye moyety or equal half of a sawmill with its appurtenances at Mamaroneck late by me pur- chased of Dr. Selimus. And also all that ye one equal half of ye meadow at Tappan by me purchased of Dr. George Lock- hart, and all that piece of meadow oq the north side of Tappan creek containing in quantity as is expressed in ye Patent for the same. To the said Adolphus my son and the heires male of his body lawfully to be begotten, and for lack of such issue to my Grandson Frederick Flipse and the heires male of his body lawfully begotten, and for lack of such issue to the next right heires of me ye said Frederick the father, forever. " Item I give and devise and bequeath to my son Adolphus Flipse these negroes and slaves following (to witt) ye negro men called Symon, Charles, TowerhilL Samson, Claes, Billy Mingo, hendrick Bahyme and Hector, ye negro boy Peter, ye Indian woman called Hannah and her child, ye negro woman Susan ye younger, and ye negro woman Mary: ' ' I give and bequeath to my son Adolphus one equal half of my cattle horses and sheep belonging to ye plantations at ye upper mills, a large boat called ye Unity with her furniture late by mee bought of Jan Desmaretz and an equal fourth part of the per- sonal estate which shall belong to me at the time of my decease. " I do give and devise to my eldest daughter Eva the wife of GENEEAL HI8T0EY. 27 Jacobus Van Cortlandt the house and grounds in ye City of New York where they at present live, as also a lott of ground in the same city in the New Street to the southward of the old ware house, as it lyes at present inclosed and fenced, and an equal fourth part of personal property. To have and to hold the said houses and premises during her natural life, and after her decease to ye second son of her body to be begotten, and his heires and assigns for ever, but for lack of such Issue to her son Frederick Cortlandt his heires and assigns. " Item I give to my daughter Eva a certaine Mortgage of Dr. Henricus Selymus upon the lands of John Richbell deceased, twenty miles into ye woods. With this proviso, not to extend Bronx river into any of ye lands devised to my son or grand- son. "I give to my daughter Anatje wife of Philip French, Ihat house and ground in the City of New York where they at pres- ent live, as also ye old Warehouse and ground thereunto be- longing lying in ye New Street, and all my estate of lands in ye County of Berghen in East Jersey (to witt) a house and lot in ye towne of Berghen a large garden, a plantation of fifteen acres, with eight morgen or about sixteen acres of meadow ground, and ye right and privilege in the undivided woodlands of two farms and ye plantation and all those my lands in the County of Ulster (to witt) a piece of land at Mambachus about two hundred and ninety acres, and a piece of land at ye Rom- bout Creek mortgaged to me by John Ward containing about seven hundred acres, and after my wifes decease that lot of ground in the City of New York extending from ye Broadway to ye New Street lying between ye ground late of Robert White deceased and William the Clockluyer And I do bequeath that my wife Catharine shall have during her natural life fifty pounds current money per annum, and that five and twenty pounds thereof be levyed in. nature of a rent charge upon my estate at ye Jonckers, and the other twenty five upon my estate at the upper mills, and that she shall remaine and continue to dwell in ye house I now live in, and have and receive the money I have engaged and promised her according to our agreement be- fore and upon our marriage, preferable to all legacies whatso- ever. I devise to my said wife that lot in the City of New York extending from ye Broadway to ye New Street, lying be- between ye ground late of Robert White deceased and William 38 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. the Clockluyer, during her natural life, and that she shall have the custody tutition and Guardianship of my grandson Fred- erick until he comes of age, who I devise may have ye best edu- cation and Learning these parts of ye world will aflford him, not doubting of her care in bringing him up after ye best manner possible shee can. "Lastly I appoint my son Adolphus, and my son in law Ja- cobus Van Cortlandt executors of this my last will and testa- ment, In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 26th, day of October 1700. "Frederick Flipse." Adolph Philipse, the second son of Frederick Philipse, died unmarried and intestate, in 1749. Like his father he was not only a weathly merchant, but held high official position. On the rumor that the French were about to attack Albany, he was sent, in 1691, to Connecticut to ask assistance from that colony. He was appointed member of Council February 7th, 1704-5, and in 1718 was one of the commissioners to arrange and settle the boundary between New York and Connecticut. In 1721, he was removed from the Council on the representation of Governor Burnett, for opposing the continuance of the Assembly after his Excellency's arrival. In 1719, he was member of Assembly for Westchester, and was speaker in 1725. In 1736, he was one of the four members from New York and was speaker till 1737. At the election in that year he was not elected, but upon the death of Gerrit Van Home, one of the members, he was elected to fill the vacancy, and although the election was disputed, he was sustained. He was reelected speaker in 1739, and held that honorable position till 1745. He died in January, 1749, at the age of 85. John Jay said of him, " He was a man of superior talent, well educated, sedate, highly respected and popular. Except that he was penurious I have heard nothing to his dis- advantage." His portrait is among the family relics in posses- sion of the Philipse family, and represents him in the prime of life. Among the accounts of Joseph Reed, the administrator of the estate, there is charged against Frederick Philipse, the ancestor of the present family of Putnam county, the follow- ing item: "Jan. 25th, 1749, To the picture of Mr. Adolph Philipse, £6." Frederick Philipse, who inherited from his grandfather the GENERAL HISTORY. 29 immense estate of the Manor of Philipsburg, and from his uncle, Adolph Philipse, the Highland Patent, was born in Bar- badoes in 1698, and when four years old came to New York. Entering upon life with all the advantages that wealth and high position could bestow, he soon became one of the most distinguished citizens of the province. From 1721 to 1728, he was speaker -of the Assembly. In 1733, he was baron of the Exchequer and he also held the office of third judge of the Supreme Court, till the time of his death, while his social posi- tion as "Lord of the Manor of Philipsburg," placed him in the highest rank of the landed gentry of the period. He mar- ried Johanna, youngest daughter of Gov. Anthony Brockholst.' They were the parents of five children : Frederick, born in New York; Philip, baptized 1727; Susannah, born Sept. 27thj 1727, married Col. Beverly Robinson; Mary, born July 5th, 1730, married Col. Roger Morris; and Margaret, who died un married. Mrs. Johanna Philipse was killed by a fall from her carriage on the Highland estate, and her husband, Frederick Philipse, died July 26th, 1751, at the age of 53. He was buried at the old Dutch Church, at Tarrytown, on his Manor of Philipsburg. The following notice of his death appeared in the "New York Gazette:" "Last Friday evening departed this life in the 53rd year of his age the Honorable Frederick Philipse Esq. one of his Majes- ties justices of the Supreme Court of the Province and a Representative in the General Assembly for the County of Westchester. He was a gentleman conspicuous for an abundant fortune, but it was not his wealth that established his merit. His indulgence and tenderness to his tenants, his more than parental affection for his children, and his incessant liberality to the indigent surpassed the splendor of his estate, and pro- cured him a more unfeigned regard than can be purchased with opulence, or gained by interest. There were perhaps few men that ever equaled him in those obliging and benevolent manners, which, at the same time that they attract the love of his Inferiors, gained him all the respect and veneration due to his 'Gov. Anthony Brookholst married Susannah, daughter of Palus Schrick, an early settler who came from Holland. He left five children: Henry; Judith, wife of Dirck Van Vechten; Susannah, wife of Philip French; Mary, who died unmarried; and Johanna, wife of Frederick Philipse. A will of Susannah, widow of Gov. Brookholst, dated 1724, is among the Philipse papers. 30 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. lank and station. That he was a lover of his country is glo- riously attested by his being repeatedly elected into the Assem- bly, for the last thirty years of his life. He had a disposition extremely social and was, what few ever attain to, a good com- panion. But what I have said of his character, is far from being a finished portrait, it is only a sketch of some few of his excellent qualities; many features I am sure have escaped me, but I dare say that those I have attempted are not set off with false colors, but drawn faithfully from the life." He died possessed of a large fortune which was distributed among his children. ABSTBACT OF WILL OF FKBDEEIOK PHILIPSE. " In the name of God, Amen. I Frederick Philipse of the city of New York being in tolerable health of body and of sound and perfect mind and understanding, thanks be to Almighty God, do make this my last will and testament. And first I surrender and Recommend my immortal soul into the hands of the infinite God who gave it, hopeing for salvation through the merits of my blessed Reedeemer Jesus Christ, and my body I order to be buried with great Decency but with no ostentation in the family vault at the Upper Mills, and as touching the distribution of my estate I devise as follows: " Item first orders all debts and funeral charges paid. "Item Second Whereas my uncle Adolph Philipse and Jacobus Van Cortlandt purchased of John Richbell a certain tract of land at Mamaraneck in the County of Westchester, and Jacobus Van Cortlandt conveyed all his estate in the said tract to the said Adolph Philipse which is come to me as heir at law, I bequeath the same unto my eldest son Frederick. * * * All the manor of Philipsburg and all tracts of land in West- chester County, that are on the east of Hudson's river and bounded northward by a creek called by the Indians Kichta wank and by the English Kroten's river, and so eastward into the woods along the creek two English miles, and thence upon a direct East line to Bronks river, and so running Southward along Bronks river, until a direct west line cutteth the South side of a neck or Island of land at a creek or Kill called Pap- parinimo, which divides York island from the main, and so from thence north ward along Hudson's river to the creek called Kichtawank, (excepting the farm in the possession of William FREnEHICK PHILIPSE- The "Yonker" ar "Judge"- (ob, 17ai,) FrDm painting in posssssinn at New Ycrk Hlstnncal Snclety *HTOT¥Pe, t eiEHSTADT. N GENERAL HISTORY. 31 Jones hereinafter devised) also the bridge called Kingsbridge with all the Tolls, and also my salt meadow in Orange County adjoining Hudson's river, and also that certain Lott of Ground facing Duke Street, also the house and land where John Pintard lately lived, also that dwelling house store house and Lott situate in Stone street in the City of New York now in posses- sion of my son in law Beverly Robinson * * to my eldest son Frederick Philipse during his life, and after his death to his eldest son. [The will then proceeds to entail this estate upon the male heirs to all futurity]. " To my dearly beloved wife Johanna an annuity of £400. "I order the sum of £400 to be expended towards erecting a Church of England as by law established on the farm near and to the northward of the house now in the possession of Wm. Jones Senior, by the Saw mill river, and I devise the farm now in tenure of Wm. Jones for the use of such ministers as shall be inducted in said church to remain as a Glebe for said Church.' [The portion of the will which disposes of the Highland Patent is given entire in another place]. " Whereas upon the marriage of my son Philip I promised to give him Two thousand Pounds which I have paid him, and whereas I also promised to my daughter Susannah the like sum as her marriage portion which I have since paid to her husband Beverly Robinson: it is my will that the like sum be paid to each of my other daughters, to wit Mary and Margaret Philipse, at their marriage * * * and as good an outsett in clothing, plate, kitchen and household furniture as my eldest daughter Susannah has received from me. " I bequeath to my daughter Susannah, wife of Beverly Rob- inson, all that dwelling house gang way and Lott of ground whereon I now live, and to my daughter Mary the dwelling house and Lott where Mr. David Clarkson lately lived being the corner of Stone street, and to my daughter Margaret all that house and Lott bounded South by Mr. Chambers, west by high water mark, north partly by an Alley and partly by the house and grounds of Bartholemew Le Rouse, and east partly by the ground of the said Rouse and partly by the Broadway, and to my son Philip ' my dwelling house where my uncle Adolph Philipse lived and dyed in ' and store house and lot of ground thereto belonging: and to my son Frederick all that my corner 'This is the farm and church lot of the Episcopal Church in Yonkers. 32 HISTORY OK PUTNAM COUNTY. house fronting Broadway and Stone street, and the house and ground where John Roome now lives and my storehouse and lot fronting Broad Street. " I devise to my wife Johanna my Coach house in New Street during her life. * * * "To my son Frederick all my stock and utensils and all my negroes, except my negro boy Charles whom I bequeath to my wife. * * * I appoint my dearly beloved wife Johanna Philipse, my son Philip, my son in law Beverley Robinson executors of this Will, and my , daughters Mary and Margaret executrixes. In virtue whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixth of June in the year one thousand and seven hundred and fifty one. " Feed Philipse. (L. S.)" " Witnesses Jos. Murray, Wm. Livingston, James Emott." A codicil to this will July 22d, 1751, gives to his wife Johanna the use of the houses and lots in New York given in the will to his daughters, during her life, and enumerates forty-six negroes, which were divided among his children. Frederick Philipse, the oldest son, was the last lord of the Manor of Philipsburg. He is said to have been a man of quiet manners and indisposed to exertion. He was colonel of militia, and member of the Provincial Assembly. At the time of the Revolution he adhered to the Royal cause but took no active ' part in hostility to the new government and was permitted to live in quiet neutrality in Connecticut, Upon giving his parole. In an evil hour he was induced to go to New York, when occu- pied by the British and very imprudently neglected all warn- ings to return. In consequence he was with many others attainted of treason, his immense estate of Philipsburg confis- cated and sold in small parcels to his former tenants, who thus became landlords, and he himself banished from his native land where his ancestors had been so highly distinguished, went to England and ended his days there. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Charles Williams, Esq., and his descendants are still living in Great Britain. In the Cathedral, in Chester, England, is a marble tablet to his memory bearing the following inscription: FREHERICK PHILIFSE- "CDlDnel"- (ah, 17E5,) From painting, in passession of New York Histarical SjciBty. ARTOTYPE, £. BIER8TADT, N, Y GENERA!; HISTORY. 33 "Sacred to the memory of Frederick Philipse, Esq., late of the province of New York, a gentleman in whom the various Social, Domestic and Religious virtues were eminently united. The uniform rectitude of his conduct commanded the esteem of others, whilst the benevolence of his heart and the gentleness of his manners secured their love: and firmly attached to his Sovereign and British Constitution he opposed, at the hazzard of' his life, the late Rebellion in North America, and for this faithful discharge of his duty to his King and Country he was proscribed, and his Estate, one of the largest in New York, was confiscated by the usurped Legislature of that Province: when the British troops were withdrawn from New York in 1783 he quitted a province to which he had always been an ornament and benefactor, and came to England leaving all his property behind him, which reverse of fortune he bore with that calm- ness, fortitude and dignity, which had distinguished him through every former stage of his life. He was born at New York the 12th day of Sept., 1720, and died in this place the 30 April 1785 aged 65 years." Philip Philipse, the second son, who with his sisters became the owner of the Highland Patent, married Margaret, daughter of Nathaniel Marston.' They were n(,S the parents of three children: Adolph, born August 17th, 1745; Frederick, born May 3d, 1755; and Nathaniel, born August 5th, 1756. Philip Philipse died at an early age. May 9th, 1768, and was buried in the vault of Nathaniel Marston, in Trinity Church, New York. 'Nathaniel Mai'ston, the ancestor of the family, was born in Leicestershire in 1600, settled in the West Indies in 1633, and was agent of the Company for settling the Island of Providence " on account of his knowledge of those parts." He had a wife, Mary, and a son John, who had a Patent for land on Long Island in 1666. John married Anne Say and had two children, Nathaniel and Anne. Nathaniel was born about 1665 and left Long Island and settled in New York, where he was a prominent citizen and for many years vestryman of Trinity Church, and helped to build the church at New Rochelle. He married Margriete, daughter of Abel and Anetje Hardenbrock and died in 1737, leaving children: Nathaniel; Thomas, who died in 1741, unmarried; Margaret, wife of — — Hendly; John, (who had wife Mary and children: Mary, wife of George Richards, and Anne, wife of John Minot); Mary, who died unmarried; and Anne, wife of Ebenezer Grant. 3 34 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. WILL OF PHILIP PHILIPSE. "In the name of God, Amen. I Philip Philipse of the City of New York, being at present weak in body but of sound and disposing mind and Memory do make this my last will & Test- ament in manner and form following. "First, I will that all my just debts be paid and satisfied, for the paymen whereof I do hereby charge all that my Tract or Lot of land called Lot Number eight, situate in the County of Dutchess, containing about eleven thousand and fifty seven acres, and which for that purpose I do hereby order and em- power my executors hereinafter mentioned or the majority of them to sell and dispose of the said tract or Lot of Land to any purchaser or purchasers in fee simple. Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Margaret Philipse all my plate furniture and personal estate whatsoever. "Item, all the rest of my real estate whatsoever, not here- inbefore disposed of I give unto my said wife Margaret Philipse and unto my sons Adolph Philipse, Frederick Philipse, and Nathaniel Philipse, their heirs and assigns forever, equally to be divided among them share and share alike. And if any of my said children should happen to die under age, and without lawful issue and in such case I give and devise the part or share of him, so dying under age and without lawful Issue unto my said wife and surviving children, their heirs and assigns forever equally to be divided between them, share and share alike. "Item, I give and bequeath all the monies that shall arise Nathaniel was born March 27th, 1704, and married Mary, d3,ughter of John and Elizabeth Crook. Like his father he was a prominent citizen and Warden of Trinity. He died October 21st, 1778, and was buried in a vault in Trinity Church. His children were: 1st, Margaret, born March 14th, 1737-8. 3d, Nathaniel, born December 1st, 1730, and married Anna, daughter of Jacobus Van Cortlandt. Their children were: Frances, wife of Charles Morgan, afterwards Warburton, Bishop of Lemerick; and Mary, who married her cousin, Frederick Philipse, son of Philip. After the death of Jacobus Van Cortlandt, his widow married Van Home and had four children: Aug;ustus Valette; Elizabeth, wife of Thomas S. Clarkson; Frederick; Ann Mary, wife of Levinus Clarkson; and James P. 3d, Thomas, born April 16th, 1739, married Amelia Lispenard, and died January 11th, 1814. 4th, John, born December 6th, 1742, graduated at Kings College, 1760. He married Rachel, wife of Thomas Lawrence, and had children: Mary, wife of Thomas White; Nathaniel; Rachel, wife of Nathaniel Grant; Thomas and John. There are descendants of this family in England and the West Indies. PHILIP PHILIPSE (Db, 1758.) Frnm painting in passessian of Phllipse- G-DU-u-ernEur family. AUTOTYPE, c. BIEHPTADT,-* N GENERAL HISTOEY. 35 from the sale of the said Lot number eight herein before ordered to be sold that shall be more than sufficient for the payment of my debts unto my said wife Margaret Philipse, her executors and assigns forever. "And lastly I do hereby nominate and appoint my said wife Margaret Philipse, Mr. Nathaniel Marston, The Honourable Roger Morris Esq. and Beverly Robinson, executors of this my last will and Testament. "In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this thirtieth day of January in the year of our Lord one thous- and seven hundred and sixty eight. "Philip Philipse." After the decease of her husband, Mrs. Margaret Philipse married Rev. John Ogilvie, D.D., assistant minister of Trinity Church, April 15th, 1769. He died November 26th, 1774. She survived him many years and died February 11th, 1807. There were no children by this marriage. Nathaniel, the youngest son, graduated from King's College (now Columbia) May 18th, 1773. He was an officer in the British army, and his commission as Ensign in the 17th Regi- ment, signed by Sir William Howe, is dated August 28th, 1776. He was killed at the battle of Germautown, October 4th, 1777, at the early age of 21 years, 1 month, and 29 days. The follow- ing letter bore to his friends the notice of his untimely death. " Camp near Germantown 11 8berl777 "My Dear Fred. " It is with the greatest concern that I find myself obliged to inform you of the unhappy fate of poor Nat. He was killed the 4th instant, in an attack made by 23,000 rebels on German- town. He received his wound on the left cheek, the ball lodged near the brain. He was buried, but Mr. Marston had him dug up and carried to Philadelphia where he was interred the 6th inst. "It must be a great consolation to his friends that (since it was God's will he should be cutoff) he fell universally regretted. Also that he did not linger any time in torment. He never spoke. This is indeed a severe trial for poor Mrs. Ogilvie. God grant her fortitude to bear it. We had a number of officers 36 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. killed and wounded. Mr and Mrs Marston and family are verj'^ well. I assure you it is impossible for me to return the partic- ular attention they honor me with. I shall always acknowledge it with gratitude. I hope your familj^ are all well. Present my affectionate respects and love to Mrs Marston, Mrs Ogilyie, Philip and Miss Marston. "And believe me to be Dear Fred "Your most affectionate "Wm Jehbson." As Nathaniel Philipse was of lawful age when he died and left no will, his share of his father's estate went to his eldest brother, Adolph, who died June 8th, 1785, unmarried, and from his will dated June 2d, 1785, and proved June 24th of same year it is learned that he gave to his mother the use of one thousand pounds during her life; to Mary Saunders £250; and to Elizabeth Aymar the use of £500 till she was 21 years of age, or married, and then the principal was to be paid to her. He also gave Ann Grant and Margaret Grant £150 each. The testator charged his entire estate with the payment of these legacies, and gave all the residue of his estate to his broth- er, Frederick Philipse, during his life, and after his death to the testator's neice, Mary Philipse, daughter of his brother Fred- erick, her heirs and assigns forever. In case she should die in her father's lifetime without issue the same was to go to Fred- erick Philipse absolutely. He appointed his mother Margaret Ogilvie, executrix; Thom- as Belden and Richard Harrison, executors. Mrs. Margaret Ogilvie died intestate, leaving as her sole and only heir her son, Frederick Philipse. Both Adolph Philipse and his brother Frederick were officers in the British army. The commission of the former, as captain in an "Independent Company of Rangers" is signed by Wil- liam Tryon, the last provincial governor, and dated September 9th, 1772; while the commission of the latter, as captain in the "Safe Guards whereof Beverly Robinson is Colonel," is signed by Sir Henry Clinton, and dated July 1st, 1779. Frederick' Philipse graduated from King' s College, and his diploma, dated May 18th, 1773, is, with that of his ill-fated brother Nathaniel, among the Philipse papers in possession of the family. In 1811, Frederick Philipse released to his daughter, Mary, FREnERICK PHILIPSE- "Captain"- (nb, lB2g,) From painting in pDSSEssian of PhnipsE- G-DnvRTnBnr family. iHTOTYPE, E BIEReTADT, GENERAL HISTORY. 37 his life interest in Lot No. 6, the fee of which she iaherited by the will of his brother Adolph. ^^T"^^ It will be seen by the foregoing that the whole of the High- land Patent was at the close of the Revolution vested in Beverly Robinson and his wife Susannah, Roger Morris and his wife Mary, Frederick Philipse and his daughter Mary, and Mrs. Ogil- vie. The shares of Robinson and Morris were confiscated as will be seen in a succeeding chapter. Frederick Philipse married his cousin, Mary Marston, who died in December, 1849, and by this marriage he had one child, Mary, born October 14th, 1779, who married Samuel Gouverneur about 1801. After the decease of his first wife, Mr. Philipse married Maria Kemble, who left no children. Frederick Philipse died May 3d, 1829, leaving his daughter Mary Gouverneur his sole heir. The children of Mary Philipse and Samuel Gouverneur were: Frederick Philipse, (who by an Act of Legislature' took the name of Frederick Philipse) ; Adolph - i ,^ , Nathaniel, born Sep- ^^l^U,^ ^ ^.^£^ tember 29th, 1805, / who married Eliza- beth Gill. He died S^ /i'SO ^ January 28th, 1853, leaving one daughter Mary, the wife of John H. Iselin; Samuel M. W., who died unmarried December 18th, 1876; Margaret Philipse, who married William Moore; and Mary Marston, who is now living at Garrisons. Frederick Philipse, the eldest son, married Catharine Wads- worth Post. He died October 26th, 1874, leaving two daughters: Catharine Wadsworth Philipse; and Margaret Gouverneur Phil- ipse, both now living at Garrisons. Samuel Gouverneur died January 28th, 1847, at the age of 76. '"An act to change the name of Frederick P. Gouverneur, passed April 7th, 1830." "Be it enacted, &c." "The name of Frederick P. Gouverneur of the town of PhUipstown in the county of Putman is hereby changed to Frederick Philipse, by which latter name he shall be hereafter known in all cases what- soever." 38 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. His wife survived him a year and died December 4th, 1848. She left her real estate to her five children. In the old Philipse Manor House at Yonkers one feature has puzzled colonial antiquarians. Above the mantel, in the prin- cipal room, is blazoned in relief the well known ostrich plume badge of the Princes of Wales. , That the Philipses — holding their lands by favor of the Crown, high in the colonial councils of the British monarch, growing rich in the sunshine of royal patronage and confidence, ostentatiously loyal while the colony was dividing into tory and whig — should have committed a tech- nical high treason and have flung in the face of royalty so gratu- itous an insult as the unauthorized display of the badge in question would have been, is not to be imagined. That by special permission they bore the badge of the heirs apparent of the crown is equally out of the question, since such a conces- sion woiald have been a matter of record and well known to the royal heralds, who have no note of this, and the fact would have been a proud memory of the family, which, however, has no tradition in such regard. The only remaining alternative is that the Philipse family blazoned the badge in their own right, independently of the Princes of Wales, not improbably from a common source. This is supported by the tradition corrobor- ated by historical data, that the Philipses came from Bohemia; for the current derivation of the -badge of the Princes of Wales is that the Black Prince took it from the blind king of Bo- hemia conquered at Cressy. That an old Bohemian family should bear the badge in its own right is therefore easily under- stood. But a still more striking coincidence has been pointed out by Mr. Woodward, the American antiquarian, who cites the more trustworthy derivation, viz., that the ostrich plumes came into British heraldry from Philippa of Hainault, whose cogniz- ance it was. The continental method, devised among the Ro- mans, of naming all daughters by the patronym of the gens, so that the daughters of the Cornelian gens would be named in the order of seniority, Cornelia Prima, Cornelia Secunda, &c., and the heiresses of Philip all Philippas, is so well known and was so generally followed, that the coincidence, combined with that of the badge, almost proves the identity of the family from whom Philippa of Hainault took the name with that whose name has been preserved as "Philip (se) "—in itself a patronym. This combined with the identity of the other or GENERAL HISTORY. 39 Bohemian tradition (also common both to the badge of the Prince of Wales and the Philipse family) leaves it hard to doubt that the heir-apparent of the British Crown and the Vred- erick Flypsen, driven from his country because of his religion, and seeking his fortunes in New Amstei-dam, derived the badge of ostrich plumes from a common source. Whether from Philippa of Hainault or the blind king of Bohemia, or neither, does not matter, since the probable cause of the varying tra- ditions as to whence the Black Prince took his cognizance is that it was derived from an older source from which it had also descended both to the blind king and the heiress of Philip. CHAPTER IV. THE DIVISION OF THE HIGHLAND PATENT. UPON the decease of Frederick Philipse in 1751, the High • land Patent, by the terms of his will, passed into the possession of his four younger children; Philip, Susannah, Mary and Margaret. The last died about 1752, without issue, and her share went to others in equal proportions. It will be seen by referring to the terms of the will that these persons did not have the estate in fee simple absolute, but that it was en- tailed, they owning simply a life interest. Before proceeding to a division of this tract, they resolved to take steps to bar the entail. The documents connected with the case are curious and interesting as showing the old forms of English law, and a complicated course of procedure which has long since passed away. The first step in this process was to make an arrangement by which certain lands which had been leased to Petrus Dubois could be included, and the following instrument was executed. " To all to whom these presents shall come, I, Peter Dubois, Junior, of Dutchess County send greeting. Whereas I do hold for the term of my life, out of the tract of land lately belong- ing to Adolph Philipse, Esq., deceased, in the county of Dutchess, conimonly known by the name of the Highlands or Philipse' s upper Patent, on the east side of the Hudson River, at the south side of the Pishkill, begining at the head of a spring by a Botten Wood tree marked on two sides with three notches, and a cross on the north side, then north westward along said spring, till it comes in a brook or run of water; then northward along said brook till it comes in the Fishkill Bay by a place called Plum Point, and then beginning again by the Botten Wood tree at the head of the aforesaid spring; thence south east to the body of the high hills; then eastward along SUSiiNIsraH PHILTPSE- Mrs, Rnbinsnn: ah. (1822) Prnm painting in passBssinn nf Neto- Tork Historical SociEtv ARTOTYPE, E BIERSTADT, n. GENERAL HISTOEY. 41 said hills and from the aforesaid place called Plum Point, and eastward along the said Fishkill till it includes one hundred and fifteen acres of land, between the high hills and the Fishkills, with the hereditaments and appurtenances, the immediate re- version or remainder whereof doth now belong unto Philip Philipse, Beverly Robinson, and Susannah, his wife, and Mary Philipse, and to the respective heirs of the bodys of the said Philip, Susannah, and Mary forever. "Now, know ye that for the perfecting of some assurance shortly to be made by the said Philip Philipse, Beverly Robin- son, and Susannah, his wife, and Mary Philipse, of the said lands and tenements by way of common recovery, for and in consideration of one shilling, lawful money of New York, to me paid, I have granted and sui-rendered and by these presents do grant and surrender unto the said Philip Philipse, Beverly Robinson, and Susannah, his wife, and Mary Philipse, and their heirs, upon the condition hereinafter mentioned, all the said lands and tenements, and all my estate, right, title, and in- terest therein and within the bounds of the said tract of land called the Highlands or Philipse' s upper Patent. '' To have and to hold to the said Philip Philipse, Beverly Robinson, and Susannah, his wife, and Mary Philipse, and their heirs, upon condition that if they, the said Philip Philipse, Beverly Robinson, and Susannah, his wife, and Mary P'hilipse do not pay, or cause to be paid unto me, the said Peter D. Bois, the sum of five hundred pounds, lawful money of New York, upon the first day of June next ensuing after the date hereof, thai then and from henceforth this present grant and surrender shall be utterly void and of none effect, and that then it shall be lawful for me, the said lands and tenements to repossess and enjoy, as in my former estate and right, anything in these presents in any wise to the contrary notwithstanding. " In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, the twenty-seventh day of June, in the twenty-seventh year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, George the Second, Annoque Domini 1753. "Petrus Dubois. (L. S.)" The next step was whac was styled a " deed of lease and re- lease " by which the premises were leased to a third party who was in reality the attorney for the persons interested. 42 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. ." This Indenture made the twenty-eighth day of June in the twenty-seventh year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord, George, the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britian, France and Ireland., King, Defender of the Faith, &c. Anno Domini, 1753, between Philip Philipse, Beverly Robinson and Susannah, his wife, and Mary Philipse of the first part and William Alexander of the second part Witnesseth, that the parties afore said of the first part for and in consideration of five shillings to them in hand paid by the said William AleX; ander have bargained and sold and by these presents do bargain and sell to the said William Alexander all that large tract of land situate and being on the east side of Hudsons River in Dutchess County in the province of New York which by letters patent was granted to Adolph Philipse deceased which said tract of land is commonly called and known by the name of Mr. Phillipses upper or Highland patent together with the appurte- nances, which tract of land is more fully to be described in a release and deed to lead to ihe uses of a recovery of the premises to-morrow to be made, Together with all the estate, right, title and interest of the parties aforesaid of the first part and of every of them of in and to the said large tract of land and premises with the appurtenances. " To have and to hold the above-bargained premises to the said William Alexander from the day before the day of the date of these presents for and during the term of one whole year from thence next ensuing to the intent that by virtue of these presents and of the Statute for transferring uses into pos- session jthe said William Alexander may be in the actual posses- sion of the premises and thereby enabled to accept of a grant and a release of a freehold in the premises, to morrow to be made that he may be a perfect Tenant to a precipe in a common recovery of the premises to be suffered. . " In witness whereof the parties to these presents Indentures have interchangeably set their hands and seals the day and year first above written. " Philip Philipse. (l. s.) " Susannah Robinson, (l. s.) " William Alexander, (l. s.) " Bev. Robinson. (l. s.) " Mary Philipse. (l. s.) MARY FHILIPSE- Mrs, Mnrrls- (nh. 1825,) Ftdih painting in possEssinn of PhllipsE- G-DuvBrneur family. AHTOTYPE E. BIERBTADT, » GENERAL HISTORY. 43 " Sealed and delivered in the presence of " John Rypel. " Catherine Jandin." The " Statute for transferring uses into possession," which is mentioned in the foregoing lease is very frequently mentioned in ancient deeds. By its provisions a person who held a lease of a piece of land for one year was considered in actual posses- sion, although he might never have seen it. It then became customary when selling land to parties who did not intend to enter upon actual occupancy, to give a lease for "one whole year" for a nominal sum. By this means the person in the eye of the law became actually "seized " of the premises the same as if dwelling upon it. The next day, a deed was made out in full form, and with all the verbosity which characterized ancient conveyances of land, and which has not yet wholly disappeared, and the delivery of this deed was in effect putting the purchaser in actual possession, as much as the still more ancient form of delivery to the purchaser of a " turf and a twig " as a part and parcel of the granted premises. In accordance with this law and custom the following deed was given the next day. " This Indenture Quintipartite, made the twenty-ninth day of -June in the twenty seventh year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britian France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c Annoque Domini 1753, Between Philip Philipse of the first part, Beverly Robinson and Susannah his wife of the Second part, Mary Philipse of the third part William Alexander of the fourth part and Thomas Jones of the fifth part, Whereas Colonel Frederick Philipse deceased father of the said Philip, Susannah and Mary by his last Will and Testament in his life time duly made and executed by him and bearing date on or about the sixth day of June one thousand seven hundred and fif tj^ one amongst other things recited that there was a large tract of land situate and being on the East side of Hudsons River which by letters patent bearing date on or about the seventeenth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and ninety seven was granted unto Adolph Philipse Uncle to the testator and his heirs, butted and bounded as therein mentioned refer- ence being thereunto had, which said tract of land was com- monly called or known by the name of Mr. Philipses upper or 44 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. highland patent and which said large tract of land and the estate right and title in and to the same then belonged to and was vested in the said Frederick Philipse the Testator as heir at Law to his said Uncle Wherefore he the said Frederick by his last Will did devise and bequeath the said large tract of land with the appurtenances in the manner in the said last Will set forth that is to say, one quarter part thereof unto his said son Philip party to these presents and to the heirs of his body for- ever, one other quarter part thereof unto his eldest Daughter Susannah party to these presents and to the heirs of her body forever. One other quarter part thereof unto his second daugh- ter Mary party to these presents and to the heirs of her body forever, and the other quarter part thereof unto his youngest daughter Margaret Philipse since deceased and to the heirs of her body forever, and the said Frederick the Testator by his said last Will did provide that if his said son Philip Philipse or any or either of his said daughters should happen to die without issue then and in such case the quarter part or parts thereby devised to him her or those of them so dying without issue he did Will devise and bequeath unto the survivor of them equally to be divided between them and to the respective heirs of their body forever and if three of them should happen to die without issue then he willed devised and bequeathed the three quarter parts of those so dying without issue unto the sur- vivor of them and to the heirs of the body of such survivor forever with sundry further remainders over upon the contin- gency s therein mentioned as by the said last Will duly proved and remaining of record in the Secretary's Office of New York, reference being thereunto had fully and at large may appear. " Now this Indenture Witnesseth that (in order to the bar- ring and docking the said Intails and remainder over) the parties aforesaid of the first second and third part for and in consideration of the sum of five shillings to them in hand paid by the said William Alexander the receipt whereof they do hereby acknowledge and discharge him thereof for ever have granted bargained sold released enfeoffed and confirmed and they and every of them by these presents do grant bargain sell release enfeoff and confirm to the said William Alexander party hereto (the same in his possession being by virtue of a bargain and sale to him thereof made bearing date the day be- fore the day of the date of these presents and by virtue of the MARG-fiRET PHILIPSE- (oh, 17S2,) FrDm painting in possEssinn nf Piiillpsp- Gau-u-ernEur family, PE, c. BIERSTADT, GENERAL HISTORY. 45 Statute for transferring uses into possession) and to his assigns all the said large tract of land situate and being on the east side of Hudsons River which by the Letters patent aforesaid was granted to the said Adolph Philipse which said tract of land is commonly called and known by the name of Mr. Philipse' s upper or highland patent, together with all the estate right title and interest of the parties aforesaid of the first second and third part of it in and to the same and every part thereof with the appurtenances. "To have and to hold the above bargained and released premises unto the said William Alexander and his assigns for and during the natural lives of the parties aforesaid of the first, second and third part to the intent and purpose that the said William Alexander shall and may be perfect tenant of the Freehold of all the lands and premises above mentioned until one good and perfect recovery may be had against him the said William Alexander of the same lands and premises, and it is covenanted, granted, concluded and agreed by and between all the said parties to these presents that it shall and may be law- ful to and for the said Thomas Jones party hereto of the fifth part, before the last day of October term next ensuing the date of these presents to prosecute out of the high Court of Chan- cery for the province of New York one or more Writt or Writts of entry Sur Disseizin in Le port against the said William Alexander returnable in the Supreme Court of New York, whereby the said Thomas Jones shall and may demand against the said William Alexander all and singular the aforesaid premises with the appurtenances by the name of five hundred messuages, twenty mills, twenty dove houses, five hundred gar- dens, two hundred thousand acres of land, one hundred thous- and acres of meadow, two hundred thousand acres of pasture, two hundred thousand acres of wood, thirty thousand acres of Marsh, ten thousand acres of land covered with water and com- mon of pasture for all cattle, with appurtenances at Philipses upper patent and Philipses precinct and in Dutchess, or by such other name or names, quantity or quantitys, quality or qualitys, number or content of acres, as shall be thought fitt and requisite, unto which said Writ or Writs, the said William Alexander shall appear in his proper person and shall vouch to warrant the said Philip Philipse herein first named who shall appear gratis upon the voucher and shall enter into warranty 46 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. and shall vouch over to warrant thp said Beverly Robinson and Susannah his wife who shall also appear gratis upon the voucher and shall enter into warranty and shall vouch over to warrant the said Mary Philipse party to these presents who shall also appear gratis upon the voucher and shall enter into warranty and shall vouch over to warrant the common vouchee and the common vouchee shall appear and Imparte and afterwards make default whereby on'e recovery or judgment may be had and given for the said Thomas Jones for recovery of the said lands tenements hereditaments and premises aforesaid against the said William Alexander and for the said William Alexander to recover over in value against the said Philip Philipse first named and for the same Philip Philipse to recover over in value against the said Beverly Robinson and Susannah his wife and for the same Beverly Robinson and Susannah his wife to recover over in value against the said Mary Philipse party to these presents and for the said Mary Philipse to recover over in value against the common vouchee according to the manner and form of common Recoverys in such case used, and it is further cove- nanted, granted concluded and agreed by and between all and every of the said parties to these presents and the true intent and meaning of the parties to these presents is that from and im.mediately after the said common Recovery shall be had prose- cuted and suffered as aforesaid of the said premises the said Recovery shall be and enure and. it is hereby declared to have been intended to be and enure that the said Thomas Jones and all and every other person or persons which shall be seized of the premises or any part thereof by force and virtue of the said common Recovery shall stand and be seized thereof and of every part and parcel thereof with their and every of their appurtenances to the uses following to witt, as for touch- ing and concerning one third part .(the whole in three equal parts to be divided) of all the said lands and premises, to the sole and only proper use benefit and behoof of the said Philip Philipse, party to these presents of the first part his heirs and assigns forever and as for touching and concerning one other third part (the whole in three equal parts to be divided) of all the said lands and premises to the sole and only proper use benefit and behoof of the said Susannah party to these presents of the second part, her heirs and assigns forever, and as for touching or concerning the remaining thiVd part (the whole in GENERAL HISTORY. 47 three equal parts to be divided) of all the said lands and prem- ises to the sole and only proper use, benefit and behoof of the said Mary Philipse party to these presents of the third part her heirs and assigns forever and to no other usfe, intent or purpose whatsoever. " In Witness Whereof the parties to these present Indentures have interchangeably set their hands and seals the day and year first above written. "Philip Philipse. " Susannah Robinson. "William Alexander. "Bev. Robinson. "Mary Philipse. "Thomas Jones. The role in the action of Thomas Jones against William Alex- ander is not on file in New Yorls county or Albany, and the only trace of the action of ejectment contemplated in the fore- going that has been found is in the rough minutes of the Supreme Court of the Province of New York for 1753, where the following appears at pages 271 and 292: "Mr. Chief Justice DeLancey took his seat on the bench. (L. S.) (L. S.) (L. S.) (L. S.) (L. S.) (L. S.)" THOMAS JONES, Demandant, against WILLIAM ALEXANDER, Tenant. " On writ of entry sur .Dissiezin in leport for Tenements and Commons in Dutchess County. "The writ returned and filed, the demandant appears in his proper person and prays the tenant may be called. The tenant being called appears in his proper person. The demandant counts against him. "The tenant vouches Philip Philipse to warrant: Philip Phil- ipse appears gratis in his proper person. Philip Philipse present in Court enters into warranty and prays that the de- mandant may count against him, the said Philip Philipse. The 48 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. demandant counts against Philip Philipse. Philip Philipse vouches to warrant Beverly Robinson and Susannah, his wife. Beverly Robinson and Susannah his wife begin called appear gratis in their propgr person, and the said Susannah being first examined by the Court, the said Beverly Robinson and Susan- nah his wife enter into warranty and pray that the demandmant may count against them. The demandmant counts against Bev- erly Robinson and Susannah his wife. Beverly Robinson and Susannah his wife vouch to warrant Mary Philipse. Mary Philipse being called appears gratis in her proper person. Mary Philipse present in Court enters into warranty and that the demandmant may count against her: the demandmant counts against Mary Philipse. Mary Philipse vouches to war- rant Thomas Wenman: Thomas Weiiman being called, appears in his proper person. Thomas Wenman present in Court enters into warranty and prays that the demandmant counts against him. The demandant counts against Thomas Wenman. Thomas Wenman, present in Court, pleads that Hugh Hunt did not dis- seize the said Thomas Jones, as by the writ and count it is alleged. The demandmant prayed leave to imparle; granted by the Court. The Remembrance Roll in this cause marked at the bar filled, on which are entered the precipe, writ of entry and sherifl"s return. Afterwards the demandmant returned into Court, and Thomas Wenman being called, did not appear, therefore judgment is entered." "Present — The Hon. John Chambers, Esq., Second Justice. THOMAS JONES, Demandant^ against WILLIAM ALEXANDER, Tenant. " On the Writ of Seizin in this cause, the Sheriff of Dutchess County, returns that on the second day of August, instant, he had caused the demandmant to have plenary seizin of the mes- suages, tenements and common in the said write specified with the appurtenances. Writ of Seizin with return filed enrollment GENERAL HISTORY. 49 of writ of entry and return recovery. Writ of Seizin and return examined and signed by Mr. Justice Chambers are now filed and exemplification thereof made and delivered to the demandant." The lands were thus freei from the incumbrance of the entail- ment and we now have premises owned by Philip Philipse,. Mary Philipse and Susannah Eobinson (wife of Beverly Robin- son); each an equal share in fee simple absolute. In 1754, Philip Philipse, Mary Philipse and Susannah Robin- son divided the tract described in the grant to Adolph Philipse into nine lots, and made an actual partition of the same. The following is a copy of the partition deed for lot ~So. 8 and other lots, executed by Mary Philipse and Susannah Rob- inson to Philip Philipse: " This Indenture made the seventh day of February in the twenty -seventh year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord Greorge tlie Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c annoq Dom 1754 Between Beverly Robinson and Susannah his wife and Mary Philipse of the first part and Philip Philipse of the Second part — Whereas the said Susannah Robinson Mary Philipse and Philip Philipse are and Stand seized in Fee Simple in Common of all that certain Tract or parcel of Land granted unto Adolph Philipse then of the City of New York Merchant by his late Majesty King William the third by Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Province of New York bearing date the Seventeenth day of June in the Year of Our Lord one thousand six hundred and ninety-seven, in Dutchess County Scituate lying and being in the High Lands on ttie East side of Hudson River beginning at a certain red Cedar Tree marked on the north side of the Hill commonly Called Anthony's Nose, which is likewise the North Bounds of Collo Stephanus Van Courtlandts land on his Mannor of Courtland and from thence bounded by the said Hudson River as the said River runs Northerly until it comes to the Creek or run of water called and known by the name of the Great Fish Kill to the northward and above the said highlands which is likewise the south-ward Bounds of another Tract of Land belonging to the said Collo Stephanus Courtland and Company and so easterly along the said Court- landts Line and the South bounds of Collo Henry Beekman until it comes twenty miles or unto the Division or partition line between the Colony of Connecticut and the said Province 4 50 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. and Easterly by the said Division line and bounded northerly and southerly by east and west lines unto the said Division line Between the said Colony of Connecticut and the province aforesaid the whole being bounded westward by the same Hud- son River Northward by the land of CoUo Courtlandt and Com- pany and the land of Collo Beekman, eastward by the partition line between the Colony of Connecticut and the Province of New York and southerly by the Mannor of Courtlandt to the laad of the said Collo Courtlandt including therein a certain Island at the North side of the said Highlands called pollepels Island with the Hereditaments and Appurtenances thereunto belonging as by the said Letters Patent Relation being there- unto had may more fully and at Large Appear. And Whereas the said parties to these presents have by Jonathan Hampton their surveyor divided the greatest part of the said Tract or parcel of Land and distinguished the same by Lotts made and described Signed and delivered to the said Parties by the said Johnathan Hampton and left in the hands of Beverly Robinson Party hereto for the use of himself and the other parties to these presents their Heirs and Assigns when reasonably there- unto required by any of the other parties their heirs or Assigns and in order to an equal Division of the same have according to divers Assortments made by the said Johnathan Hampton drawn their several Lotts whereupon the Lots Number Two .Number Six and Number Eight (Except two thirds of the Meadow in the said Lot Number Two hereinafter described) protracted and laid down in the said Map do now belong to the Lott and share of the said Philip Philipse and are butted and bounded as follows, to wit Lott Number Two beginning at a pine Tree standing on the East Side of Hudsons River Markt P. R. and a heap of stones twenty-two chains below a noted Rock called the Old Wife lying in the Mouth of a Brook, which is the North west corner of Lott Number one then South sixty five degrees East eighty three Chains to a heap of stones on the Top of a hill then North Seventy three degrees East one hun dred and seventy four chains to a Chestnut tree marked P R 1753 on the west side standing in the line of Lott Number Four on the East Side of a steep Rocky Mountain, and in the North east Corner of Lott Number One, from thence North Ten de- grees east along the Line of said Lott number four, three hun- dred and fifty-seven Chains to a heap of Stones and a Walnut GENERAL HISTORY. 51 bush markt P. R. 1753 on a mountain being the Southeast cor- ner of Lott number three, then South seventy seven degrees. West three hundred and eighty- six chains along the Line of Lott number Three to Hudsons River where stands two Hemlock bushes markt P. R. in a Gully between Bull Hill and Breakneck Hill then down the several courses of Hudsons River (Including Martler's Rock) to the place where it first began containing Eleven thoiisand six hundred and Forty four Acres. Lott Num- ber Six beginning at a heap of stones at the Southeast corner of Lott Number Five in the line of the Mannor of Courtlandt then North Ten Degrees East Nine hundred and sixty chains to a heap of stones at the Northeast Corner of said Lott Number Five, then North eighty seven Degrees east Two hundred and Thirty nine Chains to a heap of Stones and White Oak Tree markt P R 1753 on the West side of a Mountain twenty Chains east from John Campbells House, which is the North West corner of Lott Number Seven, then South Ten Degrees West nine hun- dred and seventy three Chains to a Hemlock Tree markt P. R. 1753 on the South side of the East Branch of Crotens River and a heap of stones on the north side of said Branch in the line of the Mannor of Courtlandt at the Soxithwest corner of Lott Number nine then West along the Line of the Mannor of Courtlandt two hundred and thirty six Chains to the beginning, containing about twenty two thousand six hundred and thirty three Acrees. Lott number eigfM beginning at a heap of Stones in a Cleared Field in the line of Lott number Six being the Southwest corner of Lott number Seven then running east three hundred and thirty four chains to a large Rock and heap of Stones standing in the Road two Chains South from Nathan Burchams House in the Oblong line, then Southerly along the Oblong line three hun- dred and twenty chains to a Chestnut Bush markt P. R. 1753, being the Northeast Corner of Lott Number nine then West three hundred and thirty-seven Chains to a heap of Stones and Walnut Tree markt P. R. 1753 standing on the South Side of a Hill near the Old Meeting House in the line of Lott number six, from thence North Ten Degrees East three hundred and twenty chains along the line of said Lott number Six to the beginning, containing about ten thousand six hundred and thirty five acres. Now This Indenture Witnesseth that the parties aforesaid of the first part for and in Consideration of Mutual Grants and Re- leases from the said Philip Philipse to them the said Susannah 52 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Kobinson and Mary Philipse and to their Representative Heirs and Assigns of Divers other Lotts and Parcels of Lands in and by the said recited Letters so as aforesaid Granted and also for and in Consideration of the sum of ten shillings to them in-hand paid by the said Philip Philipse the receit whereof they do here- by acknowledge and thereof and therefrom do acquit and dis- charge the said Philip Philipse his Executors and Administra- tors have granted bargained sold aliened conveyed Released and Confirmed and by these presents do Grant Bargain Sell aliene Convey Release and Confirm unto the said Philip Philipse his heirs and assigns all and Singular those Lotts and parcels of Land before mentioned to belong to him the said Philip Philipse as they are above and in the said Map described and all and Sin- gular the Hereditaments and Appurtnances thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining (Excepting and Reserving out of the said Lott number two, two- thirds of the Meadow Land one of which two thirds doth belong to the Lott and share of the said Susannah Robinson and is butted and bounded as follows to witt beginning Ten chains north thirty nine Degrees East from a Large Pine Tree standing on a Rooky Point on the South east side of the Meadow Markt P. R. 1753 on the West side and from thence running North West across Crooked Creek to the upland upon Martlers Rock then running southerly along the Edge of the Upland to Hudsons River then easterly along Hudsons River until the beginning bears North thirty nine Degrees East then to the beginning place containing Seventy two Acres and the other of which doth belong to the Lott and share of the said Mary Philipse and butted and bounded as follows to witt begin- ning five chains from the upland upon Danfords Creek five chains also from the upland down Crooked Creek to the meadow belonging to Lott number one then North west to Martlers Rock then along the upland the North side of a little Island in the Meadow to the Mouth of Danfords Creek then up the said Creek to the beginning containing Eighty two acres) together with all the Woods Underwoods Trees Timber Feedings pastures Meadows Marshes Swamps jjonds Water Courses Rivers Rivu- lets Runs and Streams of Water Fishing fowling Hunting Hawk- ing (Excepting and Reserving all Mines and Minerals whatso- ever) standing growing lying being or found or to be used had and enjoyed within the Bounds and Limitts of the respective Lotts and parcels of Land above described and mentioned to be GENERAL HISTORY. 53 the Share of and belonging to the said Philip Philipse (except and Reserving as before is Excepted and reserved) and all other profitts Benefits privileges Liberties Advantages Hereditaments and Appurtenances whatsoever unto the said Lotts or parcels of Land Rights and Premises and each and every of them be- longing or in anyv^ise appertaining as fully and eflfectually to all interests and purposes As by the said Recited Letters Patent to the said Adolph Philipse the same are granted and Conveyed. To have and hold the said several Lotts or parcels of Land Right and Premises with their and every of their Appurtenances (Ex- cept as before is Excepted) to the said Philip Philipse his heirs and Assigns to the only proper use benefit and behoof of him the said Philip Philipse his heirs and Assigns forever Yielding and paying therefor Yearly and every year his proportionable part of the Quit rents in and by the said Letters Patent re- served at such time and place as by the said Letters Patent is directed and appointed And he the said Philip Philipse for him- self his heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns doth Cove- nant Grant promise and agree to and with the said parties of the first part and every of them and every of their Executors Administrators and Assigns that he the said Philip Philipse his heirs Executors administrators or assigns shall and Yearly and every Year forever hereafter well and truly yield render and pay or cause to be yielded rendered and paid unto his Majesty his heirs and successors at the City of New York on the Annuncia- tion of the blessed Virgin Mary the full and equal third part of the Quit Rent in and by the said Letters Patent reserved and made payable that is to say the Yearly Rent of Six Shillings and Eight pence according to the true intent and meaning here- of. And further that he the said Philip Philipse shall and will from time to time and at all times forever hereafter well and suf- ficiently save harmless and keep indemnified them the said parties of the first part and each and every of them their and each and every of their Goods and Chattels Lands and Tene- ments of from and against all costs charges and damages which may accrue or which they or either of them their or either of their Executors or administrators shall or may happen to sus- tain by Reason or means of his the said Philip Philipse not paying the said one third part of the said yearly Quit rent as aforesaid according to his Covenant and Undertaking aforesaid and the true intent and meaning of these Presents. And the 54 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. said Mary Philipse for herself her heirs Executors and Admin- istrators and the said Beverly Robinson for himself his heirs executors Administrators and for the said Susannah his wife do Severally and Respectively promise Covenant and agree to and with the said Philip Philipse his heirs and assigns that they severally have not done any Act Matter or thing whereby the premises hereby Granted or Released or any part thereof are or may be any ways impeached Charged or incumbered in Title estate or otherwise. " In Witness whereof the said Parties to these Presents have hereunto interchangeably set their hands and Seals the Day and Year first above written. " Philip Philipse. (L. S.) " Bev. Robinson. (L. S.) " Susannah Robinson. (L. S.) " Maby Philipse. (L. S.) " Witnesses. " William Livingston. " Ebenezer Bryant." partition deed to mary philipse. "This Indenture made the seventh day of February in the . Twenty seventh year of the reign of our sovereign Lord Greorge the Second by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the faith &c Annoq Domini one thousand seven hundred and fifty four Between Philip Philipse and Beverly Robinson and Susannah his wife of the first part and Mary Philipse of the second Part Whereas the said Philip Philipse Susannah Robinson and Mary Philipse are and stand seized in ffee simple in common of all that certain tract or par- cel of land granted unto Adolph Philipse then of the City of New York Merchant by his late Majesty King William the third by his Letters patent under the Great Seal of the Prov- ince of New York bearing date the seventeenth day of June in the Year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and ninety seven, in Dutchess County situate lying and being in the high- lands on the east side of Hudsons River, beginning at a cer- tain red cedar Tree Marked on the north side of the Hill com- monly called Anthonys Nose which is likewise the North Bounds of Collo Stephanus Van Courtlandts Land on his Man- GENERAL HISTORY. 55 nor of Courtlandt and f rom thence bounded by the said Hadsons River as the said River runs northerly until it comes to the Creek River or Run of Water called and known by the name of the great Fish Kill to the Northward and above the said highlands vs^hich is likewise the Southward Bounds of another Tract of Land belonging to the said Collo Stephanus Courtlandt and Company, and so Easterly along the said Courtlandts line and the south bounds of Collo Henry Beekman until it comes twenty Miles or unto the Division or partition Line between the Colony of Connecticut and the said Province, and Easterly by the said Division Line, and being bounded northerly and southerly by East and West Lines unto the said Division Lines between the said Colony of Connecticut and the Province afore- said, the whole being bounded Westward by the said Hudsons River, Northward by the land of Collo Courtlandt and Com- pany and the land of Collo Beekman, eastward by the partition line between the Colony of Connecticut and the Province of New York, and Southerly the Mannor of Courtlandt to tlie land of the said Collo Courtland, including therein a certain Island at the north side of the High Lands called Polepels Island, vvrith the Hereditaments and Appurtenances thereunto belonging as by the said Letters Patent relation being thereunto had may more fully and at large appear. " And Whereas the said Parties to these Presents have by Jonathan Hampton their Surveyor divided the greatest part uf the said Tract or parcell of land and distinguished the same by Lotts made and Described, signed and delivered to the said parties by said Jonathan Hampton and left in the hands of Beverly Robinson party hereto for the use of himself and the other parties to these Presents their Heirs and Assigns when reasonably thereunto required by any of the other parties, their heirs or assigns and in order to an equal Division of the same have .according to divers assortments made by the said Jona- than Hampton drawn their several Lotts. Whereupon the Lotts numbered Three, number Five Number Nine and one third part of the Meadow Land Lying in Lott Number Two pretracted and lay'd down in the said Map do now belong to the Lotts and share of the said Mary Philipse and are butted and bounded to Witt, Lott number Three beginning at Two Hemlock Bushes standing in a gixlly between Bull and Breakneck Hills on the .East side of Hudsons River, and from thence running North 56 HISTOEY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. seventy seven degrees East three hundred and eighty six chains to a heap of stones and walnut bush Markt P. R. 1753 standing in the West Line of Lott number four and is also the northeast corner of Lott number Two, then North ten Degrees East two hundred and twenty eight chains to a heap of stones thirty links north of a white oak tree Marked P 1753 being the North West corner of Lott Number four, then South eighty seven Degrees West four hundred and eight chains to the mouth of the Fish Kill from thence down the Several Courses of Hud- sons Eiver to the beginning, including Pollaples Island, con- taining about eight thousand six hundred acres. Lott number five beginning at a heap of Stones in the line of the Mannor of Courtlandt at the Southeast corner of Lott number four, then North ten degrees East nine hundred and forty seven Chains to a heap of Stones at the North East Corner of Lott number four, Then North eighty seven Degrees East three hundred and forty four chains to a heap of stones which is the North West corner of Lott number Six Then South Ten Degrees West along the Line of Lott Number Six nine hundred and Sixty Chains to a heap of Stones in the line of the Mannor Courtlandt at the South West corner of Lott number Six, Then West along the line of the Mannor of Courtlandt Three hundred and forty Chains to the beginning, containing about thirty one thousand two hundred acres. Lott number nine beginning at a Hemlock Tree standing on the south side of the East Branch of Croton River and a heap of stones on the North side which is also the South east corner of Lott Number six in the line of the Man- nor Courtlandt, from thence running North Ten Degrees East three hundred and Thirty three Chains to a heap of stones and Walnut Tree Marked P. R. 1753 on the south side of a Hill near an Old Meeting House in the line of Lott number Six being the South West corner of Lott number Eight, then East Along the Line of Lott number eight three hundred and Thirty Seven Chains to a Chestnut Bush Markt F. R. 1753 Standing in the Oblong line on the West Side of a Rocky Hill which is the Southeast Corner of Lott Number eight, then southerly as the Oblong line runs Three hundred and thirty three chains to the North East Corner of the Mannor of Courtlandt in Peach Pond, then West along the said Mannor of Courtlandt Three hundred and thirty six chains to the beginning. Containing about eleven thousand two hundred and twenty acres. And GENERAL HISTORY. 57 one third part of the meadow Land lying in Lott Number Two, Beginning Two chains from the upland upon Danfords Creek and running to Crooked Creek five Chains from the upland then down Crooked Creek to the Meadow belonging to Lott Number one then North West to Martlers Rock, then along the upland the North side of a little Island in the Meadow to the Mouth of Danfords Creek, then up the said Creek to the beginning, con- taining about eighty two acres. Now this Indenture Witness- eth that the parties aforesaid of the first part for and in con- sideration of mutual Grants and Releases from the said Mary Ph ilipse to them the said Philip Philipse and Susannah Rob- inson and to their respective Heirs and Assigns of Divers other Lotts and parcels of land in and by the said recited Letters Patent so as aforesaid Granted and also for and in Consideration of the sum of Ten Shillings to them in hand paid by the said Mary Philipse the receit whereof they do hereby acknowledge and thereof and therefrom do acquit and discharge the said Mary Philipse her Executors and Administrators Have Granted Bargained Sold aliened Conveyed released and Confirmed and by these Presents do Grant bargain Sell Alien convey Release and confirm unto the said Mary Philipse her heirs and Assigns all and singular those Lotts and Parcels of Land before men- tioned to belong to her the said Mary Philipse as they are above and in the said Map described and all and Singular the Hereditaments and Appurtenances thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining with all woods underwoods Trees Timber Feedings Pastures Meadows Marshes Swamps Ponds Pools Water Water Courses Rivers Rivulets Runs and Streams of Water Fishing Fowling Hunting Hawking (Excepting and re- serving all Mines and Minerals Whatsoever) standing Growing lying being or found or to be used had or enjoyed within the Bounds and Limits of the Respective Lotts and parcells of Land above described and mentioned to be the share of and to belong to the said Mary Philipse and all other profits benefits privi- leges Libertys advantages Hereditaments and Appurtenances whatsoever unto the said Lotts or parcells of Land rights and premises and each and every of them belonging or in anywise Appertaining as fully and Effectually to all intents, and purposes as by the said Letters Patent to the said Adolph Philipse the same are Granted and conveyed To have and to hold the said several Lotts or parcells of Land rights and premises with their 58 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. and every of their Appurtenances Except as before is Excepted to the said Mary Philipse her heirs and Assigns to the only proper use benefit and Behoof of her the said Mary Philipse her heirs and Assigns forever Yielding and paying therefore yearly and every year her proportionable part of the Quit Rents in and by the said Letters Patents reserved at such time and place as by the said Letters Patent is directed and appointed And she the said Mary Philipse for herself her heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns doth Covenant Grant promise and agree to and with the said parties of the first part and every of them and every of their heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns that she the said Mary Philipse her heirs Executors Administrators or Assigns shall and Will Yearly and every year forever hereafter w^ell and truely yield render and pay or cause to be Yielded rendered and paid unto his Majesty his Heirs and, Successors at the City of New York on the Feast day of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary the full and equal third part of the Quit Rent in and by the said Letters Pat- ent reserved and made Payable, that is to say the yearly Rent of six shillings and eight pence according to the true intent and meaning hereof, and further that she the said Mary Philipse shall and Will from time to time and at all times Forever here- after Well and sufficiently save harmless and keep indempni- fied them the said Parties of the first Part and Each and every of them their and each and every of their goods and Chattels Lands and Tenements of from and against all costs Charges and Damages which may accrue or which they or either of them their or either of their Executors or Administrators shall or may happen to sustain by reason or means of her the said Mary Philipse not paying the said one third part of the said yearly Quit rent as aforesaid according to her Covenant and Under- taking aforesaid and according to the true intent and meaning of these Presents. And tlie said Philip Philipse for himself his heirs Executors and Administrators and the said Beverly Robinson for himself his heirs Executors and Administrators and for the said Susannah his Wife do Severally and respec- tively Promise Covenant and Agree to and with the said Mary Philipse her heirs and Assigns that they severally have not done any Act Matter or thing whereby the Premise:s hereby Granted or Released or any part thereof are or may be anyways im- peached charged or incumbered in Title Estate oi^ otherwise. GENERAL HISTORY. 69 " In Witness whereof the said Parties to these Presents have hereunto Interchangeably set their hands and Seals the day and year first above written. " Philip Philipse. (L. S.) " Bev. Robinson. (L. S.) " Susannah Robinson. (L. S.) " Mary Philipse. (L. S.)" partition deed. " Mary Philipse and Philip Philipse to Beverly Robinson and Susannah Robinson. "This Indenture, made the seventh day of February, in the twenty-seventh year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second, by the grace of God, of Great Britian and Ireland and France King, defender of the faith, etc., Annoque. Domini 1754, between Philip Philipse and Mary Philipse of the first part, and Beverly Robinson and Susannah, Ms wife of the second part. Whereas the said Philip Philipse, Susannah Robinson and Mary Philipse are and stand seized in fee simple in common, of all that certain tract or parcel of land granted unto Adolph Philipse, then of the City of New York, mer- chant, by his late Majesty, King William the Third, by his letters patent under the great seal of the Province of New York, bearing date the seventeenth day of June, in the year of our Lord, one thousand six hundred and ninety-seven, in Dutchess County, scituate, lying and being in the highlands on the east side of Hudson River, beginning at a certain red cedar tree marked on the east side of the hill, commonly called An- thony's Nose, which is likewise the north bounds of Coll. Stephen Van Courtlandt's land or his manor of Courtlandt and thence bounded by the said Hudson's River, as the said river runs northerly until it comes to the Creek, river, or run of water called and known by the name of the Great Fishkill river, to the northward and above the high lands which is likewise the southward bounds of another tract of land belonging to the said Coll. Stephanus Courtlandt and Company, and so easterly along the said Courtlandt line and the south jbounds of another tract of land belonging to the said Coll. Stephanus Courtlandt and Company, and so easterly along the said Courtlandt line and the south bounds of Col. Henry Beekman, until it comes twenty miles or unto the division or partition line between the 60 HISTORY 0¥ PUTNAM COUNTY. Colony of Connecticut and the said Province, and easterly by the said division line, and being t)ounded northerly and south- erly by east and west lines, unto the said division line between the said Colony of Connecticut and the Province of New York aforesaid, the whole being bounded westward by the same Hudson's river, northward by the land of Coll. Cortlandt and Company and the land of Coll. Beekman, eastward by the partition line between the Colony of Connecticut and the Prov- ince of New York, and southerly by the manor of Cortlandt, to the land of the said Coll. Cortlandt, including therein a certain island at the north side of the said high land called Pollepels Island, with the hereditaments and appurtenances thereunto belonging as by said letters patent relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at large appear. ' ' And whereas the said parties to these presents have, by Jonathan Hampton, their surveyor, divided the greatest part of the said tract or parcel of land, and distinguished them by lots made and described, signed and delivered to the said parties by the said Jonathan Hampton, and left in the hands of Beverly Robinson, party hereto, for the use of himself and other par- ties hereto, their heirs and assigns, when reasonably thereunto required by any of the other parties, their heirs and assigns, and in order to an equal division of the same have, according to divers assortments made by the said Jonathan Hampton drawn their several lotts thereupon the lotts number one, num- ber four and number seven, and one third part of the meadow land lying in lott number two protracted and laid down in the said map do now belong to the lott and share of the said Susannah Kobinson, and are butted and bounded as follows, to wit: lot number one, beginning on the east side of Hudson's river at the north side of Anthony's Nose, at the corner of the Manor of Courtlandt, and running east along the line of the said Manor three hundred and sixty chains to a white oak tree marked with P. 1753, on the north side, then north ten degrees, east three hundred and forty chains to a chestnut tree marked P. R., 1753, on the west side, standing on the east side of a steep, rocky mountain (which is the southeast corner of lott number two) then south seventy-five degrees, west one hundred seventy-four chains to a heap of stones on a high hill, then north sixty-five degrees, west eighty- three chains to a pine tree standing by said Hudson's river, marked P. R., by a heap of GENERAL HISTORY. 61 Stones twenty two chains below a rock called and known by the name of the Old Wife, lying in the mouth of a brook, then down the several courses of Hudson's river to the place where it first began, containing nine thousand nine hundred and eighty-four acres. Lot number four, beginning at the aforesaid white oak tree marked P. 1753, standing on the line of Manor of Courtlandt three hundred and sixty chains, east from Hud- son's river at the beginning of lott number one on the north side of Anthony's Nose, and which is also the southeast corner of said lot number one, and from thence running north ten degrees, east nine hundred and twenty-five chains to a heap of stones thirty links north from a white oak tree marked P. 1753, on the south side, which is the northeast corner of lot number three and is four hundred and eight chains (on a north eighty- seven degrees east course) from the mouth of the Fishkill, thence north eighty-seven degrees, east four hundred and three chains to a monument made with a heap of stones, which is the northwest corner of lott number five, thence south ten degrees, west nine hundred and forty-seven chains to a heap of stones in the line of the Manor of Courtlandt which is also the southwest corner of lot number five, then west along the line of said Manor, four hundred chains to the beginning, containing thirty- seven thousand acres. Lott number seven, beginning at a white oak tree marked P. R. 1753, and a heap of stones on the west side of a hill twenty chains east from John Campbell's, being the northeast of lot number six, then running north eighty- seven degrees, east three hundred and thirty-six chains to a heap of stones in the oblong line in a road near Justice Havi- land's, thence southerly along the oblong line three hundred and thirty-eight chains to a large rock and heap of stones standing in the road about two chains south from Nathan Bur- cham's house, then west three hundred and thirty-four chains to a heap of stones standing in a cleared field in the line of lott number six, then along the said line of lott number six, north ten degrees, east three hundred and twenty chains to the begin- ning, containing ten thousand nine hundred and twenty-two acres, and one-third part of the meadow land lying in lot num- ber two, beginning ten chains north, thirty- nine degrees east from a large pine tree (standing on a rocky point on the south- east side of the meadow) marked P. R. 1758, on the west side and from thence running northwest across a crooked creek to 62 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. the upland upon Martlers Rock, then running southerly along the edge of the upland to Hudson's river, then easterly along Hudson's river until the beginning bears north thirty-nine degrees east, then to the beginning place, containing seventy- tviro acres; now this Indenture witnesseth that the parties afore- said of the first part, for and in consideration of mutual grants and releases from the said parties of the second, to them the said Philip Philipse and Mary Philipse, and to their respective heirs and assigns, of divers other lots and parcels of land in and by the said recited letters patent so as aforesaid granted and also for and in consideration of the sum of ten shillings to them in hand paid by the said parties of the second part, the receipt whereof they do hereby acknowledge and thereof and therefrom do acquit and discharge the said parties of the second part, their executors and administrators, have granted, bargained, sold, aliened, conveyed, released, and confirmed and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell, alien, convey, release, and confirm unto the said Susannah Robinson, her heirs and assigns all and singular, those lots and parcels of land above-mentioned to belong to the said Susannah Robinson as they are above and in the said map described, and all and singular the heredita- ments and appurtenances thereunto belonging or in any wise ap- pertaining, together with all and singular the woods, under- woods, trees, timbers, feedings, pastures, meadows, marshes, swamps, ponds, pools, waters, watercourses, rivers, brooks, riv- ulets, runs and streams of water, fishing, fowling, hunting, hawk- ing (excepting and reserving all mines and minerals whatsoever), standing, growing, lying, being or found or to be used, had or enjoyed, within the bounds and limits of the respective lotts or parcels of land above described and mentioned to be the share of and to belong to the said Susannah Robinson, and all other profitts, benefits, privileges, liberties, advantages, heredita- ments and appurtenances whatsoever unto the said lots or par- cels of land, rights and premises, and each and every of them belonging or in any wise appertaining as fully and effectually to all intents and purposes, as by the said recited letters patent to the said Adolph Philipse, the same are granted and conveyed, to have and to hold the said several lotts and parcels of land, rights and premises, with their and every of their appurtenances (except as before is excepted) unto the said Susannah Robinson, GENERAL HISTORY. 63 her beirs and assigns to the only proper use, benefit and behoof of her the said Susannah Robinson, her heirs and assigns for- ever. Yielding and paying therefore yearly and every year her proportionate part of the quit rents, in and by the said letters patent reserved at such time and place as by the said letters patent is directed and appointed. And the said Beverly Rob- inson, for himself, his heirs, executors, administrators, and as- signs, and for the said Susannah, his vpife, doth covenant, grant, promise and agree to and with the said parties of the first part, and every of them, and every of their heirs, executors, admin- strators and assigns, that she, the said Susannah Robinson, her heirs, executors, administrators or assigns, shall and will yearly and every year forever hereafter, well and truly yield, render and pay or cause or procure to be yielded, rendered and jjaid unto his Majesty, his heirs, and successors, at the City of New York on the Feast Day of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary, the full and equal third part of the quit rent in and by the said letters patent, reserved and made payable, that is to say, the yearly rent of six shillings and eight pence, ac- cording to the true intent and meaning hereof. And further that the said Susannah Robinson shall and will from time to time, and at all times forever hereafter well and sufficiently save harmless and keep indempnified, them, the said parties of the first part, and each and every of them, their, and each and every of their goods, and chattels, lands and tenements, of from and against all costs, charges and damages which may accrue or which they or either of them, their, or either of their executors or administrators shall or may happen to sustain by reason or means of her the said Susannah Robinson, not paying the said one-third part of the said yearly quit rent, as aforesaid, accord- ing to his, the said Beverly Robinson's covenant and undertak- ing aforesaid, and the true intent and meaning of these pres- ents, and the said parties of the first part, for themselves sev- erally and respectively, and for their several and respective heirs, executors and administrators, do promise, covenant and agree to and with the said parties of the second part, that they sever- ally have not done any act, matter or thing whereby the prem- ises hereby granted or released, or anj^ part thereof are or may be anyway impeached, charged or incumbered in title, estate or otherwise howsoever. In witness whereof, the parties to these 64 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. presents have hereunto interchangeably set their hands and seals, the day and year first above written. '• Philip Philipse. (L. S.) " Bbv. Robinson. (L. S.) " Susannah Robinson. (L. S.) " Maky Philipse. (L. S.)" The foregoing deeds _are all recorded in the office of the secre- tary of State, in Albany. It will be noticed that all the mines and minerals are reserved in each of the deeds, and consequently they remained undivided property. It is upon this reservation that the claim of the present representatives of the Philipse family to one-third of the minerals in the county is based. On the 20th of February 1754, Susannah Robinson and Bev^ erly Robinson executed a deed conveying to William Living- ston " all the lands set apart to Susannah Robinson by parti- tion deeds, except mines and minerals." Two days later William Livingston conveyed the same to Beverly Robinson, and he remained the owner till the Revolution. CHAPTER V. THE WAPPINGER INDIANS AND THEIR CONTROVERSY WITH THE HEIRS OFADOLPH PHILIPSE. WHEN the white men first landed on American soil, they found the land inhabited by a race whose origin is wrapped in utter obscurity. The most extended researches of the antiquarian and philologist have failed to cast any certain light upon this problem, and whence came the red man is as much a question now, as it was in the days of Columbus. To narrate the various theories and speculations upon this subject would require a volume. Some have endeavored to prove by learned argument that in them are found the lost tribes of Israel; others, led by the fancied analogy of a few wc>rds in their language, have given ready faith to the belief that they are the descendants of a Welsh colony, transported to these shores in a day long gone by, and in a manner utterly un- known. That they are the offspring of tribes, who, in ages past, by some means found a passage to the New World by the way of Behring's Strait, has not failed to find believers; while others still, despairing of finding any reasonable proof of their migra- tion from other continents, have yielded to the conclusion that they are aboriginal inhabitants of the soil, and the veritable children of what the Greeks were so fond ot calling, "All-pro- ducing earth," and "Earth mother of all things." All these varied speculations we will leave to those who delight in the unknown and the marvelous; it is enough for us to know the simple story of the tribe who once owned the land we now in- habit, but have passed away, leaving but the shadow of a name. The vessel which bore the great navigator Hudson had scarcely entered the Narrows, when there came on board the natives of the newly discovered land, "clothed in mantles of feathers, and robes of fur, the women clothed in hemp; red copper to- 5 66 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. bacco pipes, and other things of copper they did wear about their necks." They evidently came with thoughts of peace for " of arms they brought none," but still " he did not trust them." A boat which he sent up the river the next day was at- tacked on its return, and one of the English sailors, John Cole- man, was killed by an arrow shot in his throat. He was buried on the adjacent beach, and was the first white victim of an In- dian weapon, in the region of the Hudson. On his voyage up the river he met with many tribes and seems to have received a cordial welcome. When he had passed through the High- lands on his return his vessel was becalmed opposite Stony Point, and then "the people of the mountains" came on board and "wondered at the ship and the weapons." One canoe came to the stern, and its occupant was detected in steal- ing " a pillow and two shirts and two bandoliers." A well di- rected shot struck him in the breast and he was killed. When they had continued their voyage and were near Manhattan Island, another conflict occurred, and a volley of arrows fired at the ship was returned by a discharge of musketry " which killed two or three of them :" and thus the first chapter of the history of New York was stained with blood, and a war began which, with occasional intervals of partial peace, continued till the native tribes were so utterly extinguished that to-day the few relics of the race are objects of interest and curiosity. The Indians who inhabited the shores of the Hudson River were of one race and of one language, with the exception of slight dialectic peculiarities. Under the name of Algonquins, were included the various tribes that inhabited New England, Long Island, the eastern portion of New York and regions to the south. The tribe that claimed the land now embraced in Dutchess and Putnam and extending to the north as far as Roeloff Jansen's Kill, in Columbia county, were known as the Wappingers, a name which appears under several different forms. The afiidavit of King Nimham, dated October 13th, 1730, states that ■' the deponent is a River Indian of the tribe of the Wappinoes, which tribe was the ancient inhabitants of the eastern shore of Hudson's river, from the city of New York to about the middle of Beekman's Patent," that "another tribe of River Indians called the Mahiccondas were the ancient in- habitants of the remaining eastern shore of the river, and these two tribes constituted one nation." Thev were in fact one of GENERAL HISTORY. 67 the tribal divisions of the Mahicaus, whose name is known, not only in the prosaic pages of history, but is embellished with all the .charms of romance, by the matchless genius of the greatest of American novelists. The Wappingers were divided into chieftaincies, and of these one was the Nochpeems,' who were said to occupy the high- lands north of Anthony's Nose. Van der Donck, one of the earliest writers of this portion of the countr3^ assigns them three villages on the Hudson; Keskistkonck, Pasquasheck and IS'ochpeems; but their principal village was Canopns, which was situated in a valley which is one of the most important topo- graphical features of Putnam county, and known as Canopus Hollow. The principal residence of the tribe was north of the Highlands, and on the borders of the Wappingers Creek; but that they were generally included in the name of Highland In- dians, is shown by a sentence in a letter from Grovernor Love- lace to Grovernor Winthrop, December 29th, 1669: " I believe I can resolve your doubt concerning what is meant by Highland Indians amongst us. The Wappingers and Wick- eskect, etc., have always been reckoned so." Of all their possessions there are but few perfect transfer titles on record and one is a deed by which " Sackereghkigh for himself and in the name of Megrieskiu Sachem of the Wap- pinger Indians," and other Indians sold the land included in the Rumbout Patent. The original deed by which the land in Put- nam county was conveyed to Borland and Seabrant, who trans- ferred their title to Adolph Philipse, is still in existence, and our knowledge of the facts connected with it is derived not only from this, but from the statements made in the documents concerning the claim of the Sachem David Nimham. All men- tion of this tribe seems to indicate that they were of a warlike and savage nature. At the time of the outbreak of war against the Dutch, in 1643, "Pachem a crafty man, ran through all the villages urging the Indians to a general massacre." "The first aggressive act was by the Wappingers, who seized a boat coming from Fort Orange, killed two men and took four hundred beaver skins." It was only after a sanguinary struggle that the various tribes were subdued, and in 1645, a treaty was concluded between the Dutch and the various River Indians, among whom were included the " Wappinex." This treaty continued till the ' Ruttenber, " Indian Tribes of Hudson's River," page 80. 68 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COITNTY. time of the English conquest, though they were frequently en- couraged to unite with other tribes in a general revolt. After the conquest of 1664, every eflEort was made by the English to remove the cause which had led to so much trouble under the Dutch, and one agreement, which was of the greatest import- ance, was that no purchase of land of the Indians should be esteemed a good title, without leave first had and obtained from the governor, and that after such leave the purchaser should bring before the governor " the Sachem or right owner," to acknowledge satisfaction and payment, when all proceedings should be entered on record, and constitute a valid title. Their adherence to the English is shown by the fact that, in the war with the French, in 1689, the Wappingers or "Indians of the long reach " as they were called, accepted an invitation to take part in the war, and with their head sachem and all the males of the tribe able to bear arms, went to Albany and thence to the field. Throughout the long struggle between the French and English, the Wappingers bore an important part. Moving their families to Stockbridge, they furnished a corps of about three hundred in the war of 1754, and after the war " they demanded restitution from the Abenaquis for the loss of one of their number, and delayed the consummation of peace with them till 1762." In 1774, Governor Tryon writes: " The river tribes have become so scattered and so addicted to wandering that no certain account of their numbers can be obtained. These tribes, the Wappingers of Dutchess county, etc., have generally been denominated River Indians and con- sist of about three hundred fighting men. Most of these people at present profess Christianity and as far as in their power adopt our customs, the greater part of them attended the army in the late war." As the name of Wappingers has passed into history, it may be proper here to add a word as to its origin and significance. The name has been greatly corrupted from its original form. It is supposed to be derived from the words WaJium, east; and aoJci, land or j)lace; and as applied to the Indians themselves may be rendered Eastlanders, or men of the east. After the peace a remnant of the tribe returned to the vicinity of its old abiding place, and found the whole region sparsely settled by tenants of the landed proprietors to whom the lands had been granted by the crown. There was no place in which they could stay in peace. The good lands had of course been GENERAL HISTORY. 69 the first to be occupied by the whites, whose advancing settle- ments elbowed the Indians out of all except the rocks and morasses. Whether, strictly speaking, the Indians were wronged may be a question. But they were destitute, and saw themselves more and more closely hemmed in by those who occupied the lands they had once possessed. And, sometimes aided by sympathizing whites, too often instigated by designing ones, such was the basis of the controversies that long dis- turbed the frontier. With regard to the Philipse settlements these were of great historic interest. Upon the return of the Wappingers in 1762, they found their lands in possession of the heirs of Adolph Philipse. Some of the papers relating to the controversy are still in existence in the office of the secre- tary of State and in the papers of the Philipse family, and as they have never appeared in print, no apology is offered for presenting them somewhat in full. In addition to the state- ment of the claims certain incidental allusions throw great light upon the early settlement of the eastern portion of the county. About 1763 a number of the Philipse tenants renounced their leases and, taking others from the Indians, continued to occupy the land but refused to pay rent to those claiming under the patentee, who brought ejectment and succeeded in ousting the occupants. But the defeated tenant was invariably irresponsible, the Indians more so, and, though successful from a legal point of view, the Philipse representatives found themselves put to great and increasing harrassment and expense. Suits at law having thus proved an inefficient remedy, under advice of their counsel, William Livingston and James Duane — both soon to become so famous — thej^ decided to appeal to the Chancery jurisdiction. Under the then charter the Grovernor in Council constituted the High Court of Chancery of the colony. And on the 6th day of February, 1765, was presented to this tribunal the petition, an abstract of which is given in the minutes of the Council, from which the following is taken : '' At a Council held at Fort George in the City of New York on Wednesday the sixth day of Feb- ruary, 1765. Present The HonoWe Cadwallader Golden, Esqi" Lieut. Governor &ct. Mr. Horsmanden Mr. Walton Mr. Smith Mr. Delancey Mr. Watts Mr. Keade. 70 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. "The Petition and Memorial of Roger Morris, Beverly Rob- inson, and Philip Philipse, Proprietors and Owners of a Tract of Land granted by the Letters Patent of his late Majesty King William the third, under the Great Seal of this Province, bearing date the 17th day of June 1697, unto Adolph Philipse late of the City of New York deceased, lying in the County of Dutches, ' and farther bounded, as by the said Letters Patent may Appear : Was laid before the Board and Read; Setting forth, That one Samuel Monroe, who formerly setled a part of the said Tract of Land, as Tenant under the said Adolph Philipse, combining with several other Persons, and particu- larly with Stephen Wilcocks and Charles Peck, how to distress the Memorialists, hath lately Spirited up several Indians, to lay claim to the said Tract of Land, as the native and Original Pro- prietors thereof, under the pretence that the same was never purchased from the Natives, and that the said Indians are the true Owners thereof, and have a Right to G-rant and dispose of the same Notwithstanding any Grant or Patent from the Crown. That the said Samuel Munroe and his Confederates, did cause the said Indians to elect him their Attorney and Guardian, to enter upon and take possession of the said premises, and to lease lett and sell the same. Who in pursuance thereof, had by Publick Advertisement notifyed a Time and place, for persons to appear to be informed as to the Reality of the said Indian Claim; and to take Leases of the said Lands; and that in Con- sequence thereof sundry persons residing within the Bounds of the said Tract of land, and others, have appeared and were offered Leases by the said Samuel Munroe for 99 Years for any Farms within the same; and that the said Samuel Munro, together with Nimham the principal of the said Indians, threatens to- turn every person refuseing such Leases, out of possession. By means whereof several of the Memorialists Tenants have been induced to take and hold under such Leases, and others who setled without Leases, refuse to take Leases from the Memori- alists, but claim to hold as tenants to the said Indians, hoping by their Strength and Numbers to dispossess the Memorialists of the said Tract of Land. And that as the proceedings of the said Samuel Munroe and his Confederates, do manifestly tend to the Disinherison of his Majesty; and the Memorialists cannot apply any adequate Remedy in the Common Course of the Law — The Memorialists therefore humbly pray the Interposi- tion of this Board and such Relief in the premises as to his Honour shall seem fit and reasonable. "On reading whereof It is ordered that the said Petition be referred to the Gentlemen of the Council or any three of them, whereof one of the Judges to be one." The committee thus appointed made a report to the Governor in Council March 6th, 1765, from which the following is quoted: GENERAL HISTORY. 71 " May it please Your Honour. " In Obedience to your Honour's Order in Council of the sixth of February Instant, referring to a Committee of the Gentlemen of the Council, or any three of them, whereof one of the Judges to be one, the petition and Memorial of Roger Morris, Beverly Robinson and Philip Philipse ■* * * * the Committee hav- ing maturely weighed and considered the same, humbly beg leave to report to Your Honour " 1st. That it appears to this Committee that the Tract of Land mentioned in the said Petition and Memorial, was duly purchased of the Natives, and does now belong to the said Memorialists, who have within the Bounds thereof a considera- ble Number of tenanted Farms and Improvements. " 2dly. That on the seventeenth Day of November last, five Indians, known by the Names of Stephen Kounhum, Daniel Nimham, One-pound Packtown, Jacob Aaron, and Jacobus Nimham, did chuse and elect one Samuel Monroe of Dutchess County aforesaid, by an Instrument in Writing of that Date, their Attorney, arid Guardian of their Persons and Estates, for them to enter upon and take possession of their Messuages Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments and Premises, in the said County of Dutchess, and the Profits thereof to. take, till they shall be better capable of transacting their own Afifairs, and that the Messuages Lands, Tenements Hereditaments and Premises, meant and intended by the said Instrument, are contained within the Bounds of the said Patent, and claimed by the said Indians, as the native Owners and proprietors thereof, and without any Grant or patent from the Crown. "3dly: That in order to give the greater Weight to the said Instrument, it was taken and acknowledged by the said Indians, before Jacobus Terboss, one of the Judges of the Court of Com- mon Pleas for the said County of Dutchess, and John Akin, one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the said County, and by them allowed and subscribed, which appears to this Committee such an Abuse of their respective Offices, and so dangerous a precedent for encouraging Indian Claims against the Rights of the Crown, and in Disinherison of his Majesty, that the Committee is humbly of Opinion, that an Order of Your Honour in Council ought to be served on the said Terboss and Akins, for them to shew Cause why they ought not to be dis- placed for such Misconduct "4thly: That the said Daniel Nimham, one of the Indians above mentioned, did some time in June or July last give a Lease to one Stephen Wilcocks for the Lands, on which the said Wilcocks then lived, lying within the Bounds of the said Letters Patent, for nine hundred and ninety-nine Years, and that the said Samuel Monroe and Stephen Wilcocks, at the same time entered into an Obligation to the said Daniel Nimham, to defend his Title, as a Native Indian to the said Lands. 72 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. " 5th]y: That Daniel Monroe, Son of the said Samuel Monroe, and one Joseph Craw, have also taken two several Leases, from the said Daniel Nimham for two several Pai'ms, lying within the Bounds of the said Letters Patent, and severally entered into Obligations to him, for the payment of their respective Rents. " 6thly: That it further appears to the Committee, that the said Samuel Monroe, has at a Publick Meeting of many People, on the Subject of the said Indian Claim, read or cause to be read Your Honour's Proclamation grounded on his Majesty's ad- ditional Instruction, relative to Lands reserved by Indians, and insisted that the said Proclamation extended to and sup- ported the aforesaid Indian Claim. And that it also appears to us, that the said Samuel Monroe has caused Copies of the said Proclamation to be publickly fixed up, to countenance and give Colour to the said Claim, has openly and repeatedly avowed, that he mantained the said Indians Claim, and declared that the same was well founded, that the Claim to those holding under the said Patent from the Crown to the said Adolph Philipse was without Title, laboured to convince their Tenants, that they would be ruined, and threatned the said Tenants with Ruin, if they continued to hold under their said Landlords. "7thly: That by reason of the above Practices of the said Samuel Monro'e, and the Indians aforesaid, and his Abuse and Perversion of the said Proclamation, great Numbers of persons resideing within the Bounds of the said Patent, are deluded into a Belief of the Validity of an Indian Title against the Orants of the Crown, which by stirring up the Indians to simi- lar Claims, may be attended with Dangerous Consequences to the peace and Tranquility of the Province, and greatly dis- courage the farther Settlement and Improvement of the Country ■' 8thly: The Committee hambly conceive that the said Sam- uel Monroe, in granting Leases for any Lands within the Bounds of the said Patent, as Attorney and Guardian to the said In- dians as Native proprietors thereof, And the said Daniel Mon- roe, Joseph Craw and Stephen Wilcocks by accepting Leases from the said Indians for Lands already patented by the Crown,, do in Fact set up the Title of the Natives as paramount to the Rights of the Crown, and to the Disinherison of his Majestj^, and have thereby been Gruilty of a high Misdemeanor, and that the said Samuel Monroe and Stephen Wilcocks, by their oblig- ing themselves to defend such Indian Titles and Claims, and the said Daniel Monroe, Joseph Craw and Stephen Wilcocks in ac- cepting the said Leases are Guilty of Maintenance and punish- able at the Suit of the King "That the Committee therefore in Vindication of his Majes- ty's undoubted Right to all the Lands in his Dominions as Su- preme Lord which is presumptuously impeached by such pre- tended Title advise your Honour to direct his Majesty's Attorney GENEUAL HISTORY. 73 General to exhibit Informations in the Supreme Court against the said Samuel Monroe, Daniel Monroe, Stephen Wilcox and Joseph Craw for their respective Offences aforesaid " AH which is nevertheless submitted. " By Order of the Committee " Danl: Hoesmandew "Chairman. " New York the 6th March, 1765." The Minutes of the Council proceed: " Which Report on the Question being put was agreed to, and approved of. And it is ordered by his Honour the Lieutenant Governor with the Advice of the Council, that a Copy of the said Report of this Order be delivered to his Majesty's Attor- ney General, and that he do forthwith exhibit Informations against Samuel Monroe, Daniel Monroe, Stephen Wilcox and Joseph Craw named in the said Report, for the Matters therein particularly mentioned." Meanwhile the Indians had not been idle. There was no pos- sible defense to the proceeding instituted by the Philipse heirs. The prerogative of the Crown was held sacred and the produc- tion of the royal grant an absolute bar at law and in equity to any proceeding in derogation of the title purporting to be there- by granted, except one — an appeal to the representative of the crown, and, upon suggestion of abuse of the royal confidence, a proceeding to have the patent annulled by a new exercise of the prerogative. The Indians seem to have been well advised, and such an appeal was made, as the following shows: (land papers xyiii, 127.) " To the Honorable Cad wall ader Colden, Esquire his Majestys Lieutenant Governor and Commander in Chief of the Province of New York, and the Territories depending thereon in America. " The Petition of David Nimham, Jacobus Nimham, One Pound pocktwo Stephen Cowenham, and other Native Indians of the the Tribe of Wappinger. " Most Humbly Sheweth •'That they and their Tribe for Time Immemorial, by their Native Right have been in possession of certain Tracts of Land Scituate lying and being in the Southermost part of Dutchess County; adjoining the Northermost part of Westchester County, both within the province of New York; which right Your pe- titioners are come down with tlieir proper Vouchers and Evi- dence to satisfy your Honor touching the reality thereof. " That the cause of this application is owing to the Encroach- ment of several persons, who have for a Series of Time past, Step by Step, very illegally seated themselves upon and do now 74 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. occupy and possess the said Tracts of Land, to the Manifest Wrong and Injury of your petitioners and contrary to the especial Orders and directions of the British Crown; complaint whereof hath often been made by the said Tribe without Redres. " That the Rise and Foundation of your Petitioners past and present complaints, are chiefly from a Patent which appears on Record in the Secretary's office in Lib. No. 7, page 119, bearing Date the Sixteenth Day of June One Thousand Six Hundred and Ninety-Seven, whereby the Land so claimed by your Peti- tioners to these first Rights and property is granted to Adolph Philipse; the description of which said Land in and by the Abstract hereunto annexed fully appears. " That your Petitioners utterly deny those lands were ever purchased of their Tribe, for any valuable or other considera- fion whatever by the said Adolph Philipse; and therefore said Patent must have been by some misrepresentation (with respect to any legal purchase) unfairly obtained, to the great disturb- ance and annoying your Petitioners in the the peaceable and quiet Enjoyment thereof. " That your petitioners are a Tribe (with humble Submission) well known to have at all Times demeaned themselves in a de- cent becoming manner, and have on all occasions, to the utmost of their power and ability, at the risque of their Lives, assisted in defending the Territories of their dignified King and Governor, who by his Roj^al proclamations from Time to Time issued, hath promised protection to the persons and Property of your Petitioners. " Who Therefore in the most supplicant manner, thus per- sonally present and lay before Yoor Honor as His Majesty's representative this their Complaint and great Grievance, firmly relying on your protection, direction and Assistance as far as consistent in your Honour's wise Judgment; and agreeable to his Majesty's Instruction in his Royal proclamation, given at St. James the ninth Day of December One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty-one, and in the Second Year of his Reign, for which your Petitioners as in Humble Duty bound will ever Pray &c. " New York, March 1st, 1765. his " Daniel X Nimiiam. " Your Honor will be pleased mark to observe- that there are several his of your petitioners Evidences at- " One Pound X Pocktone. tending (with themselves) at a mark, very great Expense therefore his your petitioners humbly sue for " Jacobus X Nimham. your Honours answer. mark his " Stephen X Kownham." mark. GENJKKAL HISTOEY. 75 Proceedings in Chancery were more summary then than in later days. The Philipse representatives were summoned forthwith and a trial immediately had. The occasion was a dramatic one. The Lieutenant-Governor presided, and about him sat his council, the magnates of the province, including the Earl of Stirling and the Judges of the Supreme Court. Nimham, the Indian King, appeared in person with his principal subjects, and was assisted by Munroe. Roger Morris and Bevei'ly Robinson appeared in person for the representatives of the patentee; and then and there was summarily decided the claim upon which the survivors of the great Wappinger nation had staked their last chance for a foothold in the land their an- cestors had ruled. No other description can be so graphic as the Minutes of the Council. We quote: " At a Council held at Fort George in the City of New York on Wednesday the sixth day of March, 1765. Present: " The HonWe Cadwallader Colden, Esqr. Lieut. Governor, &c. Mr. Horsmanden, Mr. Delancey, Mr. Smith, Earl of Sitrling, Mr. Watts, Mr. Reade, Mr. Walton, " His Honour the Lieutenant Governor laid before the Board a petition of Daniel Nimham, Jacobus Nimham, One Pound Poc- tone, Stephen Cowenham, and other Native Indians of the Tribe of Wappinger, Setting forth, that they and their Tribe for Time immemorial by their Native Right, have been in possession of certain Tracts of Land in the Southernmost part of Dutches County, adjoining the Northernmost part of Westchester County. * * * * " On reading whereof the four Indians named in the Petition were called in, together with Samuel Munroe their Guardian who attended with them. And Roger Morris and Beverly Robinson, who hold lands under the said Patent, being also present the said Indians were asked what they had to say or to produce in Support of their Claim. Whereupon Daniel Nimham who spoke for himself, and interpreted what the rest said, informed the Council they claimed the Lands under their Ancestors who had never sold them. The said Beverly Robinson then produced an Original Deed, signed by Tachquararos, Cowenhahum, Siengham, Shawiss, Sipowerak, Cramaracht, Wassawawogh, and Mecopap Native Indians and proprietors of sundry tracts of Land in Dutches County, bear- ing Date the '13th August 1702, sealed and delivered in the presence of J.V. Cortlandt, William Sharpas, Philip Van Cort- 76 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. landt, Blaiidiena Bayard, and of tliree Indians subscribing Witnesses thereto, whereby the said Indian Grantees convey all their Right and Title to the Lands therein mentioned (being the same Lands, and described in the same Words as those Granted by the Patent aforesaid) to the said Adolph Phiiipse and to his heirs and Assigns for Ever. And the Names- of the said Indian Grantees being repeated to the Petitioners present, the petitioner One Pound poctone, who declared him- self to be eighty Years of Age said he knew them all— And the Board knowing the four Witnesses first named to have been principal People at the Time of the Transaction; and the Hand Writing of William Sharpas one of the Witnesses, and who ap- pears to have wrote the Deed, being well known. His Honour the Lieutenant Governor informed the Petitioners, that himself and the Gentlemen of the Council were of Opinion, that their An- cestors had fairly sold their Right to the Lands in Question. That they as their Descendants had no Claim to the Lands, and that they should give the Proprietors or their Tenants no farther Trouble, but suffer them to remain quiet and unmolested in the Possession of what so clearly appeared to be their Property." Beaten, but not discouraged, the Indians attempted to secure the assistance of Sir William Johnson who had so successfully intermediated in controversies between the Indian tribes and the English. But he declined to interfere. Nimham then went to England and presented his claims to the Lords of Trade, who communicated in regard to the matter with the Colonial Governor, Sir Henry Moore. In his report to the Lords of Trade Governor Moore wrote that the proceedings lately had in regard to the Wappinger Indians had been " thoroughly examined in the presence of a great con- course of people." In this examination they had been given every opportunity and no advantage was taken of technical points or their ignorance of legal matters. He also reports that in 1766, I'iots had occurred in Dutchess county, and great disturbance, the Indians being at the bottom of it. It was re- ported, and he believed with truth, that the Indians were in the habit of selling their lands over and over again, to any who were willing to purchase. The Lords of Trade also reported in regard to the petition of the Indians. The substance of the re- port was a relation of the claims as narrated in preceding pages. It is also stated that the Indians had previously chosen a guar- dian, and brought their case before the courts, and were defeated in the trial; that they had then appealed to the Governor and Council, who reported that the claim was groundless and that GENERAL HISTORY. 77 the lands were fairly sold. It seems that at the time of this re- port, 1766, there were " four Indian men and three women " in England and that others had been there the previous year. On the 22d of December, 1766, Governor Moore reported that the Indians had been " forcibly putting some poor people out of possession of their houses," and had a second time been committing disorders. This probably refers to some difficulties with tenants who held land under the title of the Philipse family. When he inquired of the Indians why they had gone to England, they replied that " they were persuaded by some people to take the voyage, it was no project of their own." The governor also reported that " Munroe, their gaardian had been guilty of many misdemeanors, and had broke out of G-aol, and is, by all accounts I can obtain, as infamous a person as can be found in this Colony." It is evident that in his opinion it was time a check was put upon affairs of this kind, " to which the Indians were incited by white people living near." There are still extant the briefs of both parties to these pro- ceedings and many miscellaneous papers incidentally furnish- ing data upon the settlement of the county. For example, among the witnesses whom Nimham stated could testify in re- gard to his claims were John Van Tassel " of Philipse Upper Patent;" Elijah Tompkins, "East end and opposite of Philipse Patent;" Samuel Field, "on the Oblong"; John Tompkins, " on Philipse Patent; " David Paddock, "ditto;" Henry Fer- nander, "upper part of gore joining Fishkill;" Peter Ange- vine, "about middle of Philipse Patent;" Richard Curry, William Hill, Jacobus Terbush, "commonly styled Judge Bush, at the Fishkill;" James Dickenson, Esq., "East end of Pat- ent;" James Philipse, "living about the middle of Cortlandts Manor." On the Philipse side there was filed the affidavit, which we quote : "City of New York, ss.: "Timothy Shaw of Dutchess County being duly sworn de- poseth and saith that he formerly was a Tenant under Adolph Philipse, deceased within the Patent commonly called the Up- per Patent in the County aforesaid being the Lands now claimed by Roger Morris Philip Philipse and Beverly Robinson Under the said Adolph Philipse as this Deponent has understood. That he this Deponent has now no Interest in any Lands in the said Upper Patent having disposed of all his Interest therein upwards of seven Years ago. That he this Deponent is very 78 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. well acquainted with all tbe Settlements that have been made within the Bounds of the said Upper Patent and has been ac- quainted with all the Settlements within the Same about or near twenty-five Years last past. That at the Time this Deponent first became acquainted with the said Upper Patent the following Persons were either settled thereon or held as he understood from them as Tenants under Adolph Philipse to wit: Philip Minthorne Elisha Tomkins John Tomkins Wil- liam Hunt Daniel Townsend John Dickenson James Dicken- son John Sprague William Sturdivant One Hill Moses Nor- throp Senior Thomas Philipse George Hughson James Mc- Cready Samuel Fields Amos Dickenson Hezekiah Wright, Jeremiah Calkins John Calkins Joseph Porter Ichabod Vic- kerey Ebeuezer King Samuel Jones James Paddock Peter Paddock David Paddock John Barley Caleb Brundige Wil- liam Brandekey John Eagleston Two Brothers of the name of Bircham One Kire William Kabelay Thomas Kirkam Na- thaniel Robinson One Cole William Smith John Smith Na- thaniel Underbill Edward Stevens One Bartwo John Reynolds and as this Deponent verily believes several others whose names he does not now recollect. That since the Time of his Settle- ment on the said Upper Patent a great Number of other Per- sons many of whose names this Deponent could repeat were it necessary have also settled themselves as Tenants of the Philipse Family within the said Upper Patent and this Deponent verily believes that of such Tenants there were upwards of three hun- dred settled on the said Patent beyond the distance of three Miles from Hudson's River before the Year one thousand seven hundred and fifty six. That either two or three years ago in the Winter Season the said Philip Philipse was at the House of Uriali Lawrance one of the Tenants of the said Upper Patent where Daniel Niraham the Indian together with at least three hundred Persons chiefly Tenants of the said Patent under the Philipse Family were assembled. That the said Philip Philipse then and there in the Hearing of this Deponent and as many of the said Persons there assembled as could conveniently crowd near enough to hear what passed asked the said Nimham where the Lands were which He claimed whereupon the said Nimham said that he had no Lands upon which the said Philip Philipse asked the said Nimham why he made such a Rout among the Tenants to which the said Nimham answered that he was told to do so by Stephen Cowenham and one Pound two other Indi- ans That the said Nimham never to this Deponent's Knowl- edge lived within the Bounds of the said Patent and that all the Indians who formerly lived in the said Patent had aband- oned it long before the Year one thousand seven hundred and fifty six and went and settled themselves as this Deponent has been informed beyond Minisink near Delaware and further this Deponent saith not GENERAL HISTORY. 79 " Sworn this 6th day his of March, 1767," "Timothy X Shaw " Before me mark "Danl Horsmanden." And, keeping in mind the object and naturally one-sided char- acter of the documents, the briefs are scarcely less valuable. From that filed on behalf of Nimham the following extracts are taken: "A Brief Statement of a Controversy subsisting between Daniel Nimham a native Indian and an acknowledged Sachem or King of a Certain Tribe of Indians known and called by the name of the Wappinger Tribe of Indians and others of the same Tribe Petitioners in behalf of themselves and the rest of the said Tribe and the heirs and legal Representatives of Mr. Adolph Philipse, late of the City and Province of New York, de- ceased, * * * " This Tribe formerly were numerous, at present consists of about Two Hundred and Twenty seven Persons; they have al- ways had a Sachem or Indian King, whom they have acknowl- edged to be the head of said Tribe and to whose Government they have submitted; and by a Line of Succession the said Government descended to the said present Sachem, they have for more than a Century been distinguished for their steady friendship and firm alliance with the English, and their subjec- tion 1.0 the Crown of Great Britain; * * * " Their Claim to that part of the above described premises hath been uninterrupted and a Considerable part -thereof for many Years been under actual improvement and occupation by them and their Tenants; and they the said Tribe actually did inhabit and improve said Land by leases on rents and for their hunt- ing Ground &c'' agree- able to their manner of Life until the Com- ' mencement of the late War; at which time they ^'^ entered in the Service of " the British Crown, were conducted forth into the wars by their i)re- sent Sachem, who then being in the Prime and Vigor of Life went in Capacity of Captain in defence of the British Crown taking under his Command all the Males of said Tribe, that were then able and any suitable for said service they first having re- moved their Wives, Children and aged Persons to a Place 80 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. called Stockbridge, that they might the more easily be provided for & better accommodated during their absence, and the said Captain with his Company aforesaid, continued in the service aforesaid during the whole Term of the late War and behaved valliantly and was eminently serviceable in the Reduction of Canady to the British Crown. * * * "The late war being Ended the said Tribe returned home, when to their great surprise they found such Encroachments on their Improvements, and such destruction on their hunting Grounds, that they were obliged to seek for Refuge elsewhere. The said now Sachem sometime afterwards having received some Intelligence of his Majesty's proclamation respecting Indian Claims again however took Courage and having hrst upon ad- vice and by and with the approbation of the Chief Judge of the Court of Common Pleas and one other Justice of the Peace for said County of Dutchess Chosen Mr. Samuel Munroe for his Guardian; he with said Guardian again Leased out sundry farms on said Land in Controversy, not in the least doubting his right so to do. Whereupon (the said Frederick Philipse being dead) Mr. Beverly Robinson of sd. New York having married one of the Daughters of Frederick Philipse deceased & pretending to be interested in the Lands in Controversy after having in a forcible manner attempted to oust the said Tenants who held under said Tribe and after much of his disrespectful Conduct both toward his King and Country, as appears by the exhibits M. N. O. brought cases of Ejectment against fifteen of the said Indian Tenants and they being chiefly poor people, unitedly agreed to stand Trial in only one of them, and having raised a sum of Money for that purpose, the Defendant in that particu- lar suit made application for Council to assist him therein but upon Enquiry (to his great surprise) found that every Attorney at Law in that whole Province was previously retained on the other side; whereupon (being destitute of assistance) at the time of trial he motioned the Court for Liberty to speak for himself; which being Granted he began to offer something in Vindication of his Cause but had scarsely uttered one single sentence, when one of the Lawyers rose up and (interrupting him) with an air of Confidence declared he was liable to be committed for pre- tending to offer a word in Vindication of a claim to those Lands in opposition to a Grant of the Crown, which struck such a sudden Damp upon the spirits of the poor Man, that he was unable further to Conduct his Cause with any manner of prop- riety, or so much as to tell his plain honest story, which might have shew perhaps the Justice of his cause and prevented a Recovery. But without further delay or any further Enquiry into the Matter, Judgment was forthwith rendered in said Cause and in the rest of said cases against all the said fifteen Defend- ants without any opportunity of a fair Trial, and thereupon writs of poissession Granted out against them all, and the whole GENEEAL HISTORY. 81 number of fifteen Tenants aforesaid, some of which had been on said Lands Thirty and some Forty Years, holding under said Tribe turned ofi therefrom and their Buildings and other Im- provements together with the Crops of Grain &c they had been growing on said Lands and all the fruits of their Labour & Industry taken from them without any manner of allowance therefor. Whereupon the said now Sachem together with some other principal men of said Tribe finding, that said Kobinson and the rest of the heirs and legal representatives of the said Mr. Frederick Philipse deceased were determined to continue their molestations and to use all possible endeavors surrepti- tiously to defraud them of their native right to said Lands pre- ferred their petition to the Honorable Cadwallader Golden Esqre Lieutenant Governour and the Commander in Chief of said Province of New York and his Council dated the first day of March Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and sixty-five, as* per Exhibit No. F. and on the sixth of the sarne March afore- said, the Petitioners aforesaid together with said Guardian, were permitted to appear and did personally appear before said Lieut. Governour & Council, in order to be heard in the Matters prayed for in their said Petition respecting said Lands and the Encroachments thereon made as aforesaid and (not able to get any assistance of any attorney at Law in the whole province aforesaid) then and there laid in their Claim to said Land in Controversy themselves and then and there stood ready to offer sufficient Evidence in support of their said Claim and then and there expected to have had opportunity therefor: But instead thereof no more was then and there done in the premises, than as follows, viz.: " The Petitioners being asked by one of the Gentlemen of the Council then and there present, what they had to offer in sup- port of their Claim aforesaid 'i the said now Sachem who spoke for himself and Interpreted what the rest said, informed the said Lieut. Governour & Council, that they the said petitioners in behalf of themselves and the rest of the said Wappinger Tribe claimed the Lands in Controversy under their ancestors, in whom was the native right and that neither they nor their an- cestors nor any of said Tribe had ever sold, nor made any legal Conveyance of said Land in Controversy. The said Mr. Robin- son then produced an Instrument said to be an Indian Deed, bearing date the thirteenth day of August one thousand seven hundred and two, which (if authentic) covered all the Lands in Controversy. But as this was the first Time that such Instru- ment was ever heard of the Petitioners and said Guardian de- sired to look at said Instrument and having got the same into his hand was about to point out some marks of fraud attending it, but before he had time to make one single remark about it, it was by a Gentleman of the Council taken out of his hands, and thereupon the said Gentleman of the Council told the Peti- 82 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. doners they had better go home about their business and quiet themselves and the rest of said Tribe and give tliem no further Trouble for (said he) Mr. Robinson has a Deed of all the Lands in Controversy, to which the said now Sachem replyed, that he chose to hear those words from the Lieutenant Governour's own mouth first: whereupon the said Lieut. Governour after a short Pause said that the said Mr. Robinson had a Deed of the Land in Controversy and that the Petitioners must therefore go home and make themselves and the rest of their Tribe easy and quiet and hot give the said Governour and Council any further Trouble in t"he premises, (having first asked an old Indian, one of the Peti- tioners, whether he ever knew any of those Indians whose names were subscribed to said pretended Deed, who replyed that he did, but that he never knew nor heard of their selling or making any Conveyance of said Lands, neither did he believe that they or either of them ever signed or executed said Instru- ment) whereupon the Petitioners (tho' very much dissatisfied on account of the rough Treatment they met with, as well as on account of their not being permitted a fair Chance or oppor- tunity to Vindicate their Cause) returned home." * * * * " Finally it seems that such a notable Transaction could not have been performed in the Dark nor have been so soon forgotten by the Indians, especially considering that they depend wholly upon Tradition for the Record (if it may be so called) of all their proceedings, and are therein so extremely careful, as that they do thereby retain among them for many Centuries together, the knowledge or remembrance of matters of much less Importance — From all of which Circumstances the said Tribe of Wappingers do firmly believe the said Instrument of one thousand seven hundred & Two to be spurious and not by any means Genuine and humbly imagine said Lands (if at all included in said Patent) were Granted to said Mr. Adolph Philipse by the letters patent aforesaid thr(i' mistake or by means of some misrepre- sentation; and therefore hope with great Humility, that their Honest Cause will gain the Royal Attention and powerful In- terposition and Protection; and that they may be again restored to their said Lands, whereupon they are unjustly expelled. " The foregoing Brief or State of the Case of the Wappinger Tribe of Indians was made on the 30th day of October Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and sixty-five." Prom th« brief submitted by the Philipse representatives is taken the following: " A Summary of the Reasons humbly offered to his Excel- lency Sir Henry Moore Baronet Captain General & Governour in Chief in & over the province of New York & the Territories thereon depending in America, &c., &c., &c., and to the Hon- ourable his Majesty's Council for the said province by Roger Morris Beverly Robinson & Philip Philipse * * * in answer GENERAL HISTORY, 83 to a certain Memorial or Complaint of Daniel Nimham,an Indian, ******** "The said Roger Morris, Beverly Robinson and Philip Philipse, tho' they firmly rely on their indisputable title to the sd. lands as derived by them Under the said Letters Patent Think it nevertheless their Duty hovsrever repeatedly called upon to satisfy the Governm't of the Integrity not only of their own Conduct but also of the Conduct of those under whom they Claim, as well as in obtaining the said Letters Patent for the said Tract of Land as in possessing the same by Virtue of such; Letters patent. * * " The patent appears to be grounded on a petition of Adolph Philijjse wherein the Fraud (if any had been perpetrated in ob- taining the patent) would naturally be found But this petition which is still lodged in the Secretary's office speaks in plain Terms and sets forth a purchase made by him of Jan Seabringh and Lambert Dorlandt of part of the Lands contained within the Bounds of the afsd Patent (a part of which the said Me- morial & Complaint admits to have been granted by the In- dians to the said Seabringh & Dorlandt) to wit for an Extent from the River Eastward as far as the Land of Coll Cortlandt & Company (meaning the patent commonly called Rombouts Patent) which was known to the Govt, to extend only sixteen Miles from the River And the Colony Line was also known to the Governm't to be at the Distance of 20 Miles from the River. So that the petitioner having set forth nothing more than the purchase aforesaid and so framed his petition as clearly to Shew a Vacancy between that purchase & the Colony Line for which he did not pretend to have made an Indian purchase the Crown could not be deceived in the Grant of the said Let- ters Patent & therefore no Reason can be assigned why they should be at this late day impeached or Questioned: And that the more especiall because: "2dly. The Letters Patent themselves contain no recitals or suggestions of matters of fact as urged on the part of the pe- titioner to the Govt, to induce the Crown to grant them; But appear to have issued simply on the petition of Patentee praying a Grant of the Lands without any matters of fact urged by him to induce such Grant. .Wherefore * * * the Letters Patent above mentioned issued in favor of the said Adolph Philipse without the least Colour or Ground for supposing a Deceit on the Crown in the obtaining the same* the title in the sd Roger Morris Beverly Robinson and Philip Philipse must be conclusive. * * * and if anything in Equity is now due the Indians the Crown stands bound to satisfy them* "3dly. The said Adolph Philipse tho he might have relied on his patent,* made a purchase of all the Lands included with- in the Bounds of this patent of them on the 13th Augt. 1702 84 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. and to prevent Every suspicion that Fraud, or Art was used to obtain this Deed, It will be sufficient to observe that Besides three Indians who were Witnesses to it this Transaction was at- tested by Jacobus Van Cortlandt a Man of Rank & Character, William Sharpas the Then Town Clerk of the City of New York — a person of known probity, Philip Van Cortlandt then one of his Majesty's Council of this Province & Biandina Bayard an Indian Interpretress. Some of these witnesses are personally known & the handwriting of one of them subscribed to this Deed was familiar to several of the Members of this Board * * * the Rank & Characters of the witnesses are sufficient to remove all suspicion that it was illegally Fraudulently & surreptiti- ously obtained. * * * * "4thly. * * Those who were acquainted with the Indians their principles and practices know that tho' theywill very rarely suffer themselves to be defrauded of their Lands; yet in most instances they compel bona fide purchasers by Repitition of their Claims to make repeated payments to them; beyond the original Consideration Money "5thly. (Here follow references to papers, including the affi- davit of Timothy Shaw.) "From All which Considerations * * * it must clearly ap- pear That the patent to Adolph Philipse was not unfairly obtained nor the Said Deeds executed to him by. the Indians, procured illegally, fraudulently & surreptitiously, nor the Lands possessed by the Indians until 1756. Nor the possession of them then wrongfully gained by the said Beverly Robinson Philip Philipse and Roger Morris while the Indians were gone into his Majesty's Service * * * But on the contrary the said Patent was fairly obtained without any Imposition on the Govt. That the Indian Deed was procured by the said Adolph Philipse lawfully, honestly & openly before Witnesses of the first Char- acter * •* * & that the said Adolph Philipse & his family so far from suffering their Title to Lands in Question to become Stale and suspicious by Non. occupancy proceeded in due time to the settlement & Cultivation of these Lands, which were popu- lously inhabited by Tenants under them many Years since &and which were long ago abandoned by the Indians who were con- scious that they had not the least Right or Title to them." In the Revolution Nimham and his warriors took an active part. Some sixty of them, expert marksmen and skilled in war, joined the American forces and fought with a bravery and valor worthy of their ancient race, in the days of their glory. Active in the campaigns of 1777, they joined Washington again in the spring of the following year, and were detached with the forces under La Fayette, to check the depredations of the British army on its retreat from Philadelphia, and they were afterward trans- GENERAL HISTORY. 85 ferred to Westchester county, the scene of some of the most hotly contested struggles of the war. It was on the 30th of August, 1778, that Nimham and his warrior band went forth to the iield of their last battle. On that day they met with a scouting party of British under Colo- nel Emerick, and after a fierce engagement compelled them to retreat. On the following morning the whole of the British force at Kings Bridge was ordered out and the larger part was placed in an ambuscade, while Emerick was sent forward to de- coy his assailants of the previous day. In the extreme northern part of the annexed portion of the city of New York, is a high elevation of land, known as Cortlandt's Ridge. Winding through the valleys and emptying into the Harlem River, near Kings Bridge, is a stream that has borne from the earliest times the name of Tippets Brook. The wooded heights and the banks of the stream were the scenes of a most sanguinary con- flict. The attempt to draw the Indians into the ambuscade failed, and upon their advance the British troops had scarcely time to fall into rank. The Indians lined the fences and com- menced firing upon the forces under Colonel Emerick. The Queen's Rangers moved rapidly to gain the heights, and Tarle- ton advanced with the Hussars and his famous Legion of Cav- alr}^ This being reported to Lieutenant-Colonel Simcoe, he directed Major Ross to conduct his corps on the heights, and advancing to the road arrived within ten yards of Nimham and his men. Up to this time they had been intent on the attack upon Colonel Emerick. They now gave a yell and fired on the advancing enemy and wounded five, including Colonel Simcoe. They were driven from the fence, and Tarleton rushed upon them with his cavalry and pursued them down Cortlandt's Ridge. Here Tarleton himself had a narrow escape. Striking at one of the fugitives, he lost his balance and fell from his horse. Fortunately for him the Indian had no bayonet and his musket was discharged, A captain of a company of American soldiers was taken prisoner with some of his men, and a company under Major Stewart, who afterwards distinguished himself at the storming of Stony Point, left the Indians and fled. The en- gagement was renewed with the fiercest vigor. The cavalry charged the ridge with overwhelming numbers, but were bravely resisted. As the cavalry rode them down, the Indians seizing their foes, dragged them from their horses, to join them in death. 86 HISTOEY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. In a swamp, not far from the brook, Nimham made his last stand. When he saw the Grenadiers closing upon him and all hope of successful resistance gone, he called out to his people to flee, but as for himself, " I am an aged tree, I will die here." Being attacked by Simcoe he wounded that officer, but was shot and killed by Wright, his orderly Hussar. In this fearful fray the power of the tribe was forever broken. More than forty of the Indians were killed or desperately wounded in the fight, and when the next morning dawned, there, still and cold in death, on the field he had defended so bravely, lay the last sachem of the Wappingers. The place where they crossed Tippets Brook is still known as Indian Bridge, and an opening in the Cortlandt woods yet bears the name of Indian Field, and there the dead were buried. It is said that the spirit of the sachem still haunts the field of his last battle, and that the sound of his war cry still rises on the midnight air, and greets the ear of the belated traveller as he treads on his lonely way. From that time the Wappingers ceased to have a name in his- tory. A few scattered remnants still remained, and as late as 1811, a small band had their dwelling place on a low tract of land by the side of a brook, under a high hill, in the northern part of the town of Kent,' but all that remained of them have long since passed away, and the place that knew them once will know them no more forever. A person who stands on the high land in Carmel, south of Lake Gfleneida, sees far to the northwest, three lofty mountains that tower above all the country round. To the middle peak, which is the highest, we have given the name of the last Sachem of the tribe that once ruled all the lands that can be seen from its highest summit: and we trust that in honor of his valor, and of the faith sealed with his blood, on the field where he fought for the liberty of America, it will bear to all future time the name of Mount Nimham. 'The site of this village is on the farm of Isaiah Booth, about half a mile south of the Putnam county road, near the west line of Lot 5. CHAPTER VI. CONFISCATION AND SALE OF THE SHARES OF THE PATENT BELONGING TO SUSANNAH ROBINSON AND MARY PHILIPSE. SEVERAL years previous to the death of her father, Susan- nah Philipse was united in marriage to Col. Beverly- Robinson, and the mansion built by him and still standing on the shores of the Hudson has ever been an object of interest and curiosity, as associated with one of the most important episodes in the history of Putnam county. Her sister, Mary Philipse, if any reliance can be placed upon the testimony of tradition and the description of her contemporaries, must have been one of the most beautiful and fascinating women of her time, and numbered among her worshiping adorers no less a personage than the illustrious Washington. Her heart and hand were at length won by Col. Roger Morris, a gentleman of ex- cellent family, and who as an aide to the ill-fated Braddock had distinguished himself, and was among the wounded in the bat- tle of the Monongahela. Previous to their marriage an ante nuptial contract was executed, and her extensive landed estate was provided for by the following Instrument: "This Indenture made the fourteenth day of January in the thirty first year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord Q-eorge the Second by ihe Grrace of God of Great Britain Prance and Ire- land King Defender of the flfaith, &c. and in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty eight. Between Mary Philipse of the first part Major Roger Morris of the sec- ond part and Johanna Philipse and Beverly Robinson of the third part Witnesseth that in consideration of a Marriage in- tended to be had and solemnized between the said Roger Mor- ris and Mary Philipse and the Settlement herein after made by the said Roger Morris on the said Mary Philipse, and for and in consideration of the sum of five shillings Current Money of 88 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. the Province of New York by the said Johanna Philipse and Beverly Robinson to her the said Mary Philipse at or before the ensealing and Delivery of these Presents well and Truly paid, the Receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and for di- vers other Good Causes and Considerations her thereunto moving, She the said Mary F'hilipse Hath Granted Bargained Sold Released and Confirmed and by these Presents Doth Grant Bargain Sell Release and Confirme unto the said Johanna Philipse and Beverly Robinson (in their actual possession now being by virtue of a Bargain and Sale to them thereof made for one whole Year, by Indenture bearing date the Day next be fore the day of the Date of these Presents and by force of the Statute for Transferring of uses into possession) and to their Heirs All those Severall Letts or Parcels of Land known by the Severall names of Lot Number Three, Number Five, and Num- ber Nine, and one third part of the Meadow Land lying in Lot Number Two which Lotts Nuriiber Three Five' Nine and two are part of a Certain Tract or Parcel of Land Granted unto Adolph Philipse since Deceased by his Late Majesty King William the third by his Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the Province of New York bearing Date the Seventeenth day of June in the Year of our Lord one thousand six h^^ndred and ninety seven, scituate lying and being in Dutchess County in the high lands on the East side of Hudsons River and are Butted and Bounded as follows to wit. Lot Number three beginning at two hemlock bushes Standing in a Gully between Bull and break neck hills on the East side of Hudsons River and from thence running North seventy seven Degrees East three hundred and eighty-six chains to a heap of stones and walnut bush marked P. R. 1753 Standing in the West Line of Lot Number four and is also the North East Corner of Lot Number two, then North ten degrees East two hundred and twenty eight chains to a heap of Stones thirty Links North of a White Oak Tree marked P. 1753 being the Northwest Corner of Lot Number four, then South eighty seven degrees West four hundred and eight chains to the Mouth of the Fish kill from thence down the Several Courses of Hudsons River to the Beginning including PoUaples Island, containing about Eight thousand six hundred Acres. Lot Num- ber Five beginning at a heap of stones in the Line of the Man- nor of Courtlandt at the South East Corner of Lot Number Four, then North ten degrees East nine hundred and forty seven GENEKAL HISTORY. 89 chains to a heap of Stones at the North East Corner of Lot four, then North eighty seven degrees East three hundred and forty four chains to a heap of Stones which is the North West Corner of Lot Ntimber six, then South ten Degrees West along the Line of Lot Number six Nine hundred and sixty Chains to a heap of Stones on the Line of the Manner of Courtlandt at the South West Corner of Lot Number six, then West along the Line of the Manner of Courtlandt three hundred and forty Chains to the Beginning Containing about thirty one thousand two hundred Acres. Lot Number Nine Beginning at a hemlock Tree standing on the South side of the East branch of Croton River and a heap of Stones on the North side which is also the Sonth East Corner of Lot Number six in the Line of the Man- ner of Courtlandt from thence running North ten degrees East three hundred and thirty three Chains to a heap of Stones and a walnut Tree markt P. R. 1753 en the South side of the hill near an eld meeting house in the Line of Lot Namber six, being the south west corner of Lot number eight then east along the line of Lot Number Eight three hundred and thirty-seven Chains to a Chesnut bush markt P. R. 1753 Stand- ing in the oblong Line on the West side of a Rocky hill which is the South East Corner of Lot Number eight, then Southerly as the Oblong line runs three hundred and thirty three Chains to the North East Corner of the Manner of Courtlandt in Peach Pond, then West along the said Manner of Courtlandt three hundred and thirty six Chains to the Beginning, Containing about Eleven thousand two hundred and twenty Acres and the one third part of the Meadow Land lying in Let Number Two Beginning five chains from tlie upland upon Danfords Creek, and running to Crooked Creek five Chains from the upland then down Crooked Creek to the Meadow belonging to lot number one, then North West to Mar tiers Rock, then along the upland the North side of little Island in the Meadow to- the Mouth of Danfords Creek then up the said Creek to the Beginning Con- taining about Eighty two Acres. And also All and Singular the Lands Tenements Hereditaments and real Estate whatsoever and wheresoever of her the said Mary Philipse. And also all the Estate Right Title Interest Possession Claim and Demand what- soever of her the said Mary Philipse of in and to all and Singu- lar the said Letts or Parcels of land above mentioned and De- scribed and all and Singular her other Lands Tenements Hered- 90 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. itaments and real Estate whatsoever or any part or parcel thereof with the appurtenances To have and to hold all and Singular the said, several Lots of land herein before mentioned or intended to be hereby Released and all and Singular other the Lands Tenements Hereditaments and Real Estate whatso- ever of her the said Mary Philipsewith their and every of their members and appurtenances unto the said Johanna Philipse and Beverly Robinson and their Heirs To and for the several uses intents and purposes herein after declared expressed, limited, and appointed and to and for no other use intent and purpose whatsoever, that is to say, to and for the use and behoof of them the said Johanna Philipse & Beverly Robinson and their Heirs until the solemnization of the said Intended Marriage, and from and immediately after the solemnization of the said Intended Marriage then to the use and behoof of the said Mary Philipse and Roger Morris and the Survivor of them for and during the Term of their natural lives without Impeach- ment of Waste, and from and after the determination of that Estate then to the use and behoof of such child or children as shall or maybe procreated between them, and to his her or their Heirs and Assigns forever, but in case the said Roger Morris and Mary Philipse shall have no child or children begotten be • tween them, or that such child or children shall happen to die during the life time of the said Roger and Mary and the said Mary should survive the said Roger without issue, then to the use & behoof of her the said Mary Philipse and her Heirs and Assigns forever, and in case the said Roger Morris should sur- vive the said Mary Philipse without any issue by her or tliat such issue is then dead without leaving issue then after the de- cease of the said Roger Morris to the only use and behoof of such Person or Persons and in such manner and form as she the said Mary Philipse shall at any time during the said intended Marriage devise the same by her Last Will and Testament for that purpose, which last Will and Testament it is hereby agreed by all the parties of these Presents that it shall be lawful for her at any time during the said Marriage to make publish and declare, the said Marriage or any thing herein (iontained to the Contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding. Provided Nevertheless and it is the true intent and meaning of the Parties to these Presents that it shall and may be Lawful to and for the said Roger Morris and Mary Philipse jointly at any GENERAL HISTORY. 91 time or times during the said Marriage to Sell and Dispose of any part of the said Several Lots or Parcels of Land or of any- other her Lands Tenements Hereditaments and real Estate whatsoever to the value of three thousand Pounds Current Money of the Province of New York, and in case the said sum of three thousand Pounds be not raised by such Sale or Sales during their joint Lives and they have issue between them that then it shall be Lawful for the survivor of them to raise the said Sum by the Sale of any Part of the said Lands or such deficien- cy thereof as shall not then have been already raised there- out so as to make up the said full sum of three thousand pounds anything hereinbefore contained to the contrary there- of in any wise notwithstanding. And the said Roger Morris for and in Consideration of the premises and the sum of five shillings Current Money of the Province of New York to him in hand paid by the said Johanna Philipse and Beverly Robin- son Doth hereby for himself his Heirs, Executors and Admin- istrators Covenant Promise Grant and agree to and with the said Johanna Philipse and Beverly Robinson their and each of their Heirs Executors and Administrators in manner and form following that is to say, that in case the said Mary Philipse shall survive him the said Roger Morris, that then & in such case immediately after his Death all & singular the Monies and personal Estate whatsoever he shall die possessed shall be ac- counted the proper monies and Estate of the said Mary Philipse during her Natural Life, and after her Decease in case there be no issue begotten between the said Roger Morris and Mary Philipse then living that then the said Monies and Personal Estate shall and may be had and taken by the Executors and Administrators of the said Roger Morris these Presents or any thing herein Contained to the Contrary thereof in any wise not- withstanding, but if such Child or Children shall survive the said Roger Morris and Mary Philipse then the said monies and estate to be divided among them in such Shares and Propor- tions as he the said Roger Morris shall think fit at any time hereafter by his Last Will and Testament or otherwise to order and direct. " In witness whereof all the parties first above named have to these Parts hereof all of the same Tenor and Date set their Hands and Seals the Date and Year first above written. 92 history of putnam county. " Maey Philipse. (L. S.) "Roger Mokeis. (L. S.) " Johanna Philipse. (L. S.) " Bev. Robinson. (L. S.)" Recorded in Secretary of State's office, Albany, Liber 20, p. 550. Five days after the execution of this instrument, on the 19th of January, 1758, Col. Morris and Mary Philipse were married in the old Manor House at Yonkers, with all the pomp and splendor that was worthy of their station and suited to their circumstances. The greater portion of their time was passed in the city of New York, and the place where they lived is well known in modern times as the famous Jumel man- sion, within whose walls have congregated alike the noted men of the early days of the republic and the distinguished char- acters of more recent times. At the time of the commencement of the Revolution, Col. Morris was a member of Council for the colony, and continued in office till the close of the war and the declaration of peace put a final end to British rule and estab- lished a new nation. As a more extended sketch of Col. Robin- son and Col. Morris will be found in another jjlace, it is suffic- ient to state that both were among the most prominent of the royalists, who throughout the war, supported the efiforts of the British government to crush the liberties of their native -land. Under these circumstances it can not be surprising, that when the final triumph came, the State should deem unworthy of its protection the persons and the property of those who had ad- hered to the cause of the enemies of its freedom. It was in accordance with this view that an act of attainder was passed confiscating the property of the most jorominent of the royalists, and banishing them from the State: "An act for the forfeiture and sale of the estates of persons who have adhered to the enemies of this State, etc., passed Oc- tober 22d, 1779: " Whereas, during the present unjust and cruel war waged by the King of Great Britain against the State and the other United States of America, divers persons holding or claiming property within this State, have voluntarily been adherent to the said King, his fleets and armies, enemies to this State, and the said other United States, with intent to subvert the govern- GENERAL HISTORY. 93 ment and liberties of this State and the said other United States and to bring the same in subjection to the Crown of Great Britain; by reason whereof, the said persons having severally justly forfeited all right to the protection of this State, and to the benefit of the laws under which such property is held or claimed: And whereas the public justice and safety of this State absolutely require, that the most notorious offenders should be immediately hereby convicted and attainted of the offence aforesaid in order to work a forfeiture of their respec- tive estates and vest the same in the people of this State. " And whereas the Constitution of this State hath authorized the Legislature to pass acts of attainder for crimes committed before the termination of the present war. " Section 1. Be it therefore enacted by the People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, that William Tryon, Esq., late Governor of the said Colony, * * Roger Morris, * * Mary Morris, wife of said Roger Morris, * * Beverley Robinson, * * Susannah Robinson, wife of said Beverley Robinson, be, and each of them are hereby severally declared to be ipso facto convicted and attainted of the offense aforesaid, and that all and sipgular the estate, both real and personal, held or claimed by them the said persons severally and respectively, whether in possession, reversion or remainder, within this State, on the date . of the passage of the act, shall be, and hereby is declared to be forfeited to, and vested in, the people of this State." Sj the provisions of this act John Hathorn, Samuel Dodge and Daniel Graham were appointed commissioners to sell con- fiscated and forfeited estates. Under the power given to them by this act, they proceeded to the sale. In a large number of cases, in fact a majority, the lands were sold to the parties who were already in possession of the various farms, as tenants of Beverly Robinson and Roger Morris, by the right of their respective wives. On the 12th day of May, 1781, another act was passed " for the speedy sale of confiscated and forfeited estates and for other purposes." By this act, Daniel Graham, one of the former commissioners, was ajjpointed a sole commis- sioner for sales in the middle district. He employed Henry Dodge, Esq., of Poughkeepsie, as surveyor to assist in the work, who stated at a later date that "he was a long time em- 94 HISTOKY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. ployed and formed a field book of at least a quire of paper, completely filled with descriptions of the parcels Forfeiture for the " Danl. Q-eaham, ) Middle District." The following list is taken from the report of Henry Living- ston to the surveyor general. It seems that formal deeds were given to the various purchasers, many of which have been put on record in the offices of the clerks of both Putnam and Dutch- ess counties, and abstracts alone were entered as stated, in Liber 8 of Deeds. " Sales of land in Lot No. 5, of Philipse Patent, belonging to Roger Morris and his wife Mary:— Wm. Smith land near Red Mills, 3i acres; Wm. Smith The Red Mills including the large Island, 188, 172, 71, 314; John Drake, 262; Abraham Hyatt, 70; Joseph Gregory, 279; John Crane, 164; John Berry, 50; Joshua Horton, 262; Jehiel Bouton, 189; Isaac Pierce, 126; James Cock (small island), 6; Jo^iah Faulkner, 43; John Avery, 159; John De Clare, 89; Charles F. Weisenfels, 137; John Berry and John McLean, 141; John Oakley, 111; Joseph and Daniel Cole, 230; John Dearman, 72; David Smith, 318; Nathaniel Nott, 98; Ebenezer Cole, 36; Isaac Requa, 130; Isaac Lounsberry, 202; Jonathan Stokum, 97; Charles Agor, 94; Isaac Rhodes, 221; Hannah Brewer, 89; Thomas Bryant, 129; Isaac Rhodes, 221; Hannah Brewer, 89; Elisha Cole, 117, 396; Isaac Barrett, 121; Isaac Austin, 92; Nathan Lane, 278; John Smith, 70; John O'Brien, 210; Ebenezer Boyd, 71, 98, 8, 157; David Frost, 168; John Booth, 128; Thomas Horton, 160; Abraham Mabie, 187; Joseph Farrington, 141; Josiah Farrington, 310; Justus Berrit, 130; Joseph Ogden, 34; John Russell, 39; Samuel Hunt, 117. James Townsend, 352; Wm. Haddon, 138; Jeremiah Sprague, 98; Amy Haight, 96; Ebenezer Boyd, 461, 110, 220, 400; Isaac Rhodes, 32; Peter Badeau, 217; Jabez Berry, 188; Peter Mabie, 105; Peter Mabie, 68; Peleg and Shubael Wixom, 193; Israel Pinckney, 144; Comfort Chadwick, 68; Abner Doty, 90; James Cock, 131; Wm. Hitchcock, 178; Peter Banker, 149; JohnGean, 194; John Crane and others, 360; Charles Serrine, 198; Joseph Gregory, 130; John Merritt, 94; Tho. & Zebedee Kirkland, 336; James Serrine, ]11; Charles Heroy, 112; John Adams, 90; Robert Hughson, 363; Daniel Knapp, 162; Robert Russell, 62; John Secor, 124; Isaac Secor, 124; Moses Knapp, 230; Timothy Carver, 355; Abigail Clark, 132; Ebenezer Lockwood, 144; Isaac 96 HISTOEY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Badeau, 94; John Requa, 132; Isaac Hopkins, 13; Israel Knapp, 120; Solomon Hopkins, 341; Benj. Knapp, 127; Wm. Hitch- cock, 26; Solomon Hopkins, 220, 82; Samuel Ballard, 54; Wm. Ballard, 93; Isaac Drew, 187; Comfort Chad wick, 117; James Smalley, 232; Moses Mead, 256; Samuel Hawkins, 100; John Post, 81; Johnston Deakin, 230; Joseph Farrington, 160 Robert Fuller, ; Peter. Anderson, 250; John Beyea, 132 Thomas Russell, 166; Wm. Goodfellow, 66; John Russell, 39 Samuel Morger, 211; Jesse Hunt, 163; Wm. Falconer (island), 1. "Sales in Lot. No. 9: Ebenezer Philipse, 162; Ezra Gregory, 106; Jonathan Brown, 351; Jonathan Crane, 12."; Edmond Mead, 218; Charles Graham, 316; Philip Leek, 129; Moody Howes, 259; James Sackett, 138; Isaac Townsend, 156; Seth Paddock, 293; Nathan Green, 269; Thomas Lowrie, 119; Silas Paddock, 174; John Gove, 237; Timothy Delavan, 106; Benj. and Enoch Crosby, 276, 103; Stephen Field, 405; Maurice Smith, 206; Nathaniel Delavan, 228; Ezra Richards, 187; Jacob Ellis, 146; Peleg Bailey, 123; Wm. Yeomans, 122; John Crab, 143 Joseph Haskins, 174; John Gannung, 178; Gilbert Haight, 48 Wm. Field, 100; Billy Trowbridge, 287,; Samuel Delevan, 112 James Dunn, 30; Abel Van Scoy, 120; Jacob Van Scoy, 88 John Davis, 116; Sylvanus Covert, 49; Gilbert Haight, 64 Mahar Nelson, 132; Wm. Higby, 128; Henry Charlick, 383 Ichabod Marvin, 74; Thomas Adams, 270; Thomas Russells, 166 Richard Williams, 109; Joseph Randall, 221; Samuel Carle, 270; Frederick Pickney, 29; Wm. Lovelace, 107; Moses Rich- ards, 177; Mary Haines, 301; John Piatt, 100; Edmond Rice, 284; David Paddock, 304; Hannah Nickerson, 229; Nehemiah Wood, 147; John Field, 354; Uriah Wallace, 69; Jeremiah Mead, 111; David Cowen, 92; John Townsend, 100; John Dan, 99; Isaac Paddock, 153; Moses Gage, 97; John Dickinson and David Bull, 17; John Dickinson, 210; Heman King, 284; Michael Piatt, 167; Solomon Field, 267; Caleb Palmer, 75; Consider Carman, 180; Samuel Hawkins, 27; Richard Ayres, 200; Robert Shaw, 190; Abel Van Scoy, 76; Samuel Jones, 194; David Por- ter, 190; Jacob Kniffen, 260; Zacheus Newcomb, 165; Henry Charlick, 171; Daniel Hunt, 8; Ichabod Marvin, 100. " Sales made in Lot 3 of Roger Morris: Jonathan Pine, 240; Maurice Smith, 142; John Haight, 256; AVm. Wright, 125; Cor- nelius Adriance, 21|; Joseph Huestis, 296; Benjamin Bloomer, 460f ; Gilbert Bloomer, 298f ; John Barton, 108i; Charity Hues- GENERAL HISTORY. ' 97 tis, 219; Peter Dubois, 293^; Martin Willsie, 4 parcels, 528^ John Van Amburg, 346f ; Judith Crownell, 153; Gilbert Weeks 285; Israel Knapp, 168; Isaac Springer, 60; Philip Pelton, 49 Jonathan Miller, 106; Titus Travis, 118; Jedediah Frost, 143 Richard Christian, 331; John Budd, 200; James Langdon, 82 David Hanion, 200; Paul Sparling. 54; Gilbert Bloomer, 187 Nathaniel Anderson, 266; Daniel Ter' Bos, three parcels, 1497 Benj. Bloomer, 430; John Haight and John Nelson, 371^; Israel Knapp, 354; Cornelius Adriance, 27; Squire Baker, 30; Andrew Hill, 385; Paul Sparling, 54. Total No. of acres sold in Lots 3-5-9, 39100." Previous to the Revolution, Roger Morris and his wife sold to Ebenezer Boyd and William Hill, 600 acres in Lot No. 5. The marsh or meadow between Constitution Island and Lot 2 was divided as stated before, and the north part fell to Mary Morris. From this share the commissioners sold parcels to Martin Wilsie, Solomon Cornell, Charity Huestis, Matthew Snook and Justus Nelson, amounting to 55^ acres. Mr. Livings- ton reported as follows: "Population of Lot No. 3, seventy-five houses containing as many families, reckoning six to a family, . . 450 ' ' On Lot 5 three hundred and twenty families, reckoning six to a family, . 1,920 " On Lot 9 one hundred and twenty-nine families, reckon- ing six to a family, 774 "Total, 3,144 '• From my own observation and that of others I deem that 4,600 acres are under cultivation in Lot No. 3. " On Lot No. 5 14,939 acres under cultivation. "On Lot No. 9 7,348 acres inclosed and improved. "Total acres improved 26,887." "Uncultivated and unimproved 23,962, in all 50,849 acres. " The assessors of the towns of Kent and Carmel, furnished their returns, of such part of their respective towns as were embraced in Lots 5 and 9: "The valuation of real estate, in that part of Lot 5 which lies in the town of Kent is, . . §81,981.00 " In the town of Carmel, 234,230.00 " Total Assessors valuation of Lot 5, . . 316,211.00 7 98 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. "Assessors valuation of real estate on Lot 9, in town of South East, 250,394.00 " I could not procure the assessors returns of Lot No. 3 in Philip and Fishkill Towns but from good information state it, . . . . 81,022.00 Total of Lots 3-5-9, $647,627.00." Mr. Livingston adds the following observations which are interesting as showing the conditions of this part of the county eighty years ago: "Lot No. 3, contains 9,200 acres, of these 2,000 are feasible and well improved. Hardly equal however to some parts of Lot 5 which lie in Carmel and various parcels on Lot No. 9. Three thousand more may be equal to the better parts of Lot No. 5 lying in Kent and the middling qualities of the same Lot in Carmel. The residue of this Lot is mountainous some alto- gether inaccessible, the buildings are erected upon a humble scale, all wood. Perhaps one- third of the field enclosures are stone. It is perfectly well watered by springs and rivulets. The farmers all reside at inconsiderable distances from either Fish- kill or Cold Springs landings. This adds value to their several estates." "Lot No. 5. "The northern part of this Lot and that which lies in the town of Kent is mountainous and Rocky. Some of the valleys are excellent meadows and where the soil can be come at is good. But these estimable portions bear but a small propor- tion to the more rugged parts. The Southern division of this tract and which is the town of Carmel is hilly but cannot be deemed mountainous. Here extensive and excellent meadows every where meet the eye, and tillage is well attended to. The soil however is generally stony, very little wheat is grown on this Lot. Rye forms the bread of a very large majority. Their exports are rye Indian corn buckwheat beef pork butter and cheese. The whole of this Lot is well watered by ponds and small streams. Mahopac is a beautiful pond, has several islands and contains 659 acres of water. This and nine other ponds embelish this County. These waters all abound in fish. The northern section of this Lot can pass to the Cold Spring landing on an excellent turnpike road, but the middle and southern di- visions choose the port of Peekskill. The buildings on this Lot GENERAL HISTOET. 99 are generally below mediocrity. Many however are comfort- able. The day for elegance has not arrived.'''' "Lot No. 9. "Is so very like the south part of Lot 5 that a description of the one is a portrait of the other. This tract is not really mountainous but yet is very near it. The soil is good but stony. Croton river enters near its northwest and leaves at its Southeast angle. Ponds also beautify this tract and small streams abound. More than half the field enclosures in this Lot as well as Lot 6 are composed of stone. A turnpike road passes through this Lot from the north east to the south east corner, ending at Sing Sing." Sales by the Commissioners of Forfeitures of the Lands of Beverly Robinson and wife. Sales in Lot No. 4: — Squire Baker, 116 acres; Joshua Tompkins, 112; Nathaniel Jagger, 87; Titus Travis, 118; John Russell, 101; Josiah Ingersoll, 30; John Clin- ton, 110; Wm. White, 179^; Philip Pelton and Joshua Myrick, 500, 500, 178; Gilbert Oakley, 130; Richard Denny, 114i; Na- thaniel Tompkins, 219; John Hyatt and Isaac Penier, 232; Rich- ard Slatterly, 320^; John Likely, 96|; Wm. Colegrove, 187; John Hyatt, 316; Comfort Luddington, 15; Elijah Oakley, 264; Caleb Frisbee, 99; John Denny, 106; Cornelius Tompkins, 240; Daniel Bugbee, 220; Anthony Field, 500; Richard Denny, 80^; Samuel Cromwell, 239; Titus Travis, 127^; Jonathan Miller, 106i; Jedediah Frost, 143; Gabriel Acker, ]72; Philip Steinback, 122i; Peter Rickey, 287; Thomas Hill, 370; Richard Christian, 331i; Wm. Crawford, 281; Reuben Tompkins, 21 7i; Daniel Delavan, 370; Hyatt Lane, 203; Richard Denny, 129i; John Hyatt and Isaac Penier, 461^, 480^; John Budd, 200; James Langdon, 82; Wm. Smith, 188; Nathan Lane, 278; Ebenezer Boyd, 192; Sam- uel Drake, 51, 74; Joseph Paine, 117; John Hoyt, 154; Robert Oakley, 221J; Gilbert Lockwood, 137; Jesse Owen, 188; Zeph- aniah Piatt and John Bailey, 495, 500; Jacobus Swarthout, 110 Mary Conklin, 370; Comfort Luddington, 15; Caleb Frisbee, 99 Henry Kiers, 147; John Brinkerhoff, 250; James Sherwood, 160 Isaac Springer, 50; Jonathan Price, 240; Thomas Lewis, 207 John Yeomans, 134; John Christian, 259; John Shouck, 280 John Weeks, 425; Thomas Bashford, 158; Moses Dusenbury, 105; Nathaniel Jagger, 123; Sibert Cronk, 240; Joshua Tomp- kins, 185, 111, 37; John Campbell, 439; Abraham Baker, 438; Gilbert Budd, 85; Widow Hester Van Tassel, 123f Oliver Odell, 100 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. 172; Matthew McCabe, 193; Daniel Willsie, 130; Ezekiel- Gee^ 200; Samuel Drake, 500; Joshua Drake, 500; Solomon Hopkine, 260; John Horton, 140^; James Jacocks, 162; Jonathan Owens, 272i, 312i; Amos Odell, 46^; Henry Post and Isaac Odell, 227^; Thomas Smith and Jacob Reed, 1341-; Joseph Bard, 184; Wm. Oakley, 129; John Hyatt and George Lane, 465; Jacobus Swart- hout, 464; Jacob Griffin, 397; Richard Christian, Jr., 152f; John McDonald, 112i; George Lowe, 239; Wm. Dusenburry, 305i; Peter Barager, 213; James Perry, 150; John Smith, 165; John Hyatt and Nathaniel Hyatt, 457; Joshua Hyatt, 457; Solo- mon Smith, 163; Hannah Knapp, 222^; Abraham Post, 252; Moses Dusenburry, 115^; John Drake, 271; Jesse Owens, 82; Moses Dusenburry, 217^. Sales in Lot No. 7: Elija Oakley, 264 acres; David Hill, 160 Joseph Crawford, 85^; Alexander Kidd, 111; David Close, 159 James Hays, 252; Ephraim Warren, 128; John Newbury, 125 David Hecocks, 293; Roswell Wilcox, 161; John Burck, 130 Peter Coiley, 17; Increase Bennett, 4; Anthony Post, 98; Na- thaniel Delavan, 465; Caleb Frisbee, 115; Robert Morris, 300; Wm. Duer, 208; John Newbury, 60; Anthony Post, 28 poles;, John Burch, 40 acres; Abraham St. John, 200; Jonathan Burck, 112; James Calkins, 48^; Robert Mooney, 146; Benjamin Bird- sail, 30i; John Healy, 208; James Pairley, 119; Matthew Pat- terson, 157; Abraham St. John, 59; Comfort Sands, 187; Nehe- miah Stebbins, 329; Benjamin Birdsall, 173; Henry Luddington,. Samuel Mills, Billy Trowbridge, Benaijah Beardsley, 338 and 126; Uriah Wallace, 80; Samuel T. Pell, 300; Comfort Ludding- ton, 200; James Philips, 113; Jehiel Weed, 170; Daniel Shaw, 1|; Samuel Towner, 269; Jedediah Wyllys, 105; Thomas Mit- chell, 122; Asa Howes, 271; Jedediah Wyllys, 200; Robert Morris, 194; James Corey, 85^; David Hecocks, 120; Ephraim Jones, 119; Comfort Sands, 456; Ezra Gregory, 166; James Rosekrans, 118; Anthony Post, Matthew Patterson, Alexander Kidd, 399; Wm. B. Alger, 250, 70. Lots. In this lot there was sold to Philip Pelton, Benjamin Pelton and Daniel Pelton, 159 acres, being in two parcels. This was land formerly sold by John Ogilvie and Margaret Ogilvie to Edward Price, and afterward owned by Tertullus Dickerson, by whose conviction it was forfeited. This tract or a part of it GENERAL HISTOKY. 101 now belongs to Theodore Kelly. The old " Burcham Mills" stood on this tract before the Revolution. Sales in Lot No. 1: The greater part of this lot was sold to William Denning, a wealthy merchant of New York. The whole of the western part of the lot was sold to him by Daniel Oraham, the surveyor general of the State, as commissioner of forfeitures. A tract adjoining this on the east and running the whole length of the lot was also sold to William Denning by Daniel Graham, May 3d, 1785. These two deeds include all the lot except a comparatively small tract in the southeast corner. Of this a tract of about 439 acres was sold to Major John Camp- bell. The parsonage farm of St. Peters Church and St. Philips Chapel embraced about 200 acres, and lay next east of Major Campbell's, and was given to the church by the State, while near the southeast corner was a larger tract sold to John Meeks. Jonathan Owen also had a tract of about 580 acres, which lay at the extreme southeast corner of Lot No. 1. Sales in the Oblong: By the attainder of Henry Clinton, several parcels of land were sold in the Oblong. The following is a partial list: Isaac Elwell, 41 acres; Benjamin Sears, 48, 82; Joseph Crane, Jr., 25; Mark Gage, 75; Elihu Gage, 53, 71; An- thony Gage, 112; Nathaniel Sinclair, 4; Thomas Higgins, 95^; John Elwell, 15; Joseph Drake, 3; John Starr, 83^; Wm. Clin- ton, 29, 46; Benjamin Sears, 25. The Oblong was not a part of the Philipse Patent. Its history will be found in a succeeding chapter. CHAPTER VII. THE GORE. THE Gore was a tract of land to the north of the Philipse Patent and was for many years a source of dispute ani litigation between the Philipse famijy and the owners of the Rumbont and Beekman Patents, which adjoined them on the north. The vague and indefinite manner in which the bounds of early land grants were described almost invariably led to disputes of this nature. In this case the dispute arose, not from uncertainty as to the bounds of the Philipse Patent, but from the peculiar manner in which the south lines of the Rum- bout and Beekman Patents were described. The south bounds of the Rumbout Patent are thus defined: " Also from the said Fish kill or creek called Mateawam, along the said Fish kill into the woods at the foot of the High Hills, including all the reed or low lands at the south side of said creek, with an easterly line four hours going, sixteen English miles." The Beekman Patent was described as " Beginning at the north side of the Highlands, at the east of the lands of Col. Van Cortlandt and Company (that is the Rumbout Patent) so far as the line between the Province of New York and the Colony of Connecticut extends." The bounds of the Philipse Patent were described as beginning at Anthony's Nose, which was the southwest corner of the patent, and running north along the Hudson River "until it comes to the Creek River or Run of water called the Great Fish kill to the northward and above the Highlands which is like- wise the southward bounds of a tract of land belonging to Col. Stephanus Cortlandt and Company and so easterly along Col. Cortlandt' s line and the south bounds of Col. Henry Beekman until it comes twenty miles or unto the Division Line between our Colony of Connecticut &c." GENERAL HISTORY. 103 The PMlipse family claimed that by the terms of the Rum- bout Patent the Fishkill Creek was its south boundary and, as the Philipse Patent was bounded on the north by that patent, it followed that the Fishkill was their northern boundary. Again as the Beekman Patent was said to be " on the north side of the Highlands" and they were bounded north by the Beek- man Patent, it followed that they owned all the land south of the north line of the mountains. On the other hand the pro- prietors of both the Eumbout and Beekman Patents claimed that the north line of the Philipse Patent was a due east line from the mouth of the Fishkill and that their southern bound- aries extended to it. Among the PMlipse papers is a brief, written by David Og- den, the counsel for that family, which states in a few words their line of argument. " There is no dispute as to the point of beginning, on the Southside of the Fishkill. "As the Rum- bout Patent was all that tract on the north side of the High- lands, no part of the Highlands was included in it." "The words along the Fishkill intended it to be the boundary, as much as along the river." "That as the Wappingers kill with the addition of 500 rods, was the north boundary of the Rumbout Patent, so the Fishkill, with the reed or low lands, was the south boundary." "The words easterly line mean the same with reference to the Fishkill that northerly does to Hudson River, and that the four hours going should be measured along the Fishkill, and that a straight line measured along the Fish- kill or so as not to go on any of the hills, will by the map differ but little." " That a line running east from the mouth of the Fishkill instead of being on the north of the Highlands, in less than a mile runs into them and contimies therein the whole 16 miles." He concludes that the Fishkill is the true north boundary of the Philipse Patent except where there are "reed or lowlands," and all such belong to the Rumbout Patent. After a long con- troversy the dispute was settled January 26th, 1771. At that time the contest was between Lawrence Lawrence, who owned one- third of the share of Jacobus Kip in the Rumbout Patent, and the heirs of Frederick Philipse, The matter was left to the decision of William Nicoll and Thomas Hicks. They decided that "a line should begin at the northern extent of the bushes or shrubs upon Plum Point: being the south side of the mouth 104 HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. of the Fishkill, and should run from thence East 6 degrees North, as the Compass now points, 16 miles, and that the said line shall forever hereafter be and remain the boundary." At the Revolution this triangular tract was owned by Beverly Robinson, Roger Morris and Philip Philipse. The shares of the first two were confiscated and by a law passed in 1784 the tract was divided into three lots, of which the State of New York had two and the heirs of Philip Philipse had one. The lot of the Philipse family lay next to the east line of the Rum- bout Patent and was 115 chains wide at the east end, the course of the east line being north 25 degrees 30 minutes west. This lot is the southeast corner of the town of East Fishkill. From the Philipse papers it is found that the cost of their claim to this Q-ore was £1,818, 12s. GORE IN BEEKMAW PATENT. It has been seen that the owners of the Philipse Patent claimed that the Beekman Patent lay to the north of the High- lands, and consequently covered no portion of the mountains, while the Beekmans with equal pertinacity claimed that their south boundary should be a line running due east from the south side of the mouth of Fishkill. The controversy lasted for many years and finally was settled, like that concerning the Rumbout Gore, by a compromise. On the 18th of January,1758, Beverly Robinson, Susannah Robinson, Philip Philipse and Mary Philipse on the one part, and Henry Beekman, Catharine Pawling and Robert Livingston on the other part, mutually agreed, "for the ending of all disputes," that a line should be run "from Mateawara or the mouth of Fishkill as the Compass now points due east to the Oblong." From this point on the Ob- long a line was to be run northerly along the Oblong line, 200 chains, and from thence "a due west line as the Compass now points," to the rear of the Rumbout Patent, and this last line should be the boundary between the parties. Samuel Willis, of Hempstead, Long Island, was employed as the surveyor, and the north line is thus described: — " Began on the Oblong line at a large heap of stones set up which bears N. 25 degrees west, 38 links from a large rock on which are cut the letters H. B. B. R. P. P. ; a new house erected by Daniel Chase bears the same course the rock does. From thence due west, the line runs about 12 feet south of Wm. Hunt's spring or fountain, GENERAL HISTORY. 105 where Col. Henry Beekman made the letters H. B., on the rock out of which the water of the spring runs. Said line also crosses a pretty large pond in the mountains, a little south of the mid- dle. On the east shore a monument is set up about 2 chains south of one Baker's house standing in a hollow." The rook mentioned as marked with the letters H. B. B. R. P. P., is still to be seen and is one of the most interesting land- marks in this portion of the country. It is in the town of Pawlings, on the homestead of Martin Leach, and is 78 feet north of the barn, and 20 feet, south of the wall on the south side of the orchard (which wall is the original north line of the Gore) and about '65 feet west of a wall running north from the east end of the barn. Some 20 rods east of this is a piece of low marshy ground and a small stream running to the south. A large rock and an old white oak tree stand on the west side of the marsh. The "new house erected by Daniel Chase" is where the house of Martin Leach now stands, about 20 rods south of the rock. The rock is 95 paces east from the road which runs north and south. As this farm includes land on both sides of the Oblong, the line itself has been obliterated by the removal of the fences, but the original line was two or three feet west of the rock. The letters P. P. are plainly visible, on the south side of the rock, which slopes downward,and the letters H. B. are on the north end, which is nearly perpendicular, near the top. The letters B. R. have disappeared and they were probably on a portion of the rock which has scaled oflf. Prom this rock the " Mizzen Top " Hotel bears a little south of east. The farm and homestead were sold by Daniel Chase to Jona- than Aikin; he left it to his son Peter, who in turn left it to his son Isaac; he left it to his nephew, Jonathan Aikin, who sold it to Martin Leach, the present owner, about 1870. It is a curious illustration of how easily old landmarks are forgotten that neither the present owner nor his predecessor had any knowledge as to the significance of this marked monument. The line running to the west crosses the Harlem Railroad about 100 rods south of Pawlings Station. The "pretty large pond in the mountains," is now known as Whaley Pond. The agree- ment above mentioned is recorded in the records of Dutchess county, in Liber C, page 190. The Gore thus obtained was surveyed into farms by Jonathan Hampton and leased and sold to various parties. Farm 15, containing 249 acres, was sold to 106 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Eeed Ferris, February 5th, 1772. It was then in possession of Isaiah and Joseph Burch. By agreement Reed Ferris was to bear the expense of any law suits he might have to sustain title. Farm 19 was sold to Stephen Wilcox, and was then in posses- sion of John Munroe and Amos Wilcox. Among the purchas- ers was John Kane, who married Lucy, daughter of Rev. Elisha Kent, and was the ancestor of the illustrious explorer. Dr. Elisha Kent Kane. The homestead of John Kane is south of Pawlings and was formerly known as the " Slocum place," and was in 1877 the residence of William H. Chapman, Esq. Mr. Kane kept a store there previous to the Revolution. The following is an abstract of the deed to Reed Ferris. The original is written on a large sheet of parchment and is still in possession of his descendants. The residence of Mr. Ferris is still standing. "This indenture made the fifth day of February in the twelfth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith &c. Annoque Domini one thousand- seven hundred and seventy two Between the Honourable Roger Morris Esq. and Mary his Wife Beverly Robinson and Susan- nah his Wife the Reverend John Ogilvie and Margaret his Wife, Nathaniel Marston and Adolph Philipse of the first Part, Reed Ferris of Dutchess County Yeoman of the second Part Witnesseth that the said parties of the first part for and in Consideration of the sum of Eight hundred pounds Current Money of the Province of New York to them the said parties of the first Part in hand paid by the said Reed Ferris at or be- fore the Ensealing and Delivery of the Presents the Receipt whereof they do hereby acknowledge and thereof do acquit re- lease and Discharge Reed Ferris his Heirs Executors and Ad- ministrators and every of them by these presents have granted bargained and sold aliened remised released and by these Pres- ents Do fully freely and absolutely grant bargain and sell alien remise release and confirm unto the said Reed Ferris in his ac- tual possession now being by virtue of a bargain and Sale to him * * * and his Heirs and Assigns forever all these several Tracts of Land Farms or Plantations situate lying or being in Dutchess County being part of the undivided part of Philipse's upper patent in Pawlings Precinct called butted and bounded as follows to witt Farm Number Fifteen now in possession of GENERAL HISTORY. 107 Isaiah and Joseph Burch beginning at a stake in the line of Beverly Kobinsons Lot Number Seven being the South East Corner of farm number Seventeen from thence North forty-four Chains forty Links to farm Number Nineteen then East Ninety- five Chains Eighty Links to the Corner of farm Number Nine- teen then North Ihree Chains fifty Links to the South west Cor- ner of Farm Number Ten then East thirty-three Chains ninety Links to Farm Number Eleven then South Forty-three Chains fifty links to the Line of the said Robinson's Number seven then south Eighty -seven Degrees West fifty-nine Chains thirty Links along said Robinson' s Line to the beginning containing two hundred and forty-nine Acres more or less as may appear by a Map and return Book made by Jonathan Hampton may appear, and also all that farm or plantation called farm Number Nineteen in possession of John Munroe and Amos WilcOx butted and bounded as follows to wit beginning at a Stake on Colonel Beekman's or * * * line which is the North West corner of Farm Number Ten from thence South sixty-seven Chains then West forty-four Chains Eighty Links to the South East Corner of Farm Number sixteen then North thirty-seven Chains to Farm Number thirteen then East twenty Chains to the Corner of said Farm Number thirteen then North thirty Chains to Beekman's line then East twenty-four Chains Eighty Links to the Beginning containing two Hundred and forty acres more or less as by a Map and return Book of Jonathan Hamp- ton may appear together with all and singular the woods etc. " Roger Morris, " Mart Morris, " John Ogilvie, " Margaret Ogilvie, " Bev. Robinson, " Susannah Robinson. " Nathal. Marston, " Adolph Philipse." This Grore, like the other, was divided after the Revolution, between the heirs of Philip Philipse and the State* of New York, the State taking the confiscated shares of Beverly Rob- inson and Roger Morris. The farms were sold to various parties. CHAPTER VIII. THE OBLONG. THE eastern portion of Putnam county is a strip of land one mile, three quarters and twenty rods wide. This strip is a portion of what is known as the "Oblong" or "Equivalent Lands," the history of which is exceedingly curious. At the time of the early settlement of the colonies, the geography of the county was but little understood, and errone- ous descriptions led to endless controversies, not only between individuals but between townships and colonies as well. The •boundary between the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam and the English colony of Connecticut was in the very earliest times a fruitful source of contention, the former claiming all lands west of Connecticut River, while the latter kept pushing their settlements along the shore of the Sound, till they extended beyond Byram River. 'After a long and angry dispute, an agreement was concluded at Hartford on the 29th of September, 1664. By this it was resolved that the boundaries between the Dutch and English on Long Island should be a line from the western part of Oyster Bay to the sea, and on the main land the bounds were to begin at the west side of Greenwich Bay and run in a northerly direction, twenty miles up into the country. Ten years later all this agreement was abrogated by the conquest of New Netherland and the establishment of the English rule in the province of New York. The controversy as to boundaries now became one between New York and Connecticut. On the 13th of October, 1664, the General Assembly of Connecticut appointed delegates to ac- company the governor to New York, for the purpose of con- gratulating the duke's commissioners and settling the bounda- ries between the colonies. Accordingly, on the 28th of Octo- GENERAL HISTORY. 109 ber, 1664, an agreement was made by which the boundaries be- tween New York and Connecticut were fixed at twenty miles east of the Hudson River, running north from Long Island Sound, and parallel to the river. This was signed on the 1st of December, and the line established was to begin at the mouth of Mamaroneck Creek on the Sound and extend north-north- west to the line of Massachusetts, this being supposed to be parallel with the river, and was so stated in a letter from Gov. Nicolls to the Duke of York, in 1665. It was soon found that this idea was grossly erroneous, for the line would cross the Hudson River below West Point. The commotions and changes in the two colonies originated in the reconquest of New York by the Dutch in 1669, and its surrender to the English soon after put a temporary stop to the agitation and no official nego- tiations took place till after 1680. In the mean time the Con- necticut people surveyed the line which as they said struck the Hudson River "below the new mills erected by Mr. Frederick Philipse. ' ' These mills were on a creek above the present village of Tarrytown, made famous by Irving's "Legend of Sleepy Hollow." This line was so eminently to the advantage of Con- necticut that it is not surprising that they stoutly claimed it, notwithstanding the manifest error, and the controversy soon began to assume formidable proportions. In 1683, a delegation was sent to Governor Dongan, to treat with him for a settlement of the boundaries, but they were privately instructed to insist upon the line running north-north- west from Mamaroneck and any deviation from it was to be ascribed to their desire "to oblige his honor and to promote a perpetual good correspondence" between the two colonies. Governor Dongan and the New York Council insisted upon the line twenty miles east from the Hudson River and all that the representatives of Connecticut could obtain was permission to retain the settlements they had made on the Sound, in exchange for an equal tract further north. This agreement was made November 24th, 1683, and it established a boundary which has ever since remained. The bounds were to begin at the mouth of the Byram River and run xip it to the head of tide water. A line was then to be run north-northwest, eight miles from the Sound; from this point another line was to be run 12 miles, parallel in its general course to the Sound; from the end of this line another line was to be run parallel to the Hudson River, 110 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. and everywhere twenty miles from it, northerly to the Massa- chusetts line, and on the east side of this line a tract was to be laid oif equal in acres to the amount yielded to Connecticut on the shores of the Sound. This tract so laid off was called the "Equivalent Lands" and the boundary was to be on its eastern- most side. This agreement was approyed by Connecticut, May 8th, 1684, and a surveyor and committee were appointed to lay out the line. They began at the mouth of Byram River, and measured up it to the head of tide water and then ran a line north-north- west six miles and a half, completing eight miles from the Sound. They then ran the line twelve miles east, parallel to the Sound, but as this point was found not to be twenty miles from the Hudson River, they continued it a mile and sixty-four rods, and there the point was fixed at the place of beginning of the line which was to run north to the Massachusetts line, and parallel to the river. A calculation was made of the land yielded to Connecticut, and it was found to be 61,440 acres. The width of the ' ' Equivalent Lands ' ' was calculated on the assumption that the line was 100 miles long. As this line was disadvanta- geous to Connecticut every possible means was tried to prevent it from being carried into effect and the records of legislation and oflScial correspondence from 1718 to 1725 bear ample testi- mony to the ingenuity if to no other trait, for which the people of Connecticut have always been famous. The lines run in 1684 remained for thirty-three years before any steps were taken to extend them and complete the transfer of territory from Con- necticut to New York. In 1717, the government of New York took steps to have the line determined, and made an effort to get Connecticut to unite in the undertaking. It seems that at the end of the twelve mile line parallel to the Sound there was a tree called the " Duke's tree." Connecticut claimed this as the starting point of the line to be run north, while New York refused to accept this point unless it was determined by actual measurement. The report made by a committee appointed by the Council of New York pretty clearly established the fact that the claim for the " Duke' s tree " w as a " Yankee trick, " and t hat the true bounds were 305 rods beyond the place where the tree was supposed to stand. Nothing effectual was done till 1724, when Connecticut appointed commissioners and yielded all the points of the pre- GENERAL HISTORY. Ill vious contentions. In consideration for the Connecticut settlers near the line at Ridgefield, it was determined to make a crook in the boundary corresponding to the one in the Hudson River at Cortlandt's Point (now known as Verplanck's Point), conse- quently a line was measured due east from the western extrem- ity of Cortlandt's Point twenty miles, and to make the crook as great as possible it was agreed that the line should be meas- ured without any allowance for errors in chaining. A calcula- tion was then to be made of the width of the tract running the whole length of the two lines which extended from the line parallel with the Sound to the Massachusetts line. This tract was to be conveyed to New York and the east line was to be the boundary, it was also agreed that one compass should be used and that all measurements should be made on the surface of the ground. One of the objections made to running the line had been that certain poor families who had settled on the tract might be in danger of losing their lands, and it was agreed on both sides that such persons should receive a patent for the lands they had improved. They began the survey in 1725, and measured the various lines from the mouth of Byram River, to the end of the twelve mile line parallel to the Sound, marking every point with the utmost care, and there they stopped, leaving the line running north to be run at some future time. The tract of more than 60,000 acres thus to be acquired by New York, pre sented an opportunity too tempting to be resisted by land speculators of the last century. The "certain poor families " still remained in the same state of uncertainty as to whether they were to be in New York or Connecticut, and a partnership was formed by them with residents of New York, who had cap- ital, political influence and official position, and a plan was de- vised for ending their troubles. On the 3d of September, 1730, a petition was presented to the New York Council by Thomas Hauley and twenty-one others, setting forth that they were, as they supposed, residents upon the Equivalent Tract, where they had settled believing it to be in Connecticut, and that to de- prive them of their lands would impoverish them, and if they could have 50,000 acres of the Equivalent Lands, they would defray the charge of completing the boundary line, which had been suspended for want of funds. This was agreed to by both colonies and surveyors and com- 112 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. missioners were appointed, and it was declared that when the work should be completed by the erection of monuments, the lines so designated should forever be the boundary line be- tween New York and Connecticut. The line was run to the Massachusetts line, in the spring of 1731. From the east end of the line, measured twenty miles due east from the end of Ver- planck's Point, a random line was run to the Massachusetts boundary. This was a little more than 50 miles long, and the north end on the Massachusetts line was found by measurement to be 132 rods too far west. This distance being measured off, a monument was erected at the true corner. Tlie straight line between this monument and the east end of the twenty mile line from Verplanck's Point was then run by measuring perpendiculars from the random line at intervals of two miles, and the extremities of these offset lines were marked by heaps of stones. When the proper calculation was made the tract of Equivalent Land was found to be one mile, three-quarters and twenty rods wide. This tract was measured by running lines east from the heaps of stones in the direct line just measured, and the erection of heaps of stones opposite them, which heaps marked the boundary line between New York and Con- necticut. At the time of this survey there were but two or three roads crossing the line, and no villages near it, and the lands were en- tirely unsettled, except a few miles from the south end. The natural result of measuring the lines on the surface of the ground, which varied from level land to rough and precipitous mountains, was that the heaps of stones which marked the boundary between the two States of New York and Connecti- cut were not in a straight line, nevertheless they are the true boundary. The commissioners held a meeting at Dover after completing the survey, and there executed a deed, by which the Equivalent Lands were conveyed to New York and they have ever since formed a part of her territory. A patent for 50,000 acres was granted to Hauley and his associates, in four separate tracts and embracing the greater part of the whole. The sur- veyor general was next directed to survey these lands for the purpose of division among the owners. This was done about 1732. The map made by Cadwallader Colden, is now among the Colden papers in the library of the New York Historical Society, and is the only map of any of the early surveys that GENERAL HISTOKY. 113 can be found. The land was divided among the Hauley pat- entees, who sold it to settlers and by this title the lands are now held. Owing to the fact that settlers could buy these lands, they were settled at an early day, and the "Oblong" was the original Southeast Precinct and had many inhabitants. The Oblong line is still well defined though in some places obliterated by the re- moval of fences by persons who own land on both sides of the line. Its location at various points is given in the sketches of the towns of Southeast and Patterson. The west line of the Oblong was marked by heaps of stones at intervals of two miles. The following is the description of these points as taken from the report of the commissioners. The first two monuments at the distance of two miles from the angle are in Westchester county. The next, or the sixth mile monument, is the first in Putnam county. "At the distance of six miles in the said line we set up a stake and heaped some stones around it on the top of a ridge for a monument which we esteemed to be about thirty rods East of a cedar swamp, and marked some trees on each side of said monument in a nearly North 12 degrees 30 minutes Course'." " At the distance of eight miles we set up a stake and heaped up some stones round it for a monument, being between two rocky hills, about four rods from the eastermost of them and marked some trees on each side of said monument\" "At the distance of ten miles we set up a stake and heaped ap some stones round it for a monument being on the west side of a ridge of land and 66 chains on the perpendicular west from Croton River and marked some trees on each side of said monu- ment'." " At the distance of twelve miles we set up a stake and heaped some stones round it as a monument being at the east side of a hill near a point of rocks to the west of a great swamp and boggy meadow in said swamp in Croton River." [This twelve^ mile monument is on the land of Dr. Jonathan Seeley, about 40 ' This monument is opposite the cedar swamp, north of Peach Pond. The line runs through this lake. ' The eight mile monument is on the land of Stephen Barnum, about one-quar- ter mile north of the road to Milltown. = The ten mUe monument is about 30 rods north of the Presbyterian Church at Doansburg. 114 HISTORY OF PPTNAM COUNTY. rods north of the road leading from Ms honse to De Forrest's corners.] " At the distance of fourteen miles we set up a stake and heaped up some stones round it for a monument near on the top of a mountain being on the east side of the aforesaid Great Swamp and near the southwest end of the said mountains'." "At the distance of sixteen miles we set up a stake and heaped up some stones round it for a monument being on the northwest side of a brushy hill and marked some trees on each side of said monument^" " At the distance of eighteen miles we set up a stake and heaped up some stones round it for a monument, being on the north side of a small run of water and in a low piece of land and marked some trees on each side of said monument." [This eighteen mile monument is in the town of Pawlings, on the farm of Isaac Aikin. It is about one-quarter mile north of the northeast corner of the Philipse Patent. This monument was two chains and two rods north from the northwest corner of the Oblong Lot No. 23. J Of the tract granted to Thomas Hauley and his associates 44,250 acres were released to Adam Ireland, John Thomas and Benjamin Birdsall, June 15th, 1731. The deed is recorded in Dutchess County Records, Liber N., Page 302, and these parties sold Lots 23 and 16 to Jacob Haviland, jr., June 16th, 1731. The original line between New York and Connecticut was es- tablished by the commissioners who run the Oblong line, by measuring lines perpendicular from the Oblong line, from each of the before mentioned monuments which were two miles dis- tant from each other. The following is the description of the monuments which were placed to mark the Connecticut line: " The monument corresponding to the monument at six miles distance as aforesaid is a stake with a heap of stones round it near the north end of a swamp and by a foot-path leading to Danbury'." "The monument corresponding to the monument of eight ' This fourteen mile monument is on the top of the mountains north of the Methodist chapel at " Cowle's Corners." '^The 16 mile monument is nearly east from "Aikin's Corners" and near where the road running east from the school house crosses the Oblong line. *This is on a strip of dry land between two swamps, the old foot-path running on this ridge. GENERAL HISTORY. 115 miles distance as aforesaid, is a stake and heap of stones round it in a hollow upon a high rocky hill'." " The monument corresponding to the monument at ten miles distance as aforesaid is a stake with a heap of stones round it in a springy ground on the west side of a high hiir." "The monument corresponding to the monument at twelve miles distance as aforesaid was set up at the end of two miles on a line running nearly north 12 degrees 30 minutes east from the monument corresponding to the monument at ten miles dis- tance, because we could not carry the perpendicular across the Great Swamp, that was overiiowed by Croton river; and we marked the trees in the said two miles with 3 notches on the north and south sides. This monument is a heap of stones round a small white oak tree°." "The monument corresponding to the monument at fourteen miles distance is a stake and heap of stones standing on the northwest side of a hill*." "The monument corresponding to the monument at six- teen miles distance is a stake and heap of stones on a high hill, there being two small ponds to the south east eastward of the monument, the nearest to which is about 5 rods to the monu- ment." [This monument is on top of Cranberry Mountain.] "The monument col-responding to the monumefit at eighteen miles distance as aforesaid is a stake and heap of stones on a ledge of rocks on the west side of a hill." [This monument was found in 1860. It is north of the county line. J In 1855 commissioners were appointed by the State of Con- necticut to unite with commissioners to be appointed by New York to ascertain and settle the boundary line. In accordance with a joint resolution of the Legislature of New York, passed April 5th, 1856, Gov. Myron H. Clark appointed Hon. Benjamin Field, of Orleans county, Hon. Samuel D. Backus, of Kings, and Col. Jonathan Tarbell, of Essex, to be commissioners on the part of New York. 'This is on the top of Joe's Hill and about 60 rods south of the road from Mill- town to Danbury. 'This monument is in a piece of meadow lately belonging to Seneca Salmons, who removed the stones. The hole made in the ground by the heap of stones was still visible in 1860, when the line was re-surveyed. 'The commissioners in 1860 could find no trace of this monument. "■This monumeut was found in 1860. A small maple tree had grown up through it crowding off the upper stones but leaving the foundation intact. 116 HISTOKT OF PUTNAM COUNTY. The commissioners of both States met but no agreement could be made between them. Connecticut insisted on a straight line from the corner monument on the Massachusetts line to the angle in Westchester county, while New York insisted that the line should run through the ancient monuments erected by the former commissioners in 1731, although that line would not be straight, as they were not authorized to make a new line but to ascertain and perpetuate the old one. All efforts to agree proving fruitless, the commissioners of New York made report to the Senate in 1857, giving a full history of the case. By an Act of Legislature, passed April 4th, 1860, "The commission- ers were directed and empowered to survey the line between the States and to mark it with suitable monuments as fixed by the survey of 1731." The commissioners were to give one month's notice to the Connecticut commissioners and if they refused or neglected to attend, they were to run the line with- out them. They accordingly surveyed the line (Connecticut commissioners not consenting) and made report to the New York Senate, in 1861. The old monuments were found and identified and monuments of sawed marble eight inches square and stand- ing out of ground about two and a half feet were placed at road crossings and other suitable places. For reasons given before a line connecting! the ancient monuments would not be straight. For the sake of the curious, the course of the line as then run is given as far as Putnam county is concerned:' From 6 mile monument to 8 mile monument, N. 10° 19' E., 159 ch., 28 L. From 8 mile monument to 10 mile monument, N. 12°, 24' E., 155 ch., 71 L. From 10 mile monument to 14 mile monument, N. 10°, 51' E., 313 ch., 41 L. From. 14 mile monument to 16 mile monument, N. 10°, 11' E., 161 ch., 7 L. From 16 mile monument to 18 mile monument, N. 12°, 19' E., 157 ch., 15 L. The south line of the county runs about half a mile south of the six mile monument. The course between the six mile and the four mile monument in Westchester is south 12°, 20' W. In 1879, by an Act of Legislature of the State of New York, the secretary of State, the attorney general, and the State ^The distance in the new survey was made on horizontal distances which accounts for differences. GENERAL HISTOET. 117 engineer and surveyor were appointed commissioners to meet with commissioners appointed by the State of Connecticut to establish the boundary between the States. A settlement of the long vexed question was finally made, and the line as run and marked by the New York, commissioners in 1860 was agreed upon as the boundary line between the two States. CHAPTER IX. SETTLEMENT AND POPULATION. AT the time when Dutchess county was established, in 1683, the whole region was almost without inhabitants. The historian. Smith, writing about 1750, says, " The inhabitants on the banks of the river are Dutch but those more easterly are Englishmen who have for the most part emigrated from Con- necticut and Long Island. The growth of the county has been very sudden, and commenced but a few years ago. Within the memory of people now living it did not contain above twelve families." The following copy of a letter which was formerly in possession of T. Van Wyck BrinkerhoflE of East Fishkill, may throw some light on the early settlement of Dutchess county. "In the year 1723, I saw Isaac Upton a coaster from New Port who informed me that about 1760 he came up the North river to Poughkeepsie, and in company with another person went to Mabbitt's store in Washington on business. That on their return they took a circuitous route from Pleasant Valley and passed the house of a German by the name of Hoffman who was then 118 years old. He supposed himself to be the first settler in Dutchess county. When young he deserted from a Dutch ship of war in New York, squatted where he then lived, built him a shanty and lived a number of years a solitary life without being able to find a white woman for a wife. After- ward he found a German familj'' at Rhinebeck; married and lived where he then was to that advanced age. I was informed that he died two years afterward at the age of 120. "Paul Upton." In 1723, the whole population of Dutchess county was re- ported to be 1,083. What is now Putnam county was included in the "South Ward," and the following list gives the names of the taxable inhabitants in that district, at that time. GENEEAL HISTORY. 119 "The Inhabitants, Residents, and Freeholders of Dutchess County (South Ward) are rated and assessed by ye assessors for the same the 16th day of Jan. Annoqiie Dom. 1623-4: Juerie Springsteen, 9 pounds; Joseph Arkils, 6; Isaac Hardicke, 14; Peter Du Bois, 25; Robert Denze, 7; Johannes Peter, 5; Johan- nes Mettler, 10; James Hussey, 25; The widow of Gerrit Vel- dit, 25; John Buys, 8; John Montross, 14; Abraham Buys, 9; Johannes Buys, 9; Jacobus Swartwout, 12; Francis De Lange, 23; Daniel Boss, 15; Jacob Mousuer, 6; John Schouten, 12; Peter Lassink, 20; Lawrence Lassink, 8; Jury Mousuer, 5; Alexander Grigs, 12; Johannes Osterom, 5; Henderick Boss, 5; Rich. Lounsbury, 5; Peter Arkils, 10; Peter Stringal, 5; The widow of Roger Brett, deceased, 50; Nicholas Walder, 7; Hen- drick Philipse, 8; The widow of Everet Jong, 5; Johannes Ter Boss, 32; and for the land of Mr. Andrew Teller in his posses- sion, 18, in all 50; Johannes Ter Boss, Jr., 12; John De Lange, 5; Andrus Frederick Peck, 9; Jans Snider, 110; The widow of Simon Schouten, 16; Wm. Lassink, 11; David Brill, 5; Isaack Lassing, 8; Wm. Schut, 8; Jacobus Ter Boss, 5; Cornelius Bo- gardus, 5; Jan Crankhyt, Jr., 6; Tax £27, 3s; £543." The list is small, but small as it is none of the persons named are positively known to have been living on the Philipse Patent. In the statement of David Mmham, the Indian sachem, pre- sented to the governor and Council, in 1765, it is stated that about 40 years before, sundry persons began to settle upon the land as tenants of Adolph Philipse, and it also seems that some whites were settlers on the land as tenants of the Indians them- selves. It seems to be well established that as early as 1740 there was quite a number of inhabitants. The fact that when the survey and division of the patent was made in 1754, an '■ Old meeting house " standing in the northwest corner of Lot 9 is mentioned as a landmark, would indicate a population suf- ficiently large to establish a church at least twenty years be- fore that date. These were the "Englishmen who came from Connecticut and Long Island," as mentioned by Smith. About 1740, there was a large number of families who emigrated to this region from Cape Cod. Others came from the bordering towns in Connecticut, while the Townsends, Holmes, Fields and Hortons are prominent examples of the families who came from Long Island. The lands in the' tract called the Oblong, next to the Connec- 120 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. ticut line, were speedily settled, it is said, because lands could be purchased, witli an indisputable title. It was not thfe policy of the owners of the Fhilipse Patent to sell their lands, and so far as ascertained a tract of 245 acres sold by Colonel Morris and his wife to William Hill, in 1765, was the first tract that was actually sold out of the whole patent. The various lots were surveyed and divided into farms of various sizes, and leased to tenants who paid an annual rent. In some cases the leases were given in perpetuity, and when the owner sold por- tions of his farm, he took care to charge the part sold with a due proportion of the rent as a part of the consideration. An instance is the Dickenson farm, which is mentioned in the sketch of the town of Carmel. The following affidavit shows the names of some of the early settlers: "affidavit of TIMOTHY SHAVT, 1767. " Sworn says that he formerly was a tenant under Adolph Philipse deceased within the Patent commonly called the Upper Patent, being the land now claimed by Beverly Robinson, Roger Morris and Philip Philipse, and that he is very well acquainted with all the settlements that have been made in the said Upper Patent, within the last twenty-five years. That when he first became acquainted with the said Upper Patent the following per- sons were settled thereon and held as he understood from them as tenants under Adolph Philipse, to wit Philip Minthorne, Elisha Tompkins, John Tompkins, Wm. Hunt, Daniel Town- tsend, John Dickenson, James Dickenson, John Sprague, Wm. Sturdevant, Ira Hill, Moses Northrup Sen., Thomas Philipse, Oeorge Hughson, James McCrady, Samuel Fields, Amos Dick- inson, Hezekiah Wright, Jeremiah Calkins, John Calkins, Joseph Porter, Ichabod Vickery, Ebenezer King, Samuel Jones, James Paddock, Peter Paddock, David Paddock, John Eagles- ton, two brothers of the name of Bircham, John Kiel, Wm. Bardsley, Thomas Kirkam, Nathaniel Robinson, one Cole, Wm. Smith, John Smith, Nathaniel Underhill, Edward Stevens, one Barton, John Reynolds, and a great many other persons, and this deponent really believes that there were upward of three hundred settlers on said Patent (as tenants of the Philipse family) upward of three miles from Hudson river, before the year 1756. That either two or three years ago, in the winter season the said Philip Philipse was at the house of Uriah Law- GENERAL HISTORY. ,121 rence one of the tenants, where Daniel Nimham, the Indian together with at least 300 persons chiefly tenants of said, Philipse were assembled, and that the said Fhilipse then and there in his hearing and in the hearing of as many as could con- veniently crowd near enough to hear what passed, asked the said Nimham where the lands were which he claimed, whereupon the said Nimham said that he had no lands. Upon which the said Philip Philipse asked the said Nimham, why he made such a Rout among the tenants, to which he answered, that he was told to do so by Stephen Cowenham and One Pound pocktwo and other Indians. That the said Nimham never to his knowl- edge lived within the bounds of the said Patent', and that all the Indians who formerly lived in the Patent had abandoned it ,long before the year 1756, and settled as this deponent as been informed beyond Minnisink, near Delaware. his TiMOTHT X Shaw. ^' Done this 6th day of March ) Mark. 1767 before me f " Daniel Horsmanden." TAX LIST op PHILIP PHILIPSE PATENT, 1777. " List of the taxable inhabitants of Philipse Patent in the year 1777. South East Precinct, (Oblong): Joseph Crane, 4; Joseph Field, 4; Benjamin Townsend, 4; Isaac Crosby, 3; Simeon Rider, 4; Nathaniel Foster, 3; Nathan Green, 1; Tho. Foster, '6; Tho. Gage, 2; James Birdsall, 8; Matthew Burgis, 4; Matthew Benedict, 2; Elihu Gage, 3; Samuel Benedict, 1; Steph. Rock- well, 1; John June, 1; Ebenezer Gage, 2; Tho. Baldwin, 5; Nathan Birdsall, 4; Zebulon Briggs, 2; Roger Haviland, 3; Jesse Lane, 3; Benj. Sears, 4; Shaw Youngs, 2; Tho. Burgis, 1; Wm. Stone, 2; Daniel Haviland, 6; Martin Hall, 3; Benj. Hopkins, 2; Wm. Penney, 3; Tho. Sears, 3; Asa Barnum, 3; Roderick McKinsy, 1; Mark Gage, 1; David Penney, 1; Ebenezer Hum- stead, 2; John Purdy, 1; Joseph Arnold, 1; John Hopkins, 1; Wm. March, 1; Joseph Fields, 2; Wm. Young, 1; Edward Rice, 1; Elihu Youngs, 1; Wm. Mott, 5; Ri. Honeywell, 1; John Star, 1; Jacob Millard, 1; Samuel Spencer, 1; Solomon Haviland, 1; ' In a survey of the north line of the Highlands made by John Alsop about 1765, Nimham's wigwam is representpd as north of the mountains, in the town of Fishkill. 122 HISTORY or PUTNAM COUNTY. Gilbert Steadwell, 4; Reuben Ryder, 1; The. Clements, 1; Elias Jones, 1; Solomon Crane, 1; Nathaniel Foster, Jr., 2; Elijah Doty, 3; Elnathan March, 2; Rowland Russell, 1; Nick- ersou,— ; Peter Field, 2; Tho. Sen tier, 1; Joseph Stud well's Farm, 2; Joseph Burtis, 1; Zach. Hinman on Hoag's farm, 1; Silas Burtis, 1; Ichabod Humstead, 1; Zebulon Crane, 1; Sam- uel Field, 4; Uriah Townsend, 1; Robert Townsend, 4; Benj. Sears, 4; Samuel Bangs, 6: Samuel Elwell, 2; Seth Nickerson, 6; Peter Hall, 4: John Field, 7; Noah Smith, 2; Joshua Bea- man, 3; Isaac Elwell, 3; Anthony Gage, 1; Jabez Elwell, 2; Ebe- nezer Benedict, 1; Benj. Haviland, 6; Joshua Barnum, Jr., 1; Moss Kent, 2; John Corly, 1; Seth Sears, 2; Samuel Hall, 3; Nathan Green, Jr., 3, John Haviland, 1; Tho. Higgins, 2; Ebe- nezer Ryder, 2; Seth Nickerson, 2; Benj. Higgins, 2; Joseph Hall, 7; Charles Cullen, 4; Jonathan Green, 1; John Purdy, 1; Tho. Comstock, 4; Nathaniel Humstead, 1; Wm. Clinton, 1; Steph. Morehouse, 1; John Foster, 1; Tho. Birdsall, 3; John Elwell, 1; Wm. Penney 4; Seth Sears, 2; James Haviland, 1; Jonathan Corly, 1; Jeremiah Burgis, 1; Moses Gage, 1; Geo. Bentinck, 1; Ichabod Goremans, 1; James Stedwell, 1; Isaac Haviland, 2; Caleb Spencer, 1: Barns Hatfield, 4; Wm. Field, 4; Zadoc Ryder, 1; John Wheeler Foster, 1; Silvanus Gage, 1; Mary Ryder, 1; John Crosby, 2; Eliakim Barnum, 1; Benaijah Tubbs, 1; Elias Benjamen, 2; Jonathan Paddock's farm, 1; Daniel Gage, 1; Eleagar Burlison, 1; Daniel Griffin, 1; Daniel Burtis, 1; Tho. Haviland, 2; on the Rev. Mr. Kent's farm, Conon, 1, Knott, 1; English, 1. "Fredericksburg Precinct: Elijah Tompkins, 2; David Pad- dock, 2; James Dickenson, estate, 3; Daniel Townsend, 1; John Newbury, 6; Josiah Baker, 4; David Crosby, 3; Joshua Crosby, 3; Theophilus Jones, 1; Tho. Kelley, 1; James Covan, 1; Jona- than Kelley, 2; Silas Paddock, 2; Charles Townsend, 2; Robert Townsend, 1: Tho. Paddock, 3; Peter Angevine's estate, 4; Jonathan Paddock, 4; Jonathan Paddock's widow, 1; Isaac Pearce, 2; John Yeoman's estate, 3; Jonathan Bryant, 2; Michael Shaw, Jr., 1; David Aikins, 4; Heman King, 8; Reuben Kelly, 2; Ebenezer Robinson, 3; John Rhoads, 1; Jacob Phil- ipse, Jr., 1; Nathan Crosby, 4; Hezekiah Mead, 1; Tho. Fow- ler, 2; Daniel Brundage, 5; Jeremiah Whitney, 2; Ebenezer Bro\Vn, 1; Reuben Crosby, 2; Peter Bunker, 1; Joseph North- rop, 2; Hezekiah Mead, 2; Robert Hughson, 3; James Covey, GENERAL HISTORY. 123 2; Peter Maybee, 3; Joseph. Ganung, 2; Ebenezer Jone's widow, 2; Cornelius Fuller, 2; John Dickenson, 7; Wm. Palmer, 2; Robert Mooney, 1; Tho. Smith, 4; Wm. Penney, 3; Isaac Chap- man, 1; Edmund Batner, 2; Moody Howse, 4; Elisha Cole, 5; Simeon Ellis, 2; Samuel Peters, 6; Benjamin Townsend, 2; Robert Shaw, 2; Peter Badeau, 3; Jabez Berry, 2; Michael Slott, 3; Wm. Hill, 10; John Minch, 3; Peleg Weekson (Wixon), 1; John Jean, 2; Jeremiah Hughson, 3; Widow Hill, 1; Jona- than Hopkins, 2; Caleb Fowler, 8; Abraham Maybee, Jr., 2; Daniel Bull, 4; Ebenezer Bennett, 1; John Garrison, 1; Edward Rice, 4; Josiah Swift, 2; Solomon Jenkins, 4; Solomon Field, 4; Nehemiah Jones, 4; David Crosby, Jr., 4; Moss Kent, 7; Joseph Vickney, 1; Barzillai King, 2; Isaac Lounsbury, 7; Wm. Merritt, 3; John Lounsbury, 4; Andrew Rubly, 1; Jacob Ellis, 2; Moses Fowler, 9; Ebenezer Lock wood, 2; David Hawkins, 1; Gilbert Dickenson, estate, 4; Tho. Adams, 1; Capt. Brown, 2; Joseph Colwell, 3; Solomon Hopkins, 5; Wm. Underbill, 2; Caleb Palmer, 1; Henrj'^ Wooden, 3; Elisha Cool, Jr., 2; Charles Anwah, 3; Moses Mead, 1; James Baldwin, 1; Richard Airs, 1; James Carl, 2; Timothy Hatch, 2; Zebulon Bass's widow, 1; Isaac Secor, 2; John Bates, 1; Seth Paddock, 4; Elijah Week- son (Wixon), 1; Christopher Townsend, 1; Isaac Barritt, 1 Benoni Gray, 1; Tho. Baxter's estate, 1; Andrew Beardsley, 1 Tho. Menzies, 13; Roswell Wilcox, 4; Michael Nowland, 1 James Calkins, 1; Benjamin Birdsall, 3; Joseph Hawkins, 2 Johnson Dakin, 1; Elijah Fuller, 2; Jacob Maybee, estate, 1 John Kelley, 2; Nathan Cool, 2; Charity Austin, Moses Knap, 3; JohnTerril, 5; Daniel Peane, 2; Joshua Burdock, 1; Jedediah Willis, 2; Caleb Vail, 2; David Cowen, 2; Robert Wright, 2; Daniel Knap, 3; Lemuel Wilmott, estate, 2; John Dean, 1; John Dan, 1; Phineas Baker, 1; Matthew Patterson, 3; John McLean, 2; Hackaliah Merritt, 3; Wm. Braidy, 4; Nathan Disbrow, 1; John Carpenter, 4; Richard Williams, 1; John Wilson, 1; Da- vid Merrick, 2; John Yeomans, 1; John Thomas Craft, 1; Samuel Rhoa.ds, 4; Samuel Dickenson, 4; Timothy Delavan, 2; Tho. Furguson, 1; Isaac Merritt, 1; Reuben Chase, 1; Theodorus Crosby, 3; Malcom Morrison, 12; Wm. Yeomans, 2; Samuel Washburn, 6; James Barret, 1; Jonathan Stockman, 1; Jeremiah Burgis, 3 ; Isaac Rushny, 1; Samuel Carl, 2 ; Abner Crosby, 2; Abner Crosby, Jr., 2; John Birdsall, estate, 2; Alexander Menzie's estate, 4; Stephen Field, 7; 124 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Nehemiah Wood, 2y John Tompkins, 1; James Townsend, 1; James Forster, 2; John Studwell, 4; Robert Watts, 4 Henry Luddington, 4; David Heacock, 2; Joshua Conklin, 2 Matthew Lane's farm, 1; Joseph Philipse, 3; Isaac Austin, 1 Samuel Horton, 1; Zachariah Paddock, 2; Timothy Shaw, 2 Nathaniel Dickerson's widow, 1; Joseph Cool, 2; Samuel Knif- fen, 2; Lazarus Griffin, Jr., 1; Uriah Raymond, 2; George Pen- ney, 1; Israel Wood, estate, 4; Daniel Seelass, 2; John Town- send, 2; Richard Truesdill, 2; Dennis Wright. 4; Asa Hains, 2; Caleb Dean, 1; Tho. Carl, estate, 3; Comfort Luddington, 2; Daniel Wilson, 3; Wm. Colwell, 3; John Piatt, 2; Oliver Mead, 1; Tho. Lynch, 2; John Crane, 3; John Wright, near J. Griffin, 3; Daniel Robert, 3; Tho. Peters, estate, 2; Daniel Ketchum, 3; John Sinclair, 2; Tho. Kirkham, 2; Wm. Calkins, 2; Samuel Terry, 2; John Terry, 1 ; David Fuller, 1; Tho. Hall, 3; David Frost, 2; Wm. Mead, 1; Charles Surine, 2; John Clark, 2; Levi Townsend, 1; Henry Laight, 1; Silvanus Kelly, 1; Zebedee Kelly, 1; Joshua Philips, 2; James Eggleston, 1; Joseph Dykeman, 2; David Vickney, 1; Jehiel Stei)hens, 1; Tertullus Dickenson, 13; Charles Agor, 1; Samuel Jones, 2; Tho. Nickerson, 1; Matthew Bump, 1; Gilbert Gannung, estate, 1; Alexander Kidd, 3; Charles Theal, 3; Abraham Moo (?), 1; Lemuel Fuller, 2; Wm. Jones, 1; Edward Arnold, 1; Jeremiah Bailey, 1; Jacob Gannung, 1; James Cox, 9; Josiah Gregory, 1; Samuel Jenkins, 1; Josiah Aikin's farm, 1; Duncan McGregory, 1; Ebenezer Washburn, 1; Robert Puller, 2; Solomon Byington, 1; Stephen Baker, 2; Isaac Everitt, 2; Samuel Bang's farm, 1; James Birdsall, 2; David Wells, 1; Mahar Nelson, 2; Comfort Chad wick, 1; David Hill, 1; Silas Austin, 1; Nathaniel Rubly, 1; Seth Paddock, Jr., 2; Nathan Palmer, 1; David Fowler, 3; Joseph Sunderland, estate, 1; Peter Win, 1; Isaac Bates, 1; Moses Knap, Jr., estate, 2; Wm. Wooden, 2; Nathan Paddock, 1; John Maybee, 2; David Waterbury, 2; Ezekiel Dean, 2; Josiah Baker, Jr., 2; John Fuller, 1; Isaiah Hopkins, 1; John Smith, 1; Charles Arvah, Jr., 2; Zebulon Kirkham, 2; Jacob Kniflen, 4; Shubell Week- son, 1; John Barrett, 1; Jonathan Parrish, 2; David Kelly, 1; John White, 1; Peleg Bailey, 1; Obadiah Chase, 2; Tho. Hinkley, 1; John Warring, 4; Roger Morris, estate, 12; Absalom Yeomans, 1; John Smith, 1; Josiah Jones, 2; Peter Brewer, 1; John Dan, Jr., 1; David King, 1; John Secor, 2;- Simeon Tryon, gejs^eral histort. 125 1; John Frost, 2; Nathaniel Sinclair, 3; Nathaniel Finch, 1; Frederick Pickney, 1; Jeremiah Mead, 1; Samuel Haines, 1; Samuel Bruyster, 1; John Haines, 2; John Gannung, 1; Oliver Bates, 1; Caleb Hazen, 2; Elijah Townsend, 1; Joseph Chandler, 1; Ephraim Nickerson, 1; Isaac Everitt, Jr., 1; George Everitt, 1; John Field's farm, 2; John Tweedy' s farm, 2; Gilbert Hyatt, 1; John Williams' estate, 2; Elijah Oakley, 2; Increase Bennett, 1; David Smith, 2; Isaac Birdsall, 1; Wm. Palmer, Jr., 1; Eli Crosby. 2; Wm. Lovelace, 1; Zebnlon Washburn, 2; Abraham Birdsall, 1; Peter Anderson, 4; Joseph Gregory, 2; Lewis Ferguson, 1; Wm. Griffin, 1; Gilbert Merritt, 1; Edward Penney, 2; Nehemiah Smith, 2; John Philipse. 2; Samuel Gregory, 1; Reuben Hinkley, 1; David Garrison, 1; Daniel Cool, 2; Samuel Jones, Jr., 1; Amos Burlison, 1; Eleazer Hamb lin, 2; Elnathan Doane, 1; James Bryer, 1; Abraham Hill, 2; Wm. Springer, estate, 1; Samuel Hitchcock, estate, 1; Jonathan Burtis, 1; Joshua Calkins, 1; John Raymond, 1; Peter Roberts, 1; Reuben Ferris, 5; Cornbury Merritt, 1; Stephen Umsted, 1; Joseph Fid, 4; Elisha Giflford, 1; John Green, 1; Isaac Smith's estate, 2; Stephen Paddock, 1; Nathan Sturdevant, 1; Jacob Disbury, 1; Allen Cameron, estate, 2; Dr. Samuel and Richard Bryant, 2; John Stuart, 1; Joseph White, 1; John Lester, 1; Solomon Crosby, 3; John Kent, 6; Moses Buckley, 2; James Dickenson, Jr., 3; Freeman Hopkins, 2; Elisha Smith, 1; Henry Baldwin, 1; Joel Mead, 3; Gilbert Drew, 2; Richard Price, 2; Samuel Couklin, 1; Caleb Peers, 1; Nathaniel Bailey, 1; Elijah Hunt, 1; Wm. Hitchcock, 1; Anthony Hill, 1; Joseph Matthews, 1; Jacob Birdsall, 1; James Surine, 1; Justus Barrett, 1; Richard Barker, 1; Jedediah Davis, estate, 1; Nathan Teed, 1; Moses Wint;er, 2; Joshua Merrick, 2; Samuel Towner, 5; Josiah Crosby, 1; Moses Richards, 3; Ezra Smith, 2; Husted on Hunt's farm, 3; John Slott's estate, 2; Uriah Wright's estate, 2; John Lamorieau, 2; John Berry, l;-Job Burlison, 1; Solomon Lockwood, 2; Eleazar Baker, 2; Daniel Doane, 1; John Bea (Beyea), 2; Amos Fuller, 2; Isaac Gannung, 2; Joshua Main, 2; Jeremiah Burtis, 2; Isaac Townsend, 1; Jacob Mead, 3; Con- stant Nickerson' s estate, 1; John Robinson, near Robinson's store, 1; James Darby, 1; Wm. Peters estate, 2; Wm. Birdsall, 1; Moody Howes, Jr., 1; James Green, 2; Nathaniel Paddock, 1; John Holliday, 1; John McLean on Capt. McDonald's farm, 2; Mr. David Cloos, 2; John Henderson, 1; John Chase, 1; 126 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Thadeus Warring, 1; Peter Hatfield, 4; Jacob Reede, 2; Henry Lockwood, 1; Benjamin Cheeseman, 2; Wm. Craft's estate, 1; Elisha Baldwin, 2; Marcus Brundage, 1; Joseph Hop- kins, 1; Tho. Russell, 1; Jolm Vermilya, 2; Solomon Kirkham, 1; Elisha Harris, 1; Henry Lewis, 2; Joseph Hitchcock at the store, 1; "Wm. Hudden, 1; Samuel Gifl'ord, 1; James Crawford, 1; Major Simpkins, 1; John Barrit, Jr., 1; Daniel Gregory, 2; Solomon Wood, 1; Ben- jamin Dean, 1; James Haight, 1; Henry Craft's estate, 1; Henry Charlock, 1; Thomas Horton, 1; Joseph Moss, 1; Wm. Carl, 2; John Price, 1; Zebulon Townsend, 1; Ammiel Penny, 2; Jabish Chase, 1; Oliver Pox, 1; John Crap, 1; Samuel Peer's estate, 2;' Abraham Covert, 2; Richard Chapman, 2; Conrad Harps, estate, 1; Wm. Hughson, 1; James Barrit, Jr., 1; Ezekiel Bugbee, 2; Wm. Barrit, 1; Doctor Hamilton, 1; John Merrit, 2; Zebulon Wright, 1; Peter Arvah, 1; Wm. Yermilyer, 1; Stephen Hyatt, 1; John Munrow, 1; Isaac Chase, 1; Shubael Dimmock, 1; John Utter, 1; James Wilson, 5; David North, 2; Eli Woods, 2; Benjamin Golden, estate, 3; Wm. Snow, 1; Sil- vanus Travis, 1; Tho. Swain, 1; Joel Borland, 1; Northrop Fuller, 1; Eliston on Zophar Ketcham' s farm, 1; Isaiah Bennet, 1; Jabez Smith, 1; Isaac Purdoe, 1; Caleb Brundage, 1; Eleazar Hazen, 2; Daniel Brundage, Jr., 1; Tho. Gregory, 1; Samuel Wilson, 1; Isaac Fuller, 1; Wm. Lawrence, 2; Mary Haines, widow, 1; Noah Hill, 1; Robert Craig' s estate, 1; Amos Towns- end, 1; Elnathan Gregory, 1; Israel Knap, 2; Benjamin Knap, 1; Joseph Randell, 1; Tho. Carl, Jr., estate, 1; Wm. Dutton, 1; John Shaw, 1; Wm. Palconier, 1; Tho. Ellis, 1; Johnson Yeo- mans, 1; Richard Sturdevant, 1; Ezekiel Kirkham, 1; John Ferguson, 1; Jacob Sagua, estate, 1; Tho. Donaldson, estate, 1; Stephen Booth, 1; Zophar Kirkham, 1; Enoph Shaw, 1; Daniel Crawford, 1; Philip Smith, 1; Joseph Hitchcock, Jr., 1; Hen- drick Slott, 1; Samuel Haight, 1; James McFarland, 1; John Langdon, 1; Rachael Simmins, 2; Joshua Brundage, 1; Uriah Townsend, 1; Nathan Disbury, Jr., 1; Moses Crosby, 1; Eph- raim Jones, 2; John Vermilya on Dickinson's farm, 1; Absalom Simmons, 2; David Aikin, Jr., 1; Mr. James Sayer's estate, 2; Peter Chapman, estate, 1; Stephen Griflith, 1; Beverly Robin- son, Jr., farm, 10; The Mungis farm, 1; Wm. Higbee, 2; John Brown, 1; John Place, 1; Ebenezer Cole, 1; Nathaniel Jenkins, 1; Russell Gregory, 1; Seth Kirkham, 1; Samuel Kniffen, Jr., GENERAL HISTORY. 127 1; Joshua Gregory, 1; Isaac Slott, 1; Gilbert Shaw, 1; Marcus Barrit, 1; George Curry Sen., 1; John Thurston, 1. "Philipse Precinct:— Wm. Davenport, 1; Jacob Mandeville, 8; John Rogers, 3; Timothy Conklin, 6; Thomas Davenport, 15; Capt. Peter Dubois, 12; John Van Amburg, estate, 4; George Lane, 3; Isaac Rhoads, 5; Christopher Fow^ler, 1; John Nelson, 2; Wm. Dusenbury, 5; Richard Hopper, 1; Samuel Drake, Jr.^ 1; Solomon Smith, 2; Joseph Husted, 7; Beverly Robinson, 70; Tho. Saris, 1; Caleb Nelson, 3; Peter Drake's farm, 2; John Armstrong, 2; Wm. Gee, 3; Robert Oakly, 1; John Win, 1; Reu- ben Bunn, 1; John Birger, 1; Philip Steenbaugh, 1; Nathaniel J agger, 1; Benjamin Bloomer, 1; Samuel Yeomans, 1; Moses Dusenbury, 5; Henridge's widow, 2; Gilbert Budd, 2; Wm. Wright, 3; Jonathan Pine, Jr., 1; John Avery, 2; Richard Din- nis, 5; Israel Knap, 3; Jonathan Odell, 1; Wm. Colgrove, 2; John McDonald, 1; Samuel Warren, 2; David Lane's farm, 2; Anthony Field, 2; Widow ArkiU, 1; Gilbert Oakley, 1; Samuel Jenkins, 1; Joseph Knap, 1; Ezekiel Gee, 2; Thomas Sutton, 1; John Barton 1; Albert Surine, 1; John Still Purdy, 1; Samuel Crommill, 2; Isaac Hall's estate, 2; Thomas Bashford, 1; Martin Hazleton, 1; Abraham Craft, 1; Peter Bill, 2; Henry Post, 1; Caleb Hamson, 2; John Boice, 1; Wm. Lancaster, 1; Uriah Mitchell, 1; Peter Ricks, 2; Jeremiah Sherwood, 1; John Sher- wood, 1; Gabriel Archer, 2; Jonathan Wright, 2; Nathaniel Tompkins, 2; Hannah Knap, 5; Joseph Crorawells' estate, 2; Caleb Pells' farm, 2; Uriah Drake's farm, 2; Joshua Tompkins, 2; Benjamin Odell, 1; Matthew McCaby, 1; Lewis Jones, 1; Tho. Woodward's farm, 1; Justus Nelson, 3; Joshua Nelson, 5; Wm. Van Tassel, 1; John Meeks, 4; Joshua Lamoraux, 1; John Gar- rison, 1; Reuben Drake, 4; Thomas Bryant, 1; Richard Arnold, 2; Sibert Kornkhyt, 2; Anthony Yeomans, 1; Cornelius Tomp- kins, 4; Micaiah Avery, 1; Tho. Williams, 1; Joseph Haight, 5; Joseph Sherwood's farm, 2; Joseph Smith, 2; Peter Warren, 2; Gilbert Bloomer, 2; John Gray, 1; Jacob Armstrong, 1; Oliver Odell, 1; Abraham Post, 2; John Drake, 3; Stephen Conklin, 2; Jedediah Ford, 1; Jeremiah McKudney, 1; Col. Brinkerhoff's farm, 1; Elijah Smith, 1; Silvanus Haight, 2; Wm. Shaw, 1; John Haight, 3; John Likely, 3; Silvanus Tomp- kins, 1; Thomas Hill, 1; John Agard, 1; Elijah Dinge, 1; Stephen Lawrence, 1; Wm. White, 1; James Jaycocks, 1; Isaac Odell, 2; Daniel Wilsie, 2; Nathaniel Anderson, 1; Peter Birger, 128 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUWTr. 2; Elijah Budd, 2; Jolin HoUiday, 1; Peter Montross, 1; Law- rence Powers, 1; Timothy Oakley, 1; Wm. Chatterton, 1; Isaac Washburn, 2; Henry Wilsie, 2; John Comill, 1; David Hannin, 1; Daniel Haight, 1; Tho. Hannin, 1; Reuben Tompkins, 1; James Bashford, 1; Joshua Mead, 1; Andrew Doane, 1; Moses Dusenbury, Jr., 1; Jeremiah White, 1; Nathan Lane, 1; Mat- thew Snooks, 1; Nathaniel Post, 1; John Ruch, 1; Robert Porter, 1; Daniel Bugbee, 2; Tho. Davenport, Jr., 1; Benjamin Rogers, 2; John Hopper, 1; Jonathan Owens, 1; Joseph Bard, 1; Peter Tei'rel, 1; James Mead, 1; Nathan Lane, Jr., 1; Elisha Lamoreaux, 2; Jonathan Austin, 1; Jonathan Miller, 1; Peter Snouck, 1; Isaac Krankhuyt, 1; James Nelson, 1; Widow Ar- kill, 1. "The foregoing list signed by the following Assessors: — Jonathan Dinnis, John Colkins, John Gr. Brinkerhoff, Peter Low, Joseph Carpenter, Tho. Baldwin, Nathan Birdsall, James Winchell, Benjamin Sherman, John Van Kleek, Zacheus New- comb, David Crosby, Jr., Jabez Berry, Isaiah J. Tall man, Icha- bod Pain, Matthew Van Bunschoten, David Van Ness, Wm. Radlist. It is quite evident that the above assessment affords no in- formation as to the actual amount of property possessed by the persons named. The same might possibly be said of assess- ment rolls in more modern times, but the proportion was prob- ably fair. We might remark the great wealth of Beverly Rob- inson, when we compare his assessment of £70 with that of Thomas Davenport, £16, the next highest on the list. The population of Putnam county in 1790 was as follows Frederickstown, 5932; Philipstown, 2079; Southeast, 921 total, 8932; in 1800: Carmel, 1979; Kent, 1661; Patterson, 1506 Philipstown, 2754; Southeast, 1956; total, 9896; in 1810: Carmel, 2020; Kent, 1811; Patterson, 1446; Philipstown, 3129; South- east, 1887; total, 10293; in 1814: Carmel, 1763; Kent, 1119; Pat- terson, 1557; Philipstown, 3144; Southeast, 1770; total, 9353; in 1820: Carmel, 2247; Kent, 1801; Patterson, 1578; Philips- town, 3733; Southeast, 1909; total, 11268; in 1825: Carmel, 2192; Kent, 1794; Patterson, 1572; Philipstown, 4418; Southeast, 1890; total, 11866; in 1830, Carmel, 2371; Kent, 1931; Patterson, 1539; Philipstown, 4761; Southeast, 2036; total 12638; in 1835; Carmel, 2163: Kent, 1661; Patterson, 1347; Philipstown, 4562; Southeast, 1818; total, 11551; in 1840: Carmel, 2263; Kent, GENERAL HISTORY. 129 1830; Patterson, 1349; Philipstown, 3814; Putnam Valley, 1659 Southeast, 1910; total, 12825; in 1845: Carmel, 2389; Kent, 1729 Patterson, 1289; Philipstown, 4209; Putnam Valley, 1598 Southeast, 2044; total, 13258; in 1850: Carmel, 2442; Kent, 1557 Patterson, 1371; Philipstown, 5063; Putnam Valley, 1629 Southeast, 2076; total, 14138; in 1855: Carmel, 2406; Kent, 1539 Patterson, 1422; Philipstown, 4809; Putnam Valley, 1573 Southeast, 2185; total, 13934; in 1860: Carmel, 2559; Kent, 1479 Patterson, 1501; Philipstown, 4530; Putnam Valley, 1582 Southeast, 2350; total, 14001; in 1865; Carmel, 2240; Kent 1473; Patterson, 1476; Philipstown, 5436; Putnam Valley, 1622 Southeast, 2598; total, 14845; in 1875: Carmel, 2800; Kent, 1415 Patterson, 1523; Philipstown, 5156; Putnam Valley, 1843 Southeast, 3062; total, 15799. CHAPTER X. ROADS AND FERRIES. THE want of suitable roads was for long years after the set- tlement a great hindrance to the spread of population. There can be no doubt but that many of the travelled roads followed trails that had been made by the Indians, with all their devious turnings. For all purposes of trade between New York and Albany the Hudson River was the great highway, and a journey between those places by land was long, tedious and even dangerous. In 1703, the Provincial Legislature passed an " Act for the Laying out. Regulating, Clearing, and Preserving Publick Common Highways throughout the Colony." Under this act a public highway was established the length of Long Island, another on the west side of the Hudson River to Albany, and a third which is thus described: "And one other Publick and Common General Highway, to extend from Kings Bridge in the County of Westchester through the same County of Westchester, Dutchess County and the County of Albany, of the breadth of four rods English measure at the least, to be, continue and remain forever, the Publick Common General Road and Highway from Kings Bridge afore- said," to the ferry at Crawlier over against the City of Albany." The act went on to provide for the appointment of commis- sioners to perform the work, those for Dutchess county being, ' "Mr. Balthus Van Clift, Mr. Johannes Tarbus and Mr. Robert Livingston." These highways being made in the i-eign of Queen Anne, were at first called the Queen's roads. But the one on the east side of the river was generally known in after times as the Albany Post road, which name it still retains. Among the local officers elected in the old " South Precinct" a " Surveyor of the King's road," was one. With the exception of the Albany Post road, the first high- GENERAL HISTORY. 131 ways in this county were laid out in 1744, by David Hustis and Francis Nelson, two commissioners appointed for that purpose. These, which are recorded iu the office of the clerk of Dutchess, afford a clue to many early landmarks, the memory of which has passed away. " We Francis Nelson and David Hustis being two of the com- missioners for laying out roads in the South Precinct have at the request of divers persons laid out the following highways as follows, viz. : "Beginning at Thomas Cercomes house, from thence by marked trees to Ephraim Forgeson's, on Cortlandt Manor. "Another road beginning at the farm of Eli Nelson from thence by marked trees to Nathan Lane's, on the line of Cort- landt, thence down the line to the Shrub plain. "Also one road beginning at the west branch of Croton river at a bridge, from thence by marked trees down to Joseph Travers, then running down the division line through the still water' to said Forgeson's. ' ' One other road beginning at the deep brook or Roge kill, from thence by marked trees through pussapanun", thence to Daton's hills. " Also one other road beginning at Hendrick Brewers at pus- sapanun by marked trees to Daton's hills. " Also one other road beginning at Sibert Cronkhyt's at ye Indian road. Beginning at Joseph Jaycox from thence by marked trees to the King's road at Joseph Areles. "One other road beginning below pussapanun, at Joseph Cronkhyt's house by marked trees to Daton's mill. "Performed by us the said commissioners the 28th day of April, 1744." To locate all the landmarks in the above description would seem a hopeless task. "Thomas Cercomes" was probably at Red mills. Sibert Cronkhy t probably lived on the north bounds of Westchester county. In 1745, the commissioners were Adolph Philipse, Thomas- Davenport and James Dickenson, and in that year they laid out the following roads: " A highway beginning at the division line between Esq. 'The " still water " is south of Mahopac Falls. ^Pussapanun was the Indian name for what is now Union Valley in the town of Carmel. 132 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. PMlipse Patent and Col. Beekman's precinct, near ye east part of ye precinct where ye path is now used, so by marked trees and stakes to Cortlandt Patent. ' ' A highway from James Dickerson' s by marked trees to Cortlandt Patent. "A highway from James Dickerson' s by marked trees to Ridgefield new purchase. " A highway beginning at ye division of ye two counties near by Elihu Townsend's at a white oak tree, on ye east side of ye highway, from thence to a white oak tree, then to Elihu Towns- end's fence to his corner, as ye fence now stands, then with the middle line of the Oblong until it meets with Danbury highway, from thence by marked trees over Joes Hill, so called, until it meets with ye highway that comes from Wostershire', so called. " A highway beginning at ye bridge by John Dickerson' s, so by marked trees until it comes to Crane's Mills, from thence by marked trees to ye bridge by Jeremiah Calkins. ' ' A highway from Crane' s Mills by marked trees to Ridge- field new purchase. ' ' A highway beginning at Ed^vard Grays, so by marked trees to ye Meeting house, from thence to ye west Branch of Croten by marked trees meeting with ye highway that has already been laid out near by Hamblins. "A highway from Shaws by marked trees to Frost mills, from thence to Sprages. ' ' A highway from ye bridge by John Dickerson' s, so by marked trees to the Meeting house, from thence by marked trees to Elijah Tompkins. ' ' A highway beginning near by Taylor' s, so by marked trees until it meets with ye highway that comes from ye Great Swamp by William Herns. " A highway by marked trees from Wm. Herns on ye north side of ye Bear swamp, so called, until it meets with Madam Britts line. ' ' A highway by marked trees from Madam Britts line to the Horse pound, so called, from thence to Shaws, and from ye Horse pound to Croten river by marked trees. "A highway beginning at Joseph Lee's, by marked trees to Wostershire highway. ' Worcester. GENERAL HISTORY. 133 "A highway from Samuel Field's farm to ye highway that leads to Daubiiry. "A highway from James Dickerson's farm to ye highway that leads to Cortlandt line. " A highway from James Paddocks to Connecticut line by marked trees." Some of the locations in the above description can be identified. James Bickerson lived a little south of what is known as Sodom Corners, in Southeast. The highway " from Col. Beekman's precinct to Cortlandt Patent," is the one that runs from Patter- son south, nearly along the west bounds of the Oblong. Elihu Townsend lived at the extreme southeast corner of the county. The "bridge by John Dickerson's " was at the Southeast Center or Sodom. Crane's Mills were on the Croton River north of "Joes Hill," three-fourths of a mile east of Sodom Corners. The "Meeting house" was the old log church which stood on the farm of James Barnes, one mile east of Dykeman's Station. Edward Graj^ lived at Doansburg, north of the church. Elihu Townsend lived on Lot 6, on the Oblong, close to the West- chester county line. The " bridge by Jeremiah Calkins " was at Milltown. "Hamblin's" was near the present residence of Ira Crane, west of Carmel. " Shaws " was on the north end of Lake Gleneida. "Frost Mills" were probably on the Croton where Theodore Kelly now lives. " Sprages " was where Mr. Le Grand Hughson now lives, where the New York and Northern Railroad crosses the east line of the town of Carmel. The highway "from John Dickerson's bridge to the meeting house" is the road that runs north over Brewster's Hill. The road to Elijah Tompkins is the one that runs through " Foggin town" ; Elijah Tompkins lived north of Doansburg. " Wm. Herns " was probably where Aikin's Corners are now, being the east end of the road from Patterson village. . The road " from Wm. Herns to Madam Britts line" is probably the main street of Patterson and its continuation. The "Horse pound road" is the one running through Carmel village. Samuel Field lived on Lot 5, on the Oblong, near Peach Pond, and his house is still standing. The highway "from James Paddock's" is the road south of Joe's Hill. James Dickerson's house was south of the bridge over the Croton, at Southeast Center. "April ye 20th day, 1747. A highway laid out beginning at 134 HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Abraham Smiths, by marked trees to the highway that leads from Kirkum Mills to ye Peekskill, four rods wide. "A highway laid out beginning at James Mairude's so by marked trees to ye highway that leads from Kirkum Mills to ye Peekskill, four rods wide. "A highway laid out beginning at a former highway near Eli Nelson's, so marked by trees to the former highway in Peeks- kill hollow four rods wide. " A highway laid out beginning near Mickell Shaws so by marked trees to the highway by Matthew Roes, from thence through Mr. Hill's farm to Kirkum Mills, four rods wide. '"* A highway beginning at Kirkum mills so by marked trees to ye highway formerly laid out that leads to the Peekskill four rods wide. "A highway beginning near Benjamin Brundages so by marked trees to Josiah Gregory's four rods wide. " March 20th, 174f. A highway laid out beginning at Kirkum mills so by marked trees to Peekskill hollow, from thence to Abraham Smith's from thence to the highway that leads from Kirkum mills to ye Peekskill, four rods wide. "A highway laid out beginning at Kirkum mill by marked trees to ye highway east of Benjamin Brundages, four rods wide. "A highway laid out beginning at ye Peekskill road, and so by marked trees to Josiah Gregory' s, four rods wide. " A highway laid out beginning at James Mored's to the Peekskill hollow." Some of these landmarks can be identified. Abraham Smith's was where Hon. Saxton Smith now lives in the town of Putnam Yalley. " Kirkum' s mills" were where the "Red mills" afterward stood, on the outlet of Lake Mahopac. Michael Shaw's was on the north end of Lake Gleneida. "Mr. Hill's farm " was where the Hill Iron Mine now is. "Nov. 11, 1748. A highway laid out from Capt. Wright's saw mill, by marked trees to Peach Pond or to Westchester County line. " A highway laid out from Curhelus Fuller's by marked trees until it meets the road that leads from ye Long bridge to Daniel Gray's. " A highway from James Dickenson's unto Cortland ts Manor. GENERAL HISTOEY. 135 " A highway by marked trees beginning at Croton River near James Dickenson's and from thenpe to ye highway by Latham's four rods wide." " Whereas ye inhabitants of the South Precinct of Dutchess County did request several highways to be laid out. The said commissioners have laid out the several highways as follows: " Beginning near James Dickenson's, from thence by marked trees to Cortlandt Manor by Nathan Bayley's, four rods wide. " One more highway beginning near by where Doctor Calkins used to live, from thence by marked trees to ye Oblong, thence between Nathaniel Stevenson and Philipse Patent, to Beekman precinct, four rods wide. "One more highway beginning near Morehouses Mill by marked trees to ye old highway, and ye old highway by Greenes house stopt up. "One more highway beginning by Joseph Crane thence unto ye highway by Samuel Jones. " One more highway beginning at the south end of Nathaniel Stevenson's land, from thence eastward between Stevenson's land and Joshua Barns land, four rods wide to the middle of the Oblong." "Morehouses Mill" was probably at Milltown. The road from " Nathaniel Stevenson's land " was probably the one that runs northwest from Milltown Cemetery. In 1752, a highway was laid out "beginning at Jonathan Lane' s house and from thence by marked trees to EleazorYeomans Mills," and another " beginning at Timothy Shaws, from thence over the mountains to the Fishkills." The same year the following were laid out. " A highway from Amos Dickenson's to Jeremiah Jones, four rods wide. ' ' A highway beginning at the Horse pound and from thence to Amos Fuller's foiar rods wide. " Another beginning at John Dickenson's mill from thence to the highway that leads to the meeting house." In 1754 were laid out: "A highway beginning at the bridge near Edward Hall's mill on the Oblong, from thence by John Ryder's door to a stake in said Ryder's meadow, from thence between James Anderson's land and said Ryder's land as far as is convenient for a highway to be made, from thence as near to Rattle snake hill as is convenient for a highway to be made, from thence to the highway that leads across Joes Hill. 136 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. "Another beginning at the highway that leads to Robert Padricks on the top of the hill in John Jones possession, from thence to Jacob Finches Bridge and from thence to James Quimby, and from thence to Thomas Frosts." Another "beginning on the west side of Quimby farm at the highway from thence between John Frosts and James Quimbys farms and thence to Thomas Townsends, and thence to the Bridge by Jeremiah Baylees." Another "beginning near Nehemiah Woods at the highway, and from thence to Nathaniel Byington's bridge." Another " beginning at Tho. Higgins and from thence across the hills to Daley brook so called." Another "beginning at Anthony Battersons house from thence along the colony line to the highway that leads to Danbury." The road from "Timothy Shaws to Fishkill" is the road from Carmel to Kent Cliffs or Boyd's Reservoir. The road " from Horse pound to Amos Fuller's " is now called Mud road. "Edward Hall's mill" and "John Ryder's" were both prob- ably near Milltown. Thomas Higgins lived north of Milltown. Daley brook flows into the Croton from the east at Milltown. At the close of the Revolution an act was passed April 4th, 1785, establishing a stage route to Albany. "Whereas Isaac Van Wyck, Talmage Hall and John Kinne have by their peti- tion prayed that on Account of the great expense and labor attending the undertaking, an exclusive right of carrying on a stage from the cities of New York and Albany, might be granted to them for the term of ten years. And whereas the erecting a stage as aforesaid will tend to promote the Ease and Benefit of the People of this State, permission is granted them to run stages on the east side of Hudson River." No other per- sons were to run stages under penalty of £200, and they were "to provide at least two good and sufficient covered stage wagons, to be drawn each by four able horses." The fare was four pence a mile, including the liberty of carrying 14 pounds of baggage, and for every 150 pounds of baggage four pence a mile was to be charged, and they were " to go at least once a week." A few years after the Revolution, and almost as soon as the country had become quiet after the toils of war, the attention of the State government and the people was turned to the necessity of better means of communication. GENERAL HISTORY. 137 Acts were passed for the improvement of certain hiigliways and for laying out new ones. A host of turnpike companies were incorporated and every encouragement was given to their enterprise. Not a few roads were opened and improved by the help of funds raised by lotteries. At first the stock of the various turnpike companies found ready purchasers and as the right of way cost very little and labor was cheap, excellent roads virere made in all directions at a small expense, vsrhile the various laws in relation to working on the common highways soon produced a manifest improvement. The first turnpike laid out within the limits of Putnam county was by the Highland Turnpike Company. This company was incorporated by an act of Legislature passed March 16th, 1804. By its provisions William Edgar, Joseph Howland, Philip Van Cortlandt, Pierre Van Cortlandt jr., William Keymees, William Street, Daniel Delavan, Isaac Van Wyck, Gilbert Livingston, Daniel C. Verplanck and Philip Verplanck and their associates were authorized to make " a good and sufiicient road beginning at or near the house of Matthew Gage in the town of Mount Pleasant, from thence across Croton river near the house of Philip Van Cortlandt, and from thence to and through the village of Peekskill, and from thence by the nearest and most eligible route, and as near the present post road as circumstances will admit to or near the churches in the town of Pishkill in the County of Dutchess." The official title was the "President, Directors and Company of the Highland Turnpike." The com- pany was authorized to take land if necessary and the commis- sioners who were appointed bj'' the act were William Edgar, William Denning, Thomas Storm, Philip Van Cortlandt, Joseph Howland, Gilbert Livingston, Daniel W. Birdsall, Isaac Van Wyck and William Keymees. The usual powers were con- ferred upon the company, some of the provisions being that the number of toll gates should not exceed three; mile stones were " to be erected or placed, one for each and every mile of the said road, and on each stone shall be fairly and legibly marked the distance the said stone is from the city of New York" and a bridge was to be erected over the mouth of Croton River, to be furnished with a draw. Several years previous to this, an act was passed March 28th, 1797, "for opening and improving certain great roads within this State." This act provided that the sum of |45,000 should 138 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. be raised by three lotteries and after certain other appropria- tions, " the residue shall be laid out in improvements on the post road leading from Croton Ferry to the County of Dutchess." The act of 1804 was repealed and a new act passed March 25th, 1806, by which William Edgar, Joseph Rowland, Philip Yan Cortlandt, William Keymees, William Stut, Daniel Dela- van, Philip Verplanck, Henry Garrison. Isaac Van Wyck, Daniel. C. Verplanck, Robert Williams, William Davies and Philip J. Schuyler, were incorporated to make and maintain a turnpike from Kings Bridge to Croton River near the house of Philip Van Cortlandt and then by the most convenient route to Poughkeepsie. Their privileges and duties were similar to those of the former company. The act was amended at various times and the time for finishing the road extended, and persons living on the line of the turnpike could work out their high- way tax upon it if they wished. The turnpike was not a pe- cuniary success, and the act was repealed April 8th, 1833, the corporation was dissolved, and the commissioners of highways were reqiaired to cause the road to be kept in repair the same as other highways. The old mile stones which marked the dis- tance from New York are still remaining, and this is about all there is to remind the traveller of the Old Highland Turn- pike. The next company of this county was the Westchester and Dutchess Turnpike Company, organized by act of March 9th, 1810. This act provided that William Taber, Rowland Bailey, Jona- than Ferris, Pierre Van Cortlandt, Samuel Owens, James Mandeville, John Oppie, James Dewey, Charles Dusenbury, John C. Voght, John Jones, Nathaniel Drake, Edward Bugby, St. John Constant, Thomas Brown, Solomon Rundle, and Henry Luddington and such as should associate with them, "should make a good and sufficient turnpike road, to be- gin at the Highland Turnpike near the house of Joseph C. Voght, in Cortlandt, thence to the house of James Mandeville, and to or near the house of Samuel Owens in said town: thence to the house of Jonathan Ferris and to or near the house of Edward Bugby and Solomon Avery in Philipstown, and from thence running up Peekskill Hollow, to the house of Rowland GENERAL HISTORY. 139 Bailey', and from thence to the house of Henry Ludington', in the town of Frederick, and then to the great road west of Quaker Hi]]." The capital stock was 1,500 shares of $25 each, the distance was twenty-four miles, and there were to be two toll gates on the road. This turnpike througli Peekskill Hollow followed the old road which was in use long before the Revolution and plainly marked on Erskine's map. In 1816, the time for the completion of the road was extended to 1821, and by an act of 1820 they were authorized to extend the road "from where it now intersects the Philipstown Turnpike near the house of Wm. Knapp, across the Fishkill Mountains." The Philipstown Turnpike Comjjany was incorporated by an act passed April 14th, 1815. By this act, Samuel Goixverneur, Amos Belden, David Knapp, Samuel Townsend, John Haight and others were incorporated as a company, " for the purpose of making a good and sufficient road from Cold Spring landing, in the town of Philipstown, and running from thence the most direct and common route, in a northeasterly direction, by way of the ore bed, Milltown', Abel Peak's tavern*, and Joseph White's tavern, to the meeting house in the town of Patterson, according to the survey thereof made by Zebulon Horner, Jr., March 28th, 1814, and extending to the Connecticut line so as to promote the interest of the Public'." The capital stock of this company was to be 1,000 shares at $30 each. This turnpike ran from Farmer's Mills, on the west side of White Pond and up into Dutchess county, and making a tiirn came back into Putnam county on the west side of the mill pond at Ludingtonville. It ran through the village of Patter- son, and thence northeast up the hill and so to the Connecticut line. In 1829, the company was authorized to abandon " so much of their road as lies between the line of Fishkill near Peter Rites, and the town of Patterson, at Benjamin Pugsley's." In 1884, they were authorized ' ' to abandon so much of the road as lies between Haviland's Corners, in the town of Patterson and its intersection with the Connecticut line in the town of Paw- 'The present residence of Mr. Stephens, at Boyd's Corners, formerly Dr. Mat- thew Bailey's. 'At Ludingtonville in Kent. 'Farmer's Mills. *rhis was in Dutchess county at what is called "Peck Slip." =The first 12 miles were built by Dr. Edward Parks, for $13,000. 140 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. lings." In ]8o7, an act was passed providing " that when the persons holding a majority of the stock of the company, should have transferred their shares to the towns in which the road lies, that then such parts of the turnpike shall be a public road and worked as other roads." The whole road was finally aban- doned by the company, but as a large portion of it west of Farmer's Mills went through a thinly settled region, there was not enough taxable property to keep it in repair. In 1879, the board of supervisors was authorized to appoint three commis- sioners to keep the road in proper condition. Prom that time the highway has been kept in repair by the commissioners thus appointed and the sum of $500 has annually been expended for that purpose, and it is generally known as the "Putnam County road." Previous to this, in 1862, an act was passed by which the county judge was authorized to appoint three com- missioners to manage the road. A part of this act provided that no person should carry a load of more than 4,000 pounds on vehicles with wheels less than five inches wide, the roads having been much injured by heavy loads of ore fr®m the mines on the route. In 1875 a law which is still in force was made providing that |500 annually should be raised for keeping the road in repair. An effort to improve one of the most important roads in the county was made in 1836, when an act was passed by which James Towner and William Watts, of Putnam, and James Turk, of Westchester, were appointed commissioners "to alter the road from Frederick Luddington's by way of the Court House, to Croton Turnpike, for the purpose of shortening and improving the same." This road, which is one of the oldest in the county, has been known from the earliest time as the "Horse Pound road." It was once the principal route between Westchester and Dutchess counties, and is mentioned by the same name in 1756. It ran the width of the county from the Dutchess line at Ludingtonville, to Carmel; and by the Court House it ran south, running to the west of the present road opposite the seminary and extended south to where the road turns east that goes to the Grilead burying ground. It followed that road as far as the burying ground, and from that ran south- east (where the telegraph poles now stand and where the line of the old road is yet plainly visible) to the road that runs south past the "Watts farm," called the Croton Falls road. GJiNEEAL HISTORY. 141 The portion of the road between the burying ground and the Watts place was discontinued after the making of the "new road " running east from Carmel, by the Presbyterian church. The same year Edward Smith, of Carmel, Hart Weed, of Southeast, and Reuben R. Finch, of Cortlandt, were appointed " to lay out a road from Peekskill to the store of James Towner', in Patterson." They were authorized " to lay out the road not less than three rods wide, by the Court House in Carmel, to the store of James Towner, on the most eligible and direct route, or to alter the road now in use and to discontinue such parts as they deem unnecessary." The commissioners were to have $2 per day for service. This road was from Peeks- kill by way of the "Red Mills", and was made a very excel- lent road. The act was amended in 1744, and Ray Tompkins, of Somers,. John Crawford, of Southeast, and Silas Slawson, of Carmel, were appointed to lay out the highway not less than three rods wide from the house of James Towner, by the Court House in Carmel, to "The house of Gilbert Knapp, near the head of Peekskill Turnpike, in Yorktown," and in case the turnpike should be free, they were to lay out a free road three rods wide. These roads were of great importance, as leading to the only convenient port on the Hudson River. The " Croton Turnpike" was made under an act passed April 8th, 1811, by which Stephen Barnum, Samuel Haviland, Benjamin Cowls and Abijah Seeley and their associates were authorized " to make a good and sufficient road from the north end of the Croton Turnpike near the house of widow Deborah Sears, in the town of Southeast, and running thence the most direct route to the house of Abijah Seeley, in the town of Pat- terson and thence by the most direct route to the bridge across Croton Riv.er about one half mile west of Capt. Benjamin Cowls, thence eastwardly to the Connecticut line, terminating at the dwelling house of Timothy Haviland, in said town of Pat- terson." This is the road that runs through Haviland Hollow-. Abijah Seeley lived where his son, Dr. Jonathan Seeley, now lives, about a mile north of Doansburg. The old Croton Turnpike ran from the Westchester line near Croton Falls, to the present 'This was at the four corners, near the Baptist church, now the residence of Philip D. Penney. 142 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COTTNTT. site of the Borden Condensed Milk Factory, near Brewster, and tlience on to Southeast Center, and thence to Doansburg where it terminated on the west side of the burying ground. The above described road is its continuation to Cowls' Corners and Haviland Hollow. The Putnam and Dutchess Turnpike Company was incor- porated by an act of the Legislature passed April 11th, 1827, by which act Edward Smith, Alvin Chase, Herman R., Stephen and Elizer Baldwin, and such persons as should associate with them, were incorporated to build " a good and sufficient turn- pike road, to commence at a point on the Croton Turnpike in the town of Somersin Westchester Co., between the house of Isaac Brown and the bridge over the east branch of Croton Eiver, a few rods northeast of the mill of John Owen, to run from thence the most eligible route through the County of Put- nam, to, or near, the house occupied by Sylvanus Merritt, in the town of Pawlings, in the County of Dutchess, passing on this route on the west side of the Court House in the town of Carmel, Putnam Co., and near the house of Edward Smith, in the town of Kent, and near the house of Sewell White in the town of Pawlings." The stock was to be $10,000, in shares of $20 each, and as soon as any five miles of the road should be finished, they were authorized to erect gates, but not within one mile of the Court House. Jonathan Morehouse, Benjamin Isaacs and Wheeler Gilbert were appointed commissioners to lay out the road and were authorized to appropriate any land then used as a road. The end of all these turnpike companies was the same. They proved unprofitable and the cost of main taining\ toll gates and keeping the road in repair exceeded, or at least equaled, the income. They were gradually abandoned, and became common highways, but Putnam county is indebted to these learly cor- porations for its best roads, and the traveller may well call to mind the names of their founders and bless their memory. "We hear no more of the clanging hoof, And the stage-coach rattling by ; For the steam-king rules the travelled world, And the old pike's left to die. The grass creeps o'er the flinty path, And the stealthy daisies steal, Where once the stage-horse, day by day. Lifted his iron heel. GENERAL HISTORY. 143 " No more the weary stager dreads The toil of the coming morn ; No more the bustling landlord runs At the sound of the echoing horn ; For the dust lies still upon the road, And the bright-eyed children play Where once the clattering hoof and wheel, Rattled along the way." Eev. John Piebpont. Previous to the Revolution there v^as but little need of a regularly established ferry across the river from any portion of this county, the population being small and the occasions for crossing being few. It was not till the war began that the im- portance of West Point as a military post became apparent. Up to 1795, the power of licensing ferries to carry passengers for hire, was vested in the Courts of Common Pleas, which granted the license and prescribed the rates of fare. " An Act for establishing and regulating a ferry across the North River, in the town of Philips, in the County of Putnam, March 16th, 1821. "That it shall and may be lawful for Harry Garrison of the town of Philips, his heirs and assigns to set up and keep and maintain a ferry across the North River, to any convenient place on the west shore of the said river in the County of Orange, for and during the term of twelve years from and after the pas- sage of this act." By an act passed April 12th, 1830, it was granted to John Garrison of the town of Philips, and his heirs and assigns, to set up and keep a ferry across the river, from the land of said Garrison, between the north point of Constitution Island and the north point of Conshook Island to any convenient place on the west side of the river in the County of Orange, for the period of ten years from the 16th day of May, 1833. In 1843, this privi- lege was extended to twelve years. In 1833, the following rates of ferriage were established by the County Court: ''For carrying every wagon with 2 horses, $1.25; for cai'rying every wagon with 1 horse, 75c. ; for single horse, 50c. ; each head of cattle, 37^0. ; hog, sheep or calf, 6c. ; wagon, sulky or chaise, 50c; single passenger, 18c. ; barrel of pork or beef, 12^0." These rates might be doubled after the first of December, until the succeeding March, between the hours of 8 p. m. and snnrise. 144 HISTORY OF tiJTNAM COUNTY. In 1826, an act was passed authorizing Thomas Ketcham and Samuel Gouverneur to keep a ferry across the Hudson River from Putrock Landing, in Orange county, to Cold Spring Landing. In 1850, Edward Hubbard, Christopher D. Miller and Thomas J. De Lancy were empowered to run a ferry from Cornwall to Cold Spring for the term of ten years. In 1851, Henry R. Purdy was empowered to keep a ferry " from Cold Spring Landing between the north point of Con- stitution Island, and the south part of Stony Point, to some convenient place on the opposite shore," for the term of twelve years. In 1863, a grant of land under water was made to the Grarri- son and West Point Ferry Company, the same being contiguous to their property. The present Garrison and West Point Ferry Company, organ- ized under a law of 1853, consists of Henry W. Belcher, Henry E. Belcher, George E. Belcher, Charles D. Hoflfman, Ethan D. Griswold and Frank D. Griswold. The capital stock is $25,000, and the company owns real estate and boats to the- amount of $53,000. CHAPTER XI. POLITICAL DIVISIONS. WITH the English conquest of New Netherland came of course a new system of government, and by an act of the General Assembly, November 1st, 1683, the province of New York was divided into twelve counties. Of these Dutchess was one, and its boundaries are described and defined to be "from the bounds of the County of Westchester on the south side of the Highlands, and along the east side of Hudson's river as far as Roeliflf Jansen's Kill", and east into the woods twenty miles." At the time of its establishment, there were scarcely any inhabitants in the entire region, and for many years it was practically a part of Ulster county, where the courts were held, and its public business performed; and provision was made for the freeholders to give their votes in that county as if they were residents therein. This continued till 1701, when the county first came to have a separate existence. Up to 1701, Dutchess county was thought incapable of bearing the expense of a representative in the General Assembly, " but the people of that county animated by the heat of the times, sent Jacob Rutsen and Adrian Garretson to represent them in the Assembly." The next attempt at a form of civil government for the county, was in 1713, when the following was enacted: "An Act for Dutchess County to elect a Supervisor, a Treas- urer, Assessor and Collector. "Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and Assembly and by the Authority of the same, That the Justices of the Peace in Dutchess County or any two of them, shall and are hereby re- quired to issue their Warrant to the Constables of the said County, to give warning to the Freeholders and Inhabitants, in ' Now Livingston Creek, opposite Catskill. 10 146 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COXJNTY. the respective Precincts thereof to assemble and meet at the most convenient place, as the Justices or any two of them shall appoint, at any time before the first Tuesday in September next, there to make choice of one Freeholder to be Supervisor, one Treasurer, two Assessors and two Collectors, in the said County, who shall have the same Power, Authority, Office and Function, and do, perform, execute and serve, and be liable to the same Pains and Penalties, as the Supervisors, Treasurers, Assessors and Collectors of the several and respective Counties within this Colony until the first Tuesday in April next ensuing, and then one Supervisor, one Treasurer, and so many Assessors and Collectors to be chosen and elected annually." In accordance with the provisions of this act, the officers men- tioned were elected annually, but no document in existence gives their names or tells of their acts; and the next informatin to be found is contained in an act passed in 1719, entitled, " An Act to elect Supervisors in Dutchess County." " Whereas by an Act made in the Twelfth year of the reign of the late Queen Anne, Entitled: " An Act for Dutchess County to elect a Supervisor, a Trea- surer, Assessors and Collectors, the County since being increased in Inhabitants and Settlements made, Now for the more ease and better defraying the public Charge of the said County. Be it therefore enacted by the Grovernor, Council and General Assembly, and it is hereby Enacted by the authority of the same. That from and after the Publication of this Act, the said County shall be divided into three Divisions. The South Division to begin at the South side of the Highlands, and ex- tend to Wappingers creek, the Middle Division to begin at the aforesaid Wappingers creek and so northward to the Kline Sopus Island, and the North Division to begin on the North side of the middle Division and ending on the northmost Bounds and extent of the County. " And for the better advantage and more easie adjusting the Accounts of Taxes in the said County, and payment of the County charge. Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Inhabitants of every respective Division are hereby required and Authorized, yearly and every year upon the publick Elec- tion, being the first Tuesday in April, to elect and appoint in every Division a Supervisor for the said County who shall have the same power. Function and Authority to raise Publick GENERAL HISTORY. 147 Money to defray the necessary charge of the County and also adjust the charges of the same, as all otherj Supervisors of the Colony by Law have a right to have." The divisions thus established were called " Wards," not by legal authority, but by popular usage. The South Ward in- cluded, of course, all the region now embraced in Putnam county, and also a large portion of the present county of Dutchess. As the population increased, some difficulty arose as to the true location of the northern boundary, as is shown by the following entry: " At a General Court of Sessions held at the Court House at Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County on the 21st day of May, Anno Dom. 1728. Taking into consideration the information of the Grand Jury who imparted that a great inconvenience was, and more might thereby ensue. Whereas the bounds between the middle and South Wards of said County not being plainly distinguished, therefore it is now agreed that the Division shall begin at the mouth of Wappingers Creek, and so up the said creek until a line drawn from the house of Hendrick Boss due west doth cross ye said Creek, due east to the line of Connec- ticut Colony, so that all remaining on ye South shall be, and is hereby distinguished as ye South Ward." The early records of the elections of officers in these wards are lost and the first found is in 1722.' " At an Election held in Dutchess County in the South Ward, on the first Tuesday in April, it being the second day of said Month 1722. These following are chosen for Dutchess County for the South Ward:— John Montross, Constable & Collector; Jacobus Swartwout, Supervisor; Peter Du Boys, Assessor; Johannes Ter Boss, Jr., Assessor; Jan De Lange, Overseer of the King's Highway; Jacobus Terbos, Overseer of the High- way; Jan Buys, Surveyor of the fences: Gerrit Van Vliet, Sur- veyor of the fences. "Henry Vakderburg, Clerk." '.' At a meeting of Sundry Freeholders & Tenants of Dutchess County assembled this first Tuesday in April 1724, in ye South Ward, the following persons were chosen by Majority of votes to sarve for' this year viz: — Jacobus Swartwout, Supervisor; James Hussey and I^rancis De Langen, Assessors; Hendrick Philipse, Constable & Collector; Isaac Lossing', Surveyor of 'From the family of this name is descended Benson J. Lossing, LL.D., the cele- brated historian. 148 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. King's Highway; Jan Buys, Surveyor of ye roads about ye Fishkill; Daniel Bush, Surveyor of ye roads about Pough- quaick'; Peter Du Bois and Jan Buys, Surveyors of fences; Jan Buys, Pounner (Pounder). "Agreed by a majority of votes that all fences shall be in height from ye ground upward to ye uppermost part of ye top rail or log or Ryder, 4 foot, 4 inches, English measure. Also agreed that ye Hogs in ye said Ward has priviledge to run^from ye 1st day of Oct. till ye month of April." A curious example of county expenses, in the early part of the last century, is the following account of bills allowed by the Supervisors in 1724: "Dutchess County Anno Dom. 172|, February the 2nd day." "At a meeting of Supervisors at Poughkeepsie to adeciate the debts and arrearages of ye said Co. we have proceeded and allowed to the persons hereafter named the following accounts viz: "To Col. Leonard Lewis to service in Gen. Assembly, 63 days, Sertificate date ye 14 July An. 1724. . . £18, 18s. "Ordered that 20s. be given to the Clerk Mr. Henry Van Der Burg for to purchase a book of the Laws of the Province for the use of the County, . . 1,00 "Ordered that the Clerk shall have £4 for his years salary which was expired the 15th of last Oct. past, 4,00 " To Harm anus Ryder for his Salary, .... ,30s. " To Leonard Lewis Esq. for Beer and Rum for ye As- sessors and Supervisors, ,12s. "To Mr. Jacobus Van Den Bogart for victualing the Supervisors and Assessors, ,09s. "To Mr. Traphagen for service upon the Kings High- road which was never afore brought in, for two days at 6s. per day, ,12s. " To Col. Leonard Lewis for 6s. disbursed for the Co. to Harmanus Rynders, as Cryer in ye Circuit Court several years agoe, ,6s. £27, 07s. " Barent Van Wagner, "Jacobus Swartwout, "Jacobus Van den Bogart." 'Now the town of Beekman. GENERAL HISTORY. 149 Taxes were small In those days as may be seen by the fol- lowing receipt: "New York 18 June 1724, Received from John Montross Collector of the South Ward of Dutchess Co. by the hands of Leonard Lewis Esq. the sum of 5 pounds 6 shillings and 8 pence, being on the acct. for Raising the Quantity of Three thousand ounces of plate for the effectual sinking and cancel- ling bills of credit to that value. " I say received by me. "£5, 6s. 8d. "A. D. Peyster, Jr." As the Dutch language was used by a large portion of the inhabitants of the county at that time, receipts are occasionally found given in that language : " Dutsers Co. 1726 July 17. ' • Ontsange von Mr. Welliam Lessen de sam von twelf pont en elf Segillings en een penny, Synde en vol voor Syn tax lyst by myn Lowwerens Vajs" Clebk Treasurer." Supervisors of the South Ward of Dutchess county: Jacobus Swartwout, 1722-24; James Hussy, 1725; Peter Du Bois, 1726; Jacobus Swartwout, 1727; Abraham Brinkerhoff, 1728; Jacobus De Peyster, 1729-31; James Hussy, 1732. The comparative wealth of these three wards may be seen from the following amounts of tax paid in the year 1725: North Ward, £53, 15s., 3d.; Middle Ward, £36, 9s., 3Jd.; South Ward, £27, 9s., l^d. The next change in political divisions was December 16th, 1737, when the following was passed: ''An Act to divide Dutchess County into Precincts. " Whereas Dutchess County by an Act made in the 5th year of his late Majesty's reign', enfitled 'an Act to elect Super- visors in Dutchess County,' was divided into three Divisions, and whereas since that time the Number of Inhabitants is much increased and many new settlements have been made, whereby it is become necessary for the Ease and Convenience of the ' As Acts of Parliament and deeds for land in colonial times are dated from the year of the beginning of the Sovereign's reign the following may be of value as reference: William and Mary began to reign in 1689; Queen Anne in 1703; George I. in 1715; George II. in 1728. 150 HISTORY 01' PUTJNTAaC COUNTY. Inhabitants thereof that the said County should be divided into more Precincts. "Be it therefore enacted by the Lieut. Governor, tlie Council and the General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the Authority of the same. That from and after the Publication of this Act, the said County shall be divided into seven Pre- cincts in the following manner : " The south Precinct to contain all that part of the Highlands which is granted by Patent to.Adolph Philipse Esq.. " The Rumbout or Fishkill Precinct to contain all that part of Rumbout Patent South of Wappinger's Creek. "The Beekmen Precinct to contain all that land granted to Henry Beekman Esq." The act goes on to establish the precincts of Crom Elbow, Rhynbeck and Northeast. It will be seen from the above that the South Precinct em- braced all the present county of Putnam and also the south- western portions of the town of Fishkill in Dutchess. The loss of many of the early records renders it impossible to give a complete list of the officers of the South Precinct, and we can only give the names of the officers from 1754. Supervisors : Samuel Field, 1754-56; Petrus Dubois, 1757; Philip Philipse, o^ New York, 1760-62; Beverly Robinson, 1763—65; Philip Philipse, 1766-69; TertuUus Dickenson, 1770-71. Assessors : James Dickenson, Joseph Lane, 1754; James Dickenson, William Nelson, 1755-56; Joseph Lane, Daniel Townsend, 1757; Valentine Perkins, Joseph Lane, 1758; Daniel Townsend, Joseph Lane, 1759; James Dickenson, George Hughson, 1760; James Dickenson, George Hughson, 1761-2-3-4-5; Joseph Lane, Edward Gray, 1766; Malcolm Morrison, TertuUus Dickenson, 1767-8-9; Roswell Wilcox, Samuel Peters Esq., 1770; William Penny, James Dickenson jr., 1771. Clerks: Schuman Travis, 1761; Samuel Dickenson, 1763; Edward Rice, 1766; Eleazar Baker, 1767. Constables in 1754: Israel Taylor, Nathan Taylor, Uriah Hill, Thomas Philipse. The first overseers of the poor were George Hughson, Edward Gray, Peter Drake and Nathaniel Porter, 1762. In this year there was a great addition made to the number of precinct officers, there being elected, six "Pounders," four fence viewers. GEKTERAL HISTORY. 151 and forty eight pathmasters. In 1763, a new officer makes his appearance, in the person of Jacob Parrish, "Whipper." Whether the precinct ceased to have any need for the services of this officer, or whether no one cared to fill the position, is unknown to the writer, but he seems to have been the first and the last elected to that office. For several years before the Revolution, the population of the South Precinct increased with rapidity, especially the eastern portion, and on the 24th of March, 1772, the following was passed: "An Act for dividing the South Precinct of the County of Dutchess into three Precincts. "Whereas the South Precinct in the County of Dutchess is so extensive that many of the inhabitants cannot attend the annual meeting for Election of officers, without great incon- venience, and is become so populous that the Elections can no longer be held with due Order and Regularity. "I. Be it enacted by his Excellency the Governor the Coun- cil and the General Assembly, and it is hereby enacted by the Authority of the Same. That the said South Precinct shall after the first day of April next be divided into three Precincts in the Manner following: " The west Division or Precinct is to be called Philips Pre- cinct, bounded as follows, to wit. Southerly by Westchester County, Easterly by East line of Beverly Robinson's Long Lot No. 4; Northerly by the Division line between Rumbout and Philipse Patents, and Westerly by Hudson's river. And the Middle Division or Precinct to comprehend that part of Philipse Patent, within the said South Precinct known by the name of ihe three east short Lots and the two eastern Long Lots, to be called Fredricksbarg and bounded as follows, to wit, Southerly by Westchester County, Northerly by Pawlings Precinct, East- erly by the Oblong and Westerly by Philipse Precinct. The Eastermost Division or Precinct to comprehend the lands called the Oblong lying within the said South Precinct, to be called the South East Precinct, and bounded as follows, to wit, South- erly by Westchester County, Westerly by Predricksburg Pre- cinct, Northerly by Pawlings Precinct, until it comes to the Connecticut line. Easterly by the Connecticut line. In which said three Precincts there shall be annually chosen by the ma- jority of voices of the Freeholders and Inhabitants, in each re- 152 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. spective Precinct, One Clerk, one Supervisor, two Assessors, one Collector, two Constables, three Overseers of Poor, three fence viewers, two Pound Masters and Overseers of Highways or as many Pound Masters and Overseers of Highways as the majority of the Inhabitants at their said annual meeting shall think fit. Which said officers so elected shall each and every of them have the same Power and Authority that any of the like officers have in any other of the Precincts, in the said County, and shall be liable to the same Pains and Penalties, any thing in this or any other Act, to the contrary notwith- standing. "11. And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid. That the Justices and Overseers of the Poor shall as soon as possible after the Division of the said Precincts, call together all the Poor of the said Precincts and make an equal Distribution of them as is possible in the said Precincts, to be for the future maintained by, and reside in the Precinct they shall be allotted to: and that all such sum or sums of money that shall or may be due by the said Precinct at the Division thereof, for the Maintainance of the Poor shall be levied proportionally on each of the respec- tive Precincts at the next meeting of the Supervisors and Assessors. "III. And be it enacted, Thatf the Inhabitants of Fredericks- burg Precinct shall annually meet on the first Tuesday of April, for the election of officers for said Precinct, at the house of Thomas Smith in Fredricksburg; and that Ihe Inhabitants of Philipse Precinct shall meet on the same day, for the like pur- pose at the house of John Compton in Philipse Precinct: and that the Inhabitants of the South East Precinct shall meet on the same day for the like purpose at the dwelling of John Ryder, in the said Precinct. " IV. And be it enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for the Inhabitants of each of the aforesaid Precincts, at any of their annual meetings for electing officers as aforesaid, by a ma- jority of voices of the Inhabitants so met, to appoint any other certain place for the next election: which shall continue to be the place of Election till another appointment be made in the same manner. "V. And be it enacted by the Auihority aforesaid that the Inhabitants of Philipse and Fredricksburg Precincts having personal estate to the value of sixty pounds, free from all in- GENERAL HISTORY. 153 cumbrance, shall be, and hereby are made liable to serve as jur- ors, on the trial of Cases in Justices Courts in the said Precincts of Philipse and Fredricksburg anything in the aforesaid Act to the Contrary notwithstanding." The records of these precincts are very scanty, and almost the only thing remaining is the book of accounts kept by the overseers of the poor, which has lately been found and placed in the county clerk's office. As this contains the only account of any official proceedings in the days before the Revolution, a few extracts may be of interest. They carry us back to a time when the population was small, and life in its primitive sim- plicity; to days when each family was supported by its own labor, when the rooky farm supplied the few wants of its owner, and when the "homespun" clothed the entire community. " Dec. the 27th, 1768. Personally appeared before us James Dickenson Samuel Peters and John Ryder Esqsrs. Justices of the Peace for the County of Dutchess, Tertullus Dickenson Malcom Morrison and Peter Drake, poor masters of the South Precinct of sd County, and paid out under our Inspector all the money that they have received for the use of the poor for two years past, which was the sum of two hundred and fifty eight Pounds. "James Dickenson, " Samuel Peters, "John Ryder." On the 7th of May, 1770, we find the following: " The Poor of the South Precinct are this day put out as doth appear under written, until 7th of May, 1771. Allowed to Jere- miah Burgess for keeping David Austin, £12; allowed to Mrs. Sileven for keeping her husband, 8,19; allowed to John Rhodes for keeping his sister, 5,00; allowed John Brewer for keeping Martha Mead, 8,18; allowed Elijah Colkins keeping Joseph Barber's daughter, 11,18; allowed to pay the rent of Gideon Ellis' farm the ensueing year, 2,00; and also the rent of James Prown's farm, 2,00; allowed to Francis Baker for taking care of a poor child to date, 2,16; allowed to John Ryder Esq. .for taking care and keeping Abigail and Levina Discomb, twenty three pounds and he promises to save the Precinct harmless, from any further charge that may happen by said children until they arrive to the age of eighteen years. The said children are allowed to be three years old. 154 HISTOKT OF PUTNAM COUJ^TY. "Whereas Mary Golden and her three children were lately- Removed by an order of Thos. Menzies and Malcom Morrison to the Manor of Philipsburg from the South Precinct and whereas the said Mary Golden and her children are sent back by order of two Justices of Westchester County. Resolved that advice shall be taken, and the order of the said Justices of Westchester County be disputed, and that the three Precincts of Fredericksburg, South East and Philipse shall bear their proportionable expense, and that Thos. Menzies shall apply to the King's Attorney, for his advice, and do whatever is neces- sary in consequence of his advice. Tlie children to continue where they are until the matter is decided, May 7th, 1772." At the time when the South Precinct was divided into the three Precincts of Fredericksburg, Philipse and South East, the following division of the poor was made: "' It is this day agreed by the Justices and Overseers of the Poor, that the Poor of the late South Precinct be, from and after this day maintained and provided for in the following manner, to wit, The South East Precinct to take William Gray and his wife, Fredericksburg Precinct paying to the South East Precinct five pounds yearly, as long as said Wm. Gray and wife shall live. "Fredericksburg Precinct to take David Ashton, John Sullivan, Martha Mead, Joseph Barber, the children of Gilbert Clapp, Rachel Hughs, John Carr and Samuel Goodspeed. " Philipse Precinct to take the widow Farrington and John. Rhodes' sister. If any mistake or omission hereafter appear it is hereby agreed that all Errors shall be Rectified. John Dufif's children to be removed, the charges of removal and whatever charges may accrue from said removal to be proportionately de- frayed by the said three Precincts." The Bible says, "The poor ye have always with you," but it would seem by the above list that Putnam county, as it then was, had very few of that class. The certificate attached to the foregoing arrangement is given iufac simile. It is in the hand- writing of Beverly Robinson, doubtless the most prominent man of the precinct in those days. "Oct. 12th, 1773. Agreed with Samuel Peters, Esq., that he is to build a log house twenty five feet long, and 18 feet wide, with a stone chimney at each end, and the sd house is to be /"^^-^^^c^Z^' e^ ^r7^^>l^ GENERAL HISTORY. 155 finished the 16th, day of May next & sd Peters is to have Thirty Pounds for building said house." The following account shows the prices of things in 1775: "Samuel Peters, Esq. for supplying the poor House with grain a year ending this day viz. May 6th, 1775: 14J bushels Corn at 3s. 6d., £2,10,9; 11 bushels Rye at 4s., 2,04,0; 2i bushels wheat at 6s., 0,15,0; 21^ lbs. veal at 3d., 0,05,4^ ; a bed- stead, 0,04,4; 1 cwt. Pork, 1,10,0. Total, £7,09,5i" In 1778, the following prices were current: Pork per lb., 4d. ; Bacon per lb., 8d.; Mutton, 3d.; Beef, 3d.; Salt per bushel, 16s. ; Tow cloth per yard. Is. 5d. ; Candles per lb, 4d. The issue of Continental money caused an inflation of prices, as in more modern times. 1778, Dec. 22d. Allowed to : " Elihu Secord for one barrel Sope, £12; to 6 lbs. candles, 2,08; two bushel of corn, 2,08; 25 lbs. salt pork, 5; to four bushels of Turnips, 1,12; To four bushels of Tators (potatoes), 2,08; mak- ing up clothing, 7,12; one pair of shoes, 1,4; to keeping Sarah Adkins one week, finding her victuals, 1,04." A yoke of oxen sold to Elihu Secor were valued at £80. The rapid changes in prices were arranged for as in the following, and thus marks the depreciation of Continental money: "Dec. 24th, 1778. To Esq. Peters for ]05 lbs. Pork, £1,17,8. The price of the above Article is to be paid what is current for said article when said Peters receives his money." "April 27th, 1779, 1 bushel of wheat, £3,04." "Allowed to Joseph Teed April 3, 1779 for the use of one cow, 16. To 16J bushels of wheat, 12 bushels of Rye and 2 bushels of corn, 155,08. Price of said grain to be paid what is current when said Teed receives his money." " May 7 1779 To a cow, £100." "May 13 1779 The Precinct Dr. to Elijah Townsend, £100. The above account was settled when money was eight to one, which is to be paid at that rate." OITICEES OF THE PRECINCTS. The following ofiicers were elected (after the formation of the Precincts in 1772) for Philipse Precinct and Fredericksburg. The ofiicers elected for the South East Precinct do not appear for that year on the Records in Poughkeepsie. Philipse Precinct : Supervisor, Beverly Robinson; assessors, Caleb Nelson, Joseph Lane; collector, William Dusenbury; 156 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. constables, Israel Taylor, Isaac Davenport; poor masters, Justus Nelson. Cornelius Tompkins. Fredericksburg: Super- visor, Tertullus Dickenson; assessors, Henry Luddington, James Dickenson; collector, Edward Rice; constables, Wm. Underbill, Wm. Nelson, Elijah Townsend, Edward Rice; poor masters, Jehiel Bazely, James Dickenson. The first election of commissioners of highways was in 1773, when the following were chosen: Philipse Precinct: Justus Nelson, Moses Dusenbury, Isaac Rhodes; Fredericksburg: James Dickenson, Jehiel Beardsley, James Dickenson, Jr.; South East: Thomas Baldwin, Owen Hull, Seth Nickerson. Pound masters first appeared in 1774, when we find the fol- lowing occupants of that important office: Cornelius Tompkins, John Oakley, Joseph Haight, Caleb Nelson. Supervisors of Philipse Precinct: Moses Dusenbury, 1773; Beverly Robinson, 1774; Joshixa Nelson, 1775; George Lane, 1786; John Hyatt, 1787. Of Fredericksburg, Tertullus Dick- enson, 1773-76; Henry Luddington, 1777, 1778; Reuben Ferris, 1779-84; John Drake, 1786; Reuben Ferris, 1787. Of South East: Joseph Crane, jr., 1773; John Field, 1774-76; Joseph Crane, 1778; William Mott, 1779, 1780; Isaac Crosby, 1782-84; Joseph Crane, 1787. Assessors of Philipse Precinct: Joseph Lane, 1772; William Dusenbury, Caleb Nelson, 1773; Joshua Nelson, William Dusen- bury, 1774; Cornelius Tompkins, Joshua Nelson, 1775; John Armstrong, Morris Smith, Titus Travis, Joshua Horton, Isaac Davenport, 1786. Of Fredericksburg: Henry Luddington, James Dickenson, 1772; Jabez Berry, William Penney, 1773; Jabez Berry, David Crosby, 1774-76; Roswell Wilcox, Reuben Crosby, 1778; Alexander Kidd, Jonathan Paddock, Heman King, Elijah Townsend, Elisha Cole, James Wilson, Jabez Berry, 1779; David Hecock, Nehemiah Jones, Moody Howes, Ebenezer Robinson, Elijah Townsend, Solomon Hopkins, Jabez Berry, 1780; David Hecock, Stephen Field, Jabez Berry, 1782; Roswell Wilcox, William Penney, Timothy Delavan, David Cole, Elijah Townsend, John Berry, 1783; Roswell Wilcox, William Penney, Moody Howes, Solomon Hopkins, Elijah Townsend, John Berry, 1784; Jabez Berry, David Crosby, jr., Roswell Wilcox, 1786. Of South East: John Field, Samuel Berry, 1773; Robert Hall, James Birdsall, 1774; Peter Hall, Daniel Haviland, 1775; William Mott, Nathan Birdsall, 1776, GENERAL HISTOKY. 157 William Mott, Thomas Baldwin, N athan Birdsall, 1778; Thomas- Baldwin, Simeon Ryder, 1779; Thomas Baldwin, Thomas Hig- gins, Nathan Birdsall, 1782; Thomas Baldwin, Thomas Higgins,^ John Elwell, 1783; Thomas Baldwin, Joseph Crane, jr., John Elwell, 1784; Joseph Crosby, jr., Thomas Higgins, Nathan Pad- dock, 1785; Thomas Baldwin, John Hopkins, Thomas Higgins, 1786. FOEMATION OF TOWNS. After the Revolution and upon the adoption of the State Con- stitution, an act was passed for dividing the State into counties. This act established Dutchess county according to its ancient boundaries except as to its northern limits, which extended only to the south bounds of the Manor of Livingston. March 7th, 1780, an act was also passed for dividing the counties of the State into towns, in which are the following provisions: "And all that part of the County of Dutchess, bounded Southerly by the County of Westchester, Westerly by Hud- son's river, Northerly by the north Bounds of the lands granted to Adolph PhilipseEsq., and Easterly by the East bounds of the Long Lot No. 4, formerly belonging to Beverly Robinson: shall be, and hereby is erected into a Town by the name of Philips- town. ' ' " And all that part of the said County of Dutchess, bounded Southerly by the County of Westchester, Westerly by Philips- town, Northerly by the north bounds of the lands granted to Adolph Philipse Esq., and Easterly by the East bounds of the same Patent: shall be, and hereby is erected into a Town by the name of Fredericks Town." " And all that part of the said County of Qutchess, bounded Southerly by the County of Westchester, Westerly by Fred- ericks Town, Northerly by the northern line of Fredericks Town continued to Connecticut, and Easterly by Connecticut: shall be, and hereby is erected into a Town by the name of Southeast Town." The history of these towns and their subsequent changes, will be given in separate chapters, but as the town of Fredericks was a few years later divided, the list of town officers up to the time of its division is here given. At the first election in 1788, the fol- lowing officers were elected: Supervisor, Reuben Ferris; town clerk, John Sickly; assessors, Samuel Towner, David Crosby, 158 HISTORY OF PCrTNAM COUNTY. jr., Benjamin Crosby, David Cole; collector, Timothy Carver; constables, Archibald Luddington, Matthew Beale, Jesse Smith, Timothy Carver; overseers of poor, Samuel Towner, Theodoras Crosby, Benjamin Crosby. The last change that was made in the towns previous 'to the establishment of Pntnam county v^as the following act, passed March 14th, 1806: '•An Act to annex a part of the town of Philips to the town of Fishkill in Dutchess County." "Be it enacted by the People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly. That from, and after, the passing of this act, all such part of the town of Philips as lies north and west of a line beginning by the north river at the South westermost end of Break neck hill, running from thence North fifty two degrees east to the division line between the same towns is hereby annexed to the town of Fishkill, any law to the contrary notwithstanding." li is this change that caused the northwest corner of Putnam county to appear to be cut off, as it really is. Reuben Ferris was re-elected to the office of supervisor of Frederickstown till 1795, the year of the division. The assessors in 1789 were Samuel Towner, David Crosby jr., Jabez Berry, Solomon Hopkins; in 1790, Jacob Nelson, David Crosby jr., Jabez Berry, Solomon Hopkins; in 1791, David Cole, Thatcher Hopkins, Samuel Towner. The disproportion, in the geographical extent of Fredericks- town and Southeast, was so apparent and the inconveniences arising from it were so manifest, that the proposal to divide these towns met with great favor, and in accordance with this general desire the Legislature, in 1795, passed the following Act: "■ An Act to divide Frederickstown and, Southeast town in Dutchess county, into four towns. Passed 17th of March, 1795. "Be it enacted hy the People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, That all that part of Frederickstown, lying west of the east line of Philips' s long lot, and south of a line to begin at a point in the west bounds of Frederickstown, six miles from the north bounds of the county of Westchester, and running north eighty-seven degrees, and thirty minutes east to the State of Connecticut, shall be erected GENERAL HISTOEY. 159 into a separate town, by the name of Carmel, and the tirst town meeting in the said town of Carmel, shall be held at the dwelling house of John Crane, Esquire, in said town. That all those parts of Fredericks town and Southeast town, lying east of the said east line, of Philips' s long lot, and south of the above mentioned line, beginning at a point in the west bounds of said Frederickstown, six miles from the north bounds of the county of Westchester, and running north eighty seven degrees and thirty minutes east, and continued to the State of Con- necticut, shall be erected into a separate town, by the name of Southeast, and the first town meeting in the said town of South- east shall be held at the dwelling house of Zalman Sanford in the said town, that all those parts of Fredericks Town and South-East town, lying east of the said east line of Philips' s long lot, and north of the above mentioned line, beginning at a point in the west bounds of said Fredericks-town, six miles from the north bounds of the county of West- Chester, and run- ning north eighty- seven degrees, and thirty minutes east, and continued to the State of Connecticut, shall be erected into a separate town, by the name of Franklin, and the first town meeting in the said town of Franklin, shall be held at the dwelling house of James Philips, in the said town, and that all the remaining part of Fredericks- town, shall remain and con- tinue a separate town, by the name of Frederick, and the first town meeting in the said town of Frederic, shall be held at the dwelling house of the widow Boyd, in the said town. ' ' And he it further enacted^ That the towns herein before mentioned to be divided, shall be considered as divided from and after the first Monday in April next, and that the free- holders and inhabitants of the said towns, respectively shall be, and hereby are empowered to hold town meetings and elect such town officers as the freeholders and inhabitants of the other towns of this State, elect by a law entitled, ' An act for dividing the counties of this State into towns, passed 7th March 1788,' and that the town officers to be by them elected, shall have the like powers and privileges, as the freeholders and in- habitants, and town officers of any other town in this State, may exercise by the law aforesaid. ' ' And be it further enacted. That as soon as may be after the first Tuesday in April next, the supervisors and overseers of the poor of the towns aforesaid, shall by notice to be given for 160 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. that purpose by the supervisors of the towns aforesaid, meet together and apportion the poor maintained by the said towns previous to the division thereof, between the said former towns- and the towns erected by this act into separate towns in an equitable manner; and if the supervisors and overseers of the poor cannot agree upon such division of the poor as afore- said, then and in such case the supervisors of the county, shall at their next meeting, apportion and divide the poor maintained as aforesaid, in such manner as shall appear to them most Just and equitable, and the said towns shall thereafter respectively^ maintain their own poor." CHAPTER XII. ESTABLISHMENT OF PUTNAM COUNTY; COUNTY INSTITU- TIONS AND COUNTY OFFICERS. REVISED BY HON. EDWARD WRIGHT. IN March, 1807, a bill was introduced into the Legislature to divide Dutchess county. This bill passed the Senate by a vote of 16 to 13, but was lost in the Assembly by a vote of 48 to 47. In a motion to reconsider, the vote stood 49 to 49, and the speaker voting in the negative, the motion was lost. In the Journals of the Legislature, of 1812, is the following: " Monday, March 9th. The petition of sundry inhabitants of the Southern part of Dutchess County comprised in the towns of Philipstown, Carmel, Frederick, Southeast and Patterson, praying for a division of the County, and the erection of the southern part thereof into a new county: was read and referred to a select committee, consisting of Mr. Comstock, Mr. Crosby, Mr. Trowbridge, Mr. Darrow and Mr. Stanly." "March 15th, Mr. Taylor then made a motion that jjursuant to the order of the day, the house should resolve itself into a committee of the whole on the bill entitled, ' An Act to divide the County of Dutchess.' "Mr. Radcliff then made a motion that the house should agree to a resolution with a recital which was read in the words following, to wit. Whereas it is reported to this house by a member thereof from the County of Dutchess, that the names of several persons appearing upon the petition heretofore pre- sented, for the division of the County of Dutchess, have been subscribed thereto without their knowledge or consent, which fact is also verified by affidavit. Resolved that the further con- sideration of the bill for dividing the Cotinty of Dutchess, be postponed till next Session to the end that in the mean time 11 162 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. due inquiry be made into the truth of said allegation and meas- ures be taken respecting the same." "The Yeas and Nays being called for by Mr. Jones, seconded by Mr. Bryan, were as follows: Nays 56, Afl. 42." "Thereupon the house resolved itself into a committee of the whole, and after some time spent thereon, Progress was reported, and leave asked for, and granted, to sit again." " May 25th, The house then resolved itself into a committee of the whole on the bill to divide Dutchess County. That all that part of the County of Dutchess included in the towns of Philipstown, Carmel, Frederick, Patterson and Southeast, bounded on the east by Connecticut, on the south by West- chester County, on the west by Hudson river, and on the north by the towns of Fishkill and Pawling, shall be, one separate and distinct County, and shall be called and known by the name of ." "Passed, Yeas 58, Nays 38." "Ordered that the committee of the whole be discharged from the con- sideration of the last mentioned bill, and that it be referred to a select committee consisting of Mr. Taylor, Mr. Van Rensalaer and Mr. Weeks, to report the same complete." " May 29th, the engrossed bill, an 'Act to divide the County of Dutchess ' read the third time. Mr. Speaker put the ques- tion, carried, Yeas 62, Nays 34." " An ACT to divide the County of Dutchess. " Passed June 12, 1812. "I. Be it enacted by the people of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, That all that part of the county of Dutchess included in the towns of Philipstown, Car- mel, Frederick, Patterson and Southeast, bounded on the east by Connecticut, on the south by Westchester county, on the west by Hudson's river, and on the north by the towns of Fish- kill and Pawling, shall be one separate and distinct county, and shall be called and known by the name of Putnam. " II. And be it further enacted, That there shall be held in and for the said county of Putnam a Court of Common Pleas, and a Court of General Sessions of the Peace, and that there shall be two terms of the same courts in the same county in every year, to commence as follows, to wit: The first term of the said court shall begin on the third Tuesday in October, and the second term shall begin on the second Tuesday in April, and GENEEAL HISTORY. 163 may continue to be held until the Saturday following, inclusive; and the said Courts of Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace shall have the same jurisdiction, powers and authority, in the said county, as the Courts of Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace in the other counties of this State have in their respective counties: Provided, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to affect any suit or action, in any court whatever, already commenced before the last Monday in June, in the year one thousand eight hundred and twelve, so as to work a wrong or prejudice to any of the parties therein, or to affect any criminal or other proceedings on the part of the people of this state, but all such civil and criminal proceedings shall and may be prosecuted to trial, judgment and execution, as if this act had not been passed. "III. And be it further enacted, That the said Courts of Common Pleas and General Sessions of the Peace, in the said county of Putnam, shall be holden at the Baptist meeting house, in the town of Carmel, until a court house shall have been built as herein after directed and provided, after which time it shall and may be lawful for the said courts to adjourn to the said court house, and thereafter continue to hold the terms of the said courts at the said court house, and no action or prosecution depending in the said courts shall be abated, dis- continued or in any wise prejudiced in law by such adjourn- ment. "IV. And be it further enacted, that the freeholders and in- habitants of the said county hereby erected, shall have and en- joy all and every the same rights, powers and privileges, as the freeholders and inhabitants of any other county in this state are by law entitled to have and enjoy. "V. And be it further enacted. That the said county of Put- nam shall be entitled to elect one member of Assembly, and the county of Dutchess shall be entitled to elect five members of Assembly, in the same manner as other counties in this state are by law entitled. "VI. And be it further enacted; That it shall be the duty of the supervisors of the said counties of Dutchess and Putnam to •meet together on the first Tuesday in October in the year one thousand eight hundred and twelve, at the village of Pough- keepsie, and adjust all accounts, and apportion all the monies in the hands of the treasurer of the said county of Dutchess, as 164 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. to them, or a majority of them, shall appear just and equit- able. " VII. And be it further enacted, That the supervisors in the several towns in the county of Putnam, for the time being, or a majority of them, shall be and they are hereby authorized and required to direct to be raised and levied on the freeholders and inhabitants of the said county, a sum not exceeding six thousand dollars for building a court house and gaol in said county, with the additional sum of three cents on each dollar for collecting the same which sums shall be raised at such times levied and collected, in the same manner as the other necessary and contingent charges of the county are levied and collected. "VIII. And be it further enacted. That Joseph Crane, Stephen Barnum, Joel Frost, Jonathan Ferris and John Jewitt, are hereby appointed commissioners to fix on the site of a court house and gaol in said county of Putnam, and to superintend the building thereof; and the said commissioners, or a majority of them, may contract with workmen, and purchase materials for erecting said court house and gaol, and shall, from time to time, draw upon the treasurer of the said county for such sums of money, for the purpose aforesaid, as shall come into the treasury by virtue of this act; and the treasurer is hereby re- quired, out of the monies aforesaid, to pay to the order of the said commissioners the several sums of money to be by them drawn for, and it is hereby made the duty of the said commis- sioners to account with the supervisors of the said cou nty. for the monies which they shall have received from the 'treasury, when thereunto required. "IX. And be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for all courts, and officers of the said county of Putnam, in all cases criminal and civil, to confine their prisoners in the gaol of the county of Dutchess, until a gaol shall be erected and finished, in the manner hereafter mentioned, in the said county of Putnam. " X. And be it further enacted. That the building to be erected for a gaol at the place which shall be designated as aforesaid, shall be the gaol of the said county of Putnam; and as soon as the same shall be completed in such manner as, in the opinion of the sheriff of the county, is sufficient to confine his prisoners, it shall and may be lawful for such sheriff to remove his prisoners, either upon civil or criminal process, to GENERAL HISTORY. 165 such a gaol, and confine them therein, and such removal shall not be deemed an escape in such sheriff. "XI. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the treasurer of said county of Putnam to retain in his hands one cent on each dollar for his trouble in receiving and paying out the monies directed to be raised in the said county by this act." On the 7th of September, 1812, Dr. Robert Weeks, who was a member of the Legislature when the act was passed, sold to the supervisors of the county of Putnam, " all that certain lot of land situated in the town of Carmel, bounded as follows: Beginning at a poplar tree marked P. standing on the east side of the highway, thence south five degrees east, two chains; thence north eighty five degrees* east, two chains, fifty links; thence north, five degrees west two chains, thence to the place of beginning, containing one half acre, for the purpose of erect ■ ing thereon a Court House and Graol for the county of Putnam, and such other buildings as shall be necessary for the con- venience and accommodation of said county and no others." The Court House was built in 1814, the first court being held in it February 15th, 1815. Previous to that they were held in the Baptist meeting house. Tn 1842, an act was passed by the Legislature, authorizing the county officers to sell the Court House and grounds, as a change of site was strongly urged, one party being in favor of moving the county seat to Cold Spring, while another favored a new site near the south end of the village of Carmel. When it was found that the deed did not permit the erection of any other than county buildings, the subject was dropped and never afterward agitated. The Court House was repaired and improved about 1840, at which time the present portico and pillars and the belfry were added. The jail was a very small stone building standing at the north- east corner of the Court House. The Court House was again repaired and enlarged in 1855, and the present jail was then built. The first county clerk's office was a small one story building, nearly square, built of brick, with a slate roof and a marble floor. This was built in pursuance of an Act passed April 17th, 1822, "authorizing the building of a fire-proof Clerk's office in the County of Putnam," by which the super- visors were to appoint three commissioners to build the office, and the sum of $750 was to be raised by tax to pay for the same. 166 HISTORY OF l-iiTNAM COUNTY. Before that time the ofBce of the county clerk was wher- ever he resided. The present county clerk's office was built in 1871, in pursuance of a resolution of the Board of Supervisors, by which Saxton Smith, Charles W. Budd, and Sylvester Mabie were appointed " a building committee to cause to be erected a fire-proof building on or near the site of the present Clerk's office, with sufficient accommodations for the county clerk's and suri'ogate's offices," and they weve authorized to borrow $10,000 for that purpose. The committee reported on December 20th, 1871, that they had contracted with COUKT HOUSE AND COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE. Thaddeus R. Ganung for the erection of the building and that the contract had been fulfilled and that they had given him ten bonds of the county for $1,000 each in payment. The stone was taken from a quarry north of Lake Gilead. Some of the stone which was originally cut for the proposed Drew Seminary vras used in the building. • The civilization and enlightenment of the present age, is shown by nothing more plainly than by the care and attention that are now bestowed upon the unfortunate persons who are de- pendent on public charity. During the times of the " Pre- GENEEAL HISTORY. 167 cincts," and up to the year 1830, the poor were supported by the barbarous practice of " farming out," by which they were sold to the lowest bidder and their style of support corresponded to the small sums received for their maintenance. In 1830, the superintendents of the poor purchased from Warren Townsend three acres of land in the town of Kent, bounded east by the west line of Philipse Long Lot No. 6, south and west by the brook, and north by Ferris Brown; and another piece of 106 acres east of the same; and also another piece of 27 acres on the east side of the highway. They also bought 50 acres of Abra- ham Hopkins, bounded east by Philipse Lot line. The second piece of 106 acres bought of Townsend is bounded west by Philipse Lot line. This line runs west of the house and build- ings and crosses the brook and the highway toward the north end of the farm. Some lots of woodland have since been pur- chased for the use of the institution. In 1856, the oflBce of the county superintendent of poor was abolished, and the Board of Supervisors were authorized to employ a keeper of the poor house, who makes an annual report. The old house and buildings becoming dilapidated and en- tirely unfit for the purpose for which they were intended, an effort was made by some ladies connected with the State Board of Charities, to have more suitable accommodations provided: for the poor. Prominent among those who thus exerted them- selves in the cause of humanity, were Miss Julia Livingston, Mrs. G. Miller, Mrs. Benjamin D. Crane and Miss Martha Barnes. As usual in those cases the proposal met with some opposition, from the selfish, but at length the Board of Supervisors took action and the present convenient and comfortable buildings were erected in 1879. The number of paupers supported here dur- ing the past year was 44, and the management, under the care of William C. Eutrott, is creditable to the county. The cost of building the Court House and jail is shown by the following extracts: " At a meeting of the Supervisors at the house of Widow Waring, August 26th, 1815, the Commissioners for building the Court House in & for the County of Putnam, the Commission- ers made and presented to the Supervisors an account of the expenses for the Court House for monies paid for the building, the account accepted." 168 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY.' " The County of Putnam. Dr. " To Joseph Crane for thirty-nine days service as Com- missioner for building Court House. . . . $78 00 Dr. to . 45 33 " To Stephen Barnura for 33 days service as Commis- sioner for building Court House $66 00 Dr. to .30 36 " To Joel Frost for 25 days service as Commissioner for building Court House $50 Dr. to . 30 20 " To John Jewitt 28 days as Commissioner for build- ing Court House. $55 Dr. to . 30 25 " To Jonathan Ferris 8- days as Commissioner to build the Court House $16 " Memorandum of Monies expended by the Commissioners appointed to fix the site and build a Court House and Gaol for the County of Putnam. "To Cash paid to James Townsend for Building Court House & Q-aol as per contract. . . . $3,800 00 " To Cash paid for extra iron 41 16 " To Cash paid for chairs for Court room. . 16 00 " To Cash paid for extra timber 12 00 " To Cash paid extra iron and Smith work. . . 13 70 $3,882 86" "Agreement with Supervisors of Dutchess County. "These may certify that we the Subscribers, Supervisors of the County of Dutchess and Putnam for the present year, hav- ing met at the Court House of Poughkeepsie on the first Tues- day in October, 1812, pursuant to a law of the State of New York passed June 12th in the same year, for the purpose of adjusting accounts in the said counties, and appropriating the GENERAL HISTORY. 169 monies thereof, have agreed and determined as follows, viz : that each county shall pay the respective charges for removing paupers and special Courts of Sessions originating or held in the towns Composing or Constituting the said counties and that we find due from the County of Putnam to the County of Dutchess the sum of one hundred and ninety two dollars and thirty-five cents, which the Supervisors of the said County of Putnam for themselves promise and engage shall be paid to the Treasurer of Dutchess, on or before the first day of March next ensuing the date hereof. And the Supervisors of the County of Dutchess do by these presents for themselves and their succes- sors exonerate and discharge the said County of Putnam from all charges and demands, originating or existing under the County of Dutchess, anterior to the 12th day of June, 1812. Given under our hands and seals this 8th day of October, 1812. " Elisha Barlow, Chairman, John Hayt, " Henry A. Livingston, " John Cox Jr., " Jeremiah Sherill, " Du Bois, " Archibald Campbell, *' Aaron Stockton, ' James Ketcham, " Isaac Sherwood, '■ Samuel Mott, " Supervisors of the Co. of " Dutchess." Joshua Barnum, Barnabas Carver, Jonathan Ferris, John Hazen, Supervisors of the Co. of Putnam. At the organization of the County Court, John Jewitt was the first clerk, and appointed Robert Weeks his deputy. The following is the record of the first term : "October Term 1812. " At a Court of Common Pleas held at the Baj^tist Meeting house in the town of Carmel, in and for the County of Putnam, on the 20th day of October 1812. Present : Stephen Barnum, First Judge ; Robert Johnston, Harry Garrison, Barnabas Carver. Judges. " Court opened by Proclamation at the hour of 12 o'clock. 170 HISTOKT OF PUTNAM COUNTY. "Proclamation that Sheriff return all Process, returnable here this day. "Wm. H. Johnston, high Sheriff of the County aforesaid returns the venires with the i>anel of Jurors annexed. •' Proclamation that the Jurors appear and answer. "The panel being called the following Jurors appear, viz: Benjamin Benedict, Benjamin Carl, Peter Terry, Ebenezer G". Palmer, Philo Lewis, Samuel Maybee, John Foshay, Eden Curtis, Edward Smith Jr., Joseph Col well, Jesse Cole. David Knapp, Cyrus Horton, Stephen Purdy, Ezra Hubbell, Elijah Townsend, John Gregory, Peter Harvey, Jeremiah Maybee, William Ally, William Miller, Archibald Young, and Darius Doane. "Ordered by the Court here now sitting that the seal here- unto annexed, with the following device to wit, an oxes head, and a two handled plough with the words (seal of Putnam County Common Pleas) be adopted as the seal of this Court, and that precepts and process or proceedings which require the seal of the Court shall be sealed with said seal. "Geo. W. Niven applies to the Court now sitting for R. C. Austin to be admitted as an attorney & counsellor at Law in this Court. Ordered he be admitted as such. " Geo. W. Niven makes application to this Court now sitting for Joseph Silliman to be admitted as an Attorney and Counsel- lor at Law in this Court. The like order. "George W. Niven makes application to this Court, for Walker Todd to be admitted as a Counsellor and Attorney at Law of this Court. Ordered he be admitted as such. "On presenting of the license of William Nelson in the Supreme Court of this State whereby it appears that he is an Atty. of that Court. Ordered on his own motion that he be admitted as an Attorney & Counsellor at Law of this Court. "The like order as to Frederick Stone. J. Coffin, William Silliman, and John Oppie. " Stephen Lyon as one of the petty Jurors absent and sick. By the oath of Benjamin Cowl. Ordered him excused. GENEKAL HISTORY. 171 Cornelius Tompkins vs. Oliver Cole. Jonathan Ferris vs. Israel Owens. Cornelius Tompkins vs. Thomas Denny. Martha Sickely PS. Ezra Hubbell. On filing of the Oyer Com. Bail Bond and also a cogno- vit of the Attorney for the Deft, whereby he confesses the Debt of the Pl'f. in this cause to eighty dollars, on Motion of Mr. Oppie Atty. for Pl'f, ordered Judgment. The like to one hundred dollars of Debt. I The like in all things for $150 Debt. The like in all things for $42 damage. "Court met pursuant to adjournment. "Present — Stephen Barnum, Eobert Johnston, Barnabas Carver, Judges. " Court adjourned until the next Term of Common Pleas to be held at this place." "June 3rd, 1813. On application of Joseph Crane Esq., one of the Judges of this Court, for the manumission of Nimrod a man of Colour belonging to said Joseph Crane, whereupon the Court on due examination find said slave to be under the age of fifty years and of sufficient bodily strength and ability to maintain and support himself and that said applicant has com- plied with the regulations of the Statute in such case made and 172 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. provided. Therefore the Court orders and directs the said Nimrod to be manumitted and also do exonerate and discharge the said Joseph Crane and his heirs from rendering the said Nimrod any further support or sustentation." The jail limits as established in 1818, " began at a stump near the margin of the pond nearly west from the school house." The school house here mentioned stood at the north end of the park, opposite the present school building. The bounds then ran east 17 chains, 90 links, then north 58 chains, then west 17 chains, then south 27 chains "to a Button wood tree at the shore of the pond and at the southeast corner of Charles Minur's garden" (now the residence of Edwin Fisher), and thence to the beginning, embracing an area of 110 acres. These were enlarged, in 1820, to 141 acres. It will be noticed that the act establishing Putnam county simply sets off certain towns as a new county, without actually defining the true line between Putnam and Dutchess. The act of the Colonial Legislature in establishing the South Precinct of Dutchess county, describes it as including the whole of the patent granted to Adolph Philipse. Whether the true county line was the north line of the "Gore," or the line of the sur- vey of the Philipse Patent, run in 1753, or a due east line from the mouth of Fishkill Creek, remained in doubt ^md uncer- tainty. In 1832, an act was passed "To suryey,_q,Qd. settle the North Boundary Line of the County of Putnam." "It shall be the duty of the Surveyor General to survey, run out and designate by proper land marks, the boundary line between the Counties of Putnam and Dutchess, the same being the northerly line of the County of Putnam, as the same is described in the third volume of the Revised Statutes, as nearly as the said boundary line can be ascertained, but such survey shall not be made until the expense thereof shall be provided for by the counties of Dutchess and Putnam, or one of them." There were three lines proposed. The first consisted of the Compromise^ Lines, or the north lines oi the Gores of the Rumbout and Beekman Patents. The second was the line of survey of the north line of the Philipse Patent, in 1753, which began at the mouth of Fishkill Creek and ran north, 87 degrees east, to the Oblong. The third was a due east line from the mouth of Fishkill Creek, to the Connecticut line. A map showing these lines is in the office of the secretary of State. GENERAL HISTORY. 173 Among the records of the Board of Supervisors of Dutchess county, is a letter from the surveyor general, stating that he should consider the east and west line as the true boundary. A resolution of the Board of Supervisors of that county states that "the east and vs^est line being generally known, there was no necessity of voting any money to locate it." Consequently nothing was ever done to mark the line by proper monu- ments. A traditionary line is accepted at various points as the county line; for example, the south line of the farm of Gilbert Tabor, in Patterson, and the north line of the Ludington property, in Kent; bat there is no certainty about the matter. No action was taken by Putnam county in regard to the disputed boundary. Judges of Putnam County Court of Common Pleas from 1812 to 1884:— 1812, Stephen Barnum, 1st., Eobert Johnston, Henry Garrison, Barnabas Carver. 1813, Joseph Crane, Robert Johnston, Henry Garrison, John Crane, Stephen Hayt. 1815, Barnabas Carver, Robert Johnston, Henry Garrison, Jonathan Morehouse, John Patterson. 1818, Henry Garrison, 1st., Bar- nabas Carver, John Patterson, Jonathan Morehouse. 1820, Abraham Smith, William Watts, David Jackson, John Patter- son, John Hoyt. 1821, Barnabas Carver, Jonathan Morehouse, William Watts, Abraham Smith. 1823, Henry Garrison, Bar- nabas Carver, Stephen C. Barnum, James Lowner, Edward Smith. 1829, Frederick Stone, 1st., Bennet Boyd, Samuel Washburn, Ebenezer Foster, Cyrus Horton. 1832, Henry Gar- rison. 1833, Bennet Boyd, 1st., David Kent. 1835, Stephen Pinckney. 1836, Ebenezer Foster. 1838, David Kent, Bennet Boyd, 1st., John Garrison. 1841, Henry J. Belden, Cornelius Warren. 1843, Robert P Parrott, 1st., Azor. B. Crane, Benja- min B. Benedict, Thatcher B. Theall. 1845, Nathaniel Cole. 1847, Azor. B. Crane, elected Judge and Surrogate under the new Constitution of 1846. County Judges from 1847:— 1847, Azor. B. Crane. 1851, Am- brose Ryder. 1863, Edward Wright. 1884, William Wood. Surrogates from 1813 to 1847:— 1813, Joel Frost. 1819, Walker Todd. 1821, Joel Frost. 1823, Jeremiah Hine. 1827, Jeremiah Hine. 1832, Walker Todd. 1836, Walker Todd. 1839, Howard H. White. 1840, Abraham Smith. 1844, Azor. B. Crane. 174 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. The offices of coantj'^ jndge and surrogate have been com- bined since 1846. District Attorneys:— 1818, Walker Todd. 1821,Frederic Stone. 1829, Jeremiah Hine. 1838, Frederic Stone. 1847, Charles Ga Nun. 1850, John Gr. Miller. 1850, Frederic Stone. 1853, John G. Miller. 1856, Peter M. Jordan. 1858, Levi H. McCoy. 1861, Jackson O. Dykman. 1864, James D. Little. 1870, Samuel J. Owen. 1876, William Wood. 1883, Frederic S. Barnum. 1885, Abram J. Miller. Names of Attorneys on Court Roll :— 1812, Goorge W. Niven. 1813, Frederic Stone, William Nelson, Amos Belden. 1815, Walker Todd, Henry B. Lee, William Brow^n, John Philips. 1816, Cornelius Master, Philo Ruggles. 1817, William H. Johnston, Edvrard Buckbee, Moses Hatch, Jonas Strong, Isaac Hoffman, Robert P. Lee. 1818, E. Nye. 1819, James Youngs, Stephen Cleveland, James W. Oppie, Samuel B. Halsey, Jeremiah Hine, Samuel Youngs, J. W. Strang. 1820, Henry B. Cowles. 1836, Stephen D. Horton, Lewis Robinson. 1839, Eleazar M. Swift, Elijah Yerks, Howard H. White. 1840, Thomas Nelson, Ebenezer C. Southerland, Silas H. Hickok, Owen T. Coffin, William FuUerton. 1841, J. H. Ferris. 1842. Samuel F. Reynolds, Benjamin Bailey. 1843, John Curry, Charles Ga Nnn, Peter S. Jordan, William J. Blake. 1844, John S. Bates, Thomas R. Lee, James H. Borland. 1846, William A. Dean, Calvin Frost. 1847, John G. Miller, James D. Stevenson, Charles M. Tompkins, Amri L. Dean. 1855, Charles H. Ferris. 1857; Thomas G. Barnum. 1866, Seymour B. Nelson. 1876, William Wood, George E. Anderson. 1877, James Gardiner. 1878, George W. Horton. 1880, Ward B. Yeomans. 1881, Clayton Ryder, Frederic S. Barnum. Representatives in Congress : — 1817, Henry B, Lee. 1837, Gouverneur Kemble. 1847, Cornelius Warren. State Senators:— 1828-31, Walker Todd. 1848-49, Saxton Smith. 1864-65, Saxton Smith. Members of Assembly:— 1814, Joshua Barnum, jr. 1815, David Knapp. 1816, Henry B. Lee. 1817, Edward Smith, jr. 1818, William H. Johnston. 1819, Hart Weed. 1820, David Knapp. 1821, Elisha Brown. 1822, Edward Smith. 1823, Wil- liam Watts. 1824, Stephen C. Barnum. 1825, David Knapp. 1826-28, Henry B. Cowles. 1829, Thomas W. Taylor. 1830, James Towner. 1831, Bennet Boyd. 1832, Reuben D. Barnum. 1833, John Garrison. 1834, Jonathan Morehouse. 1835, Daniel GENERAL HISTORY. 175 Kent. 1836, Moses C. Robinson. 1837, John Crawford. 1838, Saxton Smith. 1839, Herman R. Stephens. 1840, Saxton Smith. 1841, James H. Cornwall. 1842, Ebenezer Foster. 1843, Syl- vanus Warren. 1844, Saxton Smith. 1845-47, Benjamin Bailey. 1847, Benjamin B. Benedict. 1848, Chauncey R. Weeks. 1849, James J. Smalley. 1850-51, William Bowne. 1852-53, ISTathan A. Howes. 1854-55, James J. Smalley. 1856, Benjamin Bailey. 1857, Chauncey R. Weeks. 1858, John Gar- rison. 1859-60, Edwin A. Pelton. 1861, Charles T. Brewster. 1862, Thomas H. Reed. 1863, Saxton Smith. 1864-65, Jeremiah Sherwood. 1866-67, Stephen Baker. 1868, Samuel D. Humph- rey. 1869-70, Morgan Horton. 1871, Sarles Drew. 1872, James B. Dykeman. 1873, William S. Clapp. 1874, Hamilton Fish, jr. 1875, William H. Christopher. 1876-79, Hamilton Fish, jr. 1880, George McCabe. 1881, Charles H. Everett. 1882, Robert A. Livingston. 1883, James W. Brooks. 1884, Henry D. Clapp. 1885, Robert A. Livingston. 1886, Henry Mabie. County Clerks:— 1812, John Jewett. 1815, William H. John- ston. 1817, James Townsend, jr. 1820, Rowland Bailey. 1821, James Towner. 1822, Jonathan Morehouse. 1837, William H. Sloat. 1840, Reuben D. Barnum. 1852, Ira Mead. 1857, Agus- tus Hazen. 1860, Edward Wright. 1863, John K. Watt. 1875, Edward B. Thompson. 1884, Edward C. Weeks. Sheriffs:— 1812, William H. Johnston. 1813-14, Peter Crosby. 1815-18, Peter Warren. 1819-20, Edward Buckbee. 1821, Joseph Cole. 1822 23, Edward Buckbee. 1826, Thomas W. Taylor. 1829, Joseph Cole, 2d. 1832, Nathaniel Cole. 1885, Thomas W Taylor. 1838, George W. Travis. 1840, William W. Taylor. 1843, James Smith. 1846, William W. Taylor. 1849, James J. Smalley. 1849, Joseph E. M. Nobby, ap. 1852, Harvey Mead. 1855, Charles T. Brewster. 1858, Daniel B. Lockwood. 1861, Charles T. Brewster. 1864, John J. Smalley. 1867, John Butler. 1870, Richard R. Horton. 1873, James O. Cole. 1876, Edmund Doane. 1879, James 0. Cole. 1883, James J. Dakin. 1884, Jeremiah W. Hazen. County Treasurers: — 1848, Thomas W. Taylor. 1854, Leonard K. Everett. 1857, Addison J. Hopkins. 1860, James J. Smalley. 1869, Thatcher H. Theall. 1870, John Cornish. 1873, Ambrose Ryder. 1873, Daniel Baker. 1876, Hillyer Ryder. 1885, Hillyer Ryder. School Commissioners from 1859 to present time : — George F. 176 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. Sherman, Jackson O. Dykman, Peter B. Curry, William Town- send, 2d, Charles H. Ferris, John H. Spencer, Thomas H. Reed, James A. Foshay. Coroners :— 1812, William Brown, Edward Buckbee. 1813, Edward Buckbee. 1816, Joseph Benedict, Samuel Townsend. 1817, Joseph Benedict. 1818, Orrin M. Armstrong, David Mooney, Henry Haldane, Samuel Townsend. 1819, Orrin M. Armstrong, Henry Haldane, Samuel Townsend. 1820, Henry Haldane, David Dingee, Erastus Smith, Orrin M. Armstrong, James Dykeman. 1821, James Dykeman, Henry Haldane, David Dingee, William Brown. 1822, Henry Haldane, Na- thaniel Delavan, James Dykeman. 1823, Henry Haldane, Azahel Cole, William Eaymond. 1826, Benjamin Dykeman jr., William H. Sloat, Edmund Burtch, Nathaniel Delavan. 1829, William Raymond, John Garrison. 1832, Lewis Rogers, Sey- mour Allen, David Dingee, John F. Haight. 1835, Lewis Rogers, John F. Haight, Stillman Boyd. 1837, James J. Smalley. 1838, John F. Haight, Cornelius Nelson jr., Abraham Everett. 1839, Amos Tompkins, Sela G-age. 1841, Cornelius Nelson jr., Jeremiah Dewel. 1843, Addison J. Hopkins, James Barker. 1845, Hart Weed, Elisha C. Baxter, Cyrus Chase. 1846, James Barker. 1847, John Simonson. 1848, Cornelius Dean. 1849, A. G. Travis. 1851, Jeremiah Dewel, George W. Mikmak. 1852, Cornelius Dean, Henry W. Lewis. 1855, Har- rison Chapman. 1856, Henry Smith. 1859, Stephen Minor, Charles H. Minor. 1862, A. J. Barnes, Stephen Minor. 1863, Edwin Fowler, J. Hazen Perry. 1864, Robert A. Ketchum. 1866, Andrew J. Foshay, J. Hazen Perry, Edmond J. Wixon. 1868, Robert A. Fletcher, Alfred Bailey, Alvin Chase. 1869, Andrew J. Foshay, Sylvester B. Truesdell. 1871, Daniel Til- lotson. 1872, Charles Bullock. 1872, Daniel S. Judd. 1874, Joseph G. Cole, Philip D. Penny. 1875, Wellington Ketchum, Sylvester B. Truesdell. 1877, Joseph G. Cole, Walter S. Crosby. 1878, John A. Reed, Martin V. B. Stevens. 1880, Joseph G. Cole, Francis Butterfass. 1882, Martin V. B. Stevens. 1883, William H. Cowl, Francis Butterfass. 1884, John A. Reed, 1885, Martin V. B. Stevens. AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. The Agricultural Society of the County was organized in 1851. Its first president was Thomas B. Arden, of Philipstown; GENERAL HISTORY. 177 first secretary, Hugh C. Wilson, of Putnam Valley; first treas- urer, Saxton Smith, of Putnam Valley. The first County Fair was held Oct. 8th and 9th, 1851, at Carmel. For several years its annual fairs were successively held at Carmel, Lake Mahopac and Brewster; Ttc fairs are now con- tinuously held at Carmel, the society 1 ing acquired a per- petual lease of about eight acres of land, on which it has erected a large and commodious building for its exhibitions and con- structed an excellent half-mile driving track. 13 CHAPTER XIII. THE CLAIM OF JOHN JACOB ASTOR. THE most important episode in the modern history of Put- nam county was the great trial and controversy which attended the claim of John Jacob Astor to the ownership of the reversionary right to the lands included in Lots 3, 5 and 9, which were the share of Mary Morris as one of the three owners of the Philipse Patent. For the full understanding of the origin of this claim, the reader is referred to the deed of mar- riage settlement made by Mary Philipse and Roger Morris pre- vious to their marriage, a copy of which may be found in this work. According to the terms of this deed, the lands belonging to Mary Philipse were to be to the use of Mary Philipse and her husband, Roger Morris, during their lives, and after their de- cease, the lands were to go to their children. After the Revo- lution Mary Morris and her husband removed to England and never afterward returned to their native land. As stated in a previous chapter their lands were confiscated and sold to various purchasers, most of whom were already in actual possession as tenants under Col. Morris and his wife. It soon became known that the only title which the State could lawfully give was the title actually existing in Mary Morris and her husband, at the time of the sale, and could not affect the title of their children. Roger Morris died about 1795, and his wife died July 2d, 1825. The children of their marriage were: Amherst, who died unmarried and intestate, in 1802; Joanna, who married Thomas Cowper Hincks; Margaret, who died when two years of age; Maria; and Henry Gage Morris, all of whom resided in Eng- land. A petition was presented to the Legislature, February 16th 1787, by Joanna Morris on behalf of herself and her brothers GEISTEBAL HISTOKY. 179 and sisters,, stating their claims and praying for ^relief. This petition was referred to a committee, who reported that if the statements therein made were true, the ordinary course of law was competent for their relief, without legislation, and this report was adopted by the Legislature. Some alarm was felt by the persons owning farms under the confiscation sale, for in 1807 a petition was presented to the Legislature by Enoch Crosby and others, calling attention to the claim presented by the children of Roger Morris, and praying that steps might be taken to quiet thesg claims, but no decided action was taken. In 1809, John Jacob Astor, the famous millionaire of his day, purchased from the children of Roger Morris all their right to the lands in question. The conveyance was made in the old form of lease and release, by which the heirs gave a lease of the land " for one whole year," " In order that the said John Jacob Astor should be in actual possession, by force of the Statute for transferring uses into possession." The lease was dated December 18th, 1809, and a formal deed was executed on the following day as follows: " This Indentuee made the nineteenth day of December in the fiftieth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the third by the grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland King defender of the faith and in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and nine Between Thomas Cowper Hincks of Somerset street Portman Square in the Parish of Saint Mary Le Bone and County of Middlesex Esquire and Joanna his wife Maria Morris of the City of York Spinster & Henry Gage Morris of Somerset street aforesaid Es- quire a Commander in his Majesty's Royal Navy which said Joanna Hincks Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris are the three surviving children of Mary Morris now of the said City of York but formerly of New York in America by Roger Morris her husband deceased of the one part and John Jacob Astor of the City of New York in America Merchant of the other part Whereas under and by virtue of Letters Patent of his Majesty King William the third under the Great Seal of the Province of New York bearing date on or about the seven- teenth day of June in the year one thousand six hundred and ninety-seven all that tract of Land in Dutchess County situate lying and being in the highlands on the east side of Hudsons river Beginning at a red cedar tree marked V on the north side 180 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. of the Hill commonly called Anthony's nose which "is likewise the bound of Colonel Stephen Van Courtlandts land on his Manor of Courtlandt and from thence bounded by the said Hudsons river as the said river runs northerly until it comes to the Creek River or run of water called and known by the name of the great fish Kill to the' northward and above the said Highlands which is likewise the southward bounds of land belonging to the said Colonel Stephen Van Courtlandt and Company and so easterly along the said Courtlandt' s line and the south bounds of Colonel Henry- Beekman until it comes twenty miles or unto the division or 'partition line be- tween the Colony of Connecticut and the said Province and Easterly by the said division line and being bounded northerly and southerly by east and west lines unto the said division line between the said Colony of Connecticut and the Province afore- said the whole being bounded westward by the said Hudson's river northward by the Land of Colonel Courtlandt and Com- pany and the Land oE Colonel Beekman eastward by the parti- tion line between the Colony of Connecticut and the Province of New York and southerly by the Manor of Courtlandt to the Land of the said Colonel Courtlandt including therein a certain Island at the north side of the said High Lands called Pollaples Island with the hereditaments and appurtenances thereto belonging and granted unto Adolph Philipse Esquire his heirs and assigns forever who shortly after the granting of the said Letters Patent departed this life intestate leaving Frederick Philipse Esquire his Nephew and heir at Law and Whereas the said Frederick Philipse in and by his last will and testament in writing duly executed and at- tested for the devise of Lands of Inheritance and bearing date on or about the sixth day of June in the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty-one devised the aforesaid tract of Land unto his son Philip Philipse his daughter Susannah then the wife of Beverly Robinson his daughters the said Mary Morris by her then name of Mary Philipse and Margaret Philipse in equal shares to them and the heirs of their bodies forever and if any or either of them should die without issue in such case the quarter part thereby devised to him her or those of them so dying with- out issue should be equally divided among the survivors And Whereas the said Margaret the youngest daughter of the said Frederick Philipse departed this life without having had any GENERAL HISTORY. 181 issue of her body Lawfully begotten whereby the said Philip Philipse Susannah Robinson and Mary Philipse became entitled to the said lands and hereditaments in equal shares And Where- as in or about the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty- three the said Philip Philipse Beverly Robinson and Susannah his wife and Mary Philipse duly suffered a common recovery of the said Land and hereditaments and under the uses of that re- covery became seized of the said tract of land and heredita- ments as Tenants in Common in fee And Whereas by indenture bearing date on or about the seventh day of February in the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty four duly acknowl- edged before Joseph Murray then one of his Majesty's Council for the said Province of New York and made or expressed to be made between the said Philip Philipse and Beverly Robin- son and Susannah his wife of the one part and the said Mary Morris by her then name of Mary Philipse of the other part after reciting the said Letters Patent herein before in part re- cited and also reciting that the said parties had by Jonathan Hampton their Surveyor divided the greatest part of the said tract of land and distinguished the same by Lots signed and delivered by Hampton and left with the said Beverly Robinson for the use of himself and the other Parties to the now reciting Indenture and that in order to have an equal division they had according to divers assortments made by the said Jonathan Hampton drawn their several Lots whereupon the Lots No. 3 No. Sand No. 9 and one third part of the meadow land lying in Lot No. 2 laid down in the Map did then belong to the share of the said Mary Morris then Mary Philipse and were butted and bounded as follows Lot No. 3 Beginning at two hemlock bushes standing in a Grully between Bull and Breakneck hills on the east side of Hudsons river and from thence running north seventy seven degrees East three hundred and eighty six chains to a heap of stones and walnut bush marked P. R. 1753 Standing in the west line of Lot No. 4 and is also the north east corner of Lot No. 2 then North ten degrees Bast two hundred and twenty eight chains to a heap of stones thirty links north of a white oak tree marked P. 1753 being the north west corner of Lot No. 4 then south eighty seven degrees west four hundred and eighty chains to the mouth of the Fish Kill from thence down the several courses of Hudson's river to the beginning includ- ing Pollaples Island containing about eight thousand six hun- 182 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. dred acres. Lot No. 5 Beginning at a heap of Stones in the line of the Manor Courtlandt at the South East corner, of Lot No. 4 then north ten degrees east nine hundred and forty seven chains to a heap of stones at the north east corner of Lot No. 4 then North eighty seven degrees east three, hundred and forty four chains to a heap of stones virhich is the northwest corner of Lot No. 6 then south ten degrees west along the line of Lot No. 6 nine hundred and sixty chains to a heap of stones in the line of the Manor Courtlandt at the South west corner of Lot No. 6 then west along the line of the Manor Courtlandt three hundred and forty chains to the Begin- ning containing about thirty one thousand two hundred acres. Lot No. 9 Beginning at a hemlock tree standing on the south side of the east branch of Croton River and a heap of stones on the north side which is also the south east corner of Lot No. 6 in the line of the Manor Courtlandt from thence running north ten degrees ease three hundred and thirty three chains to a heap of stones and a walnut tree marked P. R. 1753 on the south side of the hill near an old Meeting House in the line of Lot No. 6 being the South West corner of Lot No. 8 then east along the line of Lot No. 8 three hundred and thirty seven chains to a chestnut Bush marked P. R. 1753 Standing in the oblong line on the west side of Rocky Hill which is the south east corner of Lot No. 8 then southerly as the oblong line runs three hundred and thirty chains to the north east corner of the Manor of Courtlandt in Peach Pond then west along the said Manor of Courtlandt three hundred and thirty six chains to the beginning containing about eleven thousand two hundred and twenty acres and the one third part of the Meadow Land lying in Lot No. 2 Beginning five chains from the upland upon Danfords Creek and running to Crooked Creek five chains from the upland then down Crooked Creek to the Meadow belonging to Lot No. 7 then north west to Martlers Rock then along the upland the North side of a little Island in the Meadow to the mouth of Danfords Creek then up the said Creek to the begin- ning containing about eighty two acres. It is Witnessed that in consideration of the mutual grant from the said Mary Morris then Philipse to the said Philip Philipse and Susannah Robin- son and their heirs of divers other lands in the said Letters Patent mentioned the said Philip Philipse and Beverly Robin- son and Susannah his wife did grant bargain sell alien release GENEEAL HISTORY. 183 and confirm unto the said Mary Morris then Philipse her heirs and assigns all and singular the Lots before described with the appurtenances To hold the same unto and to the use of the said Mary Morris then Philipse her heirs and assigns forever And Whereas by Indenture of lease and release bearing date respectively on or about the twelfth and thirteenth days of January in the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty eight and made or expressed to be made between the said Mary Mor- ris then Philipse of the first part Major Roger Morris of the second part and Joanna Philipse and the said Beverly Robinson of the third part being the settlement made previous to the marriage then intended to be and afterwards duly solemnized between the said Roger Morris and the said Mary his wife. It is witnessed that for the consideration therein mentioned she the said Mary Morris then Philipse did grant bargain sell release and confirm unto the said Joanna Philipse and Beverly Robin- son and their heirs the aforesaid several lots or parcels of land herein before particularly described and all other the lands and hereditaments of her the said Mary Morris then Philipse To hold the same unto the said Joanna Philipse and Beverly Rob- inson and their heirs to the use of the said Joanna Philipse and Beverly Robinson and their heirs until the solemnization of the said then intended marriage and after the solemnization thereof to the use of the said Mary Philipse and Roger Morris and the survivor of them for and during the terra of their natural lives without impeachment of waste Remainder to the use of such child or children as should or might be procreated between them and to his her or their heirs and assigns forever. But in case the said Roger Morris and Mary Philipse should have no child or children begotten between them or that such child or children should happen to die during the life time of the said Roger and Mary and the said Mary Morris then Philipse should survive the said Roger Morris without issue then to the use of the said Mary Morris then Philipse her heirs and assigns for ever. And in case the said Roger Morris should survive the said Mary Morris then Philipse without any issue by her or that such issue should then be dead without leaving issue then after the decease of the said Roger Morris to the use of such person or persons as the said Mary Morris then Philipse should by her last will and testament appoint. And Whereas by Inden- ture bearing date on or about the fourteenth day of April 184 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. in the year one thousand seven hundred and sixty one duly acknowledged before one of his Majesty's Council and made or expressed to be made between the said Philip Philipseand Bev- erly Robinson of the one part and the said Roger Morris of the other part after reciting the said herein before in part recited Indenture of the seventh day of February one thousand seven hundred and fifty four and also reciting that by Letters Patent under the great seal of the Province of New York dated the twenty seventh day of March then last therein reciting that the said Philip Philipse Beverly Robinson and Roger Morris by their petition to the Honorable Cadwallader Golden President of New York on or about the twenty sixth day of November then last past did set forth that in the year one thousand six hundred and eighty three a line of division was established be- tween the said Province of New York and the Colony of Con- necticut running parallel and at the equal distance of twenty Miles in all its parts from Hudsons river and that before the actual running of the said line the said in part recited Let- ters Patent had issued to the said Adolph Philipse for all that tract of Land in Dutchess County hereinbefore described and that since the establishment of the said line and grant of the said Letters Patent certain Commissioners had been appointed by the then respective governments of New York and Connec- ticut for running out and marking the said line who finding it impracticable to perform the same exactly agreeable to the said Establishment did actually run and mark out a line as near as could be parallel to the main course of Hudsons River which line was afterwards confirmed that the said line so run not be- ing in all its parts the equal distance of twenty miles from Hud- sons River occasioned by the variation of its course from a straight line the said line as far as it extended along the rear of the said Patent did in some parts exceed and in other parts fall short of that distance notwithstanding which the said Adolph Philipse and those who held under him conceiving that the said line so actually run ought for reasons of public and private utility to be the rear line of the said Patent had always claimed and then claimed by virtue of the same all the lands included within the north and south boundaries of the said Patent as far Eastward from Hudsons River as the said line of division actu- ally run out and marked as aforesaid although some disputes had then lately arisen concerning the eastern bounds of the said GENERAL HISTORY. 185 Patent on pretense that the said tract thereby granted extended to the equal distance of twenty miles from Hudson's river in a similar line to the windings and turnings of the said, river ac- cording to which construction a considerable tract would be ex- cluded the said Patent: But even admitting that there was some color for such a construction of the Eastern bounds of the said patent since the actual running and marking out of the said line as would restrict the said petitioners to the distance of twenty miles east of the said river in every part of their rear line which they conceived was not as yet a considerable part of the line granted by the said Letters Patent within that distance did lie to the eastward of the then present line of division and was held and enjoyed by others his Majesty's subjects not claiming tinder his said Letters Patent upon a supposition that the same were not included in the said patent since the running of the then present line of the division the petitioners in order to re- move all doubts and controversies were willing to surrender and release all their right and title to the same to his Majesty in trust for those of his subjects then holding the same on condition the petitioners obtaining ,a grant and confirmation of all the lands that might be between the distance of twenty miles from Hudson's river and the said then present line of division and th.e north and south bounds of the said Patent extended to the said line which would not only quiet the said inhabitants in their respective possessions but also prevent any further controversy respecting the eastern bounds of the said Patent and that as the X'^titioners were willing to pay the usual quit rents for the said land lying between the distance of twenty miles from Hudsons river and the then Colony line and the north and south bounds of the said Patent extended to the said line they humbly conceived them- selves equitably entitled to such grant and confirmation in pref- erence to any others who had no title to the same therefor the petitioners prayed his Majesty's Letters Patent confirming to them the said tract of land granted to the said Adolph Philipse and granting and confirming to them all other lands that might lie between the distance of twenty miles from Hudson's river and the said division line and the north and south bounds of the said Patent extended to the said line his Majesty gave granted ratified and confirmed to the said Philip Philipse Bev- erly Robinson and Roger Morris their heirs and assigns forever 186 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. as tenants in common all those two tracts or parcels of land situ- ate lying and being in the County of Dutchess at the distance of twentymiles from Hudson's river between the lands formerly granted to the said Adolph Philipse deceased and the equiva- lent lands surrendered by the Colony of Connecticut to the Province of New York the one of which tracts begin at a monu- ment of a large heap of stones erected in the west bounds of the said equivalent lands thirty eight links north twenty five de- grees west from a large rock having the letters H. B. P. P. and B. R. marked thereon which said monument or heap of stones was erected in the month of April in the year one thousand seven hundred and fifty four by the proprietors of the lands formerly granted to Colonel Henry Beekman and of the afore- said lands formerly granted to the said Adolph Philipse for a corner between and division between the said Patents and run- ning from the said monument or heap of stones along the south boundaries of the said Henry Beekman' s lands west ninety chains then south fifteen degrees west three hundred and sixty chains then south twenty four degrees east one hundred and sixty chains then south fourteen degrees east fifty nine chains to the said west boundaries of the said equivalent lands then along the said west boundaries five hundred and sixty chains to the place where the said tract began, containing four thou- sand five hundred and four acres and the usual allowances for highways and the other of the said tracts begins at a stake stand- ing in the north boundaries of the Manor of Cortlandt and on the west side of a pond of water called Peach Pond and runs from the said stake along the north boundaries of the said Manor west thirty seven chains thence north forty two degrees east one hundred and thirty six chains to the west boundaries of the aforesaid equivalent lands then along the said west boundaries forty eight chains to the aforesaid Pond and then along the west side of the said Pond to the place where this second tract began containing four hundred and twenty one acres of land and the usual allowance for highways the said two tracts, con- taining together four thousand seven hundred and twenty five acres and the usual allowance for highways and reciting that a part of the lands by the last recited Letters Patent granted was included within the bounds and limits of Lot 9 before described: It is by the now reciting Indenture of the fourteenth day of April one thousand seven hundred and sixty one witnessed GENERAL HISTORY. 187 that in consideration of mutual grants and releases from the said Roger Morris to the said Philip Philipse and Beverly- Robinson and of ten shillings the said Philip Philipse and Bev- erly Robinson did grant bargain sell alien convey release and confirm unto the said Roger Morris his heirs and assigns all such parts of the said lands by the said in part recited Letters Patent of the twenty seventh day of March granted as are in- cluded and comprehended within the boundaries and limits of the said Lot No 9 as herein and therein before described with the appurtenances except all mines and minerals whatsoever. To hold the same unto the said Roger Morris his heirs and as- signs forever and Whereas by an Act of the third session of the Legislature of New York passed on or about the twenty second day of October one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine entitled " An Act for the forfeiture and sale of the estates of persons who have adhered to the enemies of this State and for declaring the Sovereignty of the People of this State in respect to all property within the same" it was enacted that sundry persons therein named and among others the said Roger Morris Beverly Robinson Susannah the wife of the said Beverly Robihson and Mary the wife of the said Roger Morris and each of them should be and they were thereby severally declared to be ipso facto convicted and attainted of adhering to the enemies of the said State and that all and singular the estate both real and personal held and claimed by them severally and respec- tively whether in possession reversion or remainder within the State of New York on the day of passing that act should be and thereby was declared to be forfeited to and vested in the People of the State and Whereas the said Roger Morris de- parted this life in or about the month of September in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety four leaving the said Mary Morris his widow him surviving and which said Mary Mor- ris his widow is still living and Whereas there were five children of the marriage between the said Roger Morris and Mary Morris that is to say the said Joanna the wife of the said Thomas Cowper Hincks Amherst Morris Margaret Morris and the said Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris And Whereas the said Margaret Morris departed this life in or about the year one thousand seven hundred and sixty six an infant of the age of two years or thereabouts and whereas the said Amherst Morris also de- parted this life some time in the year one thousand eight hun- 188 HISTORY or PUTNAM COUNTY. dred and two intestate and a batchelor and by the death of the said Amherst Morris and Margaret Morris as aforesaid the said Joanna Hincks Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris became and are now entitled to the said lands and hereditaments hereby released or intended so to be in equal shares And Whereas the interests of the said Joanna Hincks Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris of and in the said lands and heredits are preserved to them by the fifth article of the definitive treaty of Peace between Great Britain and: the United States of America bear- ing date on or about the third day of September in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty three by which it was de- clared that all persons who had any interest in Confiscated Lands either by debts marriage settlements or otherwise should meet with no lawful impediments in the prosecution of their just rights. And Whereas all the lands and hereditaments mentioned and included in the said recited Letters Patent were not divided between the said Philip Philipse Mary Morris and Susannah Robinson. And Whereas the said John Jacob Astor hath contracted and agreed with the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Joanna Hincks his wife Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris for the absolute purchase of all the Estate right titl* and interest of them the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Joanna his wife Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris of in to or out of the said lands or hereditaments hereinbefore mentioned and comprised in the said hereinbefore in part recited Indentures of the seventh day of February one thousand seven hundred and fifty four and the thirteenth day of January one thousand •seven hundred and fifty eight and all other their lands and hereditaments in the Dutchess county aforesaid subject to the interest of the said State of New York or their Grantees therein for the life of the said Mary Morris and all other interests or claims conditions or consequences to which the same or any part thereof may can or shall be legally subject by reason or means of the said hereinbefore mentioned act of the Legislature of I^ew York at or for the price or sum of twenty thousand j)Ounds Now this Indenture Witnesseth that in consideration of the said sum of Twenty Thousand Pounds of lawful money current in Great Britain to the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Joanna his wife Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris well and truly paid by the said John Jacob Astor immediately before the exe- cution of these presents in equal shares and proportions the GENERAL HISTORY. 189 receipt of which said sum of twenty thousand pounds they the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Joanna his wife Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris do hereby respectively acknowledge and thereof and of and from the same and every part thereof do and each and every of them doth acquit release and discharge the said John Jacob As tor his heirs executors administrators and assigns and every of them for ever they the said Thomas Cowper Hincks -and Joanna his wife Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris according to their several and respective shares estates rights and interests but not further or otherwise Have each and every of them hath granted bargained sold aliened released and confirmed and by these presents do and each and every of them Doth grant bar- gain sell alien release and confirm unto the said John Jacob Astor his heirs and assigns in the actual possession of said John Jacob Astor now being by virtue of a bargain and sale thereof made to him by the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Joanna his wife Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris in con- sideration of five shillings paid to each of them by the said John Jacob Astor by Indenture bearing date the day next be- fore the day of the date of these presents for one whole year commencing from the day next before the day of the date of the same Indenture of bargain and sale and by force of the statute made for transferring uses into possession all and singular the lands and hereditaments herein before particularly mentioned and described and by the said herein before in part recited Indenture of the seventh day of February one thousand seven hundred and fifty four allotted to the said Mary Morris her heirs and assigns and also all and singular other the Lands and hereditaments comprized in the said herein before in part recited Indenture of the thirteenth day of January one thous- and seven hundred and fifty eight and all other their lands and hereditaments in Dutchess county aforesaid with their and every of their rights members and appurtenances subject Never- theless to the Estate vested in the said government of New Y ork or their grantees for the life of the said Mary Morris and all other interests and claims conditions or consequences to which the same or any part thereof may can or shall be legally subject by reason or means of the said act of the Legislature of New York as aforesaid and all houses cottages outhouses edifices buildings closes of land meadow and pasture woods 190 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. and underwoods and the ground and soil thereof hedges ditches fences mounds ways paths passages waters land covered with water watercourses liberties privileges easements profits com- modities advantages emoluments and appurtenances whatsoever to the said land and hereditaments released or intended so to be or any of them respectively belonging or in anywise apper- taining or accepted reputed redeemed taken known held oc- cupied or enjoyed as part parcel or member of the same or of any of them respectively and the reversion and reversions re- mainder and remainders yearly and other rents issues and pro- fits thereof and of every part thereof and all the Estate right title interest use trust inheritance term and terms for years and for life or lives property possession benefit and equity of re- demption claim and demand whatsoever at law or in equity of them the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Joanna his wife Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris and each and every of them respectively of in to and out of the same land and here- ditaments and every part thereof with the appurtenances and all deeds papers writings and muniments of title whatsoever relating to or in any wise concerning the same or any of them as are now in the custody possession or power of the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Joanna his wife Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris or any or either of them and they or any or either of them can or may obtain without suit at Law or in Equity To have and to hold the aforesaid tract of Land heredi- taments and all and singular other the premises herein before mentioned and described and hereby released or otherwise assured or intended so to be and every part and parcel of the same with their and every of their rights members and ap- purtenances subject nevertheless as aforesaid unto the said John Jacob Astor his heirs and assigns To the only proper use Of the said John Jacob Astor his heirs and as- signs forever and to and for no other use trust intent or purpose whatsoever And the said Thomas Cowper Hincks doth hereby for himself his heirs executors and administrators and only as to and concerning the estate and interest of him the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and of the said Joanna Hincks his wife in the premises and his and her acts deeds and defaults only And the said Maria Morris doth hereby for herself her heirs executors and administrators and only as to and concern- ing her estate and interest in the premises and the acts deeds GENERAL HISTORY. 191 and defaults relating thereto And the said Henry Gage Morris doth hereby for himself his heirs executors and administrators and only as to and concerning the estate and interest of him the said Henry Gage Morris in the premises and his acts deeds and defaults relating thereto covenant promise and agree to and with the said John Jacob Astor his heirs and assigns that not- withstanding any act deed matter or thing whatsoever made done permitted or suffered to the contrary by them the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Joanna his wife Mary Morris and Henry Gage Morris or any or either of them they the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Joanna his wife Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris now have in themselves good right full power and lawful and absolute authority by these Presents to grant release and confirm the said land and hereditaments here- by released or intended so to be and every part and parcel of the same with the appurtenances unto and to the use of the said John Jacob Astor his heirs and assigns for ever in manner aforesaid and according to the true intent and meaning of these Presents and that free and clear and freely and clearly and ab- solutely acquitted exonerated released and discharged or other- wise by them the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Joanna his wife Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris their heirs executors or administrators at their some or one of their costs and charges in all things well and snfliciently protected defended saved harmless and kept indemnified of from and against all and all manner of former and other gifts grants feffments mortgages leases bargains sales Jointures dower right and title of dower trusts Estates titles troubles charges leins and incumbrances whatsoever at any time or times heretofore and to be any time and from time hereafter had made doqe committed occasioned permitted or suffered by the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Joanna his wife Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris or any or either of them or any person or persons whomsoever rightfully claiming or to claim by from through under or in trust for them or any or either of them or by his their or any or either of their acts means consent default privity or procurement (The rents reserved in respect of the said premises only excepted) and moreover that they the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Jo- anna his wife Mary Morris and Henry Gage Morris and their heirs and all persons whosoever lawfully or equitably and rightfully claiming or to claim any estate right title trust 192 HISTORY OF PUTNAJL COUNTY. charge or interest at law or in equity of into or out of or upon the said land and hereditaments by from under or in trust for them (except as aforesaid) shall and will from time to time and at all times hereafter upon every reasonable request and at the costs and charges in all things of the said John Jacob Astor his heirs or assigns make do acknowledge levy suffer execute and perfect or cause or procure to be made done acknowledged levied suffered executed and perfected all such further and other lawful and reasonable acts deeds devices conveyances and assurances in the law whatsoever for the further better more perfectly absolutely or satisfactorily granting releasing confirm- ing or otherwise assuring the said land and hereditaments hereby released or otherwise assured or intended so to be and every part and parcel of the same with the appurtenances (subject as aforesaid) unto and to the use of the said John Jacob Astor his heirs and assigns for ever according to the true intent and meaning of these presents as by the said John Jacob Astor his heirs or assigns or his or their counsel learned in the law and resident in England shall be reasonably advised devised or required and be tendered to be made done and exe- cuted so as for the making or doing thereof they shall not re- spectively be required to go or travel from their respective usual place of abode. "In witness whereof the said parties to these presents have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year first above written. "Thomas Cowper Hincks. (L. S.) "Joanna Hincks. (L. S.) "Maria Morris. (L. S.) "Henry Gage Morris. (L. S.) " Signed sealed and delivered by the within named Thomas Cowper Hincks and Joanna his wife Maria Morris and Henry Grage Morris in the presence of us "M. S. Parnther, London Street. " Richard Grose Burfoot, Same place." After making this purchase, Astor sent an agent to notify the settlers of these lands of his purchase and claims, but no legal steps were taken by him until by the death of Mary Morris, in GENERAL HISTORY, 193 1825, his tifle acquired full force and power, and a suit was then begun in the United States Court. The deeds which had been given by the commissioners of for- feitures were by law construed as full covenant warranty deeds, and the Stale was tlius.put under obligation to defend the suit which might be brought by Astor against any of the occupants of the lands, for ejectment. Accordingly an act was passed April 16th, 1827, " To extinguish the claim of John Jacob Astor and others, and to quiet the possession of certain lands in the counties of Putnam and Dutchess." By the provisions of this act it was agreed that if the United States Supreme Court should decide in favor of Astor' s claim, that then the State should pay in extinguishment of the title the sum of $250,000 and if the court should decide that Astor was entitled to the lands with all the improvements, then the State should pay the sum of 1450,000, and the act to be in force in case Astor and his asso- ciates should accept these terms in a formal manner, within the term of six months after its passage, and as a test of the claim, five suits in ejectment should be prosecuted to judgment in the Circuit Court of the United States, and the judgments presented by writs of error to the Supreme Court for final determination, and if any three of the five suits should be decided in the favor of Astor he should be entitled to the sum named, which should be paid in certificates of public stock. These terms were not accepted and the case came to trial in the United States Circuit Court, in New York, November 7th, 1827. Suits were begun against James Carver, who was in pos- session of a farm on Lot 5, which was sold to his father, Tim- othy Carver, by the commissioners of forfeitures; Samuel Kelly, who held a farm on Lot 9, in the town of Southeast; and Na- thaniel Crane, who also lived on Lot 5. The case, which attracted great attention, came to trial No- vember 7th, 1827. The following is the title of a printed report of the case, copies of which are extremely rare. ''■Keport of the Trial before Judges Thompson and Betts in the Circuit Court of the United States for the Southern Dis- trict, of New York in the case of James Jackson ex dem. Theodosius Fowler and others vs James Carver including the claims of John Jacob Astor to lands in Putnam County with Arguments of Counsel arid the charge of Judge Thompson by 13 194 HISTORY OF PCTTNAM COUNTY. Edward V. Sparliawk reported to the N. Y. American New York 1827." Of this report we present the following brief abstract: " Circl^it Court of the U. S. for the Southern District of N. Y. "James Jackson ex dem. Theodosius Fowler Tho. Cowper Hincks and Joanna his wife Mary Morris and Henry Gage Morris vs. James Carver. "Counsel for Plaintiff, Messrs Oakley, Hoffman, Emmett, Piatt, and Ogden. For Defendant Messrs Talcott Attorney Gen- eral, Webster, Van Buren, Ogden Hoffman and Cowls. " The defendant confessed lease, entry and ouster. Mr. Oak- ley opened the case for Plaintiff. " The Patent of Adolph Philipse was introduced m evidence, and the line of descent of the children of Mary Morris was shown. " Col. Tho. Barclay, Witness, testified that he knew the fam- ily of Roger Morris. His children were Amherst, Joanna, Henry Gage, and Maria, who were all born before 1774. Joanna was 10 years old in 1774. Amherst was a lieutenant in the Royal Navy at the time of the peace in 1783. Henry Gage was 6 or 7 years old before the war. In 1783, he was 13 or 14 years old. "Henry Livingston witness, was called to produce map and show location of premises. It was admitted that James Carver was in possession of farm in Lot No. 5. " The Attorney General opened for the defence, and read the bill of Attainder against Roger Morris and his wife. " Daniel Cole, Witness, testifies that he is 79 years old and that he and his father before him, were tenants on Lot No. 5 and held under Roger Morris. "Beverly Robinson testifies that his grandfather, Beverly Robinson, died about 1795, that Timothy Carver was the father of James Carver the defendant. He purchased the farm' of one Cheeseman, who had it from one Serrin. "Barnabas Carver testifies that he is uncle to the defendant James Carver, and that Timothy Carver was his brother. "Daniel Cole testifies that Timothy Carver bought the im- provement of the farm of one Cheeseman during the war, and that he built a log house there at the close of the war and ' That is purchased the improvement of the farm from the former lessee. GENERAL HISTORY. 195 cleaved up more land, and he died three years ago. The ten- ants used to buy and sell among themselves before the war the improvements on the farms they held as tenants. Wm. Hill, James Rhodes and Hackaliah Merrit's father' bought land from Morris before the war. " Enoch Crosby testifies that he has lived on the Patent 70 years. In 1782, he went to live on Lot 9, and there were about 150 families on Lots 5 and 9 before the war as tenants of Roger Morris. "Isaac Hill testifies that he is 69, and has lived all his life on Lot 9. His brother Solomon died 12 years ago. "Nicholas Agor says he is 58, and has lived on Lot 5 all his life his father lived there 70 years ago. "Joseph Cole says he is 52 and lives on Lot 5 his father lived there before him and he bought the farm of his father in 1802 or 1803. " Wm. Hill says that he lives on Lot 5 and about 20 years ago he sold a farm there. He bought of his father 30 years ago. He produced a deed from Roger Morris to Wm. Hill dated 1771, and says his sisters Betsy and Deborah live on the farm. " Ebenezer Boyd says that he lives in Kent on Lot 5. "Noah Hill says that he is 74, and never heard of Astor's claims till he sent an agent to notify settlers of his claims, 15 years ago. "Judah Kelly says he lived on Lot 6, 46 'years and never heard of Astor's claims. " Tho. Lownsbury says he is 54, and has a farm on Lot 5. "Benjamin Cole says he is 58, and owns a farm on Lot 5, which he had from his father, who had it from his father Elisha Cole. Says he has two brothers Levi and Joseph. "Col. Tho. Barclay says that he knew Beverly Robinson, and that he lived in New York till 1764 or 5, and that he then went to the Highlands and lived there till 1779 and afterwards went to England. Roger Morris also had a cottage on his lands where he often went to look after his rents. He resided in New York and went to England in 1782. " Hon. Egbert Benson, says that when returning from Con- gress in 1784 he stopped at the house of Gov. Wm. Livingston at Elizabethtown, and that he was shown by him the marriage settlement and deeds. He also says that he was a member of ' Joseph Men-itt. 196 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. the Legislature and drew the bill of Attainder and at that time he had never heard of the marriage settlement. " Josiah Ogden Hoffman was called to testify as to the hand- writing of Grov. Livingston. " Egbert Benson and Henry Livingston were called as wit- nesses to prove that it was not customary to record leases, in cases of sale by lease and release." On Saturday, November 10th, Mr. Van Buren began sum- ming up for the defense and was followed by Mr. Webster.. Mr. Ogden began summing up for the plaintiff and was followed by Mr. Emmett on Monday morning. The charge was given to the jury by Judge Thompson, and the jury, after retiring for deliberation, returned a verdict for the plaintiff. From this decision an appeal was taken to the Supreme Court of the United States. The case was duly considered by the venerable Chief Justice John Marshall, and his associate jus- tices, and the judgment sustained. As to the question whether the plaintiff should be requested to pay for the improvements made upon the lands, the court decided in the negative, stating " that the principle that a person should be required to pay for improvements made upon his land without his consent, is one that this Court is not prepared to admit." While these cases were pending an act was passed " to revive and amend the Act to extinguish the claim of John Jacob Astor, and to quiet the possession of certain lands in Putnam and Dutchess Counties." This act, which was passed April 19th, 1828, revived the act of 1827, and allowed thirty days for the acceptance of the terms proposed in that act. It also made it the duty of the attorney general to obtain the decision of the Supreme Court as to whether the improvements on the lands were to be paid for, and provided that Astor and his associates should not be entitled to a verdict unless it could be shown that all the right and title of Mary Morris and her children was duly vested in Astor and the other claimants. The provisions of this act were accepted and an instrument for that purpose was duly executed, and in 1828 all the right, title and interest ' Great stress was laid by the lawyers for the defense upon the fact, that although a lease for one whole year is mentioned in the trust deed of the mar- riage settlement of Mary Morris, yet it was not recorded, nor could the original be found. GENERAL HISTOKY. 197 of Astor and his associates in the lands in question were duly transferred to the State by the following deed: "This Indenture, made the first day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight between John Jacob Astor, of Hoboken in the County of Bergen and State of New Jersey, Esquire, and Sarah his wife of the first part, Theodosius Fowler of Perth Amboy in the State of New Jersey Esquire and Maria his wife of the second part, Cad- wallader D. Golden, of the City of New York Esquire, and Maria his wife of the third part, Cornelius I. Bogert of the town of Jamaica in the county of Queens, and State of New York, Esquire, and Susannah his wife of the fourth part, and the People of the State of New York of the fifth part." The deed, which is of great length, goes on to recite the facts that Mary Philipse was the original owner of the lands; that a deed of marriage settlement was made in 1758, which is given in full; that the marriage with Roger Morris was solemnized, and describing the various lots of land, showed their descent to the children of Mary Morris and their sale to John Jacob Astor, and mentioned the death of Roger Morris in 1795, and of his wife July 18th, 1825, and then proceeds as follows: "And Whereas, by sundry mesne conveyances, the said Theodosius Fowler party hereto of the second part hath become and is now lawfully seized in and entitled in fee simple to two equal undivided fifth parts of one equal undivided eighth part of all the said lands tenements and hereditaments, with the ap- purtenances so as aforesaid granted and conveyed by the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Johanna his wife Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris to the said John Jacob Astor, And Where- as, the said Cadwallader D. Colden, party hereto of the third part, by sundry mesne conveyances, hath become and now is lawfully seized in and entitled in fee simple to one equal undivided half of one fifth of one eighth part of all the said lands tenements and heredita- ments with the appurtenances so as aforesaid gi-anted and conveyed by the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Johanna his wife Maria Morris and Henry Gage Morris, to the said John Jacob Astor, And Whereas the said Cornelius I. Bogert, party hereto of the fourth part by sundry mesne con- veyances, hath become and now is lawfully seized in and en- titled in fee simple to one equal undivided half of one fifth of 198 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. one eighth of all the said lands, tenements and hereditaments with the appurtenances so as aforesaid granted and conveyed by the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Johanna his wife, Maria Morris and Henry G-age Morris, to the said John Jacob Astor, And Whereas, the said John Jacob Astor, now holds and retains in fee simple three equal undivided quarter parts and one equal undivided eighth part and two equal undivided fifth parts of one eighth of the whole of the said lands, tenements, and hereditaments, with the appurtenances so as aforesaid granted and conveyed to him by the said Thomas Cowper Hincks and Johanna his wife, Maria Morris and Henry Grage Morris. Now this Indenture Witnesseth, that the said parties of the first, second, third and fourth parts respectively for and in consid- eration of ten dollars to them in hand paid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and in compliance with the terms and provisions of the Act of the Legislature of the State of New York passed the sixteenth day of April, in the year one thous- and eight hundred and twenty-seven entitled " An Act to ex- tinguish the claim of John Jacob Astor and others, and to quiet the possession of certain lands in the counties of Putnam and Dutchess " and the act of the said Legislature passed the nine- teenth day of April in the year one thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight entitled "An Act to revive and amend an act entitled ' an act to extinguish the claim of John Jacob Astor and others, and to quiet the possession of certain lands in the counties of Putnam and Dutchess' passed April 16th, 1827." Have Granted, bargained, sold, aliened, released and conveyed and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell, alien, release and convey unto the people of the State of New York, and their suc- cessors and assigns forever, all those certain lands in the counties of Putnam and Dutchess, heretofore sold by the people of this State as forfeited by the attainder of Roger Morris and Mary his wife and which lands are more particularly described in a conveyance of marriage settlement made the fourteenth day of January, one thousand seven hundred and fifty-eight, by and between Mary Philipse of the first part Major Roger Morris of the second part and Johanna Philipse and Beverly Robinson of the third part, and recorded in the office of the Secretary of this State, on the eleventh day of April, seventeen hundred and eighty seven being the same instrument or deed of marriage settlement which is herein set forth and recited, as by reference GENERAL HISTORY. 199 to the boundaries and description of said lands in said deed of marriage settlement, will fully and at large appear. Together with all and singular, the houses, buildings, improvements, hereditaments and appurtenances thereto belonging or in any wise appertaining and also all the right, title, interest, estate, property, dower right or title of dower, claim and demand in Law of Equity of them the said parties of the first, second, third and fourth parts, or any or either of them of in or to the said lands or premises or any part thereof, with the appurte- nances, and the reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders, rents, issues and profits thereof, and of every part and parcel thereof And Also all the right title, interest, claim and demand in Law of Equity, which now is or heretofore has been of the heirs children and issue of the said Roger Morris and his wife Mary, of in and to the land, tenements and prem- ises aforesaid subject nevertheless, to the power in the said deed of marriage settlement contained and reserved, whereby the said Roger Morris and Mary his wife, were authorized to sell and convey in fee simple any part of said lands, not exceeding in all the value of three thousand pounds, and excepting and reserving in this conveyance, the lands which were lawfully sold and conveyed by the said Roger Morris and Mary his wife, under and by virtue of said power, to have and to hold the said lands, tenements, hereditaments and premises hereby granted, with the appurtenances, unto the people of the State of New York and their successors and assigns, to the only proper use, benefit and behoof of the people of the state of New York, and their successors and assigns forever: And the said John Jacob Astor, as party hereto of the first part, the said Theodosius Fowler, as party hereto of the second part, the said Cadwalla- der D. Golden, as party hereto of the Ihird part, and the said Cornelius I. Bogert, as party hereto of the fourth part, do severally and for their respective heirs, executors and adminis- trators, hereby covenant to and with the people of the State of New York, and their successors and assigns, that the above bargained premises, with the appurtenances in the quiet and peaceable possession and enjoyment of the people of the State of New York, and their successors and assigns against all and every person or persons, lawfully claiming or to claim, by, through, or under them the said John Jacob Astor, Theodosius Fowler, Cadwallader D. Colden and Cornelius I. Bogert, or any 200 HISTOEY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. or either of them, they the said John Jacob Astor, Theodosius Fowler, Cadwallader D. Golden, and Cornelius I. Bogert and their respective heirs, executors and administrators shall and will warrant and forever defend, and the said John Jacob Astor, as party hereto of the first part, the said Theodosius Fowler, as party hereto of the second part, the said Cadwalla- der D. Colden, as party hereto of the third part, and the said Cornelius I. Bogert, as party hereto of the fourth part, do sev- erally and for their respective heirs and administrators, hereby covenant to and with the people of the State of New York, and their successors and assigns that they, the said John Jacob Astor, Theodosius Fowler, Cadwallader D. Colden and Cor- nelius I. Bogert, and their respective heirs, executors and ad- ministrators, shall and will forever warrant and defend, the people of the State of New York, and all and every person or persons who has or have derived, or who shall derive title from the people of this State, against any claim at Law or in equity of the heirs children and issue of Roger Morris and Mary his wife, and of every person, claiming or to claim under them or either of them of in or to the said premises, lands and tene- ments or any part thereof The covenants herein contained are to be deemed and construed as several and not joint, that is to say: each of the said John Jacob Astor, Theodosius Fowler, Cadwallader D. Colden and Cornelius I. Bogert, covenants for and in relation to his own share or proportion of said lands and premises and not for the other or others of them. " In Witness Whereof the said parties of the first part, of the second part, of the third part and of the fourth part have hereto set their hands and seals, the day and year first above written. "John Jacob Astor. (L. S.) "Sarah Astor. (L. S.) "Theod. Fowler. (L. S.) "Maria Fowler. (L. S.) " Cadwallader D. Cold EN. (L. S.) " Maria Colden. (L. S.) "Cornelius I. Bogert. (L. S.) "Susan Bogert. (L. S.)" At the conclusion of the suits, an act was passed, April 5th, 1832, "Authorizing and directing the final settlement of ihe GENERAL HISTORY. 201 claims of John Jacob Astor against this State; " and according to its provisions, stock certificates, to the amount of $450,000, with interest, were issued and paid to Astor, who thereupon executed proper discharges to the people of the State, and to the defendants, James Carver, Samuel Kelly and Nathaniel Crane, in satisfaction of judgment, and the case that had troubled Putnam county and the State so long, came to a final end. CHAPTER XIV. PUTNAM COUNTY DURING THE CIVIL WAR. REVISED BY GEN. WILLIAM H. MOEEIS. THE files of the local newspapers give the true history of the times, and present a fair picture of passing events. January 19th, 1861. "Col. Ryder, of Peekskill has notified his companies of militia to prepare for active service and to secure the requisite supply of ammunition." Meetings of citizens in various villages of the county were reported. A flag raising on the farm of S. K. Ferris. A public meeting at Red Mills, at which Leonard Clift was chairman, was held April 26th. "Military matters in Putnam Co. : Head Quarters of the Engineer Co., 18th Regt., Cold Spring, April 22d. The follow- ing volunteers have joined the Engineer Corps since orders were issued by Col. James Ryder, and recruited by Capt. Sylvester B. TruesdeD, at Cold Spring : Albert N. Baxter, Lewis N. Squires, Isaac Ferris, Robinson Hopper, W. H. Warren, Nelson Devoe, Benj. Van Tassel, Perry Ferris, James Caldwell, O. Smith, Charles Purdy,Wm. B. Bloomer, Wm. H. Odell, Michael Speed- ling, Orin B. Nelson, Daniel Hopper, George Hopper, Albert Wright, Henry Brewer, Charles E. Turner, Henry Dore, Chauncey Garrison, Charles Barton, Edward Sweeney, Charles Rogers, Isaac Van Tassel." "April 22d. The old members of the Corps number about 20 besides the Captain. We hear that the members of the Corps at Carmel are astir and have enrolled 20 volunteers, who will be ready at the call of the Colonel." " May 11th. Carmel Volunteers. On last Monday five men left this village for New York to join the 2nd Regt., Scott's Life Guards, commanded by Col. J. H. Hobart Ward. Their GEKEEAL HISTORY. 203 names are Willis Norris, Joseph Robinson, Isaac Lockwood, Francis Gregory and Crane Hopkins. Wm. Bailey, youngest son of Hon. B. Bailey, had previously Joined. Joseph Shaw and John Cox had previously enlisted, the latter in a Brooklyn Regiment." "Aug. 3rd, brings the sad news o:f Philo E. Lewis, of Patter- son, reported killed at Bull Run. Samuel Hart of Kent missing. Wm. F. Bailey and Jeremiah W. Hazen were sick in hospital at Alexandria, also Joseph Shaw." Liberal minded and patriotic ladies had forwarded various needful articles, which reached the camp of the 38 th Regiment at Camp Scott, near Shuters Hill, July, 1861. "Aug. 17th. Samuel E. Hart reported a prisoner at Rich- mond. Capt. Jeremiah Sherwood, of Garrisons, who is attached to Col. Serrels Regt. visited Cold Spring and Brewster for the purpose of recruiting his Company. Ex judge Parrott, of West Point Foundry Mill will furnish a battery of six rifled cannon, which is to accompany the Regiment. Capt. Sherwood has served in the artillery and infantry and was for three years in the regular army, and was stationed in California during the Mexican War." " Aug. 23d. Grand Union Meeting held at Brewster for the purpose of considering what measures were best for the citizens of this town to best support the Constitution and the. Laws, and maintain the Government. 150 persons present, Edward Howes Esq., Chairman; Tho. H. Reed, Secretary; Patriotic speeches made by A. B. Marvin Esq.; Edward Howes Esq., and others. All party lines were obliterated, the grand inspiring idea being the Union, the whole Union, and nothing but the Union. A committee, consisting of F. E. Foster, Wm. T. Ga Nun and Tho. H. Reed, were appointed to draw up a Constitution. Wm. T. Ga Nun, Piatt Brush and Smith G. Hunt, were ap- pointed Town Central Committee, whose business it should be to look after the interests of the Union cause in our midst, and do what they could to enlist the sympathies of all in the cause of our Country and the suppression of Rebellion. A commit- tee of A. B. Marvin, Col. James Ryder and George Hine were appointed to report in relation to the organization of a military Co. in our town to be called the Home Guards. The subject of raising a fund for the support of the families of volunteers, was favorably discussed and Jarvis Pugsley who that day enlisted 204 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. was assui-ed that his family should be well cared for during his absence. * * * * Sept. 7th the following advertisement appeared: " This Company is about being organized for the war, under the command of Capt. John Hazen, late of the 71st Regt. N. Y. State Militia; to be composed entirely of men from Putnam County. Those wishing to enlist can do so by giving their names to the Captain at Brewster's Station, "N". Y." An advertisement also appeared announcing that Colonel Ser- rel's Regiment of engineers and artisans had been accepted, and that 100 able men were wanted at the recruiting office at Gar- risons. Sept. 7th. "County Mass Meeting, at Carmel, Hon. John Garrison, Chairman; John Hopkins, David Kent, James Cole, Samuel Kent, Edward Howes, Leonard D. Cliff, Vice Presidents; Tho. H. Reed and Joseph Strang, Secretaries. Judge Garrison on taking the chair, thanked the convention, for the honor, and said ' I have voted the Democratic ticket for forty years, and last fall I voted for John C. Breckenridge, but I thank God that I lost my vote, and am prond to stand here with my fellow citi- zens of all parties, to ground our party weapons, and join in battling for the welfare of our common country.' Tho. H. Reed, Edward Howes, Samuel Kent, Isaac Lounsbury, John Cole, George Ludington, Henry W. Belcher, Samuel A. Townsend and A. S. Van Duzer were appointed delegates to attend the People's Union State Convention, at Syracuse. " Resolved that it is the duty of every patriotic citizen, to favor a vigorous prosecution of the war for the preservation of the Union; ignoring all political parties and party creeds, as embarrassing and dangerous until after the war is over." " Patriotic resolutions were passed at the Republican County Convention." " Wm. P. Bailey, Brigade Clerk, 8th Brigade, returns thanks to the ladies for the liberal donation of a uniform, on the occa- sion of his transfer from Co. D., 38th Regt., to a position of trust in the 8th Brigade." "Sept. 21st. We learn that recruiting officers in this County are meeting with flattering success. Quarter Master Sears has quite a number enlisted. Capt. Hazen is daily adding to his GENERAL HISTORY. 205 list and Mr. A. W. Mattice, who only exhibited his authority to recruit men, on the 7th, has from that day to the 18th, re- cruited 11 men. He is enlisting for Col. Dunham's Eegiment." A. W. Mattice announces that "an exclusive Putnam Co. Company is now being recruited at Carmel, and that the Com- panj'' has the privilege of selecting their own officers." " Sept. 28th, A. W. Mattice has enlisted 23 men, for a Com- pany to be called Putnam Rifles." " Grand Mass Meeting at Putnam Valley, held at Lake Os- cawana House. Wm. C. Lickley, Pres. The meeting was ad- dressed by Hon. Benj. Bailey." "Oct. oth, Capt. Mattice has met with unequalled success. He had the names of 26 men registered on the Company Roll on last Tuesday night. George H. Lewis, Daniel F. Ferguson, Harvey H. Smalley, Henry B. Wixon, Joseph Sprague, Samuel Berry, Henry Wilson, Ira Conklin, Ozis Head, John Head, Hamilton Stewart, John M. Conklin, Francis Martin, John W. Gregory, Daniel Benjamin, Daniel D. Miller, Charles Tilford, Samuel Dexter, George Ganung, W. S. Horton, Daniel Miller, Sylvester Tompkins, James Tiiford, David Hopkins, J. J. Light, Wm. J. Collins (drummer)." "Oct. 12th. Capt. A. W. Mattice took six more men to New York on the 9th. David Hopkins, John W. Gregory, Tho. Reordan, Cornelius Peirce, Reuben Sutton, Henry Wilkins." " Oct. 19th. The Putnam Rifles recruited by Capt. Mattice of this village now number 32 men, and have been accepted and mustered into the U. S. service, and designated as Co. K. of the Cameron Legion Regt., commanded by Col. Charles A. Dunham. At a Company election, A. W. Mattice was chosen Capt. ; Cor- nelius H. Peirce, of Lake Mahopac, 1st Lieut. When the Captain left the camp at Saltersville, N. J., Harvey Wilson of Carmel was drilling the Company, as Orderly Seargent." About this time a Ladies' Relief Association was organized, of which Mrs. Selah Van Duzer was president; Mrs. James A. Watts, secretary; and Mrs. Foster Kelly, treasurer. The asso- ciation forwarded large quantities of necessary and useful articles to the soldiers and contributed greatly to their com- fon. " Nov. 30th, Wm. F. Bailey, of Carmel, who held the Clerk- ship in the 8th Brigade returned home on Saturday last, and is authorized to raise a Company, of which he is to be Captain, 206 HISTORY Oy PUTNAM COUNTY. for the 3d Regl. Capt. Bailey will recruit his Company in this and adjacent counties, and as he was one of the first to enlist and has been in active, dangerous service, we wish him every suc- cess. His Company has been named the Weeks Guard, in honor of Hon. Chauncey R. Weeks, who has furnished much substantial aid." "Dec. 2d. A. W. Mattice, Lieut, of Co. I., 59th Regt., whose Company is now at Washington, is at home to obtain a few more recruits to raise his Company to the maximum number." "Dec. 28th. Twenty recruits have been obtained by Capt. Wm. F. Bailey whose Company, the Weeks Guard, is attached to Col. Jenkin's Regt. and is now in Camp at Sing Sing." "Jan. 24th, 1862. This Company is rapidly filling up. 40 recruits have been mustered in. It has an efficient and power- ful patron in the person of Hon. Chauncey R. Wqeks." "Feb. 15th. The report has arrived of the death of John C. Dean, of Carmel, a member of Co. J. 59th Regt., and son of Milton N. Dean. He died at Camp Sherman, D. C. Also re- port of the death of Sutton Ga Nun, a volunteer from Brewster." "March 27th. The Weeks Guard from this County and a portion of a Company from White Plains and another from Peekskill, in the 3d Regt. were consolidated, forming one Com- pany of 104 men, and on Friday last their Regt. was consoli- dated with the Warren Rifles, from Rockland County, and the Regiment is now the 95th N. Y. S. V. Lieut. Wm. F. Bailey was promoted to be Captain of tlie consolidated company. It left for the seat of war last Saturday. Capt. Bailey on his hasty departure, requested us to tender his acknowledgement to many gentlemen of the County to whose liberality he attri- butes his success." " March 22d. Sergeant Harvey Wilson, of the 95th Regt. is now on recruiting duty in the County." "It gives us pleasure to mention the brilliant conduct of young Mr. J. B. Van Duzer, in the late engagement with the Merrimack, in Hampton Roads. Mr. Van Duzer was Master's mate on board the Minnesota, and commanded the 3rd Division of Guns. His Division was especially mentioned as making the best line shots. Who will not agree with us that the worthy lady who presided over the Carmel Relief Society has reason to be proud of her patriotic sons." He was a son of Selah Van Duzer; another son was Lieutenant GENERAL HISTORY. 207 ia a Cavalry Regt., while still another was an officer on board the steamer Mohawk. "June 7th. The Co. of Capt. Mattice and Pauldings Co. of Peekskill have been consolidated. Paulding was made Captain of the new Company on account of his having the greater num- ber of men, and Capt. Mattice was made 1st Lieut. Capt. Paulding resigned, and Mattice was then commissioned as Captain of the Company, which was Co. I. 59th Regt., and is stationed at Tenallytown, D. C." " June 14th. The remains of Daniel W. Travis, son of Jere- miah Travis of Kent were brought home and interred in the Baptist burying ground at Red Mills. He was a member of the 13th Mich. Regt., to which state he went in 1854, and he died at Nashville, Tenn." "June 30th. News of the death of Martin Baxter, son of Moses Baxter, of Putnam Valley. He was Orderly in Co. G., 38th Regt., N. Y. V., and was killed at the battle of Seven Pines, and buried on the field." " July 19th. Joseph Shaw of Co. F., 38th Regt., is reported sick at David's Island." He died and was buried in the Presbyterian Cemetery, Carmel. "Aug. 2d, comes the report of the death of Lieut. Charles F. Van Duzer, who was killed at the battle of Gaines Mills, June 27th." On the 16th of August, 1862, came the announcement of the draft made necessary to fill the wasted armies of the country. The ijeople of Southeast raised a fund of $2,600, as a town bounty fund, to be paid to volunteers. Capt. George H. Dean began recruiting and obtained six recruits in a week. He belonged to the 1st Batalion of Mounted Rifles, Col. C. C. Dodge. " Aug. 23rd. The people are aroused, 2 large public meetings were held at Cold Spring, Farmer's Mills, Ludingtonville, Brew- ster, Carmel, Lake Mahopac, Red Mills and Tompkin's Cor- ners. A fund has been raised in the several towns for volun- teering. This County is required to raise two full Companies. 160 men have already enlisted." " Webster Smith, of Farmer's Mills has sold his business and a company of men have bought his store and tavern, and he is now recruiting a Company for the war. He has already ob- 208 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. tained twelve men, in and around Farmer's Mills. He is just tlie man needed for the occasion, and deserves all the assist- ance that the loyal and patriotic citizens can give him." "A Special Town Meeting was held for the town of Carmel, at Lake Mahopac, on Aug. 21st, to vote a bounty of $100 for each volunteer. Out of 134 votes all but two were in favor." "Charles E. Benedict, late Editor of the Putnam County Courier, has enlisted in an Orange County Regiment." He contracted camp fever in the service and returning home, died at his fathers residence, at Warwick, Orange county, No- vember 1st, 1862. "Aug. 16th. War Meeting at Lake Mahopac; Leonard D. Clift, Chairman. An address was delivered by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, who spoke with his vinequaled eloquence. Pa- triotic resolutions were passed. C. H. Ludington, of New York, donated $500 to aid the cause of volunteering." "Aug. 30th. Kent in a patriotic blaze. We hear that 36 volunteers have been obtained in that town, and as her quota under both calls is 45 men, only nine more are wanted to fill it. Kent will be the banner town of Old Putnam. George Ludington and i^ddison J. Hopkins are the enrolling officers." The following was the quota of each town under the first draft : Carmel 70 Philipstown 141 Kent 45 Patterson . 46 Putnam Valley 49 Southeast 73 424 "Sept. 6th. Kent filled her quota in eleven days. A com- pany of men bought out Webster Smith's store, tavern and property, at Parmer's Mills, and he is now a Captain, and with a large part of the volunteers, are on the route to Washington." "Sept. 13th. A. large and enthusiastic meeting was held at Smalley's Hotel, Carmel; Hon. Chauncey Weeks, President. George Ludington offered a bounty of $120, to every man who should enlist. In the evening another meeting was held in the Court House: Joseph Cole Esq., President. Another spirited meeting at Red Mills on last Wednesday night, and one at (GENERAL HISTORY. 209 Towners Station last night. Another this afternoon at Lake Mahopac, and one will be held at the house of Daniel Drew, next Monday evening." "Anthony Wayne Guards, 135th Regt. The organization of this Regt. has been completed in a very short time; but two weeks was occupied in recruiting Co. G., Webster Smith, Cap- tain; Stephen Baker 1st. Lieut.; Charles F. Hazen 2nd. Lieut.; No. of men 101. The men from Kent, Carmel and Southeast. Rev. H. W. Smuller, of Carmel was appointed Chaplain." "Sept. 27th. List of killed and wounded in Co. L 59th. Regt. Capt. Mattice, at the Battle of Antietam, Sept. 17th. Killed Pierce Miller, Edgar Sutton, J. S. D. Riker, Herman Wilson, George Sweet, Hamilton Stewart. Wounded, Harvey N. Wil- son, George Walters, Wm. .N. Pratt, Edward Williams, Samuel N. Dexter, John Acker, Tho. Brady, Samuel Berry, Tho. Kirch, James I. Light, James Martin, Andrew Proud, Henry B. Wixon, Daniel D. Wixon, Wm. W. Dean, Patrick Dorly, C. Cronk, Wm. Horton, Elias Tilford, Nelson Mead, Harvey Smalley." "Capt. Wm. P. Bailey was honorably discharged from the army, Aug. 31st 1862." "Jan. 16th, 1863. Webster Smith's Co., attached to 6th. Artillery Regt. The report has arrived of the death of Wm. Frost of Co. D. He was a young man from Patterson." " Feb. 24th. The Board of Supervisors of Putnam County, convened for the purpose of authorizing the collection of bounty money, paid by the various towns." "March 14th. Harvey N. Wilson, Orderly Sergeant of Co. J., 95th Regt., died in the General Hospital, Frederick, Mary- land, March 7th, of wounds received at Antietam. His remains were brought home and buried, in the Baptist burying ground Carmel." Major-Gen. Couch, who commanded the 2d Army Corps, of the Army of the Potomac, was a native of the town of South- east. " May 2d, 1863. Jabez Robinson of Carmel, in Capt. Mat- tice's Co., was wounded at Pair Oaks and honorably dis- charged." " May 9th. Lieut. Charles F. Hazen died on Saturday last at Maryland Heights. He belonged to 6th N. Y. Artillery, and perished at the early age of 32. He was buried at the Bap- tist burying ground Carmel." 14 210 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. "Sept. 23d. Quota of each town for the draft ordered: Philipstown, 190; Southeast, 79; Carmel, 68; Putnam Valley 38; Kent, 36; Patterson, 36." "Dec. 26th-. Lieut. G. Doughty Hyatt, of Putnam Valley has been presented with a splendid sword." "May 14th, 1864. Quota of each town under draft of 1864: Philipstown, 72; Carmel, 45; Putnam Valley, 45." "Lieut. Horton R. Piatt, killed at Spottsylvania Court House, May 16th, 1864." "Special meeting of Supervisors, held July 28th, and bonds were issued to the amount of $75,000. These were sold at public auction and were bought by George Mortimer Belden, at 1 per cent premium. Bonds to the amount of $20,000 were afterwards issued." "Nov. 5th. Jarvis Pugsley, who has served three years and been" wounded, has been discharged." "Oscar Knapp of 4th Artillery, who has been in almost every battle and in one charge had his clothes perforated by several balls, has been discharged." " Jan. 3rd, 1865. Special town meeting in Patterson. Re- solved that every man who shall pay to a committee appointed for that purpose, the sum of $25, shall be secured from dr-af t, and the Supervisor and Town Clerk were authorized to raise a sum necessary to supply the draft." "Jan. 28th; Hon. Robert P. Parrott, of West Point Foun- dry, has paid the taxes of all the widows and of the soldiers absent to the war, residing in Philipstown. This is but one of the many good acts flowing from his generous heart and kindly hand." " The whole number of credits since the establishment of the Provost Marshall's office at Tarrytown: Philipstown, 294; Put- nam Valley, 104; Carmel, 137; Southeast, 147; Kent, 80; Pat- terson, 88. The action of the Board of Supervisors was duly legalized by acts of the Legislature, and the debt thus contracted, was in a few years paid. From the information available at this late day it is impos- sible to give anything like a complete record of Putnam county volunteers. The following list has been prepared with great care and contains the names (so far as ascertained) of those en- listing from this county, with the regitnents in which they served. GENERAL PIISTOEY. 211 Ist Regiment Mounted Rifles, Co. I:— Foster C. Carl, James McCollum, William H. Nixon, Stopplebaam. 4th Regiment Heavy Artillery, Co. A:— Tho. D. Sears, Capt.; Martim V. B. Akin, Orderly; Henry W. Hayden, Sergeant; Oscar Knapp, Stephen D. Butler, Peter Garr, Lindon J. Cowl, Zephaniah Denny, Wm. E. Doane, Silas Haviland, Geo. H. Hubbard, Merritt Washburn, Bernard McEnnaly, James Mc- DonaM, Elisha Penny, Mills Reynolds, Leonard H. Secor, James P. Rogers, Levi Benedict, Obed P. Townsend, Herman H. Cole, Charles Bradley, John Sweetman, Capt., James P. Rogers, Lewis P. Rogers, Joseph Sprague, David H. Terrill, Elijah Wilson, Elbert Wilson, Geo. W. Wixon, James Wynn, Horace Eastwood, Norman Davis, James Morey, Ephraim Davis, John S. Trowbridge, McGlohlin. 135th Regiment", N.Y. S. V., Co. D:— Charles P. Crosby, Ser- geant; Sylvester Forkel, Wm. G. Barnes, James I. Turner, Josiah D. Baker, Ferris Barrett, Daniel Burch, Frederick But- ler, Solomon Carpenter, Clarence Cowl, Geo. W. Cowl, James H. Couch, Herman B. Crosby, Augustus Eastwood, Lathrop Eddy, William Frost, James E. Grant, Martin Needham, Eli R. Smith, Geo. P. Taylor, David Washburn, Henry Worden. 135th Regiment, N. Y. S. V., Co. G: Webster Smith, Capt.; Stephen Baker, 1st Lieut. ; Charles F. Hazen, 2d Lieut. ; Edward Bailey, ■ Sergeant ; Seymour B. Phillips, Sergeant; Wm. S. Hadley, Sergeant; Hart Wright, Sergeant; James E. Lee, Sergeant; David Wixon, Corporal; Seth Contant, Corporal; Lewis G. Baldwin, Corporal; James Ostrander, Corporal; Walter S. Robson, Corporal; Michael McGarrick, Corporal; Petras S. Halstead, Corporal; John S. Sherwood, Corporal; Wm. Ames, Jeremiah Austin, Isaac Barrett, Vincent Barrett, Richard S. Brooks, Dingee Barrett, Lorenzo Bacon, Gilbert D. Bailey, Joel Bates, Wm. Burns, Samuel A. Bailey, Franklin Bowdy, Alonzo C. Collins, Tho. L. Corbon, Samuel A. Coe, Myron Dingee, Alfred Dexter, Charles Davis, Philip W. Dexter, Geo. H. Davis, Leonard Dexter ; John Dexter, Francis H. Everett, Geo. W. Fo- shay, Joseph Fisher, John T. Fisher, Geo. W. Fisher, Charles Fo- shay, Joseph Furguson, Elias L. Ferguson, Jeremiah Frost, Gil- bert Form an, James Galbreth, Bailey Garning, Alonzo Ganung, Oliver H. Gay, Urban T. Housler, James T. Hart, Eli W. Hart, 'Formed as the 185th Regiment of Infantry and converted into 6th Regiment of Artillery while at Baltimore. 212 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Henry H. Harris, Hiram Hitclicock, Joseph B. Hutchins, Jolin C. Jordan, Horace Kirk, Albert Knapp, Wm. D. Light, Daniel T. Ludlow, Tho. Lyons, Robert G. Lee, Albert W. Lent, BlvinMead, James McDonald, James Morrisroe, Lewis Martin, Joseph L. Parker, John E,. Parker, Isaac W. Parker, Horace Quick, Vin- cent Russel, James A. Rundle, Wm. Robinson, James Ritchie, Sandford Reynolds, Henry C. Reed, John L. Smalley, Alonzo B; Spencer, James K. Screder, Garret 'E. Smalley, Wm. H. Smith, Edwin Smith, Wm. Satterly, Joseph I. Smalley, Michael Supple, Dennis ScuUey, Orman Smith, Wm. H. Tilford, James O. Trowbridge, Abraham B. Trowbridge, Edward Tilford, George Williams, Levi Williams, Henry Wildman, Silas Wil- liams, James T. Wright. 38th Regiment, IST. Y. S. V.: Jeremiah W. Hazen, Samuel T. Hart, Horace Bailey, Isaac Lockwood, Francis Gregory, Joseph Robinson, Joseph E. Shaw, Robert A. Shaw, Wm. Robinson, Thomas Washburn. Wm. F. Bailey. 6th Regiment Artillery, N. Y. S. V., Co. L: Sylvester B. Truesdell, Capt.; Lewis L. Young, 1st Lieut.; Wm. G. Ferris,. 2d Lieut. ; Tompkins Minthorne, 1st Sergeant; Wm. R. Vree- denburg, 2d Sergeant; John McKechnie, 3d Sergeant; Wm. R. Bloomer, 4th Sergeant; Wm. Emmerson, 5th Sergeant; Alonzo Light, Corporal; Theodore McEwen, Corporal; Justus T. Crosby,. Lieut.; James H. prince. Corporal; Wm. P. Dykeman, Cor- poral; Harrison Crane, Corporal: Matthew Rack, Corporal; Theodore Lovelace, Corporal; John Hamilton. Corporal; Dennis Scully, John McGowan, Enoch Griffith, Jordan Ackerman, James Ritchie, Frank Everitt, Wm. Satterlee, Wm. C. Brewster, Sandford Reynolds, James Ashmond, Tho. Agnew, Wm. Bar- ton, James Barnes, James Britlifle, Martin Burton, Elijah Bal- lard, Geo. W. Bratton, Ferris Briggs, Gurnesy B. Banks, Fran- cis N. Booth, James Brown, Robert Cambel, Jameson Clark, Wm. Cubbitt, Francis Coxe, John Cambell, Fraz. G. Gauzler, John D. Crawford, Wm. Dobbs, John J. Davis, Geo. W. Den ney, John P. Daniels, John Jordan, Dingee Barrett, Geo. H. Davis, Charles Davis, Geo. E. Dean, Wm. Denike, Langdon R. Daniels, Charles Dykeman, Samuel Ehret, Isaac D. Finch, Perry Ferris, Harrison Ferris, Josiah Ferris, Milton Ferris, Isaac Ferris, Tho. Flood, Hubert Fallon, Abraham Ferguson, David Frost, Lemuel French, Willis S. Gorham,Wm. Gilbert, John Jay Griffin, Sylvanus Haight, Wm. Hitherton, Henry Horton, Edward GENERAL HISTORT. 213 Bailey, Jacob Tilford, Harrison Crane, James Ritchie, Albert Hoton, Luke Higgins, Tho. Hamilton, Tho. Higgins, Alanson Hoyt, Joseph Hopkins, Edward Ireland, Richmond Ireland, John Jennings, Wm. H. Kimble, Charles Kimble, Andrew J. Light, Justus Lake, Coleman Light, John W. Light, Michael Mott, Da- vid J. Meeks, Dennis Mahony, Andrew Moody, Michael McGrow- an, James McGan, Theodore Merritt, Gilbert Wright, Fred. R. Hall, Gilbert Bailey, Peter Halstead, Wm. S. Hadley, Joseph Bates, Alexander McQuillan, Joseph McLean, Tho. Newman, Robert Newman, Alexander Nelson, Nelson Odell, Hugh Plea- ven, James Queen, Wm. A. Russell, Wm. Rooney, Silas Smalley, Edward Sweeney, John Sweeney, John P. Shriver, James E. Smalley, Rowland Sprague, Seymour Townsend, Asa H. Thomas, James Turner, Elias Townsend, Warren C. Town- send, Darius Townsend, Isaac Van Tassel, Uriah Wallace, James W. Wallace, David B. Williams, John W. Weeks, Daniel Whaley, Frederick Warren, James Warren, Agustus Warren. Wm. H. Weeks, John White, Valentine Williams. 6th Regiment Artillery, N. Y. S. V., Co. M: Donaldson Effingham, 2d Lieut. 13th Regiment, N. Y. S. V., Co. C: Stephen Ray. 59th Regiment, N. Y. S. V., Co. I: Gilbert Reed, Alexander G. Smith, Nelson Mead, John C. Dean. 95th Regiment, N. Y. S. V., Co. K: Elbert F. Bailey, Ser- geant; Zephaniah Dakins, jr., Jacob Brown, Tho. Booth, Harvey Wilson, Sergeant; John S. Boyd, Patrick Burns, John Barret, Jeremiah Curry, Oliver Daniels, John P. Daniels, Geo. W. Dakins, John M. Griffin, Henry Horton, Lewis Latham, Charles W. Leveridge, Wm. H. Miller, John J. Miller, Charles H. Miller, Abraham B. Travvis, Nathaniel J. Travvis, Stephen Worden, John Hilliker, Wm. H. Heady, W. H. Kirk; Alvah Kirk, John Kruly, Henry Otis, Samuel Rhodes, Silas Scickler, Tho. Stimson, David W- Travvis, Charles H. Travvis, Patrick Tracy, Peter Worden, Joshua B. Young. Of Co. K., 95th Regiment, Capt. William F. Bailey was com- mander. The company was a consolidated one composed of parts of companies from this county and from Westchester and Rockland. In regiments of other States: Francis A. Bush, 27th Iowa Regiment; Byron Crosby, 7th Conn. Regiment; Francis 0. Myers, 54th Mass. Regiment; John Scruzar, Duryea's Zouaves; 214 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Wrn. W. Newman, 7th Conn. Regiment; Chauncey Philips, 29th Conn. Regiment; Samuel Berry, 16th U. S. Infantry; John Davis, 7th Conn. Regiment; Prank Wells, Capt. 13th Conn. Regiment; Harvey Newell; Lieut. F. Burdick, killed in action; Daniel J. D. Crane, buried at Milltown. 7th Conn. Regiment; James Ballard, James Howard, John C. Swords, Henry Wil- liams. 88th Ind. Regiment: Samuel R. Burch, John M. Sloane, Brush Trowbridge, Sergeant Hart. 11th Penn. Regiment: George H. Crosby, Wm. H. SWeetman. Among those who distinguished themselves in the service of their country in the Rebellion the following are deserving of special notice: GouvERNEUR Kemble Warrbn was born at the village of Cold Spring, January 8th, 1830, and was graduated from the Military Academy and promoted to the rank of brevet 2d lieu- tenant in the Corps of Topographical Engineers July 1st, 1850. At the breaking out of the Civil War he was mustered into ser- vice May 14th, 1861, as lieutenant-colonel of the Fifth New York Volunteers. " General Warren was promoted successively from the grade of Lieutenant to that of Lieutenant-Colonel, Corps of Engineers, and Major General, U. S. Volunteers. He received the brevets of Lieutenant Colonel, U. S. Army, ' for gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Gaines' Mill,' Va., 1862; Colonel, U. S. Army, ' for gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Gettysburg,' Pa., 1863; Brigadier General, U. S. Army, 'for gallant and meritorious services at the battle of Bristoe Station,' 1865; and Major General, U. S. Army, ' for gallant and meri- torious services in the field during the Rebelion,' 1865." After the close of the war and up to the time of his death General Warren distinguished himself in various capacities in the civil branches of his profession. The Corps order under General Wright, announcing his death, says: " In scientific investigations General Warren had few supe- riors; and his elaborate reports on some of the most important works which have been confided to the Corps of Engineers are among the most valuable contributions to its literature. " In the field, in the late civil war, he was a brave and ener- getic officer, and in the high command to which he attained by his patriotic valor and skill he merited the admiration of the army and the applause of his country. GENERAL HISTORi". 215 " He was kind and considerate in all the relations of life, and his family in its affliction will have the hearty sympathy of the Corps of Engineers." General Warren died at Newport, R. I., August 8th, 1882. Stephen Baker, son of Daniel and Eunice Nobby, was born in the town of Southeast, December 24th, 1835. His education was such as the hamlet of Milltown could afford. At the age of twenty-one years, during the excitement of slavery exten- sion, he emigrated to Kansas but afterward located at Omaha, Neb. Here he engaged in the transportation of supplies to Fort Kerney and Omaha Reserve. When gold was discovered in Colorado, Mr. Baker was the first to prospect the Rocky Mountains, in the regions of Pike's Peak, Long's Peak, South Park and Middle Park. All the plains from the Missouri to the mountains at this time were occupied by the Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Comanche, Apache, Sioux and Pawnee Indians. In consequence of failing health, Mr. Baker left the mountains and returned to his native town, where he soon recovered. As a soldier, Stephen Baker has done gallant service for his country. He enlisted as first lieutenant, in Co. G, 135th N. Y. Vol. Regiment, which was converted into the 6th N. Y. Vol. Artillery and defended Harper's Ferry and Maryland Heights in the winter of 1863. The next June he joined the Army of the Potomac and participated in its marches, retreats, many battles and victories until the final surrender of the Army of Virginia, under General Lee, at Appomattox. Some of the battles in which he fought were South Mountain, Wapping Heights, Battle of the Wilderness, Po River, Chestnut Ridge, Spottsylvania, North Anna, Bethesda Church, Mechanicsville Road and Petersburg. Through the recommendation of supe- riors, he was promoted, for services in the field, and with his regiment, joined General Sheridan in the Shenandoah Valley, where he remained till after the Battle of Cedar Creek. Being ordered to the Army of the James, his regiment participated in preventing the Rebel ironclads from breaking through obstruc- tions and cutting off the base of supplies at City Point He was promoted a second time, in 1864, to the rank of major lieu- tenant-colonel, and remained in service after the general muster out of the Army of the Potomac. The 6th, 10th, and 13th New York Artillery Regiments, numbering 1,875 men, being consolidated into the 6th, he was made colonel of this regiment 216 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. and placed in commq,nd at Petersburg. At the close of the war, in 1865, he was mustered out of the service. Again he returned to his native town and engaged in the lumber and feed business until 1875, when he ventured into the manufacturing of hats, which ended in failure, in 1879. Mr. Baker was member of Assembly, from Putnam county, for the years of 1866 and 1867. He has held the position of inspector of customs, in New York city, since 1880. General William Hopkins Morris' is the son of General George P. Morris, author of " Woodman, Spare that Tree," whose former country seat, Undercliff, is situated on the east bank of the Hudson, near the village of Cold Spring. The grounds consist of thirty-five acres, and are adorned with lofty shade trees, nearly all of which were planted by him. The mansion is massive in its architecture and commands from its windows views of West Point, Cro Nest, and Newburgh Bay. Lossing, the historian, calls Undercliff " The Gem of the Hud- son." Gen. George P. Morris resided here for more than half his life time, and many of his most beautiful and popular poems were suggested by the enchanting surroundings of this roman- tic place. It was while living here that he began the successful weekly paper entitled " The National Press, a Journal for Home," but he changed the name after a few issues, to that of "The Home Journal," the title which it still bears. After a short time he was induced to take as a partner and Joint editor, Mr. N. P. Willis, and Morris & Willis continued the editors and proprietors of that paper during the remainder of their lives. Gen. George P. Morris married Mary Worthing, daughter of George P. Hopkins, of New York city, and had by her one son, William, and two daughters, Ida and Georgiana. His son, William Hopkins Morris, was born in New York city, April 22d, 1827. He was graduated from the West Point Mili- tary Academy, in June, 1851, and entered the army as brevet 2d lieutenant in the 2d Regiment of Infantry. He was ordered to Fort Yuma, California, where he served under Major Heintzel- man. Ill health, caused by the severity of the climate, induced him to resign. Returning to New York, he engaged in literary pursuits. On the breaking out of the war he entered the vol- ' The following sketch of General Morris was prepared by F. L, Beers. GENERAL HI8T0KY. 217 unteer army as an assistant adjutant general, with the rank of captain, and was assigned to duty as chief of staff to Gen. John J. Peck, and served as such through the Peninsular Campaign, under McClellan, in the Army of the Potomac, and was re- peatedly mentioned for gallant services by General Peck in his official reports of battles. At the close of that campaign. Cap- tain Morris was elected colonel of the 135th Regt. N.Y. Volunteer Infantry, raised in the counties of Putnam, Westchester and Rockland, and organized by Col. Lewis G. Morris, of Morri- sania. Col. William H. Morris took command, and the regi- ment was ordered to the front. On its way it was stopped at Baltimore. In six weeks time the regiment was so well in- structed and drilled that it was chosen by General Wool from among some dozen regiments, for the honor of conversion into artillery, and became the 6th Regiment of N. Y. Artillery, whose brilliant services in the field made it one of the most famous regiments of the Grand Army of the Potomac. Colonel Morris was given the command of Fort McHenry, at Baltimore, and his regiment added to its garrison. Soon after he was ordered to Harper's Ferrj^. While here he was pro- moted to the rank of brigadier general and placed in charge of Maryland Heights with a force consisting of regiments of in- fantry and cavalry, and batteries of heavy guns. During the advance of Lee, Maryland Heights were for some days cut off from all communication with supports, except by flag signals, and as the great Southern general advanced, the prospect of de- struction seemed inevitable; but one bright morning the blue coats of the Army of the Potomac were reported by the signal ofiicer, and then the suspense was relieved. Maryland Heights were abandoned by the Union troops, and General Morris was ordered to join the Army of the Potomac and his command be- came a part of the 3d Army Corps. When the Army of the Potomac was reorganized, the 3d Corps was divided, and a part was ordered to the 2d Corps, and the rest, including General Morris' brigade, joined the 6th Army Corps, commanded by General Sedgwick. During his service in this renowned corps, under Gen. U. S. Grant, General Morris' brigade, which was composed of the 106th N. Y., 151st N. Y., 14th N. J., 87th Penn., and 10th Vt. Regiments of Infantry, made for itself a record unexcelled for brilliancy. While in this corps General Morris was severely wounded in the Battle of the Wilderness, 218 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. and for his "gallant and meritorious services" in that great battle, he had conferred upon him the rank of brevet major general by the president of the United States. After the war, having been honorably mustered out of service, General Morris returned to Undercliflf, his home, and resided there, during which time he married Kate, daughter of Dr. Adrian K. Hoff- man, of Westchester county, and had by her one son, whom he named Greorge Philip Morris, after the poet. General Morris represented the county of Putnam in the Constitutional Convention of 1867, was chief of ordnance and inspector general of the State of New York, in the National Guards. He is the author of the "System of Tactics for In- fantry ' ' armed with breech-loading or magazine rifles. We cannot close this sketch without alluding to the deep friendship which existed between General Morris and Gen. G. K. Warren, of Cold Spring. It began in childhood and in- creased in strength with every year of their lives. Well may this village be proud of having contributed two distinguished general officers to the grandest of all our armies, the Army of the Potomac. CHAPTER XV. THE MILITIA OF PUTNAM COUNTY. BY GEN. JAMES RYDEE. THE first account we have of any organization of the militia is from an order signed by Col. John Field to Lieut. Jonathan Crane in 1777, to wit: "You are hereby appointed a Commandant of the Guard for the protection of the inhabitants in this quarter agreeable to orders Late rec'"! from our Grov"^. You are in person to call upon the persons whose names are In- serted in the annexe'^ List this day to enter the service under your Command You are to Rendezvous this evening at the house of Major Mott when you will receive further orders. You will make Return to me of the names of any such person as may Neglect or refuse to put themselves under your Command. " Given under my hand this 8th day of October, 1777. "John Field, Colo. "To Lieut. Jonathan Crane." In 1786 Jonathan Crane was commissioned " captain No. 3 of a company in the Regiment of the Militia of the County of Dutchess of which William Pearce, Esq., is Lieutenant Colonel Commandant." Commission signed by Geo. Clinton, Governor. In 1793, Jonathan Crane, Esq., was commissioned second major of a regiment of militia in the county of Dutchess where- of Samuel Augustus Barker was lieutenant colonel command- ant. April 25th, 1797, Jonathan Crane, Esq., was commissioned by Gov. John Jay as lieutenant colonel commandant of a regiment of militia in the county of Dutchess. In 1808, Anson Crane was commissioned by Gov. Daniel D. Tompkins captain of a company in the regiment of militia in 220 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. the county of Dutchess whereof Joseph C. Field, Esq., was lieutenant" colonel commandant. By an act of Congress passed in 1792 for the organization of the militia, the commanding officer of each regiment was a lieutenant colonel commandant, which office was continued till 1818 when the organization of regiments was as before com- manded by a colonel; with a lieutenant colonel and major as field officers. This accounts for the lieutenant colonel com- mandants between Col. John Field and Col. Reuben D. Barnum. That part of the present county of Putnam consisting of South- east and Patterson was in the bounds of the 35th Regiment, and six of the eight companies in the regimental district were in the towns mentioned. The Monkeytown Company held its company trainings near where the milk factory now stands. The captains of this com- pany from time to time were Samuel Ryder, Gilbert Reynolds, Stephen Ryder, Orrin B. Crane, Thatcher H. Theall and Isaac A. Crane. The Sodom Company trained at Sodom Corners, now South- east Center. Among its captains were Orrin Richards, Jacob O. Howes, and Reuben B. Lawrence. The MilUown Company's headquarters were at Mill town, and some of its officers were Joseph Palmer, Piatt Baldwin, Albert Brush, William F. Fowler, H. K. Beebe and Isaac Volney Higgins. The Elm Tree Company held its company trainings at a tavern near the "big elm," kept by Cap t. Daniel Reed. Some of its officers were Daniel Reed, Elijah Barnum, Patterson Barnum, Orlando P. Barnum and Francis A. Seeley. From a letter written by Col. Nathan Pearce in 1879, he says: " The next company paraded at Haviland Corner. It was com- posed of the Eastern part of Patterson and south eastern part of Pawling so as to include the Slocums. The most prominent Captain was Asa Akin." The Sixth Company paraded at Harry Hayt's in West Pat- terson including the rest of the town of Patterson. Their for- mer captains were Dean, Smith, Pugsley, Squires and Samuel C. Reynolds. The Seventh Company paraded at Hurd's Corner, and the Eighth at Jackson Wing's, but they were out of the county. GENERAL HISTOKY. 221 The 35th Regiment was in the 30th Brigade and 7th Division. General Jacob L. Scofield was the last brigadier general of the brigade at the time of its disbandment in 1847. He died March 27th, 1886, at Fishkill, in the 92d year of his age. Major General John Brush of Poughkeepsie was commandant of the Division as early as 1824, and to the disbandment, which took place in consequence of a change in the system. Regimental parades of the 35th were held at Haviland Corner, now Aiken Corner, as far back as to the days of Col. Crane and, to the last meetings. The succession of colonels and commanding officers as nearly as can be ascertained were: John Field, of Southeast, 1777; William Pearce of Pawling, 1786; Samuel Augustus Barker, 1793; Burton, 1795 (By Gen. Orders); Jonathan Crane, Southeast, 1797; Joseph C. Field, Southeast, 1808; Isaac Cros- by, Southeast; Hart Weed, Southeast, 1815; Samuel Allen; JohnT. Hotchkiss; Reuben D. Barnum, Southeast, 1821; Nathan Pearce, Pawling. 1823 (died July 31st, 1882); Stephen Ryder, Southeast, 1828 (died April 30th, 1876); John Hall, Southeast, 1831; Piatt Baldwin, Southeast; Lewis Doane, Southeast; Thomas Gage, Southeast, about 1840; Jacob O. Howes, South- east; Thatcher H. Theall, Southeast (died in 1886); and Leray Barnum, Southeast. There was, about the beginning of this century, a company of light infantry commanded by David Lambert De Forest. A company of light horse cavalry was in existence for a long time. James Sherwood was its cajjtain and Charles Brewster, lieutenant. The 61st Regiment, N. Y. S. M., was composed of the four western towns of the county. Its last colonel was Hitch- cock. It was in the 30th Brigade and 7th Division as was the 35th. There was an artillery company in its bounds probably attached to it, of which Capt. Edmund Pierce was commandant and Abel Gregory was lieutenant. The regimental TJarade was held at Boyd's tavern, near the present reservoir. It was a great day. Many an amusing anec- dote might be related of the actions of the "Mountaineers," a race now probably extinct; of their dances in the highways and throwing pumpkin pies at each other, besides other events not to be supposed to adorn history. Owing to the popularity 222 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. of general trainings the regiment continued in good order till the change of law. In 1846 a law was passed exempting members of the uniformed militia from military service by a commutation of seventy-five cents. The law was amended in 1847, and encouragement was given to the formation of uni- formed companies. The State was divided into eight division districts and thirty-two brigade districts. The 7th Brigade District was composed of the counties of Putnam, West- chester and Rockland. The 18th Regimental District was composed of fourteen towns in Westchester and Putnam counties. Philipstown was the 6th Company district, Putnam Valley, Patterson and Kent com- posed the 7th Company district, and Southeast and Carmel the 8th Company district of the regiment. A uniformed company ■was organized at Cold Spring in 6th Company district called the '■'• Kenible Ouards,^'' an infantry company of which Levi L. Liv- ingston was captain, and Jackson O. Dykman was first lieu- tenant. The company was well uniformed and a creditable organization. Another company was organized in the 8th Company district, Southeast and Carmel, called the Putnam Guards, an infantry company of which James Ryder was captain, Jackson P. Bal- lard first lieutenant, and Edward Wright second lieutenant. The company wa;s well organized and equipped and continued till the original members served out their time of enlistment. The organization was completed October 12th, 1848. In 1851 the captain was promoted to be colonel of the 18th Regiment, Lieut. Ballard was elected captain and served till the company went out of service. An engineer corps was organized in Cold Spring in 1854 under the charge of Capt. George F. Sherman, Regimental Engineer, which was very complete in its organiza- tion and equipments. Capt. Sherman was promoted to the position of inspector general on the staff of Governor Morgan and Sylvester B. Truesdell was elected to succeed Mr. Sherman as captain of the corps. In 1865 a draft was ordered by Gov. Seymour to fill the militia regiments to the minimum number required by law and there were reorganizations and companies in 6th, 7th and 8th Districts, which continued till the regimental organization was disbanded in 1867, since which time there has been no militia organization in the county. GENERAL HISTOEY. 223 April 8th, 1864, James Ryder of the 18th Eegiment was pro- moted by Gov. Horatio Seymour to be brigadier general of the 7th Brigade, and continued to hold the office till April 8th, 1875. The Kemble Guards were out in the United States service in 1863 at the call of the IStli Regiment and were in service 45 days. CHAPTER XYI. THE BENCH AND BAR OF PUTNAM COUNTY.' Hon. James Kent. — Henry B. Lee.— Ralsaman C. Austin. — George W. Niven. — Frederic Stone. — Walker Todd. — Jeremiah Hine. — Henry B. Cowles. — Elijah Yerks. — Howard H. White. — Benjamin Bailey. — John G. Miller. — Charles Ga Nun. —Peter M. Jordan.— WiUiam A. Dean.— Levi H. McCoy.— James D. Little. — Charles H. Slosson. — Samuel J. Owen. — Owen T. Coffin. — William J. Blake. — Jackson O. Dykman. — George W. Horton. — Ambrose Ryder.— Edward Wright. — Charles H. Ferris. — Hon. William Wood. — Seymour B. Nelson. — James Gardiner. — Abram J. Miller. — William H. Haldane. — George E. Anderson. — Ward B. Yeomans. — Frederic S. Bar- num. — Clayton Ryder. — Hon. Hamilton Fish. — Hon. Robert Livingston. HON. JAMES KENT, the famous lawyer and Chancellor of the State of New York, was the son of Moss Kent and grandson of Rev. Elisha Kent. He was born at Doansburg, town of Southeast, Putnam county, N. Y., July 31st, 1763. When five years old he was placed in a school at Norwalk, Conn., and lived with his maternal grandfather, Rev. Joseph Moss, with whom he remained till 1772, when he went to reside with an uncle at Pawling, where he learned the rudiments of Latin. In May, 1773, he went to a Latin school in Danbury, and entered Yale College in September, 1777. In after years he often mentioned the delight he experienced on his periodical returns from school, in rambling with his brother among the wild scenery of his native hills and valleys. In July, 1779, in consequence of the invasion of New Haven by the British troops, the college was broken up and the stu- dents dispersed. At this time he met with a copy of Black- stone's Commentaries, which so excited his admiration that he resolved to be a lawyer. In September, 1781, he graduated from college and going to Poughkeepsie commenced the study ' The sketches of the deceased members of the Putnam County Bar in this, chapter were prepared by Hon. Ambrose Ryder. GENERAL HISTORY. 925 of law under Egbert Benson, who was afterward one of the judges of the Supreme Court, and was admitted to the bar as an attorney, in January. 1785. He then returned to his native place with the intention of commencing the practice of his pro- fession there, but that secluded place furnished no proper field for his abilities and talents, and he shortly returned to Poiigli- keepsie. In April, 1787, he was admitted a counsellor of the Supreme Court. In politics he belonged to the Federal party, and was the intimate friend of Jay and Hamilton. In April, 1790, he was elected memben of Assembly for Dutchess County, and again in 1792. At the urgent request of his friends he removed to New Yotk in April, 1795, finding there a greater scope for the exercise of his talents. In December, he was appointed professor of law in Columbia College, and delivered a course of lectures there. The trustees of the college conferred upon him the degree of Doctor of Laws, and he received similar honors from Harvard and Dartmouth. In February, 1798, he was appointed a Master in Chancery, and in the same year was elected member of Legislature for New York. In March, 1797, he was appointed recorder of the city, and in 1786 received the appointment of junior judge of the Supreme Court, and returned to Poughkeepsie, but in the following year removed to Albany, where he resided till 1823. In 1800, Judge Kent and Judge Radcliffe were appointed to revise the statutes of the State, and in 1802 they were published in two volumes. In July, 1804, he was appointed chief justice of the Supreme Court and presided till 1814. In 1814, he was appointed Chancellor, and the various and learned decisions by him have given a lasting honor to his name. July 31st, 1823, having attained the age of sixty, which was the constitutional limit for the tenure of the office, he retired from court after hearing and deciding every case brought before him. It was at this time that he revisited his native place, and was a boy again when he entered the house where he was born. In November, 1826, appeared the first volume of his " Com- mentaries on American Law." The second volume appeared in November, 1827, the third in 1828, and the fonrth in 1830. It is enough to say of this great work, that until the present sys- tem of things shall be succeeded either by a higher law or utter lawlessness, " Kent's Commentaries " must be the source from 15 326 HISTOEY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. which the student will derive his first knowledge of the princi- ples of law, and what Blackstone was to England, Chancellor Kent has been to America. During the remainder of his life Chancellor Kent resided in New York and died there at his residence, No. 20 Union Square, on the evening of December 12th, 1847, having reached his 85th year. His mortal remains were laid to rest in the cemetery at Fishkill, Dutchess county, by the grave of his only son. A full account of his family will be found in the sketch of the descendants of Rev. Elisha Kent, in another portion of this work. It is no injustice to the dead, nor disparagement to the living, to say that James Kent was the most prominent man born within the limits of Putnam county, and of his great- ness and fame the county and his native town may well be proud. Henry Bikd Lee was born in Greene county, about the year 1781. He practiced law in Patterson, but for how many years, we have been unable to learn. He was elected to the Assembly in 1815, and at the general election held in April, 1816, he was elected to Congress. He died September 16th, 1816. He was unmarried. Ralsaman C. Austin practiced law at Carmel from about the time of the organization of the county in 1812 until about 1817 when he removed to Peekskill, where he continued in practice for some years, and afterward became a clerk in one of the departments of the government at Washington, where he remained until his death, in 1843. He married a Miss Margaret Diven, of Peekskill, by whom he had three daughters. He was surrogate of Putnam county from April 2d, 1813, to Feb- ruary 28th, 1815. George W. Niven practiced law at Carmel from 1812 to 1815, a part of the time in partnership with Walker Todd. He removed to Poughkeepsie and from there to New York. The date of his death has not been ascertained. He married a daughter of Robert Johnston of Carmel. Frederic Stone, son of Darius and Anna (Hill) Stone, was born in Guilford, Conn., March 21st, 1785. He received his education at the old academy in Patterson, N. Y., under the Rev. Mr. MacNeece, a distinguished classical scholar and a graduate of Trinity College, Dublin. After he had been fitted to enter the sophomore class in Yale College his health became -^ /^z^ GENERAL HISTORY. 227 impaired and the idea of a college education was reluctantly- abandoned. He began the study of the law with Harvy Swift of Beekman, completed his legal studies in the office of General Brush of Poughkeepsie, and was admitted to the Bar in 1812. April 16th, 1816, he was appointed Master in Chancery by G-ov. Daniel D. Tompkins. In October, 1820, he married Margaret E. Howland, daughter of William Howland and niece of Dr. Howland of Patterson. February 27th, 1821, he was appointed by DeWitt Clinton, district attorney of Putnam county, and continued in that office until February 25th, 1829, when he was appointed by Martin Van Buren, then governor of New York, by whom he was examined when admitted to the Bar, first judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Putnam county. His connection with the bench was terminated voluntarily April 27th, 1833, in order to return to the practice of his pro- fession. He was again appointed district attorney in 1837, this time by Governor William L. Marcy, and held the office for the ensuing ten years. It was during this time that Denny was convicted of murder and hanged in the Court House yard at Carmel, being the only criminal ever executed in Putnam county. In 1842 Judge Stone was a candidate for State Senator, but was defeated in the convention by one vote, Abraham Bockee of Dutchess county, receiving the nomination. In 1843 he re- ceived the regular democratic nomination for the Assembly but was defeated by an independent candidate from the western part of the county. In November, 1850, he was elected district attorney and held the office for the next three years, being succeeded by Charles Ga Nun. Judge Stone continued in the active practice of his profession up to the time of his death, which occurred in Pat- terson, December 2d, 1857. His widow survived him nearly a quarter of a century, and his three daughters, Mary A. Stone, Jane C. Stone and Frances E. Barnum, widow of the late Le Kay Barnum, are still living on the old homestead in Patterson. Perhaps at the time of his death no man in the county was more o-enerally known to the people than he. He had been a member of the Bar since the formation of the county and from that time to the time of his death had been in active legal prac- tice. The difficult and responsible duties appertaining to the 228 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. offices of county judge and district attorney were satisfactorily discharged. Many important criminal trials were successfully conducted by him. As a lawyer Judge Stone was sound, faithful and honest. No client, we think, ever had occasion to complain of his want of vigilance or perseverance. He was the contemporary of Todd, Hine, Cowles, Swift, Cleveland and Nelson, and always believed that these distinguished men were superior to the generation that succeeded them. In politics Judge Stone was a democrat. His political course was always regular and straightforward. He died a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church. It was his fortune to move calmly and quietly through life and his record is clean and pure. Walker Todd was born in New Milford, Conn., about the year 1790. He graduated at Yale College in 1810 and com- menced the practice of the law at Carmel in 1813, in X->artner- ship with George W. Niven until Mr. Niven removed from the county in 1815. Mr. Todd held the office of district attorney from June, 1818, to February, 1821. He held the office of sur- rogate from March, 1819, to Februarj^, 1821, and from January, 1833, to September 30th, 1839. He was appointed an inspector of the State prison at Sing Sing in 1832 and held the office until 1840. In November, 1827, he was elected to the Senate of this State for the term of four years, and served for the full term. In November, ]836, he was the regular democratic candidate for Congress in the district compi'ised of Westchester and Putnam counties, but was defeated by Grouverneur Kemble who ran as a stump candidate. Mr. Todd continued the practice of the law at Carmel until near the time of his death, when he received a stroke of paralysis which terminated his active career. He died in August, 1840. He married Sarah Ann Smith, by whom he had a large family of children. Jeremiah Hine, son of Charles Hine, was born in the town of Southeast, January 26th, 1795. He graduated at Yale College in the class of 1815, and at once commenced the study of the law. In 1820 he commenced practice at Carmel and in the latter part of that year formed a partnership with Henry B. Cowles, which continued until Mr. Cowles removed to the city of New York in 1834. Mr. Hine continued in practice at Carmel until his death, which occurred August 24th, 1838. He held the office GENERAL HISTORY. 229 of surrogate of Putnam county from March 28th, 1822, to Jan- Tiary 31st, 1833. He was district attorney from September 8th, 1829, to the time of his death. He married Miss Zillah Cole, by whom he had one son, who died in infancy. Henry B. Cowles, .son of Elias and Lydia (Adams) Cowles, was born in Litchfield, Conn., March 18fch, 1798. His maternal grandfather, Andrew Adams, was a member of the Continental Congress in 1778, and was chief justice of the Superior Court of Connecticut from 1793 to the time of his death. The parents of Mr. Cowles removed to Rhinebeck, Dutchess county, N. Y., about the year 1804. Mr. Cowles graduated at Union College in 1816, and while in college was elected a mem- ber of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He studied law under Judge Reeves of Litchfield, and after practicing for a few months at Beekman, in Dutchess county, removed to Carmel in 1820, where he formed a i)artnership with Jeremiah Hine under the firm name of Cowles & Hine, and .continued in practice there until the year 1834, when he opened an office in New York city where he continued in the active practice of his profession until 1860. Prom that time he undertook no new cases and about the year 1865 retired from law practice entirely. In 1870 he removed to Farmington, Conn., where he continued to reside until his death which occurred in New York while on a tempo- rary visit, May 17th, 1873. While residing in Putnam county Mr. Cowles was for three consecutive years elected to the Assembly, serving in the ses- sions of 1826, 1827 and 1828. While in the Legislature he took an active and efficient part in the settlement of the Astor claim, securing the passage of the several acts under which the State of New York assumed the payment to John Jacob Astor of $450,000 in satisfaction of his claim as purchaser, to the lands in Putnam county belonging to the heirs of Roger Morris, which were confiscated by the State, and to which titles had been given by the State through deeds executed by commissioners of for- feiture. In the celebrated suits brought to establish Mr. Astor' s claim, Mr. Cowles was one of the counsel on the part of the State. In 1828 Mr. Cowles was elected to Congress from the District composed of Westchester and Putnam counties. He was never married. Elijah Yerks, son of William Yerks, was born in Mount Pleasant, Westchester county, about the year 1806. After being 230 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. admitted to the Bar, he commenced practice in Carmel in 1839, and remained in practice there until 1851, when he removed to Tarrytown, where he continued in practice until his death which occurred in 1864. In 1847 he was the regular democratic candidate for county judge of Putnam county. He was never married. Howard Hart White, son of Ebenezer B. White, was born in Banbury, Connecticut, in 1810. He entered Yale College but did not graduate. He attended the Yale Law School dur- ing the years 1829 and 1830, and studied law in New York city in the office of Charles O'Connor. After his admission to the Bar he practiced law for several years, occupying the same office with Henry B. Cowles, through whose advice he came to Carmel, where he opened a law office in September, 1839. He was appointed surrogate of Putnam county September 30th, 1839, and held the office until April 2d, 1840, when failing health compelled him to resign. He died in Danbury, April 4th, 1840, of consumption. He married Emma Hart, of Troy, N. Y., by whom he had two children, both of whom died before arriving at maturity. Benjamin Bailey, son of Benjamin Bailey, was born in Carmel in 1813. He was admitted to the Bar in 1842 and im- mediately thereafter commenced the practice uf the law in Carmel, where he remained until the j'^ear 1853, when he opened an office in New York city. He continued in practice in New York until 1855, when he resumed his practice in Carmel and remained in practice there until within a few years of his death, which occurred July 13th, 1872. Mr. Bailey represented Putnam county in the Assembly in the years 1845, 1846 and 1856. In 1848 he was the candidate of the Barnburner wing of the democratic party for representa- tive in Congress in the district composed of Dutchess and Putnam counties. As a lawyer he was often called to the defense in criminal cases. The most noted case in which he was engaged was that of George Denny, who was tried for the murder of Abraham Wanzer, in 1843. Denny was tried twice, the jury failing to agree upon the first trial, but upon the second he was found guilty and afterward executed. Mr. Bailey tried the case fqr the defendant upon both occasions and was indefatigable in his efforts to save him. GENERAL HISTORY. 231 Mr. Bailey married Calista Wilson and left two sons surviv- ing him. The eldest, Elbert T., resides at Mount Kisco, and has been president of the village. The youngest, William F., is a lawyer residing at Ean Claire, Wisconsin. John Grifpen Miller, son ' of Abraham and Elizabeth (Griffen) Miller, was born at Yorktown, Westchester county, New York, December 23d, 1814. While engaged in school teaching he commenced the study of the law, at first with Ben- jamin Bailey and afterward at Somers with Lee & Briggs, and was admitted to practice in 1846. In the spring of 1847 he moved with his family to Carmel where he opened a law office and contini^ed in the active practice of his profession until near the time of his death which occurred March 31st, 1885. He twice held -the office of district attorney, the first time by appointment of the governor to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Charles Ga Nun, being appointed April 10th, 1850, and holding the office until January 1st, 1851; and the second time by election in November, 1853, for the term of three years. He was appointed assessor of internal revenue for the 10th District of New York, comprising the counties of Westchester, Putnam and Rockland, by President Grant, on the 15th of April, 1869, and held the office for several years. Mr. Miller was twice married. His first 'wife, Phebe P., daughter of Isaac and Patience Carpenter, to whom he was married September 20ih, 1837, died May 8th, 1856. By her he had seven children, of whom three sons and a daughter survive him. His eldest son, William I., formerly deputy county clerk of Putnam county, died at the age of thirty-three. His second son, Henry F., is a dental surgeon residing in Carmel. His third son, Abram J., is a lawyer and present district attorney of Put- nam county, residing in Brewster. His fourth son, Alonzo B., is a dental surgeon residing in New York city. His daughter, Phebe P., is the wife of James A. Foshay, the present school commissioner of Putnam county. Mr. Miller's second wife, Emily A. Cutts, of Kittery, Maine, to whom he was married September 25th, 1860, and by whom he has one daughter, Anna C, survives him. Charles Ga Nun, son of Edward Ga Nun, was born in North Salem in 1817. He prepared for college at the North Salem and Peekskill Academies, and graduated at Williams College in 1839. He studied law in the office of Ambrose L. 232 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COTJNTY. Jordan and was admitted to practice in 1842. In the fall of that year he opened a law office at Carmel and remained in practice there until 1858, when he removed to New York city, where he continued in law jjractice until his death which oc- curred in November, 1862. From the year 1848 Peter M. Jordan, late of Hudson, was associated with him. Mr. Ga Nun's attain- ments as a lawyer were so well recognized that his office was a favorite school for law students, and many young men received their legal education under his guidance. Mr. Ga Nun was elected district attorney in 1847, but resigned the office in 1850. He was the candidate of the Hunker wing of the democratic party for representative in Congress in 1848, and in 1855, was a candidate for justice of the Supreme Court for the Second Judicial District. Mr. Ga Nun was never married. Peter M. Jordan was born at Claverack, Columbia county. New York, October 21st, 1818. He was the eldest son of Dr. Abram Jordan, an eminent physician of that place. He was a member of the class of 1838 of Union College, but did not gradu- ate. He studied law in the office of his uncle, Ambrose L. Jordan, a man of great ability, and afterward attorney general of the State, and was admitted to practice about the year 1842* After practicing his profession for a few years in Hudson he re- moved to Carmel in 1848, where he became associated with Charles Ga Nun, remaining with him at Carmel until 1858, when they established an office in New York city and continued in practice there until the death of Mr. Ga Nun in 1862. After that time Mr. Jordan continued at Hudson until his death which occurred February 1st, 1886. Mr. Jordan was elected district attorney of Putnam county in November, 1856, and held the office until he removed to New York. He married Miss Jane Flaherty who survives him. William A. Dean, son of Eichard Dean, was born in Carmel, January 4th, 1819. He was educated at private schools and at the Peekskill Academy. He studied law with Ward & Lock- wood at Sing Sing, and was admitted to practice in 1845. Be commenced practice at Carmel immediately after his admission and remained in practice at that place until the year 1853, when he removed to the city of New York, where he continued to practice until his death which occurred July 12th, 1854. While at Carmel he was twice elected justice of the peace, holding the GJiNEKAL HISTORY. 233 office from April, 1847, uutil he removed from the county. He was never married. Levi H. McCoy was born January 8th, 1822, at Wantage, Sussex county, New Jersey. He studied law at Goshen and at Newburgh with Judge Monell and was admitted to the bar in 1848. He commenced the practice of the law at Cold Spring in 1849, and continued in active practice until his death which occurred suddenly January 29th, 1868. In 1860, he opened an office in New York city, practicing in both places at that time. In 1858, he was elected district attorney of Pumam county, hold- ing the office for the term of three years. December 5th, 1852, he married Angeline Phillips of Cold Spring, by whom he had four sons. James Dynes Little was born in New York city, May 15th, 1832. In his young days he learned the printer's trade, and in 1849, at the early age of seventeen, he came to Carmel and assumed the editorial and general management of the " Putnam Democrat." In 1852 he was elected a justice of the peace and held the office until January, 1857, when he was appointed an inspector in the New York Custom House. This position he resigned for that of private secretary to Collector Schell. In July, 1861, having resigned his position in New York, he went to the West, and having previously devoted his spare time to the study of the law he was admitted to practice in Missouri, and in partnership with his brother-in-law, Ex- Governor Beebe, opened a law office in Kansas City. But the Civil War destroyed business and the office was soon closed. Mr. Little returned East and in December, 1861, was admitted to the Bar of this State. In April, 1862, he opened a law office in Carmel and continued in active practice to the time of his death. Mr. Little established the "Putnam County Courier " and was its editor during all his residence in the county, rais- ing it to a high state of prosperity. In 1864 and again in 1867 he was elected district attorney of the county, holding the office ^or six years. Mr. Little married. August 28th, 1854, Mary Virginia, daughter of Elder Gilbert Beebe of Middletown, N. Y. Five daughters and three sons were born to them, of whom all ex- cept the eldest son and youngest daughter, survive. In the fall of 1877 Mr. Little was prostrated by a severe at- 234 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. tack of pneumonia from which he never fully recovered. He died August 24th, 1883. Chaeles Henry Slosson, son of Augustus D. Slosson, was born in North Salem, Westchester county, New York, Feb- ruary 28th, 1842. He entered Yale College in the class which graduated in 1863, but after remaining in college two years was obliged to leave on account of ill health. He studied law at White Plains, with Close & Robertson, and was admitted to practice in June, 1865. He immediately commenced practice at Brewster, and remained in practice at that place until August, 1867, when he was prostrated with pneumonia, leaving him very weak and ending in quick consumption, of which he died June 22d, 1868. September 6ch, 1866, he married Miss Emily Teller, daughter of Dr. Harrison Teller of Brooklyn, by whom he had one son, Harrison Teller Slosson, born' in September, 1867, now a student in Columbia College. Samul J. Owen was born in Putnam Valley in 1843. After being admitted to the Bar, he practiced law at Cold Spring un- til his death, which occurred October 21st, 1877. He was dis- trict attorney for two terms, holding the office for six years, commencing January Ist, 1871. He married Isabella E., daugh- ter of John Rusk, by whom he had several children. He was a member of the 18th Regiment of New York Volunteers, in the suppression of the rebellion. The following have retired from practice or removed from the county: Owen Tristram Coffin, son of Robert Coffin, was born in Washington, Dutchess county, July 17th, 1815. He graduated at Union College in 1837; studied law with Judge Rufus W. Peckham at Albany; was admitted to the Bar in 1840; and com- menced practice at Carmel, remaining there about two years, when he removed to Poughkeepsie. He remained in practice at Poughkeepsie until 1851, when he removed to Peekskill, Westchester county, where he has resided to the present time. In November, 1870, he was elected surrogate of Westchester county and still holds the office. He has been twice married. His first wife was Belinda E. Maison, and his second, Harriette Barlow. William J. Bl.ake was born July 22d, 1817, at the Blake homestead, in the eastern part of the town of Montgomery, GENERAL HISTORY. 235 Orange county, New York. He is a son of Hon. Edward and Chloe Belknap Blake, and with his twin brother, David A., is the youngest of a family of eight children. His ancestors were English on his paternal and maternal side. The ancestral line is traceable back to Robert Blake, a member of the Long Parliament, which resisted the usurpation and tyranny of King Charles I. until civil war was the result. He was appointed a general in the Parliamentary array and resigned his seat at the beginning of the struggle with the King in 1642. In 1649, he was transferred from the land to the naval forces, with the title of " General of the Sea." In 1652, he became chief ad- miral. He is regarded by all Englishmen as the "Father of the British Navy." He was born at Bridgewater, Somerset- shire, England: and from that family nest his descendants have winged their way to Scotland, the north of Ireland, Canada and the United States. In the early part of the eighteenth century, three brothers of the name of Blake, emigrated from England to this country. One settled in Massachusetts, one in Pennsylvania, and one on Long Island, who subsequently removed to Orange county, New York. The latter was the great-grandfather of the sub- ject of this sketch. Tiie descendants of these three emigrant brothers are numerous, and may be found in half of the States of the Union. Mr. Blake's mother was a descendant of the Belknap family, English Puritans who emigated to Massachusetts, a member of which (who was her father) subsequently removed and settled a short distance north of Providence, in Rhode Island. After attending a common school until he was nearly fifteen years of age, Mr. Blake commenced his academic course at the Montgomery Academy, Orange county, where he remained until April, 1837, when he entered the Sophomore class of Union College at Schenectady, from which he graduated in June, 1839, and in the following September went South, and for one year was a tutor in the family of a naval commander. In September, 1840, he returned home and commenced the study of law in the office of Hon. Charles Borland, of Montgomery. In December, 1843, he was licensed as an attorney of the Su- preme Court at Rochester. His father told him that if he was licensed to "return home, stay till spring, and look around for a place to settle." From Rochester he went to New York to 236 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTT. visit relatives, and on his return stopped at Cold Spring (but without a thought of settling there) to visit a lady whom his father and mother had brought up from girlhood. Yisiting a Justice's Court the next day, in company with a former resi- dent of Newburgh, he was retained to try two causes in succes- sion, won both, and was retained to try five others during the remainder of the week. He concluded that, since there was apparently "a sight of petty litigation" there, he might as well remain there the remainder of the winter and begin the practice of law, instead of going home and doing nothing until spring. He had no office, nor a law book with him, was simply a visitor, and, with the exception of those he called on, a stranger in the place. Even then he had no intention of set- tling there. He went to New York, bought a few necessary books, returned to Cold Spring, rented an office, and hung out his sign. Before spring came he concluded that he might as well remain there as to seek a location elsewhere. In 1846, Governor Silas Wright appointed him a master and examiner in the Court of Chancery. In 1848, when not engaged in office business or attending courts, he hastily gathered up materials for a "History of Putnam County," which he wrote during leisure hours, and published it in the winter of 1849. Conscious that his hearing was becoming too much impaired to further prosecute his profession with any hope of profit and success, he closed his oflice in April, 1850, and made a tour through Minnesota, visiting Stillwater, St. Paul and the Crow Wing Indian Agency, about one hundred miles northwest of St. Paul, where he spent the summer, and returned late in the fall to St. Paul, where he passed the winter. In the spring of 1851, he returned to Orange county. In September, 1852, the late proprietor of the " Putnam County Courier" sent him an invitation to become associate editor of the "Courier." He accepted and came to Carmel in the above named month and year. In 1854, he was appointed postmaster at Carmel, under Presi- dent Pierce's administration. June 12th, 1858, he founded the " Putnam Free Press," the first republican newspaper estab- lished in Putnam county, edited and published it until October 17th, 1868, when he sold it to A. J. Hicks. February 14th, 1880, a member of his family purchased the office and paper /C^^^oe Oi-^--^ y >^ '^ . GENERAL HISTOBY. 337 from Mr. Hicks, and changed the name of the paper from "Gleneida Monitor," to "Putnam County Republican." He again became its political and literary editor, and Ida M., his daughter, its publisher and proprietor, and junior editor. He married Miss Emelinda Minor, daughter of the late Charles Minor, of Carmel, and has three daughters. On an adjoining page will be found Mr. Blake's portrait, taken at the age of thirtj^-two years. Hon. Jackson O. Dykman was born in the town of Patter- son in Putnam county. His great-grandfather, Joseph Dykman, settled in what is now the town of Southeast, in Putnam county, and beeame a captain in the Continental Army of the Revo- lutionary War. His early life was the uneventful career of a boy in the county attending the common school of the neighborhood and working on a farm. In this manner he obtained sufficient education to enable him to teach a common school at a very early age. He pursued this occupation until he commenced the study of the law in the office of the Hon. William Nelson then a prominent lawyer at Peekskill, Westchester county, who manifested a lively interest in his advancement and gave him generous aid and assistance. After his admission to the Bar he settled in Cold Spring, Put- nam county, where he was shortly after elected to the office of school commissioner, and afterward to the office of district at- torney of the county. In the spring of 1866 ilr. Dykman removed to White Plains, in Westchester county, where he has since resided. In the fall of 1868 he was elected by a very handsome ma- jority to the office of district attorney of Westchester county, then a very responsible position, which he filled to the entire satisfaction of the people. He particularly distinguished him- self by the energy, skill and success with which he prosecuted the famous Buckhout murder case, one of the celebrated cases in the history of the county. In the fall of 1875 Mr. Dykman was elected to the high office of justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York for the Second Judicial District by a union of both political par- ties. He was nominated and supported as the regular candidate of the republican party and elected by the people by a majority exceeding ten thousand. 238 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. That nomination made by a party with which he had never acted was a splendid tribute to his ability, and the result has^ shown that the confidence of the people was not misplaced. In the performance of his Judicial duties Judge Dykman is ever patient, affable and courteous. He is kind and obliging to the members of the bar, especially to the younger lawyers. Judge Dykman has been a member of the general term of the Supreme Court from the time he took his seat on the bench, and his opinions in that court in the numerous cases on appeal evince laborious research, sound Judgment and discretion, and absolute fairness and impartiality, and demonstrate the pro- priety of his elevation to the high Judicial position he occupies. At the circuit for the trial of cases he is a favorite with both lawyers and suitors for his patience and impartiality. He manifests great love for Justice and right and deep abhorrence for wrong and oppression. Judge Dykman is emphatically a man of the people, with whom he has always mingled freely and sympathized fully, and whose interests he has ever been ready to maintain and defend; and he listens with willingness to the petitions and complaints of all, and the people love him and place reliance upon him. He is a man of simple habits and modest deportment, but studi- ously observes the quality of amenity and propriety, and treats all with whom he comes in contact with great consideration and politeness. In many ways he is an illustration of what may be accomplished under our Republican institutions where the highest positions are within the grasp of all. By energy and perseverance he has risen to a high position without the aid of wealth or influence. The people have found him a man on whom they could rely and have accordingly bestowed on him their confidence and raised him to eminence, and it is not too much to say that he has fulfilled all their expectations. There never was a stain on his private character nor on his public record, and the breath of suspicion has never reached him. In his domestic and private life he has been exemplary and fortunate. He was early married to Miss Emily L. Trowbridge, of Peekskill, a descendant of the New Haven family of that name, a most excellent and domestic lady who aided and encouraged him in all his struggles, and he nevsr hesitated to declare that he owed his success and advancement to her untiring energy and zeal, her wise counsel and advice, and her laudable ambi. ■Y\£\Aa GENERAL HISTORY. 239 tion. In many dark days she showed him the silver lining of the dark cloud and gave him new hope and energy. She still lives to share his honors and his prosperity as she would his adversity, a noble example of a faithful wife, a devoted mother and a benevolent Christian woman. They have two sons, both of whom are lawyers. The elder, William N. Dykman, married Miss Bell Annan, and is prac- ticing his profession very successfully in Brooklyn. The younger, Henry T. Dykman, married Miss Ella B. Clyne, of Dutchess county, and is practicing law in White Plains, where he has accumulated a very good practice. Such is thti Honorable Jackson O. Dykman, the subject of this sketch, and his example may well be imitated by the young men of the county. He is a democrat in the broadest sense of the term, but not a partisan, and a consistent member of the Episcopal Church. George William Hokton, son of Morgan Horton, was born in Southeast, January 21st, 1857. He graduated at the State Normal School, Albany, in 1875. He studied law with Close & Robertson at White Plains, and graduated at the jSTew York University Law School in 1878, with the degree of LL. B. He practiced law in New York city and at Brewster, in Putnam county. He is nor at present in active practice. The following are at the present time in practice in Putnam county: Ambrose Ryder. Among the members of the legal profes- sion, a prominent place must be given to Hon. Ambrose Rj^der, who has been for many years closely identified with its in- terests and is at the present time the oldest practicing lawyer in the county. Judge Ryder was born in Southeast, on the old family home- stead near Peach Pond, March 5th, 1826; being the eldest child of Stephen and Betsy (Nichols) Ryder; a more extended account of whom will be found in the article on the "Ryder family," in another portion of this work. He was prepared for college at the North Salem Academj^ then under the care of Prof. John F. Jenkins. At this institution he was a fellow pupil of Gen. Darius N. Couch, and D. 0. Mills, the noted millionaire. He entered Williams College and graduated from that institution in 1846. After leaving college Judge Ryder 240 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Studied law in the office of Charles Ga Nun, Esq., of Carmel, and continued it with Henry B. Cowles. Having been admitted to the bar in 1849, he began the practice of his profession in the village of Carmel, where he has continued it till the present time. In the fall of 1851 he was elected to the office of county judge and was twice re-elected, holding the position for a period of twelve years. In February, 1878, Judge Ryder was ap- pointed county treastirer, to fill a vacancy occasioned by the death of Mr. John Cornish. In 1882, he was elected supervisor of Carmel and in the campaign of 1868, he was the republican candidate for the position of presidential elector. From the founding of the Putnam County Bank, he has been closely connected with its interests, and has held the offices of director, cashier, vice-president, and president, in which last position he still remains. Judge Ryder was married, October 22d, 1849, to Miss Mary Miranda, daughter of Rev. Shaler J. and Catharine Hilly er. The children of this marriage are Hillyer, the present treasurer of Putnam county; Clayton, a practicing lawyer in Carmel; Mary Grace, and Stephen. All the sons are graduates of Cornell University. Mrs. Ryder died April 23d, 1870. Hon. Edward Wright. Among the men of Putnam county who have risen by their own unaided efforts to positions of trust and honor, a prominent place should be given to Edward Wright, who was for twenty years judge of Putnam county. Robert Wright, the ancestor of this family, was a resident of that portion of Fredericksburg Precinct which afterward be- came the town of Carmel, before the Revolution, and his son, Robert, was a citizen of the same place till the time of his death, which occurred April 19th, 1852, at the age of 78. Robert Wright, jr., married Marian Cunningham, and they were the pa- rents of eight children: John, Robert, Edward, Ebenezer, Mary A., wife of Abel Ganong, Elizabeth, wife of Eleazar Ferguson, Phebe, and Delilah, wife of Smith Dean. John Wright is now living at Lake Mahopac, at the advanced age of 84. He married Sarah A., daughter of Ezra Frost, who was the brother of Joel Frost, the first surrogate of the county. The children of this marriage were Ebenezer, who died in 1848, unmarried, and Edward, the subject of this sketch. Judge Wright was born May 15th, 1826, on the old home- stead in Union Valley now owned by the heirs of Bailey Ga- Ji'n a ihj liBJjalfc J./ra LR' GENEJIAL HISTORY. 241 nong. During his boyhood he attended the village school, and after some experience as a teacher entered the Normal School at Albany, from which he graduated in 1848. After graduating he followed the business of teaching for several years, but his tastes and inclinations being for political affairs he soon became a candidate for local office. April 2d, 1850, he was elected town suj^erintendent of schools, which office he held by successive re elections until the system was abolished by the Legislature in 1856. In 1851 he was elected justice of the peace, holding that position until March, 1861, when he resigned, having been elected county clerk in November, 1860. The latter office he held for the term of three years. He was elected inspector of election April 3d, 1855, and town clerk April 7th, 1857. He was appointed census marshall and took the United States census of Putnam county in 1860. He was clerk of the Board of Supervisors from 1853 to 1856, and from 1858 to 1861. During his term as county clerk he engaged in the study of the law, and previous to his admission to the bar he was elected county judge, taking his seat in January, 1864. This responsible position Judge Wright continued to fill with ability and integ- rity till January, 1884. Having completed his law studies he was admitted to the Bar, May 16th, 1866, and his time not employed in the perform- ance of judicial duties has been devoted to the practice of his profession, in which he holds an honorable rank among the members of the Putnam County Bar. January 1st, 1850, he was married to Phebe E., daughter of Job C. Austin, a prominent citizen of the county. Their chil- dren are Lillie A., wife of Henry A. Gahn, and Mattie, wife of Willis A. Ganong. The home of Judge Wright is situated on the road to Croton Falls, a short distance from Lake Mahopac, being a portion of the farm of Benjamin Townsend, at whose house the first Methodist meetings in that section were held. This place he bought of John Beyea in 1850 and it has since been his home. A prominent member of the democratic party, Judge Wright has been a frequent delegate to State and judicial conventions, and his well merited success in official as well as financial matters is the natural result of steady perseverance and unceas- ing labor. 16 242 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Charles H. Ferris was born in Matteawan, Dutchess county, New York, in December, 1834. About two years after, he re- moved with his parents to Cold Spring, where he still resides. His parents, Philander and Mary A. (Lockwood) Ferris, were born in Connecticut. Soon after their marriage they located at Matteawan, N. Y., where two children, Elethea and Charles H., were born. His father was a mason and builder, and built many of the early buildings erected in Cold Spring, I^elson- ville and vicinity. His mother died in October, 1877. His father is still living, at Cold Spring, at the age of eighty. He has one brother and two sisters now living, viz., Elethea, wife of Smith Forman, Josiah and Amy J. Charles H. first attended school in the brick school house in Nelsonville, and afterward in some of the adjoining districts. About the year 1848 he was placed in a private school in Cold Spring, of which Professor Daniels was principal, and in which he remained three years. After leaving this school he com- menced the study of law in the office of Hon. J. O. Dykman in Cold Spring, where he remained for one year. In 1852, he en- tered the office of Close & Kobertson, at Mott Haven, West- chester county, N. Y., and remained with them until 1855. In that year he was admitted to practice as an attorney at law by the General Term of the Supreme Court, held at Brooklyn, N. Y. After being admitted to the Bar he continued in the office of Close & Robertson about one year, then returned to Cold Spring, and commenced the practice of the law, and has been very successful in his profession. In 1862, he was elected a Justice of the peace of his town, and has continuously held this office down to this time (except for about three months), a period of nearly twenty-four years, and for a large part of the time that he was justice of the fJeace, he also held the office of police justice of the town of Philipstown, under annual appointments by the police commissioners of that town. In 1865; he was appointed assistant assessor of Internal Revenue for the town of Philipstown by Andrew Johnson, president of the United States, and held this office until 1868. In 1866, he married Miss Mary A. Carey, daughter of William and Catharine Carey of New York city. She was a graduate of the Normal School, New York, and at the time of her mar- GENERAL HISTORY. 243 riage was, and for some years previous had been a teacher in the public schools in that city. They have two children, Katie L. and May A. Ferris, who, with an adopted son, Willie 0. Ferris, are now attending the same district school that their father attended, and in which district he has resided since he came to Cold Spring in 1836. William Carey, his wife's father, was a successful merchant in the city of New York until about 1860, when he retired from active business, built a residence in Harlem in which he has resided since that time; he is now about eighty years of age. His wife, Catharine, died in August, 1884. In 1868, he was elected school commissioner for Putnam county, and held the office for three years, giving general satis- faction throughout the county. In 1860 or 1861, he was initiated and became a member of Philipstown Lodge, No. 236, F. & A. M., at Cold Spring, and was thereafter elected its secretary, holding that office for six or seven successive years. In politics, he has been a democrat since 1862, and as such has been elected to the various offices he has held in his town and county. Hon. William Wood. Among the men who have risen to higli positions of trust and usefulness by their own unaided efforts, a prominent place should be given to Judge William Wood, who was born in County Down, near Belfast, Ireland, August 6th, 1842. His parents, Robert and Jane (Thompson) Wood, resolved to emigrate to America when he was yet a child, and a dim recollection of a spring that flowed by his father's door, and of a house that stood on an opposite hill, are the only memories that he brought from his' native land. Upon coming to this country in the spring of 1847, the family settled in Cold Spring, and the son obtained his early education in the public schools of that village. When he had reached a suitable age he was placed as an ap- prentice in the works of the West Point Foundry and learned the trade of an iron moulder and continued in that business till he reached his thirtieth year. An accidental circumstance led him to contemplate the study of law. Meeting with Samuel Owen, Esq., who was at that time the district attorney, and a prominent lawyer, he was urged bj' him to enter his office as a law student, and gladly 244 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. accepted his invitation. In his younger days he had been a member of a village debating society, and was distinguished for his ready eloquence, and it was one of the employments of his boyhood to attend Justices' Courts, and listen to the lawyers, as they examined the witnesses and made their pleas. He was clerk of the Board of Supervisors in 1873, and upon completing his term as a law student he was admitted to the Bar in Sep- tember, 1876. In November of the same year he was elected to the office of district attorney, and was twice re-elected, and after serving seven years, during which time he enjoyed an ex- tensive law practice, resigned the office to enter upon the duties of county judge, to which position he was elected in the fall of 1883. The popularity of Judge Wood was sufficiently attested by the fact that he was elected by a majority in every town in the county. He long held high rank among the masonic fraternity, being member of the Lodge, Chapter and Commandery. For many years he has been connected with the Presbyterian church at Cold Spring, and in all the relations of public and private life, there are few citizens who enjoy a higher degree of well merited respect and confidence. Judge Wood was married in 1875 to Miss Ellen, daughter of John and Sarah Groundwater. They are the parents of three children; Ellen C, Robert T., and Emily R. As a political speaker. Judge Wood has few superiors, and during the last two presidential campaigns he was engaged by the State committee to deliver addresses in various portions of the State. He has also been a frequent delegate to the State and Congressional conventions, and as a life long member of the republican party his weight and influence are fully recognized in its councils. Seymour Birdsall Nelson, son of Elisha Nelson, was born in Cold Spring, December 18th, 1843. He was educated at the Classical Institute, Tarrytown, and the Hudson River Institute at Claverack. He graduated at the Albany Law School in 1866 with the degree of LL. B., and was admitted to the Bar in the same year. He commenced the practice of the law in the office of George Gage at Morristown, New Jersey, in 1867, remaining there about a year, then removed to New York city where he continued to practice about a year. For a few years thereafter he was not engaged in practice. In 1874 he opened an office at GENERAL HISTOET. 245 Cold Spring, at which place he still continues in active practice. January 11th, 1870, he married Miss Greorgianna Carmichael, of Cold Spring. They have five children. He has held the office of justice of the peace since 1879. James Gardiner was born at Cold Spring, Putnam county, October 4th, 1842. His parents came to Putnam county in 1838 from Ireland. He was educated at the public schools of Cold Spring, studied law with C. H, Ferris of same place, and was admitted to the Bar in May, 1877. He has practiced in Cold Spring since that time. Abeam J. Miller, third son of John G. and Phebe A. Mil- ler, was born in the town of Somers, in the adjoining county of Westchester, on the 18th day of January, 1847. His parents moved to Carmel, April 1st, following, and he has remained a resident of Putnam county since. His boyhood was passed in the village of Carmel, where he enjoyed the ordinary advan- tages of a country school, until he was about sixteen years of age, when, after a year in the public schools of New York city, he entered the College of the City of New York, at that time the Free Academy. After two years he severed his connection with that institution and matriculated at Columbia College Law School, where he graduated May 19th, 1869, with the degree of LL. B. He located at Brewster, in the summer of that year and has since been engaged in the active practice of his profes- sion. He was appointed an assistant assessor of Internal Rev- enue, in 1870, and when that office was abolished, became a deputy collector, which position he held until August, 1883. In the autumn of 1884, he was elected district attorney of the county, which office he holds at present. William Henry Haldane, who was born in the village of Cold Spring-ori-Hudson, April 21st, 1851, belongs to a family prominent in Putnam county for many years. Mr. Haldane was graduated from Columbia College in 1872 and began the study of the law under direction of the distinguished advocate, Everett P. Wheeler, Esq., in New York. At the same time he attended lectures in the law school of that institution from which he received the degree of LL. B. in 1874, and was admitted to the Bar. Since then he has been entirely engaged in the general practice of his profession in New York, having stated times for attendance at his office in Cold Spring. 246 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Gepbge Edward Anderson, son of Peter and Mary (Austin) Anderson, was born at German Flats, on the Anderson Home- stead in the town of Carmel, June 24th, 1853. He was edu- cated in the district school and at the State Normal School, graduating from the latter in 1873. After teaching one term, he commenced the study of law in April, 1874, with Calvin Frost, Esq., of Peekskill, N. Y. He graduated at the Albany Law School with the degree of LL. B., and was admitted to practice in May, 1876. In October of the same year he located at Car- mel, N. Y., where he has continued to practice his profes- sion ever since, having during all the time occupied an office with Hon. Ambrose Ryder. He has been the candidate of the democratic party for the offices of member of Assembly and district attorney, and was clerk of the Board of Supervisors three years. He was mai-ried September 6th, 1877, to Eliza, daughter of Jesse Agor, of the town of Carmel, and they have one son, Jesse Leslie Anderson, born April 28th, 1880. Ward B. Yeomans, son of Byron A. Yeomans, was born in Philipstown, April 24th, 1856. He was educated at Madison University and the State Normal School. He studied law with Hon. William Wood at Cold Spring and graduated at the Al- bany Law School in May, 1880, with the degree of LL. B., and was admitted to the Bar at the same time. In June, 1880, he commenced the practice of the law at Cold Spring and has con- tinued in practice at that place to the present time. He was married December 29th, 1882, to Miss Mary F. Morro, daughter of Julius Morro, of Brooklyn. Frederic Stone Barnum was born in Southeast, Putnam county, N. Y., June 17th, 1858. He was a son of the late Le Ray Barnum, of Southeast, and a grandson of the late Judge Stone of Patterson. At the age of thirteen he was sent to a boarding school at Redding, Conn., and went from there to the Chappaqua Institute in Westchester county, N. Y. He was prepared for college at Amenia Seminary, N. Y., and at Mr. Selleck's School, Norwalk, Conn. In 1875, at the age of seven- teen, he entered the Freshman class of Columbia College, and graduated with the degree of A. B. in 1879. He was one of the honor men of that year, and was nominated by the Faculty as: " One of the three most faithful and deserving students of the graduating class." In the fall of 1879 he entered the Columbia Law School, and 'Y'Tx^ d-^^e'-t^ -t- vP, /^ (ou-c^cy Ce GENERAL HISTORY. 247 graduated in 1881, receiving the degree of LL. B. [Cum Laude]. He was admitted to the Bar in Poughkeepsie May 21st, 1881, and continued his studies in the office of Close & Robertson, at White Plains, N. Y., until March, 1882, when he opened a law office in Brewster, IST. Y. In June, 1872, he received the degree of M. A. from Columbia College. January 4th, 1884, he was appointed by Governor Cleveland, district attorney of Putnam county and held the office one year. During his term as district attorney, two important criminal trials were successfully con- ducted: one being the case of " The People vs. Chester W. Merrick," indicted for the murder of Burns, and the other the case of " The People vs. James H. Riley," indicted for the mur- der of Hannah Sunderlin. Both cases excited great interest, and the defense in each was able and vigorous. Merrick was found guilty of manslaughter in the first degree, and Riley is now serving a life sentence in Sing Sing. In the fall of 1884 Mr. Barnum was a canidate for the office of district attorney on the democratic ticket, but was defeated by Abram J. Miller. In September, 1885, he was a delegate to the Saratoga convention which nominated David B. Hill for governor. Clattois" Ryder, son of Ambrose and Mary M. (Hillyer) Ryder, was born in Carmel, February 8th, 1860. He graduated at Cornell University in 1879; attended the Columbia Law School during the year 1880-81; was admitted to the Bar in the following December, and began the practice of law at Carmel in January, 1882, which he still continues. The following are at the present time living in Putnam county and practicing in New York city: Hon. Hamilton Fish, jr. To detail within the limits assigned us in this volume all that is either important or praiseworthy in the life of any individual is impossible. Mere outlines of lives in the history of a county famous for its prominent men must content us. They of themselves will form a larger production than was originally designed. Especially do we feel the depri- vation of space in recording the life of Hamilton Fish, jr. His steady devotion to the party whose principles he espoused entitles him to credit. His remarkable activity in the service of Putnam county is worthy of praise. Mr. Fish was born at the State capital, April 17th, 1849, 348 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. while his father was governor. In 1857, he accompanied the family on an extended European tour which continued some years. This was of great advantage to the young man in his studies, as it enabled him to combine experience with research. In 1869 he graduated from Columbia College. His father had just entered the cabinet of President Grant as secretary of State. Mr. Fish became his private secretary and remained in his service till 1871, when he entered the Law School of Columbia College, He graduated two years later and has since practiced his profession in New York city. His political services since the time of his graduation have been almost continuous. From 1873 to ■ 1874 he served as aide de camp on the staff of Gren. Dix, then governor of New York. During 1874-76-77-78 and 79 he represented Putnam county in the Legislature. Here he won the reputation and popularity as a political leader which he now enjoys. For the greater por- tion of his term at Albany he was chairman of the committee on cities. Many of the reform measures for the city of New York were intrusted to his care and the manner in which he treated them is highly creditable. Mr. Fish has been for many years chairman of the Republi- can County Committee of Putnam county. His careful man- agement of its affairs led to his appointment in 1884 as a dele- gate to the national convention at Chicago. At the beginning of his political career he found Putnam a strongly democratic county. The change which has taken place is largely due to Mr. Fish's efforts. The county is now republican. The inheritor of a time honored name, his education and as- sociations prompt him to guard it jealously. Depending on the advocacy of measures effecting permanent benefit, his polit- ical fame is built upon a lasting foundation. The advantages enjoyed by Mr. Fish in his educational facilities, the advice and instruction of a father whose name is familiar wherever American history is known, his constant association from early childhood with the greatest men of the times, and the rich store of experience gained in his various travels, have eminently fitted him for the positions he has already held, as well as for higher ones in the future. Mr. Fish married, April 28th, 1880, Emily M., daughter of the late Hon. Francis N. Mann, of Troy, N. Y. They have two daughters. GENERAL HISTORY. 249 Hon. Robert A. Livingston. One of the most promi- nent of Putnam county's citizens is Robert A. Living- ston. Though still a young man, his ample wealth, high social standing, and remarkable ability as a jurist have won for him a popularity and a position in the county, which are hardly equaled by any. Mr. Livingston is the senior member of the firm of Livingston & Olcott, at No. 4 Warren street. New York city, which is well known in real estate circles, and in the civil courts. He was born in New York city, February 6th, 1854, and is from the family whose history, as manorial proprietors in the days of the Dutch governors, is familiar to the American people all over the world. Among the many members of the family whose names have been handed down to fame are: John Livingston (born in 1603), the common ancestor of the family, and a lineal descend- ant of the fifth Lord Livingston, ancestor of " the Earls of Lin- lithgo " and Callender, in Scotland, who was an energetic preacher of the Reformed Church in Scotland, and was ban- ished in 1663, for nonconformity to prelatical rule: Philip, who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence; William, who was governor of New Jersey; Brockholst, a prominent soldier and jurist; Robert R., a prominent statesman and member of the First Continental Congress, also Chancellor of the State of New York, and the man who administered the oath of office to George Washington, the first president of the United States; Edward, a brother of the preceding, mayor of New York city, United States district attorney for the State of New York, sec- retary of State for the United States, and who was the author of the Criminal Code; and John H. Livingston, D.D., the well known theologian. Mr. Livingston was prepared for college at Grammar school No. 35, and by private tutors. After graduating from Colum- bia, in the class of 1876, he for two years pursued a course of study in the law school of that institution. On graduating from there he entered upon the practice of his profession, serv- ing for a time a clerkship in the office of Knox & Mason. Much of his knowledge of law was imparted to him by his uncle, the venerable and respected jurist, Charles 0' Conor. Acting under his advice, he only appeared during the first years of his practice in assigned cases in the higher criminal courts. Among the many famous criminal cases which Mr. Livingston 250 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. has been called upon to manage, was that of George Melius, the rear brakeman on the train which was wrecked in the Spuy- ten Duyvil disaster, at which, it will be remembered, Senator Wagner lost his life. Melius was charged with manslaughter, and though advised by many older lawyers that the case was a hopeless one, Mr. Livingston undertook its defense. At the trial he showed that the rear brakeman, though supposed by one set of rules to go back and signal a following train, if the train came to a stop, was, however, first compelled to make a report to his conductor. Mr. Livingston claimed that it was while obeying this rule that the accident occurred, and by so doing procured an acquittal. At another time he defended Alexander Armstrong, an old colored servant of the family of Cambridge Livingston. Armstrong was on trial for arson in the first degree. The prosecution proved that he had repeat- edly threatened to set on fire a tenement house in which he lived. It was also shown by a colored clergyman and his wife that Armstong on the night of the fire threw a lamp up to the ceiling, and thus set fire to his room. Mr. Livingston proved that the clergyman had served a term of years in Sing Sing for assault, and that on the night in question he and his wife attacked the accused and that in the sciiflie the lamp was upset. As a consequence, Armstrong was acquitted. These and many other cases, Mr. Livingston has managed with remarkable success and he now stands in the first rank among the lawyers of the day. Mr. Livingston has also paid considerable attention to poli- tics. He is a republican and has been twice elected to the Assembly as the representative of Putnam county, he being a resident of Garrisons. He was at one time a prominent candi- date for the speakership and has an exceedingly clear record in the House. He is looked upon as an honest, fearless and able legislator. Mr. Livingston has received the degrees of A.B., LL.B. and M.A., and is a member of the New York Bar Association. He is greatly respected throughout the county in which he lives, and by the profession of which he is such an able representa- tive. (^^^t^e^ JHy^^ CHAPTER XVII. THE MEDICAL HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. BY J. Q. ADAMS, M. D. Dr. Robert Weeks. — Ebenezer Fletcher. — Daniel Reed. — William G. Hopkins. — Aaron Carman. — Noah Hill Crane. — Dr. Howland. — Frederick Fletcher. — Ebenezer F. Boyd. — Dr. Barnum. — Asher Gilbert. — Dr. Adams. — Dr. Board- man, — Edward Crosby. — J. Homer Smith. — Frederick D. Lente. — Ira H. Walker. — Edward B. Turner. — Joseph H. Bailey. — Daniel Bull. — John Ham- ilton. — Joseph C. Crane. — J. Q. Adams. — Addison Ely. — Nathan W. Wheeler. — Jonathan F. Seeley. — Austin La Monte. — George W. Murdock. — Jared G. Wood. — Lewis H. Miller. — Edson Card, jr. — James Hadden. — Ernest Hebr- smith. — Medical Societies. IN order to form a just appreciation of the subject, it will be necessary to contrast the past with the present; the time when there were few medical colleges in this country, and now when they abound in the land; when medical books were scarce, the best medical library being worth less than $100, and now, when medical libraries count their thousands of volumes; when it took a week to go from New York to Boston; now the journey is performed in a few hours; when there were in this country but few roads, and those in wretched condition, upon which a carriage was scarcely seen, travelling being upon horse- back; now, riding at ease in fine carriages, with fine horses, through a country dotted with villages, and hamlets; then when there were but few hospitals or opj)ortunities for clinical study; now, when such facilities create unbounded rivalries which degenerate into systems of trade; then when there were but few medical men in this country, and those riding into two or three towns, encountering great trials and hardships; now with a superfluity. Then a physician received a preparation that would now be thought insufficient to admi^t one to practice, for his medical 252 HISTOEY OF PUTNAM COUKTY. education was such as he could pick up while serving an ap- prenticeship to some noted practitioner, during which he com- bined the duties of a student with many of the menial offices of a servant. No practice was to be seen but by the laborious mode of visit- ing the sick at their respective abodes, the infancy of our country not admitting of the establishment of hospitals, while the false delicacy of the people allowed no advantages from dis- section. Says McMasters: "He ground the powders, mixed the pills, rode with the doctor on his rounds, held the basin when the patient was bled, helped to adjust plasters, to sew wounds and run with vials of medicine from one end of town to the. other. His apprenticeship ended, the half educated lad returned to his native town to assume practice. Sunshine and rain, daylight and darkness were alike to him. He would ride ten miles on the darkest night over the worst of roads, in a pelting storm, to administer a dose of calomel to an old woman, or to attend a child in a fit." For his services he seldom received money. He was glad to get corn, oats, potatoes, a few hoop poles, a Jag of wood for his fireplace or the thanks of his patrons. He was present at every birth, he attended every burial, he sat with the minister at every death-bed, and put his name with the lawyer to every will. The use of anaesthetics was then unknown. The inhalation of ether or chloroform for producing insensibility was not known till 1846. Physiology was in its infancy, and pathology, as a science, was unknown. Not one of the many remedies which destroy disease, which hold in check the most loathsome maladies, and the most violent epidemics, was in use. ' The anticeptic method of treating open wounds, known as Listerism, was first practiced by Joseph Lister of Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1874. Vaccination was then also unknown. It was not until about 1763 that Edward Jenners' attention was first called to the sub- ject of prevention of small pox, his experiments extending over a period of thirty-three years before his discovery was recog- nized and established, which was in 1796. Dr. Robert Weeks was born in Tommyhawk Street, West- chester county, in 1772. He studied medicine with Dr. Elias GENEEAL HISTOKY. 253 Cornelius of Westchester county, and graduated at the Medical Department of Columbia College, New York city, in 1793. Soon after graduating he came to Carmel — probably in 1794 — where he practiced twenty-two years, when he died in 1816 at the age of 44. Dr. Weeks practiced here several years before this was Putnam county, and was very largely instrumental in having the several towns of Dutchess set off as Patnam county. He was in the Legislature at the time the act was passed. Dr. Ebenezer Fletcher was born in Pound Ridge, West- chester county, in the year 1774. He commenced the practice of medicine and surgery in Patterson in the early part of this" century. He was a short, well built, red faced man, active, energetic, and of great decision of character. His medical and surgical knowledge was above the average of his contemporaries. He performed many surgical operations successfully, was ever ready to go at the call of the sick, whether poor or rich, in win- ter or summer, cold or wet, and for nearly fifty years did an ex- tensive practice in the towns of Patterson, Kent and Southeast. He died in Patterson in 1852 at the age of 78. Dk. Daniel Reed located in Southeast sometime in the latter part of the eighteenth century, after the close of the Revolutionary War. He was a large, portly man with counte- nance beaming with benevolence, kindness and good will. His early medical education might have been limited but his large experience in all forms of disease for fifty years and his frequent consultations with his medical brethren made him a wise and successful practitioner, while his self confidence, genial manner and decision won the confidence and love of his patients. He always rode on horseback with large saddle-bags well filled, and a pipe ever in his mouth. In serioiis cases he was in no haste and frequently remained for hours and sometimes days, and Ms presence was so gracious and inspiring that it seemed to be a good medicine in itself. His ride was extensive and his pay small and often nothing. It was said that Putnam county owed hitn $10,000 for gratu- itous services. Dr. William G.Hopkins was born June 29th, 1788, on the farm on the hill about one mile south of the village of Carmel, then owned and occupied by his father, Thatcher Hopkins. He lived on the farm with his father until of age, when he began the study of medicine with Di-. Ebenezer White of the village of 254 HISTOET OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Somers, Westchester county, and continued studying with Dr. White until he attended lectures in the Medical Department of the University of New York in the year 1810. Among the pro- fessors were J. Augustin Smith, Valentine Mott and John Bard. He received his license to practice from the Medical Society of the County of Westchester in the year 1811, Dr. Munson Smith being president, and William H. Sackett secretary of the so- ciety. He practiced medicine with Dr. Robert Weeks of Car- mel village for some time. He was married June 30th, 1813, to Elizabeth, daughter of 'Hon. Joel Frost of the town of Carmel. In 1814 he settled on a farm about four miles south of Carmel on the road leading to the village of Somers, where he continued in the practice of medicine for twenty-nine years. He then sold his farm and moved to the village of Carmel, where he lived three years. Then he moved to the village of Peekskill in Westchester county, continuing his practice until near his death which occurred September 8th, 1870. De. Aaron Carman was born February 25th. 1798, in Philipstown, then Dutchess county, now Putnam Valley, Put- nam county. His preliminary education was obtained in Put- nam Valley. He studied medicine from 1817 to 1819, with his cousin. Dr. Samuel Carman, at Pleasant Valley, east of Pough- keepsie, Dutchess county; also with Dr. James Fountain from 1819 to 1821 in Jefferson Valley, Westchester county. He at- tended lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York city, in 1821 and 1822, where he graduated May 25th, 1822. He commenced the practice of medicine in Lancaster, Pa., where he remained only nine months, when he moved to the Highlands, Putnam county, where he practiced two years. He then located at Lake Mahopac, where he practiced fifty-eight years. He was made a member of the Westchester County Medical Society April 16th, 1822. He became a member of the old Medical Society of the County of Putnam February 6th, 1828. He was married to Hannah Lane, daughter of Nathan Lane, of Putnam Valley, January 8th, 1823, and to his second wife, Mary H. Biggs, widow of Daniel Biggs, and daughter of Stephen D. Bailey, December 4th, 1861. He died at Lake Mahopac in 1882, at the age of 84. Relatives surviving him GENERAL HISTORY. 255 are his wife, Mary H. Carman, and his daughter, Mary S. Car- man. Dr. Noah Hill Crane was born in Carmel in 1787. He was the son of Joseph and Chloe Hill Crane. He studied medi- cine with Dr. Elias Cornelius in Tommyhawk street, West Somers, Westchester county; also with Dr. John Cornelius of New York city, and graduated at the College of Physi- cians and Surgeons in New York city. He practiced for a time there, and finally came to Carmel, where he practiced until about the time of his death. Soon after coming to Carmel, he married Susan Warring. Dr. Crane was held in high esteem for his knowledge of medi- cine, his skill in detecting disease, and his success in the treat- ment of different cases. He lived on the Warring homestead, now the Smalley House, until a short time before his death, when he went to the old homestead two miles south of Carmel village, where he died in 1836 at the age of 49 years. Dr. Howland was born of Quaker parentage in Pawling, Dutchess county, in the year 1786. He practiced medicine in Patterson for several years, where he died at the age of 57 years. Dr. Frederick Fletcher, son of Dr. Ebenezer Fletcher, practiced medicine in Patterson several years between 1838 and 1850, then went West and died at St. Paul, Minn. Dr. Ebenezer F. Boyd was born in Fishkill, Dutchess county, July 6th, 1812. He attended the school of the Rev. E. P. Benedict in Patterson, after which he read medicine with his father, William D. Boyd, M. D., at the homestead in Fishkill. He attended lectures at the University Medical College and X graduated in 1834. He commenced the practice of medicine in the village of Cold Spring immediately after graduating and there remained until his death which occurred December 21st, 1839, at the age of 27 years. Soon after making his home in Cold Spring he married Caro- line Colwell of Fishkill, by whom he had one child, a son, who is now living in Oswego in this State. Dr. Boyd was doubtless a member of the old County Medical Society. Dr. Edward Crosby writes: "The physicians of Carmel in their order as I remember them: 266 HISTOIiY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. " Dr. Baknum lived where Benjamin D.Crane's house now stands; his office was the brick part attached to that house. "Dr. AsHEE Gilbert, student of Dr. Nehemiah Perry, of Ridgefield, Conn., lived where the late Mr. Jas. D. Little's house now stands. " He was a very creditable practitioner and could have com- manded a good practice in his profession, but, alas! he was a victim of intemperance. " He died at his brother's, Dr. Wheeler Gilbert, inBeekman, Dutchess county, about 1838. "Dr. Adams lived at the old Warring place now Smalley House. He was there only two or three years, and died there. "Dr. Boaedman came to Carmel about 1835. lived, I think, in the Charles Minor house, was there some four or five years and I think went back to New Milford, Conn., where he came from." Dr. Edwakd Ckosby writes: "Now when I come to write of my own career in Carmel I cannot think of very much to say. All my early life associations, social and religious, are centered about Carmel, of the old Gilead church and society mor© especially, the recollections are truly pleasant. ' ' Nor can I say any less of my professional relations with my brethren of the medical staff. If there ever has been any chaf- ing between brethren, they had the wisdom to not allow even the smoke to be seen in the air. I commenced my medical life by reading medicine with my uncle, the late Noah H. Crane, in 1835. "After his death I read with Dr. Howland of Patterson, and also, while teaching, with Dr. Lewis H. White of Fishkill. "In 1837 and 1838 I attended a partial course of lectures in New Haven: Anatomy, by Prof. Night, Chemistry by Prof. B. Silliman, Materia Medica and Therapeutics by Prof. TuUy, and Practice of Medicine by Prof. Ives. " I also attended two full courses at Jefferson Medical Col- lege, Philadelphia, and graduated March 6th, 1840. With gratitude and thanksgiving for my successes and with sorrow for my failures, I have attended on the calls for my professional services these 46 years." Dk. Homer Smith was born on the' 9th of July, 1811, in Washington, Conn. He was a son of Amos Smith and a de- scendant of John Smith, who came from England in November, 1648. Dr. Smith, after obtaining an academical education at GENERAL HISTORY. 257 Litchfield Academy, Conn., and other institutions, commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Cooper of Poughlveepsie, and after pursuing the usual course of study was licensed to prac- tice medicine and surgery by the Dutchess County Medical Society. He commenced the practice of medicine in Southeast in De- cember, 1840, and was assiduously devoted to the duties of his profession up to the time of his death from typho malarial fever, December 27th, 1884, at the age of 73 years. Dr. Smith was married to Miss H. 0. Knapp in 1869, who with two chil- dren survives him. Frederick D. Lente, A. M., M. D.' '-So rapidly fly the hours that it is well to pause occasionally amid our haste and labors to note the changes that they bring. " This very evening a paper was to have been presented before this Academy by our esteemed associate. Dr. Frederick D. Lente. " It is my painful duty to announce that the appointment will not be kept. Again the remorseless scythe has been at work, and under the shadows of the Highlands, amid the scenes of busy and eventful years, our honored friend is sleeping the immortal sleep. " In many respects Dr. Lente' s professional career was anoma- lous, as his character was remarkable. " What our specific duty is, in the equation of life, must, from the very nature of things, ever remain a varjnng quantity. Our estimate of our personal duty, however, depends largely, if not chiefly, upon our personal capabilities of estimating the specific work required of us. Working simply for the work's sake — to kill time — however laudable the work may be, is not our idea of the highest devotion to duty. Our highest idea of duty is the highest conception of duty of which one's mind is capable. "He who has always lived in the valleys and has never trod the mountain tops can have but a meagre appreciation of un- folding panoramas of sleeping lakes and nestling villages, and the broadening far- off prospect beyond the hills. As he ascends, though, from one altitude to another, and his vision fakes in a wider survey, his conceptions of ' the far off, unattained, and ' A Memorial read before tlie New York Academy of Medicine, November 1st, 1883, by T. Herring Burohard, A. M., M. D. 17 258 HISTORY 01' PUTNAM COUNTT. dim ' become changed, and vague surmises now give place to actual knowledge. But, as we ascend the horizon recedes; ' Hills peep o'er hills,. and Alps o'er Alps arise,' and so to those choice minds of highest attainment are given broader vistas and wider fields for the employment of noble and generous deeds. And ever, as these adventurous climbers ascend, their eyes are gladdened and their hearts are cheered with loftier aspirations. Humanity rolls like a mighty ocean, at their feet, and, though cold its waters and unfathomable its mysteries, they press higher and higher to fire the beacon lights. "Dr. Lente, modest, unpretentious, gentle as he was, stood on the very mountain top, and from his exalted observation took in a broad conception of life, with all its incidental duties and obligations. Extreme conscientiousness might well be predi- cated of him as his predominant characteristic. Never have T met the man whose regard for truth was so immutable. The keenest justice, even in most trivial matters, governed in all his dealings. Honor was dearer to him than life. His professional obligations to his patients, his sense, of professional responsi- bility he regarded as but second to his accountability to God. Sensitive of the rights of others as he was of his own integrity, neither intimidation nor reward could swerve him from his own high sense of right. "Slander and vituperation, ever venomous, ever foul, sink infinitely beneath contempt when incited by professional jeal- ousy, bigotry, and pique. The vicious intolerance breathed against Dr. Lente at Saratoga, while it failed to seriously annoy him, did awaken his profound mortification that in his profes- sion such narrow-mindedness and illiberality could be found. "Life with Dr. Lente meant work; to him it was full of achievable possibilities. Indefatigable as a student, retiring late and rising early, he turned to profit the midnight hours. Mere physical fatigue was no excuse with him for mental inac- tivity. So, when his tired limbs refused to carry him, often have I found him, late at night or in the early morning, bol- stered in his bed, surrounded with his books and periodicals. "All that he did was done with rare thoroughness. Dis- daining ostentatious display, and depreciating superficially, the purpose of his studies was to make himself the master of his subject. Access to his thoughts meant more than mere in- tellectual acquaintance. His mind was a living Thesaurus of ^^...i/^ST^^^a^^ // GENERAL HISTORY. 259' information, facts, and theories, gathered with great discrimina- tion from the widest domains of science and the arts. And yet, studeat as he was, his studies never led him into devious and idle speculation. He was extremely practical in all he did. Physicallj' delicate, but with powers of endurance that were phenomenal, with an energy that was untiring, and a devotion to duty that was sublime, he brought to the practice of his pro- fession a mind of richest and most varied acquisitions, an ex- perience that was remarkable for its variety and scope, and a heart ever mellowed with kindliness and good cheer. As a diagnostician he was painstaking, thorough, and exact. Hap- hazard diagnosis he deplored, and no opportunity for brilliant display ever tempted him into the hasty expression of an im- mature opinion. As a therapeutist, his intimate acquaintance with drugs and his extensive studies in physiological medica- tion made him, at once, skillful and distinguished. As a prac- titioner, his fertility of expedients is illustrated in numerous inventions, formulee, and instruments in general professional use. In the widest sense of the word he was the good physi- cian — skillful, devoted, self-sacrificing. Indifferent to his own infirmities, and oblivious of his personal comfort, he brought to his patient's relief a strong brain, a ripe experience, a tender heart. As a' scholar, he was an active or honorary member of most of the leading societies. He was one of the founders and an early president of the American Academy of Medicine, and a frequent contributor to current popular or professional journ- alism. Whatever came from his pen commanded attention. His most important contributions were his papers on 'The Treatment of Intermittent Fever by the Hypodermic Injection of Quinine,' ' The Sedative Action of Calomel in Disease,' 'Intra- uterine Medication.' etc. "Dr. Lente was born in Newbern, N. C, in 1823. He gradu- ated from the University of North Carolina in 1845. He studied medicine in the office of our distinguished confrere. Professor Alfred C. Post, and graduated from the Medical Department of the New York University in 1849. During the following two years he served as house sui'geon under Valentine Mott in the New York Hospital. In 1851, having been appointed sur- geon to the West Point Foundry, the doctor removed to Cold Spring, where, in 1853, he married Mary, the accomplished daughter of William Kemble, Esq. 260 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. " Mrs. Lente, one son and three daughters survive him. "Dr. Lente' s professional career at Cold Spring was one of remarkable success. His reputation as consultant and surgeon reached literally from New^ York to Albany. So highly prized were the practical advantages of Dr. Lente' s office that a popu- lar question among New York and Bellevue Hospital men once was: 'After leaving the hospital, is it Cold Spring or Europe.' ^ " In 1870 the doctor received and accepted the appointment as professor of gynaecology in the Medical Department of the New York University and assistant surgeon to the Women's Hospital. After a year's arduous service in the city, inter- rupted by numerous professional calls up the Hudson, he re- tiarned to his former home, where he continued in active prac- tice until failing health compelled him to seek a more genial climate. " Relinquishing a lucrative practice, he betook himself to Palatka, Fla., for the winter, and to Saratoga for the summer months. " It was at the latter place, and after a season of unusual activity and fatigue, that he was taken ill with cerebro- spinal meningitis. Fortunately he was able to return to his family at Cold Spring, where, on the 11th -of October, in the sixtieth year of his age, he peacefully breathed his last. "And thus ends the record of a noble man. He dignified his manhood by his consistent Christian life, and to his profession he added luster and renown." Dn. Ika Henophan Walker was born in Roxbury, Conn., in 1810. He studied medicine with Dr. Seth Shove of Bedford, Westchester county, N. Y., commencing about 1830 or 1831. March 6th, 1835, he was licensed to practice medicine by the Connecticut Medical Society, and March 1st, 1836, he graduated from Yale College. In February, 1836, he came to Carmel, and began practice. In August, 1837, he was commissioned surgeon's mate of the 61st Regiment of Infantry of the State Militia, by Hon. William L. Marcy, governor and commander-in-chief of all the militia at our city of Albany, the 10th of August, 1837. Dr. Walker in his profession stood above the average of his con- temporaries, and was highly esteemed in social circles. During his brief medical life he was an honor to the profession, and the community in which he lived. GENERAL HISTOEY. 261 He died in Carmel, N. Y., of typhoid fever, in 1839, at the age of 29 years. His only surviving relative so far as known is Emily Walker Sloat, only child of Dr. Walker, and wife of William H. H. Sloat of Carmel village. Mrs. Sloat has three children, one son and two daughters. Dk. Edward B. Turner was born in Roxbury, Delaware county, I^. Y., May 5th, 1851, where he received his preliminary education. After reading medicine for a time in the office of two or three practicing physicians, he attended his first course of lectures at Harvard Medical College in 1872 and 1873. He graduated at Bellevue Medical College in 1874. Soon after graduating he settled in Montrose, Westchester county, N. Y., where he remained in practice two years, when on ac- count of threatened failure of his health, he removed to Lake Mahopac in May, 1876. He remained there with varying changes of health until his death which occurred Angust 2d, 1885, at the age of 34 years. Of his success as a practitioner, and his judgment as a physi- cian it may be said that he was above the average. In medical practice he was seldom found in the wrong and in surgery he possessed unusual tact and ability. Dr. Joseph Hayward Bailey was born in Fredericktown, Dutchess county, N. Y., October 20th, 1803. He studied medi- cine with his father, Dr. Rowland Bailey, and graduated at Rutger Medical College, New York city, in 1827. From 1827 to 1830 he practiced medicine in Kent with his father. He then went to New York city where he practiced with his brother Benjamin Bailey until 1834, when he was appointed assistant surgeon U. S. Army. He retired from active service in 1862. He died at Kent Cliffs in 1882 at the age of 79 years. Dr. Daniel Bull was a practicing physician in the South Precinct of Dutchess county as early as 1772. During the Revolution he was a tory and was one of the meti who were arrested, and whose papers were signed by Col. Ludington by order of the Provincial Congress. He had a daughter, Cornelia, who married Joseph C. Field, who was a member of the Legis- lature in 1803. Dr. John Hamilton was a physician and was living on south side of Lake Mahopac at " Hoquets Point" in 1780. No further mention is made of him. 262 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Dr. Joseph Crane. See history of Crane family. Dr. J. Q. Adams' was born in Rushford, Alleghany connty, N. Y., December 31st, 1827. When six months old he went with his parents, John and Huldah Adams, to the old home- stead in Cavendish, Windsor county, Vt., where his grand- father, Timothy Adams, was then living. This family is de- scended from Henry Adams who came from England in 1640 with seven sons, and from them are descended the illustrious family of that name whose names and deeds are no small part of our nation's history. The early education of Dr. Adams was obtained at Black River Academy, Ludlow, Vt., and in the spring of 1848 he com- menced the study of medicine with Dr. A. Lowell of Chester, Vt. Here, to use his own expression, he remained until October, spoiling the doctor's spatulas by heating them in the stove to spread plasters with, breaking his graduated measures, and wasting his medicines by blunders in making pills. He then went to the Vermont Medical College at Woodstock, and re- mained one year. In the summer of 1849 he attended a course of lectures at Berkshire I/Tedical College, Pittstield, Mass., and in the autumn went to New York and matriculated in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and attended lectures and hospital practice two years. In 1852 Dr. Adams went as surgeon on the ship " Henry Clay " to England, and while the vessel remained in j)ort he embraced the opportunity to increase his knowledge of the profession by attending lectures and hos- pital practice. Upon returning to New York he practiced for a few months and through an accidental acquaintance he was induced to come to Carmel in the early part of 1853, and decided to make that place his permanent residence. The breaking out of the Civil War found Dr. Adams prompt to aid in the cause of the Union, and in Aagust, 1862, he was appointed surgeon of the 172d Regiment N. Y. Volunteers, then organizing at Yonkers. This regiment, however, failed to complete the number of men, and was consolidated with another which was already supplied with a surgeon, and the doctor was relieved in con- sequence. He then went to visit friends at Fort McHenry, Baltimore, ■By Wm. S. Pelletreau. A./4). GENERAL HISTORY. 263 and from that place went to the army then between Falmouth and Bell Plain, Va. In January, 1863, he returned to Wash- ington, and applied to the War Department for a position in the U. S. Volunteer Corps of snrgeons. His application was suc- cessful, and he was appointed to duty in Finley Hospital in Washington. In due time he was commissioned assistant sur- geon with the rank of 1st Lieut, from the 27th day of February, 1863. The commission was signed by Abraham Lincoln and the doctor justly considers it as one of his choicest treasures from the labor it cost to obtain it and to execute its duties, and for the signature of the illustrious man attached to it. In April, 1863, he was ordered to report for duty to Brig. Gen. Carleton, commanding the Department of New Mexico at Santa Fe. Accordingly he travelled by rail to Kansas City, and then embarked on an old fashioned thorough brace stage drawn by four horses, and with nine passengers as companions, started on a long and dangerous journey of 1,300 miles. At 11 o'clock at night they were startled by a summons to halt, and found themselves surrounded by a band of Quantrell's Gruerillas. The passengers were quietly ordered to alight, and were soon dispossessed of their many valuables, excepting one woman whom the brigands chivalrously allowed to depart with all her property, unharmed, while the male passengers were held prisoners in a dry goods store of which the guerillas had taken possession. The doctor's profession was no protection to him, and his trunk was quickly pillaged, and all the contents scat- tered, and divided among the "Jay Hawks," as this class of robbers were then called. After being left in durance vile for two hours they were released by the departure of the guerillas, who took with them the stage horses, and the driver was com- pelled to borrow more, and on resuming their journey they found at the next station a Union soldier who had been shot by the gang and was dying. At another place they found a house where the inmates had been compelled to provide food for the robbers and were then robbed of what little they possessed. After a succession of such adventures he at length reached Santa Fe, and reporting to the general he was assigned to duty at the military post of Los Cruces, and proceeded thither by stage a distance of 300 miles, and arrived on the 1st of June, finding the hospital a large and commodious building, and the 264 HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. place one of comparative comfort after his hardships and trials, although the mercury rose to 110 degrees every afternoon. At this place he remained five months, and on the 1st of November vs^as ordered to report to Capt. Whitlock, command- ing at Quince River, seventy-five miles from Los Cruces, and on the divide of the Rocky Mountains. Here he found many things of interest while investigating the ruins that remained of the vanished race of the Aztecs. In September 1864, he was ordered to accompany an expedition with 200 men under Col. Davis through the southern borders of Arizona, and the northern part of Mexico. On this expedition they spent two months, and upon their return he was ordered to Fort Stanton, where he remained until July, 1865. It was here that he heard of the death of President Lincoln, one month after its occurrence. In July, 1865, he was ordered to Fort Bliss, Texas, and reported in August. While here he received the commission of brevet surgeon with rank of major, dated March 13th, 1865. December 9th, 1865, the war being ended, he was discharged from the service. Returning to Los Cruces he engaged in i)rivate practice until the last of March, 1866, and then set out on horseback with a merchant train for the States, and after a difficult and perilous journey reached Kansas City and in June came to Washington, D. C. In November, 1866, Dr. Adams returned to Carmel and re- sumed his practice which he has since continued. He married Miss Sarah L. Spaulding of Proctorsville, Vt., August 15th, 1853; she died in December, 1867. In February, 1870, he was married a second time to Miss Helen Y. Smith of Chester, Vt. Their children were: John Quincy Adams, born March 26th, 1878, and Florence, born No- vember 28th, 1880. The latter died July 7th, 1881. Dr. Adams is a jarominent member of the Putnam County Medical Society and is also a member of the Medical Society of the State of New York. In his practice in this county he is popular and enjoys a large share of the public confidence and esteem. He is surgeon of Crosby Post, No. 302, G. A. R. ; a Master Mason, and now holds the office of junior warden in the lodge; a Royal Arch Mason, and holds the office of scribe in the" chapter; a Knight Templar, and a thirty-two degree Mason, being a member of four bodies of Ancient Scottish Rite Masonry, :> tq a 3 HaU'.i Scr.i, N T GENERAL HISTORY. 265 meeting in the Masonic Temple of New York State, in New- York city. Dr. Addison Ely, of Carmel, N. Y., was born at Westfield, Mass., in 1814, and was a son of Elihu Ely and grandson of Captain Levi Ely of West Springfield, Mass., who was killed at the battle of Mohawk in October, 1780, in the Revolutionary War. Dr. Ely, after obtaining an academical education at Green- ville, N. Y., and Williamstown, Mass., and pursuing the usual course of the study of medicine under Dr. Abbott of Westfield, Mass., Dr. Baily of Kingston, JST.'j., and Dr. J. S. Fountain, of Yorktown, N. Y., and attending a course of lectures at the Berkshire Medical College, Mass., was licensed to practice medicine and surgery by the Massachusetts State Medical Society. He afterward attended a course of lectures at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, N. Y., at the N. Y. Hospital, etc. After practicing for three years in New York city he located in Carmel in 1838, where by his devotion to his profession and his success as a general practitioner — particularly in diseases of the chest and diseases of children — he secured an extensive practice which he was able to retain until age and impaired health prevented his attending to it. Dr. Elj'' was for fifteen years examining surgeon for the U. S. Pension Department, and for many years physician to the County Almshouse, and is now one of the censors of the County Medical Society. He was mar- ried in 1834 to Hannah, daughter of Ephraim and Rachel (Osborn) Wright, of Somerstown, Westchester county, N. Y., with whom he is still living in Carmel. Dr. Nathan W. Weeler, who is one of the oldest and best known physicians of Patnam county, was born in the town of Easton, Fairfield county. Conn., December 22d, 1815. His pa- rents, Nathan and Clorine Wheeler, were of Scotch descent, the family having come to this country about 1760. Dr. Wheeler was educated at Easton Academy, where he was a student under the well known Rev. S." Irenaeus Prime, D. D. His medical studies were begun under the direction of his uncle. Dr. William Wheeler, who practiced at Merrick, Long Island, and he graduated from the Berkshire Medical College in 1887. He commenced practice at Newton, Conn., where he remained 266 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. three years, and then removed to Southeast, Putnam county, where he practiced two years. Dr. Wheeler came to Patterson in December, 1842, and has ever since continued in that place in the practice of his pro- fession. For many years he resided on the farm belonging to his father-in-law, and afterward purchased it. It is now the prop- erty of Kent Henion, Esq. The present residence of Dr. Wheeler is in the village of Patterson. It was built in 1860. Dr. Wheeler married Mary, daughter of Dr. David Howland, a prominent physician of the last generation. Their children are Carrie, wife of Edward Doane, Esq., and Isabel, wife of James Cornwall, Esq., of Patterson. The former died in 1881. Dr. Wheeler is a member and supporter of the Episcopal church of Patterson, and has long been identified with it. He is a member of the Putnam County Medical Society, and one of its reorganizers. For four years he was its president, and the first delegate to the State Society. Dr. Wheeler's long and active practice has made him familiar to the people over a wide extent of country, while his skill and ability are attested by his undeniable and well recognized success. Dr. Jonathan F. Seeley. About a mile and a half north of Doansburg, and a half mile north of the line between South- east and Patterson, is an old homestead and farm, formerly the residence of Abijali Seeley, who was born in Trumbull, Conn., March 10th, 1777, and came to this county about the beginning of the present century. He set up his trade as a blacksmith, and also purchased a large farm at what is now known as "Deuel town," a hamlet near the south line of Patterson, the place being now owned by John Steinbeck. Mr. Seeley after- ward purchased the homestead mentioned above, and made it his home during the remainder of his life. He died August 4th, 1861, at the age of 84. Mr. Seeley married Elizabeth, daughter of Jeremiah Hopkins, February 26th, 1801. She was born August 3d, 1783, and died March 9th, 18.'58. The children of this marriage were: Jeremiah H., Thomas P., Mary, wife of David Tompkins of Cayuga county, N. Y.; Dr. Johathan F., Eliza, Belinda, Euphemiaand Francis A. The only members of this family now living are Mrs. Tompkins and Dr. Jonathan F. Seeley, the subject of this sketch. (^o^.j".^ Aj. 'CC^ _^^^^,,,^^ ^,;4i&l^^-cri^^ '>hj^^ tLnqi tni MB Sails Suns, Nsw'yo-rh GENERAL HISTORY. 267 Dr. Jonathan F. Seeley was born on the old homestead, May 29th, 1809. When a boy he attended the public school and was afterward a pupil of Dr. Russell J. Minor, who was well known as an instructor of the youth of the past generation. After leaving school, he became a teacher and served in that capacity for several years, in New Fairfield, Conn., York town and East Fishkill. Dr. Seeley began his medical studies with Dr. James Foun- tain, of Yorktown, Westchester county, who was quite famous as a physician. In 1833, he entered the Medical College of Fairfield, Herkimer county, N. Y., and was licensed to practice in 1834. Dr. Seeley began to practice at Yorktown and re- mained till 1846, when he removed to Sheboygan, Wis., and re- linquishing his profession, engaged extensively in farming. His parents having deceased. Dr. Seeley returned in 1866 to his native town, and has continued to reside on the old homestead till the present time. On this place, the home of their child- hood, Dr. Seeley and his sister, Mrs. Tompkins, pass their time in quiet usefulness, good and worthy representatives of a family of the old New England race. Dr. Seeley married Martha, daughter of Abraham Van Gel- der, of New York; she died in 1877. Their daughter, Isabella, died in the 11th year of her age. Mr. David Tompkins, who married Mary, daughter of Abijah Seeley, was a native of Yorktown, Westchester county. He re- moved to Cayuga county, N. Y., about 1836, and died there in 1878. They were the parents of three children, Amanda, Helen Gr., wife of Ezekiel Elting; and William S., all deceased. The only representative of this family is Mr. William Elting, son of Ezekiel Elting, and who is now living on the old homestead with Dr. Seeley and his grandmother. Austin La Monte, M. D., well known as a skillful and ex- perienced member of the medical profession, was born in Char- lotteville, Schoharie county, N. Y., April 23d, 1837. His father, Thomas W. La Monte, married Elizabeth Maria Paine, and Dr. La Monte is the youngest of six brothers. The ancestor of the family was Eobert La Monte, who came origin- ally from Scotland and the doctor's great-grandfather, William La Monte (born 1750, died 1847), was a soldier in the Revolu- tion. At the age of sixteen, the death of his father deprived him of parental care. 268 HISTOEY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. After pursuing the usual branches taught in the public schools, he entered the New York Conference Seminary and subse- quently stiidied medicine under the instruction of his uncle, Dr. William La Monte. He entered the Medical Department of the University of Michigan in 1859, and graduated in 1861. Dr. La Monte established his practice at Hyde Park, Dutchess county, where he remained nine years. After removing from that place, he passed a short period in travel, and came to Carmel, in January, 1871, where he com- menced a practice which he has continued till the present time. While at Hyde Park he became connected with the Dutchess County Medical Society, of which he is now an honorary mem- ber, and upon coming to Carmel was made member of the Put- nam County Medical Society and is still connected with that organization. He married Miss Sarah Berry, daughter of Peter N. Berry, of Dutchess county. Since making his home in Carmel he has gained a wide extended practice, and a well merited reputation as a skilled practitioner. Robert La Monte, the ancestor of the family, was born in 1725, and died in 1789, at North Hillsdale, Columbia county, N. Y., and is buried there. Dr. GrEORGE Wilson Murdock was born at Pulaski, Oswego county, N. Y., September 25th, 184R. His paternal ancestors were of Scotch origin, and early settlers in Vermont, where they were well known in its history. His. great-grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary army, and died while in service at Crown Point. Dr. Burdock graduated from the Col- lege of Physicians and Surgeons, of New York city, in 1867. He was student of medicine with the late Doctor James L. Little, of New York city. He afterward associated in practice for some years with the late Dr. F. D. Lente, of Cold Spring, N. Y. He has been in active practice at Cold Spring for eighteen years, and surgeon to the West Point Foundry for twelve years. He was president of the Putnam County Medical Society from 1881 to 1884, and is a charter member of the New York Sate Medical Association. He was hospital steward of the 1st Minnesota Cavalry. during the Indian Campaign in 1863, under G-eneral Sibley; also hospital steward and afterward assistant surgeon of the 15th Michigan Infantry in the Army of the Tennessee. He was married October 12th, 1875, to Miss Mary Paulding, daughter of P. Kemble Paulding, Esq., of Cold GENERAL HISTORY. 269 Spring, N. Y., and grand-daughter of James K. Paulding. He is widely known as a successful and skillful physician. Dr. Jared G. Wood was born in Katonah, Westchester county, N. Y., April 7th, 1835. He was educated at Union Academy, Bedford, and at the New York Normal School, graduating from the latter institution July 13th, 1854. He studied medicine at the Medical College of the University of the City of New York and took his degree in 1861. He first practiced at Croton Falls and in August, 1862, he received the unanimous appointment of the Examining Board, as surgeon of the 135th Kegt. N. Y. S. Upon retiring from the army he returned to Croton Falls and came to Brewster in April, 1883, and has since been engaged in practicing in that village. Dr. Wood, while engaged in teaching, was instrumental in founding the first teachers' association in Ms county, in 1854. He is an elder of the Presbyterian Church, Knight Templar, chaplain and ex-surgeon of Crosby Post, G. A. E,., and as a physician enjoys a large practice. His grandfather. Dr. Wil- liam Wood, was a surgeon in the Revolution. Dr. Wood mar- ried Miss Marie Antoinette, daughter of Harrison Pardee, in 1867. She died in 1885, leaving one son, Edward M. Lewis H. Miller, A.M., M.D., a well known and prominent member of the medical profession, was born in Bedford, West- chester county, N. Y., March 16th, 1852. His parents, Horace and Hannah Miller, were residents of that town, and repre- sentatives of one of the oldest families in the county. Dr. Miller remained at home attending the public schools and the Bedford Academy, till 1870, when he entered the Freshman class at Madison University. He graduated in 1874 with the degree A.B., and received the degree A.M. from the same institution a few years later. For several years after leaving college he was engaged in teaching and as a civil engineer. Resolving to study for the medi- cal profession he commenced with Dr. Seth Shove, entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York, and graduated in 1880 after nearly four years study. He commenced practice in the town of Patterson, where he remained nine months, and returning to New York, practiced in a New York hospital for four months. In 1881 he came to Brewster and established a practice which 70 HISTORY OF PtJTNAM COUNTY. he has since continued, and has made this village his permanent home. Dr. Miller is a member of the Putnam County Medical Society, and a delegate to the State Medical Society. His practice, which has steadily increased, now embraces a wide circuit of the sur- rounding country, and his. success in his profession is the result of careful preparation and earnest effort. Dr. Miller is the sur- geon of the Tilly Foster Mining Company, and also for the New York & New England and New York & Northern Railroad Companies. His skill has been demonstrated in the successful performance of several very complicated and dangerous surgi- cal operations, as well as in his treatment and management of the most malignant form of the epidemic diseases. He is a member of the Masonic order and chapter, is connected with the Baptist Church of Brewster, and is one of the trustees of the society. He was married in November, 1885, to Miss Flor- ence Mansfield, of Brooklyn, L. I. Dr. Edson Card, jr., the youngest of a family of fire sons, was born in the town of Stanford, Dutchess county, N. Y., January 14th, 1856. His father, Edson Card, sen., a native of Columbia county, took a very active part in the Anti rent Asso- ciation that existed between 1839 and 1847, and that received satisfactory rights by the election of Gov. John Young in 1846, the anti-rent candidate. His mother was the daughter of Silas Miller, Esq., of Columbia county, and relative of the Hon. Theodore Miller of same county, now judge of the Court of Appeals. A brother next older occupies an honorable position in the TJractice of law in the city of Poughkeepsie. His eldest brother, attorney and counsellor at law, with the Hon. Homer A. Nelson, in New York city, has established a wide spread reputation as an orator of great ability and mag- netism, and is nowiAssemblymau from the Sharon District in the State of Connecticut. He attended the public schools of his native county for sev- eral years, and at the age of 15 was placed under the special instruction of Hon. Edgar A. Briggs of Dutchess county, and continued there for three years, at the end of which time he re- ceived from Mr. Briggs (who was then the school commissioner of the 2d District of that county) a license to teach in the public schools of Dutchess county; which vocation he followed for GENERAL HISTORY. 271 five years with credit to himself and all concerned, having under his care at different times the largest public schools in the county managed by a single instructor, but his taste ran to the science of medicine, and at the age of twenty he placed himself under the instruction of Dr. J. P. Wilson, of Pleasant Valley, Dutchess county, 1^?. Y. Here, under Dr. Wilson, he continued for three years, at the same time continuing his vocation as teacher in the public schools. At the age of 23 he removed to New York city and entered the Medical Department of Columbia College; here he jiursued the regular course of study marked out by the faculty of said college, coming up for examination in half his studies at the end of the second year, and the remaining half at the end of the third year. Thus at the age of 26 he graduated, and received his diploma on the 16th day of May, 1882, as a physi- cian and surgeon. During his college course he was assistant to the following professors in their different branches of in- struction: Jno. C. Dalton and J. Gr. Curtis, professors on physiology; Alonzo Clark and Francis Delafield, jjrofessors on practice of medicine ; and Jas. W. McLane, professor on ob- stetrics; under all of whom he gained full confidence, and received letters of commendation. During his vacation in the summer of 1880, he was employed in the drug store of Charles H. Bowne, in the city of Pougli- keepsie, and during his vacation in the summer of 1881, he en- tered the oflBce of Dr. D. Guernsey, of Amenia, Dutchess county, N. Y., as a student and practicing physician under his direction. During the six months that he remained here he gained scores of friends and was chosen superintendent of the Presbyterian Sabbath school, and the community in general expected that on graduating he would return there to settle; but he decided that the field was already well covered there and began immediately to look about for some other place to follow his chosen profession. Finally deciding upon Lake Mahopac he removed thither July 13th, 1882, and now enjoys a satisfactory practice both from the people in the surrounding vicinity and also from the city people who annually visit this most delightful summer resort. His residence is now at the Thompson House. He has been a member of the Presbyterian denomination since 1874, and 272 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. has held the office of superintendent of Sabbath school at different times and places. Dk. James Hadden was born in Putnam Valley, September 19th, 1827. His father, Samuel Hadden, and grandfather, Wil- liam Hadden, were residents of the county He received his primary education at the public schools of Patnam county and at Union Academy, Bedford, Westchester county. In 1861, he graduated from the New York Medical College, receiving the degree of M. D. He studied medicine with Dr. A. G. Travis, of Kent, and Dr. John McKenney, of Illinois. He began the practice of medicine in New York city, and continued until 1862, when he joined the 95th Regiment, as surgeon, and con- tinued in the service till the close of the war, when he returned to New York city. In 1880, he removed to Patnam Valley, Putnam county, where he has continued to practice until the present time. He is a member of the Medical Society of the City of New York. Ernest Hebersmth, M. D., son of Rev. Orsamus H. Smith, for many years rector of Christ Church, Patterson, was born in Rensselaerville, Albany county, N. Y., on the 20th of January, 1840. He was educated chiefly by his father, until his twelfth year, when he was sent to the Balston Spa Institute. He prepared for college at the Cheshire Academy, Cheshire, Conn., and en- tered Hobart College, Gfeneva, N. Y., in 1857. He began the study of medicine under Dr. N. W. Wheeler, of Patterson, and graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of New York, in the spring of 1861. He was at that time a resident interne of Bellevue Hospital and re- mained until the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, when he entered the U. S. Navy as assistant surgeon, and served in that capacity until the close of the war. His principal service was under Admiral Farragut. He was present at the capture of New Orleans and Mobile, and took part in nearly all the battles fought under that great captain, and in the blockade of the Grulf porfs. He was once severely wounded in the face and hand, for which he was granted a pension in 1883. After resigning from the navy in 1865, he settled in New Orleans, engaged in private practice, and was immediately ap- pointed acting assistant sui'geon in the U. S. Array. He was assigned to duty at the military hospitals in that city, and as GENEEAL HISTORY. 273 attending surgeon upon officers and officers' families in the city. At one time during the yellow fever epidemic of 1867, he was for a week the only one of five medical officers attached to a large military hospital able to keep his feet, the other four, one of whom was his brother, Orsamus, being down with the fever. The following year an epidemic of cholera taxed the medical officers almost as severely, and the hospitals were discontinued. His services being no longer required, he resigned from the army and was soon after put in charge of the U. S. Marine Hos- pital Service, at New Orleans. He was transferred to the charge of the same service at New York in 1871, and in 1879 was transferred to the charge of the same service in San Francisco, v?here he finally resigned all government service in 1881. Returning to Patterson in 1882, he engaged in the private practice of his profession and is now associated with Dr. J. Sut- cliffe Hill. THE MEDICAL SOCIETIES OF PTJTlSrAM COUNTY. Very little can be learned of the old Medical Society of Put- nam county. The earliest positive date is 1828, when Dr. Aaron Carman of the town of Carmel became a member. Dr. Edward Crosby, who practiced in Carmel later, says that his uncle, Noah H. Crane, used to say that Dr. Fletcher (probably Ebenezer Fletcher) of Patterson, was the last president, and he died in 1852. Soon after the organization of the present society, Dr. Edward Crosby was appointed to look up the records and seal of the old society. He reported that he had made strict search but nothing could be found. The present County Medical Society was formed in 1874. July 7th, an informal meeting was held in the parlor of the Grleneida Hotel, Carmel, N. Y. Present: J. H. Smith, N. W. Wheeler, A. Ely, E. Crosby, J. Q. Adams, A. La Monte, M. A. Bailey and Fred. W. Bennett. J. H. Smith was elected chairman and M. A. Bailey, secretary. The chairman stated the object of the meeting and discussion followed. A resolution was passed to meet at the Gleneida Hotel July 28th, 1874, at 12 M., for the purpose of forming a County Medical Society, and it was signed by the eight physicians present. July 28th, 1874, an adjourned meeting of the physicians of Putnam county was held in the parlor of the Gleneida Hotel. Present: Dr. Aaron Carman, of Lake Mahopac, Dr. Edward 18 274 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Crosby, of Mahopac Palls, Dr. Joseph H. Bailey, of Kent Cliffs. Dr. M. A. Bailey, of Kent Cliffs, Dr. N". W. Wheeler, of Pat- terson, Dr. A. La Monte, of Carmel, Dr. J. Q. Adams, of Car- mel. Dr. A. Ely, of Carmel, and Dr. E.A. Hobbs, of Patterson. The following officers were elected: Joseph Howard Bailey, of Kent Cliffs, president; Edward Crosby, of Mahopac Falls, vice president; Matthew Arbuckle Bailey, of Kent Cliffs, secretary; John Homer Smith, of Brewster, treasurer; Austin La Monte, of Carmel, Ezra Allen Hobbs, of Patterson, John Quincy Adams, of Carmel, censors; Nathan William Wheeler, of Patterson, delegate to State Medical Society. A motion to appoint a committee of three to draft a constitu- tion and by laws was then made and carried. The president ap pointed as such committee, Drs. J. Q. Adams, J. H. Smith and M. A. Bailey. On motion adjourned to meet on the 11th of August, at 2 o'clock, P. M., same place. At an adjourned meeting, held on the 11th of August, nine members were present. A constitution and by laws were offered, read and adopted by articles. At the eighteenth regular meeting of the society, held Octo- ber 28th, 1879, the subject of incorporation came before the so- ciety, it having been discovered that it. was not legally incor- porated. A committee consisting of M. A. Bailey and N. B. Bayley was appointed to ascertain, and report at the next meet- ing what steps were necessary to legally incorpoi-ate the society. At the nineteenth regular meeting, held January 27th, 1880, the committee on incori^oration reported that it would be nec- essary for the incorporation of the society to meet, and hold our next annual meeting in the room in the Court House in Carmel in which the County Court had held its last session. A motion was made that the next annual meeting be held in the Court room of the county of Putnam. Motion carried. The sixth annual meeting was accordingly held in the Court House, and on account of the importance of the business trans- acted at that meeting the following copy from the minutes is given: " Pursuant to due notice given, the following physicians and surgeons, residing in Putnam county, State of New York, authorized by law to practice medicine and surgery, met to- gether at 11 o'clock, A. M., on Tuesday, July 27th, 1880, in the room in the County Court House in the village of Carmel, being GENERAL HISTORY. 275 the place where the last term of the Court of Common Pleas next previous to such meeting was held in Putnam county. "Present: Drs. Nathan Wm. Wheeler, of Patterson, John Homer Smith, of Brewster, Norman Brigham Bayley, of Brewster, Matthew Arbuckle Bailey, of Carmel, Austin La Monte, of Carmel, John Quincy Adams, of Carmel, Edward Crosby, of Carmel, George Wilson Murdock, of Philipstown. " Dr. N. W. Wheeler was elected temporary chairman.- Dr. N. B. Bayley was elected temporary secretary. Dr. M. A. Bailey moved that we proceed to organize a County Medical Society by the election of officers to serve one year. " The following officers were elected: President, Dr. N. W. Wheeler; vice-president, Dr. Geo. W. Murdock; secretary, Dr. N. B. Bailey; treasurer. Dr. A. La Monte; censors, J. H. Smith, Edward Crosby, J. Q. Adams. " The above minutes are placed on file in the county clerk's office in the county of Putnam, State of New York, as required by law in order to complete legal organization of the Putnam County Medical Society. "Dr. M. A. Bailey offered the following resolution: "Resolved that all the acts and proceedings of the organiza- tion known as the Putnam County Medical Society since the date of the organization, July 28th, 1874, be accepted and de- clared binding upon this society which has now been organized under the laws of the State of New York. " This resolution was seconded by Dr. Edward Crosby and unanimously adopted." Charter Members: John Quincy Adams, M. D.; Joined July, 28th, 1874; born Rushford, Alleghany Coiinty, N. Y., December 31st, 1827; graduated University Medical College, New York city, March 5th, 1853; residence, Carmel; censor, 1874, 1875, 1880; vice-president, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1881, 1882, 1883; president, 1884, 1885; delegate to State Medical Society, 1880 to 1884; became a member State Medical Society in 1884; late brevet major and surgeon U. S. Vol. Corps. Joseph Howard Bailey, M. D., U. S. A.; joined July 28th, 1874; born in Fredericktown, Dutchess county, N. Y., October 20th, 1803; graduated from Rutger Medical College, New York city in 1827; appointed assistant surgeon U. S. Army in 1834; retired from active service in 1862; residence, Kent Cliffs, Put- 276 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. nam county, N. Y. ; president Putnam County Medical Society in 1874 and 1875. Matthew Arbuckle Bailey, M. D.; joined July 28th, 1874; born at Fort Smith, Arkansas, December 21st, 1844; graduated from Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York city in 1871; secretary from 1874 to 1878 inclusive. Aaron Carman, M. D. ; joined July 28th, 1874; born in Phil- ipstown, Putnam county, February 25th, 1798; graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York city. May 25th, 1822; residence Lake Mahopac. Edward Crosby, M. D.; joined July 28th, 1874; born in South- east, Putnam county, N. Y., June 22d, 1812; graduated at the JefEerson Medical College, Philadelphia, Pa., 1840; residence, Mahopac Falls; vice-president, 1874; censor from 1877 to 1879 inclusive. Nathan William Wheeler, M. D.; joined July 28th, 1874; born Weston, Fairfield county. Conn., December 22d, 1815; graduated from Berkshire Medical College, Pittsfield, Mass., June 12th, 1838; residence, Patterson, Putnam county, N. Y. ; delegate to State Medical Society from 1874 to 1876 inclusive, and resigned as such April 24th, 1877; president from 1876 to 1880 in- clusive. Austin La Monte, M. D.; joined July 28th, 1874; born in Ciarlotteville, Schoharie county, N. Y., April 23d, 1837; gradu- ated from the University of Michigan Medical College in 1861 ; residence, Carmel, Putnam county, N. Y. ; censor 1874 to 1877 inclusive and in 1885; treasurer from 1877 to 1885 inchisive; delegate to the State Medical Society from 1877 to 1880. Addison Ely, joined July 28th, 1874; born at Westfield, Mass., in 1813; licensed by the Massachusetts State Medical Society in 1834; residence Carmel, Putnam county, N. Y. Ezra Allen Hobbs, M. D.; joined July 28th, 1874; graduated from Bowdoin Medical College, Maine, in 1869; censor 1874, 1875 and 1876; withdrew from the society October 30th, 1877, and went to South Framingham, Mass. Frederic William Bennett, M. D., joined July 28th, 1874; graduated from College of Physicians and Surgeons New York city, in 1873; residence, Brewster, Putnam county, N. Y.; with- drew January 23d, 1877, and went to Newark, N. J. John Homer Smith; born at Washington, Litchfield county. Conn.; joined July 28th, 1874; licensed by the Dutchess County GENERAL HISTORY. 277 Medical Society; treasurer in 1874, 1875, and 1876; censor, 1879 to 1884, inclusive; residence, Brewster, Putnam county, N. Y. Meetings: — Annual, fourth Tuesday in July; semi-annual, fourth Tuesday in January. Officers July 21st, 1885: — J. Q. Adams, president; S. A. Wood, vice president; L. H. Miller, secretary; A. La Monte, treasurer; censors, A. Ely, A. La Monte, N. W. Wheeler; dele- gate to State Medical Society, L. H. Miller. Members: — John Q. Adams, Carmel, N. Y.; Norman B. Bayley, Haverstraw, Kockland county, N. Y. ; J. Edson Card, jr., Lake Mahopac, N. Y.; Edward Crosby, Mount Kisco, Westchester county, N. Y.; Addison Ely, Carmel; Walter A. Jayne, Cold Spring; Austin La Monte, Carmel; Louis H. Miller, Brewster; Geo. W. Murdock, Cold Spring; Nathan W. Wheeler, Patterson; Samuel A. Wood, Ludingtonville; William Young, Cold Spring; number of members, 12. Honorary members: — Henry Pearce, Pawling, Dutchess county, N. Y.; Ernest Hebers, Brooklyn, N. Y. CHAPTER XVm. EDUCATION. BY JAMES A. FOSHAY. THE present condition of education in Putnam county shows a spirit of improvement, especially in the larger districts and villages. There are several schools that deserve special notice, for the improvements that have been made in the modern training of youth is illustrated in them, and excellent results are shov^n. A few of the country districts, however, do not show so much advancement. The "a b c method" of teaching children to read is generally abandoned and the " word method" is used instead. Pupils are taught to understand what they read, instead of merely pronouncing the words. Teachers feel the responsibilities of dealing with plastic minds, so susceptible to impressions, knowing that their influences make impressions that last through life. There is no depart- ment whose influences tend to suppress vice and stimulate vir- tue, as the department of public instruction. We find the school houses and churches side by side, and the people quite as willing to support the one as the other. In the year 1885, there was raised by local taxation, for the benefit of schools, $22,602.47, and $9,158.21 was received from the State school money; making $31,760.68. There is a steadily growing interest manifested in reference to our system of public education. As the people are educated to a due appreciation of the import- ance of good schools, so the schools improve. The teachers gen- erally are zealous and industrious, depending more on them- selves and less upon the text-book than formerly. Of the seventy- three teachers now employed, four are licensed by State certificates, eight by Normal School diplomas and sixty- three by the school commissioner. GENERAL HIBTOEY. 27& The improvement in school hoxises is an evidence of progress. A pleasant room of projjer size, well-furnished and kept neat, is a strong educating force, and sheds forth an influence for good on the pupils. The people realize this; and for several years we have seen new, commodious houses being built to take the places of the old ones; and in building them the health and comfort of the pupils were consulted. There are thirty-eight school houses that are new or in good repair; sixteen are com- fortable; and six are poor. In a few of the old buildings there still remain benches for seats, one desk extending the side of the room, so that the pupils must face the walls. It is pleasing to note that the number of buildings of this class is growing- less every year. There are fifty-five frame buildings and five brick buildings. The local school officers, as a rule, are faithful and earnest in the performance of their duties and gratuitous work; and mani- fest much interest in the welfare of the schools. Forty-one dis- tricts have one trustee each, eighteen districts have three trus- tees each, and one, the Union Free School District at Garrisons, has five trustees. Full success in school work cannot be attained while we have irregular attendance. It disorganizes classes and makes extra work for the teachers in many ways. There were 3,057 names enrolled during the year 1885. There were nine private schools^ with an enrollment of 114 pupils, taught during the year 1885. The best means of special preparation for the greatest num- ber of our teachers is the Teachers' Institute. It brings to the attention of teachers, by persons of rare ability, the latest and best experience in education and school government. The time and place for holding the institute are designated, and the in- structors are assigned by the State superintendent of public in- struction. The sessions are usually in May and continue one week. The Putnam County Teachers' Association was organized May 24th, 1882, with Mr. Frank H. Greene as president; which office he has continued to hold. Papers and addresses have been presented by the best teachers of the county, and discussed by members of the association. The meetings of this associa- tion are held semi-annually in different parts of the county, thus affording opportunities for all to attend. These meetings; are very useful to the younger teachers who receive methods 280 HISTOEY OF PUTNAM COUKTY. and suggestions from those who have had experience in the work. There seems to be a general disposition to comply with Chap- ter 30 of the Laws of 1884; "An act in relation to the study of physiology and hygiene in public schools." Soon after the passage of this act School Commissioner Foshay issued a cir- cular to teachers, also one to trustees, calling attention to the act. Reports show that the study was taught in nearly every school. In the apportionment of the State school money for 1886, the •'district quota," or amount to be given for each teacher in the county is $66.12, an increase of $21.28 over the year 1885. This increase is the result of the provision in Chapter 340 of the Laws of 1885, changing the basis of apportionment. This is a very desirable change, as it aids the country districts especially. CHAPTER XIX. TOWN OF CARMEL. REVISED BY BEV. W. S. CLAPP. Settlement and Early History. — ^Village of Carmel. — Lake Gleneida. — Carmel Collegiate Institute and Drew Ladies' Seminary. — Carmel Literary Union. — Railroad. — Bank. — Newspapers. — The GUead Church. — Rev. Daniel D. Sahler. — Gilead Burying Ground. — James Raymond. — Mount Carmel Baptist Church. — Rev. William S. Clapp. — Methodist Episcopal Church. THE town of Carmel includes the southern- half of Lots 5 and 6 of the Phillpse Patent. It Is bounded north by- Kent, east by Southeast, south by Westchester county, and west by Putnam Valley. A small portion of the northwest corner of the town was annexed to Putnam Valley in 1861. The earliest account of a settlement in this town is derived from the Hamblin family. In the year 1739 Eleazar Hamb- lin, with his family, left Cape Cod to seek a home in New York. On his way he stopped at the house of John Hazen in Nor- wich. He concluded to leave his family there and to go for- ward himself to find a suitable place for settling. On his return he found that his daughter, Sarah, had married Caleb Hazen, the son of his host. His son-in-law went with him and both settled in what is now the town of Carmel. Eleazar Hamblin made his home on the present homestead farm of Ira Crane, and here he lived and died. The house stood about fifteen rods south of Mr. Crane's residence. Caleb Hazen settled at what has ever since been called Hazen Hill, about a mile southwest of the village of Carmel. The old homestead stood near the bank of the west branch of Croton River, where the house of Mrs. William H. Baxter now stands. Near this place he had in later years a forge and a small furnace for melting iron. Traces of this furnace may still be seen. 282 HISTORY or putnam county. In the statement" of Nimham, the Indian sachem, it is seen that many persons settled at an early date on the eastern part of Philipse Patent as tenants of the Indians who claimed the land, or by their permission. The affidavit of Timothy Shaw' furnishes a very reliable list of some of the early settlers. Among these was George Hughson, who settled at the north end of Lake Mahopac about 1740 and probably on the farm which was held by his son, Kobert Hughson, at the time of the Revolu- tion, and was bought by him from the commissioners of for- feiture in 1782. About 1741 William and Uriah Hill came to the place after- ward known as Red Mills and began to clear a tract of land purchased of the Indians. Uriah is said to have made himself obnoxious to his dusky neighbors and was obliged to leave. William continued here and in 1765 purchased of Roger Morris and Mary his wife the tract on which he had made a settlement, and part of which is owned by his descendants at the present time. Timothy Shaw' made his home at the north end of the lake which from him took the name of Shaw's Pond, which it con- tinued to bear till modern times, when it was changed to the more romantic and musical title of Lake Gleneida. As in his affidavit made in 1767 he states that he was well acquainted with all the settlements that had been made in these parts within twenty-five years, it is evident that he must have been here as early as 1742, and he doubtless has the honor of being the first settler in the present village of Carmel. The Myrrick family were also here at an early date, though the first of whom anything definite is known were Isaac* and 'See Chapter on Wappinger Indians. 'See Chapter on Population. ^In an old burying ground on the Belden farm, at the southwest corner of Lake Gleneida, and where the slaves of the Belden family were buried, is a small enclosure surrounding a single grave and a head stone recording the death of Deborah Shaw, who died May 5th, 1834, aged 84. She was a white woman who lived with several families. She requested to be buried in that place because, as she said, "my ancestors lie there." It is probable that she was a daughter of Timothy Shaw and that a family burying place was there in early times. * Isaac was born about 1740, and died in May, 1813. He msu'ried Sarah, daughter of Caleb Hazen. Their children were: Jemima, wife of Green; David, born December 18th, 1768, died 1863; John, born 1770, died 1813; Aris- tobulus, born 1774, died 1850; Samuel, born 1778, died 1812; Ada, wife of Thomas Smith; Mary; Naomi, wife of Foster Finch; Ezra, and Sarah. TOWN OP CAEMEL. 283 David Myrrick, who were doubtless of a second generation. A family named Tompkins were among the earliest residents in the western part of the town, north of Lake Mahopac. Wil liam Wright, a, Scotchman, lived south of Carmel village, on the present farm of G-eorge M. Hughson. It will be remembered that at the tima of the settlement and for many years after, the Philipse Patent was not surveyed, and these early inhabitants were simply squatters on unoccupied land, and made such arrangements with their Indian neighbors as they could. In the year 1754 the patent was surveyed and divided into lots, and Lot 6 (which includes the eastern part of this town) fell to Philip Philipse, and Lot 5 (which includes the western part) fell to Mary Philipse, afterward wife of Roger Morris. These two portions will be considered sepa- rately. In the year 1762, Lot No. 6, which belonged to Philip Philipse, was surveyed and divided into farms of various sizes and leased to a large number of tenants, most of whom were in actual possession at that time. The descendants of many of these tenants are to be found here at the present day, while some families, once numerous, have moved away to other re- gions, or become extinct. Among the names of the earliest settlers should be mentioned John Spragg, who was here in 1745, and whose house stood on the east line of the lot, where the residence of LeGrrand Hugh- son now stands, on the road from Carmel to Brewster. A man named Wooden had a mill on the west branch of the Croton, while another, kept by one Kellogg, was probably on what was then called " Mill River," and now "Michael's Brook." And Silas Washburn also had a mill on the west branch of the Croton. In the Field Book of Survey of Lot No. 6, made April 12th, 1762, by Benjamin Morgan, the following persons are men- tioned as living on that part of the lot which is now embraced in the town of Carmel: Daniel Taylor, Samuel Peters, Abraham Mabie, Daniel Taylor, Isaac Lounsbury, Joseph Bates, Thomas Baxter, Thomas Karl, Solomon Jenkins, Daniel Philips, Michael Sloat, Francis Brian, Thos. Ferguson, John Craft, James Sears, Eleazar Hamlin, Caleb Hazen, James Russell, Jesse Smith, Jonathan Hubby, Elisha Oakley, John Granouug, Edward Ganoung, Joseph Ganoung, Russel Gregory, 284 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Joseph Bates, Timothy Gregory, Ebenezer Robinson, — : Wooden, Kellogg, James Wilson, Hannah Finch, Nathaniel Robinson, John Maybee, William Stone, Helkiah Brown, Philip Ruflf, John Ruff, Isaac Peree, Uriah Lawrence, Abraham Hartwell, Caleb Brundage, Rev. Elnathan Gregory, Jeremiah Huston, Burbank, John Tompkins. Widow Kerkins, Thomas Crosby, John Merrick, Samuel Lucas, Matthew Bump, Wheaten Robinson, Bethiah Ballard, Silas Washburn, David Merrick, Seth Merrick, Moses Fowler, Daniel Townsend, William Merritt, John Sprages, Josiah Peck, Benjamin Barber, Samuel Gates, Isaac Merritt, Mercy Hopkins, John Barber, Thomas Philips, Esq., Jonathan Hopkins, Robert Fuller, Joseph Barber, John Paddock, Hezekiah Mead, David Barber, Samuel Peree, William Dean, Hezekiah Mead, Abigail Terry, Amos Fuller, Edsy Baker, Cornelius Fuller, John Travis, Eleazar Baker, John Purdy, Edmund Baker, Wm. Rapelyea, Benjamin Weed, Elisha Baker, Isaac Smith. As stated before, these farms were leased to tenants. One of the original leases is yet in existence, and as a relic of antiquity it is here given in full : "This Indenture made the Eighth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty-six. Be- tween Philip Philipse of the City of New York of the one part and James Dickinson of the County of Dutchess in the province of New York of the other part. Witnesseth: That the said Philip Philipse for and in consideration of the sum of twenty pounds current money of New York, to him in hand paid by James Dickinson, the receipt whereof the said Philip Philipse doth hereby confess and acknowledge, and also in considera- tion of the rent and Covenant hereinafter Reserved and Con- tained, he the said Philip Philipse hath granted, Bargained, sold, delivered, enfeoffed. Released, Conveyed and Confirmed, and by these presents doth grant, bargain, sell, alien, enfeoff. Release, Convey and Confirm unto the said James Dickinson and his heirs and assigns forever. All that Messuage and tract of land. Situate, Lying and being on Philipse Patent in Dutchess County and Province of New York, that was formerly in possession of Thomas Crosby. Beginning at Shaw's Pond so called. Running Easterly in company with Silas Washburn's farm to Saw Mill River, from thence running Southwardly down said river in company with Matthew Bump's farm, so TOWN or CAKMEL. 285 called, to Jeremiah Hughson's farm' from thence running westwardly in company with Jeremiah Hughson's farm to the Rev. Mr. Elnathan Gregory's farm," from thence westwardly to John Merrick's farm, so called, from thence Northwardly in company with John Merrick's farm to the first mentioned bounds. Containing two hundred and ninety-two acres. In- cluding the dwelling houses, barn and saw mill, orchards, fences and appurtenances thereto belonging. Excepting and always reserving unto the said Philipse, his heirs and assigns, all mines, minerals and oares of metals that is on, or shall be found or discovered in or upon the said premises, or any part thereof. " To Have and to Hold the said Messuage and premises here- by granted and conveyed, and every part thereof, with the ap- purtenances thereof, except as excepted, unto the said James Dickinson, his heirs and assigns to the only proper use and be- hoof of the said James Dickinson, his heirs and assigns for ever. Yielding and paying therefor yearly and every year unto the said Philip Philipse, his heirs and assigns the rent or sum of fourteen pounds, current money of New York at or upon the eighth day of August yearly and every year for ever, at the dwelling house of the said Philip Philipse, his heirs or assigns in the City of New York, if he or they shall reside in New York or at such other place in the City of New York as the said Philip Philipse, his heirs or assigns shall by writing direct and appoint, or if the said Philip Philipse, his heirs or assigns shall not reside in the city of New York, or shall not by writing di- rect and appoint any place in the City of New York for pay- ment thereof, then and in such case the said reserved rent shall be payable on the said granted premises. And if it shall hap- pen the said yearly rent and payment or any part thereof to be behind and unpaid in part or in all, by the space of twenty days next after the said time limited for payment thereof, on which the same ought to be paid, that then and from thence- forth it shall and may be Lawfull to and for the said Philip Philipse, his heirs and assigns, with the said premises with the appurtenances, or with any part thereof in the Name of the whole to re-enter and the same to have again, Reposess and en- ' Now the farm of Addison Hopkins. '' Now the homestead of Lyman Craft (opposite Gilead burying ground) and land adjoining. 286 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. joy as his or their former estate, this present indenture or any thing therein contained to the contrary notwithstanding. And the said Philip Philpse, for himself and assigns, Doth coven- ant and grant to and with the said James Dickinson, his heirs, and assigns that for and notwithstanding any matter or thing by him the said Philip Philipse, done or committed to the contrary, he the said Philip Philipse, hath good right full power and law- full authority in his own right to grant, bargain, sell and con- vey the said premises above mentioned with the appurtenances unto the said James Dickinson, his heirs and assigns to the only proper use and behoof of the said James Dickinson, his heirs and assigns forever, according to the true Intent and meaning of these presents, and also that the said James Dickinson, his heirs and assigns shall and may from time to time and at all times henceforth forever hereafter by and under the said rent of fourteen pounds herein contained, peaceably and quietly en- ter into and have, occupy and enjoy, all and singular the said Messuage a,nd premises above mentioned with all the appurten- ances, and receive the profits thereof to his and their own use, without the denial of him the said Philip Philipse, his heirs or assigns, or any other persons whatsoever and that freed from all other bargains and Incumbrances whatsoever. And the said James Dickinson for himself, his heirs, executors and admin- istrators Doth covenant with the said Philip Philipse, his heirs and assigns that he the said James Dickinson his heirs, execu- tors, administrators and assigns shall and will well and truly pay or cause to be paid to the said Philip Philipse, his heirs or assigns the said yearly rent of fourteen pounds herein contained and reserved according to the true intent and meaning of these presents without any deduction, abatement or imposition of taxes either ordinary or extraordinary whatsoever. '■'■In Witness Whereof fhe parties to these presents Inden- tures, have interchangably set their hands and seals the day and year lirst above written. "Philip Philipse. (L. S.) ' ' Sealed and delivered " in the presence "John Dickinson, " Daniel Wright." Such was the general form of a lease at that time. Of course the term of years varied in different cases from one year to TOWK OP OARMBL. 287 perpetuity as in the above case. The farm thus leased includes the land where the railroad station at Carmel stands, the farm and homestead of Henry D. Clapp, the grounds of the Drew Ladies' Seminary, the Gilead Burying Ground, the present Presbyterian church and lands adjoining. The north line of the farm starts from the lake at the south line of the school house lot, and runs east along the north line of the Presby- terian church lot, the lands of Daniel W". Robinson and Char- lotte Hopkins, to the Michael's Brook or Saw Mill River as it was formerly called. It ran south along this brook to the present farm of Addison J. Hopkins, then west to the old road that used to run east from the Grilead Burying Ground; then along the old "Horse pound road" west to the corner. The farm of John Merrick lay on the west of the road (which ran some distance west of its present route) and is now owned by George W. Hughson. Upon the back of the original lease was endorsed the following : "I, James Dickinson, do, for value received assign over all my right, title, claim and interest in the within lease unto John Wallace, jr., and Thomas Huggeford as witness my hand and seal this 23 day of April 1774. "James Dickinson." John Wallace transferred his interest to Mr. Nathan Pad- dock " beginning at a pile of stones by the highway, south of the house of James Dickinson and running east 16 chains and 30 links to a pile of stones; then north 12 degrees, west 20 chains and 60 links; then N. 77i degrees E. to the saw mill river; then up the stream till it comes to Samuel Washburn's farm; then westerly by Washburn's farm till it comes to John Merrick's farm; then southerly along John Merrick's farm to the iirst bounds, containing 170 acres more or less." ' January 7th, 1785. This is evidently the north part of the farm. Thomas Hug- geford "of Fairfield County, Connecticut," transferred all his right to James Dickinson, jr., April 13th, 1775. A deed from Frederick Philipse to Elisha Cole dated Decem- ber 2d, 1828, recites the foregoing lease, and goes on to state that the farm had been divided and sold by subsequent owners, and that the rent had been charged to each part. The north ' Original document in possession of O. W. Cole, Carmel. See Book " A ' of Deeds, page 166, Putnam County Records. 288 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. part of the farm had come into the possession of Frederick Philipse (who was the heir of Philip Philipse) and the south part had come into the possession of Elisha Cole whereby he was liable for the annual rent of seven pounds, and by this deed Frederick Philipse, in consideration of the sum of $291.60 cents, released all his claim on the south half of the farm to Elisha Cole, with the following reservations : " It is understood that the right to collect any part of the said rent from the trustees of the Gilead meeting house or society, or to distrain for the same upon the premises occupied for the said meeting house and burying ground attached thereto is THE PHILIPSE MANOK HOUSE. From a drawing by Chas. H. Ludington, July 6th, 1846. hereby reserved by the said Frederick Philipse to himself and his heirs." Upon the north half of this farm stood for many years a house said to have been built by Frederick Philipse after the Eevolution, and in this mansion he resided when he came to visit his estate. This house stood on the east side of the present road about an eighth of a mile below the seminary. A row of lilac bushes mark the spot and have long survived the hand that planted them, and they are all that is left to remind the traveller that there stood the house of the "Lord of the Manor." , After the death of Frederick Philipse his daughter, TOWN OP OARMEL. 289 ICary, with her husband, Samuel Gouverneur, sold to Bllsha Cole all the remaining north part of the farm, the deed being dated February 1st, 1830". Elisha Cole remained in possession of the greater part of these tracts until the time of his death which occurred July 19th, 1851, at the age of 75. After some changes, the larger part came into possession of Daniel Drew and is now owned by his de- scendants. After the death of Philip Philipse, which occurred in 1768, Lot 6 fell by the terms of his will to his wife, Margaret (who afterward married Rev. John Ogilvie) and his surviving children; Nathaniel, Frederick and Adolph. In 1771 a parti- tion of this lot was made among these heirs, and the field book of survey is in the county clerk's office at Poughkeepsie, while the map is in the office of the secretary of State. The partition was made in accordance with the terms of an act of the Pro- vincial Legislature, passed January 9th, 1762, "For the more effectually collecting his Majesty's Quit Rents." As some of the heirs were minors it was necessary to proceed in a strictly legal manner. The field book states all the proceedings. An advertisement signed by Adolph Philipse was printed in " Hugh Gaine's New York Gazette and in John Holt's New York Jour- nal," or the "General Advertizer," for the term of twelve weeks. Two of the commissioners appointed, Thomas Belden and Moss Kent, " met at the house of John Swan, Innholder at Peekskill," and Beverly Robinson, the other commissioner, not appearing they adjourned to his house, where they were all duly sworn by Judge Henry Vandenburg. On October 17th, 1771, they " met at the house of Thomas Smith on said lot." The surveyor was Benjamin Morgan, who had divided the lot into farms in 1762, and the chain bearers were Samuel Gregory, Jacob Kniffen, Isaac Everitt, Isaac Ganung and John Utter. The first thing done was to " run the out bounds of the lot" and as this locates many ancient land marks it is given in full: West Line. " Thursday 17 October 1771, began to run the out bounds Present, Beverly Robinson, Thomas Belden, and Moss Kent Esqrs. Began at a stake and a heap of stones on ' An old house stood south of the Philipse mansion, near the corner, and was owned by various persons who in turn held the south half of the original farm. About 1777, Charles Cullen, who married Lucy, daughter of Eev. Elisha Kent and aunt of Chancellor Kent, came from Milltown in Southeast, and lived on this place till the time of his death in 1784. 19 290 HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. top of a hill by a walnut sappling, marked M. P'. on the west side and P.P. on the east side and 1753 on the north side, which heap of stones lyes in the line of the Manor of Cortland, and is also the southeasterly corner of Lot No. 5, belonging to Col. Roger Morris. Then ran by line of Lot No. 5, N. 9 degrees, 9 minutes E, formerly N. 10 E. 962 chains 46 links. At 28 chains crossed a run of water; runs to the right; at 33 crossed a road; at 34 Benj. Thompson's house; 3 chains to right; at 83 crossed road; at 84 crossed Peter Mabie's house; at 94, ch. 42 1. a hickory sapling, found the angle to contain 15 minutes; then runs N. 8, 54 E. at 163.42 a dead tree, in Michael Sloat's field; at 179.85 a hickory tree; thence N. 8,48 E; at 235 crossed a run of water, runs to right; at 244 James Beldens house 50 links to right; at 246 crossed Belden's barn, at 273 made monument of stones on south side of road' in a run of water about 1 chain from Gabriel Carpenter's house on lot 5, at 276 crossed Pish brook, at 278 where Dea. Hamblin's sa,w mill formerly stood, 3 ch. to right; and John McLean's house 4 ch. to right, at 294 James Sear's house 8 ch. to right, at 308 Eleazor Hamblins 6 ch. to right, at 357.50 crossed brook runs to right\ at 358 Wm. Meads 2 ch. to right, at 387 black oak formerly marked, at 391 a red ash tree, at 392 another at 419 a rock, corner to Jesse Smith's farm, now widow Hall, on which we laid a heap of stones, at 436.80 crossed the west branch of Croton River; at 450 David Frost's house 3 ch. to right; at 452 a barn 1 ch. to right, at 452.75 a fl.at rock, on north side of road marked M.R.P.P*. at 459 top of hill (here troubled with mineral) at 485 chestnut tree, at 492 a steep preci- pice of rocks at bottom of which we marked a hickory tree', at 511 came to Pine Pond brook, at 517 crossed brook, runs to right, at 550 made a monument of stones in Charles Townsend's field, at 578 made a monument of stones in Robert Fuller's field on a large flat rock, at 593 made a monument of stones between 2 white oak ti-ees both standing on the S.W. point of a knoll and S.W. edge of swam^j, at 602 came to an island in swamp, ' These letters stand for Morris and Philipse. 'This is on road from Carmel to Lake Mahopac, at the Alvah Hopkins place, now Townsend Secor's heirs, a short distance east of road running north to the Crane Burying ground. ''This is at the house of James Harvey Reed, on road to Long Pond. ■•At house of George SmaUey, on road to Coles Mills. ''This is on the County Alms House farm. TOWN OF CAKMEL. 291 at 625 to Pine Pond at 667 the upper end of pond, at 700, monument of stones in south edge of a cleared field, at 722 Daniel Taylor's house 1^ ch. to right, at 760 a cleared field, at 780 a heap of stones; at 786 crossed small bronk, runs to right at 790 another, at 807 monument of stones south side fence Jonathan Dickinson's field; at 817 crossed a small brook, runs to right in a swamp, at 947 a black oak tree on top of a high mountain, in all 962 chains, 46 links, along a line of old marked trees, and terminates at a chestnut oak tree on north side of the high mountain on a rock 25 links S. by E. from where the rock makes a precipice 7 links deep." North Line. "Begun at the chesnut oak tree and run N. 86 deg. E formerly N. 87 E; at 13 chains crossed road to Fish- kill on east side of which we made a monument of stones round an Alder bush; at 25 ch. a small brook running to right, on east side of swamp; at 33 a large single rock in the line on west de- clivity of a mountain, 13 links high; at 47 crossed brook, runs to right; at 60 made monument of stones on west side of hill and edge of clear field; at 104 John Russell's house 4 ch. to right; at 121 crossed small brook, runs to right; at 123 another; at 164 Samuel Barrads house 4 ch. to left; at 195 crossed road; at 223 crossed Campbells brook', runs to right; at 242 crossed road, in all, 246,41 to large heap of stones the centre of which 8 links N, 63,30 E, from a white oak tree formerly marked with the letters P.R. 1753 and have now caused a rock to be marked with the letters R.P. distant 34 links'; being the N.W. corner of Lot 7 on the west side of Bear Hill." East Line. ' ' Began at the corner of lot 7 at the heap of stones of west side Bear Hill, and ran S. 9 deg. W; at 23.90 ' made a monument of stones on west side of road: at 48 chains in Campbell's brook on north side made a monument of stones; at 49 Edward Smith's house 2 ch. to right; at 64.14 two black oak trees, three stones laid between them now grown fast; at 80 an old monument of stones 4 1. to left; at 103 David Hill's house, to right; at 140 made a monument of stones on S. side of road to FishkilP; at 160.28 a tree on top of mountain; at 228.50 Benj. 'This is the brook that runs by the railroad station at Reynoldsville. 'This northeast corner of lot 6 is the northwest corner of the land of Silas Ab- bott at Reynoldsville station in town of Pawling and 48 chains north of where the brook crosses the road south of station. ^This is on the town line between Kent and Patterson about 50 rods west of the school house in District No. 8, Patterson. 292 HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Hatch's house to right; at 240 a meadow; at 290 John Wilson's house' 5 ch. to right; at 320.46 a monument of stones 10 1. east which is the south west corner of Lot 7, and N.W. corner of Lot 8; at 401.38 a monument on N.W.side of road at 403 Joshua Conklin's house 4 ch. to left; at 500 a stake in Edward Rice's field; at S27 crossed the east end of Gilbert Clapp's house; at 529 crossed road; at 539' crossed Rowland's mill brook; at 544 a bend of brook, at 552 a monument of stones on N.E. side of road; at 562 the east end of Wm. Merritt's barn the remains of an old house 40 links to right; at 640.69 the hickory sapling on S. side of hill corner to lots 8 and 9'; at 665 Justice Sprage's old house 1 ch. 17 L. west' at 670 crossed small brook, runs to left; at 691 David Vickery's 2 ch. to right; at 748 a tree; at 784 a tree; at 800 the east end of John Haines house; at 803 stones on jST. side of road; at 816 John Smith's house, 3 ch. to left; at 824 crossed brook; at 881 Rowland's mill brook; at 882 a road; at 974 the north side of the east branch of Croton in line of Cort- land Manor." South Line. " Began at corner and went S. 88 W. ; at 5 2 ch. crossed the west branch of Croton; at 54 crossed road; at 114.72 a large stone set in the ground between the lots of Mr. Andrew Johnston and Samuel Bayard on the Manor of Cortland shown by Mr. Hackaliah Brown to be in the Manor line 1 ch. 17 L. to left; at 178,50 or great brook, runs to left on east side of a boggy meadow; at 210 a tree, in all 239.50 to the beginning heap of stones, which course is novF S. 87 W. formerly due west, along a line of old marked trees." The lot was then divided into 16 lots; two field books and maps were made. One of the field books is in the county clerk's ofiice in Poughkeepsie, and one of the maps is in the ofiice of the secretary of State; where the others are no one knows. The notice of the division and the time when the ballot- ing for the lot was to be done were "advertised in Hugh Gaine's Newspaper for six weeks." The balloting was on the 4th day 'This is where the house of Lewis G. Robinson now stands, in town of Kent. ^All south of the 537 chain is in the town of Carmel. " Rowlands mill brook " is the middle branch of Croton. Tor location of this corner see sketch of Southeast. ^This is where the house of LeGrand Hughson stands, south of where the New York & Northern R. R. crosses the road near town line. TOWN OF CARMEL. 293 of February, 1771, "at the house of Samuel Francis, Inn keeper in the city of New York." On balloting Margaret Ogilvie drew Lots 1, 5, 10, 14; J^'athaniel Philipse drew Lots 4, 6, 12, 15; Adolph Philipse drew Lots 2, 8, 11, 13; Frederick Philipse drew Lots 3, 7, 9, 16. In the year 1777 Nathaniel Philipse was killed at the Battle of Germantown, and his share fell to his eldest brother, Adolph Philipse. Adolph Philipse died June 8th, 1785, leaving no children, and by his will left his share to his brother, Frederick Philipse, during his life and then to go to his daughter, Mary Philipse, who afterward married Samuel Gouverneur. Mar- garet Ogilvie died in 1807, and her share went to Frederick Philipse, her only surviving child. Thus the whole of the original lot became the property of Frederick Philipse. In 1811 he released to his daughter, Mary Gouverneur, all his life interesi in the share of his brother Adolph, and thus Samuel and Mary Gouverneur became the owners of one half the lot and Frederick Philipse owned the other half. These parties, who had previously leased their farms to tenants, began to sell about the year 1811, and the deeds given by them would make a volume of themselves, as all the titles to land in Lots 6, 8 and 2, of the original Philipse Patent, go back to them, except such small tracts as had been previously sold by Philip Philipse and Margaret Ogilvie. The original bill for lawyer's services in the partitions is still preserved and is given as a curiosity. " The Proprietors of Lot No. 6 of Philipse Patent in Dutchess County. " To Peter Van Schaack, Dr. " To Counsil in devising the Mode of Proceeding on the Partition Act £19 " To long Advertisement of Adolphe Philipse, draft & copy 1 16 " Notiiicdtion of appointment of commissioners draft and copy , " Draft and copy notice of balloting .... " Minute of all the Commissioner's proceeding from the beginning to the conclusion .... " 2 fair copies entered in Books to be tiled in the Clerk's office " Attendance on balloting and devising the mode . 12 1 9 2 17 2 17 1 10 £12 00 5) 294 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. " New York, 24 Oct., 1785, Rec'd the contents in full. " Peter Van Schaack, village of oarmel. Prior to the Revolution and for some years later Carmel, as a village, had no existence. All the land in the vicinity was held in large farms by tenants who paid their yearly rents to the agent of the Philipse family or to the landlord himself when he came to his estate. All the land on the west side of Lake G-leneida or Shaw's Pond, as it was then known, was part of Lot No. 8 in the division of the original Lot No. 6, and fell to Adolph Philipse, and from him to his neice, Mary Gouverneur. David Myrrick had been a tenant of a farm on this tract from the time before the Revolution, and continued so till September 13th, 1811, when Samuel Grouverneur and his wife sold him the farm of 127 acres, bounded north by the outlet of Shaw's Pond, or Mill Brook, and including all the west shore of the pond as far south as the Belden farm, and here he lived and died, and his old house is still standing on the homestead of Mr. Chauncey Weeks, the present owner of the farm. The farm of Amos Belden included all the shore of the lake from the David Myr- rick farm to the south end of the lake, and extended west to Croton River, west branch, and south to the farm of Caleb Hazen, and included 316 acres of land. This farm had also been held by lease from a period before 1762, and was sold to Amos Belden by Frederick Philipse, December 16th, 1804'. The land at the south end of the pond was a farm originally held by ' Thomas Belden came to this part of the country from Norwalk, Coim. , and was agent for the Philipse family, before the Revolution. His nephew, Amos Belden, was born July 13th, 1764, died May 4th, 1830, and was buried in the old Gilead burying ground. He was agent or land steward for Frederick Philipse and transacted most of his business in renting and selling land. He married Elizabeth Isaacs. Their children were; Julia, wife of Hooker St. John; Charles, born March 10th, 1793, died February 22d, 1858; George, born March 13th, 1795, died January 14th, 1855: Sally, wife of Rev. William Mitchell; Charlotte; Eliza- beth, wife of Edwin Crosby, of Croton Falls; Thomas, born 1802, died in Mexico in 1834; John, born 1805, died 1882; Frederick, born 1807, died in Texas in 1867; Benjamin J. , born 1809, died in New York in 1858. George Belden married Sophia L. Miles, and their children are: Julia L., wife of Frederick S. Talmadge, and Laura, wife of Dudley Field, both of New York. Charles Belden married Helen, daughter of Dr. William Miles. He had two children: Helen E., who died young; and George Mortimer Belden, born Novem- ber 3d, 1826, died October 7th, 1873, married Isabella, daughter of Levi Best, who survives him. TOWN OF CARMEL. 295 John Myriick as tenant in 1766. It was subsequentlj^ held by- other persons and was sold by Frederick Philipse to William H. Seeley,'May 25th, 1815. It was then described as " begin- ning at the northeast corner of Isaac Myrrick's land, and run- ning east along the pond 17 chains 24 links, to land of John Ellis, then along the same S. 78 degrees E, 1 chain 85 links, then south 17 chains to a chestnut near Horse pound road; thence along the road to opposite Capt. Philipse house, and then along the road to nearly opposite Fletcher Hopkin's house," containing 107 acres. All the land on the east side of Shaw's Pond, from the James Dickinson farm to where the Baptist Church now stands and including all the present village of Carmel, was in 1766 held as a farm by Silas Washburn. This was, however, divided into smaller lots and owned by various persons at the beginning of the century. Judge Edward Smith, in a conversation with Charles H. Lud- ington, December 25th, 1854, related several interesting remin- iscences. Tlie Judge was then in his 84th year but his memory was unimpaired. In this conversation he slated that he re- membered many incidents of the Revolution and was thirteen years old at its close. He recollected seeing Gen. Washington when marching through the country with his army, and saw him pass "where John Fowler now lives." ' Within his recol- lection there were only three houses where Carmel now is. One was on the east side of the street, and on the north corner of the road running east. This was the house of Samuel Wash- burn, and is marked on Erskine's military map, made in 1780. This place was occupied by David Kelley in 1854, and is now owned by Lewis Ga Nun. Another house stood where Smalley's Hotel now stands, on the west side of the street, and about ten rods north of the road running to the lake. Elder Nathan Cole lived there at the time of the Revolution. Col. Thomas Taylor kept a store there just before it was demolished. Tanner's Hotel stood there in 1854. The third house was a Jog house, and stood on the west side of the street, about ten rods south of the Methodist church on the opposite side. Charles Knox was living there in 1854, at the time of the conversation. There was another house standing on the north side of the ' John Fowler was son of Dea. Solomon Fowler. His house was on the road close to the west line of Patterson, and now owned by heirs of John Henion. This was the homestead of Dea. Solomon Fowler. 296 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. road running east from the village. This house was the house of Joshua Myrrick during the Kevolution. It was torn down many years ago by Ebenezer Kelley, Esq., to make room for the mansion now owned by his son,. Thomas Kelley. In 1815 Stephen Swift owned a tract at the south end of the village. This was said to be bounded on the south "by Frederick Philipse CarmeJ town farm." This tract began on the south line of the present school house lot and ran north along the pond 10 chains and 86 links. It extended east far enough to include twenty-five acres. Next north of Stephen Swift along the pond was the land of James Mead. In 1815 "Stephen Swift and wife Katy" sold to Judah Kelley, Abraham Everett and Beverly Smith, trustees of School District No. 5, a lot " Be- ginning on the line between said Swift and Frederick Philipse, and thence along the wall by the road 50 feet; then east 50 feet; thence along Swift's land 50 feet; thence west along Philipse 50 feet, containing 9i rods more or less." This was the old school house lot and was on the east side of the road, at the north point of the park, directly opposite the present school building. The old school house stood on that site till about thirty years ago, when it was moved away, and is at the pres- ent time used as a tenement house on the premises of Miss Charlotte Hopkins. A second school building was then erected on the west side of the road just north of the present one; this remained till 1880 when the new school house was built. It was then removed and now, degraded from its former use, does duty as a lager beer saloon opposite the railroad station. At the time of the Revolution the principal stopping place for travellers was Samuel Washburn's tavern, which stood, as stated before, on the north side of the road running east from the village. This was the only inn for a long distance, the next nearest being John McLean's tavern, which stood on the road to Lake Mahopac, where the house of the late Townsend Secor now stands. " Conklin's tavern" is marked on Erskine's map as being on the road to Patterson, some three miles from Car- mel. There were not many houses in the village at the time when the county buildings were erected, but the business inci- dent to the county seat caused the population to increase and the village has had a healthy growth ever since. At the begin- ning of this century the land on the east side of the street, from the road south to a point below the Methodist Church, a O > p :c t s p m p I— p CQ ti c td H ' Ch S BJ P o o CD c W rn O 3D TOWN OF OAKMEL. 297 was owned by Gen. James Townsend. This was sold by him to his son-in-law, Dr. Robert Weeks, who built a hotel on the cor- ner opposite the old Washburn House, and this was his home till the time of his death, which occurred May 14th, 1816, at the early age of 44. Dr. Weeks was a member of the Legisla- ture at the time of the establishment of Putnam county, and gave the land where the Court House and county clerk's office now stand. He came to Carmel from Westchester county, prac- ticed his profession for twenty years and was one of the promi- nent men 'of the county. The hotel and land adjoining were sold to Lewis Ludington who conducted the business, and made it a famous resort for manj'^ years. It was torn down about thirty years ago, and the elegant residence of the Misses Lud- ington was erected in its place. The Sraalley House stands on the site of the old home of Elder Nathan Cole. After his death it was owned by Stephen Waring who kept a store. The hotel was built by Col. Thomas Taylor, who was born in Jamaica, Long Island, April 12th, 1784. He came to Carmel and established a small hat factory in the south part of the town. He built the hotel about 1833. Dur- ing his life he was a well known and prominent citizen, and was elected member of the Legislature, and held the office of sheriJQF. He died August 1st, 1865, at the age of eighty. After his death it was purchased by James J. Smalley, from whom it derived its present name. Few citizens enjoyed a greater popu- larity. He was twice elected member of Assembly, and was also sheriff of the county and county treasurer. He died in 1867, and the place passed into the hands of John Cornish, by whose heirs it is now owned. The Gleneida House was established as a hotel by David Lockwood about 1850, and was conducted by him till the time of his death. Since then it has been under the management of the present proprietor, David Lockwood, jr., and has a well merited reputation for excellence. Lake Gleneida. — This beautiful lake, which is one of the principal beauties of the landscape, was in early days known as Shaw's Pond, from Timothy Shaw, who was one of the earliest settlers in the town. This name, though of time hon- ored antiquity, was too plain and unpoetical to suit the fastid- ious taste of modern times. Accordingly a meeting was held on the evening of December 21st, 1852, for the purpose of be- 298 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. stowing a new name upon what was justly considered the beauty of Carmel. This meeting was duly orgaijized with Reuben D. Barnum as chairman, and Edward Crosby, clerk. A committee, consisting of William J. Blake, Noel E. Waring, James Ray- mond, J. D. Little and Samuel Washburn, was appointed to select an appropriate title. Several names were proposed, such as Como, Wassaic, Sagamore and Wicope, while one man, with Scripture in his mind, urged the name of Tiberias as being a very appropriate addition to the already well established name of Carmel. Rev. Henry G. Livingston, who was then in Phila- delphia, wrote a letter in which he proposed the name of Gleneida. This was adopted by acclamation, and will doubt- less continue for all time to come. This beautiful sheet of water covers an area of 168 acres, and its depth exceeds 100 feet in some places. Many years ago on the outlet of this lake there was a mill, which was owned by Daniel H. Cole, who bought the water right from the Philipse family. It descended to his son, Tillott Cole, who leased the right to draw water from the lake, to the city of New York. The old mill, of which some relics yet remain, .was built more than a hundred years ago. At the meeting mentioned above the name of Lake Sagamore was given to Bean's Pond in Kent, while Lake Gilead received its present name in place of Crosby's Pond, by which name it was formerly known. Carmel Collegiate Institute and the Drew Ladies' Sem- inary. — The credit of being the founder of the Carmel Collegiate Institute is doubtless due to James Raymond, whose interest in its welfare continued till the day of his death. A company including many of the prominent citizens of the town, sub- scribers for stock in the enterprise, held a meeting at the Court House, August 23d, 1848, and elected Leonard K. Everett, Samuel Washburn, David Merritt, Samuel Myrrick, James Raymond, Azor B. Crane, Daniel D. Travis, Joseph E. M. Hobby, Eli Kelley, Jonathan Cole, Benjamin Bailey, Enos Hazen, Henry G. Livingston, Lewis Doane and Harman R. Stephens, trustees of an "Association for building and estab- lishing a seminary of learning in or near the village of Carmel." The site selected for the building is a portion of the old James Dickinson farm which was then owned by Elisha Cole, who sold to the trustees above named five acres of land, Sep- TOWN OF CABMEL. 299 tember4th, 1848, for $1,000. The work was soon commenced and the building was raised October 30th, 1849, upon which occasion Rev. Epenetiis Benedict, the well known minister and teacher of Patterson, delivered an address. The raising was finished November 5th, the last "bent" being elevated in its place by the ladies of the village with the help of pulleys. Before the building was finished a sad accident occurred. Theod-ore Howes, a young man of 25, fell from a scaffold and was killed September 10th, 1850. The cost of the edifice was much larger than was expected, and there being some diffi- culty in procuring sufficient funds, the trustees procured the passage of a special Act of Legislature, April 10th, 1850, by which the controller was authorized to loan to the county of Putnam the sum of $6,000, and the Board of Supervisors were authorized at their discretion to loan that sum to the Carmel Collegiate Institute, upon receiving sufficient security. The supervisors, at a meeting held in Ma^^ 1850, declined to accept the loan and incur the responsibility, and this source of assist- ance failed. The amount necessary to complete the work was furnished by Mr. James Raymond, and the institute was opened September 16th, 1851,/with Rev. S. Gr. Manwarring, as prin- cipal. By his untimely death, which occurred in 1852, the in- stitution met with a severe loss. By an informal agreement be- tween the stockholders it was resolved that the whole establish- ment should be transferred to Mr. Raymond upon his supply- ing the means to finish the building. No deed was given, and after the death of Mr. Raymond, which occurred March 23d, 1854, a suit was begun which resulted in a sheriff's deed being given for the premises to Mrs. Julia Raymond, December 4th, 1855, and it was transferred by her to her daughters, Ada Weeks, Sarah R. Livingston and Mary E. Drake, October 1st, 1858. These parties sold the institute to Daniel Drew, May 4th, 1866, for $25,000. This was the first step in a great educational enterprise contemplated at that time by Mr. Drew in his native town, viz., the founding and endowment of a seminary for both sexes, with a collegiate department for ladies and also of a theological seminary, the latter being afterward located at Madison, N. J. Mr. Drew immediately placed Prof. George Crosby Smith in charge of the institute, with instructions to make such changes 300 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. and. improvements as might be desirable. The buildings were thoroughly repaired, fitted for steam and gas, and refnrnished throughout, and supplied with maps, charts, globes, philo- sophical and chemical apparatus, and a very choice library of 3,000 volumes. The grounds, which are ample, were beautified and means procured ior supplying an abundance of pure water from the lake. The school was opened September 30th, 1866, under the title of the Drew Ladies' Seminary, with a full board DREW LADIES SEMINARY.— FRONT VIEW. of teachers, and with thorough courses of study, elementary, academic and collegiate, and with well equipped departments of art and music. An Act "To incorporate the Drew Seminary and Female College " was passed April 23d, 1866, by which Daniel Drew and others were constituted a body corporate with full powers to establish the college. This corporation was organized March 13th, TOWN OF CAEMEL. 301 1867, by the election of Bishop Edmund S. Janes, president; Ambrose Ryder, secretary; Henry J. Baker, treasurer; and an executive committee; but, owing to the incompleteness of Mr. Drew's plans the institution did not then, and has not since, come under their supervision and control. Subsequently, however, it was conveyed in trust to Mr. Daniel D. Chamberlain to hold for the purposes of the 'school, and under an obligation to deed it "in fee " to the board of corpo- rators when they were ready to receive it, and in this condition it remains at the present time, and is in charge of Prof. Smith, who has had the entire administration of its affairs froTn the beginning. The buildings are located on an eminence overlooking the village, and commanding a fine prospect in all directions. SS!'''*i?i3!'>^ .* r P o O z TOWN OF CARMEL. 305 Akin, David Kent, Henry Mabie, Coleman R. Barrett, S. Palmer and Henry F. Miller. George Ludington, son of Frederick and great-grandson of Col. Henry Ludington of Revolutionary fame, was born at Lad- ingtonville, in Kent, June 11th, 1814. He commenced business as a merchant with his father at Ludington ville. In 1856 he as- sisted in organizing the Bank of Kent of which he became cashier. In 1865 he removed to Carmel and organized the Putnam County National Bank. He was for a time commissioner of loans. He died April 11th, 1874. He was married, October 10th, 1843, to Emeline C. Travis of Carmel. Seven children were born to them of whom four are living: Gilbert T., of Carmel, who was for eleven years assistant cashier of Putnam County National Bank; Emma P., married to Rev. Walter Chadwick; T. Edward, of St. Paul, Minn.; and Georgia E., living at home. Putnam County Coubier. — According to the " Gazetteer of New York," a newspaper was published in Carmel in 1814, but of this we have no further evidence. The name was the " Put- nam Republican" and it was printed by Thomas Smith. The "Putnam Democrat" was established by William H. Sloat, in 1841. It afterward passed into the hands of Elijah Yerks. James D. Little became editor subsequently. In Octo- ber, 1849, the name was changed to "Democrat Courier." January 10th, 1852, James D. Little purchased the paper and changed the name to "Putnam County Courier." Mr. Little sold the paper to Charles Benedict, in 1860. He transferred it to B. F. Armstrong, and in 1864, it came back into the posses- sion of Mr. Little, who sold it to J. J. McNally, in 1876. It was again in possession of Mr. Little, in 1879, and he remained the editor and proprietor till the time of his death in 1883. From that time until May 1st, 1885, it was edited by Miss Annie C. Little, his daughter. Mrs. J. D. Little has continued to edit it since her daughter's retirement. Mrs. Little is a sister of Hon. George M. Beebe, of Sullivan county, ex-governor of Kansas, ex-member of Congress and judge of Court of Claims of New York. Putnam County Republican. — This Republican journal was founded by William J. Blake, June 12th, 1858, in the vil- lage of Carmel. It has always been a Republican organ of the party, and was the first Republican paper printed and published in Putnam county. When founded in 1858, its title was " Put- so 306 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. nam Free Press," and it was continued under that name until October, 1868, when its editor, publisher and proprietor sold it to Mr. A. J. Hicks, who changed its name to "The Gleneida Monitor," andsubsequenty to '' The Putnam County Monitor," by which name he continued to publish it until February 14th, 1880, when it was purchased by Miss Ida M. Blake, who changed the name to " Putnam County Republican," by which name it has since been published. Its first editor, publisher and proprietor, William J. Blake, since February, 1880, has been its senior editor, and his oldest daughter, Ida M., from the above date has been its publisher, proprietor and junior editor. The Gilead Church. — The Presbyterian church in Carmel is the direct descendant and successor of the old Congregational church established at the time of the earliest settlement, and was, together with the church in Southeast, under the pastoral care of Rev. Elisha Kent. The two societies were distinguished as the " Eastern and Western Societies in Philipse Precinct." The Eastern Society built a log church about a mile east of Dykeman's Station, the exact location of which is fully de- scribed in the sketches of Southeast Church. The two societies were generally known in the olden time as the "Church at Philippi." The Western Society also built a log church a;t the northwest corner of what was afterward Lot 9 of the Philipse Patent. This meeting house stood on land now belonging to Elijah Fowler, very near the line between the towns of Carmel and Southeast, and on the west side of the road directly oppo- site the old burying ground. The exact location of this is also fully described in the sketch of the town of Southeast. The exact date when this church was built is unknown. The first mention of it is in the survey of the Philipse Patent in 1754, in which it is mentioned as "An old meeting house." The probabilities are that it was built as early as 1746. Rev. Elisha Kent, who came to Southeast in 1743, was the pastor for some years of both these churches. The relation which existed between them is shown most conclusively by an entry in the minutes of the Fairfield Association of Connecticut. In January, 1749, " Mr. Joseph Crane appeared before the Association and applied in behalf of the Eastern Society of Philipse Precinct for a resolve as to what portion of time the Rev. Mr. Kent should be advised to preach among them, and TOWN OP CAKMEL. 307 offering some reasons in behaif of said Eastern Society why tliey should enjoy his labors two thirds of the time. But the Association not having an opportunity to hear what Reasons ye Western Society of ye Precinct may have to offer to ye con- trary, do therefore advise that for the present Mr. Kent's labors for the Sabbaths be equally divided, considering also that ye said Eastern Society may enjoy the benefit of more frequent lectures." It will be seen from this that Mr. Kent had preached on alter- nate Sabbaths at each church, but as the Eastern Society was far the larger it is probable that this was the reason urged for claiming a larger portion of the time. We may remark here that Mr. John Spragg, who lived where Le Grand Hughson now lives, and very near the site of the ancient log church, was one of the commissioners who applied to the Eastern Association of Fairfield, Connecticut, for a minister in 1742, which resulted in the settlement of Mr. Kent in Southeast in 1743. This relationship between the two societies continued till about 1749 and shortly after this Rev. John Davenport came to Carmel. The history of this man would make a volume of itself. His great-grandfather was the first minister of New Haven, his father was pastor of Stamford, and his son was also a minister. He espoused the great religious movement of Whit- field and went to the utmost bounds of fanaticism. In Boston he made great disturbance in the churches and in Connecticut he was put outside the State for his irregular proceedings. In fact his career was marked by a course of action which was half religion and half insanity. He finally came to himself, repented of his former actions, and his evident contrition caused him to be again received into the churches, and he was sent by the Synod as a missionary to Virginia in 1749. His labors in Carmel began in 1750 and while here he assisted in organizing the church at South Salem. He remained here till 1754.' Shortly after this he died and was buried at Pennington, New Jersey, where his tomb bears the following lines : ' It seems that in 1752 the church at West Philippi (Carmel) was bearing one- third of the salary of Eev. Mr. Davenport, probably in connection with Eed Mills and at Patterson, although the last is doubtful and was more likely some church in Westchester county. At that time he writes " That his stay at Philippi is doubtful as the Philippi Church would not continue to pay the third of his salary as they wanted a minister of their own." 308 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. " O Davenport a Seraph once in clay A brighter Seraph now in heavenly day, How glowed thy heart with sacred love and zeal, How like to that thy kindred angels feel. Clothed in humility thy virtues shone In every eye illustrious but thine own. How like thy Master, on whose friendly breast Thou oft hast leaned and shall forever rest." The third pastor was Rev. Ebenezer Knibloe, a young Scotch- man who possessed in a marked degree the national peculiari- ties, and was a man of strongly pronounced opinions. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh, came to this country in 1752 and went to New Haven. It is supposed that he came to Carmel through the influence of Mr. Kent. When he came to America he brought with him a copy of the first edition of King James' Bible, which is still in possession of his descendants. The call to Mr. Knibloe was brief and to the point. " We the inhabitants of the Western Society of Philippi do unite and call Mr. Ebenezer Knibloe preacher of ye Grospel to take the pastoral care of us." This call was signed by Eleazar Hamblin, Shubael Rowley, Richard Cooms, John Sprague, Thomas Kelly, Cornelius Fuller, Thomas Colwell, Edward Gannung, Jacob Finch, Isaac Finch, Noah Burbank, Seth Dean. John Hains, Matthew Rowlee, Shu- bael Rowlee, John Paddock, James Colwell, Samuel Latham, Isaac Smith, Thomas Crosby, Francis Baker, Joseph Bangs, Thomas Frost, Joseph Hopkins, Hugh Bayley, David Honiwel, John Frost, Russell Gregory, Isaac Lyden, John Gannung, Edward Carver, Tho. Hinkley, jr., John Myrrick, Benj. How- land, Isacher Robinson, James Sears, Joseph Gregory, Isaac Chase, Elkanah Hinkley, Lazarus Griffith, Jacob Ellis, Jacob Ellis, jr., Simeon Ellis, Jabez Chase, John Finch, Seth Myrrick, Amos Fuller, John White, Daniel Townsend, John Barber, Matthew Burgess, Caleb Hazen, John Langdon, John Kelly, Jesse Smith, Joshua Hamblin, and Blisha Kellogg. The council for ordaining and installing Mr. Knibloe met at the house of Thomas Crosby, February 18th, 1756. There was a literary and theological examination in the morning and pub- . lie service in the afternoon in the meeting house. The ministers present were Revs. James Beebe, Elisha Kent, Mr. Sill and Mr. Sacket. The first act of his ministry was the marriage of TOWN OF CAEMEL. B09 Ebenezer Robinson and Anne Stone, which took place the same evening. Mr. Knibloe remained three years. He complained to the council that " The church had not fulfilled their engage- ments in regard to temporals " and a committee promised " An effort so that no complaint of the kind should be made again." He asked for a dismission and the society "Agreed to pay him a certain sum for his temporal interest in said place and so part in peace." The relation was dissolved July 11th, 1759. Mr. Knibloe went to Amenia, in Dutchess county, and there died. His descendants are now living in that place. Some of the papers of Mr. Knibloe are yet in existence, among them a list of marriages and baptisms during his ministry. Prom a few entries of a business nature it is learned that while in Carmel he lived with Thomas Crosby', and that his board was 26 shill- ings a month. "'A Register of Marriages in the West Society of Philipse Patent : Feb. 18, 1756, Ebenezer Robinson, Anne Stone; March 3, 1756, Hezekiah Keeler, Kenturah Lynor of Danbury; June 7, 1756, Elijah White, Mercy Hopkins of East Society; Sept. 16, 1756, John' Barber, Thankful Hamblin; Nov. 3, 1756, Michael Evans, Hepsibah Sprague; JSTov. 16, 1756, Wheaton Robinson, Phebe Crosby; Jan. 20, 1757, Joseph Gannung, Elizabeth Kellogg; Feb. 3, 1757. Daniel Gregory, Mary Comb; March 9, 1768, Peter Mabie, Susannah Sunderlin; March 23, 1758, Bar- zillai Kin— Lidia Hinkley; March 23, 1758, Joseph Parrish, Ruth Hinkley; June 15, 1758, John Langdon, Mary Puriiy; Feb. 18, 1759, Peter Hartwick, Jean Langdon." " A Register of Baptisms in the West Society of Philipse Patent since the Reverend Mr. Ebenezer Knibloe was ordained minister of the Gospel there: March 8, A. D., 1756, Daniel Cranes' son Nathan; April 11, Eleazor Sprague' s son Reuben, and Shubael Rowlee's daughter Patience; May 9, James Col- well's son Joshua; June 27, Seth Merrick's daughter Ruth; July 11, John Hain's twins Martha and Sybil, and David Hone- well's daughter Asenath; Jan. 2, 1757, Matthew Rowlee's son Elijah; Feb. 11, The Worthy Mr. Moses— daughter Martha; March 13, 1757, Caleb Fowler was baptised and likewise on said day his daughter Elizabeth; April 10, Hackaliah Brown's son Nathan and daughter, Wm. Stone's son Oliver, and Heman 'Thomas Crosby lived south of the Seminary in Carmel. His farm included the Gilead burying ground. 310 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. King's son Stephen; April 17, Josepli Hopkins' daughter Han- nah; May 1, Caleb Fowler's daughter Sarah; May 8, Joshua Hamblin's daughter Sarah, Robert Fuller's son John, and Isaac Chase's sons Thomas, Josiah, Joel and Solomon and ye daughters Sarah, Elizabeth; May 22, Widow Huldah Robin- son's son Issacher; June 6, Ebenezer Robinson's daughter Ann; July 10, Jonathan Hopkins' son Jonathan; July 24, Lazarus GriflBn's daughter Phebe; July 31, Jacob Surges' son Dennis; Aug. 7, David E. Smith's son Samuel; Oct. 9, Joseph Gregory's son Reuben." The exact time when the old log meeting house ceased to be used, and a new church erected, is unknown. The first direct mention of the meeting house at Gilead which has been found, is in the survey of Lot 8 in 1762. It was standing then and Rev. Elnathan Gregory held as tenant a large farm south of it which extended south to what was then Dean's Pond, but now Lake Gilead. But there can be no doubt that it was standing at the time when Mr. Knibloe was installed, in 1756. This church remained till within the remembrance of the present generation. It was a plain building about fifty feet square and stood on the west end of the old burying ground at Gilead and some distance north of the road. A door on the south side opened directly in front of the pulpit and stairs led co the galleries. x^.round the walls were square pews for families, while nearer the pulpit were straight backed benches. The pulpit was "goblet shaped," elevated as was the custom in those times, and winding stairs led up to it. The building was repaired in 1802, and the modern stove was introduced in 1815. This stood near the center, and a straight stove pipe led up to the peak of the roof. This meeting house, which was in its day the only church for many miles around, stood till 1839. It was then torn down and the material sold to Peter S. Kent and carried to his farm in Patterson where it was used for out- buildings, which may now be seen on the homestead of Edison Smith in the town of Patterson. The pews sold in 1803 for $202, and in 1806 for $154. The minister's salary in 1824 was $200. The first deacons of the church were Eleazar Harab- lin and Thomas Crosby. The former is said to have returned to Massachusetts at the beginning of the Revolution; the latter died at the beginning of this century at the age of 92. The next pastor was Rev. Elnathan Gregory, who, unlike his TOWN OF CARMEL. 311 predecessor, was intensely American, educated in the scliool of Edwards and Belamy, and a natural orator. It is said that the church adopted its name from a sermon which he preached from the text " Is there no balm in Gilead?" His pastorate 'lasted about thirteen years, when he retired, but continued to live in Carmel. During his ministry the neighborhood was known as "Gregory's Parrish." Like most ministers of his time Mr. Gregory carried on a farm in connection with his more sacred calling. His farm was leased from the Philipse family and was situated south of the church and extended to Lake Gilead. He is said to have died in Carmel in 1816, at the age of 82. He was a strong whig noted for his patriotism, and dur- ing the Hevolntion a price was set on his head. The next min- ister was Hev. David Close, who was called in 1774. His charge embraced both Carmel and Patterson, but he is said to have been in the former place two years before coming to Carmel. He was a graduate of Yale College and took a deep interest in the Dutchess County Presbytery. His ministry lasted during the Kevolution and he died in Patterson in 1783.' He married a Miss Comstock, but left no children. His successor was Rev. Mr. Burritt and the Presbytery met at his house in Carmel, December 1st, 1783. The war had caused great suffering and made many changes. He had been so greatly reduced in circumstances that the Presbytery com- mended him by official letter to the benevolence of the Christian public. In 1774 the church, which had previously been Congregational, became Presbyterian. A letter from Mr. Kent to Dr. Belamy, written during the pastorate of Mr. Gregorj', states that the " Separatists and Sandemanians were disturbing the congrega- tion with their errors." The former urged higher sanctity and claimed it for themselves; the latter were the followers of Rev. John Sandeman, who died in Danbury in 1771, and who taught that an intellectual faith was sufficient for salvation without a change of heart. For some years after the Revolution the church seems to have been broken up and disorganized, but it was reorganized in 1792. " Prederickstown, Aug. 9, 1792. "We the subscribers, members of different churches and of 'See Sketch of Presbyterian Church, Patterson. 312 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. the former church in this place, now dissolved, living in the vicinity commonly knovi^n as Gregory's Parrish, considering it the duty of Christians to join together and form churches vi^herever God in his Providence may cast their lot and finding ourselves under such circumstances and no church in this, parish w^hich we may join * * have after mature delibera- tion judged that we ought to unite in covenant as a visible church and Messrs. Ichabod Lewis, Jehu Minor, Amzi Lewis and Silas Constant, Ministers of the Gospel having by our re- quest convened in order to assist us we have therefore adopted and publicly received the following articles and covenant." Then follow the usual articles of faith, and the covenant is signed by John Ambler, Matthew Beale, Philetus Phillips, Zebulon Phillips, John Merrick, John McLean, Jabez Truesdale, Rebecca Hopkins, Mary Hopkins, Desire Stone, Mary Haines, Lucy Cullen,' Bethice Truesdell, Esther Phillips and Elizabeth Merrick. Rev. Ichabod Lewis is said to have preached here from 1792 till the time of his death in 1793, and at the same time was pastor of the church in Southeast. Rev. James Hickox was licensed in 1793 and preached at Gilead and Red Mills until 1803. He was succeeded by Rev. Stephen Dodd who came in June, 1803, and also had charge of the church at Red Mills. He removed to Salem, July 15th, 1810. Rev. Herman Dagget came to this place from Northampton, Mass., and was pastor both here and at Red Mills. The two churches gave a very meagre support. He remained two years and then became principal of an academy at North Salem, and was subsequently in charge of a foreign mission school for educating heathen youth at Cornwall, Conn. Rev. Allen Blair, the next pastor, was a native of Ireland and was apprenticed to a weaver. He obtained a good English education and taught school at Red Mills. After studying under Rev. Amzi Lewis he was licensed to preach in 1795. He became pastor here in 1812 and remained till 1815. He was stated supply at Red Mills for many years. He died in 1829, aged 72. Rev. James N. Austin was born at Red Mills and was pastor here from 1815 to 1818. Since that time the pastors have been: > Lucy CuUen was the daughter of Rev. Elisha Kent and the widow of Charles Cullen. TOWN or CAEMEL. 313 Rev. Abner Brundage, 1818-21; Isaac Allerton, two years; Asahel Brunson preached here and at Yorktown 3 years; Benaiah Y. Morse preached here and at Red Mills 6 years; George T. Todd, 1836; Henry G. Livingston, 1845-49"; Rutgers Van Brunt, 1850-52; Henry G. Livingston was supply till 1856; Sanauel W. Crittenden, 1857; Henry G. Smuller, 1858-63; Saurian E. Lane, 1863-68; Israel W. Cochrane, 1869; Daniel D. Sahler, 1870-82; A. W. Colver, stated supply; Rollin A. Sawyer, present pastor. Rev, Daniel Dtj Bois Sahler, who was for twelve years pastor of the Gilead Presbyterian Church of Carmel, was born in Kingston, Ulster county, N". Y., in 1829. His parents, Abra- ham Du Bois and Eliza (Hasbrouck) Sahler, were both residents of that place and were representatives of old families of the couniy. Mr. Sahler' s early education was obtained at the schools in Kingston and after finishing a preparatory course he entered college at Princeton, N. J., where he graduated. He then en- tered Princeton Theological Seminary, and at the conclusion of his course of study in that institution he was ordained and in- stalled pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Red Bank, N. J. In this place he remained several years, his labors being much blessed and his church membership increased. He then accepted a call to the Congregational Church of Sheffield, Mass., his pastorate lasting five years, and in 1870 he received an invita- tion to become the pastor of the Gilead Presbyterian Church of Carmel, N. Y,, and was installed May 2d, 1871. The pastorate thus begun continued till the time of his death which occurred November 11th, 1882. His mortal remains were laid to rest in Woodlawn Cemetery. He died in the midst of iRev. Henry G. Livingston, son of Eev. Gilbert Livingston, D.D., was born at Coxsackie, N. Y., February 3d, 1821, graduated from Williams College in 1840, and November 1st of same year became principal of Clinton Academy, East- hampton, L. I. He entered the Theological Seminary in 1842, and preached his first sermon at Easthampton, L. I., September 29th, 1844. On October 37th of that year he first preached at Carmel and remained as pastor till November 8th, 1849, when he resigned to take charge of the Third Reformed Chvtrch of Philadelphia. He remained there till 1853 when failing health compelled him to resign, and he returned to Carmel and took charge of Raymond Collegiate Insti- tute. Under his care the institution was very prosperous, but his earthly career was cut short by untimely death January 27th, 1855, at the age of 34. Mr. Liv- ingston married Sarah, daughter of James Raymond. Their children are Gilbert R. and Julia R., now living in Carmel. Mr. Livingston was a descendant in the fifth generation from Rev. Elisha Kent, the first minister of Southeast. 314 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. his work, and in the full energy of Christian manhood, and his untimely departure was lamented by a large circle of devoted friends. The memorial service in his honor was attended by the largest congregation that had ever attended the church where he labored so faithfully and so well. Mr. Sahler was a truly consecrated minister of Jesus Christ. His one idea of preaching was to win souls. All his sermons were carefully prepared with this end in view, and so were plain, practical and thoroughly scriptural, and his labors were rich with results for the world to come, and his pastorate was not only the longest since the days of Gregory, but the most fruitful. He was a pastor in the real sense of that term and the truth he preached on the Sabbath was illustrated and enforced by his life, conversation and personal efforts during the week, and as one who knew him well remai-ked, " a large part of his preach- ing was done outside the pulpit." His social temperament and genial disposition made him ever a welcome guest not only in the homes of his own people but in the homes of all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. In times of sorrow his quick, sympathetic nature made him ever ready to administer consolation, and many a heart bowed down with grief has been cheered and comforted by his tender loving words. He was a man of broad culture, and always kept himself abreast with the wants of the times. While giving self-sacri- ficing attention to every interest associated with the Church of the Lord Jesus, he was always at the front in all reforms for the good of mankind, and thus he endeared himself not only to his immediate congregation but to the entire community. Fitted by education and taste for the most varied associations he gave himself wholly to his church and its neighborhood. His powers of adaptation made him successful with all. He was an evan- gelist in the remoter districts of the county. He was the helper of the friends of purity and temperance. In the intellectual development of young people he was enthusiastic and untiring. In the association of ministers of Putnam county and vicinity he was active and efficient. Thoroughly Presbyterian in his be- liefs and methods, he yet respected the beliefs of others and in all the great varieties of Christian service he found a congenial c^^^^^^ciAjLuo "^ j;.i3-'i' 7J^Fiiv:sS^iz: TOWN OF OAEMEL. 315 sphere for his great heart to lavish its sympathy and his busy brain to kindle its brightest thought. His death in the vigor of his years made vacancies to be long deplored. The religious history of Putnam county would be incomplete without giving large place to him whose name is tenderly cherished in so many of its homes. He married the eldest daughter of Benjamin W. Merriam of New York, who, with three daughters, survives him. Parsonage and Church Lots. — As stated before. Rev. Elna- than Gregory during his life was tenant of a large farm near his church. July 10th, 1818, Amos Belden sold to Enoch Cros- by, Joel Frost, Elisha Smith, David Travis and Joseph Crane, trustees of the church, thirty acres of land bounded south by Dean's Pond and north by the Horse Pound road. This farm the trustees sold to Rev. Benaiah Y. Morse, March 5th, 1835. He sold two thirds of an acre next the road to Floyd T. Frost and the remainder to William Watts April 7th of the same year. The house and part of the land opposite the burying ground now belong to Lyman Craft, the house being the old parsonage built before the Revolution. The present church in Carmel was built in 1836. The church lot was sold to the trus- tees by Lewis Ludington, James Raymond and Benjamin Bel- den, June 30th, 1835. This is apart of a tract of 16 acres which was sold to them by Elisha Cole July 7th, 1834. The north line of this church lot is the original north bounds of the farm leased in perpetuity by Philip Philipse to James Dickinson in 1766, and which afterward passed into the hands of Elisha Cole. The present parsonage was purchased from Chauncey R. Weeks in 1856. The Gilead Burying Ground. — This place, situated about a mile southeast of the village of Carmel and the location of the old Grilead Church, is a part of the farm which, in 1756, was in pos- sesion of Thomas Crosby and was leased to James Dickinson in 1766 and sold to Elisha Cole by Frederick Philipse in 1828. It is probable that the first burials here were soon after the building of the Gilead Church. The oldest inscription is in memory of Sarah, wife of Jesse Smith, who died November 17th, 1766. This burial ground is the last resting place of the earliest settlers and the representatives of the older families of the town. The old Gilead meeting house stood on the west end of the ground and a little way north of the road. 316 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. The following names and dates are from the Grilead Burying Ground.— James Colwell, died July 4, 1837, age 76; David Myr- rick, May 8, 1800, 69; Hannah, wife, Feb. 24, 1807, 77; Lois wife of Matthew Beale, July 1, 1785, 27; Elizabeth, widow of Tho. Crosby, Aug. 6, 1801, 92; Sarah, wife of George Beale, Jan. 1, 1790, 37; Sarah, wife of Mr. Jesse Smith, Nov. 17, 1766, 62; Daniel Daily, May 24, 1861, 51; Caleb Fowler, Aug. 6, 1805, 72; Eliza wife, June 8, 1807, 80; John Wood, Dec. 17, 1808, 34; John Myrrick, May 14, 1812, 42; Rev. Ebenezer Phillips, Feb. 15, 1834, 48; Mary, wife, Oct. 15, 1846, 46; Reuben Hopkins, July 22, 1798, 31; Capt. Solomon Hopkins, Sept. 22, 1792, 54; Eliza- beth, wife, Jan. 6, 1804, 62; Eleanor, wife of Thatcher Hopkins, Mar. 2, 1786, 80; Col. Caleb Hazen, March 31, 1806, 56; Ruth, wife, Dec. 18, 1828, 77; Capt. Eleazor Hazen, Sept. 20, 1793, 37; Enoch Crosby, June 26, 1835, 85; Sarah, wife, Sept. 4, 1811, 56; Joel Myer, Mar. 25, 1807, 72: Seth Foster, Sept. 15, 1837, 76; Huldah, wife, Oct. 29, 1797, 40; Elizabeth, wife, Jan. 28, 1848, 86; Tho. Foster, Sept. 22, 1840, 45; Laura A. Foster, Nov. 30, 1847, 43; Tilly Foster, Apr. 4, 1847, 49; Sally, wife, Apr. 8, 1836, 40; Abigail, wife, James Sloat, May 15, 1825, 69; Eli Gan- nung, Feb. 8, 1827, 40; Reuben Gannung, Dec. 29, 1836, 79; Samuel Kniflfen, Oct. 9, 1791, 74; Alvah Trowbridge, June 10, 1856, 76; Sally, wife, April 6, 1833, 52; James Garrison, Jan. 18, 1881, 80; Zebulon Washburn, Nov. 17, 1833, 86; Jeremiah Hughson, Apr. 12, 1812, 63; Rebecca, wife, Apr. 7, 1812, 61; Abijah Baker, Oct. 1805, 80; Tho. Wilson, Oct. 7, 1805, 80; John Frost, Mar. 21, 1831, 91; Huldah, wife, Oct. 13, 1802, 60; Mehit- able Frost, June 6, 1856, 73; Wm. Colwell, Sept. 13, 1825, 81; Phebe, wife. Mar. 25, 1818, 80; Solomon Fowler, Oct. 21, 1828, 61; Hannah, wife, July 1, 1849, 73; Jacob Ganung, Dec. 22, 1834, 86; Hannah, wife, May 22, 1845, 92; Joseph Ganung, May 24, 1836, 68; Susannah, wife, Aug. 19, 1848, 69; Hon. Joel Frost, Sept. 11, 1827, 62; Martha, wife, Oct. 21, 1860, 88; Jonathan Fowler, Oct. 26, 1848, 79; Mary, wife, Apr. 16, 1835, 59; Philip Smith, Jan. 1, 1828, 73; Elizabeth, wife, Jaa. 30, 1829, 69; Capt. Samuel Kniflfen, Mar. 9, 1828, 77; Jane, wife, Feb. 21, 1844, 86; Susannah Fowler, Oct. 1, 1847, 80; Phebe Fowler, Sept. 28, 1847, 88; Ampelias Yeomans, Feb. 22, 1853, 74; Abagail, wife, March 10, 1848, 63; Salome, wife Josiah Baker, Dec. 26, 1845, 71; John Frost, May 11, 1862, 88; Cornelia, wife, Apr. 11, 1844, 62; William Seeley, Mar. 11, 1828, 53; Joel Murger, Mar. 25, 1807, 72; Lewis TOWN OF CAEMEIi. 317 Crosby, April 30, 1836, 46; Cornelia, wife, Dec. 3, 1857, 64; Hannah Crosby, wife Philips Bundle, Apr. 16, 1871, 71; Gilbert Travis, Sept. 6, 1814, 74; Joseph Travis, Mar. 1, 1841, 75; Deb- orah, wife, June 12, 1845, 77; Amos Belden, May 4, 1830, 66; Elizabeth, wife, Dec. 27, 185], 82; Jeremiah Hopkins, Oct. 17, 1829, 67; Thankful, wife, Apr. 18, 1833, 70; Jonathan Travis, Feb. 1, 1845, 85; Elizabeth, wife, Feb. 28, 1840, 88; Richard Travis, Oct. 25, 1844, 56. James Raymond was born in Albany county, N. Y., March 15th, 1795. His parents were originally from Southeast Town- ship, Putnam county, in which they were old settlers. He re- ceived a common school education, learned the harness-making trade, and opened a shop in Carmel village. About 1826 he en- gaged in the menagerie business in a small way, which busi- ness he gradually increased and extended until he was known as one of the foremost and successful showmen in the United States. He founded the firm of Raymond, Ogden & Co., sub- sequently changed to Raymond, Waring & Co. He was one of the founders of Raymond Seminary, now known as Drew Semi- nary. September 26th, 1818, he married Julia Smith, a native of Putnam county, now living at an advanced age, and the oldest living member of the Gilead Presbyterian Church, Car- mel. Mr. Raymond's death occurred March 23d, 1854, and he is buried in the cemetery at Carmel, which bears his name. He laid out the Raymond Cemetery in 1845, and tlie same year gave a deed of the land to the trustees of the Gilead Church, and it is now under their control. Mount Carmel Baptist Chitech. — The family of Elisha Cole are supposed to have been the first Baptists settled here and his descendants have ever been identified with the church of that denomination. The society is supposed to have been organized about 1770, but for many years there was no meeting house in this vicinity. In the summer time meetings were held in the open air and Elder Elisha Cole preached to numbers gathered from all the country round, while in winter the meetings were held in private houses. Sometime between 1780 and 1785, a building was bought and moved to a place on the west side of the street in Carmel, where the house of the late Lewis Ballard now stands, next south of the horse sheds belonging to the church. This was used till 1806, when a second church was built. This meeting house stood on the small lot 318 HISTOKT OF PUTNAM COUNTY. south of the present church and on land leased from Frederick Philipse. In the survey of Lot 6 in 1810 the tirst church is spoken of as having been " sold and converted into a barn." June 29th, 1821, Frederick Philipse gave to the trustees of the church " in consideration of his respect for the religious es- tablishment whose temporal concerns are under their care and supervision," the piece of land now owned by the church, lying on the west side of the road and including the old burying ground, and also the small lot south of the present church on which the second meeting house was then standing. The church- was incorporated February 16th, 1807, the trustees being Barnabas Carver, Joseph Cole and Henry Nichols, and " the Society then agreed that their house and society be called by the name of Mount Carmel." The third church was erected in 1836 on land bought of Eli Kelley, Nov- vember 25th, 1885, and remained till 1869. The first preacher of this society was Elisha Cole, the first settler of the name, and he was succeeded by his son. Elder Nathan Cole, who was identified with the church during his entire life. His salary in 1791 was $12. About 1792 a division arose in the church and Elder Cole, with quite a number of the members, withdrew because the church neglected to support their poor. In 1794 the matter was referred to a council which censured the church for not maiataining their indigent mem- bers and counseled the disaffected members to unite in love and labor together for the good of Zion. This advice was com- plied with and the church again acted in unity. In 1795 Brother Joseph Arnold was licensed to preach. In 1796 a rup- ture again occurred and Elder Cole with a large number with- drew from the church on account of the "superfluous dress, and the holding of posts of civil and military office in earthly states by certain members." Notwithstanding this the church increased, and it was "Resolved that our dissenting brethren who withdrew from the church on account of fashionable dress and the holding of posts of honor both civil and military be allowed the privilege of occupying the meeting house one half the time." Thus matters continued, both the church and the disaffected members receiving members until July 1st, 1797, when the church withdrew the hand of fellowship from all dissenting brethren and sisters for covenant breaking. November 22d, TOWN OF CARMEL. 319 1798, Daniel Cole Avas ordained deacon and during 1799 and 1802 the churcli was supplied with preaching by Elder Ebenezer Cole and Jonathan Sturdevant at the stipulated rate of $85 a year. A list was taken of members willing to contribute to the sup- port of the gospel and for a part of the time meetings were held in private houses " to accommodate the lame, the halt and the blind." In December, 1802, some of the members were put under admonition for joining the Masons. Elder Ebenezer Cole became sole pastor in 1802 at a salary of $30. In 1809 Lewis Evans was licensed to preach and Elisha Booth in the year fol- lowing. About this time the church met with a severe loss by the death of Elder Cole, whose tombstone in the old burying ground bears the following: "IN MEMORY OF ELDER NATHAN COLE WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE FEB. 6, 1805, IN THE 59th year of his AGE. " A dying preacher I have been Christ and his cross has been my theme. Laboring for souls for thirty years Often warning them with tears. Today ye come my grave to view In silence now I speak to you Your fleeting time rolls fast away, Prepare to meet thy God to-day." Elder Ebenezer Cole died August 18th, 1815, at the age of 61, and Deacon Daniel Cole December 10th, 1831, aged 85. These three brothers, the pillars of the early Baptist church, together await the resurrection. Elder Daniel Wildman came in 1817 and a great revival took place in 1818, and many were added to the church. July 9th, 1820, Elder John Warren preached his first sermon in this church and this was the beginning of a pastorate of twenty-one years, during which time he baptized between three and four hundred. His father was a soldier in the Revolution and a prisoner on board the prison ship in New York, from which he escaped and came to Carmel. He was licensed to preach June 25th, 1791. and was afterward ordained at Dan- bury, Conn. Elder John Warren was born in Carmel but in early life went with his father's family to Worcester, Otsego county, N. Y. He began to preach in 1811 and was pastor at Roxbury, N. Y. In 1818 he came to Patterson in this county. His ministry alter- 320 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. nated between the latter place and Carmel, where he was pastor for twenty years, closing his labors in 1842. After a long life of usefulness and devotion to his labor, Elder Warren died at Danbury, Conn-., July 21st, 1868, aged 83 years, one month and two days. He was buried in an obscure part of the old burying ground in Carmel, but in June, 1871, his remains were removed to a more fitting place in front of the present church, and a BAPTIST CHURCH, CARMEL VILLAGE. neat monument was erected by his relatives and friends. The Baptist church had no truer representative and there was no firmer defender of the "Faith once delivered to the Saints" than Elder John Warren. The strictness of discipline in early days appears in many instances. A resolution of May 17th, 1828, states, "That it should be considered a church discipline that a member of the TOWN OF CAEMEL. 321 church should visit a Free Mason Lodge," and in 1829 a com- plaint was raised against one of the members "for walking uncharitably in playing the violin, to tte grief of the brethren and sisters, and he was put under admonitions therefor." The next pastor was Rev. C. H. Underhill who entered upon his labors March 1st, 1842. He remained till April 1st, and was succeeded by Rev. Aaron Perkins. The succeeding pastors were: Rev. J. M. Coley, August, 2, 1846, to April 1st, 1849; C. B. Keyes, June 1st, 1849, to April 1st, 1851 ; John Seage, April 1st, 1851-53; D. T. Hill, April 1st, 1853-58; William S. Clapp, 1859 to November, 1859; A..; Perkins, January 1st, 1860, to May 1st; William S. Clapp, May 1st, 1860, to October, 1865; Otis Saxton, October 1st, 1865, to April ] st, 1866. In 1867 Rev. William S. Clapp again took charge of the church and has remained its pastor till the present time. The present church was built in 1869 and dedicated March 10th, 1870. The old church was sold to Leonard Yeamans for $405. The pulpit and seats were used for the present Baptist church at Boyd's Reservoir. The new church which was built at a cost of |133,000, will seat 600 persons and is an elegant and imposing edifice. Rev. William S. Clapp, who has for many years been the pastor of Carmel Baptist Church, was born at Ballston, Sara- toga county, N. Y., November 2d, 1822. His parents, Chester and Eleanor Stilwell Clapp, are yet residents of Ballston, the former at the advanced age of ninety-three, and the latter aged eighty-eight. They were the parents of six children: Marcella, wife of Dr. C. T. Harris, of Syracuse; Russell P., William S., Edward L., John A., and Harmon W. The last two are deceased; the former of whom was one of the earliest emigrants to California in 1849, the latter was killed during the Civil War. The early life of Mr. Clapp was passed in his native place under the care of his parents, and on reaching the age of seventeen, he left home to attend school at Stillwater Academy. After completing his preparatory studies, he entered Madison University in the Sophomore year, and graduated in July, 1846. Previous to his graduation Mr. Clapp accepted an invitation to become pastor of the First Baptist Church in Albany, and was ordained, March 10th, 1846. In this charge he remained till May, 1849, when a call was extended from a Baptist Church in 21 322 HISTORY OF PCJTNAM COUNTY. New York city which was accepted. Here he remained three years, when his health, which had been shattered by an attaok of cholera, compelled him to relinquish his charge. Mr. Clapp then removed to Danbury, Conn., where he became pastor of the church, and remained there till 1857. In Febru- ary, 1858, he commenced a pastorate in the village of Carmel, which has continued to the present time, to the mutual satisfac- tion of pastor and people. Daring this lengthy service of twenty-eight years, an entire generation has grown up under his care, and been blessed by his example and instructions. Throughout the county his influence among the churches of the Baptist denomination is widely known and fully recognized, and in the councils' of the various pastors, his advice and opin- ions are received with the respect which is most justly deserved. In 1864 Mr. Clapp went to Europe where he remained fifteen months, during which time he made extensive journeys through- out the continent. His influence and well merited popularity among all classes of people, led to his receiving, in 1872, the nomination for mem- ber of Legislature on an independent ticket, and the nomina- tion was confirmed by the people by a very large majority. Upon taking his seat in Xhe Legislature, Mr. Clapp was ap- pointed upon the committees on Education, Charitable and Re- ligious Bodies, and Expenditures. One of the most important services in which Mr. Clapp was engaged, was conducting the memorial services held in honor of' the memory of Hon. William H. Seward, who had passed to his rest after a life devoted to the best interests of his country. With the slight interruptions occasioned by his travels and legislative service, Mr. Clapp has been the settled pastor of the church of Carmel for a longer period than any of his predecessors; a service which we trust will long continue, and be in the future, as it has been in the past, blessed with re- sults for good. He married Miss Jane Maria Mesick of Albany, May 18th, 1846. The surviving children of this marriage are Chester S. and Susie M., wife of Dr. R. S. Moore of New York. After the decease of Mrs. Clapp at Danbury, November 12th, JSn^ib^JIBEalk Sovslrr TOWN OF CARMEL. 323 1855, he married Mrs. Catharine D. Kelley, daughter of Daniel Drew, June 11th, 1857. They had one son, Hon. Henry D. Clapp of Carmel. As a natural result of .his long pastorate Mr. Clapp has become fully identified with the social and religious life of the town and county. In many families he has officiated at the baptism, marriage and funerals of their members, and shared with them in sympathy the joys and sorrows of their lives. The literary taste of the community has been greatly advanced by a large and well selected library of the choicest literature, a very large portion of which has been donated by Mr. Clapp and his son, and its elevating influence has not failed to be felt. Mr. Clapp was one of the directors of the New York, Boston & Montreal Eailroad, now the New York and Northern, at the time of its building, and represented the interests of the town in that enterprise, a position which required no small degree of business capacity. From his long continued ministry, ripe scholarship, sound judgment and ability, Mr. Clapp is justly placed at the head of the Baptist denomination iu the county, and the "Faith once delivered to the Saints" finds in him an able exponent and a valiant champion. Dates from the old burying ground, Carmel: — Hozea Town- send, died June 24, 1833, age 48: Ivah, wife, April 10, 1838, 49; James Hughson, Dec. 22, 1834, 55; Abigail, wife, March 8, 1848, 59; Christina Roberts, April 24, 1848, 86; Dea. Daniel Cole, Dec. 10, 1831,' 85; Susannah, wife, Nov. 3,1857, 102, 4 m. 8 d.; Joseph Hopkins, Jan. 31, 1833, 81; Elizabeth, wife, Dec. 16, 1837, 82; Gen. James Townsend, Mar. 13, 1832, 76; Priscilla, wife, June 11, 1839, 83; Elder Eben. Cole, Aug. 18, 1815, 61; Mary, wife, Aug. 30, 1806, 44; Nathan Crosby, Oct. 7, 1805, 72; Eunice, wife, Jan. 17, 1821, 73; Tracy Ballard", Jan. 1, 1829, 72; Mercy, wife, Feb. 8, 1826, 69; James Mead, April 5, 1830, 58; Lewis Eobin- son, killed by lightning. May 27, 1810, 53; Mary, wife, May 8, 1838, 81; David Frost, Jan. 8, 1818, 51; Lydia, wife, Dec. 11, 1816, 47; Nathan Fuller, Dec. 12, 1811, 44; Joseph Tillot, April 24, 1818, 52; Elijah Fuller, June 9, 1821, 77; Martha, wife, May 14, 1818, 76; John Kelley, jr., June 27, 1818, 54; Rachel, widow of John Kelley, jr., and widow of Epenetus Yeomans, Mar. 4, 1850, 72; John Griffin, July 3, 1842, 69; Mary, wife, Feb. 12, 324 HISTORy OF PUTNAM COUBTTy. 1859, 88; Doct. Robert Weeks, May 14, 1816, 44; Berry Cole, May 29, 1835, 66; Hannah, wife, Dec. 23, 1824, 47; John North- rup, Aug. 30, 1829, 57; Judah Kelley, Sept. 17, 1837, 80; Lydia, wife. May 28, 1818, 58: Polly, wife of Joseph Northrup, Jan. 9, 1835, 93; David Dean, April 24, 1860, 92; Deborah, wife. May 22, 1827, 58; Abraham Mabie, Aug. 7, 1817, 90; Sarah, wife, Aug. 12, 1816, 87; Abraham Hill, May 11, 1817, 70; Hannah, wife, July 5, 1818, 70; Gilbert Merritt, March 4, 1821, 70; Charles Agor, Dec. 7, 1819, 95; Cornelius Organs, Dec. 3, 1818, 52; Rachel, wife, Sept. 18, 1836, 73; David Frost, April 8, 1847, 82. From burying ground by Baptist Church, Carmel: — Epenetus Yeomans, died Aug. 19, 1850, age 75; Ebehezer Gay, Feb. 19, 1868, 79; James Kniffen, Jan. 3, 1853, 73; Uriah Townsend, Feb. 1, 1864, 80; Sally, wife, Sept. 14, 1843, 57; Abijah Townseftd, Nov. 5, 1838, 78; Samuel Wilson, Jan. 16, 1844, 87; Daniel Brown, March 6, 1813, 43; Phebe, wife, Feb. 2, 1848, 83; David Merrick, Nov. 22, 1863, 95; Enoch Crosby, Sept. 1, 1862, 80; Jane, wife, Nov. 10, 1867, 83; Wm. Raymond, April 18, 1833, 57; Hannah, wife, Jan. 9, 1841, 66. The Methodist Episcopal Church op Caemel'. — In 1788 Freeborn Garrettson and his assistant preachers introduced Methodism up the Hudson River region, and it very rapidly spread out in all directions. The preachers found many houses open to them and as early as 1789, Lieutenant Governor Van Cortlandt, near Croton River, became the ardent friend of the Methodist preachers, and in honor of him, the early field of work throughout this region was, for more than sixty years, known as the Cortlandt circuit. For many years the worship was conducted in private houses, and later in the Court House. The Methodist Episcopal Society of Carmel was incorporated July 15th, 1834, with the Rev. David Holmes, as pastor of the circuit, and for trustees the fol- lowing, viz.: Harry Hanford, Ezra Bronson, Harvey Lounsbury, David Kelley and William Barnes. An eligible building lot was deeded to the society August 29th, 1834, by Allen Newman and Amos W. Brown, it being the southern portion of the property on which the church now stands. The first church edifice was built the same year. It was a wooden structure and plain in style, but it taxed the resources of the slender society and left them with an encumbrance. 'This sketch was furnished by Rev. J. W. A. Dodge. TOWlSr OF CARMEL. 325 The first Sunday school connected with this church was or- ganized in 1852. This first edifice was quite largely repaired and improved, and was re- dedicated in February, 1853. In 1862 Carmel was made a separate station, with the chapel at Drewville connected with it. A house and lot just north of the church were purchased of Ambrose Ryder for a parsonage, and Rev. Thomas B. Smith was appointed pastor. The next year a subscription was started for a new church and about $10,000 secured. In April, 1864, Rev. D. L. Marks succeeded to the pastorate and the project of building moved on; the par- METHODIST CHUECH, CAKMEL VILLAGE. sonage lot was taken to enlarge the church lot and the present parsonage and lot were bought of Hannah Rundle; the old church was removed and is now occupied in part by the Putnam County National Bank. The contract for the present stone church was let to Caleb Wright and work was begun in the summer of 1864; the contract called for a church edifice 43^ by 70 feet, with spire 100 feet high, and the chapel 30 by 40 feet, with 17 feet ceiling. The chapel was completed and opened for worship January 1st, 1865. The church was dedicated on October 10th, 1865, free of debt, by Bishop Simpson. The seats are free. 326 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTZ. The church property, organ, bell, parsonage and famishing cost nearly $40,000, of which Daniel Drew contributed a large portion, and the stone tablet over the door still bears the name, "Daniel Drew M. E. Church." The elegant pipe organ now in the church was the gift of D. D. Chamberlain and cost $3,500. Mr. W. F. Jewell has been for some years the organist and Prof. S. O. Spencer the precentor. The church property, including site, buildings, parsonage, etc., is one of the most beautiful in the country. The member- ship is a little over one hundred, with about half that number in the Sunday school. The presence of the " Drew Ladies' Seminary," another of Daniel Drew's benefactions, has been quite a help to the Sab- bath congregations, and the faculty of the seminary have been most faithful supporters of the church in her varied interests, especially Profs. Q-eorge Crosby Smith and Stephen Olin Spencer. CHAPTER XX. TOWN OF CARMEL (Continued.) Lake Mahopac. — Hotels and Boarding Houses. — Lake Mahopac Improvement Company. — Mahopac Land Company. — Putnam Land Company. — The Islands of Lake Mahopac. — Lake Mahopac Methodist Church. — Protestant Episcopal Church. — Roman Catholic Church. — Union Valley Cemetery and Chapel. — Mount Hope Methodist Chapel. — Red Mills. — Mahopac Iron Ore Company. — Red Mills Baptist Church.— Red Mills Presbyterian Church.— Rev. Harris Rogers Schenck. — Putnam County Seminary Association. — Western Part of Carmel. — Supervisors. LAKE MAHOPAC, the pride of Putnam county, has been associated in modern times with all that is beautiful and romantic in rural scenery, all that is gay and extravagant in fashionable life, and with the most reckless of land speculations. This beautiful sheet of water, covering an area of 603 acres, and elevated 656 feet above the level of the sea, is one of the greatest attractions of the country. Tn early times it was generally known simply as the "Big pond," but on Erskine's military map it is noted as " Mahopac Pond," the Indian name which is thus perpetuated being probably the equivalent of "Great Lake," a name which, in comparison with the others in the county, it justly deserves. It was also known as "Hughson's pond" from Robert Hughson, who lived on the north side of the lake at the time of the Revolution. After the confiscation of the property of Roger Morris and his wife, the land around the lake was sold in large farms. A large tract of 314 acres, which included the land on the north- west side of the lake, and extended west to Kirk Lake and in- cluded its outlet, and also the famous "Red Mills," and the large island, was sold to William Smith. The land lying at the southwest corner of Lake Mahopac and on the north side of the outlet was sold to John Le Clare. This embraced 89 acres 328 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. on the south side of this outlet, and extending for some dis- tance along the south side of the lake was a farm of 132 acres sold to Abigail Clark. The "Dean House " stands on this tract. Next to the above farm, extending along the lake to a point east of Ganung's Island, was the farm of Joseph Gregory, which included 130 acres. Next to this, including the lake shore to a point above the "Thompson House," was the farm of John Drake, which extended far to the east and embraced 262 acres. Next north of this was a farm sold to Peter Mabie. This was a tract of 105 acres and began on the lake shore at a point nearly west from the Methodist church, and ran east to the brook which is the outlet of the Mud Pond, then down the same for some distance, and then extended east to the original east line of Lot 5 of Philipse Patent, then south along this line six chains, and then westerly to the lake. It included nearly all the shore of the lake between the Methodist church and a point a short distance south of the Carpenter House. Previous to the Revolution one "Dr. Hamilton" is marked on Erskine's military map as living at the south end of the point'of land that projects into the lake and forms so important a portion of its contour. The original farms thus sold by the commissioners of for- feiture, were soon transferred to other parties, and were after- ward divided among many owners. Fifty- two acres of land at the northeast corner of the Joseph Gregory farm were sold to Abel Smith, April 24th, 1801, by Solomon Kirkham and wife Hannah. This tract lay directly opposite what is known as "Ganung's Island" and Abel Smith had his house on it. March 15th, 1794, Abel Smith bought of Paul Secord a small tract "Beginning at the northwest corner of land now or late belonging to the widow of Samuel Crane, then along the same southerly to the highway, then west by the highway to an old coal kiln near a lalace called the Indian Cove; from thence north to a large pond, and then by said pond to the place of begin- ning, be the same more or less." This last tract is now owned by Stephen Smith. It is probable that what is now known as " Hoguet's Point " was originally a part of the Drake farm, and it was bought by Abel Smith at the beginning of the present century. After his death it fell to his son, Ahijah Smith, who sold it to Anthony Hoguet September 15th, 1854, who owned it till the time of his death, January 2d, 1875, and it has ever since TOWN OF CAEMEL. 329 borne his name. It was surveyed and divided into lots, and an elegant map filed in the office of the county clerk, but the dream of its purchaser, to see it the site of beautiful villas, was never realized. To the west of Ganung's Island is a lot of two acres which was sold by Ahijah Smith to Peter D. Christie, Sep- tember 20th, 1859, and left by him in his will to Marion De Lavarre, a lady of somewhat romantic history. Upon this she built a beautiful cottage, which is one of the ornaments of the place. She sold the premises to Lewis H. Gregory and Thad- deus R. Ganung in 1870; the latter transferred his share to Mr. Gregory and it was sold by mortgage sale to Mr. Thaddeus R. Ganung, its present owner. Up bo 1834, the lake was scarcely known to the outside world world, except by the reports of a few tourists who had seen its romantic beauty. In that year Stephen Monk, a native of Con- necticut, purchased from Stephen Thompson one acre of land adjoining the lake; this acre was a part of the Peter Mabie farm and was given by Mr. Mabie to his son-in-law, Edward Vermil- yea. He sold it to William Wright, who conveyed it to Stephen Thompson in 1822, and it was purchased from him by Stephen Monk, December 26th, 1834; this lot lies on the south side of the road leading from the railroad station to the lake and is the same site on which the famous Gregory House after- ward stood. Here Mr. Monk erected the first hotel and board- ing house at Lake Mahopac. The house stood at the corner of the lot and close to the road which runs south along the lake. His hotel soon became the resort of tourists, and he had a liberal amount of patronage, although the only means of ac- cess was by stages from Peekskill. Mr. Monk, though a popular landlord, did not become wealthy here. Business troubles soon began to annoy him and in the newspaper of that day there appeared the following advertise- ment, the forerunner of many similar ones in after times: " For Sale.— Valuable real estate. Will be sold on the 1st day of October next at 10 o'clock A. M., at auction at the resi- dence of S. Monk, that well known and popular resort, the Mahopac Hotel in the town of Carmel, together with about one acre of land on which the said Hotel is situated. The undersigned consider that this property is so well known and highly appreciated it is unnecessary to give a further descrip- tion here. 330 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. " About 20 acres of excellent woodland at the head of the lake and five acres in the vicinity of the premises first men- tioned will be sold at the same time. " W. W. Taylor, \ a „„i„npps of S Monk " Elijah Crane, ( Assignees ot fe. MonK. " September 14. 1882.=' At the above sale the hotel and the acre of land on which it stood were sold to Charles W. Schaflfer and George W. Shields for $3,560. The premises were conveyed by them to Huldah Gregory in September, 1844. The piece of land lying directly opposite the west end of the road which runs to the railroad station, and which was bounded on the west by the lake, was a part of the old Mabie farm, which was purchased by 'Daniel Baldwin. This piece, containing about an acre with a dwelling house, was sold to William Nelson by the administrators of Daniel Baldwin in September, 1842, and he transferred it to Huldah Gregory, and both pieces, with the buildings, were conveyed by her to her son. Dr. Lewis H. Gregory, January 26th', 1853. Notwithstanding these various sales Stephen Monk continued to conduct the hotel, holding the premises as a ten- ant and making the owners some troable to get possession. He died March 15th, 1859, and the following characteristic notice appeared in the newspapers of that day. ^'^ Death of Stephen Monk. — This somewhat remarkable habi- tue of Carmel, died in New York city on Tuesday the 15th inst. Mr. Monk was born in Massachusetts in 1803. Many members of his family still reside in that State and hold a position in the highest circles of society. Mr. Monk, or " Old Bolivar," as he was familiarly styled, came to Putnam county in the fall of 1826, and a short tiuie after commenced the boot and shoe business at Lake Mahopac. Prior to this period, he had been leader of the band in several of the principal travelling exhibitions of the country. " He was married in the autum of 1829 to Miss Clorinda Crane, daughter of John Crane, jr., and sister of the late Elijah Crane. Shortly after his marriage, he started a hotel at Lake Mahopac, and may be regarded as the father of that beautiful summer resort. Most of the town business was transacted at his house, and "Old Bolivar" was instrumental in bringing about many important improvements, and, indeed deserves the credit of establishing the Lake in the hearts of the pleasure seekers and TOWN OF CARMEL. 331 tourists of the metropolis. He kept the principal Hotel at Mahopac tintil the year 1854, when circumstances with which the public are familiar, induced him to relinquish the pro- prietorship. " He was fifty-six years old when he died, and leaves a wife and seven children. He had been sick about five weeks. He was a man of much versatile talent, and some genius. At one period of his life he was considered the first clarionette player in the United States. He was entirely a self-taught man; and his mechanical dexterity in some respects was marvellous. Poor Bolivar! We remember well when he came to us with tears in his eyes, and related in his slow, broken accents the loss of his favorite violin at the burning of the Crystal Palace; — a genuine Cremona, a centurj'^ and a half old, which he valued as priceless, and for which he had refused a thousand dollars. His face had been singularly handsome in his youth, and in his somewhat premature age retained many traces of its former beauty. He had a large heart, and no man ever went from his door hungry; and when at last he had no settled home, his heart and purse were always open for the destitute. Had he been less liberal he might have left a richer legacy to his heirs. Everybody liked him, and all will regret his decease. His remains were in- terred in the Crane burying groiand." From the time of his purchase till the day of his death Dr. Lewis H. Gregory was identified with the progress of the hotel business at Lake Mahopac. In addition to the original hotel built by Monk, he enlarged the dwelling which stood nearly op- posite, and it was generally known as the Mansion House. This building took fire and was destroyed January 18th, 1857, being the first boarding house burned at the lake. Dr. Gregory en- larged his premises by the purchase of seventeen acres on the south, from the heirs of Ebenezer Horton, and a smaller piece from Pierre Humbert. The old Monk house was moved to it and a large boarding house was erected in its place and was the most extensive building of the kind in the neighborhood, and known as the Gregory House. All of the original Mabie farm, with the exception of the acre which came into the possession of Stephen Monk, was sold by the heirs of Peter Mabie to Daniel Baldwin and to Sutton and Samuel Vail. The latter sold their part to Mr. Baldwin, who by other purchases became one of the largest land owners 332 HISTOEY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. around the lake, and some of the property still remains in the hands of his descendants. In the spring of 1853 Reuben D. Baldwin built a large boarding house on the north side of the road and opposite the Gregory House; this was blown down while in process of erection by a furious gale which occurred March 25th. In 1858 John W. Carpenter came to this place and built the house which bears his namd, and it was conducted by him as a first-class boarding house till 1868 when it was sold to Alvah Hyatt, but soon came back to its former owner. About 1849 the Harlem Railroad was completed as far as Croton Falls. The tide of travel, which up to that time had been from Peekskill, turned at once to the former place. During the height of the boarding season there was a constant travel up the highway leading from Croton Falls to the lake, and by an act of Legislature in 1859, commissioners were employed to straighten and improve this road and under their management it became one of the best highways in the county', and on the arrival of trains on the Harlem Road, coaches belonging to the various boarding houses, drawn by four, six and even ten horse teams, urged on by drivers who strived to emulate Jehu of old, made remarkably quick time in reaching their destination. Among the well known citizens of the place in the days before boarders and boarding houses were thought of, was Stephen Thompson, who came from Connecticut and set up the business of hat, making at the lake. Nathan L. Thompson, his son, also came from Connecticut and bought a lot of four or five acres by the lake'. Here he established the business of hat making which he continued for many years. The following advertisement ap- pears in the local paper: " Nathan L. Thompson has opened a Shop on the south shore of the celebrated Lake Mahopac where he offers for sale ready made hats of his own manufacturing, cheap for cash. " Wanted. — The subscriber wants an apprentice to the HAT making business; a lad of 16 or 17 years of age, of steady habits, and one who can come well recommended, enquire of "N. L. Thompson. "Lake Mahopac, Sept. 9th, 1846." ' The old road ran a short distance north of the present one for some distance, and near the house of Judge Edward Wriglit. ^The Thompson House stands on the original Drake farm. This part of it was owned in the early part of this century by Elias Mabie and afterward by Henry S. Baldwin, who sold to Thompson. TOWN OF OARMEL. 333 About 1851 Mr. Thompson began to entertain boarders, com- mencing in a small way and gradually enlarging his accommo- dations till he could entertain three hundred guests. This hotel was burned July 6th, 1869, and was at once rebuilt on a much larger scale and it is safe to say that the Thompson House has been the most permanently profitable of any of its kind. Octotjer 5th, 1869, the Baldwin House, which stood north of the Gregory. House, was burned, and it has never been rebuilt. The curiously shaped building now on the premises, which attracts the attention of travellers, was originally the carriage house and barn of the hotel. The loss by this fire is said- to have been $50,000, and the lot was sold to several persons by the assignees of Reuben D. Baldwin. South of the Carpenter House is the " Kaufman Place." This was a farm of' 99 acres which had once been a portion of the original Drake farm and had been purchased by Daniel Baldwin. In 1867 it was sold by Henry S. Baldwin to Samuel Kaufman for $30, 000. At that time there was a comfortable farm house on the premises, which was the Baldwin homestead. Kaufman is said to have expended $150,000 on the place. It was the oft repeated story of heavy mortgages with the usual result, and it is now held by the Nevada Bank. The old Hughson farm at the north end of the lake remained in a state of primeval simplicity till a comparatively recent date. It was sold by the Hughson family to Stephen Dingee and by him to Benjamin Ballard, whose heirs conveyed it to his brother, Selah Ballard, and it was sold by him to Lewis B. Grrifiin', March 'Lewis B. Grriffin came from New York where he had made a comfortable for- tune by building docks. He died about 1860, leaving no children. Near the middle of this farm is a small burying ground where rest some of the early set- tlers of this neighborhood. The following dates are from tombstones: Mr. Samuel Wixom, died April 11th, 1803. Age, 64. Benjamin Griffin, born 1747, died May 26, 1835 " Phebe, wife of Benj. Griffin, " Dec. 11, 1849 " 93. John Griffin " April 16, 1855 " 67. Michael Sloat " Aug. 4, 1815 " 58. EUsha Baldwin " Oct. 19, 1816 " 65. Elizabeth, wife of " June 3, 1831 " 76. Ja'ny 34 J. B. DIED AGED 70 1780. (This last inscription is supposed to mark the grave of James Baldwin, the an- cestor of the Baldwin family). Mary, wife of Shubael Wixom, 3d Feb. 6, 1801, age 31. Elijah Wright, November 11, 1837 " 45. 334 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. 27th, 1841, for $12,500. It remained in his possession till the time of his death, with the exception of two small pieces, one of 24 acres, which was sold by him Augnst 12th, 1856, to Wil- liam Tilden, and another of 1] acres, sold in 1855 to Elias H. Herrick. After the death of Mr. Griffin the remainder of the farm, with some additional land, was sold under a partition suit by Odle Close, Referee, to Isabel Saportas, wife of Edward Saportas, July 1st, 1863. The extreme south end of the Hugh- son farm on the east side of the lake was bought by John Crane, who owned a large farm to the east of this. The part bought by him included the land where the Lake House now stands and some distance to the north and east. John Crane gave this with a large farm besides to his son, Nathaniel Crane, Sep- tember 2d, 1826. Nathaniel Crane sold the ' lot where the Methodist church now stands to the trustees of the church. The small white house standing on the east side of the road, nearly opposite the east end of the boulevard was built by Nathaniel Crane, for his son-in-law, Amnion Fowler, but was sold by him to Lewis B. Griffin, together with 80 acres of land adjoining. May 3d, 1846, and he sold the house with the land around it to Elias H. Herrick and it now belongs to his widow. Shortly after his purchase, William Tilden erected the elegant stone mansion which stands on the north shore overlooking the lake, and it is still in possession of his famil.y. On the southwest corner of the lake, at the outlet, was the original Abigail Clark farm. A large part of this was afterward owned by Devoe Bailey, who by various purchases became one of the largest land owners in the county, his lands extending from the lake to the Westchester line This tract he left to his son, William, who sold it to James Seeley, and in 1852 it was sold to Amzi L. Dean. Upon it he built a boarding house, beginning on a small scale, and gradually enlarging till it became an ex- tensive business, which has descended to his sons. The "Summit House," a hotel built about 1856 bj^ Amzi Slawson, on the south side of the road, about sixty rods west of the Dean House, was burned January 1st, 1865, and never rebuilt. When the various boarding houses around the lake were filled to their full capacity the place presented an appearance of gaiety and fashionable life equal to any of the famous water- TOWN OF CAKMEL. 335 ing places of the country, and Lake Mahopac was mentioned in the same category with Newport and Saratoga. In the spring of 1871 the jffospect of extending the New York City & Northern Railroad to Carmel seemed favorable, and to get in advance of this enterprise the Harlem Railroad Company planned a road from Grolden's Bridge to Lake Ma- hopac. Articles of incorporation were speedily executed for the " New York and Mahopac Railroad" and the work of sur- vey and building began at once, and was so rapidly carried on that the first train ran through to the lake on July 4th, 1871. Upon this occasion there was a grand celebration, and Lake Mahopac was in the height of its glory. About this time was organized a company whose career is a very important chapter in the history of this section of country. The " Lake Mahopac Improvement Company " was incorporated March 8th, 1871, its object being "The erection of buildings and laying out and subdivisions of lands with building lots or villa plots at Lake Mahopac." The capital stock of tlie company was $1,000,000 and the trustees were Joseph Seligman, Demas Barnes, Henry Knicker- bocker, Uranus H. Crosby, Alfred B. Darling, William Moller, Andrew McKenney and John H. Cheever. The company pur- chased several tracts of land, paying for them extravagant sums, making partial pajnnents and giving mortgages as se- curity for the remainder. A very prominent character in this enterprise was Uranus H. Crosby, who obtained some property and more celebrity by drawing the opera house in Chicago in a lottery. He bought many pieces of land here and sold them at a large advance to the Improvement Company. The Grregory House, which stood near the site of Stephen Monk's Hotel, and was built by Dr. Lewis H. Gregory, was sold by him to Andrew McKenney in April, 1871. In part payment he took a farm in Connecticut where he made his home for a short time. McKenney transferred the property to the Mahopac Improvement Company the same year. The premises, being heavily mortgaged, were sold by John Gr. Miller, referee, to Dr. Gregory, in May, 1875, and he again took charge of the hotel which had not been very prosperous during the interval. The incumbrances on the estate were such that on April 26th, 1877, it was again sold by Walter Edwards, referee, to .Edwin A. 336 HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. McAlpine, who took possession. On the 2d of October. 1878, occurred an event which will be long remembered, and which was thus described in a local newspaper. " The well known Gregory House, at Lake Mahopac, was en- tirely consumed by fire on Tuesday morning last. It had been closed for the season, and at the time of the fire was occupied by Mr. Perry and his family only. On Monday Mr. Gregory had removed his horses and wagons, and his live stock, to his place in Connecticut, and was there when the fire occurred. It commenced at the north end, and in a very short time the im- mense structure was reduced to ashes, together with its furni- ture. Mr. Perry, who has been connected with the house the present season, occupied the southern end and the most of his furniture was saved. What was known as "Monk House," a small building in the rear of the main house, was also destroyed. Conjecture is rife as to the fire, but nothing definite has been ascertained. The insurance amounts to $92,000, divided be- tween twenty or twenty-five companies, which will cover the loss. Mr. McAlpine, the owner of the property, is in Europe. The furniture was mostly owned by Mr. Gregory, and Mr. T. R. Ganung, of the Lake, had an interest in it also. " The destruction of this popular summer resort will prove a severe blow to the prosperity of Lake Mahopac, and we fear it will be a long time before an establishment equal to the Gregorj'^ will be biiilt in that locality." The original hotel of Stephen Monk had been removed to a short distance from the main building and thus perished the oldest and largest of the hotels of Lake Mahopac. It was never rebuilt. The vacant lot is still owned by McAlpine. The Improvement Company, after their purchase, began to plan improvements on an extensive scale. The first was the laying out and opening the Boulevard on the north and west sides of the lake; thus making a magnificent drive around the whole circumference. July 4th, 1871, there was a grand cele- bration, the event being the opening of the Boulevard, which had been in progress for some time under a large force of en- gineers, mechanics and laborers. Upon this occasion the corner stone of the "National Museum of Natural History," was laid. It would be a difficult matter to find this corner stone at the present time, but the place where it was laid was a little west TOWK OP OARMEL. 337 of the old GrifBn House, now occupied by Mr. Badeau. There was a grand cavalcade, and the day closed with a fancy dress ball at which all the beauty and chivalry of the place were present. In a local paper occurs this statement: " The Land Improve- ment Company are preparing a large map under the direction of Gren. Viele. It shows an area of four miles square. It is a big thing on paper and may possibly be the fact in the future. If so Lake Mahopac will be the Arcadia of America, and will eclipse all other watering places in the country." When the Griffin farm was bought by Isabel Saportas, her husband erected a house on the border of the lake, which he occupied for a time. It was situated on the west side of the outlet of Wixsom Pond aad as a stroke of business the com- pany sold this place to Peter B. Sweeney, of New York, for $47,000, it being generally understood that the true object was to induce others of the notorious "Tweed Ring" to take a fancy to the real estate around Lake Mahopac, and to expend upon it some of the boundless wealth stolen from the city of New York; this attempt however was frustrated by the collapse of the noted combination which followed the downfall of its leader. Among the many projects it was proposed in 1872 to erect a " Musical and Art College" at the lake. This establishment was to be 430 feet in length, 300 feet wide, with a tower 230 feet high. It was to contain 400 suites of rooms, and a music hall to seat 2,500 persons. It is needless to state that this "Castle in the air " never had a more substantial existence. The following- extracts from the local papers show the fate of this company: " May 1, 1875. — A few years ago a number of gentlemen, many of whom were interested in our new railroad, combined and'forraed an organization known as the Lake Mahopac Im- provement Company. They purchased a large amount of real estate at and in the vicinity of the Lake, including several hotels and other valuable properties. The prices paid at the time were regarded by many of our most careful citizens as beyond the real value, and naturally enough had a tendency to inflate real estate valuations in that vicinity. The result was that property soon reached a point where only the wealthy could purchase, and there it has remained until the present time, a sort of white elephant in the hands of its owners, with little prospect of speedy realization therefrom. 32 338 HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. " The plans of the company on the start were well laid and in ordinary times, not altogether lacking in iinancial sagacity. It was intended to utilize the matchless natural advantages of Lake Mahopac, by converting the grounds in the vicinity into a sort of Arcadia, and causing to be erected thereon an endless chain of beautiful villas, for the summer homes of wealth, fashion and culture. Our chief regret is that a combination of circumstances, beyond the control of human forethought, has prevented a reali- zation of the hopes of the originators of the project. The hard times have reached them as well as every other business inter- est, and we find the wolf barking at their door, and in such loud tones as to create well grounded apprehension as to the ifltimate success of the improvement enterprise. "A portion of the property owned by the Company — that known as the Saportas or Griffin Farm — has already passed under the hammer, and this week we have four more foreclosure sales advertised. They will take place at the Thompson House, Lake Mahopac, on the 10th of June. The iirst on the list is the Carpenter property, which is foreclosed by Mr. Alvah Hyatt, under a third mortgage of $2,000. There is a $20,000 mortgage ahead of his. Next is the James D. Ganung farm, situate east of the Lake. The mortgage is foreclosed by Mrs. Mary Ganung. The sum claimed is 811,500. The third is the Lake House, known as the Slawson property, and occupied by J. G. Cole. It is sold under a mortgage held by Mr. Seeley Slawson for $5,000. The fourth and last on the list is the Isaac D. Barrett farm, situate at the outlet of Lake Mahopac. The mortgage is foreclosed by Mr. Thaddeus R. Ganung, under a claim of $5,000. Thus is gradually fading out, under time and circumstances, the once promising and supposed powerful Lake Mahopac Im- provement Company." • " Foreclosure sales at Mahopac, May 12, 1875. — On Thursday last several important foreclosure sales took place at Lake Ma- hopac, of land belonging to the Improvement Company. The first sold was the Slawson House or Ballard property. It was struck off to C. H. Dewing, of New York, for $5,705. Mr. D. had a judgment against the Company for 8100,000 which is a first lien on all the property after the mortgages are satisfied. The next parcel was the Barrett property, west of the Lake, which was foreclosed by Mr. T. R. Ganung. It was pur- chased by Mr. Dewing for $5,935, subject to a mortgage of TOWN OF CAEMEL. 339 $6,400. The Ganung farm, consisting of 63 acres together with a five acre wood lot west of the lake, was next knocked down to the same party at $11,471, reserving right of way for railroad. The fourth and last sold was the J. W. Carpen- ter property, which was also purchased by the same party, for $1,700 subject to two mortgages, one for $13,000, and the other for $3,500. The sale was in the interest of Mr. Alvah Hyatt. Mr. Dewing, who purchased all the property, is supposed to be one of a number of members of the Company who propose to eat up all the little fish, and then reorganize the Company on a stronger, basis." "Mahopac Improvement Company, Jan., 1879. — An applica- tion was made to Judge Barrett in the Supreme Court, Cham- bers, on Saturday the 25th inst., by a majority of the Trustees of the Lake Mahopac Improvement Company for the dissolu- tion of that corporation. The applicants were Messrs. A. V. Stout, Joseph Seligman, John H. Cheever, William H. Griiion, Christopher Myer, John Q. Hoyt, and Andrew McKinney. The company was incorporated in March, 1871, to exist for 30 years, with a nominal capital of $1,000,000 divided into 10,000 shares of $100 each. Of the entire number of shares, 2,500 were is- sued for cash. The remaining 7,500 were issued in payment for land acquired by the corporation on the borders of Lake Ma- hopac. Altogether the company obtained control of 714 acres of land, which it began to lay out into villa plots, and to im- prove otherwise. Before the work of improvement was com- pleted the financial crisis of 1873 affected the operations and de- j)reciated the value of the company's propery. Being unable ^ to sell any of the land the company mortgaged it heavily, and then having no ready money, borrowed more money to pay taxes and the interest upon the mortgages. When no more money could be borrowed the mortgages were foreclosed, and all but 35 acres of land was sold out. These 35 acres, say the petitioners, are still in the possession of the company, but the mortgages and judgments against the land more than cover its value. The corporation has been insolvent for two years and has done no business for over a year. Judge Barrett referred the petition to ex-Judge L. Fancher, with instructions to ob- tain the views of the creditors of the 'corporation with respect to its dissolution, and also to ascertain its exact financial condi- tion." 340 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Upon the ruins of "The Mahopac Improvement [Company" sprang up the "Mahopac Land Company," which was organ- ized November 1st, 1875, the object being the "laying out and subdivision of land into building lots and villa plots at Lake Mahopac." The capital was $200,000 and the trustees were John H. Cheever, John Q. Hoyt, William H. Guion, Henry Knicker- bocker, Andrew McKinney, E. R. Wiggins and James Johnson. This company purchased, through Charles H. Dewing, several tracts which were sold under mortgage against the former com- pany and came to a similar end. The " Putnam Land Company," the successor of the preced- ing, was organized April 11th, 1878, with the same object, and with a capital of $49,000. The trustees were Joseph Seligman, William H. Breeden, Andrew V. Stout, John R. Ford and Christopher Myer. This company still has existence, and owns much land on the north side of the lake. The persons who en- gaged in a legitimate boarding house business all did well and were pecuniarily successful, but the speculators all came to grief and made a wretched failure. The three islands in Lake Mahopac form a very conspicuous feature of the landscape and claim an esjjecial notice. The largest, or Grand Island as it is called, was sold by the commis- sioners of forfeiture to William Smith, May 16th, 1781, the deed describing it as " the large island in the large pond called Hustin's Pond." It was sold by him to Robert Johnson, pre- vious to 1800, and remained in his possession till the time of his death, June 19th, 1823, when it descended to his son, Wil- liam H. Johnson, who died January 28th, 1828, and by the terms of his will his executors were authorized to sell his real estate. The island was sold by Ward B. Howard and others, executors of William H. Johnson, to Silas Slawson, December 24th, 1828, for $550. He sold it to Samuel Myrrick, who mort- gaged it to the Westchester County Bank, and it finally came into the possession of that institution. The president and officers of the bank sold it to Lewis H. Gregory, July 18th, 1870, for $6,000. By foreclosure of mortgage it was sold by George Anderson, referee, to Elias B. Brown and Richard George, October 1st, 1879, and they remain its owners. A valu- able mine of iron ore exists on the island, which is now being worked by them. In the days of the glory of the Mahopac Improvement Company, it was proposed to build a large hotel TOWN OF CAEMEL. 341 on the island, and run a steam ferry to the mainland, a jjroject which was never realized. A cove on the shore, opposite the island, has ever borne the name of Indian Cove, and an emi- nence back of it is known as Indian Hill. The lake and its shore seem to have been a favorite resort of the aborigines. Tradition states that upon this island was held the last coun- cil of the Indian tribe that once ruled all the land around. This council was held for the purpose of considering the propo- sition to remove with other tribes to the far West. Canopus, the aged Sachem of the tribe, urged his followers to reject the proposal, and to rally to the defense of their empire and the graves of their ancestors; and his impassioned eloquence de- termined the council against the proposed removal. This le- gend has been written in elegant verse by John W. Lee, Esq., of New York. " Once the airy curtain lifted, and the shadows rolling back, Shadows of the years that hover o'er the lake of Mahopac, Showed me Indian wariors gathered in the wooded island dell Which the rookS all worn and moss-clad, and the waters guarded well. " Then upon the ledge above them, rose an aged, yet stalwart form, Like some monarch of the forest bending never to the storm; Eose the Chieftain of the Island with that bearing of a King Which the pride of birth may strive for, but the soul alone can Bring. " Turned his eagle gaze upon them, and with voice as clarion clear Waked the dreamers, and the waiting, wearied maiden sleeping near, ' Rouse Mahicans, sons of heroes! keep your ancient hoHor bright, I have seen you in the battle — ye were lions in the fight. " 'I have seen you in the council, when the watch-fire lit the glen. And the clouds of war hung o'er us, ye were all undaunted then, When the faggots blazed around you, all defiant in your pain; I have heard you chant your death song. Chieftains now be men again. " 'Snake or traitor hissed that whisper, sell your forest there is rest. On the banks of the Mississippi, on the praries of the West Who the craven counsel utters? Let him in the fire-light stand Nay he dares not, crouching coward, palsied be thy trembling hand. " 'When the pale face, rushing on thee, grasps thy hatchet and thy bow Hark, the Spirit, Stand, Mahicans; guard your forest, meet the foe By the memory of our empire; by the mounds along the bank, Where our fathers hear the moaning of the river Kichtawanc. " 'Brothers, gird you for the struggle; breast to breast and eye to eye, Let us swear the oath of glory — one to conquer one to die, Sound once more your ancient war cry; sound it from the mountains steep, Where the eagle hath her eyrie, and the rocks their vigils keep. 342 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. " 'Twice ten thousand shouts shall answer from the river to the sea. Dare nor falter! Fear is failure! Craven hearted, will ye flee ? Go! yet on the darkening future, read the sentence of your doom As in letters of the lightning, traced upon a scroll of gloom. " 'Go! the western tribes shall meet you, ye will be an handful then, And shall perish in your weakness — perish from the minds of men Like your rushing highland river, in its mountains wild and free In the ocean lost forever. Thus shall be your destiny.' " The next smaller island in the lake, called Petra Island, was sold by the commissioners of forfeiture to James Cock, January 10th, 1782, "Being all that island in the great pond called Hueston's pond, known and distinguished by the name of Hueston's island estimated to be six acres more or less." The price paid was three pounds. James Cock is supposed to have sold it to Peter Mabie who owned it at the beginning of the century and was generally known as "Mabie's island." After his death it was sold by his son, Levi Mabie, to Sutton and Samuel Vail, September 5th, 1818. They mortgaged it with other property to Henry Strang and it came into his possession. It was sold by Washington Strang and others, executors of Henry Strang, to Pierre Humbert, a native of France, May 3d, 1862, for Sl,500, and he sold it to Dr. Lewis H. Gregory Sep- tember 29th, 1866. It remained in his possession till September 15th, 1879, when it was sold by George Anderson, referee, to Judge Ambrose Ryder, and it was conveyed by him to Edwin McAlpine, in whpse possession it now remains. It is a small rocky island and its intrinsic value would be difficult to state. The smallest of the three islands is known as Ganung's island. This was probably sold by the commissioners of forfeiture to William Falconer. April 1st, 1823, William Falconer sold to Henry Slote, " All those certain parcels of land beginning at the northeast corner of Wm. Bailey's land by the Big Pond; then running around the big pond to a chesnut tree near Nicholas Romain's shop; then running west 8 chains, 44 links, to the corner of land formerly owned by Josiah Falconer and Wm. Bailey's land; then running north to the pond, the place of beginning, containing about seven acres. "Also another piece called an island at south end of the Great Pond, and commonly called Little Island, estimated to be fifteen or sixteen rods north from Abel Smith's house, and about TOWN OF CARMEL. 343 the same distance west from Levi Bailey's land, containing one acre and fifteen perches, deemed to have become forfeited to the people of this State by the attainder of Roger Morris." The price for the two parcels was $100 "good and lawful money." Henry Slote sold the same premises to Aaron Carman, February 8th, 1828, oflfering to sell the seven acres for $500, but demanded ten dollars extra for the island. After some dispute this was paid. Dr. Carman sold the island to Marian Ganung, December 31st, 1859, for §1,000, and it is still owned by her. This little island, greatly beautified and adorned, is one of the gems of the Lake Mahopac, and seems almost a portion of Fairy Land and well deserves its name of " Fairy Isle." Lake Mahopac Methodist Church. — In the year 1822, and for some years previous, " Carmel Big Pond " was one of the preaching stations of the old Cortlandt Circuit which embraced a large section of country. The society in this place was duly incorporated, and at a meeting held July I4th, 1822, "at the house of Benjamin Townsend [west of the residence of Judge Edward Wright] the place where they statedly attended for divine worship," the members elected Leonard D. Cliff, Aaron Picker and Piatt P. Smith, trustees of the church. A piece of land was given to the society by Nathaniel Crane, which included the present church lot and extended to the shore of the lake, including the premises where the Lake House now stands. The church was built about 1826, and an additional piece of land was given by Nathaniel Crane, December 9th, 1830. This last piece was one-fourth of an acre on the east side of the churchyard. The old road to Carmel ran on the west side of the church, and near where the Lake House now stands was the house of John Drawyer, who was one of the active members of the church, and bought the land next the lake from the trustees of the society in 1840. In the burying ground by the church are buried some of the older residents of the vicinity, and the following dates are from the tomb stones: James Smith, Aug. 24, 1871, age 69; Hester, widow of Jonathan Smith, Dec. 1, 1861, 78; Abel Smith, Oct. 12, 1829, 61; Barsheba, wife; Feb. 17, 1850, 79; Martin Shear, Nov. 12, 1863, 82; Letitia, wife, April 3, 1854, 63; Caleb Wright, Aug. 19, 1853, 81; Mary A., wife, Sept. 20, 1858, 86; John Wixom, Sept. 19, 1870, 75; Betsey, wife, Jan. 7, 1880, 80; Daniel Baldwin, Jan. 24, 1842, 6.?; 344 HiSTOKY or putnam county. Hannah, wife, March 13, 1865, 86; William Hunt, Nov. 23, 1860, 77; Marian, wife, June 15, 1838, 49; John Croft, Feb. 11, 1879, 71; Hannah, wife, Sept. 30, 1868, 63; Elizabeth, wife of Reuben Ganung, Oct. 26, 1841, 80; John Ganung, March 10, 1840, 81; Anne, wife, Sept. 12, 1827, 70; Robert Wright, April 5, 1883, 87; John Vail, Jan. 15, 1871, 73; Wm. Wright, Nov. 10, 1858, 77; Margaret, wife, Jan. 19, 1841, 62; Robert Wright, April 19, 1852, 78; Mary, wife, Feb. 16, 1830, 57; Daniel Gregory, Dec. 17, 1868, 86; Adah, wife, Dec. 4, 1875, 87; Eleazar Baldwin, Aug. 27, 1868, 84. The parsonage of this church wHiS bought of William Pinckney, April 7th, 1866. It is situated on what was the old Croton Falls road, a short distance north of the present one. The west boundary of this parsonage lot is the original line between Lots 5 and 6 of Philipse Patent. The Protestant Episcopal Chtjkoh of Lake Mahopac was organized August 26th, 1860, by the election of Selah Van Duzer and G. Mortimer Belden, wardens, and William Perry, Lewis Ballard, Archibald S. Van Duzer, James A. Patterson, Reuben D. Baldwin, Benjamin T. Camp, George A. Crissey and Augustus Reed, vestrymen. Rev. Phineas Manning was the officiating minister and pre- siding officer. The usual place of meeting was in the ' ' Horton Cottage" south of the Gregory House, then standing. The church lot was purchased of Marian Ganung, January 7th, 1884, and the church edifice built and dedicated. It was named The Church of the Redeemer. The Roman Catholic Church was established by Rev. John Osnejo, and a lot was given for the edifice by Reuben D. Baldwin December 5th, 1866. The building was erected and dedicated August 15th, 1869. For several years this church was under the same pastor with the churches at Brewster and Car- mel. The parish was divided in 1882 and it was connected with the church at Croton Falls. The church edifice is a neat and convenient building and the service is well attended. Union Valley Cemetery and Chapel. — This chapel is a branch of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Lake Mahopac. The cemetery association was organized February 28th, 1860, at a meeting held at the house of James B. Ganung at which were present, Oscar Ganung, Samuel W. Travis, Stephen Vores, El- bert Ganung, Bailey Ganung, Charles Sloat, GilbertWright, Ben- TOWN OF CARMEL. 345 jamin McCollum, Erastus Gregory and Edwin C. Gaming. The land was sold to the association by Gilbert Wright March 22d, 1860. It is described in the deed as "at an angle made by two public roads, one leading from Lyman Bailey's to Croton Falls, the other from Oscar Ganung's, intersecting the highway from Lyman Bailey's a few rods west of the residence of Gilbert Wright." The chapel was built to accommodate people living at a distance, and was dedicated in I860. The Mount Hope Methodist Episcopal Chapel is situated at German Flats, north of Lake Mahopac, and is also a branch of the Methodist Episcopal Church at that place. The society was organized March 4th, 1876, at a meeting held in the school house in District No. 3, where they " statedly assembled for divine worship." The first trustees were Robert Barker, Darius Hopkins, Andrew J. Smith, James Sprague and George W. Potts. Red Mills. — The outlet of Lake Mahopac, coinbined with that of Kirk Lake, furnishes a water power unequaled in the county. It was used at a very early date, and here were doubt- less located "Kirkham's Mills" mentioned in, the laying out of roads in 1745. These were probably a small affair and were soon replaced by a much larger and more durable building which lasted more than a century. This mill, which is remembered by the present generation, was built in 1756. It was built with massive timbers and covered with (ledar, and from the color which it was painted it was known to all the country round as "Red Mills." On Erskine's military map they are put down as " Robin- son's Mills." Although they were located on Lot 5 of Philipse Patent owned by Roger Morris, yet in the deed given by the commissioners of forfeitures they are mentioned as having "become forfeited by the attainder of Roger Morris and Beverly Robinson; " from which it is probable they were built by these men in partnership, and it must have been a very expensive building in its day. Like all the rest of the propprty of Roger Morris these mills with the land around them were confiscated. On the 16th of May, 1781, Samuel Dodge, Jolin Hathorn and Daniel Graham, commissioners of forfeiture, sold to William Smith " All that certain tract or parcel of land called the Mill Farms, containing 188 acres more or less. Together with all and singular the ad- 346 HISTORY OF PUTWAM COUXTY. vantages and privileges heretobefore derived to the mills on the farm by the water issuing out of the two ponds with their outlets and several streams thereof, and including the large is- land in the large pond called Hustins Pond." The price was $2,750. The deed to John Le Clare conveys to him 89 acres, "excepting the waters with their courses as they run from the great pond through this farm for the use of William Smith's saw and grist mills." Another still larger tract was also sold to William Smith lying between Mahopac and Kirk Lakes. The mills and the lands adjoining were sold by William Smith to Robert Johnston, about 1799. In the "Country OLD RED MILLS. Journal and Poughkeepsie Advertiser," January 9tli, 1788, ap- peared the following advertisement: " William M. Smith No 7 Old Slip, New York, has for sale exceeding cheap, his Capital Mills, now let at $200 per year, with several farms near the same, in Fredericksburg Precinct." It seems that the original deed to William Smith had been destroyed by fire and on the 28th of March, 1800, the Legislature passed an act for the " Relief of Robert Johnston," by which the abstract on record in the clerk's office of Diatchess county should be held as legal evidence of the existence of the deed. Judge Robert Johnston remained in possession of the mills till the time of his death, when they descended to his son, William TOWN OF OAKMEL. 347 H. Johnston, who died in 1828, leaving a will by which he authorized his executors, Ward B. Howard, Abraham Smith and Theodoras Van Wyck to sell his real estate. In accordance with this they conveyed to Cornelius J. Tompkins, May 1st, 1829, one hundred and twenty-two acres of land " together with all the water privileges of the great and little ponds as heretofore belonged to Robert Johnston, deceased." January 1st, 1835, Cornelius Tompkins sold the same to John Haff and Ira Dean for $12,000. October 4th, 1837, they were sold by John Haff and his assignees to Amzi L. ' Dean and Isaac Lounsbury. Lounsbury bought the share of Amzi Dean in 1840 and he sold the mills to Amzi Slawson March 31st, 1855. Amzi Slawson kept the mill property till October 1st, 1858, when he sold it to Seeley Slawson, and he conveyed it to William and Charles Theill April 28th, 1862. William Theill sold his share to Charles Theill August 30th, 1864, and he conveyed it to George Juengst of New York February 1st, 1865. He pur- chased it for the manufacturing firm of Thomas J. McArthur and others to whom he gave a deed January 2d, 1866. McArther and his associates organized the " Empire Sewing Machine Com- pany " and the premises were sold to this company May 1st, 1866. It was intended by this company to establish a large manufactory at this place, an intention which was frustrated by subsequent events, and the entire premises and water rights were sold to the " Mahopac Manufacturing Company," Janu- ary 10th, 1869. . This company had already established a large manufactory on the Muscoot River, in Westchester county. In September, 1870, the Board of Water Commissioners of the city of New York took possession of the water privileges and from that time the occupation of the famous "Red Mills," like Othello's, was "gone." For several years the city paid an annual rent for the privilege of drawing water from the lakes but under the act of 1879 for enlarging the powers of the commis- sioners the premises were taken for the use of the city, and on June 14th, 1881, Hubert O. Thompson, chief of the Department of Public Works, offered for sale at auction the " superstruc- ture wood work and machinery of the Red Mills," and they were purchased by Lewis Baker for $227. The buildings were torn down and the ponderous beams and timber with the cedar covering, sold in small parcels, and the place that had known it for a century and a quarter knew it no more 348 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. forever. The site of this building was on the north side of the road and on the east side of the outlet of the two lakes. Kirk Lake, which is the "little pond" mentioned in the deed to William Smith, is 591 feet above the sea and covers 101 acres. From Lake Mahopac to the Red Mills there is a fall of 126 feet and from the water flowing over the dam at the mill the locality gained the name of Mahopac Falls. The removal of the dam when the old mill was destroyed has rendered this name no longer significant. In addition to the grist mill, which did a large business for the early times, there were also saw mills and a fulling mill. It is said that the first carding mill in the coun- try was brought here by an Englishman named Ellinworth about 1800. He first set it up in Peekskill where it remained two years and he then brought it up to the Red Mills. Previous to the Revolution it is stated that Col. Roger Morris had a log mansion near the mill, to which he and his wife, as lord and lady of the manor, came during the summer months, to visit their highland estate and their tenants. The residence of Mrs. Augustus Odell, a short distance west of the old mill site, encloses a portion of the original log house thus occupied by the former owners of all this section of country. The story that Major Andre stopped at this house while being taken to the Robinson House after his capture has no foundation in fact. The Mahopac Iron Ore Company was incorporated Sep- tember 23d, 1879, with the following officers : W. F. Buckley, president; H. M. Braem, treasurer; H. N. Brinsmade, secretary; W. H. Case, superintendent. The New York office of the com- pany is at 69 Wall street. About 150 men are employed in working the mine, which is situated on that portion of the Hill farm sold by Solomon Hill to Asahel W. Humphrej'-, December 24th, 1879. It was first opened by Arthur F. Wendt, of New York city. The completion of the Mahopac Falls Railway, which connects the mine with the New York City & Northern, affords a convenient outlet and greatly facilitates the transpor- tation of the ores to the Pennsylvauia furnaces. The Red Mills Baptist Church was organized in 1832 by Elder John Warren, sen., who was at that time pastor of the Carmel church. In August of that year a number of members, twenty-five in all, met at the house of Isaac Barrett and ap- pointed delegates to the churches of which they were members, TOWN OF CABMEL. 349 requesting letters of dismission that they might be organized into a society to be known as the Red Mills Baptist Church. The church was constituted September 26th, 1832, by a council at which Elders John Warren, Mitchell, Nathaniel Robinson and Moses Barrett were present and officiated. At first there was no regular pastor, but Elder Warren fre- quently preached. It is said that in the summer time the meet- BAPTIST CHURCH, MAHOPAC PALLS. ings were held in Mr. Barrett's orchard. December 22d, 1832, Brother Enos H. Ballard was licensed to preach and in May, 1834, the church called for his ordination. He remained the Ijastor for one year and during this time seventy were added to the church. The failure of his health caused a termination of his services. In January, 1836, Elder Higby became pastor and 350 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. remained till March, 1838. The pulpit was then supplied for a time by Elder Grill but in 1840 there was some discord in the church. In this year Elder Ballard again took charge and re- mained till 1845 and eighty members were baptized. At this time Brothers Henry Hazen and David Taylor were licensed to preach. In 1845, Elder C. Brinkerhofl was called to the pas- torate and remained till November 12th, 1847. In that year Brother C. C. Norton was licensed to preach the Gospel. Dur- ing 1848-9 the pulpit was supplied by various persons and in 1860 Brother Ballard again became pastor and remained till 185S. In October of that year. Elder David Sampson became pastor but the period of his service was cut short by death. In 1860 the church called Brother J. Timberman who remained two years. In 1862 Brother J. Allen was pastor. He was suc- ceeded by Rev. H. Alley, who was ordained in 1864 and re- mained till August 21st, 1869. Rev. Jabez Marshall was pastor in 1871. Rev. J. W. Holman was called August 1st, 1873, and remained till March, 1875. He was succeeded by Rev. H. B. Warring, who resigned March 1st, 1879. Rev. J. Gr. Shrive was called to the pastorate in that year and he remained till April, 1881, when he resigned. The church lot was sold to Isaac Barrett, Alvah Colwell and Cornelius J. Tompkins, trustees of the church, by Isaac Bar- rett August 17th, 1832. It was described as being "on the west side of the Peekskill road and at the northeast corner of John Beyea's, jr., lot and on the southeast corner of Isaac Barrett's orchard near his house and running along the road 1 chain and containing 1 rood, 22 rods." A lot on the east side of the road "nearly opposite the dwelling house of John Beyea, jr.," was sold to the trustees by Cornelius J. Tompkins on the same day. The church was built shortly after. In 1868 the edifice was re- modelled in modern style at a cost of $13,000, and was re- dedicated January 23d, 1869. In the burying ground adjoining the church rest many of the early members of the society. The following dates are taken from the tombstones; "James Carver, died July 2, 1837, age 55; Sarah, wife, Dec. 18, 1844, 66; Hosea Carver, "^ Apr. 25, 1854, 41; Cornelius Hill, Nov. 22, 1833, 44; Samuel Horton, April 11, 1866, 77; Sarah, wife, Aug. 12, 1845, 55; Gilbert Travis, April 27, 1839, 71; Nicholas Agor, Jan. 12, 1839, 68; Mary, wife, March 10, 1837, TOWN OP CABMEL. 351 72; Rachel, wife of John Simpkins, Jan. 4, 1844, 95; Zophar Kirkham, Oct. 20, 1846, 63; Susan, wife, April 6, 1842, 63; An- thony Hill, Feb. 22, 1867, 74; Dorothy, wife, July 2, 1872, 81; Wm. W. Hill, July 24, 1863, 33; Sarah, wife of Noah Hill, May 13, 1846, 76; Daniel Wright, Feb. 23, 1865, 70; John Beyea, Sept. 12, 1848, 85; Sally, wife, Nov. 24, 1833, 66; John Beyea, Dec. 19, 1864, 74; Peter Beyea. Nov. 17, 1873, 79; James Wix- om, Feb. 18, 1849, 76; Elizabeth, wife, July 21, 1839, 72; Cor- nelius F. Williams, Aug. 27, 1854, 68; Leeta, wife, April 12, 1857, 75; David Hazleton, March 24, 1848, 57; Abraham Cronk, April 26, 1871, 76; Robert Wixom, Sept. 19, 1861, 79; Laban Cole, May 2, 1848, 49; Esther, wife, Sept. 10, 1833, 35; Levi H. Cole, Oct. 17, 1860, 69; William Agor, Nov. 16, 1848, 75; Eliza- beth Cole, wife of Wm; Agor, Feb. 15, 1841, 66." Two of the former pastors of this church are buried here and the following inscriptions are on their monuments: " Rev. Daniel Sampson, died Aug. 8, 1859 aged 60 yrs. 2 mos. and 2 days." " Rev. Enos H. Ballard, nearly 20 years pastor of Red Mills Baptist Church, Departed to be with Christ Oct. 25, 1861. Aged 53." Red Mills Presbyterian Church. — This church is offici- ally styled the "First Presbyterian Church of the town of Carmel," not because it is the oldest but from the fact that it was the first incorporated. As far as learned, preaching ser- vices were held in this place as early as 1761, and the first min- ister who labored here is supposed to have been Rev. Samuel Saickett, who was at that time pastor of Hanover or Yorktown Church. It is probable, however, that Rev. James Davenport may have ministered both here and in Carmel at an earlier date. The first building erected for church services was dedicated in 1784. It stood upon the site of the present church edifice, upon land owned by Mr. Peter Badeau, who died in 1816, aged 88 years. The cemetery adjoining was deeded in trust by Mr. job. C. Austin, in 1862. The following is the description of the original building, as given by Dr. Wallace: " It was at the close of the Revolutionary War that the land was donated, and preparations made to build. As yet there was no organization but the congregation deemed it best to secure a permanent shelter. The people made contributions of labor and timber and other material so that but a small amount of 352 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COtTNTY. money was required. It was very plain in appearance, without cupola or steeple, was nearly square and the gables stood east and west. The entrance was on the south side and opened into the audience room. Originally there was also an east and west door. It had a gallery extending across the south side and the two ends of the house, the open stairs leading to it being located in the south corners. It was mainly occupied by the singers. For a long time the bass and alto occupied the soath gallery facing the minister, the treble being in the east and the tenor in the west galleries, facing each other. The pulpit was on the PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MAHOPAC FALLS. north side and was octagon shaped after the wine glass pattern and was very high up, entered by a winding staircase; above it was a sounding board; below it was the reading desk, by the side of which the deacons sat in what was called the Deacons' Pew. Around the house was one row of square high backed pews and in the center were plain board benches known as the Free Seats. For thirty-five years there was no fire in the build- ing to heat it. Many of the families brought foot stoves; but worse than this, they sat in the unwarraed church and heard two TOWN OF CAEMEL. 353 sermons with only a short intermission between them in win- ter's cold and storm, after coming long distances. " In 1819, the house was repaired and received a coat of yel- low xjaint on the outside. i\.t this date a plain box stove was brought in, which was a marked innovation upon the customs of the past. It stood nearly in the center of the house, and the pipe passed directly up through the ceiling. At this day such a building would seem uncomfortable and unsightly; but in those primitive times, it was deemed a goodly house and served the purposes of a generation who were accustomed to plainness and hai-ftship." About 1830 the church was considered so unsafe that it was decided to erect a new building. This building was dedicated in 1833. It continued in use until 1876, when it was remodelled into the present attractive edifice. About all that remains of the second building is " Embraced within the iron pillars of the present structure." The latter will comfortably seat about 300, and is one of the most cheerful and attractive country churches in the Presbytery of Westchester. The following is a list of the ministers who have preached here either as pastors or as stated supplies. The first one known to have held service here, was the Rev. Samuel Sackett, who seems to have made this one of his stated preaching places from 1761 until 1784. He was succeeded in 1785 by the Rev. Silas Constant, pa,stor of the Yorktown church. During his pastorate at Yorktown, the Lord's Supper was for the first time celebrated at Mahopac Falls, then called Red Mills. This was on February 5th, 1789. In 1790 a distinct church was organized and incorporated. In 1792 the Rev. Ichabod Lewis supplied the church. Following him came Mr. John Hickox, who was succeeded in 1803 by Mr. Stephen Dodd. His successor was the Rev. Herman Daggett who came in 1810. Next came the Rev. John Townley, and in 1812 the Rev. Allan Blair com- menced his ministry here, remaining fifteen years. "He was stated supply during all this time, and remained in charge the longest of all the ministers who have ever labored here." In 1828, when the church became connected with the Second Presbytery of New York, it was supplied for a short time by the Rev. Joseph McElroy, D.D., who was followed in 1829 by the Rev. Robert Thompson, the latter remaining only a feu- weeks. His successor was the Rev. Jonathan Huntington, who 33 354 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. remained here during the erection of a second church edifice, and preached his dedicatory sermon in January, 1833. Pol- lowing him came the Rev. Samuel R. Ely who supplied for one year and was then called for pastor. He was ordained and installed December 4th, 1834, and was the first minister ever regularly settled over the church. Under Mr. Ely's ministry was organized the first Sabbath school connected with the church. The Rev. Joseph Ninimo was installed in 1837, re- maining here until 1840. The Rev. Joshua Betts was ordained and installed in 1841, and was succeeded in 1842 by the Rev. Samuel Pettigrew, who remained till 1844. In 1845, the Rev. James B. Hyndshaw began his ministry here which lasted nntil 1850. For three years thereafter, the Rev. John H. Hunter, D. D., and the Rev. Alfred P. Botsford were in charge. In 1854, the Rev. Joseph C. Foster was installed, and after five years of labor was compelled by ill health to resign his charge, in 1859. The Rev. Richard H. Richardson, D. D., began his ministry here in 1860, resigning in 1863, going hence to New- buryport, Mass., and from that place to the Fourth Presby- terian Church of Trenton, N". J., where he is still settled. The Rev. Wm. H. Hodge, now of Columbia Avenue Presbyterian Church of Philadelphia, was installed here in 1864, and re- signed in 1868. For two years thereafter the Rev. Carson W. Adams, D. D., supplied this church. The Rev. C. C. Wallace, D. C, was installed in 1870, and resigned in January, 1881. In April of the same year, the present pastor was called, and was ordained and installed June 7th. During the pastorate of the Rev. Joseph Ninimo, 1837-40, there were registered eeventy- eight members. During the pas- torate of Mr. Wallace, the membership was one hundred and thirty-eight. On the first of May, 1884, there were registered one hundred and sixty- three names. There are now six elders, three deacons and nine trustees. The organization of the church also includes a Colporteur, a Ladies' Aid Society, a Ladies' Missionary Society and Band and a Sabbath School. The present condition of the church is such as to justify hopeful expectations of its future continued usefulness. The church was incorporated April 7th, 1806, and at that time Dr. Elias Cornelius, Abm. Smith, Charles Heroy, Seward Whetin and William Webb were elected "Trustees of the first Presbyterian Church of Carmel." At this time a formal deed TOWN OF CARMEL. 355 was given to the trustees for the church lot which had been built upon long before. By this deed Peter Badeau, sen., and his wife, Elizabeth, conveyed to the trustees above named, "For and in consideration of the adoration due to the Supreme Being and for the better maintenance of the Almighty God * * * All that certain. piece of land which agreeable to a survey made in 1787 hath its directions and is bounded as follows: Begin- ning at a chestnut, the northwest corner near the school house, thence south 13^ west 4 chains 39 links then S. 17^ east 1 chain 80 links then N. 41 east 5 chains 60 links to a heap of stones and corner of Richard Dean's land then N. 63 west 3 chains 65 links to the beginning. Containing 1 acre of land." Another piece of one-half acre opposite the church was sold by Isaac Badeau July 21st, 1838. The Rev. Harris Rogers Schenok, the present pastor, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., February 27th, 1856. His father is the Rev. William E. Schenck, D. D., for thirty years secretary of the Presbyterian Board of Publication. His mother was the daughter of William Torrey, of Manchester, N. J., and niece of Professor Torrey, of Princeton College, later connected with the assay office in New York city. On the death of his mother, the child, still an infant, was much of the time under the care of his grandmother. When about seven years of age, he was placed at a boarding school at Elizabeth, N. J. From there he went back to Philadelphia, where he attended school until sixteen years of age, when he entered Princeton College. After his graduation in 1876, he was appointed assistant teacher at the Princeton Preparatory School, then under the charge of the Rev. C. J. Collins. While there his health broke down, neces- sitating a trip to Florida and an absence of four months. On his return to Princeton in May, 1877, Mr. Schenck spent some months in special work, entering Princeton Seminary in the fall. After taking a four years' course, he received a call to the Pres- byterian Church of Mahopac Falls, N. Y., in the Presbytery of < Westchester. The call was given on April 6th, 1881. Mr. Schenck took charge as supply and pastor-elect Maj^ 1st, and was installed June 7th, 1881. Under his care the church has been very prosper- ous and greatly increased in numbers. As a representative of the Presbyterian Church the energy and usefulness of Mr. Schenck are widelj'^ recognized and his influence is felt among his ministerial brethren. 356 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. T\[r. Schenck has been twice married. His first wife was a dangliter of David F. Hollister, Esq.. of Bridgeport, Conn. She died June 12th, 1882. He was married in 1884 to a daughter of David E. Smith, M. D., of Bronxville, N. J. The burying ground by the Presbyterian church is the oldest in this portion of the town and here "The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep." The following names and dates are taken from the stones : Ebenezer Boyd, March 27, 1848, age 82; Louisa, wife, May 12, 1841, ,81; Isaac Lounsbury, Mar. 16, 1881, 66; Ira Pinckney. July 9, 1872, 79; Mary, wife, Nov. 7, 1861, 59; Mary, wife of James Seeley, Mar. 3, 1859, 90; Abm. Slawson, May 10, 1829, 92; Mary, wife, Sept. 3, 1826, 87; Silas Slawson, Jan. 1, 1860, 78; Clarrissa, wife, Aug. 5, 1856, 70; Joseph Odell, Dec. 22, 1864, 77; Clarrissa, wife, May 19, 1857, 69; James Vernal, Dec. 16, 1873, 84; Susan, wife, April 25, 1866, 73; Elijah Dean, Aug. 18, 1808, 49; Sarah, wife, Dec. 18, 1835, 72; John Tompkins, Oct. 20, 1839, 55; John Tompkins, Jan. 3, 1842, 65; James Tompkins, Mar. 7, 1873, 85; David, son of William and Mary Lewis, Sept. 1, 1803, 21; Jonathan Miller, Jan. 1, 1815, 68; Mary, wife, Aug. 3, 1801, 55; Esther, wife, Aug. 24, 1835, 59; Eliphalet Hull, July 19, 1813, 54; Emma, wife, Jan. 5, 1833, 70; Hezekiah Hull, Nov. 1, 1823, 69; Sarah, wife, April 23, 1850,89; Sophia, wife of Philip Minthorne, May 8, 1807, 51; Charles Heroy, Dec. 16, 1824, 75; Phebe, wife, April 29, 1821, 70; Peter Heroy, Feb. 15, 1795, 39; Catharine, wife, July 22, 1836, 76; Dr. Elias Cornelius, June 13, 1823, 65; Joshua Myrrick, June 19, 1813, 88; Jane, wife. May 27, 1811, 78; Charles Heroy, Dec. 28, 1785, 66; Benj. Crosby, July 22, 1797, 53; Rachel, wife, Feb. 25, 1791, 43; Hannah, wife of Dr. Robert Weeks and daughter of Benj. Crosby, July 18, 1795, 29; Willet Travis, Oct. 30, 1869, 94; Michael Vandervoort, April 1, 1812, 41; Jonathan Whiting, Jan. 14, 1797, 59; Rachel, wife, June 10, 1830, 88; Isaac Austin, Oct. 14, 1813, 67; Ann, wife, Dec. 30, 1811, 66; Job Austin, Feb. 7, 1847, 88; Hannah, wife, Dec. 13, 1839, 84; Mary, wife, Sept. 18, 1793, 34; John Dean, Nov. 23, 1832, 35; Adah, wife, Nov. 2, 1837, 31; Mar- garet, daughter of Elias and Margaret Van Arsdale,May 1,1806, 1 ; Robert Johnston, Jan. 19, 1823, 89; Elizabeth, wife, Sept. 27, 1832, 82; Wm. H. Johnston, Jan. 10, 1828, 49; Daniel Travis, TOWN OF CARMEL. 357 Aug. 7, 1844, 65; Peter Badeau, Aug. 9, 1816, 88; Katharine, wife, Feb. 1790, 64; Elder Allen B. Smith, April 7, 1834, 37; Elizabeth, wife Peter Badeau, Oct. 29, 1826, 77; Elizabeth, wife John Secor, May 28, 1791, 52; a rude stone bears the following: " 1784, April XI E. S. 70 old," a puzzle which we leave to others to solve. Isaac Badeau, Sept. 7, 1842, 93; Deborah, wife, April 5, 1840, 77; Ebenezer Wright, March 6^ 1806, 43; Kachel, wife, Oct. 27, 1829, 66; Kobert Wright, May 19, 1818, 81; Jonathan Whiting, Nov. 6, 1869, 87; Eunice, wife, Feb. 29, 1848, 61; John Thorp, Dec. 1, 1837, 76; Rath, wife, April 7, 1814, 56; Caleb Carpenter, Oct. 4, 1791, 25; Ephraim, son of Billy and Rhoda Trowbridge, Mar. 8, 1791, 14; Salome, wife of B. H. Miller, Oct. 22, 1809, 54; Henry Dillingham, Mar. 21, 1812, 54; Mary, wife. May 10, 1797, 32; Elijah Wright, July 17, 1815, 69; William Campbell, Dec. 11, 1864, 63; Charles Pinckney, Oct. 16, 1834, 68; Nathan Lane, Sen., Nov. 28, 1811, 72; Eleanor, wife, March 4, 1815, 74; Charity, wife of John Smith, April 29, 1813, 62; John Crookston, Feb. 6, 1793, 36; "Eleanor, wife, April 13, 1848, 88; Abraham Smith, Oct. 26, 1813, 49. The Putnam County Seminary Association was organized in 1857 for the purpose of furnishing facilities for advanced education. The first trustees were Joseph C. Foster, Amzi L. Dean, Saxton Smith, Amzi Slawson, Isaac Hill, Isaac Louns- bury and Ira Pinckney. On the 9th of September 1857, a lot was sold to the trustees by Job C. Austin "On the east side of the highway leading from the Presbyterian Church to the said Austin's house and one chain and sixty links north of a wild cherry tree standing in the burying ground and extending east to the road from the church to the Red Mills." Upon this lot a school building was erected, at a cost of $1,000, and a com- petent teacher employed, and the institution was started with a fine prospect of success. It continued for several years but without being as prosperous as its founders expected. The building was sold under mortgage foreclosure to Amzi L. Dean, who sold it to the Presbyterian church in August, 1870. It was moved to a place near the church and is now used as a reading room. The successive teachers were Rev. Daniel S. Gregory, Rev. Mr. Butler, Mr. Samuel S. Appel and Irving Wright. The Western Part oe Caemel. — On the north side of Long 358 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Pond was the farm of Timothy. Carver', who was a descendant of the fifth generation from John Carver, who came over in the " Mayflower." He came with his wife to this town from Bridge- water, Plymouth county, Massachusetts, about 1757, and be- came a tenant of Roger Morris. He died before the Revolution, and his sons, Timothy and Barnabas, continued to live in the same locality. After the Revolution (November 16th, 1782) Tim- othy Carver bought a large tract on the north side of Long Pond from the commissioners of forfeitures for seventy-one pounds. Here he built a log house and began clearing up the farm. He lived here till the time of his death, which occurred about 1824 at the age of 71. The farm was sold by him to his son, James Carver, January 6th, 1817, for $1,750, and there is a peculiar interest connected with this farm from the fact that it was the one that John Jacob Astor entered suit for as a test of his famous claim. James Carver sold the farm to Ebenezer Barrett, April 9, 1833. After the death of Ebenezer Barrett it went to his son Isaac and he left it to his son Elias Barrett, who died intestate and it was sold to his widow, Mrs. Susan Barrett, who is its present owner. The old log house built by Timothy Carver stood a short distance northwest of the present dwelling. The farm of Judge Barnabas was a tract of nearly 300 acres which was a part of Lot 6 of the Philipse Patent and adjoined the west line of the lot and extended east to the Croton River. The bridge over the Croton on the road from Carmel to Long Pond was near the northeast corner of the farm and hence bore the name of Carver's bridge. Timothy Carver, brother of the judge, fell off this bridge while going home one night and was drowned, about 1824. Judge Carver 'Timothy Carver married Rebecca Washburn. Their children were: Rebecca, wife of Jeremiah Hughson; Mehitable, wife of Daniel Pierce; Timothy, born October 30th, 1753, drowned about 1834; Thankful, wife of Abbott; and Judge Barnabas, born 1761, died August 39th, 1831. He married Sarah Cole but left no children. Timothy Carve,r, second, married two sisters named Baldwin. His children were Elijah, James, Barnabas, Lewis, Eleazar, Henry, Hannah (wife of Jeremiah Ganung) Zillah and Sarah. All the sons except James yirent to Indiana. James Carver was born 1782 and died July 2d, 1837. He was the nominal defend- ant in the Astor suit; he married Sarah, daughter of Thomas Townsend. Their children were: Marianne, wife of James Ganung; Charlotte, wife of Ramah Cole; Rachel; Jane, wife of Stephen Smith; Phebe, wife of Orson Hazen, and Hannah. Hosea Barnabas Carver (son of Timothy the second) married Hannah, daughter of James Townsend, and had children: James M., Frederick, and Stephen W. , who is now living in the town of Carmel. TOWN OP CAEMEL. 359 on the corner where the road turns north, about three quarters of a mile west of the bridge. The stone chimneys of the house bought this farm of Frederick Philipse and his house stood are j^et standing though the building itself has been recently torn down. Judge Carver left no children, and gave his farm to his two nephews, Barnabas Carver and Abizar Pierce, son of Daniel Pierce. The homestead and 175 acres comprised the share of Barnabas who died about 1870, and the place was sold by mortgage foreclosure to Eleazar H. Ganong who now owns it. The west part of the farm was the share of Abizar Pierce. He sold it to James Harvey Reed, who is now living upon it, and moved to Auburn, N. Y., about 1835. The original line between Lots 5 and 6 is a few rods west of Mr. Reed's house. Judge Barnabas Carver was member of Assembly in 1806 and one of the judges of Common Pleas for a long number of years, and one of the foremost men of the county. He died April 29th, 1831, aged 70. His wife, Sarah, died December 4th, 1851, aged 88. A family burying ground not far from the house con- tains their graves and also others from which we take the fol- lowing dates: Chloe, wife of William Yeomans, died April 14, 1854, age 80; Jeremiah Ganung, jr., xiug. 21, 1863, 84; Hannah, wife, Aug. 30, 1869, 84; Daniel Pierce, April 16, 1837, 85; Lewis Pinckney, July 9, 1831, 70; Timothy Pierce, April 30, 1839, 63. Peter Anderson came to this country from Scotland about the year 1760, and rented of Roger Morris a farm now in the town of Carmel, near the Mahopac Iron Ore Company's mine. When this farm was sold by the commissioners of forfeitures in 1782, he purchased it, and the greater part of it has been owned by the family ever since, it being now owned by Silas A. Anderson, a great-grandson of the first owner. Peter Anderson married Mary Curry and they had the follow- ing children: John, who married Ann Travis; James, who mar- ried Susan Ganong; Elizabeth, who married Cornelius Hill; Susan, who married Elijah jSTelson; and Eleanor, who married John Crookston. John Anderson removed to Dutchess county, where his two sons, John and Peter, with some of their descendants, still reside. Elizabeth, Susan and Eleanor, with their husbands, lived in the vicinity of the homestead, and a number of the descendants of Elizabeth still live in the neighborhood. 360 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. James retained and lived on the homestead and had the fol- lowing children: Sarah, who married Green Thorn; Elizabeth, who married Samuel Ferris; Mary, who married, 1st, Charles Van De Vort, 2d, Ira Pinckney; Susan, who married Alfred Lounsbury; Hannah, who married John A. Akin; Peter, who married Mary Austin; Mila, who died single; John, who died when a small boy. They all lived and died within a few miles of the place of their birth, and but few of their descendants have ever removed to any considerable distance. Peter acquired the title to the homestead and resided on it up to the time of his death which occurred in 1882. He had the following children: James T., who married Annie Louns- bury; Mila, who died single; Silas A., who married Mary Emigle; George E., who married Eliza Agor. James T. owns and lives on a farm in the town of Somers, Westchester county. Silas A. lives on the homestead, having purchased it, and George E. lives and practices law at Carmel, Putnam county. Supervisors of Carmel: Timothy Carver, 1795; Devoe Bailey, 1796 to 1797; Barnabas Carver; 1807 to 1814; Daniel Thorn, 1815; Joel Frost, 1816-17; Joseph Benedict, 1818; Joel Frost, 1819-20; Silas Slawson, 1821; Seth Foster, 1822; Silas Slawson, 1823-25; Walker Todd, 1826-28; Silas Slawson, 1829- 30; Thomas Hazen, 1831-32; Joseph Morehouse, 1833; Silas Slawson, 1834-35; Robert Austin, 1836-38; AzorB. Crane, 1839- 40; Wm. H. Sloat, 1841; Robert Wright, 1842-43; Stephen Knapp, 1844; Peter Anderson, 1846-48; Robert Wright, 1849; Cornelius Dean, 1850; Peter Anderson, 1861; Robert Wright, 1852; Wm. Clawson, 1853; Amzi L. Dean. 1854; Israel Pinck- ney, 1855; Augustus Hazen, 1856-57; Henry A. Gahn, 1858-60; James H. Lee, 1861; Isaac Lounsbury, 1862; Lewis H. Gregory, 1863-66; Nathan L. Thompson, 1867-69; John Cornish, 1870; Alonzo W. Hadden, 1871—72; Charles L. Austin, 1873-77; Alonzo W. Hadden, 1878; Augustus Hazen, 1879; Edward C. Weeks, 1880; Nathan A. Stokum, 1881; Ambrose Ryder, 1882; Augustus Hazen, 1883-84; Wm. O. Mead, 1885-86. CHAPTER XXI. TOWN OF CAR MEL (Concluded). The Hill Family.— The Crane Family.— The Baldwin Family.— The Barrett Fam- ily. — Abram Cronk. — Cornelius Dean. — Alotson Dean. — Lewis Ludington. — Charles Henry Ludington. — James Ludington.— Zalmon Ludington. — Deacon Aaron Ganong. — Leonard Yeamans. — The Badeau Family. — The Hazen Fam- ily. — Jeremiah W. Hazen. — The Gregory Family. — The Austin Family. — Lewis Ga Nun. — Thaddeus R. Ganung. — Robert D. Wixsom. — Nathan L. Thompson. — James C. Gulick. — The Miller. Family. — Dr. Henry F. MiUer. — Hon. Henry D. Clapp. — Bryant S. Palmer. — Dr. James H. Merritt. — The Foster Family.— William AV. Everett.- The Weeks Family. THE Hill Family. — The ancestor of this family was Capt. William Hill, who came from England, and was one of the early settlers on the Roger Morris Lot in Philipse Patent. Captain Hill, who was born in 1726, married Bethiah Smith.. The cliildren of this marriage were: 1. Noah, born in 1755, who married Sarah, daughter of Israel Pinckney, and had four children: Uriah, Anthony, Chloe, wife of David Wright; Esther, wife of Seth Curtis, and after his death married Bently H. Wixsom. Noah Hill, the father of this family, died January 3d, 1830, aged 75 years, 9 months 6 days. 2. William, born December 14th, 1760, died November 29th, 1851. He married Nancy, daughter of Israel Pinckney, and their children were: Gilbert, Andrew, Avery, Jacob, Alza, Wil- liam, Sarah, wife of Stephen Pinckney, Mary, wife of Jabez Zeloph, Rachel, and Bethia, wife of Elijah Depew. 3. Cornelius, born in 1764, died November 12th, 1815. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Peter Anderson, and had chil- dren: Noah, James, Phebe, wife of John Smith, and Mary, wife of Arva H. Pierce. 4. Solomon, who was a Baptist preacher, and went to Canada. 362 HISTORY OF PUTNAJr COUNTY. 5. Andrew, who was drowned when young. 6. Abraham, whose descendants are given below. 7. Charity, wife of Jonathan Stokum. 8. Chloe, wife of Joseph Crane. 9. Esther, wife of Charles Heroy. 10. Jane, wife of Thomas Lounsbury. 11. Polly, wife of Isaac Rhodes. Abraham Hill, son of Capt. William Hill, was born July 24th, 1774, and died March 25lh, 1813. He married Deborah, daugh- ter of Israel Lounsbury. She was born April 18th, 1780, and died September 6th, 1849; they were married January 18th, 1798. The children of this marriage were: Mary, born June 19th, 1799; Isaac; Addison, born May 27th, 1803, died June 5th, 1863; Solomon; Tamar, born May 31st, 1807, married James W. Horton; Thomas, born June 10th, 1809, died April 19th, 1878; and Abraham, born May 5th, 1811. Isaac Hill, the oldest son of Abraham Hill, was born May 3d, 1801, and married Mary, daughter of Horace Gregory. Their children are: Elizabeth Gr., Mary D., wife of Elias B. Glen, of Wayne cq,unty, N. Y.; Sarah F., wife of Irving Wright; InezC, and Thomas T., who married Ella F., daughter of Manning Merrill, and has two children, Frederick M. and Alice G. The residence of Mr. Isaac Hill is about a mile north of Red Mills on a farm that was purchased of William H. Johnston, March 8th, 1827, and which is bounded east by Kirk Lake. Mr. Hill died March 1st, 1886, at the age of 85. This farm, as well as that of Solomon Hill adjoining is on the east side of the I'oad running north from Red Mills and directly opposite the original " Hill Farm " hereafter described. Solomon Hill, son of Abraham Hill, was born April 9th, 1805. He married Hannah, daughter of Michael Sloat, and his chil- dren are: Allen B., Tamar A. (wife of Leonard Curry of West Somers, who has two children, Charles H. and Jennie B.), and Charles S., who married Clorinda, daughter of Daniel Squires, and has two children, Albert L. and Nellie F. Mr. Solomon Hill is now living at the advanced age of 80, on a farm abont a mile and a half north of Red Mills, and to his retentive memory we are indebted for many facts relating to the early history of this vicinity. James Hill, son of Cornelius, and grandson of Captain Wil- liam Hill, married Sarah, daughter of Lewis Pinckney, and has ISAAC HILL. TOWN OF CARMJSL. 363 children: Cornelius, Lewis, Mary, wife of Smith S. Austin; Charlotte A., wife of Robert D. Wixsom; Joseph (deceased); Elizabeth, wife of Sturgis Buckley; Caroline, wife of Leon Hotchkiss; and William of New York city. Mr. James Hill is now living on a portion of the original "Hill Farm." Abraham Hill, son of Abraham and grandson of Capt. Wil- liam, married Tamar, daughter of Daniel Lounsbury. They had two children, Theodore and Hannah J., wife of Peter B. Curry, 2d, of Jefferson Valley. The old homestead of the Hill family, which has ever borne the name of the " Hill Farm,"' has an especial interest frona the fact that it was the iirst piece of land ever sold in Putnam county. In the deed of marriage settlement given by Mary Philipse and Roger Morris January 14th, 1758, the power was reserved to sell sufficient land to amount to the sum of £3,000. It was in accordance with this reservation that Roger Morris and his wife Mary sold to William Hill, September 25th, 1763, the farm which is thus described in the deed : "All that certain farm: known as farm Number 36 of Lot No. 5 of the lands formerly granted by Patent to Adolph Philipse, Esq., which said farm begins at a hickory sapling, being the north corner to lots No. 35 and 43, and running south six de- grees, 45 minutes east, 16 chains 37 links, thence south 9 de- grees 29 chains, and 34 links to the corner of lot 34, thence south 33 degrees, 30 minutes, west 16 chains 45 links, thence south 33 degrees, 30 minutes west, 11 chains 27 links to the corner of lot number 15, thence south 88 degrees west 33 chains to a beech tree, being the corner to lots 14, 15 and 37, thence north 7 de- grees 30 minutes east 16 chains 59 links to an ash tree, thence north 18 degrees east 9 chains to a maple tree, thence north 41 degrees 30 minutes east, 11 chains 72 links to a red oak tree, then north 73, east 32 chains, 83 links, to a red oak tree being the corner of lot No. 39, thence south 67 degrees, 15 minutes, east 4 chains, 39 links, thence north 24 degrees, east 10 chains, 33 links, to a beech tree: being the corner to lot number 40, thence by the same to the place of beginning, containing 245 acres." The price paid for this tract was £750, " current money of the Province of New York." The mines and minerals on this farm were excepted and reserved. In accordance with the usage in those days a lease of the premises "for one whole year" was 364 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COTJNTY. given to William Hill, and the deed was executed on the follow- ing day. This was in accordance with the law "for transferring uses into possession," by which a person holding land by a lease for one year was deemed in actual possession. Capt. William Hill divided this farm among four of his sons; the south part, containing 98 acres, he gave to Abraham, whose heirs sold it to Thomas Hill. At the time when Anthony Hoguet and his associates were anxious to buy "Hoguet's Point," in Lake Mahopac, of Abijah Smith, he refused to sell unless they would buy him this farm in its place. Accordingly the arrange- ment was made, and Thomas Hill sold it to Abijah Smith Sep- tember 15th, 1854, and he lived, on it till the time of his death, when it fell to his only child, Sarah, who married Peter B. Curry, 2d. Their only surviving child, Sarah A., married Kel- sey Agor, and they are now the owners of this part of the origi- nal "Hill Farm." The part of the original farm next north of the above was given to Solomon Hill, who sold it to his brothers, Abraham and Cornelius, and it is now owned by Cornelius Hill, the grandson of the Cornelius above. This part was 20 acres, and next north was 42 acres, which was given to Noah Hill, who sold it to Thomas Lounsbury. He conveyed it to James Hill, son of Cor- nelius, and it was sold by his assignees to Cornelius, son of James Hill, who now owns it. To the north of this was a tract of 27 acres given to William Hill. He sold it to Abraham, his brother, who left it to his chil- dren. It was purchased by Solomon and Isaac Hill from the other heirs, and they sold to their brother, Thomas, who re-sold it to Solomon, and it was sold by him to Asahel H. Humphreys, De- cember 24th, 1879, and it now belongs to the Mahopac Iron Company, and the "Hill Mine" is located on it. At the north end of the original farm was a piece of 10 acres given to Noah Hill to make his part as good as the rest. He conveyed it to his brother, Abraham, who left it to his children, and it was bought by Solomon from the rest of the heirs and sold by him to Anthony Stokum, and it was sold by his ad- ministrators to William Agor, its present owner. The old house in which Capt. William Hill resided, stood just north of the family burying ground. It was torn down about 1843. TOWN OF CABMEL. 365 In the family burying ground on this farm are the graves of several generations. Capt. WilliamlHill, the ancestor of the family, died in August, 1796, aged 70. His wife, Bethia, died in August, 1798, at the age of 60. The dates of the deaths of the other members of the family are given above. An elegant monument marks the resting place of the wife of Charles S. Hill, Gloriana, who died January 5th, 1884, at the age of forty-four. The Crane Family. — The ancestor of this family was John Crane, who came from Suffolk, England, and settled in Massa- chusetts about 1676. He was a soldier in the Indian war of 1720, and present at the attack on Deerfield. Fortunately es- caping from the battle he afterward settled at Windham, Con- necticut. He is said to have had two sons, Jonathan and Joseph, the latter settling in New Jersey. Jonathan Crane had one son, Joseph, who was ' born May 17th, 1869, and removed to the Oblong about 1740, and settled on the bank of the Croton River. Here he built "Crane's Mills," which were frequently mentioned as a landmark in the early records. These mills are on the premises now owned by Stephen C. Barnum, Esq., about three quarters of a mile below Milltown, but the site once so famous in our local history will doubtless soon be obliterated by the building of the new reser- voir. Joseph Crane died August 20th, 1781, at the age of 85, leav- ing children: Zebulon, born" January 25th, 1721, died January 24lh, 1789; Joseph, 2d, born September 13th, 1722, died October 14th, 1800; Mary, born May 30th, 1726, died March 17th, 1805; Thaddeus, born March 28th, 1728, died in September, 1803; Abijah, born April 3d, 1730, died 1806; Anna, born April 12th, 1732, died March 25th, 1814; and Adah, born October 25th, 1736, married James Baldwin. Joseph Crane, the father of this family, married Mary, daughter of Samuel Couch. She was born December 15th, 1695. Zebula Crane, the oldest son, married Sarah, daughter of Wil- liam Belden. The children of this marriage were : Capt. John, born November 24th, 1742, died June 7th, 1827; William, born 1744; Zebulas, born August 7th, 1746, died December 31st, 1814; Elijah, born April 1st, 1748; Sarah, born July 12th, 1750; Mary, 366 HISTOBT OF PUTNAM COUNTY. born October 8th, 1752; Belden, born November 31st, 1754; Samuel, born April llth, 1757; Abijah, born May 26th, 1759; Stephen, born April 11th, 1761; Anna, born August 3d, 1763; and Seth, born in 1766. Mrs. Sarah Crane and five of her chil- dren, uamelj^, Mary, Belden, Stephen, Seth and Anna, died in 1769, while the family w^as living in Litchfield, Connecticut. Capt. John Crane, the oldest son, married Tamar, daughter of John and Hannah Carpenter. They were married March 1st, 1764, by Rev. Eliphalet Ball, the first settled minister of Balls- ton, Saratoga county, N. Y. The children of this marriage were: Joseph, born June 3d, 1766, died December 25th, 1835; Adah, born June 6th", 1768, married Moses Fowler; Stephen, born November 1st, 1770, died September 9th, 1826, moved to New York; John, born June 6th, 1773, died June 1st, 1825; Elijah, born October 3d, 1775, married Abraham Knox; Nathaniel, born February 28th, 1778, died September 27th, 1855; Sarah, born June 27th, 1780, married Alvah Trowbridge; Arabella, born December 25th, 1784, married William Waters; Clorinda, born October 2d, 1787, married James Reed. Joseph Crane, the oldest son, married Chloe Hill. Their children were: Ira, who went to Yates county; Noah, who died unmarried; Judge Azor B. ; Ada, wife of James Baldwin; Emeline, wife of Reynolds Piatt; Cornelia, wife of Lewis Crosby; Betsey, wife of Thomas Foster; Zillah, wife of Gilbert Travis. John Crane (the fourth son), married Hannah, daughter of Daniel Gregory, and had children : Samuel; Eliza, wife of Stephen Knapp; Sally, wife of Gilbert Ganung; Elijah; Clo- rinda, wife of Stephen Monk; Nancy, wife of Elias Newman; Nancy, wife of William Monk; Harriett, wife of Isaac New- man; Annis, wife of John Monk; Ada, wife of Benjamin Mead; Alsas; Rosalinda, wife of Henry A. Gahn; and Susan, wife of Lewis Hutchings. Nathaniel Crane married Martha, daughter of Benjamin Townsend. Their children were: John, who died in childhood; Tamar; Caroline, wife of Pierce Pinckney; Charlotte, wife of Ammon N. Fowler; Joseph, left no descendants; Nathaniel M., now living at Mahopac; Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Wright; Augusta S., wife of Reuben W. Kirkham, and Benjamin T. Benjamin T. Crane, born January 24th, 1824, is now living on the old homestead of his grandfather. Captain John Crane. ^ iX^. TOWN OF CARMEL, 367 This was a large farm when sold to Capt. Crane by the com- missioners of forfeiture, and he added to it very largely by various purchases, and as his sons grew up and were married, he gave them farms. His oldest son, Joseph, had the farm where his grandson, Ira Crane, now lives. Stephen had a farm two miles south of Lake Mahopac, and now owned by Cornelius Dean. John had a farm of ] 30 acres on the east side of the road, and opposite the old homestead. To Nathaniel he left the homestead, and it descended to Mr. Benjamin T. Crane, the present owner, who also owns the greater part of the farm given to John Crane. The original house which was the home of Capt. John Crane, and where he kept a tavern for fifty years, was an old fashioned, long, low one-story building, an excellent style of the dwelling built before the Revolution. It was torn down in 1878, having stood more than a century. The present elegant residence was built three years previous to the destruction of the old one. . Mr. Benjamin T. Crane passed the early part of his life on the old homestead. At the age of eighteen he commenced business as a cattle drover, and followed it for fifteen years. He then settled on the farm, and made agriculture his principal business. To the original tract he added by purchase the farm formerly owned by his nncle, John Crane, and the old Baldwin farm formerly the homestead of Elisha Baldwin, the ancestor of that family, so that his real estate now exceeds 300 acres. Mr. Crane married Emma A., daughter of Samuel Washburn, of Carmel, January 11th, 1860. She died December 21st, 1883. The children are Aurelia, Samuel B., Gertrude, Nathaniel M., and Benjamin T., all of whom are now living at home. Mr. Crane held the ofiice of justice of the peace for sixteen years, besides other positions of public tnist. He is a director of the Putnam County National Bank. For many years he has been a trustee of the Gilead Presbyterian Church, and is closely con- nected with its interests. Capt. John Crane was a brave and gallant officer in the Rev- olution and a highly respected and influential citizen in civil life. He was one of the judges of the Common Pleas in Dutchess county, and also of Putnam, after its establishment. Many anecdotes are related of his shrewdness and eccentrici- ties. Joseph Cjane was also one of the judges of Common Pleas in 1813. 368 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Judge Azor B. Crane was born May 25fcli, 1801, and died October 14th, 1864. He married Aurelia, daughter of Demas Doane. She was born February 21st, 1814, and died October 22d, 1859. Their children were: Benjamin D., born September 6ih, 1832, living in Carmel; Ira, born August 13th, 1834; Azor B., born May 15th, 1838, died September 9th, 1841; George T., born February 28th, 1840, died March 2d, 1841; George B., born August 3d, 1845, died June 19th, 1848; Joseph H., born December 12th, 1850, and now living at Mt. Kisco. Judge Azor B. Crane was born on the homestead of his father, Joseph Crane. This place, which is one of the oldest home- steads in the county, was the original home of Deacon Eleazar Hamblin, who settled here in 1740. It was afterward in pos- session of John Carpenter, whose daughter, Tamar, married Capt. John Crane, and it was purchased from the heirs of John Carpenter by Joseph Crane. The old house built by Deacon Hamblin stood just north of the present residence of Ira Crane, and on " Fish Brook," the outlet of Long Pond, and on the. south end of the original farm Deacon Hamblin had his saw mill, which is mentioned in the survey of Lot 6 in 1762. Judge Azor B. Crane was, during his whole life, one of the principal citizens of Putnam county. In 1843, he was appointed judge of the Court of Common Pleas. He was the first county judge and surrogate elected under the new constitution in 1847. He held offices of honor and trust in the county for many years. The farm which descended to him from his father, is situated very nearly in the center of the town of Carmel, the east bound- ary being the original line between Lots 5 and 6, in the Philipse Patent. In private life the judge was a man of great benevolence and kindly feeling, which made him popular among all classes of people, and the poor and afflicted found in him a ready and efficient friend. In public affairs he was noted for his integ- rity and good business capacity, and his opinions and discus- sions were always received with the respect they most justly deserved. Ira Crane, son of Judge Azor B., inherited the old homestead which has now been in possession of the family for three gen- erations. Upon this he has passed his days as an agriculturist. For several years he has been connected with town affairs as 'ySn^ /rO ci?'^-^*^'''^-^^- TOWN OF CARMEL. 369 overseer of the poor and commissioner of highways. The farm, as stated before, is on the west side of the Roger Morris lot. The north boundary extends from the east line of this lot west to Long Pond. Its original south boundary toward the east side was " Fish Brook where Deacon Hamblin in. the olden time had his saw mill." Mr. Crane married Louisa E., daughter of Martin Strang of Y orktown. They have one son, Agor B. , born October 8th, 1884. The residence of Mr. Crane was built by John Carpentei', shortly after the Revolution. It has been greatly enlarged and improved by Joseph Crane and his son, the Judge. Joseph Crane, 2d, lived on the old homestead in Southeast, on the Oblong, and died there leaving a family of thirteen chil- dren: Colonel Jonathan, born April 27th, 1747, died August 27th, 1834; Dr. Joseph, born 1749, died November 21st, 1825; Solomon, born December 26th, 1750; Isaac, born January 26th, 1753; Eunice, born November 20th, 1754, married Comfort Sears; Esther, born December 26th, 1756; Josiah, born July 11th, 1759; Ira, born August 14th, 1761; Daniel, born September 17th, 1763; Nathan, born August 1st, 1765; Molly, born May 21st, 1767; Josiah N., born June 10th, 1770; Arza, born September 29th, 1772. Colonel Jonathan Crane married Bethia Baldwin, and his children were Deborah, Josiah, Isaac, Anson, Jonathan, Esther, and Orvin B. Nearly all of these are buried in the cemetery at Milltown. The homestead of Col. Jonathan Crane was on Crane's Ridge, in the town of Southeast. This farm contained 118 acres and was sold to him by the commissioners of forfeiture after the Revolution. It was left to his son, Anson Crane, by whose heirs it was sold, and passed out of the possession of the family. It is now the property of Charles C. Fitzhugh, Esq. For several years previous to the i^urchase by its present owner, it was owned by John T. Kennedy, Esq., of New York, who gave it the name of " Fairview Manor," by which it is now known. This farm was bounded on the east by the Oblong line. Dr. Joseph Crane was a member of the Provincial Congress in 1776 and member of Assembly 1778-79 and 1796. Col. Jonathan was one of the foremost men of the county during the Revolution, and was esteemed as a brave and prudent officer. 34 370 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. The Baldwin Family'. — The ancestors of this family were four brothers, George, John, Henry and James, who came to America about 1740, and settled in Connecticut. James, the youngest, came to Carmel about 1750, and was the ancestor of all the families of that name in Putnam county. He had five sons: Elisha, Henry, Ephraim, James and Pearce; and four daughters: Phebe, Jatharine, Charity and Hannah. Elisha Baldwin was an early resident near Lake Mahopac, liis homestead being a farm now owned by Benjamin T. Crane. He married Elizabetli Cromwell, and they were the parents of seven children: Elisha, Daniel, James, Mary, wife of James Sutton; Elizabeth, wife of James Youngs; Zilphia, wife of Solomon Wright; and Laetitia, wife of Martin Shears. Of the sons, Elisha, the eldest, settled in Dutchess county; James, the young- est, married Adah, daughter of Joseph Crane, and had sons: Noah and James E. of Peekskill. Daniel Baldwin was born in 1777, and died January 24th, 1842. By various purchases he became one of the most extensive land owners around Lake Mahopac, and built the "Baldwin House," which was an extensive and well patronized hotel, and was burned about 1855. He married Hannah Strang, one of a family of thirteen children, twelve of whom lived to the average age of 88 years. Hannah Strang was a daughter of Henry Strang, of York- town, who was a captain in the Revolution, and a gallant officer. Their children were: Elisha, Hazzard, Henry S., Elizabeth, wife of Samuel Berry, and Gertrude, wife of Robert Smith. Henry S. Baldwin was born November 13th, 1801, and his earliest years were passed on the old homestead. When ten years of age he came with his jjarents to reside on the old Mabie farm, which his father had bought, the house standing on the shore of the lake. This was torn down and a new dwelling erected on the same site in 1826, which was burned as stated above. In 1827 Mr. Baldwin married Eliza, daughter of Eleazar Baldwin, and began life for himself, settling on a farm of 100 acres, which belonged to his father. On this farm he built the mansion now known as the Carpenter House at Lake Mahopac, in 1827. At one time he owned here 225 acres of land. Of this he sold 125 acres to Ebenezer Horton, on which the " Horton Cottage" was built, and in 1868 he sold 100 acres to Samuel Kaufman for $30,000. Mr. Kaufman proceeded to make great- improvements upon the premises, and erected the "Kaufman 3^i \ -,afhu I-lBOTi- Ci-n^: N -r .TOWN OF CAEMEL. 371 House " at a large expense. About 1840 Mr. Baldwin purchased the farm where he now resides, of William Bailey. This farm was formerly a portion of the estate of Devoe Bailey, and the location, which is on the east side of the road, about half a mile south of the lake, was in early times known as " Kenicot's Hill," probably from an early occupant. Here he built his present resi- dence in 1868, and has made agriculture his occupation for the greater part of his life. Mr. Baldwin has two sons, James M. and Henry R. The former is now living in Kansas, where he is the owner of sev- eral thousands of acres of land, and is very extensively engaged in stock raising. The latter has a very extensive farm in York- town, Westchester county, on which he now resides. Mrs. Eliza Baldwin died December 22d, 1884, at the age of 76. Mr. Bald- win, now in his 84th year, but as vigorous as many a man twenty years younger, still takes a lively interest in the affairs of the county and town. A few words concerning other branches of the Baldwin family may not be amiss. Elislia Baldwin, as stated above, had four brothei"s. Pierce, James, Ephraim and Henry. The last married Mary Lounsbury, and had children: Henry, James, Eleazar, John, Isaac, Lydia, wife of Obed Cole, Sarah, wife of Stephen Hitchcock, and Hannah. Of these Eleazar was born in 1784 and died in 1868. He married Hannah, daughter of Reuben Cole, and had two children, Reuben D. and Eliza, wife of Henry S. Baldwin. Reuben D. Baldwin owned a farm at Baldwin's Place Station on the New York City & Northern Railroad, and gave the land for the depot on condition it should be called by that name. James Baldwin, brother of Eleazar, was born in 1759. He removed from Carmel to Southeast, where he had a large farm on Starr's Ridge. He exchanged this for a farm near Luding- tonville about 1827, where he passed the rest of his days. He married Susannah Vail in 1780. Their children were: Daniel, born 1781, died 1874, married Betsy Field; Fanny, wife of Peter Dykeman; Henry, born 1787, died 1863, married Mary Smith; Polly, .wife of James Townsend; Aaron, born 1791, died unmar- ried 1812; James, born 1793, died 1865, married Cornelia Lud- ington; Betsy, wife of Allen Light, born 1799, died 1833; Dorcas, wife of Peter Whitney; Nathan C, born 1800, died March 2d, 372 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. 1884, married Eliza Smith; Susan, wife of David Russell; Han- nah J., wife of Jacob Sunderlin. She was murdered at her residence in Patterson in March, 1883. Nathan C. Baldwin, the ninth child, was at the time of his death, not only the last of his father's family, but the last of a whole generation. At one time he had 93 brothers, sisters and cousins, on his father' s and mother's side, and outlived them all. He died at the residence of his son, Peter W. Baldwin, of Pawling, March 2d, 1884. Another son, W. R. Baldwin, is a lawyer in Brooklyn, N. Y. The Barrett Family. —In the list of taxpayers of Fredricks- burg in 1777 appear the names of Isaac, James, John, Justus W. and Marcus Barrett. What relation they were to each other cannot be traced with certainty. Isaac Barrett married Jemima Lockwood, and their children were: Mary, wife of Marcus Barrett; John, born about 177,'5, and died in December, 1861; Ebenezer; Abigail, wife of Joseph Haight; and Isaac, born January 23d, 1788, died November 13th, 1869. Isaac married Rachel, daughter of John Beyea, who was born in 1792, and died December 26th, 1871. They were married March 10th, 1813, and the children of this marriage were: Sarah, born July nth, 1816, married Theodore B. Wilson; and Peter Beyea, born September 26th, 1829. Mr. Peter B. Barrett, married Mary A., daughter of Enos Hazen, who was born August 17th, 1829. They were married June 4th, 1851, and have four children; Isaac L., Thomas E., Sarah J., and Emma J. (deceased). The farm upon which his home is situated was originally Farm No. 15, of the Morris Lot, and was sold after the Revolu- tion to Stephen Whitney, who sold it to his son-inlaw, Michael Vandervoort, who kept a tavern there in the olden times. This house stood a short distance north of Mr. Barrett's residence, and was sold to his father, Isaac Barrett, by William and Sarah Vandervoort April 9th, 1829. The old house was torn down in 1859, and on the site Mr. Barrett erected a dwelling honse which he now owns. The farm extended north to the famou-s " Hill Farm," and south to a point below the Baptist church. The residence of Mr. Barrett is on a portion of the original farm, and was bought and owned by Richard Dean in 1794. He J>iJ^J^ S^iAuth TOWN OF OAEMEL. 373 is said to have sold two acres of it to the Presbyterian church, and a parsonage was built on it. Tins house and lot having been given by the church to one of the ministers, Rev. Stephen Dodd, he is reported to have sold it, and after some transfers it was purchased by Mr. Isaac Barrett about 1826. The parsonage house, a plain old-fashioned building, was torn down, and the present elegant residence erected in 1873. The old orchard south of the house was the place where the first meetings of the Baptist society were held, and the church lot was donated by Mr. Isaac Barrett, who, with his family, was closely identified with the advancement and welfare of the so- ciety. The place descended to Mr. Peter B. Barrett at the decease of his father, which occured in 1869. Mr. Barrett has made agri- culture the business of his life, and in addition to the original Vandervoort farm he has purchased a portion of the old "Mill farm," formerly owned b^'' Judge Robert Johnston. Mr. Barrett has been connected with town affairs as commis- sioner of highways, and overseer of poor. For many years he has been deacon of the Baptist Church his father helped to build. In politics he has ever been a strong supporter of the republican party. Isaac Barrett, the grandfather, was a soldier in the Revolution, and one of the guards stationed at Red Mills. The original home of the family is in the locality known as Barrett Hill, in the northwest part of the town of Carmel. Isaac Barrett left the old homestead to his heirs, and it was eventually purchased by John Barrett who bought the shares of the rest. On this place he lived and died, and the place de- scended to his son, Allen, whose heirs sold it to John Parker, the present owner. John Barrett, the eldest son of Isaac Barrett, was born about 1775 and died in December, 1861. He married Sarah, daughter of Isaac Drew, and their children were: Ferris, who married Laura, daughter of Eider Moseman Barrett, and had two chil- dren, Absalom, and Sarles; Jemima, wife of Samuel Barrett; Allen, who married Sarah, daughter of James Drew, and had two children, James W. and Charity, wife of Chauncey Smith; Sarah, wife of Nathaniel Wixsom; John, who married Marga- ret, daughter of Michael Mead, and is now living at Fishkill; Fanny, wife of Hiram Cole; Simeon, who married Emily, 374 HISTORY or PUTNAM COUNTY. daughter of Jacob Clawson, and is living in Cataraugus county; Annis, wife of Moses Mead; Moseman, who married Margaret Gay, and after her decease married Cornelia, daughter of Fred • erick Ludington (He has a son George D., who lives at Red Mills); Isaac D. ; Wright, who married Rebecca, daughter of Jacob Clawson, and is living in Dutchess county (He has two sons, Oscar and John J.); and Amanda, who died young Isaac D. Barrett, the tenth child named above, was born at the old homestead on Barrett HiU, October 27th, 1829. At this place he remained till the time of his marriage, and then began housekeeping on a portion of the original farm. Here he stayed two years, and then removed to a farm which his father bought in Peekskill Hollow, and now owned by Sarles Drew. He after- ward purchased a farm of George Tompkins, south of Red Mills, and lived on it nine years. He then purchased a farm on the west side of Lake Mahopac of Abram Cronk, which he sold, and it became a part of the lands of the Lake Mahopac Improve- ment Company. In 1872, Mr. Barrett purchased his present residence from the heirs of Selah Ballard. This place, which is on the east side of the road, a short distance south of the Red Mills Presbyterian Church, has been greatly improved by him, and is an elegant and convenient home. Mr. Barrett has made agriculture his principal business, and has held the office of assessor for several years. As a member of the Baptist church, his interest in its welfare has never ceased. For twenty-five years he has been deacon in the church, and it is a remarkable fact that all of his brothers have held the same office in this or other churches. He is also superintendent of the Sabbath school and treasurer of the society. Mr. Barrett married Tamar, daughter of Abram Cronk, Feb- ruary 14th, 1852. They were the parents of one daughter, who died December 11th, 1879, at the early age of 22. This young lady was a general favorite in the community, and a bright and shining ornament in the Baptist church of which she was a loved member. Her loss was deeply felt and greatly mourned. The following notice, which appeared in the papers, expressed the feelings of all who knew her : "Bakrett— At Mahopac Falls, N. Y., Dec. 11th, 1879, Miss Ida E., only daughter of Deacon Isaac D. and Tamar A. Bar- rett, in her 23d year. TOWN OF CAEMEL. 375 " Her life from childhood was devoted to Christ. She was baptized into the fellowship of the Mahopac Falls Baptist church in the 14th year of her age, and her spotless character and pleasant manner won the admiration and love of all. Dur- ing her sickness of nearly five years her suffering was at times intense, and she had many fears that she would fail to gain heaven, but she never murmured. Her constant prayer was that Jesus might be with her, and Jesus indeed was. Her last days were passed in almost angelic serenity and she passed trustingly into promised rest." Abbam Cronk. — The family of this name were among the early Dutch settlers of Westchester county, and are probably descended from Siebert Cronk, the first of the name which appears. Abram Cronk was born October 29th, 1799, and died April 26th, 1871. He married Billecha, daughter of Robert Wixson, who was born February 20th, 1805, and died March 1st, 1884. Their children were: Joseph A., born October 3d, 1841, and died un- married August 14th, 18(36; Mary, wife of Henry J. Pierce; Tamar, born September 14th, 1831, and married Isaac D. Bar- rett; Hannah J., wife of Frederick J. Wardell; and Susan E., born July 22d, 1833, and died unmarried February 16th, 1872. Abram Cronk, the father of this family, was a resident of Red Mills, and during a long life was an earnest member of the chui'ch, and known to the community as a good man and useful citizen. By his death the Baptist society lost one of its bright- est members and one who was foremost in all good works. Cornelius Dean. — Richard Dean, who was an early resident near Red Mills, was a soldier in the Revolution, and was killed at the storming of Stony Point. His wife was Susan Ward, and their only child was Richard, who was born September 10th, 1771. He married, August 27th, 1794, Althea, daughter of Smith Austin, who was born' January 17th, 1777. The children of this marriage were: Anne, born August 19th, 1795, married Uriah Hill; John, born October 17th, 1797; Mary, born March 15th, 1800, married 'William Alley; Smith A., born March 10th, 1802, died in Kane county, HI., 1849; Stephen D., born January 13th, 1804 (he went in 1849 on an overland journey to California, and was never heard from afterward); Ada, born March 28th, 1806; 376 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Ira W., born July 3d, 1809, died in Buffalo in 1853; Amzi L., born September 5th, 1811; Cornelius, born Januarj^ 13th, 1814; Lewis A., born July 9th, 1816, now living in Aurora, 111.; and William A., died in 1854. Amzi L. Dean was a very prominent citizen of the town. He was supervisor in 1854, and clerk of the board of supervisors for many years. He married Catharine, daughter of Joshua Louns- bury, June 4th, 1836, and had three sons: Joshua L., Adrian H., and William A., who are now living at Lake Mahopac. Cornelius Dean was born at Red Mills, January 13th, 1814, and received his early education in the public school of the vil- lage. He was elected supervisor of Carmel in 1850, and has held other town offices. He has always been intimately connected with the political affairs of the democratic party. The homestead farm on which Mr. Cornelius Dean now lives, is situated southeast from Lake Mahopac and not far from the Westchester county line. This farm was originally owned by Abraham Mabie, who lived on it many years before the Revolu- tion, and afterward bought it from the commissioners of for- feiture. He sold it to Stephen Crane, who conveyed it to John Carpenter, and he sold it to James S. Horton, March 4th, 1816. It was sold by Silas Slawson and others, assignees of James S. Horton, to Richard Dean in 1825, and from him it descended to its present owner. The old house built by Abraham Mabie, stood on the west side of the road opposite the present residence. A rough stone marked "A. M. 1765," is still preserved froni the old house, and gives the initials of its owner and the time of its erection. The present residence of Mr. Dean was built by John Carpenter about the beginning of the present century. Mr. Dean was coroner for the iieriod of sixteen years, and also held the office of assessor and commissioner of highways. He held the rank of lieutenant colonel of militia of the State in 1838, and he was captain of a company under Grovernor Marcy. For twenty years he has been director of the Farmers' and Drovers' Bank of Somers, Westchester county. He is a con- tributing member of the Presbyterian church at Red Mills. The old house in which Richard Dean lived at Red Mills has been torn down, within the last few months. It stood on the north side of the road at the point where it turns south, and immediately north of the store now occupied by M. F. Agor. This old house, with its stone chimney, was the last relic of the ^O-er^l^'-l-e'^^C^ ^'fj&.'t^ ~>.n ■■>:,■• I RH.Hnllr ^-.rnr //-,/ ■ .' TOWN OF CAEMEL. 377 past in the neighborhood. The executors of W. H. Johnston sold to Eichard Dean, in 1829, a tract of 90 acres, beginning on the west side of the road from Red Mills to John Beyea's, thence running westerly to Orin Agor's line (now W. B. Hazleton's), then northerly to school house lot, and along the highway to the corner of the Mill farm opposite the house of W. H. Sloat (near Baptist Parsonage), thence easterly across the meadow to first named road. Alotson Dean. — Jotham Dean came from Westchester county about the time of the Revolution. He died about 1836 at the age of 85. His children were: William, Amos, Jonathan, Nancy, wife of James Welch; Elizabeth, wife of Alexander Ganong; Zippa, wife of Robert Powers; and Jemima, wife of Stephen Craft. Amos Dean died November 15th, 1862, aged 92. He married Rhoda Mead. Their children were: Julia, wife of Henry Knapp; Ada, wife of John Beam; Mary, wife of William Pinckney; Eliza and Sylvester. Mr. Alotson Dean was born August 11th, 1805, on the old homestead on the west shore of Lake Gilead, and from this family the lake gained the name of "Dean's Pond" in olden time. His early life was passed on the small farm which his father owned. This farm his father exchanged for a farm owned by Reuben Ganong; but after a few years the old home- stead came back into his hands, and on this place Mr. Dean has lived all his life. To the original farm of thirty acres he added forty more, and afterward sold the north portion to Ben- jamin Bailey for as much as the whole originally cost. The summer boarding house of James Wixsom stands upon it. By strict economy and superior management, Mr. Dean has accumulated a comfortable fortune, and is regarded as one of the most successful business men of the town. Among other property he owns the "Masonic Hall" in Croton Falls, and stores in the village of Brewster. Mr. Dean married Marinda, daughter of Nathan Field, Octo- ber 21st, 1834. Their children are: Sarah F. H., wife of Ira T. Fowler; Anna M., wife of Howard D. Ganong; and Georgianna, wife of Winfield S. Harris of Croton Falls. The home of Mr. Dean is beautifully situated on the west shore of Lake Gilead, which is one of the most beautiful sheets 378 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. of water in the county. For forty years both he and his wife have been active and zealous members of the Carmel Baptist Church and supporters of the society. His success in life has not depended upon wealth inherited from his ancestors, but has been gained by care, economy and skill, with the assistance of a wife who had been his able and efficient helpmeet. His father began life with the small capital of sixty dollars, and left a large fortune, accumulated by care and economy. Lewis Ludington. the sixth son and the youngest of the twelve children of Col. Henry Ludington, of Revolutionary memory, was born June 25th, 1786, in Fredericksburg, Dutch- ess (now Putnam) county, N. Y. The name of the township was subsequently changed to Kent. The education which he received was obtained at the district schools, no other having been in existence in that section of the country until the erec- tion of the academy in the village of Patterson at a later period, for which his father, Col. Ludington, contributed the timber. On the 6th of May, 1806, in company with his brother, Fred- erick, w^ho was four years his senior, he opened a store near their -father's house, upon the homestead property, and began a partnership which continued uninterruptedly for over thirty years. Lewis was married to Polly, the daughter and oldest child of Samuel Townsend, and for several years lived in a small cottage adjacent to the homestead of his father in Kent, from whence he removed to the village of Carmel, in the spring of 1816, where he soon afterward bought the property still owned and occupied by some members of the family. In the fall of 1855, he completed and removed to the commodious house which is yet the family home. The timber for this house — selected Nor- way pine — also the pine lumber of which it was constructed were cut on the lands of Mr. Ludington, in Wisconsin, sawed in his mill in Oconto, and by a singular coincidence were shipped to Buffalo on the schooner " Lewis Ludington," and thence on a boat of the same name by the Erie Canal and Hudson River, to Mott Haven, from whence they were brought by the Harlem Railroad to Croton Ealls, in the autumn of 1854. Owing to the limited opportunity for business enterprise in Putnam county, Mr. Ludington, in company with his nephew, *■ c^^^^^o^ f^^ao^^-y TOWN OP OARMEL. 379 Harrison Ludington, late governor of Wisconsin, and Harvey Burchard, a resident of Carmel, started, October 19th, 1838, for Milwaukee, to examine into the resources and opportunities for business in the young and growing territory. Milwaukee, then but a mere village, was showing signs of future prominence. During the succeeding winter the above-mentioned persons made one or more trips on horseback through the interior for the purpose of selecting government lands, of which they lo- cated and purchased a considerable quantity. In 1839 was started at Milwaukee the firm of Ludington, Burchard & Co., of which Lewis Ludington was the senior partner and Harrison Ludington, the junior. This firm was changed a year or so later by the retirement of Harvey Bur- chard, and continued under the name of Ludington & Co., composed of Lewis and his two nephews, Harrison and his younger brother, Nelson, who at a later date became the presi- dent of the Fifth National Bank, of Chicago. With little change the firm remained upon the same spot, one of the most prominent locations in the city of Milwaukee, for upwards of twenty years, conducting for those early days, a business of great magnitude, showing enterprise and sagacity, which re- sulted in wealth to all the participants. Connected with their mercantile business was a large lumbering establishment, con- sisting of mills at Oconto, Wis., and yards in Milwaukee. Dur- ing all these years the firm saw the growing importance of the city in which it had cast its fortunes, and of the State of Wis- consin, which has since become in population and influence one of the great commonwealths of the Republic. About the year 1843, Lewis Ludington bought from Colonel Drake, an extensive tract of land in Columbia county. Wis., and in July, 1844, laid out, and in August of that year recorded, the plat of the city of Columbus. For many years he super- intended and encouraged the settlement of the young town, assisted by his son James, who at the early age of nineteen be- came for some time his father's resident agent there, until the promotion of Mr. E,. W. Chadbourn to that- position. The city finally grew to be a place of considerable importance and wealth. Thus for more than half a century Mr. Ludington continued to conduct these and his various other enterprises with untiring energy and zeal. He was influential both at home in Putnam county, and in Wisconsin, the chosen State of his principal 380 HISTOET OF PUTNAM COUNTY. activities, always enjoying the respect and confidence of all who knew him. An incident occurred in the early business life of Lewis Lud- ington, which showed the energy for which he was always dis- tinguished. Together with a niimber of other Putnam county people, farmers and merchants, he went to 'New York by boat, by the way of Peekskill, with produce to sell and purchases to make, all expecting to return home by the river. A very sud- den cold snap occurred which completely closed navigation, and as there now remained no way of reaching home but on foot, a company of half a dozen decided to adopt that method without delay. They, therefore, late that afternoon, walked t(i Kings Bridge at the north end of the island, from whence early the next morning they started for home in companJ^ A snow storm set in during the day and one after another of the mem became exhausted and gave out, the last one excepting Mr. Ludington, at the village of Somers, six miles below Carmel. Nothing daunted he kept on his journey and went five miles above Car- mel near " Dingees," and onlj^ one mile from his home in Kent, overcome with fatigue, he fell asleep in a snow drift. When the cold awoke him, which it soon after did, he trudged on home, reaching there near midnight. Though impeded by the snow storm he had walked forty-tive miles since he started in the morning. Mr. Ludington was a member of the Whig party during its existence up to the time of his death, and was strongly opposed to slavery and to its extension He would not accept ofiice though frequently urged to do so. His death occurred September 3d, 1857, at Kenosha, Wis., in the 72d year of his age. He was buried in the family plat, in Raymond Hill Cemetery, at Carmel. His family consisted of his wife, Polly, who survived. him over twenty- two years, and his children: Laura Ann, Delia, William Edgar, Robert, Charles Henry, James, Lavinia Elizabeth, Emily, and Amelia. Charles Henry Ludington, son of Lewis Ludington, was born at Carmel, February 1st, 1835. His education was partly ob- tained at the Polytechnic School conducted by Rev. Dr. Hunter, atOwenville (nowCroton Falls), also at the Grammar School of Hugh Stocker Banks, a faithful and able instructor, held in the house previously owned and occupied by the celebrated "Peter i:^(U^/...<..^y^^----^'^h ^/^-— 7 x^ ^^C-t^t^ m en 5 n 'Z o m o H TOWN OF CAEMEL. 381 Parley" at Ridgefield, Conn., and the academy at Carmel, under Valentine Vermilyea. September 18th, 1842, in his eighteenth year, Mr. Ludington went to New York with his father, and entered as clerk the wholesale dry goods store of Woodward, Otis & Terbell, 53 Cedar street, near the old "Middle Dutch Church," now the site of the magnificent building of the Mutual Life Insurance Company. He remained in their employment until 1846, when Harrison Gray Otis of that house separated from his partners and formed, in company with Edward Johnes and his nephew, AVilliam Johnes, the firm of Johnes, Otis & Co., with whom he continued as salesman until January 1st, 1849. He then be- came a member of the importing and wholesale dry goods house of Lathrop & Ludington, which started business February 1st, at 18 Cortlandt street, N. Y., which firm was composed and or- ganized by Richard D. Lathrop and himself as general, and James W. Johnson and Charles T. Pierson as special partners. Undeterred by the gloomy predictions of many of the older merchants, this young house, in company with two other firms, crossed Broadway, leaving the time honored localities of Han- over Square, Pearl, William and Cedar streets behind them, and became the pioneers in a movement which soon completely changed the location and even the character of this important branch of business. In consequence of their energy and enter- prise they met with success from the very start. After con- tinuing in this store for eight years they removed to a much larger one in Park Place, running through to Murray street, which they built on the site of the former residence of Dr. Valentine Mott, the name of the firm being changed to Lathrop, Ludington & Co., on the retirement of the special partners. The partners afterward included John H. Morrison, Robert J. Hunter and William Faxon. Their business grew during the War of the Rebellion and subsequently to great magnitude for that time, their sales ranging annually from eight to eleven millions, their merchandise being distributed over every part of the republic north of Mason and Dixon's line, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, the firm possessing the respect and con- fidence of all the trade. Previous to the Rebellion their sales were not largely made to the South, and fortunately were much reduced in that section when the agitation first began. When the spirit of secession became rampant, their names were pub- 382 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. lislied in the celebrated " Blacklist," or list of abolition houses, in the "Southern Confederacy," and other notorious papers of Georgia and other Southern States. This list, which was origin- ally composed of Bowen, Holmes & Co., Lathrop, Ludington & Co., and a few others, was afterward extended by many addi- tions until it embraced about forty of the leading houses in the wholesale line in JSTew York, Philadelphia, Boston and Balti- more. The publication was made with the design of injuring or raining in the South the trade of the several firms which in the words of Henry C. Bowen, " Sold their goods but not their principles." Unable to go to the war himself, Mr. Ludington sent a sub- stitute, and he personally, and the firm of which he was a member, assisted by large contributions of money, the raising of regiments and recruits in New York and in Putnam county. One entire regiment was principally obtained by their efforts and means. The firm of Lathrop, Ludington & Co. afterward removed to the elegant store 326, 328 and 330 Broadway, built on the site of the old Broadway Theatre, retiring from business in 1868. Mr. Ludington since then has continued to attend to his private affairs and enterprises in New York and the West. He is a director in a number of leading institutions in the city, trust, insurance and other companies, and resides at 276 Madison Avenue, New York, in the same house he has occupied for over a quarter of a century. His family consists of a wife and six children, three sons and three daughters. James Ludington, son of Lewis Ludington, was born atCar- mel, Putnam county, N. Y., April 18th, 1827. The first sixteen years of his life were passed with his parents at home, where every one recognized in him a lad of much promise. He en- joyed an academic education and was commended by his teachers as bright and attentive. In 1843, he left his books, and bidding a temporary farewell to the old homestead, set out for Milwaukee. Here he first found employment for a time in the store of Ludington & Co. Subsequently he accompanied his father to the spot where stands to-day the city of Columbus, Wis., and it was their united energy and wisdom that planned and laid out the x>lat) ^^^ stimulated the early growth of the town. After some years of TOWN OF OAEMEL. 383 work there he returned to Milwaukee and entered upon a busi- ness career of marked prosperity. For two years he held the position of treasurer of the La Crosse Railroad Company. He was also president of the "Bank of the West" at Madison, and vice-president of the Juneau Bank at Milwaukee. His sa- gacity in "all matters of a business nature assured success to every enterprise in which he was engaged. For two years he rendered efficient service as alderman in Milwaukee. In 1859, ,a small saw mill at the mouth of the Pere Marquette River, Michigan, together with a large amount of adjacent pine land came into Mr. Ludington's possession. He had advanced money upon the property at different times, and when finally he purchased it, he turned with enthusiasm to the new enterprise, and in a year or two decided to makes it the location of a town (the plat of which was begun in 1867), the chosen name for which was "Ludington." After consultation with Elisha Starr, who founded the " Sen- tinel " newspaper, in Milwaukee, he selected George W. Clay- ton, a man in his employ, to start a local paper at Ludington, which afterward became prosperous and influential. It was in 1873 that the town was incorporated as a city, re- ceiving the name of "Ludington" in honor of its founder. It has grown greatly in population and in wealth and is the west- ern terminus of the Flint & Pere Marquette Railway. Mr. Ludington's extreme liberality was exhibited whenever any enterprise was on foot for the improvement or advantage of the place. An appeal to him for assistance for a deserving ob ject always elicited a generous gift. In his sales of village property he expressly stipulated that no spiritous liquor should ever be sold on the lot in question, and he insisted vigorously on compliance with this condition. In 1869, Mr. Ludington sold his entire property interest in that region for half a million dollars and practicallj' retired from business, though he still retained an interest in the newly formed organization named the "Pere Marquette Lumber Company." Mr. Ludington never married. For some years he lived at the Newhall House, up to the time when the building was destroyed by fire, and after that he removed to the Plankinton House in Milwaukee, Wis., where he now resides. It is always with a lively interest and justifiable pride that he refers to the prosperous city which owes its existence to him. 384 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Zalmon Ludington, the son of Zalmon and grandson of Comfort Lndington, of Eombout Precinct, Dutchess county, who was a brother of Abigal, the wife of Col. Henry Ludington, was born May 12th, 3797, about one mile from the residence of the latter. His father lived in the same place until 1810, when he removed to Western New York. His son, Zalmon, the sub- ject of this sketch, remained with friends until ]813, when he went to Batavia, N". Y., to visit his mother, and while there en- listed in Col. Churchill's Regiment and participated in the bat- tle of Black Rock. In the spring of 1814 he returned to Put- nam county to his uncle Yale's and to Col. Henry Ludington' s, and assisted the firm of F. & L. Ludington, in their store in Kent. In the spring of 1816 he came with Lewis Ludington to Car- mel and aided him in opening his branch store there and re- mained in his employ until midsummer. In the fall of 1818 he went to Virginia, returning to Carmel in 1819, and again visited there in 1820, remaining with Lewis Ludington two months. In 1822 he married Lovila Hagan, of Preston county, Vir- ginia, who bore him eight children, five sons and three daugh- ters. Pour children are now living : Mrs. M. L. Patrick, of Louisville, Ky.-, Horace Ludington, M. D., of Omaha, Neb.; Brevet Col. Elisha H. Ludington, U. S. Army (retired); and Lieut. Col. Marshall I. Ludington, Deputy Quarter Master General U. S. Army, now stationed at Philadelphia, Pa. Four of Zalmon Ludington' s sons served as officers in the Union Army during the war of the Rebellion. In 1823 he settled in Somerset county. Pa., where he resided until 1842, when he removed to Uniontown, Fayette county, same State, and resided tliere until about five years ago. Since then he has lived with his sons, Horace and Marshall, and is now with the latter in Philadelphia. Although in his 89th year he is still hale and hearty, remembers all about his boyhood days in Kent and Carmel, and only a year ago made an address in Philadelphia which was extensively published. Deacon Aakon Gtanong was born in Carmel, Putnam county, January 3d, 1809, on the farm where his son, Chaunoey B., now resides, and which has been the homestead proper for about eighty-five years. ^^ jy<^t>Oy^ TOWN OF CAKMEL. 385 His father, Alexander, a farmer, was a resident of the county as were also his parents. He died August 4th, 1842, aged 62. Aaron Ganong was educated at the common schools. His early years were spent on the farm. The first money that he earned for himself was five hundred dollars that he made as a musician in the employ of a prominent show firm, at the age of eighteen years. He pursued the occupation of a farmer until 1861, when he removed to the city of New York, with his wife, and engaged in ■ the gale of milk at retail, shipped from his farm and others ifi Putnam county. In 1876 he returned to Putnam county and located in Carmel village, where he continued to reside until his death, which oc- curred August 1st, 1883. He is buried in the Baptist cemetery in Carmel. At the age of twelve years he became a member of the Baptist church at Carmel, which he attended before and after his resi- dence in New York. On locating in New York he and his wife became constituent members of the Trinity Baptist Church, which they largely assisted. He was also elected deacon by this church, and acquired the title by which he was familiarly distinguished from many others of the same family name. By the Trinity Baptist Church of New York, he was presented with a testimonial of their esteem, in the form of an engrossed letter, as follows : " To our beloved brother, Deacon A. Ganong, we the mem- bers of the Trinity Baptist Church and congregation, of the city of New York beg to express to you, first our admiration for the character God has given you ; second, our high appre- ciation of your wisdom in council, your liberality in giving, and your constancy in attending the meetings of the church; you have not only contributed habitually and generously of your money, but it is believed that you have attended more of our meetings than any other member living or dead; third, we ex- press all our hearty. Christian love for your amiable wife, with sympathy quite in harmony with your own; she seems never to have discouraged you in making sacrifices for the church of Christ; finally we express to you both our sincere regret that you are about to remove from among us and an earnest hope that our heavenly Father will soon turn your footsteps hitlier- 35 386 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. ward again, and cause you to dwell among us to the end of your days. New York City, January 6tli, 1878. "James B. Simmons, Pastor." He was a good citizen and a successful business man, esteemed by all who knew him. November 17th, 1831, he married Amanda Ballard, of Carmel, daughter of Selah and Melinda Ballard. In her he found a worthy helpmeet, who assisted him in all the efforts of his life. Mrs. Granong became a member of the Mr. Carmel Baptist Church, at about twenty years of age. Their oldest child is Chauncey B., born October 3d, 1832, and who now resides on the homestead farm. He married, January 16th, 1856, Jane C. Kelley of Carmel village, by whom he has three children: Emma K., married to Volentine H. Massey, de- ceased; Annie L., married to Henry C. Wilson; and Francis J., at home. Chauncey B. Ganong is a farmer and is a member of the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, of which he is clerk and for many years has been a deacon. Christopher C, the second son, was born August 21st, 1839, and died in his fourteenth year, February 2d, 1853, esteemed by all that knew him. The grandfather of Deacon Aaron Ganong was Jesse Ganong. He had four sons: Alexander, Isaac, Daniel and Gilbert. Jesse Ganong, with two of his sons, Isaac and Gilbert, went to the western part of the State. Alexander Ganong married Eliza- beth Dean. Their children were; Joseph, Deacon Aaron, and Mary, wife of 0. H. Cole. Leonard Yeamans. — Johnston Yeamans, with his brothers, John and Abraham, are said to have been among the settlers who came from Cape Cod. John went to Canada after the Revo- lution and Abraham settled in Westchester county. Johnston Yeamans married a daughter of Thomas Wilson. Their children were: John, Johnston, Ampelias, Epenetus, Hes- ter, wife of Elihu Haines, and Martha, wife of Stephen Haines. Of this family Johnston Yeamans, the second son, was born August 9th, 1785. He married Phebe, daughter of Isaac Pierce. They were the parents of four children: Leonard, Jarvis, Eme- line and Eveline. Leonard Yeamans was born June 16th, 1811, at the old home- stead of his grandfather which was at Drewville, and situated on the farm now owned by William H. Drew. About 1815 his ^£^-'^:4-:2<^-z:_^->'z^ TOWN OF CAKMEL. 387 father buiJt the house in which Mr. Yeamans now resides, and with his family removed to it and made it his home till the time of his death. The farm was purchased by Mr. Johnston Yea- mans from Frederick Philipse in 1815. That tract was 65 acres and was part of a farm which his father held as a tenant of Frederick I'hilipse, and is situated on the road from Carmel to Croton Falls about a mile and a half north of the county line. Mr. Johnston Yeamans died June 4th, 1848, and rests in the Baptist cemetery at Carmel. Mr. Leonard Yeamans passed his early days on the paternal homestead till the time of his marriage to Miss Almira Hopkins, daughter of Enos Hopkins, a representative of an old family in Carmel. They were married December 15th, 1847, and Mr. Yeamans then settled on a farm formerly owned by his mater- nal grandfather, Isaac Pierce, now in possession of . Frank Smalley. On this place he remained four years, then removed to a farm in Westchester county, where he lived several years, and re- turning to this county, lived on the farm of his father-in-law, near Cole's Mills, for six years. By a strange coincidence his brother and sisters, who were living on the homestead of his father, and both of his own chil- dren died within a space of three weeks in the year 1865. He then removed to the home of his childhood and has continued there till the present time. He has made agriculture the business of his life, having no connections with public or political affairs. For nearly fifty years he has been connected with the Baptist church at Carmel, of which he is an active and zealous member, and he is one of the deacons of the society. A few words may be added concerning the other branches of the family. Ampelias Yeamans married Abigal, daughter of Isaac Pierce, and had three daughters: Jane, wife of Joel Frost (son of Hon. Joel Frost, the first surrogate of the county, and now living in Illinois); Phebe, wife of Husted Halstead of Salem; and Clarissa. Ampelias Yeamans died February 22d, 1858, aged 74. Epenetus Yeamans left three children: Jane, wife of Horace Haines; Betsy, wife of Worden Kelly; and Delana, wife of James Lawrence, of Katonah, Westchester county. Epenetus Yeamans died August 19th, 1850, aged 75. 388 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Enos Hopkins was a son of Jeremiah Hopkins, whose home- stead was at Cole's Mills in Kent. He married Cynthia, daughter of Joseph Cole, and their children were: Eliza, wife of Ansel Hazen; Ruth, wife of Horace Cole; Antha, wife of Owen Cole; Rebecca, William H., Erastus, and Almira, wife of Leonard Yeamans, all of whom are now living except Mrs. Owen Cole. Mr. Yeamans died April 6th, 1886. The Badeau Family. — John Badeau, who was born in New Rochelle, in 1699, was probably the son of Elias Badeau, who was a French Huguenot, and one of the original settlers in New Rochelle, their place of refuge. John Badeau, who died in 1787, at the age of 88, was the father of four children: Peter, who died August 9th, 1816, aged 88, came to Red Mills, Putnam county, in 1775; Elias; John; and Fanny, wife of Isaac Contant. Peter Badeau married Catharine Contant. She died in Feb- ruary, 1790, aged 64. Their children were: Peter, born 1749» removed to Albany, N. Y.; Isaac, born May 13th, 1750, died September 7th, 1842; John, born February 8th, 1752, lived near Peekskill; Elias, born July 13th, 1755, lived at Troy, N.Y.; Ja- cob, born April 12th, 1757, lived in Westchester county ; Cathar- ine, born August 12th, 1759, married Isaac Heroy; James, born May 13th, 1761, died young; Magdalen, born November 4th, 1763, married James Heroy; David, born April 14th, 1765, died young; William, born September 15th, 1767, died in 1860 in Port Byron, N. Y. ; Isaiah, born April 2d, 1770, lived in New York city. Isaac Badeau, the second son of this family, marded Susannah, daughter of Henry Contant, of New Rochelle. She was born December 14th, 1753. Their children were: Peter, born May 29th, 1776; Henry, born January 17th, 1778, died 1868; William, born June 24th, 1780; Isaac, born September 2d, 1782, died young; Gilbert, born March 23d, 1785; Elizabeth, born October 10th, 1787, married William Pierce; Elias, born 1789, died young; Fanny, born August 18th, 1791, died unmarried; Isaac, born March 17th, 1794; John, born December 16th, 1797. Henry Badeau, the second son of the above family, married Elizabeth, daughter of John Contant. Their children werer John Henry, born February 29th, 1808, now living at Red Mills, Putnam county, N. Y. ; Peter C, born 1819, now living in Brook- ^ZJ^^C£^-£^^la_ ^Englbij SS BoLU 5oiu!,»«/:5SrJc TOWN OF CAEMEL. 389 lyn, N. Y. ; William Smith, born in 1819, also living in Brooklyn. Gilbert Badeau, the fifth son of Isaac, married Mary Price, and had children: Isaac, now living at Lake Mahopac; Seles, Jonathan, Harrison, Susannah, and sideline, wife of Edgar Rogers. William Badeau, the third son of Isaac, had a son, Nicholas, who is the father of Gen. Adam Badeau, a distinguished officer of the late war, and author of the "Military History of Gen- eral U. S. Grant." John Badeau, the ancestor of this family, came from New Rochelle with his son Peter, and settled at Red Mills in 1775. Here they held a farm on the Roger Morris Lot as tenants until after the Revolution. Peter Badeau built a house where the residence of Isaac Pierce now stands. His son, Isaac, built his house on the present site of the Presbyterian church. In April, 1782, John Hathorn and Samuel Dodge, the commissioners of forfeiture, sold to Peter Badeau the farm which he then held. It was described as " beginning at a butternut sappling, on the northeast side of a brook coming out of Healey's pond, at the mouth of a small run of water, where it emptied into the same, and is corner to farm 13, thence N. 78 degrees, E. 16 chains, 40 links to a hickory tree, thence S. 89, 30 E., 39 chains, 75 linky, to line of farm 15, then south by the same, 18 chains, 69 links, to an elm tree on west side of a small brook, and down the same to Stillwater river, down the Stillwater river to the mouth of Healey pond brook; then up the same to the corner of farm 6; then North 10, 15 East, 10 chains, 33 links to a chest- nut tree by the side of brook, then up the same to place of be- ginning containing 217 acres." This farm included all the land in the vicinity of the Presby- terian church. Peter Badeau gave the land for the church, and his son Isaac, the land for the parsonage. Isaac Badeau purchased and resided on a farm adjoining his father, and with him he subsequently lived. After a residence here for 50 years, he died on this homestead, which was later purchased by William Pierce, who married his daughter Eliza- beth. After the decease of Mr. Pierce it went to his children Wil- liam, Isaac, Cordelia, and Hannah. Cordelia married John H. Baldwin, and the place now belongs to her. 390 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. John Henry Badeau, the present representative of the family, the son of Henry, and grandson of Isaac Badeau, was born in the city of New York, February 29th, 1808. His parents then resided at what is now the corner of 9th street and 4th avenue. He and his brothers engaged in business as grocers; their place of business being on the site of the present well known dry goods store of Lord Taylor. After many years of very successful business, they retired with a competency, leasing the premises to Lord & Taylor in 1869. Mr. Badeau then came to Red Mills where he has since made his home. His residence is on a portion of the original Badeau farm, and was greatly enlarged by him in "1869. Upon this place the family now live, good and worthy representatives of the Huguenot ancestors who came here long years ago. Mr. Badeau married Cordelia, daughter of William Pierce, to whom we are indebted for much valuable information in rela- tion to the family. The Hazen Family.— This family is descended from John Hazen, who lived in Norwich, Connecticut, and was born March 23d, 1688. His son, Caleb, was born April 4th. 1720, and mar- ried Sarah, daughter of Deacon Eleazar Hamblin. She was born in 1721, and died in 1814. Caleb Hazen, with his wife and father- in law, came to what is now the town of Carmel in 1740, and settled on what has ever since been called " Hazen Hill," on the south side of Croton River, about a mile and a half southwest of the village of Carmel. Caleb died March 5th, 1777, leaving seven children: Sarah, wife of Isaac Merritt; Charity, wife of Elisha Cole; Abigail, wife of Abel Smith; Mercy, wife of Mead; Caleb, born November 7th, 1749, died March 31st, 1806; Eleazar, born 1755, died September 20th, 1793; Moses, born February, 1758, died January 20th, 1834. Caleb Hazen, 2d, married Ruth, daughter of William Wright. She was born in 1751 and died in 1828. Their children were : Joshua, born December 12th, 1771, died April 17th, 1840 ; John, born July 17th, 1773, died February 11th, 1813; Thomas, born April 6th, 1775, died April 15th, 1853 ; Aaron, born June 26th, 1777, died July 9th, 1837; Caleb, born November 7th, 1779. died March 3d, 1858; Elizabeth, wife of James Knififen, born 1781, died 1840; Hosea, born October 8th, 1784, died May 22d, 1842; Sabina, born 1788, died unmarried 1826; Zillah, wife of Ira C^>-^<1-^^^^ TOWN OF CABMEL. 391 Crane, born August 2d, 1791, died November 27th, 1851; Mentor W., born July 27th, 1795, died February 16th, 1881. Thomas Hazen, the third child of the above family, lived on the old homestead at Hazen Hill, and married Anna, daughter of Jesse Smith, November lOth, 1801. She was born in 1785, and died in 1868. Their children were : Enos, born November 5th, 1802, died June 11th, 1875; Anson and Ansel (twins), born August 13th, 1807; Emily, wife of James Harvey Reed, born March 28th, 1811; Augustus, born February lOth, 1815, died March 1st, 1886; Adeline, wife of Benjamin Wright, born 1819, died 1861. Enos Hazen, son of Thomas Hazen, married Nancy, daughter of Jeremiah Wilson, November 23d, 1825. Their children were : Thomas W., born 1827; Mary A., wife of Peter B. Barrett; Leonard, who died unmarried; George E. ; Truman S. ; Emily J. ; Sarah E., wife of Howard E. Barrett; Fanny; Adeline, wife of Alonzo W. Hadden; and Jeremiah W., born September 27th, 1845, the present sheriff of Putnam county. Anson Hazen, son of Thomas, married Hannah Townsend. He died December 21st, 1877. The only children who left issue were Jerome, whose son Calvert now lives in Carniel, and Carrie, wife of William H. Baxter, who, with her mother, inherited and lives on the old homestead at Hazen Hill. Ansel Hazen died in 1844. He left children : Lieutenant Charles F., who died at Harper's Ferry, Va., in 1868; Byron, and Zillah, first wife of Joseph G. Cole. Augustus, son of Thomas, has been for many years super- visor of Carmel, and justice of the peace. He was county clerk one term and deputy for many years. Mentor W. Hazen was born and brought up on the old home- stead at Hazen Hill, and remained there till he was married to Miss Rachel, daughter of Obed Cole, October 1st, 1817. He then removed to a farm in the town of Kent, which is now a portion of the "County House farm." He lived there a few years, and then returned to the old homestead. After staying there one year he bought a farm which now belongs to James Wright. He lived on this place about six years and then ex- changed it fo'r a farm farther south. In 1840, he purchased a farm of 60 acres of Charles Agor. This farm lies east from Lake Mahopac, the line between the Philipse and Morris Lots being the western boundary, and on this he continued to live 392 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. till the time of liis death which occurred February 16th, 1881. Mr. Hazen left two sons: Henry C, who is now living in Chi- cago, and Orson, whose portrait is appended. Orson Hazen was born November 18th, 1820, and lived with his lather till he died, when he inherited the homestead where he now lives. To this farm he has added by purchasing a farm of seventy acres, which formerly belonged to Arvah Pierce. Mr. Hazen has made agriculture the business of his life, and his care and skill have made his farm one of the finest and best cultivated in the town. Without taking any active pai't in politics he has held the office of commissioner of highways. He married Phebe, daughter of James Carver, February 11th, 1852. Their children are Francis A., and Arthur C, born January 30th, 1861. Mrri. Hazen died January 29th, 1870, at the age of 49. Arthur C. Hazen married Carrie D., daughter of Ira T. Fowler, March 4th, 18S5. Mr. Mentor W. Hazen was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was stationed with the troops at Harlem Heights. The homestead on "Hazen Hill" (105 acres) was leased to Caleb Hazen by Mrs. Margaret Ogilvie (widow of Philip Philipse), May 27th, 1798, for a rent of 20 Spanish milled dol- lars. Frederick Philipse afterward leased to Caleb Hazen 98 acres, including his homestead, for |30 yearly. The premises were sold to Thomas Hazen by Samuel Grouverneur and wife, daughter of Frederick Philipse, February 1st, 1834. Jeremiah W. Hazen, son of Enos and Nancy (Wilson) Hazen, was born on his father's homestead (now the farm of Robert Kelly, near Gahn's school house in the western part of Carmel), September 10th, 1845. When a child he removed with his parents to a farm in the southeastern part of the town of Kent. At the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, Mr. Hazen, though still a boy, was seized with military enthusiasm, and ran away from home to enlist in Company E, 38th Regiment, N. Y. S. V., May 15th, 1861. He was honor- ably discharged October 10th of the same year on account of sickness contracted in the service. After returning from the army he was employed with Van Amburg & Co.'s menagerie fur three years from 1863 to 1866. While thus employed he TOWiSr OF CARMEL. 393 travelled tliroagh the New England and the Western States. At the close of this engagement Mr. Hazen returned to his farm and has ever since, except when engaged in official duties, been a resident of the town of Kent. After holding various town offices such as collector and assessor, he received the republican nominatipn for the office of sheriff of the county and was duly elected in the fall of 1883. He then removed to Carmel, where he now resides Mr. Hazen married Miss Mary, daughter of George Doughty, January 10th, 1866. They are the parents of three children: Hobart Ward, Enos Elwood, and Nellie Gr. Sheriff Hazen is justly regarded as one of the most popular citizens of the county, and has never failed to prove faithful to his official duties. The Gregory Family. — Tn 1762 Russell Gregory, Timothy Gregory and Rev. Elnathan Gregory were living on farms on Lot No. 6. They are supposed to have been brothers. Rev. Elnathan Gregory came from Norwalk, Conn. He was a student of Princeton College, and afterward entered the min- istry, and was settled pastor over Gilead Church in Carmel for many years. He lived on a large farm opposite the old church and burying ground at Gilead. He died in 1816 at the age of 90, and is buried by the church where he preached so long, but no tombstone marks his resting place. He left a son, Daniel, born in 1752, and died November 13th, 1817, aged 65. Daniel married Elizabeth, daughter of William H. Seeley. She died October 12th, 1841, aged 82. They had children: Ezra, Samuel, Horace, Lewis, James, Elnathan, Alva, Hannah (wife of John Crane), and Polly (wife of Michael Sloal). Horace Gregory was born in 1792 and died December 9th, 1863. He married Elizabeth, daughter of William H. Seeley, and their children were: Mary, wife of Isaac Hill; Elizabeth, wife of Harrison Marion; and Daniel, who is now president of Lake Forest University, 111. Lewis Gregory (born 1787 and died March 27th, 1819) left a son, Dr. Lewis H. Gregory, born December 24th, 1818, died June 19th, 1882, who was a very prominent citizen of Carmel and largely interested in real estate at Lake Mahopac, and owner of the popular "Gregory House." He left one daughter, Lucena, wife of Joseph G. Cole. 394 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. James Gregory married Esther, daughter of Ebenezer Ganung, and had children: Dr. Ebenezer, Abel and George. The last married Elizabeth Byington, and left a son, Charles, who is now living near Croton Palls. The homestead of Daniel Gregory was the place now owned by Mrs. Anna Baker, wife of Lewis Baker, on the road from Lake Mahopac to Croton Falls, a short distance north of the junction of Broad Brook and Croton River. Here, on the former stream was "Gregory's Mills," where quite a business was done in former times, and where a new mill has lately been built. On the premises is a neglected family burying ground, where rests Daniel Gregory and his son, Lewis. The Austin Family.— Jonathan Austin, the ancestor of this family, is said to have come to t:his part of the country from Rye, Westchester county, many years before the Revolution, and died previous to 1777. His wife, Charity Odell, survived him several years. Their children were: Jonathan, Smith, Job, Robert, Isaac, Anna (wife of Sebbeus Howe), and Hebecca. Of these children, Jonathan, the oldest, married Sarah Slack. He moved to Dutchess county and left a son, David, and other children. Smith Austin married Martha Brewer, and had four children: Robert, Absalom, Hettie (wife of James Barker), and Althea (wife of Richard Dean). Robert Austin married first, Elizabeth Lane. Their children were: James, Amos L., George, Absalom, Nathan L., Mary, Phebe, Adah (wife of Orin Agor), Eleanor (wife 'of Anthony Stokum), Nanc3' (wife of Hiram Kniffen). Isaac Austin married Ann Currey. They were the parents of five children: Jonathan, Job C, Locke, Charity and Mary. These families have many descendants in this county. Job Austin was born March 31st, 1759, and died February 7th, 1847, at the age of 88. He married Mary Nelson, who was born April 21st, 1758. After her decease, which occurred Sep- tember 18th, 1798, he married Hannah, widow of Eleazar Hazen, who was born in 1755, and died December 13th, 1839. Job Austin had three children: Silas, Sarah (wife of Cornelius Tompkins), and Mercy (wife of Peter Crookston). Silas Austin was born May 5th, 1780. He married in 1805, TOWN OF CAEMEL. 395 Elizabeth, daughter of Nathaniel Tompkins. They were parents of eleven children: Jacob, Nelson, Eleazar, Nathaniel, Mary (wife of Peter Anderson), Sarah, Jane (wife Harrison Agor), Greorge, Phebe, Amos L., and one child, Mercy, who died at the age of five years. Silas Austin died December 9th, 1841. His wife survived him and died July 26th, 1857. The four older sons removed to Kendall county, Illinois, where their families are now living. Amos L. Austin, the youngest child, and the representative of this family in Putnam county, was born June 10th, 1827. He married Cynthia, daughter of Levi Cole, and granddaughter of Deacon Daniel Cole, who is well known in the annals of the Baptist church in this portion of the country. Their children are: Elizabeth, wife of La Fayette Pinckney; Silas, Levi C, Nelson, Mila and Theodore. Of these children, Silas, the eldest son, married Abigail, daughter of Ebenezer Barrett, and has two children, Henry and Mila. Levi C. married Susan, daughter of Jonathan Smith, and their children are Amos and Cynthia, twins. Job Austin was a soldier in the Revolution and served dur- ing the war. He was engaged in the battle of White Plains and although a long time in active service he escaped un- wounded. His descendant, Mr. Amos L. Austin, now owns the old homestead farm which was sold to his ancestor by the commissioners of forfeitures, being a part of the Morris Lot. The first house built on this tract was of logs arid stood a few rods west of the present residence. This was destroyed many years ago and a second dwelling was erected near the old site. This in turn was torn down and the present dwelling house of Mr. Austin was built in 1835. Lewis Ga Nun. — The various families in this county spelling their names Ganung, Ganong and Ga Nun, are all doubtless de- scended from one ancestor, and are all of the same race. The family is of French origin, and were probably among the Huguenots who came to this country about 1686. The original of tiie name is believed to be Ga Nun, although only one branch adheres to that form. In the assessment role of 1777 several persons are named of this family. Jacob Ga Nun was born in 1748, and died December 22d, 1834, at the age of 86; and is buried in the old burying ground at 396 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Gilead. He was probably a son of Joseph Ga Nun. His home- stead was a farm in the south part of Carmel, and is now owned by Stephen Voris. He married Hannah Wilson, who died May 22d, 1845, at the age of 92. Their children were: Jonathan, who settled in New York; Daniel, who married Adah, daughter of Eeuben Ga Nun (his son, Janet Ga Nun, now lives near Union Valley); Thomas, who left three sons: Horton, a list of whose descendants are her« given: James, who lived in Westchester county; Joseph, born 1778, died May 24th, 1836 (He and his wife Susannah are buried at Gilead burying* ground); Hannah, wife of Marcus Sloat; Polly, wife of Sturgis Downs; Nancy, wife of Green Thorn; and Plieba. Horton Ga Nun died in 1836, aged 50 years, 1 month and 8 days. He married Urania Dean and by this marriage had two sons, Lewis and James. Mr. Ga Nun was married a second time to Jane, daughter of Thomas Wilson, and the children of this marriage werei Leonard and: Augusta J., wife of Osmond Ballard. Lewis Ga Nun, the subject of this sketch, was born near Union Valley in Carmel, April 4th, 1812. Shortly after his birth his father moved to Westchester county and lived in the town of Somers. When he was three years old his mother died and he was sent to live with his grandfather. His father, after his second marriage, returned to Carmel, and lived for twenty-one years on the farm now owned by Elbert Sloat. Mr. Ga Nun lived with his father till the time of his death, which occurred in 1836. He then began business on his own account. After living awhile in Carmel village he went to Kent, where he lived two years, and then returned to Carmel when he pur- chased his present residence of Jonathan Cole, and here he has ever since made his home. He married Catharine, daughter of Jonathan Pierce, May 30th, 1840; she died November 9th, 1885. Their children were: Horton, Barnabas C. and Mary D. Arriving at thirteen years of age Barnabas C. Ga Nun began business as a clerk in the store of Abner Seaman. In April, 1868, he, with his brother Horton, engaged in business on their own account, in a small store on the site of the north wing of the Smalley Hotel. Mr. Horton Ga Nun died July 24th, 1869, and in 1877 Barna- bas purchased the store formerly occupied by Crane & Seaman, .^l-Ct-t^-t^ ^dyfl.^yr^^ TOWN OF CARMEL. 397 and removed from where lie and his brother had kept a store for several years previous to his present location. From a small beginning the business has rapidly increased and Mr. Ga Nun is justly reckoned among the thriving and prosperous business men of the county. Thaddeits R. Ganung, who has for many years been promi- nently connected with the history of Lake Mahopac, was born November 17th, 1829. His father, Marcus, and his grand- father, Abraham, were both residents of the southern part of the town of Carmel, the old homestead being the farm in Union Valley, owned by Mrs. Theodore Ganung. His early days were passed on the homestead, but on reaching manhood he went into business on his own account, first as a stone mason, but later as a contractor, in which he engaged extensively. The county clerk's office at Carmel, the Tilden House at Lake Mahopac, the Methodist church at Shrub Oaks, in West- chester county, and the library of Mr. Daniel D. Chamberlain are among the works executed by him. Mr. Ganung' s first connections with Lake Mahopac began in 1854. At that time he was connected with Dr. Lewis H. Gregory as part owner of his hotel enterprise. He remained with him till 1859, and then resuming his former business as a contractor, he superintended the improvements on the grounds purchased by wealthy citizens of New York, and transformed the wilderness of nature into the elegance of art, and the re- sults of his skill are likely to be visible for long years to come. In 1859 Mr. Ganung purchased Fairy Island. Just before the time of the purchase it was covered with a thick growth of bushes, but a fire had swept over it and not only destroyed the vegetation, but actually consumed the soil itself. In former years the island was covered with a growth of lofty pines, but these had long since disappeared. The extent of this little island has been somewhat enlarged, and by his care and skill it has been transformed into a place which justly merits the name it has gained. The first store, and indeed the first building at the railroad sta- tion near Lake Mahopac, was built by Mr. Ganung in 1860. upon a tract of land on the south side of the road. This tract was afterward sold in small lots at a large advance on its original cost. 398 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. In 1870 Mr. Ganung purchased a large tract of land on the west shore of Lake Mahopac, including nearly a mile of water front. This he sold to the Improvement Company, but subse- quently it came back into his possession. In 1870 Mr. Ganung, in company with Dr. Gregory, pur- chased the cottage and grounds of Marian De La Varre, and after various transfers it has become the property of Mrs. Ga- nung, and by the addition of many improvements it is now one of the finest residences on the lake. Many of the land purchases of the Lake Mahopac Improvement Company were made through the agency of Mr. Ganung, and it is safe to say that there is no man who is more thoroughly acquainted with the inner history of that enterprise than himself. Mr. Ganung was married in 1858, to Miss Marianne Hudson, of a Lancastershire family in England and descended from the family of Entwisel of Rochdale. In the parish church of St. Chad, Rochdale, is the following inscription: " Here Ij^eth Sir Bertine Entwisel, Knight, which was born in Lancastershire, and was Viscount and Baron of Brybeke in Normandy and Bailiff of Constantin, who died fighting on king Henry VI. party, 28th May 1455." " On whose sowl Jesus have mercy." Robert D. Wixsom'. — About the middle of the last century, two brothers, Peleg and Shubael Wixsom, came from Cape Cod and settled in Carmel, on a farm north of Lake Mahopac. This farm, which extended from Long Pond to Wixsom Pond, em- braced 195 acres and was sold to the two brothers by the com- missoners of forfeiture, April 19th, 1782, and they divided it between them, May 11th, 1795, Shubael taking the south part. Shubael Wixsom died April 11th, 1803, aged 64 years. He left a wife, Billeche, and six children: Elijah, Barnabas, Shu- bael, Robert, Elizabeth and Lavina. Robert Wixsom was born March 2d, 1782, and died Septem- ber 19th, 1861, and is buried by the Baptist church at Red Mills. He married Anne, daughter of James Tompkins, and their children were: Billeche, born February 20th, 1805, married Abraham Cronk; Phebe, born March 10th, 1807, married John Wright; James T., born June 25th, 1809; Drusilla, born August 25th, 1812; Nathaniel, born August 17th, 1814, now living near ' Also spelled Wixum and Wixon. '^u^ CC-. Eng ^by SBHalU Sons J^eiiQ-arfc TOWN OF CARMEL. 399 Red Mills; Mary A., born December 31st, 1816, married James Wright; Rachael, born April 15th, 1819; Tamar A., born De- cember 10th, 1820, died young; Robert Dorson, born October 8th, 1822, died July 10th, 1885; Alpheus T., born August 17th, 1824, deceased; and Susan E., born March 22d, 1827, married William Cole. Robert Dorson Wixson was born at the old homestead of his father, and his entire life was passed upon the place where he was born. Inheriting a large farm from his father, he made agriculture the principal business of his life. He also engaged in buying and selling horses and cattle and was one of the largest dealers in this branch of business in the country. At the time of the land speculations around Lake Mahopac, he sold 80 acres of the south part of his farm to Edwin A. Saportas, for $20,000. For many years Mr. Wixsom was connected with town affairs as assessor and overseer of poor. He was a contributing mem- ber of the Baptist Society of Carmel, and a very liberal sup- porter. After a very active and useful life, Mr. Wixsom died, July 10th, 1885, aged 62 years, 9 months, and 2 days. Mr. Wixsom married Charlotte A., daughter of James Hill, October 12th, 1864. They were the parents of two daughters, Anna and Tottie, who are now living on the old homestead with their mother. Nathaniel Wixsom, brother of Robert D., married Sarah, daughter of John Barrett. His children are: Margaret, wife of Elam Barrett; John; and Susan E., wife of Sarles Drew. Alpheus T. Wixsom, brother of Robert D., married Amy Scott. His children are: James, who is living at Lake Gilead; Ira C, Sarah A. and Charles. Peleg Wixsom died about 1804, at an advanced age. He had a wife, Margaret, and children; James (born 1773, died February 18th, 1849), Joseph, Daniel, Anna (wife of John Russel), and Katy, wife of Isaac Austin. James Wixsom mar- ried Lizzie Barger and had sons, Bentley, John, and Stephen. Joseph AVixsom married Deborah Brown and left sons, Joseph, Egbert and Doris. Daniel Wixsom married Sarah Ayres. His children were David, Reuben and Peleg. John Wi:^som (son of James) was born March 2d, 1795, and died September 19th, 1870. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob Badeau. His children were: Abram B." (born 1819), James, Edward J. (of Putnam Valley), Lewis W. (of Iowa) 400 IIISTOIIY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Anna E., Almira (wife of Darius Hopkins), Adeline (wife of Albert Wright) and William M. (born 1836). David Wixsom, son of Daniel, married Jennie, daughter of Jacob Tomkins, and had two sons, Reuben and Joshua. Reuben Wixsom, son of Daniel, married Irene Hopkins and had children; Bentley (now living in Kent), Esther, Silas and Daniel. The farm sold by the Samuel Dodge and John Hathorn, commissioners of forfeiture, to Peleg and Daniel Wixsom, April 19th, 1782, is thus described: "All that tract beginning at a black oak tree, a corner to farm No. 52 and 64, thence runs south 2 degrees east 30 chains, 50 links, to a walnut tree marked, thence south 40 west 5, 74 to a white oak tree, a corner to farm 55, thence south 21, 30 east 13, 50 to a maple tree by a pond, corner to farm 53; then along the south side of the said pond to the ash tree marked, a corner to farm 53; thence north 56 east 11, 35 to farm 59, and by the same north 9 east 15, 50: thence north 13, 45 east 40, 30 to the long pond and thence up along the same to the beginning containing 193 acres." It would seem from this that Wixsom Pond is included in this farm, though the description of the Robert Hughson farm would also seem to include it. The farm was divided between the two brothers May 11th, 1795. Peleg had the north part described as " beginning at a black oak tree and running south 2 degrees east 26 chains 25 links; thence east 41 chains 20 links to a stake, then N. 12 E. 36 CH. to Long Pond, and along the same to place of beginning." This part of the farm was left by Peleg Wixsom to his son James, and from him it came in possession of his son John Wixsom. It was sold under mort- gage to Kelsey Agor and is now owned by Allen Adams. The old house of Peleg Wixsom is still standing on the farm. The south part of the farm which fell to Shubael Wixsom descended to his son Robert who added to it by buying part of the old Robert Hughson farm. This was the tract sold by Robert D. Wixsom to Edwin A. Saportas. The old house of Shubael Wixsom (long since destroyed) stood a short distance north of Wixsom Pond. The farm descended from Robert Wixsom to his son Robert D. Wixsom, as previously mentioned. Nathan L. Thompson. — Among the men who came to Lake Mahopac in "the days when agriculture was the only business conducted around its shores, and hotels and boarding houses. TOWN OF CABMEL. 401 with their attendant gaiety and fashion, were unknown, was Stephen Thompson, a native of Derby, Connecticut. He, became a resident of Carmel as early as 1822, and pur- chased from William Wright a small piece of land on the shore of Lake Mahopac at the place where Stephen Monk afterward erected the first hotel. Here Mr. Thompson established a hat manufactory and conducted a business that was considered extensive in the times when making hats by steam power had not con^e to the aid of human power. His s\^p, Nathan L. Thompson, the subject of this sketch, was born in Derby, Conn., March 17th, 1815, and came to this place with his father when a boy. He subsequently re- turned to his native place where he learned the trade of hat making. In 1842 he purchased from Henry S. Baldwin a tract of land on the shore of Lake Mahopac and established his business. The advertisements which appeared in the local newspapers at that time show that Mr. Thompson was a man of energy and great practical knowledge, and his hat manufactory was exten- sive and gave employment to many men. About 1851, Mr. Thompson, whose place on the lake was one of the most at- tractive in the neighborhood, opened his house to the eager crowd of tourists who were seeking for places to pass the summer weather in this delightful and remote region. Beginning on a small scale he gradually increased his ac- commodations till at length his guests numbered over three hundred, and the i-eputation of the "Thompson House" was known far and wide. At a time when the house was filled with guests and in the midst of a. prosperous season the hotel was burned on the 6th of July, 1869, leaving nothing but smoking ruins on the place where so short a time before had been the abode of comfort and luxury. Mr. Thompson, with his accustomed energy, immediately proceeded to rebuild and the next season a larger house, with superior accommodations, was waiting to receive the throng of guests that came again to the lake. At the time when the most reckless land speculation was the order of the day around Lake Mahopac Mr. Thompson pur- sued the even tenor of his way, contented with a legitimate prosperous business and leaving speculation to others less wise 26 402 HISTOKY 01' PUTNAM COUNTY. and in the end less successful. The natural result was that the "Thompson House" was about the only piece of property around the lake which did not go through the experience of mortgage foreclosure and sale. Mr. Thompson was a man of strictly honest principles, one whose word was universally known to be as good as his bond. Possessed of great energy and perseverance he built up a large and prosperous business from a very small beginning, and left it well established and unencumbered. Mr. Thompson was supervisor of the town of Carmel in 1867-68-69. As a man of liberal views and strict integrity he was well known and popular and highly esteemed by all who knew him. Mr. Thompson was married in 1837 to Miss Hannah M., daughter of Joseph Wooster, a representative of a well known Connecticut family. After a useful and very siiccessful life Mr. Thompson died December 28th, 1884, and a monument of substantial and ele- gant simplicity marks his resting place in the cemetery by the Presbyterian church, at Red Mills, of which he was a prominent member. James C. Gulick is descended on the paternal side from James Grulick, who fought with honor in the Revolutionary army, and whose ancestors came from Holland, settling on Long Island at an early period in American history. Previous to the war with Great Britain they had removed to New Jersey, where they took upland, a portion of which is still in possession of mem- bers of the family. A brother of James Gulick also fought with the patriot army and was killed at the battle of Mon- mouth. On the maternal side Mr. Gulick is descended from Thomas Galbraith, who came from Scotland and whose name was after- ward changed to Galbraith. Thomas Galbraith settled in Somerstown, Westchester county, where he married Susannah Finch of an old English family, originally settled in Gonnecti cut, but a few of whose members had removed to New York State. Thomas Galbraith also fought in the Revolution and was wounded, his widow drawing a pension from the govern- ment till the time of her death. After the decease of her husband M 5 r n > z ?^ o 2 w C Z w n H i r r TOWN OF CARMEL. 403 Mrs. Calbraith came to New York city with her daughter. Mill- cent, who married at that place, January 6th, 1821, Isaac, a son of James Gulick. Mr. G-ulick had taken up his residence in New York together with his brother, James, who was at one time register of the city and county of New York and also chief of the City Fire Department, holding that office at the time of the great lire in 1835. Isaac Gulick had three children, all sons, of whom James, the eldest, was born in New York, July 4th, 1822. Till his fourteenth year Mr. Gulick attended the private school of Mr. Kirby in the neighborhood of his home, after which, in 1841, he entered as a clerk the wholesale grocery store of Piatt Brush in West street. Here he remained six years, when he started in business for himself. In 1848 he admitted to partnership Mr. Francis H. Holmes, the firm continning under the name of Gulick & Holmes till 1861, when, Mr. Holmes hav- ing retired, a new firm was organized, long known as Scudder, Gulick & Van Kleeck. In 1877, just thirty years from its or- ganization, the business was discontinued, the members of the firm retiring to private life. The history of Mr. Gulick' s busi- ness career would be considered remarkable in these days of loose business method. During its whole progress he never asked an extension of time nor credit, and for a long period at its latter end he never gave a note. Since his retirement Mr. Gulick has spent his winters in New York city and his summers in his residence at Mahopac. He is a member of St. Paul's Methodist Church of New York city and is an active worker in the cause of practical religion. He is vice president of the Excelsior Savings Bank of New York, and is also a director in the New York, Standard and Globe Insurance Companies of that city, the latter of which he assisted to organize. Mr. Gulick has been twice married. His first wife was Mary A. Reid, by whom he had four children: Mary A., John C, Richard M., and James I. In 1879 he married for his second wife Mary E. Jones of New York city. Mr. Gulick is a public spirited and "thoroughly philanthropic gentleman and his resi- dence in Putnam county has been productive of good results both to the young who profit by his example and the older members of society who enjoy his friendship. 404 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. The Miller Family. — James Miller was among the early- settlers at Norwalk, Conn., in 1671, having come to that place from the early Massachusetts settlements. He is said to have had two brothers: Thomas who settled in Peru, Vt., and John who settled at Southampton, L. I., and was the ancestor of the families in that region. James Miller and his wife, Martha, were in Rye in 1681, and lived on " Budd's Neck, near the West- chester path." His children, so far as known, were Abraham, Samuel and Anthony. Abraham Miller was born in 1744 and died in 1794. He was a blacksmith by trade, and lived and died at Saw Pitts, now Portchester. He married Phebe, "daughter of Daniel and Sarah (Seaman) Hawxhurst, of Rye, formerly of Oyster Bay, L. I., in 1770. She was born May 30th, 1748 (O. S.), at Oyster Bay, and died November 23d, 1831, at Somers town. Abraham Miller was a preacher of the Society of Friends, and a companion of Elias Hicks. His children were: Daniel, born February 22d, 1771, died September 2d, 1841; Philadelphia, born August 2d, 1773, died November 13th, 1852; Elizabeth, born 1776, died 1850; Richard, born January, 1779, died October 3d, 1845; Charles, born November 1st, 1781, died August 29th, 1868; John, born 1783, died 1817; Abraham, born January 17th, 1784, died March 4th, 1847; Walter, born 1786, died 1787; Phebe, born 1788, died 1809; and Walter, born 1790, died 1838. Abraham Miller, the seventh child of the above family, was a farmer and paper manufacturer, and resided at Somers, West- chester county. He was a member of the Society of Friends, and was buried at Amawalk. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Joseph and Jane (Cornell) GrifBn, of Mamaroneck, June 21st, 1804. She was born August 15th, 1783, and died June 18th, 1858. Their children were: Jane G., born September 22d, 1805, married Henry Gee; Eliza, born August 9th, 1807, married Henry Carpenter; Phebe, born January 26th, 1810, married Henry Birdsall; Robert, born June 21st, 1812, now living in Sing Singj John G., born December 23d, 1814, died March 31st, 1885; Ben- jamin Gr., born March 20th, 1819, died July 29th, 1860; Charles, born March 23d, 1821, living in New York; Abraham H., born December 19th, 1824, died March 11th, 1854; and MaryE., born March 27th, 1830. yH^M^j:^. TOWN OF CAEMEL. 405 Dr. Henry F. Miller, who is a prominent surgeon dentist, was born in the city of Brooklyn, N. Y., December 10th, 1841. His father, John G. Miller, who was a native of Westchester connty, married Phebe, daughter of Isaac Carpenter, the repre- sentative of an old family in that part of the State. The children of this marriage were: William J., who died at the age of 33; Dr. Henry F. ; Abram J., the present district at- torney of Putnam county; Dr. Alonzo B., of New York; Ma- tilda J., deceased; and Phebe, wife of James A. Foshay. After the decease of Mrs. Miller, Mr. Miller married Emily A. Hotch- kiss, and had a child, Annie C. The parents of Dr. Miller removed to Carmel while he was a child, and in the schools of this village he received his early education, and afterward was a student at the well-known in- stitute at Claverack. At the age of twenty-one he began the study of dental surgery under the direction of his uncle, Dr. Charles Miller; in New York. After completing his studies he commenced practice in Brewster, which he still continues, divid- ing his time between that village and Carmel. For several years he held the office of United States assistant assessor, in this district, and is at present one of the directors of the Putnam County National Bank. In 1880, Dr. Miller erected his residence in the village of Car- mel, and makes this place his permanent home. Dr. Miller married Frankie E., daughter of Benjamin Travis. Their children are Harry Boyd and William Travis. In his profession Dr. Miller stands as one of its most promi- nent representatives in the county, and enjoys an extensive and increasing practice. He is also a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, and one of the supporting members of the Presbyterian church in Carmel. Hon. Henry D. Clapp. — Among the young men who have established a reputation and a name in the county a prominent place must be given to the subject of this article. Mr. Clapp was born at the old homestead of his grandfather, Daniel Drew, at Drewville, August 16th, 1859. His early education was carefully superintended by a private tutor, and after a preparatory course at Drew Seminary, he entered Madison University. Upon completing his studies at 406 HISTORY OP PTTTNAM COUNTY. that institution he entered Columbia Law School, from which he graduated in 1883. The republican party of the county, in just recognition of his ability, gave him the nomination for member of Assembly in the county convention of 1884. This nomination was ratified by an election with the largest majority ever given to a member, defeating his opponent by a majority of 791. He was the youngest member ever elected from Putnam county, and upon taking his seat in the Legislature in January, 1885, Mr. Clapp was appointed to the committees on Judiciary and Prisons. During his Legislative course he took an active part in the in- vestigation concerning prison labor and the various questions arising from it, and felt an especial interest in the reform legis- lation for the city of New York, and was an able supporter of Hon. Theodore Roosevelt in his efforts to accomplish so worthy a design. Since retiring from the Legislature Mr. Clapp has been en- gaged in business in New York. The estate on which Mr. Clapp resides includes the greater portion of the old James Dickinson farm, of which a detailed account has been given in another part of this work. It has descended to him from his grand- father, Daniel Drew, who purchased it from the heirs of its former owner, ElishaCole. One of the episodes of his boyhood days was the "breaking ground" for the Drew College, Octo- ber 1st, 1872, on which occasion he (then a boy of thirteen) performed the ceremony in the name of his grandfather. Mr. Clapp, in gratification of a refined and liberal literary taste, has collected a fine library which furnishes enjoyment for his hours of leisure which, as an active man of business, it may be well supposed are not numerous. The residence of Mr. Clapp, of which a view is presented, was originally built by Dr. Addison Ely, but was greatly embellished and enlarged to its present proportions by his respected father. Rev. W. S. Clapp, the improvements being designed by him from architectural designs which met his eye when travelling in Europe. Mr. Clapp married Miss Jessie, daughter of Stephen T. McMahon, of Southeast, February 17th, 1885. Bryant S. Palmer, a well known citizen and successful merchant of Carmel, was born at Long Ridge, a small village TOWN OF CARMEL. 407 in the north part of the town of Stamford, Fairfield county, Conn. October 5th, 1842. He is the eldest of a family of two sons aad tljree daughters. His .'ather, Charles J. Palmer, was born and reared in the town of Greenwich, Connecticut. His mother's maiden name was Margaret Scofield. She was a native of Pound Eidge, Westchester county. Her father, Elijah Scofield, was the youngest of a family of eleven children, all of whom lived to be over seventy-two years old. His great-grandfather, on his mother's side, was David Scofield, who served as a soldier In the Revolutionary war and was for sometime a prisoner in the old sugar house in New York and suffered great hardship. When Bryant S. was about two years of age his father pur- chased a farm near Stewartstown, York county, Pa. Here he commenced his early education in the public schools of the town, helping his father with the farm work as soon as he was old enough. After living here nine years his father returned to Long Ridge. Here his son continued his studies at the public school and finally finished his education at Bedford Academy and at a private school in Stamford, Conn. In the fall of 1861, he took a trip west as far as Illinois, and during the following winter taught school near Elgin in that State. Returning the next spring he entered the store of Whitlock Brothers at Croton Falls. Here he served his employers so well he was transferred as manager of a new store which they started at Purdy's Sta- tion. He continued in this position about five years when the business was sold out and he again went back to Croton Falls and became a partner of the firm of Whitlock & Co. In August, 1869, he came to Carmel and began a mercantile business which he still continues, increasing and improving it slowly each year. Mr. Palmer was appointed postmaster without his solicita- tion in August, 1871, and held the oflice nearly fifteen years. He has been a director in the Putnam County National Bank since 1880, and also one of the officers 'of the Putnam Agricul- tural Society for several years. He was married to Lydia A. Howes December 19th, 1872. She was a daughter of William Howes, and granddaughter of Nathan A. Howes, one of the pioneer circus men of the country. Their children are: Charles William, Gertrude, Irving Howes, 408 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. who died when six and a half years old; Robert Bryant, Addi- son Ely, Lewis Crosby, Mary Ida, Ralph Scofield, and Helen. De. James H. Merbitt, son of David and Naomi Merritt, was born in Carmel, July 26th, 1828, the family from which he was descended being among the older settlers in the county. His early education was obtained at the public schools of his native town, and he graduated from Amenia Seminary. The study of his chosen profession was begun under the direc- tion of a dental surgeon in Pond du Lac, Wis., and finished in the city of New York. He then began the practice of dental surgery in Carmel, where he remained a short time, and in 1854 removed to Fond du Lac. In that place he remained about two years, then returned to Carmel and established his profession, and continued in its practice till the time of his death, which occurred August 21st, 1883, at the age of 55. Dr. Merritt established an excellent and widespread reputa- tion as a dental surgeon, and secured a large practice. During the last years of his life he interested himself largely in im- provements upon his property, furnishing profitable employ- ment to many needy people, and the laboring man out of em- ployment found in him a willing and efficient helper. He was a man of quiet habits, taking no part in political strife, and devoting his time to his business and his family, to whom he was strongly attached. He was for many years a zeal- ous member of the Methodist Church of Carmel. He was married in 1854 to Miss Antoinette, daughter of Mor- ris Brown. Their children are: Ella (deceased), David S., Anna, John B., and Jessie (deceased). Dr. Merritt was Justly considered one of the most expert and successful members of his profession in the county. He was a well educated man, possessed of very original ideas, and an earnest worker in all that he undertook. The Poster Pamily. --Thomas and Nathaniel Poster, broth- ers, came from Cape Cod in 1740, and settled in Southeast. The farm of Thomas Poster was west of Doansburg, and he resided there till the time of his death, about 1790. Thomas had eight children. Of these, James settled in Southeast, where his descendants )/t^a-^^/7 C^^^^'Z^^ TOWN OF CAEMEL. 409 are numerous; Seth settled on a farm about a mile east of Car- mel, where his grandson, William H. Foster, now lives; and the others went to Dutchess county. Seth Poster married Huldah Ragan, about 1786. Their children were: Eleanor, wife of Jesse Kelley; Isaac, who died unmarried; Tilly, and Thomas. After the decease of his first wife, Mr. Foster married Elizabeth King, and had two children: Huldah, wife of Ebenezer Kelley; and Laura, who died unmarried. Seth Foster died September 15th, 1837, aged 76. Tilly Foster was born in 1793, died April 4th, 1842. His home- stead was the farm on which the Tilly Foster Iron Mine is lo- cated, and from him it took its name. He married Sarah Arm- strong and had children: Isaac E.; Seth; Eleanor, wife of Mid- dleton Bell; Laura, wife of Nathan L. King, M. D.; Emily and James. By a second marriage he had one son, Walter, who died young. Thomas Foster was born in 1795, and died September 22d , 1840, aged 45. He married Betsy, daughter of Joseph Crane, in 1821. They were the parents of two sons: Rev. Joseph, born 1822, was pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Red Mills, from 1854 to 1859, and died in 1860, leaving no children; and William Hill Foster, born May 7th, 1824. The latter, who is now living on the ancestral home, about a mile east of Carmel, married Rachel Chapman, of Sharon, Conn., and has three chil- dren: Emma Josephine, Marilla Chapman and Bessie Crane. Mr. Foster has long been an active member of the Presbyterian Church of Carmel, and for twenty-five years has been one of its ruling elders. The homestead farm was held by lease under Frederick Philipse, by Seth Poster, from 1786 to 1801. In the latter year he bought the farm and built the present residence in 1811. William W. Eveeett, widely known as president of the New Jersey Steamboat Company, is of Scotch descent, and is a grandson of the eminent Judge William Watts of Putnam county. His father, Leonard K. Everett, who married Miss Louise H. Watts, daughter of the judge, was a farmer residing at Carmel, where William W. was born, November 26th, 1888. After finishing his education at the Carmel Academy, now Drew Seminary, Mr. Everett spent a few years in the home of his parents, leaving at the age of twenty-three for New York 410 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. city, where he entered a broker's office as clerk. He was thus employed during eight years, after which he returned to Car- rael, where he remained till 1877. He then came again to New York. At that time he was made a director in the New Jersey Steam boat Company commonly known as the People's Line Steamers, and in the fall of the following year he was elected president of the corporation, which position he continues to hold at this time. Mr. Everett is a man of varied abilities and attainments. He manages the enormous business of the New Jersey Steamboat Company with promptness and dispatch, and he has won for himself a foremost place among the managers of our great steamboat lines. His position brings him constantly into con- tact with the great men of the time and he is widely and favor- ably known not only throughout his native county, but through the entire State, particularly at the capital and in New York city. Mr. Everett was formerly connected with a number of social organizations in New York, prominent among which were the New York and Manhatta'n Clubs, in which his genial disposi- tion and open manner made him exceedingly popular. These same characteristics have also had a like effect in Putnam county, where he is greatly esteemed. Mr. Everett married November 20th, 1860, Miss Georgenna Kelly, daughter of Robert W. Kelly and granddaughter of the distinguished financier, Daniel Drew. They have three chil- ren: Gertrude, Robert R. and Louise. The Weeks Family. — Hon. Chauncey R. Weeks was born in Carmel village March 12th, 1812, at the hotel on property now owned by heirs of Lewis Ludington. His father, Robert Weeks, was a physician of Putnam county, of whom a sketch is given in this work, in the. chapter relating to physicians. His grandfather was a Quaker doctor and resided and practiced in town of Somers, Westchester county. The Weeks family came from Cape Cod, Mass., but were orig- inally from England. Chauncey R. Weeks was educated at the public schools. He first learned the harness making trade with James Raymond. TOWN OP CARMEL. 411 In 1833, taking a small interest with Waring, Tuffs & Co., in the menagerie business, he travelled through the Eastern States and Canada. In 1836, opened a general store in Carmel village. In 1838, was employed on steamboats on the Hudson River, as clerk, by Daniel Drew. In 1840, again engaged in the menagerie business.^ In 1842, became a partner with Raymond & Co., and travelled through United States. Later became a partner of the firm of Ogden, Weeks & Co. About 1860, retired from the menagerie business and became a stockholder in the People's Line of steamers on the Hudson. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1847 and again in 1856. In 1837, he married Ada Raymond, daughter of James Raymond of Carmel village. Their children are: James R.; Thomas R. and Edward C. (twins); Louisa and Chauncey R., jr., deceased. Edward C. Weeks, son of Hon. Chauncey R. Weeks, and present county clerk of Putnam county, was born in Carmel in 1844. He was ed ucated at Raymond Collegiate Institute, private school at Croton Falls, and Eastman's Business College, Pough- keepsie. He has always been an active man of business and has held positions of responsibility. For a number of years he was employed in the Croton River National Bank at Brewster, and the First National Bank of Carmel. For four years he was in the employ of Van Amburgh & Co., as treasurer. Later he en- gaged and traveled with P. T. Barnum as ticket agent. In 1880, he was elected supervisor of Carmel township. In 1881, he was elected county clerk of Putnam county and reelected in 1884. For a number of years he has been secretary of the Putnam County Agricultural Society, and in 1885 was elected its presi- dent. In 1867, he married Josephine Howes of Carmel, daughter of William Howes, and granddaughter of Nathan Howes, the prominent representative of this old and well-known Putnam county family. CHAPTER XXII. TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. Settlement and Early History. — Early Records. — Supervisors. — Philipse Lot No. 8. — The Fowler Family. — Milltown.— Columbia Library. — Southeast Center. Presbyterian Church at Southeast Center. — Doansburg. — I)e Forest's Corners. — Line between Lots 8 and 9. — Presbyterian Church at Doansburg. — Dyke- man's Station. — Baptist Church at Dykeman's Station. SOUTHEAST, which is one of the towns formed in 1795, from the former towns of Fredericks town and Southeast, is bounded on the south by the county of Westchester, on the west by the town of Carmel, on the east by the State of Con- necticut, and on the north by the town of Patterson. The territory embraced in the town consists of Lot No. 9, of Philipse Patent, and the south half of Lot No. 8; also that por- tion of the Oblong which extends from the Westchester line to the northern part of the Oblong Lot No. 12. The length of the town from north to south is six miles, and from east to west, six miles and five rods. The width of Lot 9 is four and one-fifth miles. The south boundary along the county line west of Peach Pond has always been well defined, and a stone wall running west from that lake is the originariine between Philipee Patent and the Manor of Cortlandt. To the east of Peach Pond the boundary on the Oblong was for some time in dispute and, in 1803, an Act was passed which recited tliat " Whereas disputes and difficulties have arisen relative to the northeast bounds of the County of Westchester, and the southeast bounds of the County of Dutchess," the supervisors of the towns of North Salem and Southeast were required to appoint a skilled sur- veyor, who should commence at the twenty mile monument on the north line of the Manor of Cortlandt, and continue the same line eastwardly to the boundary line of Connecticut; and it was TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 413 provided that the costs should be paid by Gilbert Field, Com- fort Field and Nehemiah Field, who were the owners of the land through which the line ran. There is a traditionary line which is recognized as the boundary, but we are not aware of any monuments erected by the provision of the act. The whole of Lot No.9 of Philipse Patent, was the property of Roger Morris and Mary "his wife, and was confiscated after the Revolution and sold in farms to various persons most of whom were already in possession as tenants. A list of the purchasers with the number of acres sold to each, will be found in tht; chapter on the " Confiscation and Sale of the Shares of Philipse Patent belonging to Beverly Robinson and Roger Morris.'' The settlement of this town began about 1730, when families from Long Island, or from the northern part of Westchester came to this region. The first settlers of whom there is any knowledge was the family of Samuel Field, who was the owner of Lot 5 on the Oblong, at the time of the division in 1732. His daughter, Jane Field, born in 1733, is said to have been the first white child born on the Oblong. The Townsend family prob- ably came about the same time, as David Townsend was the original owner of Oblong Lot No. 6, and in 1745, Elihu Towns- end (who was probably his son) was living here and in 1801 he gave to his five grandsons, Abijah, Elihu, Samuel, Abra- ham, and Stephen, the sons of his son Uriah, certain lands in Lot No. 6, bounded east by the Connecticut line. The county line runs through Lot 6, and Elihu Townsend's house was in Westchester county. In 1791, Isaac Townsend sold to Nehemiah Comfort and Gilbert Field a tract of fourteen acres, which lay next to the Connecticut line. In 1786, we find a deed from John Johnson to the above named Nehemiah Field, Comfort Field, and Gilbert Field, which conveys 26 acres "beginning at the northeast corner of Lot No. 6, by the Oblong line, and run- ning westward bearing ten degrees north 72 rods, and thence South 16 rods." As there is no record of the survey of the Oblong except the map, the above course of ten degrees north of west may be taken as the direction of the bounds between the Oblong lots as the needle pointed at that date. The Fields and the Townsends, who were thus the earliest settlers, have continued the owners of land at the southeast corner of the county till the present time. 414 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. The next definite knowledge of the early settlers is in the record of the laying out of i-oads in 1745, which is found in the clerk's office of Dutchess county. From this record some idea may be gained as to the location of early settlers in the town. James Dickinson, from whose place several roads radiated, probably lived on the south side of Croton River, at South- east Center, and on the farm afterward owned by Hezekiah Sandford, whose house is still standing at the intersection of three roads, leading respectively to Brewster, Milltown and to Westchester county; the latter being called the "Peach Pond road." John Dickinson had a mill at Southeast Center, where the "Sash and Blind Factory" of Isaac Armstrong now is, and that was probably the iirst in town, except Joseph Crane's mill on the Oblong. This latter which, as "Crane's Mills," was a noted landmark, was on Croton River about half a mile east of the Oblong line, and the mill seat and a large extent of land around it are now owned by Stephen C. Barnum. One road is mentioned as running " from Crane's mills to ye bridge by Jeremiah Calkins." This latter place was at Milltown, where the road crosses the river. Edward Gray was the lessee of a farm at what is now called Doansburg, and probably the one now owned by the heirs of Archibald Sears. Elijah Tompkins had a farm toward the north part of Doans- burg, next to the Oblong line, and James Paddock held a farm which continued in the possession of the family for many years, near the line between Southeast and Patterson. Nathan Bailey had a house near Peach Pond on the farm now owned by Gen. James Ryder, as early as 1745, and traces of the old road that led to it are yet visible. Edward Hall had a mill on the Oblong, probably at Milltown, while the names of Ciirhellixs Fuller, Joseph Lee, "Capt. Ball," William Bloomer, " Capt. Wright," Samuel Jones, Nathaniel Stevenson, Joshua Barnes and Anthony Batterson occur as being settled here as early as 1755. David Paddock was the holder, as tenant, of a large farm of 304 acres next to the Oblong, and the same was sold to him by the commissioners of forfeiture, July 4th, 1782. This farm lay at the west end of Joe's Hill, and descended to his son, David B. Paddock, whose daughter, Mary, married Moses Richards, whose son, David Belden Richards, is the present owner of a temall part of the original farm. The old Paddock TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 415 homestead was on the north side of Croton River, on the road to Milltown, and the residence of Mr. Richards stands on the site. Between this honse and the residence of Stephen C. Bar num, the present owner of " Crane's Mills," runs a line of board fence which is continued south of the road to the Croton River. North of the road the board fence continues to the north, to a stone wall which runs still farther on. This line of fence and wall is the original Oblong line, and at the end of the stone wall (which terminates about a quarter of a mile north of the road) is the place where the "8 mile monument" stood. This monument, which marks the distance of eight miles from the angle in the Oblong line in Westchester county, is thus de- scribed in the original survey : "At the distance of eight miles as aforesaid, we set up a stake and heaped some stones round it for a monument, being between two rocky hills, about four rods from the eastermost of them, and marked some trees on each side of said monument in a nearly north 12 degrees 30 minutes. East Course." The " two rocky hills " still remain and are likely to do so. At a distance of four rods to the east of the site of the monu- ment, is a high ledge of rocks very precipitous and broken, on the south side, while about one rod southwest of the site is a large flat rock which presents a circular outline on its east side, and these will doubtless serve to fix the site for years to come. To the south of the Paddock farm, and bounded east by the Oblong, was the farm of Col. Jonathan Crane, a prominent of- ficer in the days of the Revolution, and this farm of 118 acres was sold to him by the commissioners of forfeiture in 1782, though the family as tenants of Roger Morris had held it for a time. He left it to his son, Anson Crane, and his heirs sold it to William Storm, December 1st, 1866, and he in turn sold it to George C. White, and he to Ruth R. Kennedy, and the whole farm, or the greater part of it, came into the possession of John P. Kennedy, of New York, in 1879. He sold it in 1884, to George N. Messiter, and he transferred it to Charles C. Fitz- hugh, its present owner. This farm, known in modern times as " Pairview Manor," is one of the historic places of the county. The " Crane's Mills " were owned for many years by Samuel Hall and afterward by his son Nathaniel, and in 1836 they were sold by Jacob 0. Howes to Egbert and William Bo u ton. In this 416 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. deed the premises are described as " beginning at the east abut- ment of the bridge that crosses the river near the dwelling house of William C. Trowbridge and running along the south bank of the river west to lands of Stephen C. Barnum, and crossing the river and the highway, runs northward along the land of David Belden B,ichards to the eight mile monument, and then east by the land of Kobert Brown to the place of beginning containing 50 acres, with the grist and saw mills." It is probable that the north line here mentioned as running east from the eight mile monument, is the original line betweeen Lot 9 on the Oblong and the tract of William Smith and James Brown next south. The mills and land above described vv^ere sold by William Bouton to Dr. Stephen C. Barnum, in 1837, and they are now the prop- erty of Stephen C. Barnum, who inherited them from his father, Joshua Barnum. The new reservoir will obliterate the ancient landmark. By the lire that consumed the town hall at Brewster all of the early records of the town w^ere burned, and the following is all that is left of the early chronicles: "At a town meeting held at the South Precinct, in Dutchess county, 6th day of April, 1773: John Ryder, was chosen Mod- erator; Isaac Elwell, Clerk; Chosen, Joseph Crane, Jr., Super- visor;_ Was chosen, John Field, Assessor; Was chosen, Samuel Bangs, Assessor; Was chosen, Peter Hall, Collector; Was chosen, Thomas Trowbridge, Constable; Mark Gfage, Constable; Joseph Hull, Poor-master; Zebedee Briggsand Daniel Haviland, Poor-masters; Thomas Baldwin, Oliver Hecock and Seth Nick- erson, Commissioners for the highways; Benjamin Sears, Pound keeper; Daniel Haviland, Pound keeper; Nathan Green, Jr., Fence viewer; Wm. Stone, Fence viewer; Uriah Townsend, Highway master No. 1; Peter Hall, Path master No. 2; Nathan Green, Path master No. 3; Wm. Penney, Jr., Path master No. 4; Harvey Hopkins, Path master No. 5; Zebedee Briggs, Path master No. 6; Nathaniel Foster, Path master No. 7." 'Dec. ye 2nd day, 1776, at a town meeting held in Southeast Precinct: 1 Was chosen Deacon Foster for County Committee; 2 Was chosen Col. John Field; 3 Was chosen Beuaijah Tubbs; 4 was chosen for sub committee, S. Squires, Homer Baldwin, Simeon Rider, Isaac Crosby, Benj. Higgins, Zachariah Hinman, George Birch, Capt. Joshua Barnum, Ebenezer Gage, Azor Barnum." TOWN OP SOUTHEAST. 417 At a meeting May 27th, 1777, it was voted that Nathaniel Foster, William Mott and Lemuel Bangs "be the three mem- bers to represent this Precinct, in general committee, and that Thomas Baldwin, Peter Hall, Simeon Rider, Joseph Field Jonathan Crane, Silas Youngs, Seth Sears, George Birch, Zach- ariah Hinman, be the sub-committee for the Precinct." At a meeting held April 3d, 1788, the persons present unani- mously voted to adopt the Federal Constitution. Births in Southeast. — Mercy Clinton, August 3lst, 1766; Phebe Clinton, May 24th, 1768; Esther Clinton, May 24th, 1770; Jesse Clinton, July 21st, 1772; Joshua Hinkley, March 11th, 1775; Elkanah Hinkley, July 19th, 1759. " Benjamin Townsels ear mark is a crop on the right ear and a nick under it, and a half penny under side of the left ear." " Isaac Elwell's ear mark is a crop on the left with a hole in the same and a nick under the same." " Samuel Elwell, Jr., ear mark is a crop of the left and a hole in the rite." As cattle ran at large an ear mark was necessary to distinguish them. The following which speaks for itself, is well worthy of a place in history: " To all persons unto whomsoever these Presents shall come greeting, know ye that I Samuel Field of Oblong, in the County of Dutchess and Province of New York, For and in considera- tion of the free rights and liberties of all mankind and conceiv- ing it unlawful for a Christian to hold any of his fellow creatures in bondage for term of life: Do hereby from and after the thirteenth day of the fifth month called May which shall happen in the year of our Lord 1780, give unto my Mulatto man bred by me known by the name of Philip his full freedom, to act & do in business for himself as of his own proper right as a free man And to be free from all manner of claims or command in any kind of service whatsoever, either by me my heirs executors administrators or assigns forever. " In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this tenth day of the second month called February in the year of our Lord 1776. " Samuel Field. " In presence of "Peter Field, "Abel Close." 27 418 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. That the precinct was not entirely free from evil doers, even in those days of innocence, is evidenced by the following: "At a town meeting held 6th day of April, 1779, it was voted that Jabez Elwell make a pair of Stocks upon the cost of this Precinct." The house where Samuel Field lived is still standing near Peach Pond, and is probably the oldest house in Putnam county. SuPKRVisoKs OF Southeast: — 1787-89, Joseph Crane. 1790- 99, Joseph Crane, jr. 1800-03, Joseph C. Field. 1812, 1813, Enoch Crosby. 1814, Peter Waring. 1815, Jonathan More- • house. 1816, Joshua Barnum. 1817, Jonathan Morehouse. 1820, James Hine. 1821, Hezekiah Sanford. 1822 31, 1835-36, Hart Weed. 1837, Stephen Warren. 1838, Ephraim Gage. 1839, Keuben D. Barnum. 1840, 1841, Nathan A. Howes. 1842, John Crawford. 1843, Ebenezer Foster. 1844, Thomas Drew. 1845, James Sherwood. 1846-48, Hart Weed. 1849, 1850, Na- than A. Howes. 1851, 1852, Tho. Crosby. 1853, Isaac Kelly. 1854, Wm. H. Crosby. 1855, 1856, Morgan Horton. 1857-59, Daniel Baker. 1860, 1861, Morgan Horton. 1862-71, Charles W. Budd. 1871-73, Daniel Baker. 1874, 1875, Stephen Baker. L876, Theodore Kelly. 1877-79, Daniel Baker. 1880, Theodore Kelly. 1881-85, Elbert C. Howes. 1886, John S. Eno. The northern portion of this town is embraced in Lot 8 of the Philipse Patent, which originally belonged to Philip Philipse, and after his death to his wife Margaret and his children. Mrs. Philipse married for her second husband. Rev. John Ogilvie, and hence most of the deeds and leases given during the last century were given by Margaret Ogilvie. The list of her tenants furnishes the best information that can be obtained of the names of the early settlers. After the death of. Mrs. Ogilvie, her son, Frederick Philipse, became the sole owner, and in 1810 a new survey of the farms was made by John Conklin, a prominent surveyor, and in old deeds the boundaries are frequently al- luded to as "given in Conklin' s Field book." Most of these farms were held by lease until 1811, and after that the Philipse family began to sell the farms, and the deeds given by Fred- erick Philipse and his daughter, Mary, wife of Samuel Gouver- neur, would make a volume of themselves. Tenants on Lot No. 8 in possession at the time the farms were surveyed in 1754: " Wm. Rapelyea, Reuben Rapelyea, TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 419 Elisha Baker, Elisha Kellock, Ebenezer Chase, Jo. Baker & Ebenr. Burgis, Bethuel Baker, Nath. Astin, David Astin, Joshua Hinkley, Lazarus Griffin, Jacob Ellis, Edw. Rice, Edm. Baker, Josiah Baker, John Finch, Dan. Townsend, jr., Moses Fowler, Peter Robinson, Caleb Fowler, John Kelley, Simeon Ellis, Gideon Ellis, Ebenezer King, Jonathan Kelley, Eluathan Doane and son, Charles Townsend, Saml. Bangs, Abner Bangs, Wm. Penney, Eleazar Cole, Ebenezer Jones, Jacob Philips, Nehemiah Jones, Joseph Craw, Nathan Taylor, Silvanus Cole, Isaac Chapman, Elijah Tompkins, David and Joseph Crosby, Reuben Crosby, Israel Cole, Tho. & Jonathan Paddock, Jos. Vickery & Co., Joseph Taylor, Jon. Godfrey & Richard Gray, Moss Kent, Oliver Gray, Elijah White, George Hepburn." The tenants in possession May 1st, 1768, were: "James Hugh- son, Joshua Conklin, Benj. Green, Tho. Lovelass & Josiah Ben- jamin, Malcom Morrison, Morrison Rice & Benj. Titus, Bethuel Baker, Abm. May bee, Tho. Hinkley, Josiah Baker, Gillson Clap, Edw. Rice, Edm. Baker, Josiah Baker, Gillson Clap, John Burcham, Moses Fowler, Parish, Caleb Fowler, John Kelley, Simeon Ellis, Malcom Morrison, Edmond Baker, Jonathan Kelley, Charles Townsend, Haws & Wm. Judd, David Crosby & Elisha Bangs, Wm. Penney, Jo. Garrison & Jo. Vick- ery, Ebenezer Jones, Jacob Philips, Nehemiah Jones & Theoph. Jones, Joseph Philips, Josiah Swift, Silvanus Cole, Capt. Fleming Calgan, Elijah Tompkins, David & Joseph Crosby, Reuben Crosby, Israel Cole, Tho. & Jonathan Paddock, Jona Vickery & Moss Kent, Joseph Taylor, Ezekiel Burgis, Moss Kent, Zebulon Bass, Elijah White." The above is from a list made by Beverly Robinson and now among the Philipse papers. In 1810, a new survey of the lot was made by John Conklin, the field book of which is among the Philipse papers. List of Farms on Lot No. 8 (1810):— John Sunderland, 112 acres; Elisha Merritt, 102; John Sunderland, 25; Peleg Ballard, 120; Peleg Ballard, 13; Jehiel Stevens, 68; Gilbert Merritt, 5; Elisha Merritt, 5; Moses C. Robinson, 108; Enoch €rosby, 2d, 22; Major Fowler, ; Abijah Townsend, 155; Amos Rogers, south lot, 10; Amos Rogers, home lot, 102; Amos Rogers, west lot, 37; Salome Wood, 95; Edward Fowler, 133; Daniel Gay, 35; Samuel Pardee, 17; Grace Kelly, 105; Hezekiah Rowland, 14; Lewis Rogers, 50; Peter and Daniel Kent (mountains) 20; 420 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTT. ' Thomas Terry, 162; Ira Roberts, 87; Peleg Ballard, south wood lot, 7; Gilbert Merrltt, 89; Ephraim Whiting, 43; Neheraiah Gifford, 60; Elisha Giflford, 212; Silas Whitney, 90; Abijah Townsend, wood lot, 4; Peter Dykman, 73; Daniel Baldwin, 91; Ezra Dykman, 61; Joseph Dykman, 57; Levi Baker, 110; Sam- uel Adkins, 1; Isaac W. Travis, 6; Philip W. Travis, 125; Heze- kiah Dykman, 156; Enoch Ferris, 52; Edmond Doan, B2; John Snow, 7; Jacob Ellis, 37; Peter Crosby, 17; Jonathan Smith, 18; Jonathan Smith, 3; Stephen Minor, 10; Samuel Towner, 3; Henry Nichols, 31; Ezra Dykman, east lot, 8; John Snow, swamp, 5; Peter Crosby, Mountain lot, 17; Ferris Hill, 86; Abra- ham Hill, 110; Edward Rice, 7; Benjamin Dykman, 10; Elisha Hebbard, 4; Jonathan Godfrey, 8; Samuel Pardee, 22; Reuben Doane, 73; Thomas B. Sears, 12; George Murch, 1; Desire Murch, 3;]N'oahBouton, 14; Peter Crosby, 61; JaredBouton, 6; Nathaniel Hebbard, 1; Samuel Waring, 72; Peter Waring, 93; Stephen Minor, f ; Archibald Sears, 110; Robert Penny, 51; Ezra Youngs, 3; Jonathan Godfrey, 1; burying ground, 2; Levi Rowland, ; James Foster, 119; Henry Hoyt, 52; Enoch Crosby, 72; Abra- ham Mabie,86; Abiel Crosby, 121; JohnHows,42; William Snow, 52; Jared Morehouse, 196; John Snow, 47; Hezekiah Rowland, 16; Abraham Hyatt, 2; Edmond Foster and Stephen Crosby, 1; Dr. Daniel Read, 5; John Raymond, 8; John Raymond, home lot, 84; John Lawrence, 46; Abijah Seeley, 18; Edward Crosby, 105; William Burhaus, 96; James Crosby, 149; Elijah Penny, 97; John Snow, |; Abijah Seeley, 8; Charles and James Hines, 79; William Burhaus, swamp lot, 4; Samuel Lawrence, 12; Michael Bournes. 221; Peter Terry, 16; Stephen Fowler, 128; John Robinson, 2; Daniel Gray, 14; Benjamin Dykman, 21; Benjamin Cowls, 6; Solomon Fowler, 17; Samuel Lane, 48; Ben- jamin Sills, 66; John Kellys, 22. In the vicinity of the Tilly Foster Mine was probably one of the earliest settlements in that portion of the town. In the sur- vey and division of the Philipse Patent in 1754, the west corner of Lots 8 and 9 was said to be "a walnut tree marked P. R, 1753, standing on the south side of a hill near an old meeting house." The old log church in which Elisha Kent first preached, and which stood on the farm of James Barnes, near Dykeman's Station, is known to have been standing in 1745, and for that reason has been called the oldest church in the county; but it is no stretch of imagination to suppose that a meeting house TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 421 which was "old" in 1754 must have dated back at least as far as the date given above. The probability is that the two churches were contemporaneous. The people from the Oblong and the northern part of Fredericksburg attended the one, while the inhabitants of the southern portion and from the ad- joining region, attended the other. This meeting house stood near the northwest corner of the Jacob Ellis farm, on the west side of the road and directly opposite the old burying ground. This little cemetery, originally small, has been made still smaller by encroachments on its northern part by the owner of the adjoining land. Here are the graves of the oldest residents of the vicinity, though few are marked with any monument. The oldest tombstone bears the following: "In Memory op Mr. Peter Hartwell. He died Dec. 13 a. d. 1760, ae 48. " How soon his Morning Sun Falls down the western Sky, My Friends, let us be wise And now prepare to die." By the side of this is the grave of his wife, the headstone having this inscription: "In memory op Mrs. Mary, wipe to Mr. Peter Hartwell. She died July 15 a. d. 1758 ae 41. "Beneath this Humble Stone In Death's cold arms to lie, Mouldering to dust, Death calls aloud, O, Friends, prepare to die." With the single exception of the gravestone of the wife of Rev. Elisha Kent, at Doansburg, these are the oldest in the county. The following dates are taken from the few rude monu- ments remaining: Daniel Gay, June 20th, aged 68; Sarah, his wife, October 22d, 1847, aged 93; Josiah Ellis, August 18th, 1842, aged 75; Elizabeth, his wife, November SOth, 1835, aged 65; Jacob, son of Josiah Ellis, November 2()th, 1829, 34. " In Memory of Joseph C. Wright. Wesleyan local preacher, born in Collington, Cornwall Co. England, March 3rd, 1846, died Jan. 25th, 1872. He brought me to his banqueting house and his banner over me was love." This last marks the grave of one whose brief life was full of usefulness, and his labors among the miners at Tilly Foster are worthy of fond remembrance. 422 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. In an orchard to the north of this burying ground, are three tombstones, which mark respectively the graves of Heman King, who died January 21st, 1812, aged 85; Elizabeth, his wife, August 30th, 1811, 81; and Jeduthan King, their son, August. 6th, 1789, aged 21. The Ellis farm was divided among the three sons of Jacob Ellis; Josiah, Ebenezer and Benjamin. The north part with the old homestead fell to Josiah, Benjamin had 39 acres at the southeast corner, and Ebenezer had his portion on the west side. Benjamin sold his part to Stephen Haines, who conveyed it to Phebe Fowler and Susannah Fowler, April 2d, 1823. These were maiden ladies of advanced age, daughters of Caleb Fowler, and from them it derived the name of the "Old Girls' Farm," a name which it still retains. William Fowler, the executor of the Misses Fowler, sold it to Horace D. Townsend in 1848, and it now belongs to the Tilly Foster Mine. The old house of Jacob Ellis stood at the north end of the farm and on the east side of the road. The house built by his son, Josiah, still stands, though dilapidated and uninhabited, on the west side of the road, just north of the highway that runs to the reservoir. The Ellis farm was bounded on the south by the farm of Enoch Crosby, whose fame as the original of "Harvey Birch," the hero of Cooper's " Spy," has given it a deathless name. At the north end of the Ellis farm is the division between Lots 9 and 8. All the land to the north derives its title from Philip Philipse, his widow, Margaret Ogilvie, and his son, Fred- erick. Here, on the northeast corner of the road, is an old house of Revolutionary times. This was in former days the home of Samuel Pardee, who was a soldier during the Revolu- tion and a blacksmith afterward, his shop standing on the west side of the road, opposite the house. He had a small farm of 29 acres in the southwest corner of Lot 8, which he bought of Frederick Philipse. The house and farm and also that portion of the Ellis farm which lies west of the road now belong to Elijah Fowler. After a long life of usefulness, Samuel Pardee died April 14th, 1847, at the age of 87. His wife, Abigail, died June 24th, 1825, aged 64, and both rest in an orchard on the south side of the road to Carmel, by the house of LeGrand Hughson. To the east of the old Pardee house and just west of the res- ervoir stands another old house, which was once the residence TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 423 of Major Fowler, and probably of his father, Caleb Fowler, be- fore him. The Fowler family were tenants of large farms in this vicinity, and Moses Fowler's farm and homestead was where his grandson, Elijah Fowler, now lives. The Fowler family ''-''A'!'\' I ».c* -^ ,o-^'-^f. I ' I are descended from two brothers, Moses and Caleb Fowler, who came from a place called " Saw- pits," now Port- chester, West- chester county. Moses Fowler was born in 1729, and died September 1st, 1821, aged 92. He married Mary Brundage, who died in 1815. Their children ■Bailey; Jane, wife of John Strang; were: Hannah, wife of — Phebe, wife of James Colwell; William, born January 15th, 1761, died April 12th, 1842; Betsy, 2d wife of David Reed; Moses, born April 12th, 1765; Solomon, born June 7th, 1767; Jonathan, born September 11th, 1769; John, born December 4th, 1771; Mary, wife of David Myrrick; Elijah, born August 10th, 1776, died December 5th, 1825; and George, born Sep- tember 12th, 1779. Of these sons, Solomon left sons. Deacon William, of Patter- son, John and Moses. William had children, Daniel (who died October 15th, 1826, aged 26) and Clarissa, wife of Amos Fuller. John moved to West Somers, and George lived in Peekskill Hollow. Elijah Fowler married Polly, daughter of Thomas Fields. He left children: Mary, Susan and Elijah. The last, who is now living on the old homestead of his father and grandfather, married Susan, daugther of Isaac Hall, and his children are Carrie, George, James, Jennie, and Fannie, wife of Le Grand Hugh son. Caleb Fowler, brother of Moses, died August 6th, 1805, aged 72. He had a wife, Eliza, and children, Susan and Phebe, who both died unmarried; and Major. Major Fowler married Patty, daughter of William Watts, 424 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. leaving children: John, James, Robert, Benjamin, Semanthe, wife of Brunson, and Eliza, wife of Gregory. Major Fowler lived in the old house now standing on the north side of the road and just west of the reservoir. The farms on the southwest part of Lot 8 were sold to Moses and Caleb Fowler by Adolph Philipse about 1780. Among the deeds recorded in Dutchess county we find the following, which relate to lands in this town: John Ogilvie and wife Margaret sell to Thomas and Joseph Paddock "Farm 43, on the plan of the East middle Short Lot (Lot 8) Beginning at a white oak stump, at the Southwest cor- ner of Reuben Crosby's farm, thence South 88 chains, thence North 87 degrees. East 45 chains to the Oblong. Then by the Oblong North 11 degrees East, 107 chains, then S. 73^ W. 66 chains 50 links to the beginning containing 483 acres." March 8th, 1770. This tract embraced the land lying north of Doansburg, and part of it was afterward sold to the Doane family. John Ogilvie and wife, Margarei, sell to Caleb Fowler " Farm 20 on Lot 8, Bounded South by Col. Morris Lot No. 9, West by Moses Fowler and Jonathan Paddock, East by farm 24, North by Farms 23, 21 7," price £585. Caleb Fowler sold this farm to his son. Major Fowler, April 1st, 1790. This farm lies north of the bridge over the reservoir at Tilly Foster Mines. The old house of Major Fowler is still standing, north of the road, and is now owned by Elijah Fowler. Margaret Ogilvie sells to Reuben Ferris "140 acres in Philipse Long Lot (No. 6) on the east side of the Lot, and run- ning west to Mill river 140 acres, being the north part of the farm on which Reuben Ferris now lives." May 17th, 1791. This is the farm and homestead now owned by Samuel Ferris (grandson of Reuben) on the north side of the road which runs to Drewville from the highway leading from Carmel to Croton Falls. This tract is in the town of Carmel, and is bounded east by the original line between Lots 6 and 9. The original deed is now in possession of Samuel Ferris, and is curious from the fact that it was written by Chancellor James Kent, when a young man, and is signed by him as a witness. North of the Elijah Fowler farm is the homestead and farm of Theodore Kelley, formerly supervisor of the town. This farm was in 1754 leased from Mrs. Margaret Ogilvie, by Daniel Town- TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 425 send, jr. A part of it was afterward held by John Burcham, and on the Croton River close by are the remains of a mill which stood here during the Revolution and was a mill seat many years before. " Burcham' s mill" is laid down onErskine's military map, as a well known landmark in 1780. An encampment of American troops was near this place in the Revolution. MiLLTOWN. — This is the name of a locality on the Croton River near the middle of the Oblong. It is probable that at this place was "Morehouse's Mill," which is mentioned in the laying out of highways in 1745. At the beginning of the pres- ent century the mill seat was owned by William Crawford, and was left by him to his son John, who, having no children, adopted Henry Barnum and left it to him. It is now owned by Mr. J. W. Boyce. At the corner where the four roads cross were the residences of several of the prominent citizens of the town in former days. On the northwest corner was the house of Capt. Ichabod Doolittle, who kept a tavern there in early days, which was a great resort for travellers on the road to Danbury. On the northeast corner was the house of Ithamar Weed and directly opposite and east of the school house was the home of his son Hart Weed, who was for a long number of years supervisor of the town. The residence of Daniel Sears was the old homestead of William Crawford. A short distance to the east, on the north side of the road, is the old house once the residence of Dr. Joseph Crane, who was well known as a physician for a wide circuit round. He left it to his son, Carso Crane, who sold it to Harvey Crosby, and it is now owned by Greorge Sears. Previous to the Revolution there was a mill here owned by a man named Ryder, and it was known as " Ryder's Mills," but nothing is known of its transfer. In 1773 Charles Cullen, who married Lucy, daughter of Rev. Elisha Kent, had a house and store on the northwest corner of the road on the i)lace where Ichabod Doo- little's tavern afterward stood. Among the early settlers here were the Hall family. The an- cestor of this family was Peter Hall, who came from Cape Cod. He was born May 9th, 1715, and died about 1782. His wife, Abi- gail, was horn in Xovember,1712. Their children were: Elizabeth, wife of Nathan Green; Mary, wife of Benjamin Sears; Morton, 426 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUXTY. who died February 27th, 1818, aged 75 and left no descendants; Bathsheba, wife of James Foster; Peter, who left no family; and David, born January 12th, ]756, and died November 17th, 1830. He married Lydia, daughter of John Roberts. Their children were: Patience; Peter, born July 1st, 1795 ; John, who married Harriet Northrop and had children David and John; Betsy, Abigail, Lydia and Amanda. Peter Hall, the original settler, came to this place in 1749, and settled on the Oblong, on the south tract, that in the original division fell to William Smith and James Brown. From the original deeds now in possession of Peter Hall it is learned that on July 12th, 1775, " Wm. Smith, Esq. of New York, and James Brown, Esq., of Norwalk," sold to Isaac Howes a tract of 155 acres. Isaac Howes by deed, June 26th, 1764, sold the same to Peter Hall for £120, and it is des- cribed as "Situated and being within the tract called the Ob- long, and now in the possession of the said Peter Hall and bounded on the east by the Colony line." This farm, which is now the homestead of his grandson, Peter Hall, is situated on the north side of Federal Hill, and the road from Milltown to Danbury runs through it. The fence on the south side of the road has been from the earliest times the dividing line between this farm and the owner of land in the adjoining State of Con- necticut, and is doubtless the original "Colony line,!' though the new monument on the State line is a rod or so to the west. This point where the road crosses the State line is 605 chains, or 7 miles and 45 chains from the angle in the east Oblong line in Westchester county. On the top of the hill or mountain to the south is a heap of stones supposed to be one of the original monuments made in the survej^ of the Oblong. The farm was increased in 1768, by the purchase of 100 acres from Isaac Crosby, and by various additions it now exceeds 300 acres. The original house built by Peter Hall is said to have stood on the south side of the road close to the State line. Peter Hall, his grandson, who is now living on the farm, at the advanced age of 90, is the oldest resident in the vicinity. The deed from Wil- liam Smith and James Brown to Isaac Howes, which is now in possession of Mr. Peter Hall, is the only original deed which we have been able to find, given by the original owners of the Oblong. William Smith was a lawyer and judge of great repu- tation. He died in 1769, leaving a large family. Among his sons were Rev. John Smith, who was for many years minister TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 427 at White Plains; Joshua Hett Smith, who was the guide of Major Andre, at th-e time of his plot with Benedict Arnold; and William Smith, the historian, of New York. The old Milltown burying ground is the last resting place of the earlj' settlers of this portion of the town. From the ancient tombstones are copied the following dates of the decease of for- mer residents: Elihu Gage, died June'6th, 1834, age 58; Elizabeth, wife, April 24th, 1838, 64; Samuel Sears, Oct. 10th, 1830, 57; Benjamin Sears, March 12th, 1827, 90; Mary, wife, May 26th, 1814, 78; David Penney, March 23d, 1814, 42; Samuel Hall, Nov. 3d, 1814, 75; Elizabeth, wife, March 23d, 1832, 82; Stephen Crosby, April 10th, 1851, 73; Lidia, wife, July 3d, 1867, 87; SyJvanus Gage, March 18th, 1814, 62; Elizabeth, wife, March 17th, 1814, 62; Isaac Hopkins, March 16th, 1853, 71; Anson Crane, June 7th. 1860, 77; Isaac Crane, June 1st, 1853, 72; Mary, wife, March 30th, 1868, 84; Jonathan Crane, Sept. 25th, 1878, 92; Orrin B. Crane, Nov. 7th, 1864, 70; Thomas Crosby, Feb. 16th, 1844, 76; Hannah, wife, Feb. 24th, 1853, 83; Peter War- ing, June 27th, 1849, 67; Esther, wife, July 16th, 1831, 49; Isaiah Crane, Nov. 28th, 1842, 70; Kezia, wife, April 20th, 1849, 74; Nathan Richards, Feb. 15th, 1839, 62; Cynthia, wife, April 20th, 1848, 72; Ezra Richards, April 25th, 1819, 68; Zalmon Sandford, Esq., April 30th, 1809, 41; Dr. Joseph Crane, Aug. 20th, 1825, 76; Anna, wife, April 4th, 1807, 48; Jonathan Crane, Aug. 27th, 1834, 88; Bethia, wife, May 11th, 1839, 88; David Hall, Nov. 17th, 1830, 75; Lydia, wife, March 25th, 1856, 93; Morton Hall, Feb. 27th, 1818, 75; Patience, wife, March 11th, 1828, 83; Thomas Baldwin, Jan. 28th, 1868, 91; Esther, wife, Nov. 3d, 1864, 72; Edward Rice, Nov. 6th, 1826, 61; Lucy, wife. March 23d, 1826, 55; Andrew Hubbell, Dec. 21st, 1843, 63; Sarah, wife, Aug. 1st, 1866, 84; Phineas Doolittle, July 25th, 1814, 57; Sarah, wife, Dec. 20th, 1817, 65; Capt. Ichabod Doo- little, Dec. 17th, 1806, 76; Deborah, wife, April 21st, 1820, 93; Asa Hoyt, July 31st. 1831, 60; Seth Sears, April 2d, 1809, 73; Capt. Knowles Sears, June 10th, 1817, 79; Capt. Archibald De Forest, May 13th, 1849, 32; Sally, wife, Aug. 3d, 1867, 68; David L. De Forest, Nov. 26th, 1819, 57; Sarah, wife, July 28th, 1822, 56; Jonathan Couch, July 4th, 1845, 68; Esther, wife. May 13th, 1819, 43; Betsy, wife, Nov. 22d, 1861, 73; Heman H. Cole, Aug. 20th| 1864, 40; Timothy Cole, 1866, 82; Eliza, wife, 1867, 76; Col. Isaac Crosby, Nov. 22d, 1829, 46; Solomon Crosby, March 428 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. 16th, 1816, 66; Elizabeth, wife. May 3d, 1818, 66; Isaac Crosby, Feb. 17th, 1815, 97; Thankful, wife, Feb. 19th, 1815, 87; Joseph Baker, April 12th, 1847, 81; Nathan Green, Oct. 22cl, 1821, 86; Sylvanus Crosby, April 29th, 1814, 45; James Northrop, Oct. 4th, 1855, 73; Joseph Haines, Dec. 17th, 1818, 65; Moody Howes, May 18th, 1827, 75; Esther, wife, Sept. 26th, 1823, 67; Charles Hine, Dec. 24th, 1846, 88. In 1879, a tract of land on the west side of the old burying ground was bought of Joseph B. Sears, and land was also pur- chased of Peter Hall, Edward Howes, Morgan Horton and Fer- dinand Hoyt, May 2d, 1879, and the Milltown Rural Cemetery was incorporated. The grounds of this cemetery are well kept, and there are many fine monuments erected to the memory of prominent citizens. On the west side of the road, and a short distance south of the old burying ground, is an old house which dates back to the days before the Revolution. This house was -the residence of Nathan Green, who sold it to David Paddock in 1812. The place is now owned by Cyrus P. Hanford, whose mother was Phebe, daughter of David Paddock. Among the old families who settled here were the Gages. Elihu Gage was one of the early settlers, who came from Cape Cod and took a farm on the Oblong, at the place where Peter Foster now lives. He died August 14th, 1802, aged 76. His wife, Grace, died February 24th, 1814, aged 78. They had with other children, a son Thomas Gage, who had sons: Thomas, Elihu, Selah and Ephraim. Elihu Gage was born in 1776, and died June 6th, 1834. He married Elizabeth Field, and their children were: Elias, Ephraim, Russell, Joseph, Jane, Coles and Janette. Joseph Gage was the father of Mr. Cornelius R. Gage, now a resident and business man of Brewster. The Penney family, so well known in the town, are descended from William Penney, who came to the Oblong with his family, from Harwich, Mass., in 1747, and settled about a mile north of Milltown, on a farm which afterward belonged to Jonathan Couch, and is now owned by Clark Barnum. He married Han- nah, daughter of William Gray. Their children were: William, 2d, born May 27th, 1716, died February 21st, 1786; and John, born June 15th, 1720. William Penney, 2d, married Deborah, daughter of John TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 429 Weeks, and their children were: Temperance; George; William 3d, born 1744, died August 8th, 1807; Edward, and Ammiel. John Penney married Elizabeth Delano. His children were: Judith; Hannah; and Capt. John, born 1757, died September 27th, ]826. William Penney, 3d, married Sarah Bangs, and his children were: Archibald, who died October 1st, 1841, aged 67; Robert, born 1776, died April 28th, 1836; and Darius, who married Elizabeth Hall. He lived on the old homestead near Milltown. His widow married Jonathan Couch, who bought the place. His son, Major-General Darius N. Couch, who was a very prominent officer in the war of the Rebellion, was born at this place. Robert Penney married Betsy Hibbard and his children were: Polly, Huldah, Sally B., William, Esther, Darius, Laura and Elizabeth. Archibald Penney married Henrietta Wilcox. His children were: Mary, wife of Luther Burhus; Alfred C, now living in Patterson; Sarah, wife of Asa Hoyt; Charles W.; Charlotte, wife of Abner Crosby; Elijah, Hiram, Melissa, wife of Joshua Crosby; James, K., Oliver, Cornelias, and Philip D., the pres- ent supervisor of Patterson. The most numerous families in this town in former times were the Crosbys. These families are descended from three brothers, Thomas, David and Joshua Crosby, who came from Harwich, Mass. Thomas Crosby came in 1756, and settled on a farm south of the village of Carmel. David Crosby came in 1749, and settled on the Oblong. He died October 20th, 1793, aged 85. His wife. Reliance, died in 1788. His children ware: Reliance; David, born 1737, died 1816; Susannah; Abner, born December 25th, 1744; Sarah, and probably Eli and Moses. Joshua Crosby married Lydia Hopkins in 1733, and came to the Oblong in 1749. His children were: Nathan, born 1734; Reuben, 1736; Joshua, 1737; Theodoras, 1739; Elijah, 1742; Hannah, and probably Isaac. The homestead of Joshua Crosby seems to have been the north part of Lot 10 on the Oblong and his son, Isaac, lived there after him. Eli Crosby died November 22d, 1817, aged 78. He lived on the farm now owned by his grandson, James 430 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Crosby, north of "Elm Tree Farm," in the town of Patterson. He married Eebecca Sears and had children: Eber, born Sep- tember 8th, 1792, died May 18th, 1836; Eli, 2d; Sears; Thank- ful,, wife of William Penney; Huldah, wife of Ryder; Reliance, wife of Alfred Raymond; Esther, wife of Benjamin Sill; and Sally, wife of Joseph Baker. Eli Crosby, 2d, married Laura, daughter of Thomas Crosby (son of Abner). His chil- dren are: James (now living on his grandfather's homestead in Patterson), Charlotte, Sally B., Martha, Ellen, and Harriet, wife of Samuel Brewster, of Brewster Hill. David Crosby, brother of Eli, 1st, had a son Peter, who lived on the farm now owned by Frederick Brewster, near Doans- burg. He was sheriff of the county in 1813, and died in 1831, aged 68. Moses Crosby, brother of Eli, 1st, had sons, Epinetus (who kept a tavern in old times in the village of Patterson), James and Harvey. Abner Crosby, brother of Eli, 1st, owned a large farm on Hinckley Pond. He had sons: Thomas, Stephen and Foster. Eber Crosby, brother of Eli, 1st, married Esther, daughter of John Raymond. Their children were: Louisa, wife of Alfred C. Penney of Patterson; Nelson and Sheldon, both of Wisconsin; Lewis, of Brooklyn; Alfred, Francis of Tennessee; Julia, Catharine M., Eli, Orlando of Delavan, Wis.; Laura M., Henri- etta, and Emily B. Reuben Crosby, son of Joshua, was born in 1736, and died in 1819. His children were: Abiel, James, TertuUus, and Desire, wife of Capt. John Penney. The Columbian Library, long since passed away, was founded in 1825, as may be seen by the following certificate: ' ' This may certify that whereas between 80 and 90 inhabitants of the town of Southeast, and the towns adjacent have subscribed the sum of about 170 dollars, and formed themselves into a body, for the purpose of establishing a Library, and agreeably to the Statute held our meeting on March 7th, 1825, at the store of Asa Raymond in said town, and elected'Ephraim Gage Daniel Hor- ton Samuel B. Baxter Isaac Sellick Jr. and Thomas Higgins, trustees for the ensuing year, and that the name and style of said library is known or called by the name of Southeast Library. " Samuel Baxter, Chairman." TOWN OP SOUTHEAST. 431 This library was kept at Asa Raymond's store, at Milltown, near the school house, for many years. The name was changed to Columbian Library a few years later. The library was finally sold at auction and scattered, and a few of the old books may yet be found among the old residents. SrouTHEAST CENTER. — The neighborhood where the Croton TurniDike crosses the Croton River is known as Southeast Center, though it was in former times generally called "Sodom," a name which has very justly been allowed to fall into disuse. This region includes several farms which were sold by the com- missioners of forfeiture. One of the largest was sold to Moody Howes, whose farm was bounded south by the river, north by John Dickinson, and east by David Paddock (whose farm is now owned in part by Belden Richards), and part of the Howes farm was on the northwest side of the river and embraced the premises where the elegant mansion of Seth B. Howes now stands, and which is on the site of the house where Moody Howes lived in olden times. Next north was the farm of John Dickinson, whose mill was an early landmark mentioned in the survey of roads in 1745. North of the farm of John Dickinson was the farm of Edward Rice. The line between them ran through Mud Pond, or Lake Kishtawana, as it has been lately called. Edward Rice's farm was bounded north by the line be- tween Roger Morris' Lot No. 9, of Philipse Patent, and Lot 8, belonging to Philip Philipse. The north part next this line is now owned by Benjamin Foster. Edward Rice left the farm to his son, Samuel, after whose decease it was sold to various parties by his executors. West of John Dickinson's farm was a tract sold to David Cowen. The greater part of all these farms will be covered by the new reservoir which is soon to be built, and Lake Kishtawana will be obliterated. The original farms have long been divided among many owners, and so far as known the place of Mr. Seth B. Howes is the only place in pos- session of the descendants of the original owners, and it has been in his family probably since 1745. North of Southeast Center, and adjoining the north part of Lot 9, was in former times the farm of John Waring, and the old homestead still remains in the hands of his descendants, being now owned by Mrs. Jane Newman, granddaughter of the original owner. John Waring came to this place from Norwich, 432 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Conn., before the Revolution and was tenant of a large farm, which ran west to what was then called Waring' s Pond, and now known as Lake Tonetta. It was more generally known as " Tone's Pond," from a negro who lived near it. John Waring! s first wife was Joanna, who died in 1779: he then married Mary Elwell. He died February 17th, 1809, aged 73, and left nine children: Peter, Stephen, Polly, wife of George Gregory; Isaac, Samuel, Joanna, wife of Williams; Susan, wife of Jonathan Smith; Ruth, wife of Peter Crosby, and John. Mary, the second wife of John Waring, died De- cember 13th, 1885, aged 89. John Waring, jr,, died April 15th, 1812, at the age of 43. Samuel and Peter Waring both owned large farms on the Philipse Lot to the north. Peter Waring married Esther, daughter of Thomas Crosby. Their children were: Jarvis, William, John T., Edwin, Aurelia, wife of Vin- cent, Paddock; Jane, wife of Robert Newman; Laura, wife of Sheldon Hubbell; Hannah, wife of David Underwood; Marrietta, wife of David Ketcham; and Catharine, wife of Levi Roberts. Peter Waring died June 27th, 1849, aged 67, and is buried in the cemetery at Milltown, though most of the family rest in the Sear's burying ground, at Doansburg. The old homestead was bought by Mr. John T. Waring and presented to his sister, Mrs. Jane Newman. Mr. John T. Waring is a prominent citizen of Yonkers. The Presbyterian Church at Southeast Center was a branch of the old church at Doansburg. That portion of the congregation residing in the south part of the town, wishing to have church services in a more convenient locality, presented a petition to the Presbytery at Bedford to grant them a new or- ganization as the "Southeast Presbyterian Church." To this petition twenty-six names were appended and the Presbytery granted the request June 7th, 1853. On the 14th of June the new church was organized by Rev. Messrs. William Patterson and David Irving, and Elder Lee. George Cole was ordained as ruling elder. The services were first held in "Temperance Hall," opposite the church and now a dwelling. The church edifice was begun in September, 1853, and dedicated June 28th, 1854. The building committee were Judge Ebenezer Foster and Daniel Reed, and the cost was $3,000. This church stands on the north side of the road about one-eighth of a mile east from the bridge over the Croton River. TOU'N OF SOUTHEAST. 433 The first pastor was Rev. Winthrop Bailey, who came in De- cember, 1853. He remained til] the spring of 1862, when the Presbytery released him at his own request. After travelling in Europe, in a vain search for health, he returned to this place and died here April 30th, 1865. He was esteemed as an earnest preacher. In bearing he was courteous, and in Christian char- acter he gave evidence of unusual spirituality. The trees that stand before the church were planted by his hand. His suc- cessor was Rev. Samuel Bailey, who remained a year. Next came Rev. J. M. Carmichael, who stayed the same length of time, and after him Rev. Duncan C. Niven was supply for two years. The pastorate of Rev. A. R. Macoubry began October 28th, 1867, and continued till the fall of 1885. A valuable his- torical sermon was published by him. Nd deed for the church lot is to be found on record, but the land is said to have been bought of Nathan A. Howes. A lot for the parsonage was bought of Hannah A. Valentine March 1st, 1859. A new church was built in the village of Brewster, in 1884, but has not been dedicated. DoANSBUBG. — The region in the neighborhood of the First Presbyterian Church, or Union Society, has long borne the name of Doansburg, from the family who have been residents here from the earliest settlement. It was here that the second church was built previous to the year 1761, and here was the home of Rev. Elisha Kent, and the scene of his life long labors. The first deed which we find for land in this vicinity is recorded in the clerk's ofBce of Dutchess county. By this deed William Smith (then lawyer, of New York) conveys "to Elisha Kent of Newtown, Fairfield county, Conn , the two-fifth part of all that lot of land, situate lying and being in Dutchess county, being part of that land, situate, lying and being in Dutchess county being part of that tract of land called the Oblong or Equivalent lands, being Lot No. eleven, Beginning at the monument put in the western bounds of the said surrendered lands at the dis- tance of ten miles northerly from the monument at the end of the twenty miles from Cortlandts Point and runs from thence South twelve degrees thirty minutes west fifteen chains thence south seventy-seven degrees and thirty minutes east seventy- two chains and a half; thence north twelve degrees thirty minutes east seventy-two chains and a half, thence north 28 434 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. seventy-seven degrees and thirty minutes west seventy-two chains and a half to the western bounds aforesaid; thence south twelve degrees and thirty minutes west fifty seven chains and a half to the first station, containing five hundred acres with the allowance made for highways, said two-fifth parts are to be laid out by a line parallel to the most southerly side of the said Lot. Together with all the appurtenances, and ex- cepting and reserving mines minerals and pine trees." This is dated August 3d, 1743, the consideration being "£150 in cur- rent money." The south part of the tract which was thus sold to Rev. Elisha Kent lies directly east of the Presbyterian church, and is the south portion of the farm of Augustus S. Doane, the boundary line between this farm and the land of Frederick S. Barnum being the line between the Oblong Lots 11 and 10. The ruins of an old house are plainly visible a lew rods east of the Oblong line and nearly east from the church, and here is the place- where Mr. Kent passed his days. The location of the farm and home of the minister readily accounts for the removal of the church from the old site near Dykeman's Station to a place more convenient for the pastor and probably for the people. The family which has given its name to this locality is descended from Elnathan Doane, who came to this region from Cape Cod about 1745. His son, Elnathan, was born in 1747, and died August 13th, 1806, leaving five sons: Zenas, Ed mond, Demas, Elnathan, and Benjamin, whose descendants still remain. The house of Elnathan Doane was where the present homestead of Augustus S. Doane stands and the farm was next north of the farm of Rev. Elisha Kent. In addition to the home farm, he was the holder as tenant of a tract of 351 acres under Mrs. Margaret Ogilvie, which is described as "a rough farm." The home farm was small at first, but by many judicious pur- chases and a remarkable tenacity for holding on to them, his descendants are among the largest land holders in the town. On the 1st of August, 1766, Philip Philipse gave to Moss Kent a perpetual lease for " All that Messiaage and Tract of land sit- uate in Philipse Patent, Lot 8, beginning at a walnut sapling at the northeast corner of Ezekiel and Jeremiah Burges' Farm, and from thence runs South 12 degrees and thirty minutes east 25 chains then South 2 degrees 80 minutes east 28 chains and 20 links to Zebulon Bass' farm, then South 80 degrees east 16 TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 435 chains and 50 links to the Oblong: then north 11 east 58 chains 70 links by the Oblong to Paddock's farm, then South 80 degrees west 36 chains to the place of beginning. Containing 118 acres including the dwelling house, store house and garden spot of the said Moss Kent around the buildings now within the said Kent's enclosures," "reserving all mines, minerals and ores of metal." The annual rent was to be " the sum of eight pounds current money yearly forever." The farm thus perpetually leased to Moss Kent, who was a son of Rev. Elisha Kent and in after years a very prominent lawyer, included the lands on both sides of the road, and ex- tended from the church northward along the Oblong, nearly to where the large barn of Augustus Doane now stands. At the beginning of the present century the part of the farm to the east of the road and also the farm to the east which belonged to the Rev. Elisha Kent, were in the possession of one Adad Brad- ley. A mortgage given by him to John Valentine in 1812, de- scribes a tract mortgaged as " beginning on the Oblong line a few rods east of the Presbyterian Church and running north 42 chains and thence west to the highway opposite the barn of Thomas B. Sears," then south along the highway " to nearly opposite the church," and then by the old road to the place of beginning. This was afterward sold to the Doanes who also be- came the possessors of the original Elisha Kent farm, and they are still the owners. A large white house on the west side of the road belonging to Eli Baker was once the residence of Rev. Jehu Minor, who was a prominent citizen and well known as a teacher. In the latter part of his life the place was sold to Daniel Reed and Mr. Minor removed to Sing Sing, where he died. On the 15th of October, 1827, Russell J. Minor sold to Reuben D. Barnum, a lot of one acre and fifty rods lying on both sides of the road and on the south side of his farm. The deed, which is a model of explicit- ness, is in Liber E, page 54. Daniel Reed sold the house and farm to James Crosby, in 1851. This piece was bounded on the south by the parsonage lot, which was then occupied by Rev. Mr. Stansbury. Upon this lot Mr. Barnum built a house and store and here the post office was kept by Daniel Reed, while the road was a stage route. In the front of this store, which is still standing, there was in former times a large rock as high as a man's head, with artificial steps cut in it. This rock was 436 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Chancellor Kent's favorite resort for amusement, when a boy, and in after years when he returned to visit the scenes of his childhood it was one of the old landmarks whose disappearance he most regretted. It was blasted to pieces by Mr. Barnum more than 50 years ago. Russell J. Minor sold his house and farm to Daniel Reed, March 22d, 1845. Mr. Reed bought the store lot (formerly sold to Reuben D. Barnum) of the executors of Eber Crosby, March 16th, 1835. It is now owned by Abm. Sherwood. The house in which Moss Kent lived, and which was the birth- place of the renowned lawyer, Chancellor James Kent, was pur- chased by the Presbyterian Church of Doansburg, in 1819 It was torn down and a new house for a parsonage was erected on the same site, about 1823. This last mentioned house is now the property of Frederick S. Barnum, Esq., and is on the west side of the road and close to the north line of his farm, and about three rods south of the house and store formerly owned by Reuben D. Barnum. Shortly before the destruction of the old house. Chancellor Kent came to Doansburg to visit once more the place of his birth. As he entered the house he seemed transformed again into a child. He requested at once to be shown a certain room, and then remarked to his guide: " I want to crawl under the bed and put my hand in a knot hole, where my brother Moss and I used to watch for a mouse when we were boys." And suiting the action to the word, down dropped the grave and dignified Chancellor of New York and (not with- out difficulty) accomplished the feat which had tickled his boy- ish heart long years before. In the year 1846, Mr. John CuUen Van Rensselaer made a journey to Doansburg in search of a family Bible which had be- longed to his grandmother, Lucy, daughter of Rev. Elisha Kent. Previous to starting on his journey, he addressed a letter to his cousin. Chancellor James Kent, making some in- quiries concerning the family and in due time received the fol- lowing reply: "26 Union Place, June 1st, 1846. "Dear Sir: " In answer to your interesting letter of Saturday, I will now give the recollections I have respecting the parents of your mother. It is probable I am the only person now living who can give any information on the subject. TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 437 " Charles Cullen, your mother's father, was an Irishman, and educated well as a merchant. He wrote neatly, read the Eng- lish/Classics, and was of small stature and of polished manners. He was generous, amiable and hospitable and most kind to me in the early part of my life. He was married to Lucy, a sister of my father. Moss Kent, and youngest daughter of Kev. Elisha Kent, a Presbyterian minister, who was well educated at Yale College, and who became an ordained preacher and settled, say about 1740, on the Oblong, now the town of Southeast in Putnam county. I well remember being present at a Sunday evening with my father and mother, about the year 1768, at the wedding of my uncle Cullen and my aunt Lucy. She was a very sprightly brunette, with black eyes and hair, and was always most kind to me, and at the recollection of her and her delight- ful connections in my bright and joyous seasons of youth, I feel the tears of sympathy starting in my eyes. When I rode from Norwalk to my father's house in the town near my grandfather, on a Sunday evening Dec. 30th, 1770, my aunt Lucy Cullen came out to the street and took me in her arms off the horse, for my blessed mother was then dying and did die in half an hour. " My uncle Cullen after his marriage settled as a merchant on the Croton River at what was called Ryder's Mills, about a mile south of my grandfather Kent, and of my own father's house. Uncle Cullen had a very pleasant, and for that day elegant, house and store, where he traded successfully down to the American War. There was a very polished and delightful •family connection all prosperous at that period. My father was a lawyer and lived within half a mile of my grandfather. Uncle Cullen lived a mile south. Uncle Morrison,' a Scotch merchant, who married another daughter of the Rev. Elisha Kent and set- tled and did business prosperously six miles north of my grandfather's place, at Fredericksburg. Uncle Graut, a Scotch officer, lived on his half pay, eight miles north of the same, and married another daughter of my grandfather. He was a noble fellow and fell at the storming of Fort Montgomery, in the British service as a Major, on the 7th of October, 1777. Uncle Kane," an Irish merchant, married another of my father's sisters, and lived as a prosperous merchant in Pawlings Precinct, near ' Malcolm Morrison, who lived in the present village of Patterson. ' John Kane was the occupant of a farm on the Gore in the town of Pawling, now owned by William H. Chapman. 4B8 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. Quaker Hill, about ten miles north of my grandfather Kent's. Here then on a line of twelve miles, lived Uncle CuUen, next grandfather Kent, next my father, next uncle Morrison, next uncle Grant, and next uncle Kane. Here was a polished and prosperous line of connections living from 1760 to 1776, most respectably and happy as a family circle, but alas the American War came on and dispersed them all and all of them got ship- wrecked in their business and fortunes (my grandfather ex- cepted, who died in 1776) by the tempest of the Revolution. " My uncle Cullen remained and lived on his means, out of all business during the War. His resources were much exhausted, and toward the latter end of the war, say in 1783, he removed to a farm about six miles west of his former place and bailt or repaired a very good house and farm. The town is called Car- mel, and the farm was about two miles south of where the Court House in the now County of Putnam stands, and at this place my uncle and aunt Cnllen both died— uncle Cullen about 1787. I do not know where he or his wife were buried, probably in some plain country burying ground, around there, for the country in that quarter was at that time and for some years very plain and poor. I do not believe anybody can tell where was the spot either was buried, or can designate the graves. The remains of my own father are dispersed to the winds and lost. He died in this city in 1794, and was buried in the Pres- byterian Church yard in Wall street, and when the ground was sold and built on, a few years ago, all the graves and their con- tents were removed without my knowledge and are gone for- ever. Probably the graves of your mother's parents have re- mained undisturbed to this day. My aunt Cullen lost her eld- est daughter early in July, 1792. She was about 16 years of age, and was spoken of as a very interesting and respectable young lady. It was a dreadful affliction to her widowed mother. She was probably buried aside of her father. I rode down from Poughkeepsie, on the 30th July, 1792, to visit my aunt Cullen: in her desolate state and tarried a night with her. Prom 1781 to his death in 1787, I visited my uncle Cullen frequently. He was like a father to me and I loved him exceedingly. My father took great care of my aunt Cullen, while a widow, and as brother and sister they were affectionately intimate. I do not know exactly when she died. She died on the farm where her husband died, but I was not present at the funeral of either Sn 1^ ^ 9*. /^ -5 t, 5 ^ 1 ^^4 k ^ Sv X, ^ 5 ^ "I H 5s Ss 3 "V - S^ kS). ri- s "^ V « ^ I- ^1 |'^l?-^?f^' s $ ^ 1 5 1 r ^ ' ^ ? « t'-s f -^ : ;. ^ f. I'll >. 5,s 5> ? ^ ^^ s ^ .. |=i?^f ^ !: S" ?•• I U ' i -5 " s ^r^s^U :; •S 5„ «^ ; TOWN OF SOrTHEAST. 489 nor was my father. He lived up at Waterford and I at Pough- keepsie, at the time. I presume that your mother was born near Ryder's Mills before my uncle Cullen removed to Carmel though I do not know her age exactly. The only family burying ground of my father Kent's family remains at Southeast Town near my grandfather Kent's house and meeting house. There his wife, the mother of my aunt Lucy, died and was buried about 1750, and the "rude memorial" of her grave in a coarsely carved stone, remains to this day. I was on the spot and saw it the 31st July, 1844. My grandfather has a marble stone at his grave, put up by some of my cousin Kanes, and there is a grave stone of ray blessed mother, and these are all the sepul- chral monuments remaining of that once happy, respectable and prosperous family circle. Some of these details may ap- pear trifling but I thought they would not be unacceptable to your mother to whom I request you, when you write, to give her my love and respects. ' ' I am Dear Sir, " Yours Respectfully. "James Kent." In an account of his journey, which Mr. Van Rensselaer sent to the author of this work, he narrates as follows: "The house of the Rev. Elisha Kent, on the elevation back of the church, was in good condition when I saw it in 1846. With the exception of the portico in front, it was unchanged after the lapse of a hundred years. It was a large two story house. Entering the front door I found a small passage about eight feet by four or five feet; in the rear of this passage or en- try an immense chimney, which was the kitchen chimney, the kitchen room being back of it. The right hand door on enter- ing this passage, opened to the family room, where old Mr. Kent used to hang his pipe. The room over it being the one where he had his study, and where he used to retire to pray. The room to the left being a large handsome room, properly the room, where my grandmother Lucy and the other daughters of Priest Kent were married. In the rear of all an immense kitchen. The house was in every part of oak, even to the board- ing out side, which accounts for its long and good preservation and it must have been considered in the old days as handsome and expensive. There was a farm attached, which Priest Kent cultivated and which now belongs to a Mr. Doane. 440 HISTORY or PUTNAM COUNTY. "In my visiting of all these localities, I was accompanied by Di\ Daniel Reed. He told me the Chancellor came to see the honse where he was born, and when he was about sixty years of age. This must have been about 1824. The first thing the Chancellor did, after entering the house, was to go to a room, and there seek (the Dr. said in crawling) under a bed, a knot hole, where he and his brother Moss had amused themselves in watching for a mouse in their childhood. In the joyful excite- ment of finding it he fairly danced around the room. When I was there the site of the old house was occupied by a double one story one, in cottage style; the first house south of what was then Daniel Reed's store, under the hill, on the west side of the road." The old parsonage house was torn down about 1888, and a heap of ruins a short distance east of the church marks the site. The cemetery at Doahsburgis generally known as the " Sears Burying Ground," from its being near the farm and homestead of Archibald Sears, who was during a long life a well known citizen of the town. The ground was a part of the estate of Frederick Philipse, and was given by him for burial purposes. In the field book of survey of Lot 8, of Philipse Patent, it is described: "Begins at the middle of the road leading from Archibald Sears to Lyman Sherwoods, and the N. E. corner of Robert Penney, thence N. 5° W. 7 chains 60 links along the middle of the road; thence S. 32| W. 8. 74 along another road and turnpike leading to Sing Sing; thence S. 87° E. 5.60 along said Sears and Penney to the beginning, containing 2 acres 8 rods; deed of gift." Within this enclosure rest the early settlers of the neighbor- hood, and six ministers of the parish have found here their last home. Many of the inscriptions are growing illegible, and to preserve them seems a duty not to be neglected. The oldest tombstone is erected to the memory of the wife of Rev. Elisha Kent, and a copy is given in the sketch of the church history: Thomas Paddock, died June 11th, 1799, age, 77; Mary, wife, July 8th, 1778, 55; Peter Paddock, April 10th, 1760, 63; Sarah, wife, Oct. 22d, 1776, 80; Peter Chapman, Oct. 8th, 1776, 33; David Crosby, Nov. 16th, 1816, 79; Bethia, wife, July 2d, 1776, 41; Thomas Chapman, June 6th, 1827, 68; Samuel Lawrence, Nov. 10th, 1831, 84; Thankful, wife, Aug. 30th, 1811, 52; James TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 441 Paddock, Aug. 9th, 1761, 67; Dr. Stephen C. Barnum, Aug. 11th, 1849, 60; Clarrissa, wife, May 14th, 1834, 40; Hannah, wife, Aprill4th, 1861, 66; Peter Crosby, Nov. 9th, 1831, 68; Ruth, wife, July 31st 1830, 67; Zebulon Crane, Aug. 17th, 1848, 60; Weltha, wife, Sept. 6th, 1860, 71; Zebulon Crane, Dec. 31st, 1814, 68; Hannah, wife of Nathan Gray, 1789, 78; Charles C. Crosby, Nov. 15th, 1848, 51; Jane, 'wife, Dec. 9th, 1857, 64; Ne- hemiah Jones, Dec. 18th, 1805, 71; Peter Hall, July 3d, 1795, 75; Abigail Hall. 86; Thomas Sears, April 26th, 1804, 59; Deborah, wife, Sept. 13th, 1828, 79; James Foster, Aug. 18th, 1814, 81; Bathsheba, wife, Sept. 12th, 1820, 72; Thankful, wife, July 27th, 1772, 31: Edmond Foster, Esq., May 5th, 1845, 77; Sarah, wife, March 1st, 1847, 77; RuthDoane, Sept. 30th, 1801, 69; John Raymond, Feb. 15th, 1829, 85; Mar}^ wife, July 27th, 1787, 40; Stephen Waring, Jan. 22d, 1815, 43; John Waring, Feb. 17th, 1809, 73; John Waring, jr., April 15th, 1812, 43; Joanna Waring, April 28th, 1779, 48; Susannah Waring, Aug. 10th, 1837, 76; Stephen Paddock, May 2d, 1832, 82, Joanna Williams, April 5th, 1867, 87; Mary Waring,. Dec. 13th, 1839, 89; Susan E. Williams, Oct. 25th, 1872, 60; Elnathan Doane, Aug. 13th, 1806, 69; Phebe, wife, June 10th, 1788, 32; Elnathan Doane, Nov. 11th, 1845, 53; Edmond Doane, July 6th, 1825, 49; Demas Doane, July 23d, 1830, 44; Roxanna, wife, June 7th, 1838, 45; Mr. Ezekiel Burgis, Feb. 16th, 1784, 79; Sarah, wife, Dec. 18th, 1774, ; Simeon Perry, Sept. 8th, 1853, 94; Ebenezer Perry, May 2d, 1862, 63; Rd. Daniel Reed, Feb. 6th, 1854. 83; Sarah, wife, Oct. 22d, 1856, 79; Archibald Penney, Oct. 1st, 1840, 67; Henri- etta, wife, Dec. 15th, 1854, 69; Robert Penney, April 28th. 1836, 60; William Penney, jr., Aug. 8th, 1807, 65; Sarah, wife, March 23d, 1814, 74; Capt. John Penney, Sept. 27th, 1826, 69; Desire Crosby, wife, June 5th, 1849, 90; Capt. Azor Barnum, Sept. 9th. 1807, 61; Azor Barnum, jr., April 28th, 1816, 71; Sally, wife, Oct. 13th, 1803, 17; Eli Crosby, Nov. 22d, 1827, 78; Jonathan Barnum, Oct. 7th, 1843, 83; Judge Stephen Barnum, July 12th, 1825. 64; Maj. Joshua Barnum, jr., June 4th, 1818, 53; Thankful, wife, Nov. 30th, 1841, 73; William Penney, Feb. 2l8t, 1786, 70; Capt. Joshua Barnum, Oct. 23d, 1822, 85; Adah, wife, April 17th, 1810, 73; Moses Crosby, July 2d, 1821, 66; Abner Crosby, May 5th, 1813, 67; Ruth, wife, Oct. 1st, 1816, 67; David Crosby, Oct. 20th, 1793, 85; Reliance, wife, Feb. 25th, 1788, 75; Dea. Elkanah Young, May 20th, 1809, 59; Huldah, wife, Feb. 442 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. 14th, 1830, 73; Samuel Bangs, March 1st, 1787, 64; John Bangs, March 30th, 1784, 35; Hannah, wife, Oct. 29th, 1753, 33; Elihu Gage, Aug. 14th, 1802, 76; Grace, Feb. 24th, 1814, 78; Rebecca, wife of Thomas Gage, Dec. 5th, 1759, 53; Mercy, wife of Theo- dorus Crosby, Aug. 20th, 1811, 70; Oliver, son of Henry Hoyt, April 29th, 1792, 2; Lydia, wife of Joshua Crosby, Sept. 10th, 1781, 67; Hannah, daughter of Joshua Crosby, March, 1757, 13; Naomai, daughter of Capt. Jeremiah Burgis, Marchlst. 1784, 22. The land to the south of the burying ground was the farm formerly held by Robert Penney as tenant of the Philipse fam- ily. To the south of this on the west side of the road, was the old parsonage farm held by the parish as tenants of Mrs. Margaret Ogilvie, the lease of which was transferred to Rev. Ichabod Lewis, and after his death the fee of the land was sold to James Porter, who conveyed it to Jehiel Sherwood, June 2d, 1797, and after his death it was purchased by his son, Lyman Sherwood, from the other heirs, and is now held by his chil- dren. The Penney farm was sold to Lyman Sherwood by Fred- erick Philipse, December 2d, 1815, and is now in possession of the family. The Sears farm, which lies directly opposite to the burying ground and a part of which is on the north side of the road, is probably the one owned by Zebulon Bass, in 1766. It was sold to Archibald Sears, July 17th, 1815, by Frederick Philipse. The land to the east of the Oblong line, and adjoining the homestead, is part of Oblong Lot No. 10. The north part of this lot seems to have belonged to the Crosby family from the earliest times, and was probably first owned by Joshua Crosby in 1749. East of Doansburg, on the east bank of the Croton River is a locality known as De Forest's Corners. This derived its name from David L. De Forest, a prominent citizen of former times. He was one of the builders of the church in 1794. He died No- vember 26th, 1819, at the age of 57. He was a liberal supporter of the church and left a thousand dollars to it in his will. His home was a large brick house still standing here, and owned by some of his descendants. On the west bank of the Croton, to the north of the road from Doansburg, is the original homestead of the Barnum family. The ancestor of this family was Capt. Joshua Barnum, who came from the town of Danbury, Conn., and settled here. This farm is a part of Lot 12 on the Oblong, and remains in the pos- TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 443 session of his descendants. About a mile west of the church at Doansburg is the farm which, at the close of the last century, was owned by Peter Crosby, who was a prominent citizen. Ow- ing to financial difficulties, the farm was sold at sheriff's sale, to Edmund Doane, May 2d, 1821, and by him to William K. Comstock, May 3d. It was sold May 10th, 1824, to Samuel Brewster, and is now owned by his son, Frederick D. Brewster. The ancient division line between Lot 9 of the Philipse Patent, which belonged to Roger Morris and his wife, and Lot 8, which belonged to Philip Philipse, runs just south of Doansburg. The east corner is, as the old survey states, on the Oblong line on the "west side of a rocky hill." This point is 15 chains and 40 links east of the road, and from this place the line runs west and is the dividing line between the homestead and farm of Lyman Sherwood on the north, and the house and farm of Ben- jamin Foster on the south. The line is about one quarter of a mile south of the burying ground. Beyond this it forms the boundary between the farms of Frederick Brewster on the north, and Mrs. Robert Newman on the south. To the west of the road on Brewster Hill, it runs across the farm of Morgan Town- send. Here the line crosses Lake Tonetta (south of the middle) and can be distinctly traced to the west. At the Tilly Foster Mine, it forms the line between Theodore Kelly on the north, and the estate of Theodore Reed on the south, and is the north boundary of the land belonging to the Tilly Poster Mine Com- pany. The line crosses the reservoir at the east end of the bridge, and forms the north boundary of the school house lot in Dis- trict No. 10. Beyond this a line of stone wall extends to the west corner of the two lots, on the town line of Carmel, which is the east line of Lot No. 6 in the Philipse Patent. At this point stands a walnut tree, which may have sprung from the root of the one mentioned in the original survey, which is de- scribed as "standing on the south side of a hill near an old meeting house." The land on both sides of the line is owned by Elijah Fowler. Presbyterian Church at Doansburg. — The early settlers from the eastern part of Massachusetts brought with them the spirit of the Puritans and to erect a church was one of the duties which they were prompt to perform, and the town of Southeast can justly claim the honor of erecting and establishing the first 444 HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. church within the limits of the county. The first church build- ing, long since passed away, stood near the northwest corner of the town and about a mile east from Dykeman's Station, on the .New England Railroad. The exact site is in the rear of the house now the homestead of Mr. James Barnes. The date of its building is unknown, but it was previous to 1745, as in the record of the laying out of highways in that year it is men- tioned as a well known landmark. It was a small log building and on the grounds around it were buried some of the early settlers. Fifty years ago there were rude stones that marked these resting places of the dead, but all traces of them have dis- appeared. Mrs. Sarah Gay, who died October 22d, 1847, at the age of 93, was probably the last person who could remember this ancient edifice. It was to this church that the Rev. Elisha Kent came as a pastor and was installed, by a Consociation of Ministers in Connecticut, in 1-743, the organization at that time being known as the " First Church in Philipse Precinct," and from the name of its first minister the district soon gained the name of " Kent's Parish." The pastorate of Mr. Kent lasted from the time of his installation, in 1743, to the day of his death, a period of thirty-three years. The church records of this time are lost, the only document we have been able to find being the following: " We the Subscribers, Inhabitants of Philipse Precinct, do for the encouragement of the Rev. Mr. Elisha Kent in the work of the Ministry promise to pay to him the sum affixed to our names, in York Currency or in other pay to his satisfaction, on the first day of December next ensuing the date hereof, and the same sum or sums on the first day of Dec. annually during his continuing in the faithful discharge of his ministry, and we con- tinue in the place and so capable of attending upon it. As wit- ness our hand this 31 day of March, 1756. "Witness "Tho. Higgins, 10 shillings. "John Calkins, " Wm. Cuttle, 6 "Ephraim Smith. " John Tompkins, 6 " Jedediah Frost, 9 ' ' James Anderson, 8 " Jeremiah Anderson, 5 "David Sears, 10 "Elkanah Hopkins, 9 " Samuel Fuller, Jr., 9." TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 445 The character and ability of Mr. Kent may be inferred from the length of his ministry, from the popular appreciation that gave his name to the commuaity, and from the history of his descendants; his son, Hon. Moss Kent, being prominent in the legal profession and influential in forming the Legislature of the State, while the name of his grandson, James Kent, the illustrious Chancellor, must ever be ranked among the foremost expounders of lawr. In order to gather into one fold those scattered churches that were under no ecclesiasiical judicatory, Mr. Kent formed the first Presbytery outside of New York city. This was known as the Dutchess County Presbytery, and the meeting to form the or- ganization was held at the house of Mr. Kent, October 37th, 1762. The ministers present besides himself were Rev. Mr. Mead, of South Salem, and Rev. Mr. Peck, of Patterson. At what time the old log church was abandoned we have no knowledge, but it was previous to 1761, as at that time a church was standing near the site of the present one. After a long and useful life, Mr. Kent passed to his reward, and his tombstone in the " Sears burying ground," near the scene of his labors, bears the following inscription: " In Memory of Revd. Elisha Kent who died July 1776 in the 73d year of his age. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." By the side of this is the grave of the partner of his life, with the inscription, " In memory of Abigail Kent ye pious consort of ye Revd. Mr. Elisha Kent. She died Janry. 1751, aged 33 years. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord." Another stone near by bears the following: "' Here lies ye Body of Mrs. Hannah Kent, wife to Moss Kent Esqr. and daughter of Doct. Uriah Rogers and Mrs. Hannah Rogers. She died happily on ye 30th of Decemr. 1771, in ye 36 year of her age." " Hark from the tombs a doleful sound Each ear attend the Cry. Let every one come view the ground Where you must shortly lie. Great God is this our eternal doom. And are we still secure, Still walking downward to the tomb, And "yet prepare no more.'' The successor of Mr. Kent was Rev. Ichabod Lewis, who was ordained as a colleague of the aged and infirm pastor of the church in White Plains, October 11th, 1769, and he preached 446 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. alternately at White Plains and Sing Sing. After the burning of the church at that place, Mr. Lewis came to Southeast and was installed pastor in 1776. A document was signed by Mr. Lewis and eighty-seven others, in which they agreed as Chris- tian brethren to unite in the worship of God, agreeably to the rules and doctrines of the Grospel as explained by the Kirk of Scotland, in their confession of faith and the larger and shorter Catechisms, " excepting in the instance of Congregational as- semblies or ruling elders, in which article we agree that every male member of the church shall be allowed his vote." The earliest records of the church now in existence are con- tained in a well worn and time stained book, recently discovered, from which the following items are taken: ' ' Memorandum or Book of Records containing the votes and Transactions of the Society known by the name of the East Society, in Dutchess county South Precinct from the 14th of April, in the year 1782," " April 14th, 1782. At a Society meeting held at the meeting house voted 1 Simeon Ryder moderator, 2 voted that the gentle- men that hold the deed that was given for the parsonage give Mr. Lewis a deed of an acre of land, Joining the road, on the west side of said road at the South east corner." "Voted that Theodorus Crosby, James Foster & Morten Hall be a committee for the present year." "Voted that Cap t. Scribner take care of the meeting house and sweep it for one year for 20 shillings." "Meeting held Dec. 13 1782 Nathaniel Foster moderator, voted, Nathan Paddock, Berry Hopkins, Ebenezer Benedict chosen Collectors." " At a Society meeting held at the school house Feb. 5 1784 David Crosby moderator. Voted that David Crosby Morten Hall David Paddock & Reuben Crosby be chosen a committee to collect and settle with Rev. Mr. Lewis yearly his salary until others are chosen in their places." " Voted that Tho. Paddock, Theodorus Crosby, Jeremiah Burgess and David Crosby be chosen a committee to inspect the payment of a sum of money on the account of the Parson- age." "Feb. 9 1784 the above committee met at the house of Samuel Buys and took up the deed for the Parsonage, which was given to Peter Hall Simeon Rider and Samuel Buys. Said deed be- TOWJSr OF SOUTHEAST. 447 ing signed over, gave their Bond for £242, 13s,0 to indemnify them against the bond for an equal sum in the hands of Mrs. Margaret Ogilvie of whom said Parsonage was purchased. The bonds' are dated Sept. 11, 1769, for £160 the second dated Dec. 7, 1769, for £82, 15s." " We have examined the books and Papers relating to the Society, in charge of Mr. Samuel Buys & Co. and they are hereby acquitted and dischai-ged of their charge as trustees for the Parish and the papers now taken up are deposited in charge and trust of David Crosby Jr." Prom various entries it is learned that several attempts were made to induce Mrs. Ogilvie to remit the rent charged for the parsonage, but with what success does not appear. "March 10 1784 voted that Theodoras Crosby sweep the meeting house and see that ye doors are kept shut for ye space of one year, for which he is to receive ye sum of 30 shillings to be paid by contribution and paid quarterly 7s 6d per quarter. Nathaniel Foster Esq. is appointed to call for contributions and see that said Crosby is paid." The following year "Jeremiah Burgess was chosen to sweep the meeting house 16 times a year well, for 3 dollars." As the ancient log meeting house made way for the erection of a new frame building before 1761, so in process of time it became necessary to build a third one to accommodate the in- creasing number of worshippers. The first allusion to this is an entry now scarcely legible. "At a Society meeting 21 Dec. 1792 proposed to build a meeting house 6 feet each way larger than the present house, agreed to 25 Pro. 15 Neg. and publicly made unanimous." As it was stated at subsequent meetings that the new meet- ing house was to be 50 feet long and 38 feet broad, the above may give an idea as to the size of the former church. The next movement toward the building was at a meeting January 10th, 1793, when it was "voted that this Society build a meeting house to be set at or near the place where the present house now stands. That the said meeting house be 50 feet in length and 38 feet in breadth. That the subscriptions for the purpose of building the said house be drawn to be paid one half in cash or building materials within 3 months, and the other half in 6 months, into the hands of a committee, appointed for that pur- pose. Voted that Joseph Crane Jr. Esq., David L. De Forest ' These bonds were security for rent. 448 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. and John Waring be a committee for the purpose of harrying on the said building." April 12th " voted that the committee immediately proceed to order those persons who have engaged to get timber, as soon as may be to draw their timber together and immediately proceed to build the house agreeably to the vote of 10 Jan. last." August 16th, it was voted that the committee "should have liberty to take such parts of the old meeting house as they might think best for the purpose of building or finishing the new one." September 17th, it was voted that " this meeting do agree with the committee, to raise by subscription including what has already basn rais:^i the sum of £732, 17s 5d, good money of the State of New York, to be collected and paid by the first day of January next, provided the committee shall and do completely finish the said house in the manner following, viz: to paint the out side, lath and plaster said house, make a pulpit and to completely pew the house and hang the pew doors." That there was a delay in the work is seen from the following: November 8th, 1793, "Whereas by the misfortune of sickness the meeting house is not likely to be completed, it is the sense of this meeting that a subscription be set on foot on the same terms as by the vote of the 17th, Sept. last." January 23d, 1794, an agreement was made by which subscrip- tions to the amount of £741 lis. were to be delivered to Joseph Crane and David L. De Forest, payable on the 10th of June, on condition that they should finish the meeting house then begun in the following manner, viz. : to be painted on the outside, the inside to be properly pewed, stairs and pulpit and canopy made. The interior was to be lathed, plastered and whitewashed or polished, and the pew doors were to be hung and numbered. This agree- ment was signed by the following persons: Samuel Hall, James Foster, Ichabod Doolittle, Stephen Benedict, Isaac Crosby, Seth Sears, Asa Hoyt, James Knapp, David Bowlding, David Crosby, Reuben Crosby, Joshua Barnum, Noah Boiiton, Theodorus Crosby, Tho. Chapman, Elkanah Young, Enoch Crosby, Moss Crosby, John Penny, Jacob Reed, Morten Hall, Nathan Green, Nathaniel Foster and Tho. Sears. The result was that the building was soon completed and at a meeting June 10th, 1794, the following vote was passed: "Voted unanimously that this Society are fully satisfied. That the thanks of this meeting be given to Messrs. Joseph Crane and TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 449 David De Forest, for their generous and spirited exertions in finishing the meeting house so fully for the satisfaction of this Society." It was also voted that the old meeting house be sold, and. that the pews be sold, at "public vendue" for one year. This was done and the old. meeting house was sold to Noah Bouton for £8, and on the 16th of June, Crane and De Forest gave their receipt for the sum of £744 13s. 2d. and the work was done. In 1787, it was agreed that the parsonage and the right of im- provement as tenants under Mrs. Ogilvie should be given to Rev. Mr. Lewis, and that his salary should be £90 a year. Mr. Lewis continued the pastor till the time of his death, but for the last few years of his life his health was so feeble as to incapacitate him for service. He died April 8th, 1793, at the early age of 49. His wife, Abigail, survived him and died July 1st, 1798, aged 55, and their tombstones are in the old Sears burying ground. The third pastor was Rev. Jehu Minor, who came to this town from Southbury, Conn., about 1791, and an agreement fixing his salary at £95 pounds per annum is dated January 11th, 1792, and he was installed in February the same year; his pred- ecessor, Mr. Lewis, resigning all care of the church into his hands. Mr. Minor seems to have been a man of good ability and of very amiable manners. His long pastorate of forty years was closed by his death. His tombstone in the Sears bnrying ground, bears the following: " In memory of the Rev. Jehu Minor, who died July 5th, 1808, in the 66th year of his age, and the 40th .of the ministry. Having a mind illuminated with divine views, and discriminat- ing in religious aifections, he preached the Gospel in its purity, with fervor and fidelity. A comfort to saints and. an ornament to the churches." The fourth pastor was the Rev. Bradford Marcy, who was ordained June 4th, 1809. He had preached here for some time previous, the agreement being that his salary should be " all the money he could get subscribed." It seems that the amount did not equal his expectations and his pastorate closed in July, 1810. The fifth pastor was Rev. Joel Osborne, who received a call February 11th, 1812, after having jjreached for some time pre- viously. His salary was $400. This was raised with difHculty, and in a communication May 30th, 1814, Mr. Osborne stated his 29 450 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. conviction that '' he was not the man to buiW them up and that it would be better to establish their salary, and get another man." For a while the pulpit was supplied by Rev. Mr. Purdy and he was succeeded in 1816, by Rev. Joshua Spaulding, who preached for some time and declined a call, but was induced to stay a year, and on April 27th, 1818, he was requested to re- main another year. He remained till 1822, and while on a visit to Albany was stricken with paralysis, from which he never recovered. He died in Newburgh, where his son resided, Sep- tember 26th, 1825. Mr. Spaulding was the compiler of a little book of Hymns, which was one of the first in use. He was the author of two large volumes on " The Divine Theory," and of a volume of lectures on the "Second coming of Christ." He was a man of many peculiarities but of great goodness of heart. For a while the pulpit was supplied by Rev. Mr. Saunders and Rev. Mr. Hicock. The next pastor was Rev. Marcus Har- rison, who was installed in 1825, but resigned March 29th, 1826. Rev. Mr. Bucknall was then hired for a year but was released October 16th. The next pastor was Rev. Abraham Ogier Stans- bury, who was called May 7th, 1827. He was a native of Eng- land, and though a gentleman of exalted qualities, his manners were not such as to ingratiate him with the class of people among which he was called to serve. His pastorate ended with his life, and his monument in the village burying ground bears the following Latin epitaph: " S'ub Hoc Saxo Vocem ArcTiangeli placide expectans, requiescit, quod solum mortale fuit, Abraham, Ogier Siansbury V. D. M. Hujus Ecclesiae quondam pastor is. Ingenio prompto acri ar denti fervido, verum tantum justumque intento. In amicos blandus facilis fuit, erga omnes benemlens. ' ' Surdis et mutis mentes inclusas, diligenter excoluit. Artem {machinalem presertim) scienter exornavit. Evangelium Christi orefacundopromulgavit. Hoc etiam divitiis in terra longinqua oblatis protulerit. Morbo confectus, laboribusque elapsus, obiit XXX Apr. MDCCCXXIX. Anno, aetatis LIII. Hoc monument um (Jieu fragile) posuit moestissima conjux.'''' "Beneath this stone, calmly awaiting the voice of the Arch- angel, rests what alone was mortal of Abraham Ogier Stans- bury. Minister of the word of God, formerly pastor of this church. Endowed with a prompt, active, ardent and fervid. TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 451 mind, intent alike on truth and justice. Kind and pleasant to his friends, open and placable towards enemies, and benevo- lent to all." A diligent instructor of the deaf and dumb; especially skilled in mechanic art; and with eloquent voice he preached the Gospel of Christ. He also brought to light riches long hidden in the earth. Afflicted with disease and worn out with labor, he died on the 30th day of April, 1829, in the 53d year Of his age. This monument (alas, how fragile) is erected by his weeping wife. ' ' This epitaph is said to have been written by Rev. M.v. McLeod. Mr. Stansbury was the patentee of several inventions, among others a lock. He was also skilled in mineralogy an endeavored to introduce improved methods of agriculture. His will men- tions no children. On the 4th day of March, 1829, a call was given to Rev. Robert B. E. McLeod. He was born of Scotch parents, in the city of Albany, and his early ministry was in the South. For twenty years Mr. McLeod was the pastor of this church and here he ended his days. A painful disease bore him to his grave after long years of suffering. He rests with so many of his predecessors. His tombstone bears the following: "Rev. Robert B. E. Mc- Leod, for twenty years pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Southeast, died August 23d, 1856, aged 67 years." After the decease of Mr.. McLeod, the pulpit was supplied by Rev. M. J. Adams from September 14th, 1856, to April, 1859. In May of the latter year Rev. George P. Goodhue came and preached as stated supply till the time of his death, which oc- curred November 8th, 1865, in the 44th year of his age, having been born June 16th, 1821. His tombstone is with those of his worthy predecessors in the Sears burying ground. The next pastor was Rev. Oliver H. Hempstead, who preached for a few months, and he was succeeded by Rev. Roswell D. Smith, who was pastor from 1865 to 1870, when, owing to ill health, he retired from the ministry, and at the present time is engaged in the practice of medicine in New York. The ministry of the present pastor. Rev. Edward B. Allen, began April 22d, 1871. It has already been stated that the first church edifice in the town was the ancient log meeting house built before 1745, on the farm now owned by Mr. James Barnes, near Dykeman's 452 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Station. The first intimation of a church at Doansburg is contained in an old deed found among the Philipse papers, by which "Israel Cole of the South Precinct" releases to Reuben Crosby " all that certain tract of land on the west side of the public road leading from the meeting house in the Eastern Society to the Quaker hill, being part of the farm now in possession of said Israel Cole. Bounded east by the pub- lic road. North by Elijah Tompkins west by Joshua Crosby and Joseph Vickery's farm, and South by Thomas Paddock's farm, containing 50 acres." March 7th, 1761. This farm is in the south part of the town of Patterson. This building continued till 1794, when the present church was built. The site of the old church is two or three rods north of it. The church, however, was undoubtedly built here as early as 1754. In the records quoted above it appears that the society held a farm by lease from Mrs. Margaret Ogilvie, widow of Philip Philipse, and in 1787 the society gave to Rev. Ichabod Lewis the right of improvement of this farm as tenant of Mrs. Ogilvie. This farm is now the homestead of the heirs of Lyman Sher- wood. It was sold to Jehiel Sherwood, by James Porter, June 2d, 1797. The deed states that he "is seized of fee simple of the tract " and conveys " All that certain parcel of land lying in Southeast town and a part of the farm formerly in posses- sion of the Rev. Ichabod Lewis beginning at a stake west of the road in the former dividing line between Morris and Philipse Short Lots, and running thence south 88 degrees west 32 chains: Thence north 2 degrees east 10 chains 65 links: thence South 88^ degrees East 31 chains 60 links to the road : thence south along the road to the place of beginning containing 31 acres." This farm was doubtless purchased from Mrs. Ogilvie by James Porter, as a mortgage on the farm given by him to her^ is on record dated November 7th, 1796. April 9th, 1819, the trustees reported to a meeting that they had purchased for a parsonage " the place on which Mr. Spauld- ing now lives, about six acres, for $700." A committee ap- pointed to examine it reported February 13th, 1821, in favor of building a new house, "to be built the size of Archibald Young's' house." This place continued in the possession of the ' The house of Archibald Youngs stood where Elijah Budd now lives south of Doansburg. The house which the trustees purchased was the house in which. Chancellor Kent was born. The deed, however, is unrecorded and lost. TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 453 church until April 18th, 1864, when it was sold to David Bedell, who sold it with other lands adjoining on the south to Benjamin Benedict, March 31st, 1868. He sold it to Le Ray Barnum December 31st, 1870, and it now belongs to his son, Frederick S. Barnum, Esq. The house is close to the line be- tween this lot and the lot of Abraham Sherwood next north, which he bought of James Crosby. The present parsonage south of the burying ground was bought of John M. Higgins, July 18th, 1870. This church was at first known as the "Eastern Society of the South Precinct," but after its incorpcJration it was called the " Union Society of Southeast." It was Presbyterian until 1809, when it became Congregational, and changed to Presby- ferianism again, April 26th, 1826. It was also known in early days as the "East Church of Philippi." The church was greatly damaged by fire March 5th, 1830, and was repaired at a cost of $1,115. Among the benefactors of the cliurch should be mentioned Zenas and Benjamin Doane, who each left it $500. Dtkeman's Station. — This ncSighborhood takes its name from the Dykeman family, who were early settlers and descended from Capt. Joseph Dykeman, who came from G-ermany. He was an officer in the Revolution and was the owner of the place where Mr. Lewis G. Robinson now lives, in the town of Kent, close to the Patterson town line. He married for his first wife a Miss Judd. His second wife was Elizabeth Smith, of Ridge- held. Captain Dykeman died in 1822, at the age of 85, and his tombstone may be seen in the little cemetery at Drewville. His children were: Hezekiah, Joseph, Peter, Aaron, Ezra, Daniel, Benjamin, Phebe (wife of Grifford), Elizabeth (wife of Andrew Robinson), Abigail (wife of Zebulon Washburn), Eu- nice, Anna and Ruhama (wife of Martin Robinson). The old homestead was sold to Moses Robinson who conveyed it to George Robinson, and it now belongs to his son, Lewis G. Rob- inson. The land around Dykeman' s Station was owned by Peter, Ezra, Joseph and Hezekiah Dykeman, who had farms amounting in all to 357 acres, which tract was bounded b3^ the north line of Lot 8, of Philipse Patent, and a large part is now owned by their descendants. Joseph Dykeman married Azuba Baker, and had children, Jesse, John and Elizabeth, wife of 454 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Asa Robinson. John was the father of Hon. Jackson O. Dyk- man. Hezekiah owned the farm near the station, now owned by his great-grandson, Junia Dykeman. Peter" s children were: Jndson, Nathan C. and James B., who was a member of the Legislature in 1872. He lived on the farm in Carmel now owned by Clark Lewis. Ezra's children were: Amos, Jarvis, Laura, wife of William Mabie, and Rachel, wife of Russell Howes. Benjamin's children were: Benjamin, Priscilla, wife of James Baker, and Isaac, who had a farm near Towner's Station, now owned by his son George W. Dykeman, who married Louisa, daughter of Martin Robinson. Baptist Church at I)ykeman's Station. — This society was organized in February, 1867, and a committee was appointed to build a church on a lot which was given by Junia W. Dyke- man. The building was completed and dedicated December 22d, 1868, and the society was admitted to the association Au- gust 17th, 1872. The original members were: Nathan Dyke- man, Phebe Dykeman, Adella Dean, John Bell, Ann Bell, Polly Holmes, Emma Dykeman, Emma Myers, Coles B. Fowler and Robert Peck. Rev. G. J. Gowan was the principal means of getting the church established. There has been as yet no settled pastor, the pulpit being supplied by the neighboring ministers. In 1882, Mr. Amos C. Dykeman died and in his will left his farm to the church after the death of his wife who is still living. CHAPTER XXIII. TOWN OF SOUTHEAST (Concluded.) Village of Brewster.— Savings Bank.— Croton River Bank.— First National Bank. —Fires and Fire District. — Newspapers. — Emerson W. Addis. — Borden Con- densed Milk Factory.— Brewster Hill.— Methodist Church.— St. Andrew's Church. — Baptist Church. — Roman Catholic Church. — Societies. — Iron Mines.— Croton Reservoir.— Descendants of Rev. Elisha Kent. — Enoch Crosby.— The Doane Family.— Daniel Drew.— The Theall Family.— Gen, James Ryder.— Samuel H. Everett.— Daniel W. Dykeman.— The Brewster Family.— The Howes Family.— Joshua Barnum.— Morgan Horton. — John T. Waring.— Levi H. Roberts.— The Reed Family.— Charles E. Everett. THE land now embraced within the limits of the village of Brewster consists of a farm which was sold by the commissioners of forfeiture to Peleg Bailey, in 1781. A por- tion of it afterward passed into the possession of Bailey Howes, his grandson, who sold 98 acres to Grilbert Bailey, April 1st, 183B. Two other tracts -containing 39 acres were sold to Gilbert Bailey, by William P. Downs and Frederick Parks, in 1838. On the 17th of February, 1848, Gilbert Bailey sold the whole tract, estimated at 184 acres, to James and Walter P. Brewster, for the sum of $8,000. As early as 1845, the Brewsters con- templated buying this tract, on account of an iron mine which was located there, and also for the water power of the stream which bounds it on the west. At the time of the purchase, the Harlem Railroad was finished and trains were running as far as the Croton Falls. The road was surveyed as far as Pawling, and the prospect of its being continued to that point seemed certain, and to the new purchasers of the farm it seemed just the place for a station. The farm itself was a very ordi- nary one and the price given was considered its full value. The only highway then was the main road from Carmel to South- east Center (or Sodom as it was more generally known), and on 456 IIISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. this road was the house of Gilbert Bailey, where the residence of Henry Brush now stands. Prom this house a road ran to the lower bridge on the Croton, but it was not much used. The next nearest house stood on the road to Carmel, in the rear of the new Presbyterian church and was owned by Harry Bailey. The next was also Harry Bailey's and stood where the brick house now stands at the west end of the bridge over the Harlem Railroad. Another house stood on the road to the lower bridge over the Croton, at the foot of the hill, where the house of Dennis Sullivan now stands. This belonged to Philip Mead, and these were the only houses in the vicinity at that time. The iron mine on this farm was first opened by Frederick Parks, about eighty years ago, and as soon as the Brewsters took possession they reopened the mine in the rear of where the Brewster House now stands, and took out 300 tons of ore during the next two years. Three years later they sold all their mineral rights to the Harvey Steel and Iron Company for $400, and they worked this mine extensively and also one on the hill near the depot, but ceased operations at the end of four years. The Harlem Railroad was finished to this place in 1849, and the depot was built in that year, and vs^hat is now the Main street was opened, for the purpose of allowing the stages from Dan- bury to come to the station. Previous to this the firm of Crosby & l)e Forest had run a line of four horse stages to Croton Falls, from Danbury. The first new house in the place was built by Walter F. Brewster, in 1850, and stood in front of the present Methodist church. It is now owned by Mrs Virginia B. Little. The next building was a screw factory, which stood a few rods south of the depot and on the present site of the First National Bank. This was run about five years, and was then changed to a hotel and used for that purpose three years, when it was removed, and it is now a part of F. E. Foster's store. In 1860 the Brewster House was built, and it is now one of the two principal hotels of the village. The first store was built by Edward Howes, and stood nearly opposite the Brewster House. It was opened May 29th, 1850, and was kept by J. Fowler Frost, who come from Purdy's Station, in Westchester county. He continued the business for five years and then sold out to Walter F. Brewster. At this time the place began to increase, and lots were sold and houses put lap at the rate of six or seven a year, and in 1865 there was quite a village. In 1859, a TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 457 wool hat factory was started by William C. Waring, and he was succeeded in the business by Charles W. Budd, who died August 3d, 1871. The building was burned, and in 1874, a new firm, consisting of Smith G. Hunt, Col. Stephen Baker and James A. Peck, began business in the grist mill purchased of A. B. Marvin. In accordance with an Act passed March 30th, 1867, a Town Hall was built in 1869, at a cost of $25,000, and by Act of Legis- lature, March 16th, 1870, the supervisors of the town, with Ed- ward Howes and Francis E. Foster as commissioners, were authorized to construct a suitable lockup in the hall, and to borrow the sum of $5,000 for that purpose. The " Croton River Bank " was organized March 15th, 1856, the capital being "1000 shares of $100 each," the stockholders being Thomas Drew, Silas Mead, Charles W. Hine, Hiram Starr, William F. Fowler, Isaac Kelley and James E. Kelley. This institution continued as a State bank till 1864, when it became a national bank with a capital of $200,000, and continued as such for several years, but by a vote of its stockholders it was closed about 1876. Its officers were James E. Kelley, president, and F. E. Foster, cashier. The First National Bank of Brewster' was organized under the national bank act February 15th, 1875, succeeding to the banking business formerly conducted by John Gr. Borden and Frank Wells under the firm name of ''Borden, Wells & Co." The incorporators were John G. Borden, Frank Wells, George B. Mead, jr., John S. Eno, Samuel W. Church and B. F. Graves. Authority to commence business as a national bank was con- ferred by the comptroller of the currency February 23d, 1876. The first directors were John G. Borden, Frank Wells, George B. Mead. Jr., John S. Eno and B. F. Graves. Charles Denton and Ahaz S. Mygatt were added to the board in 1876 and Mr. A. F. Lobdell in 1878. Mr. Graves resigned in 1876 and Mr. Mygatt died in 1882. The other gentlemen have been continu- ally in office and constitute the present board of directors. Mr. John G. Borden was the first president of the bank and continued in office until May, 1885, when, owing to his removal from the county, he was unable to give the position the care it deserved. His resignation was accepted and Mr. Charles Den ton was elected to succeed him. Mr. Borden still retains his ' The sketch of this bank was contributed by Frank Wells. 458 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. large holdings of the stock and his position on the board of directors. In 1881 George B. Mead, jr., was elected vice-presi- dent and is still in office. Frank Wells has been the cashier of the bank since its organization. The business of the bank was at first conducted in the brick building then standing on the corner of Main and Park streets and owned by L. H. Roberts. In the destructive fire which occurred on the evening of February 23d, 1880, the building was destroyed and the bank opened for business on the following day in the office and with the fixtures formerly occupied and owned by the Croton River National Bank of Southeast, and located in the brick block owned by the estate of Nathan A. Howes. On the second day following the fire the safe was recovered from the ruins and books and securities were found iininjured. The present banking house was erected in the winter of 1885-6. It is 28 by 40 feet and one story in height. The walls are of Mine Hill granite up to and including the window sill course and above that Philadelphia brick. The granite walls are eighteen inches thick and the brick walls one foot. It has large fire proof vaults, burglar proof and special deposit safes and is a convenient edifice for the use for which it was intended. In 1871, the ^Putnam County Savings Bank was incorporated, the trustees being Augustus D. Slasson, Le Ray Barnum, War- ren S. Paddock, Charles W. Budd, James Haviland, William F. Fowler, Ahaz S. Mygatt, Coleman K. Townsend, Thatcher H. Theall, Samuel A. Townsend, James R. Kelley, Thomas Drew, Odle Close, Lawrence McKenna, Joshua L. Dean, Agus- tus S. Doane, William T. Granung, Jesse Haviland, Daniel W. Dykeman, George Hine and Morgan Horton. This institution still exists in a flourishing condition. On the night of February 23d, 1880, a disastrous fire started two doors east of the Town Hall, in a building owned by Alex- ander F. Lobdell, and occupied by Edward Stone as a clothing store. The Town Hall, with the early records, was burned and also the office of the "Standard" newspaper. The Town Hall was soon rebuilt. A second fire took place November 6th, 1882. This started in the feed mills which stood on the site of the former hat fac- tory and were occupied by Warren S. Paddock & Co. By this fire the Town Hall was again burned, also several other build- ings, the loss being estimated at $34,000. TOWN OP SOUTHJiAST. 459 An " Act to establish a fire district' in the village pf Brews- ter" was passed bj'^ the board of supervisors in December, 1881. The bounds of the district then established are as follows : " Commencing at the passenger depot of the New York and Harlem Railroad Company; thence running northerly along the west line of the lands of the New York and Harlem Railroad Company to the north line of the New York City and Northern Railroad Company; thence running easterly along the north line of the lands of the New York City and Northern Railroad Company to the easterly line of the lands of the New York and New England Railroad Company; thence running easterly along the easterly line of the lands of the New York and New England Railroad Company to the railroad bridge over the highway leading from Brewsters to Southeast Center; thence running southerly along the said highway to the highway bridge over the Croton River, near the Condensed Milk Factory; thence running southerly along Croton River to the highway leading from Brewsters to Turk Hill; thence running westerly and northerly along said highway and Railroad avenue to said pas- senger depot and place of beginning." The first meeting of resident taxpayers of the district was held on the first Tuesday in March, 1882, and the following officers were elected : President, Stephen T. McMahon; secre- tary, Emerson W. Addis; treasurer, Frank Wells; trustees, Francis E. Foster, Abram J. Miller, Philip Diehl. The taxable property within the district is valued at about $850,000. The annual appropriation is about $1,000. The dis- trict property consists of an engine house, a hand engine, hook and ladder truck, hose carts, etc. A steam fire engine to cost $3,200 has been ordered. Water is supplied by cisterns con- taining about 20,000 gallons of water each. The present officers are : President, Abram J. Miller; vice- president, Edwin W. Dixon; secretary, Emerson W. Addis; treasurer, Frank Wells; trustees, Alfred Armstrong, Silas O. Avery, Philip Diehl. The first newspaper in the place was the " Brewster Gazette," which was established in 1869, by H. A. Fox. It was succeeded by the "Brewster Standard " November 5th, 1871, the editors being H. A. Fox and 0. H. Miller. It was changed to " Put- ' This sketch of Brewster Fire District was contributed by Emerson W. Addis. 460 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. nam County Standard" in April, 1874, and was then conducted by Frank Wells and Emerson W. Addis. Mr. Addis, who is now the editor, has raised the paper to a high degree of popu- larity and it has a wide- spread influence as the organ of the re- publican party. Emerson Wesley Addis was born in Litchfield, Conn., October 13th, 1853. He became an apprentice in the office of the " Litchfield Enquirer " in 1865. He was a job printer at Hutchinson's, in Hartford, Conn., in 1868, and in the office of the " Danbury News," at Danbury, Conn., in 1869-70. From 1871 to 1873 he was editor of the "Journal," New Milford, Conn. In 1874 he was for a short time engaged as foreman and in local work on the "Times," Appleton, Wis. He was local editor and foreman of the "Brewster Standard," under the management of Frank Wells, from May 1st, 1874 to April 1st, 1877. He continued in f.he same capacity under the manage- ment of John G. Borden from April 1st, 1877, until April 1st, 1880. when he purchased the "Standard " of Mr. Borden, and has since been its editor and proprietor. Borden Condensed Milk Factory. — The site of this fac- tory, which is on the Croton River at the east end of the village of Brewster, was formerly owned by Zenas and Demas Doane and afterward by Zenas D. Storm, who had a saw mill and grist mill on the stream. This mill site, with three acres of land " bounded south by the old Croton River Turnpike," was sold by him to Jeremiah Millbank October 12th, 1863, and he sold it to the "Borden Condensed Milk Company" December 13th, 1865. Another tract was bought of Zenas D. Storm, which ran " to the old road leading to the Croton Turnpike and near the site of the old Methodist Church." The "Borden Condensed Milk Company " was incorporated January 28th, 1864. The partners were Gail Borden, jr'., Jere- 'Gail Borden was born in Norwich, N. Y. When a young man he went to Texas and engaged in the war of independence. He was afterward appointed Mayor of Galveston by Governor Houston. In 1853, he invented the plan for condensing milk, but had great difficulty in getting a patent and expended all his money in the effort. He finally succeeded, and formed the " New York Con- densed Milk Company," the first factory being at Wassaic, Dutchess county. The war brought an unlimited demand for his products and in a short time he became a millionaire. He was a man of unselfish mind and very benevolent. He died in Texas January 11th, 1874, aged 73. His remains were brought home and now rest in Woodlawn Cemetery. TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 461 miali Millbank and Elnathan W. Fyler, and the capital $30,000. The company erected extensive works and a large business has been carried on till the present time. June 2Bd, 1876, the com- pany conveyed the premises to the "New York Condensed Milk Company." The buildings have been greatly extended, and 30,000 quarts of milk are condensed daily, the business employing a large number of hands, while the products are sent to all parts of the world. A person who visits this factory is struck by the absolute neatness everywhere apparent. Every portion of the business is conducted within the building, including the manufacture of the tin cans in which the prepared article is placed and sealed up ready for market. On the death of Gail Borden the management and develop- ment of his large interests in this county and elsewhere de- volved upon his son, John Gail Borden, who succeeded to the presidency of the company, and continued to direct the three large manufacturing enterprises with which his father had been connected. In 1885, ill health compelled him to relinquish his persistent labor. It was under the supervision of Mr. John Borden that the present factory at Brewster was erected in 1879, and his inventive genius and energy have developed many valu- able mechanical aids in the business. As a public spirited citi-. zen he left behind him, when he removed to Ulster county in 1881, a place not easily filled. His large benefactions have helped to complete the present school house, the town hall and Baptist church, and his aid was given to every good work and brought comfort to many a needy household. Mr. John S. Bno, the superintendent of the factory, was born in Colebrook, Litchfield county. Conn. When very young he went with his parents to Pennsylvania where he remained till 1863. In that year he came to Brewster as an employe in the factory, and was appointed superintendent in 1870. His pecu- liar skill and eminent fitness for the position are universally acknowledged and to him in no small degree, is owing the suc- cess of the enterprise. Brewster Hill. — North of the village of Brewster and on the east side of Lake Tonetta is an elevated ridge of land. It takes its name from Samuel Brewster, who came to the town from Rockland county about 1820. His father, Samuel Brews- ter, was a prominent citizen and an extensive land owner in 462 HISTORY OV PUTNAM COUNTY. Rockland and Orange counties, and resided near Stony Point, where he died November 29th, 1824, at the age of 80. His son, Samuel, was born May 14th, 1786, and came to this county and bought the place on Brewster Hill where his son Samuel is now living. He married Eliza Strang of York town. During a long life he was one of the best known citizens of the town. He died April 26th, 1871, aged 84 years, 11 months and 12 days, and is buried at Doansburg. His sons, Samuel, Frederick, William C. and Walter P., are well known and prominent citizens. Methodist Episcopal Church, Brewster. —As early as 1791, this section was embraced in a Methodist Circuit, the first name appearing being that of Isaac Candee, one of the preach- ers of the circuit, a young man still on trial, who preached in the Milltown school house. About this time there came from Connecticut two brothers, Hezekiah and Zalmon Sandford, both of whom were zealous Methodists and godly men. The former was a local preacher and immediately began to preach in school houses and private dwellings. The house of Zalmon Sandford, which is still standing, surrounded on three sides by roads, is a short distance southwest of Southeast Center, and was a fre- quent place of meeting. It was also at this house that the first town meeting was held, in the town of Southeast, in 1795. At the same time Richard Barnes, also a Methodist, came from Westchester county and settled near Dykeman's, ou the farm now owned by his son, Mr. James Barnes, and his house became a preaching place. The house of Major Cliff, on the site of the present residence of William H. Drew, was also open for the purpose and it is said that Daniel Drew (whose liberal gift to the church and its interests render his memory hallowed) was converted there. In January, 1809, the old Cortlandt Circuit was orgainized and covered a large district. Among other preachers may be mentioned the eccentric Billy Hibbard, with Henry Eames and Nathan Emory. The date of the first class in Southeast is given as 1830. Jacob Hall was the leader. A society was organized in 1834, under the guidance of Rev. David Holmes and Alonzo F. Sellick, and plans were made for building a church. The society was incorporated by electing Harry Pardee, Wesley Mead, Benjamin Mead, David Adams and Stephen Ryder trustees, at a meeting held in the school house January 20th, 1835, and the church was named the TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 463 " Doanesville Methodist Episcopal Churcli." The edifice was begun in 1836, completed in 1837 and dedicated August IQth of that year. The cost was $1,000 and the building stood on the east side of the Croton Turnpike and immediately south of the New York and New England Railroad, a very short distance northeast of the Borden Condensed Milk Factory. The church took its name in recognition of a considerable gift promised by Mr. Benjamin Doane, but the gift failing, the congregation changed the name to " Heddingville," after Bishop Hedding, of the M. E. Church. This was sanctioned by an Act of the Legis- lature. Among the preachers especial mention should be made of Rev. Cyrus Foss, who resided at l5rewville and exerted a wide- spread influence. One of his sons, Archibald C, lived to be a presiding elder of the district; another Cyrus D., is one of the bishops of the church. In 1853 the church was enlarged and improved and a basement added. In 1855 the churcli came into the Carmel Circuit, and in 1858 became a charge known as Heddingville and Millplains-. In 1861 it became an inde- pendent charge, Rev. George Clark being pastor. By this time Brewster Station had become a flourishing village and the church was greatly increased in strength and numbers and it was determined to build a new edifice at the station. A fine property was purchased on the south side of Main street, and a large and commodious church erected, while the dwelling that was on the place became the parsonage. This church, which is one of the finest in the countj^, was erected in 1863. The cost was $16,000, of which Daniel Drew and family gave half. The dedication occurred January 27th, 1864. A fine organ was added, through the munificence of Mrs. Alanson Robinson, who has long been a member of the church. In 1883, under the pastorate of Rev. Horace W. Byrnes, the church was very com- pletely renovated and repaired at a cost of $3,000, and the old windows replaced by new ones of ornamented cathedral glass. Eight of these are memorial windows, to perpetuate the mem- ory of Rev. Cyrus Foss, Albert Brush, Alanson Robinson, Harry Pardee, Silas Mead, Daniel Drew, Laura Van Scoy and Mrs. Alonzo Brush. The church was reopened December 17th, 1883. The semi- centennial of this society was duly celebrated on the 27th and 28th of January, 1884, and during the pastorate of Rev. Horace 464 iiisTor.Y OP putnam county. W. Byrnes, B. D., to whom we are indebted formost of the in- formation in^this sketch. The honor roll of this church con- tains many names precious and long to be remembered. Among these are Benjamin Mead, Piatt V. Brush, Sally Seymour, Daniel Drew, 'Dr. Stephen C. Barnum, Aaron B. Marvin, Jennie Hutchinson, Horace Purdy, Henry Pardee, Phineas Trowbridge, Silas Mead, Albert Brush and his brother Alonzo, and Levi H. Roberts, who passed to his rest December 23d, 1885. Tn the burying ground at Milltown rest the mortal remains of one who was the support of Methodism here in the days of its weakness, and his tombstone bears the inscription: "In Memory of Hezekiah Sandford, Esq., who died triumphant in the merits of the Lord Jesus- Christ, March 18th, 1834, aged 72 years, 2 months and 12 days." The name of the church was changed from ' ' Heddingville Methodist Episcopal Church" to "First Methodist Episcopal Church of Southeast" by Act of Legislature, April 24th, 1867. St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, Brewster. — The first ser- vices of this church were held in the Town Hall, Rev. Mr. Moore, Rev. Wilberforce Wells, and Rev. R. C. Russell being the first to officiate. The church was organized August 29th, 1881, at which time Seth B. Howes and Daniel Tillotson were chosen wardens, and Elbert C. Cozzens, Howard E. Poster, Well- ington Ketchum_, RobertW. Kelley and FrankWells were elected vestrymen. The first rector was Rev. R. Condit Russell, who was officiating semi-monthly at the time the church was organ- ized. His s^^ccessor was Rev. Ralph Wood Kenyon, who re- ceived a call October 24th, 1881, having been previously assist- ant minister of St. .^John's Church, Brooklyn. He remained till January 15th, 1884, when he resigned, and was succeeded by Rev. Prank Heartfield, who came October 18th of that year. Mr. Heartfield' s ministry continued till April 30th, 1885, when he resigned, to take charge of St. Paul's Church, Poughkeep- sie. His successor and the present minister is Rev. Eli Draper Sutcliffe, who was born in Poughkeepsie and educated at St. Stephen's College, Annandale, Dutchess county. He subse- quently studied at the Berkeley Divinity School, Middletown, Conn. After graduating, in June, 1885, he received a call to this church and is now the minister in charge, having been or- dained deacon May 7th, 1885. The church edifice was opened for service January 23d, 1881, and is built on the north side of TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 465 Church street, at the corner of Prospect street. A new organ, which is now being built, will be a valuable addition to the church. The present church officers are: Seth B. Howes and Prank Wells, wardens; Elbert C. Howes, John M. Sloane, E. C. Cozzens, William H. Drew, George Wise, and Howard E. Foster, vestrymen. Baptist Church, Brewster. — The first meetings of members of this church were held in 1867, the services being conducted by Rev. W. W. Ferris. Among the principal promoters of the church was Horace Waters, of New York, the well known manufacturer of musical instruments. After this Rev. Mr. Romaine, an English evangelist, held meetings in Kelley's Hall, on the north side of Main street, near the depot, and afterward in Masonic Hall, and a call was given to Rev. Frank Fletcher, of Cross River, Westchester county. Among the active leading members were: John Gf. Borden, William H. Townsend, William Finckney, James K. Smith and Alanson Ellis. The church lot was purchased of William M. Clark and others, June 7th, 1870, and described as "bounded on the west by the highway from Brewster to Carmel, and on the east by the old road from Carmel to Doanesville." The cost of the church was $15,000, and it was dedicated on Wednesday, Decem- ber 28th, 1871. The parsonage was built about six years later. The pastors have been: Rev. W. W. Ferris, Rey. Mr. Edwards, Rev. Frank Fletcher, who came in 1868 and remained four years; Rev. O. C. Kirkham, Rev. W. B. Guiscard, Rev. M. C. Lockwood, Rev. D. D. Reed, Rev. E. B. Jones, and Rev. Wil- liam A. Granger, the present pastor. Mr. Granger was b.orn in Broadalbin, Fulton county, N. Y., and graduated from Madi- son University. He subsequently studied at Union Theological Seminary, New York, was ordained in February, 1876, was pastor of a church in Long Island City for many years, and was called to his present field of labor in January, 1885. The church has a membership of 70, and exerts a widespread influence. Roman Catholic Church, Brewster. — In 1850, Rev. Charles Slevin was in charge of a parish which extended from Mount Kisco, in .Westchester, to the upper part of Dutchess county. The first services were held in Brewster, by Father Slevin, during that year. He was succeeded by Rev. Joliu Osnejo, whose successor was Rev. Lawrence McKenna, who took 30 466 HISTOEY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. charge about 1870, and was succeeded by Rev. Patrick Daly. The latter died in 1878, and the present pastor, Patrick J. Healy, came in charge. The church edifice, a neat and commodious building, was erected during the pastorate of Rev. Lawrence McKenna. Rev. Patrick J. Healy came to this place from Purdy's Station, in Westchester county. Father Healy, who is a native of Ireland, came to this country in 1850, and was educated at St. Francis Xavier's College, New York, and was ordained at St. Joseph's Seminary, Troy, in 1870. His first charge was St. Bernard's Church, New York, where he remained four years, and upon his retirement, received from his parishioners an elegant testi- monial and a purse of $2,000 as a token of their high apprecia- tion of his services. He was afterward appointed to Dover Plains and Pawling and then to Beekman, in Dutchess county. His next appointment was to Croton Falls, which included Brewster, Towners, Lake Mahopac and Katonah. In 1880, .Father Healy divided the parish, retaining the churches at Brewster, Towners and Carmel. Under his able and efficient management the church at Brewster is free from debt; improvements and additions have been made to the church edi- fice, and a parsonage built at' a cost of $3,000. In 1875, he built the church at Towners, and' a debt which was necessarily in. curred has been very greatly reduced. Church service is held in Carmel in a public hall as no church has been built there as yet. The membership of the parish is about 500. A flourishing Sunday school is connected with the church and there are cate- chisings three times a week in various districts. Societies. — The following is a record of the first masonic meeting: "At a meeting of a number of the fraternity of Masons, members of different Lodges, whose names are as follows: David Crosby, James Porter, George Burch, Daniel Bull, Nathaniel De La Van, Wm. Pearce, Alexander Kidd, Jacob Reed, Daniel Delavan, Eli Crosby, Samuel A. Barker, Stephen Kelly, Thomas Sears, Joseph C. Field, Zalmond Sandford, Benedict Davis, D. Lambert De Forest, Francis Burdick, James Knapp, Ezra Sherman, Peter Crosby, Benj. Piatt, Stephen Delavan, Daniel Waring, Wm. Patch, Philetus Scudder and Stephen Field, Jr., who are inhabitants of Frederickstown, in the County of Dutchess, and towns adjacent, at the house of James Phillips, TOWN OF SOUTPIEAST. 467 in said Prederickstown, the oth day of Dec, 1793, and in the year of light 5793. " Brother David Crosby was appointed Moderator and Bro. James Porter Clerk of the meeting. " Voted unanimously as the opinion of the brethren compos- ing this meeting, that an application be made to the Right Worshipful Grand Master of the state of New York, for a war- rant to erect a Lodge at Frederickstown. "Voted that if such warrant be obtained, that the name of Samuel Augustus Barker be inserted as Master of said Lodge, and that the name of Jacob Reed be inserted as Senior Warden, and the name of George Burch as Junior Warden, and that it be named Columbus Lodge. " Voted that Bro. Crosby, Moderator of this meeting, be em- powered to make application for the warrant above mentioned." By a certificate dated May 17th, 1794, the officers of Solomon Lodge, No. 1, of Poughkeepsie, certified that Samuel Augustus Barker, George Burch, and Stephen Kelly were members of that lodge in good standing. In accordance with this Andrew Billings and Cadwallader D. Colden were appointed to consti- tute the lodge, which they did October 1st, 1794, at the house of James Phillips, and appointed the officers recommended above, and October 14th, 1794, Samuel Augustus Barker, as master of the new lodge, made application for a "Book of Constitu- tions " to the grand master. On a Return of "Columbia Lodge" in 1798, the following list of members is given: Samuel A. Barker, George Burch, Stephen Kelsey, Francis Burdick, James Porter, David Crosby, Benjamin Piatt, Nath. Delavan, Thomas Sears, John Penney, Peter Crosby, Oliver Barker, James Knapp, Jacob Reed, Hez. Hyatt, Daniel Delavan, Eli Crosby, David L. De Forest, Zalmon Sandf ord, David Waring, Stephen Field, Waight Ball, Hezekiah Dykeman, Conkling Ketcham, David Balding, Seth Sears, jr., James Fairchild, Ephraim Marvin, Zadock Rider, James Craft, Uriah Wallace,. Darius Crosby, Moses Crosby, Benjamin Titus, Samuel Penney, Berry Hopkins, David Haviland, Charles Crosby, Peter Hepburn, Daniel Aikins, Stephen Barnum, Ezra Richards, Thomas B. Sears, James Schofield, Isaac Sears, Lewis Burton, Caleb Smith, jr., Ira Crane, Job Smith, Elijah Doty, Thomas Hines, Samuel Chapman, Charles Hines, James Grant, Rowland Bailey, John Paulding, James Foster, jr., Robert 468 HISTOEY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Weeks, Edmond Foster, Job Jones, "William Smith, Caleb Fowler, jr., Elisha D. Hall, Daniel Jones, Abijah Corbin, Jere- miah Hopkins. The Masonic bodies at Brewster, N. Y., comprise Croton Lodge, No. 368, F. & A. M.; Oroton Chapter, No. 202, R. A. M.; and Crusader Commandery, No. 56, K. T. The oldest of these bodies is Croton Lodge, which held its first communication under a dispensation from the grand master of the State of New York, at Croton Falls, in the adjoining county of Westchester, on the 11th day of April, 1855, the first officers being: George W. Gregory, worshipful master; Edward Adams, senior warden ; Harrison Pardee, junior warden ; Thomas Field, secretary. Of the above, Thomas Field is at this time the only survivor, and is an honored resident of Southeast. Mr. A. J. Miller was master in 1876 and 1877: on January 24th, of the latter year, a resolution was passed that the lodge remove its place of meeting to Brewster. The grand lodge of this State having given its consent in June, the removal was made, and the first communication was held at Brewster Au- gust 22d, 1877. The officers are: Worshipful Charles Denton, master; Isaac Armstrong, senior warden; John Q. Adams, junior warden; Frank Wells, secretary and treasurer; Past Worshipful Abram J. Miller, senior deacon; Henry W. Dale, junior deacon; Theodore Phelps and George Moore, masters of ceremony; Frederick Kratz, chaplain; James A. Foshay and George H. Kniffen, organists; Past Worshipful Ferdinand Wil- son, tiler. The living Past Masters are George W. Abrams, Abram J. Miller, Leonard H. Secqr, and Ferdinand Wilson. The first convocation of Croton Chapter, No. 202, R. A. M., was held under dispensation at Croton Falls, January 7th, 1867; and a charter being granted February 7th, following, on the 18th of the same month the first officers were installed as follows: George W. Gregory, high priest; Gerard Crane, king; Jacob Townsend, scribe: Benj. D. Crane, captain of host; Jere- miah W. Keeler, principal sojourner; Jared G. Wood, R. A. C. ; Herman Best, master 1st V.; William M. Clark, master 2d V.; Harrison Pardee, treasurer; Theophilus Pratt, secretary; Henry W. Smuller, chaplain; William Barker, tiler. On the 31st of July, a resolution was adopted by this body, that it remove its place of meeting to Brewster; and in accord- TOWN OP SOUTHEAST. 469 ance therewith the meetings of this body have since been held at this place. The present officers of Croton Chapter, No. 202, are: Charles Denton, high priest; Richard Hampton, king; John Q. Adams, scribe; Clarence A. Randall, secretary and treas- urer; Abram J. Miller, captain of host; Leonard H. Secor, principal sojourner; Charles B. Grregory, R. A. C.-; Stephen T. McMahon, master 3d V.; Edward Bailey, master 2d V.; Fred- eric R. Hall, master 1st V.; Ferdinand Wilson, tiler; James A. Foshay and George H. Kniffen, organists. On the 5th of March, 1873, a dispensation to establish a com mandery at Croton Falls, Westchester county, N. Y., was granted by the grand commander of Knights Templar, of the State of New Yosk, and appointed George W. Gregory, emi- nent commander; Harrison Pardee, generalissimo, and Herman Best, captain general. The first conclave under dispensation was held April 18th, following. On the ISth of October, in the same year, a warrant was granted by the grand commandery of this State. The follow- ing were the first officers installed under the warrant: George W. Gregory, eminent commander; Harrison Pardee, general- issimo; Herman Best, captain general; Abram J. Miller, prelate; Frank Wells, senior warden; Oliver H. Miller, Junior warden; H. Pardee, treasurer; Benjamin D. Crane, recorder; Frederic R. Hall, standard bearer; Samuel M. Church, sword bearer; Charles B. Gregory, warder; Sarles Drew, John H. Spencer, R. W. Travis, guards; Joseph T. Secord, captain of guard. In August, 1877, the commandery removed to Brewster, Put- nam county, where it is now stationed and officered as follows: Frank Wells, commander; S. T. McMahon, generalissimo; L. H. Secor, captain general; Abram J. Miller, prelate; Philij) Diehl, senior warden; Richard Hampton, junior warden; Frank Wells, treasurer; Clarence A. Rundall, recorder; Frederic R. Hall, standard bearer; Samuel M. Church, sword bearer; Charles B. Gregory, warder; Charles L. Austin, Alfred E. De Forest, Ferdinand Wilson, guards; Joseph T. Secord, captain of guard; Moses P. Tillotson, organist. Crosby Post, No. 302, O. A. R. , held its first meeting in the engine house at Brewster, on the evening of November 9th, 1882. The post was named in honor of Lieut. Thomas Crosby, of the 6th N. Y. Artillery, a resident of this town who died 470 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. in 1870 from the repeated amputations of an arm which was shattered at Chancellorsville. The first oflBcers elected were : Frank Wells, commander; Ed- ward Bailey, S. V. commander; Gilbert H. Seagrave, J. V. com- mander; John M. Sloane, adjutant; Abner L. Crosby, surgeon; Frederic Kratz, chaplain; James R. Ostrander, quartermaster; Leonard H. Secor, officer of the day; Frederick R. Hall, officer of the guard; Gilbert D. Bailey, sergeant major; Isaac R. Wal- lace, quartermaster sergeant. The post has maintained a flour- ishing existence until the present time and. has a membership of 34. The present officers are : Frank Wells, commander; Gilbert H. Seagrave, S. V. commander; Abner L. Crosby, J. V. com- mander; John M. Sloane, adjutant; Dr. John Q. Adams, sur- geon; Dr. Jared G. Wood, chaplain; Edward Bailey, quarter- master; Leonard H. Secor, officer of the day; Henry W. Dale, officer of the guard; Gilbert D. Bailey, sergeant major; Samuel R. Birch, quartermaster sergeant. IiioN Mines in Southeast.— The wealth of this town has been greatly increased by the development of its mines of iron. From the earliest times the mountainous regions embraced in this county have been believed to contain various metals and, in consequence, almost all the deeds and leases given by the Philipse family for land owned by them contained a clause "re- serving all mines and minerals." The Brewster Iron Mine, on the hill which towers aloft to the west of Brewster, was worked for some years, but has been abandoned. The ore is of most excellent quality but difficult to obtain, owing to its peculiar situation, the vein being situ- ated between two sloping sides of rock. The land on which this mine is located was, in 1837, owned by one Frederick Parks, who sold the premises to one William Downs, "reserv- ing all mineral ores thereon, with the privilege of going to and from all beds of ore that may be hereafter worked on the most convenient route to and from." Downs sold the land, with the same reservation, to Gilbert Bailey, and by various convey- ances it came into the possession of Aaron B. Marvin, August 11th. 1849, and he erected a dwelling house and outbuildings and occupied them with his family. On the 24th of October, 185.5, Frederick Parks conveyed the mineral rights to William TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 471 R. Paynter, who sold them to Isaiah T. Williams in 1858, and he conveyed the same to the "Brewster Iron Company" March a4th, 1864. The company took possession and extended their operations until their excavations extended under Marvin's dwelling house and caused the walls to crack, while the blast- ing, which was continued both night and day, disturbed the peace and repose of himself and family during the hours usu- ally devoted to sleep, while the chance and prospect of having their house and home blown up or shaken down was not calcu- lated to quiet their nerves or render their lives one of unalloyed happiness. Marvin accordingly brought a suit against the company for damages, and in the lower courts his case was sus- tained, but the Court of Appeals reversed the decision and es- tablished the principle that the reservation of minerals included and carried with it the full right and power to sink shafts and to carry on all the operations of mining in the usual manner, and also affirmed that the rights of the mine owner were not extinguished by non-usage, unless the owner of the land had accompanied his possession by acts of ownership sufficient to establish his title to the minerals by adverse possession. The Theall and McCollum Mines are in the southwestern part of the town and derived their names from the former owners of the farms upon which they are situated. In January, 1848, Stephen and Gilbert Travis sold lo Thatcher H. Theall 130 acres of land, bounded by Croton River and by the land of James McCollum and others. Mr. Theall made an arrangement with Thomas W. Harvey, July 29th, 1851, about mining and exca- vating for materials. Harvey transferred his right to the "Har- vey Steel and Iron Company," and this company sold their right to Holman J. Hale, and Mr. Theall conveyed to him by deed January 3d, 1857, "all the ores and fossil substances on said farm," and Hale transferred all his rights to the "Ameri- can Magnetic Iron Company," February 25th, 1857. March 9th, 1880, upon foreclosure of a mortgage, the property was sold to Henry F. Durant. The McCollum Mine, which is near the former and doubtless the same vien of ore, is on a farm which was sold by James McCollum to the " Harvey Steel and Iron Company," June 29th, 1863, and by them to E. H. Ladd, December 12th, 1863, and he in turn sold to John H. Cheever and Henry F. Durant, January 18th, 1884. They transferred it to the "McCollum 472 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Iron Mines," April 7th, 1880, for the sum of $997,500. TheTheall Mine was sold by Cheever to the " Croton Magnetic Iron Com- pany," September 6th, 1882. The Tilly Foster Mine has an importance and value greater than any other in the county, and from the excellence of its ore and the wonderfnl combination of minerals found it is celebrated beyond all others. The land connected with the mine is part of three sejjarate tracts. The first is a farm sold by the commis- sioners of forfeitures to Jacob Ellis, December 28th, 1781. This farm is the northwest corner of Lot No. 9, of Philipse Patent, and belonged to Roger Morris. The farm is described in the deed as "All that tract of land in Fredericksburg, now in pos- session of Jacob Ellis. Beginning at the Northwest corner of a walnut sapling with stones around it, and running thence East 15 minutes North 26 chains to a large rock. Then South 5 de- grees west, 16 chains. Then South 23^ degrees East- 40 chains to the east side of the mill river. Then North 77|^ degrees West 47 chains 80 links. Thence N. 9i degrees East 40 chains 40 links to the first bounds containing 146 acres." The price being *146. The second farm was sold by the commissioners to Heman King. This was a tract of 284 acres, and lay to the east of the above tract. The third tract was a farm sold to Josiah Brown and by him to Matthew Beale, and lay between the two others and was on the east side of the Croton River. Heman King sold 60 acres of his farm to George Beale in May, 1815, and he in turn sold this with other land to the extent of 128 acres, to Tilly Foster, April 1st, 1830. It is upon this tract that the works of the mine are situated. Upon this farm Tilly Foster lived till the time of his death, which occurred April 4th, 1842, at the age of 49. His house is still standing near the works and is a well preserved relic of former times. The farm was sold by his executors to Isaac Kelley, in 1844, and he transferred it to Mary Foster, widow of Tilly Foster, June 8th of the same year. She conveyed it to Horace D. Townsend, as her guardian and for her benefit, on the 26th of October. In accordance with this Mr. Townsend covena*ted with Thomas W. Harvey and Theodosius Secor to convey to them all the mineral rights and metallic veins and ores for the sum of $1,000. They transferred their right to the " Harvey Steel and Iron Company," and they took the deed from Townsend, March 21st, 1853. They sold it to Charles H. Ladd, December 12th, 1863, and he to John H. TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 473 Cheever, January 18th, 1864, and he purchased the entire farm from the heirs of Tilly Foster. By the foreclosure of a mort- gage, a part of the farm was sold to Henry F. Durant, in 1864. Previous to this a company was duly incorporated under the name of the "Tilly Foster Iron Mines," the trustees being John H. Cheever, Henry F. Durant, John Gr. Tappan, Charles H. Ladd and Charles F. Hardwicke, and the capital being $500,000. Mr. Cheever transferred all his right to the company, and Mr. Durant did the same, and the "Tilly Foster Iron Mines" be- came the owner of all the premises and minerals. The first man who ever attempted to get iron from this mine was James Townsend, who owned a forge which stood near the north end of the reservoir at Boyd's Corners, in the town of Kent. Here he used to manufacture iron from the ore on a small scale, and as the ore at the present Tilly Foster Mine was then plainlj'- visible on the surface, he procured some for his furnace. This was in 1810. From that time till 1853, scarcely any attempt was made to develop its resources. The geological nature of this mine may be best learned from the following description given by two of the most celebrated mineralogists in the county. Prof. N. S. Shaler thus describes the mine: " The rock is gneiss rock as a whole, the greater part of the rock neighboring to the mine is gneiss. There are other rocks in the series. There is an extensive set of limestone rocks which have not been noticed by observers there, so far as I can find, lying perhaps 500- yards to the north of the mine, in the strike of the mine. This series of limestone contains at least two beds, both of which exceed ten feet in thickness. I have not seen these limestones nearer the mine than 500 yards to the north. I suspect they may come a good deal nearer than that. The ore is a bedded deposit beyond any reasonable doubt. It is a bedded deposit which has been subjected to all sorts of dis- locations working together. It has been ' rolled ' as it is some- times termed. There has been a slip of the ore in the bed so as to pinch it into local agglomerations of the ore; then the ag glomerations of ore have been cut across by faults. I am in- clined to think that the bed of ore had originally a very great horizontal extent, the consolidation of it by these processes of ' pinching ' has made a mass of a somewhat doubtful form. We know that as a large mass of ore, it is distinctly about 522 feet long, on the 110 foot level." 474 HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. The following description was given by Prof. Henry S. Mon- roe, of Columbia College: " The deposit is evidently a stratified one, that is, the iron ore was originally deposited in a horizontal bed underlaid by horizontal beds of sand or clay or possibly sandstone rocks, clayrocks, shales, etc. After the deposition of the iron ore it was covered by similar beds of sand and clay, the whole forming a stratified deposit of sands, and clays, or of sandstones and shales, with the bed of iron ore lying between. Afterward, in the course of long geological time, these beds were uplifted and placed nearly on edge, as we find them; and by metamorphic action these rocks have become crystalized, and the different minerals secreted, the shales and sandstones and other sedimentary rocks have thus been changed into a crystaline gneiss: the iron ore was formerly in the form of bi'own hematite or perhaps of carbonate of iron and hematite, which by similar metamorphic action (that is, by heat, pressure and chemical action) has been changed to a hard and crystaline magnetic ore. The joints and faults in the ore body are filled with a mineral of the serpentine family, called eleolite, by mine geologists, which is a soapy magnesian mineral of a green color: this mineral is permeable by water to a slight extent." The following is from Prof. James D. Dana: "The rocks like those of northern New York and New Jersey, are called crys- taline rocks; rocks we suppose to have been originally in a state of mud and sand partly from the sea shore and partly from the sand flats and marshes: that is, I believe the universal view at the present time with regard to the origin of these rocks: the ore is considered by the larger part of the geologists, I believe, to be a marsh deposit made in a great marsh, while these rocks were still in that soft state, much as ores are made in the mud of marshes. This is proved in most places in northern New Jersey and southern New York, by finding that the ore bed is perfectly parallel with the beds of rock on either side, so that you could trace a sea of beds. At the Tilly Foster mine it is more difficult to trace the range of beds. From the similarity of the rocks and the similarity of the ore, I should have no doubt that the Tilly Foster ore was made in the same way, especially as they belong to the same class of formation called in geology, Archaen and Azoic. These original mud beds, sand beds and marshy iron ore beds have all undergone a change at- tending the uplifting and folding of the rocks by lateral pres- TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 475 sare, a pressure that has been exerted from one side and they have been elevated so as to stand vertically and often you may trace fold after fold, but such folding was attended by great fractures and also v^ith great heat which produced the crystali- zation of the old beds, turning the old marshy ores into the crystaline ores that we find in the Tilly Foster and other like mines: but such a folding attended with heat has a great deal of friction connected with it and that heat caused the crystali- zation of the rocks and turned the mud beds into granite, gneiss and other rocks and turned the ore, originally a marsh ore, into a crystaline ore. The outside rock is much firmer than the rock of the bed itself; a large part is exceedingly firm, what we call syenite, a rock of the same formation with Quincy granite and a part of it is the bedded rock called gneiss. Of the rock for- mation, which is immediately in contact with the ore deposits in this mine, there is along the walls a soft layer consisting largely of chlorite, a soft magnesian mineral, which is easily decomposable. The ore is mixed with a very brittle mineral, called chondrodite, and the ore is broken up into pieces from the size of the fist to a few cubic feet, in a great part of the mine. These fragments are all covered with a soft soapy min- eral, called serpentine, so that they sliii upon one another with great facility. It is the most striking feature of the mine and renders it wholly unlike any other ore beds I have seen. The material which is thrown out or dumped along side of the rail- road leading to the mine, is nothing but these slippery masses of impure ore, chondrodite mixed with some of the magnetic ore: in three-fourths of the bed the chondrodite is abundant and fractures are everywhere. The idea that the beds of ore were melted matter thrown up from below is no longer enter- tained by geologists." The following is from Professor Cooke: "The ore in this ' mine is magnetic. This magnetism is supposed by geologists to be caused by the position in which it lies in the earth, namely: north and south, and is derived from the magnetism of the earth. In the inside of the mine, the magnesian rocks have undergone metamorphic action by which peculiar minerals have been developed from the rocks previously there and this has al- ways been the cui'ious part of the Tilly Foster mine to mineralo- gists. The age of the period of the formation of the gneiss rock in which the iron ore is situated, carries lis back to the 476 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. earliest geological periods in the history of the globe; to a period long before there was any organic existence upon the earth. The oldest fossiliferous rock is the Potsdam sandstone, and the syenitic gneiss and its series of rocks are so much older that their elevation and folding deposited, and that carries us back beyond being counted. There are two kinds of iron ore, the protoxide of iron, Fe^ C, which is black and magnetic, and hematite, or red oxide, Fe° 0', which is not magnetic. The ore of the Tilly Foster mine is of the former kind. The effect of pressure in the folding of the rocks is shown by portions of the ore being pressed smooth and polished like glass. The ore is free from phosphorus, and nearly so from sulphur, and of ex- cellent quality." The mine is now owned and worked by the "Pennsylvania Coal and Iron Company." The superintendent of the mine is Mr. Andrew Cosgriff, who was born in New York and has made mining the business of his life, having been engaged in every branch of the business, from the coal lields of Pennsylvania to the silver mines of Nevada. In 1862, he joined the United States Navy and fought under Admiral Farragut. He came to the Tilly Foster Mine September 24th, 1868. At that time it was an open mine and was putting out about 30 tons of ore per day. In 1879, the mine was yielding ore to the extent of 7,000 tons per month, and employed 300 men. At the present time the mine has reached a depth of 650 feet. The output is about 2,000 tons per month and ] 50 hands are employed. Mr. Cos griff is the general superintendent of the works, and his skill and knowledge of the business are unquestioned. The following list includes some of the rarer minerals of Tilly Foster Mine: Chondrodite — color yellowish red and garnet red. Crystals are beautiful and rare. In its massive form and mixed with other minerals, it is abundant here. Magnetite— Iron black, has a metallic lustre. Serpentine — dark green. Is easily scratched with a knife, has a greasy feeling. There are many varieties at this mine. Brucite — foliated, lustre — pearl. Enstatite — has a fibrous appearance, grayish white. Actinolite — a variety of amphibole, color light green. Apatite — hexagonal, grayish green. TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 477 Pyrrhotite — hexagonal, bronze yellow. Is attracted by the magnet. Fluorite — purple or yellow, admits a polish. Albite — white, fracture, uneven. Epidote — yellowish green, and gray. Sphene — also called titanite, grayish brown, edges of crystals are sharp. In the transactions of Connecticut Academy, Vol. Ill, is an interesting article on the chondrodite of this mine. An article on serpentine pseudomorphs is in the "American Journal of Science," Vol. XIII, 1874. Croton Reservoir. — By an Act to facilitate the acquisition of land for the extension of the Croton Aqueduct Water Works, passed April 3d, 1865, it was enacted that the Croton Acqueduct Board were authorized to acquire title to such pieces of land in the counties of Putnam and Westchester as in their judgment might be necessary for the purjjose of constructing storage reservoirs, for the purpose of keeping up a full supply of water during the season when the daily flow of Croton River was insuflBicient to meet the wants of the city of New York. The board were to have full power to enter upon the lands for the purpose of making surveys, and to agree with the owners in respect to compensation to be made for the land taken, and in case of disagreement they were to present a petition to the Supreme Court for the appointment of commissioners to ap- praise the damage. In accordance with this act and acts passed in 1871, steps were taken to acquire title to the lands now covered by the reservoir near the Tilly Foster Mines. The largest tracts taken were 116 acres belonging to Mrs. Adah Mead, near the south end, and generally known as the " Moseman 5. Hyatt place;" 59 acres were taken from the east end of the farm of Reuben W. Kirkham, which formerly belonged to Enoch Crosby; 53 acres belonged to Frederick Knox; the western part of the farm of Isaac Kelley, embracing 110 acres; 44 acres belonging to the Tilly Foster Mines, and 46 acres of the farm of Theodore Kelley. The house and farm buildings of Isaac Kelley stood on what is now a small island in the reservoir, visible when the water is low, and were moved to the highland to the east, where they now stand. The work of building the dam was commenced in December, 478 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. 1874, and the reservoir was filled in December, 1878. The cost of this reservoir was $656,000. The elevation is 375 feet above tide water. The old school house in this neighborhood stood on the north side of the present road over the reservoir, a short distance east of the bridge. A still older one was standing at the beginning of the century, on the south side of the road and nearly opposite. Descendants of Rev. Elisha Kent. — ^Rev. Elisha Kent was son of John Kent, and was born in Suffield, Conn., in 1703, and died July 17th, 1776. He came to Southeast from Newtown, Fairfield county, Conn., and purchased the south half of Lot 11 on the Oblong from the original owner, William Smith, "Lawyer of New York," August 3d, 1743. Upon this tract he built his home, where he lived and died. Mr. Kent married Abigail Moss, and they were the parents of five children : Moss, born March 25th, 1733, died February 4th, 1794; Mary, married Malcora Morrison; Lucy, married Charles CuUen; Sybil, married John Kane; Sarah, married Major Alex- ander Grant. Mrs. Abigail Kent died in Southeast in January, 1751, aged 33. After her decease Mr. Kent married Mrs. Ray- mond, sister of Governor Fitch of Connecticut. She survived her husband. There were no children by this marriage. Moss Kent lived in Southeast on a farm which he held by perpetual lease from Philip Philipse. He graduated from Yale College, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1756, and prac- ticed his profession in Dutchess county. He afterward lived at Waterford, and died in New York February 4th, 1794. Remar- ried Abigail, daughter of Dr. Uriah and Hannah Rogers. She died in Southeast December 30th, 1771, at the age of 36. The children of this marriage were : Chancellor James Kent (See chapter on Bench and Bar); Hon. Moss Kent, 2d, born April 3d- 1766, moved to Plattsburg, N. Y., and died unmarried, May 30th, 1838; Hannah, born October 10th, 1768, married William P. Piatt October 11th, and died December 12th, 1846. Chancellor James Kent married Elizabeth Bailey. She was born September 10th, 1768, and died June 19th, 1851. Their children were: Hon. William Kent, born October 2d, 1802; Eliza, born February 16th, 1796, married Isaac S. Hone; and Mary, the second wife of Rev. John S. Stone, now living in Cambridge, Mass. TOWN OP SOUTHEAST. 479 Hon. William Kent married Helen Riggs. They had one son, James Kent, of Fishkill, who married Sarah Irving Clark. Their children are : James Kent, jr., who married Louisa Morris Stewart; Edward Clark Kent; William Kent, who married Emily Lorillard; and W. Irving Kent, who married Helen Y. C. Stewart. Eliza Kent, daughter of Chancellor James Kent, married Isaac Stone. Their daughter, Elizabeth Kent Stone, married William H. Ashurst. Their children were: William H., Kate, Emily, Elizabeth K., Alice and Fannie. Mary Kent, daughter of Chancellor James Kent, married Rev. John S. Stone. Their children, are: James Kent Stone, born November 10th, 1840, married Cornelia Fay; William Kent Stone, born January 31st, 1842; Henry Van Dyck Stone, born August 9th, 1843, killed at Gettysburg, July 3d, 1863; Eliza- beth Kent Stone, born March 22d, 1846; Charles Simeon §tpne, born November 26th, 1848; Philip Sidney Stone, born January 29th, 1852. Mary Kent, daughter of Rev. Elisha Kent, married Malcom Morrison. He was a Scotchman by birth and lived in the pres- ent village of Patterson. He also held a large tract by lease for life from Philip Philipse, which was in the northeast part of the town of Kent. The lease was dated May 3d, 1767, and states that Malcom Morrison was 27 years old, his wife Mary 24, and their son Archibald 3 years old. Their children were: Archi- bald, who lived at Eton Hall, Kent, England (He was married twice but left no children); Susan, wife of James Adams; and Sophia, first wife of Rev. John S. Stone, whose children were: Archibald Morrison Stone, to whom Archibald Morrison, his uncle, left his fortune, on condition of assuming his name (He is now Rev. Archibald Morrison, of Morristown, N. J.), and Mary Kent Stone.. Malcom Morrison was one of the justices of the peace for Dutchess county before the Revolution. Being a Loyalist, he left the country, after the war. Lucy Kent, daughter of Rev. Elisha Keht, married Charles C alien, who was born near Belfast, Ireland, June 14th, 1744. He was a merchant and had a house and store at the village of Milltown in Southeast. He was a Loyalist during the Revolu- tion, and about 1783 removed from Milltown to a farm about a mile and a half south of Carmel, where he died November 5th, 480 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. 1787. They were married about 1768. Mrs. Lucy CuUen died on the farm near Carmel some years after her husband. Where they were buried is unknown, but probably it was in the old Grilead burying ground, which is on a lot of the farm where they lived. Their children were: John, who died unmarried; Charles, who died unmarried; and Susan De Lancey, born Oc- tober 14th, 1784, died June 23d, 1863. She married James Van Rensselaer, son of Gen. Robert Van Rensselaer, of the Revo- lution, whose sister married Gen. Philip Schuyler. He died in 1847. Their children were: John CuUen Van Rensselaer, born February 16th, 1812, living in New Brunswick, New Jersey; Cornelia Rutsen; Susan Cullen, wife of Henry Weston, who has children: Rensselaer, Henry D., James C, and Willough- by, born August 23d, 1848, married Katharine Janeway, and has a son, Henry, born in August, 1876; and Angelica Schuyler. John Cullen Van Rensselaer married Cornelia J. Codwise. Their children were: Mary, born May 7th, 1839, died February 5th, 1871 (She married Andrew K. Cogswell, and left one son, Cullen Van Rensselaer Cogswell); Nina, born November 3d, 1840, married David Olyphant Vail, and has children, Anna M. and Cornelia V. R. ; and Schuyler, born July 6th, 1845, died March. 5th, 1884. He married Mariana Griswold, and left one son, George Griswold Van Rensselaer, born February 11th, 1875. Sarah Kent, daughter of Rev. Elisha Kent, married Major Alexander Grant, of the 42d Highland Regiment. He was liv- ing previous to the Revolution- on a farm on the " Gore," north of Patterson village. He was killed at the storming of Fort Montgomery, while in the British service, as a major, October 7th, 1771. He was buried there, and his tombstone was to be seen in 1846. His widow went to New Brunswick, Canada, after the war, with her brother-in-law, John Kane, and perished there in a snow storm. In the old burying ground by the Presbyterian church, in Patterson, are the graves of Capt. James Grant, who died in 1796, aged 69; and his wife, Christina, who died in 1838, aged 76, and their son Robert, in 1830, aged 40. A plain stone near them bears the following: " This granite slab is erected by Robert Grant to perpetuate the memory of Wm. Alexander Grant, his brother, son of Capt. James and Christina Grant, emigrants from Scotland, who departed this terrestrial hemisphere Sept. 26, IS'20, aged 31 years 5 months." TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 481 " Cui Pudor et justitice sorror Inoorrupta fides, nudaque Veritas Qiiando invenient ullem parem.'' Sybil Kent, daughter of Rev. Elislia Kent, married John Kane. He was a native of Scotland, and was the holder of a farm on the " Gore " in the town of Pawling, Dutchess county, N. Y., as a tenant of the Philipse family, before the Revolu- tion. This farm is now owned by William H. Chapman, Esq. John Kane, being a Loyalist, was forced like many others to go as exile to New Brunswick, where they suffered severely. They afterward returned to this country. The children of this marriage were: John, who married Maria Codwise; Martha, wife of Gilbert R. Livingston; Abigail, wife of John Lawrence; Charles, who married Maria Wray; Oliver, who married Anna Eliza Clark; Elias, who married D. Van Skelluyne; Mary, wife of Gov. Joseph C. Yates; Sybil Adeline, wife of Jeremiah Van Rensselaer; James, died unmarried; Sally, wife of Thomas Morris, son of Hon. Robert Morris of the Revolution; and Elisha Kent. Elisha Kent Kane married Alida Van Rensselaer, sister of James and Jeremiah V. R. Their son, Hon John K. Kane, U. S. Judge, Philadelphia, married Jane Duval Lieper. Their children were: Dr. Elisha Kent Kane, the Artie explorer, born February 3d, 1822, died in Havana, February 16th, 1857; Gen. Thomas 'L. Kane; Robert Patterson Kane; Elizabeth, wife of Rev. C. W. Shields, of Princeton; and Dr. John K. Kane. Jeremiah Van Rensselaer, who married Sybil Adeline Kane, was brother of James V. R., who married Susan De Lancey Cullen. The children of Jeremiah and Sybil Van Rensselaer were: Robert, who married Margaret Stuyvesant; Alida, wife of Hon. Charles H. Carroll; Cornelia, wife of Hon. Francis Granger; Archibald, died unmarried; Jacob R., married Vir- ginia Hatchings; James, died unmarried; and Catharine, died unmarried. Hon. Francis Granger, who married Cornelia Van Rensselaer, had two children, Gideon and Adeline; the latter is the wife of Hon Robert Winthrop, of Boston. Gilbert R. Livingston, who married Martha Kane, was the father of Rev. Gilbert Livingston, of Coxsackie, N. Y., whose son, Henry G. Livingston, was pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Carmel. He married Sarah, daughter of James Ray- 31 482 HISTORY OF PUTISTAM OOUNTY. mond, and their children, Julia R. and Gilbert R. Livingston, are the only descendants of Rev. Elisha Kent, vt^ho are now living in the county where he lived and labored and died, and is buried. EisrocH Crosby, who is generally believed to have been the original of "Harvey Birch," the hero of Cooper's famous novel " The Spy," was born in Harwich, Mass., January 4th, 1750. He was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Crosby, veho came to the Philipse Patent when Enoch was three years old. His father settled in what is now Carmel, and occupied a farm on which the Drew Ladies' Seminary is situated, and extended to, and included, the site of the old Gilead burying ground, and where the Grilead meeting house afterward stood. He was liv- ing on this farm in 1754, and it was in his possession in 1762. In 1766 this farm was granted by a perpetual lease to James Dickinson, by Philip Philipse, and is mentioned as "formerly in possession of Thomas Crosby." After leaving this farm he is said to have settled in the eastern part of the town of South- east, but of this there is no positive knowledge. As his name does not appear on the tax list of 1777, it is probable that he died previous to that time. A plain stone in the old Gilead burying ground records the death of "Elizabeth, widow of Thomas Crosby," August 6th, 1801, aged 92. It seems that about 1766 he experienced severe misfortune and from a state of comparative comfort was reduced to poverty. At the age of sixteen Enoch left home to depend " upon his own ex- ertions for support, with a scanty outfit of clothes, a few shill- ings in money and a small Bible," but carrying with him the priceless treasure of his parents' blessing. He became an ap- prentice to a worthy man who resided in what is now the town of Kent and there learned "the art and mystery of a cord- wainer" or shoemaker. He faithfully fulfilled his term of ser- vice, which terminated January 4th, 1771, his 21st birthday. Young Crosby, who was living in Danbury when the news came of the battle of Lexington, was one of the first to enlist in a company under Captain Benedict, and was shortly after- ward sent with his company to take part in the expedition against Canada under Generals Schuyler and Montgomery. In this expedition he first " saw war" in all its stern reality. He, with many others, was attacked by severe illness, but returned TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 483 to his company as soon as he was able to do so. He remained till the army took possession of Montreal, and then, his term of enlistment having expired, he resolved to return to the scenes of his childhood. In company with several others he embarked in a small schooner for Crown Point. From thence he pro- ceeded to Ticonderoga on foot, and then taking a small boat rowed to Sabbath Day Point, on Lake George. There the only shelter they could find was an old pig sty, which they filled with brush and straw, and laid down to rest. After several days of fatigue and suffering he reached Danbury and resumed his former occupation. When the Revolution had fairly begun, the colony of New York organized a "Provincial Congress," which was the recognized government. This Congress appointed a committee of safety consisting of Messrs. Jay, Piatt, Duer and Sackett, whose duty it was to counteract the plans and in- trigues of the tories, who abounded and embraced many men of high standing and influence. Crosby, now in his 27th year, resolved again to enter the service of his country, and should- ering his musket and knapsack bent his course toward the headquarters of the American army. It was toward the close of a warm day in September, 1776, that he reached a wild and romantic ravine in the county of Westchester. Here he fell in with a man who was a tory himself and supposed Crosby to be one, on his way to join the British. The stranger cautioned him as to the danger of the way, as " the rebels were on the alert." Crosby, with affected concern, inquired what course it would be best to pursue, and was advised by the stranger to go with him to his home and to go down to the British with a com- pany which was then forming. Seeing in this a favorable op- portunity to strike a blow for the country, Crosby accepted the invitation, and was soon introduced to a number of men who were bitterly hostile to the friends of liberty. At the end of three days he had made himself master of all the information in their power to communicate, and told his host that he was too impatient to join the enemy to wait the slow movements of the company, and despite the warnings against so hazardous a journey, took his leave, and was soon out of sight on the road to New York. He then made all haste to the house of a Mr. Young, who lived within eight miles of White Plains, and who was well known as a friend of the "upper party," as the Americans 484 HISTOEY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. were called. The whole affair was soon explained, and Crosby and Mr. Young were on their way to White Plains, where the committee of safety were then sitting, and were soon in the presence of Judge John Jay, one of the most vigilant guardians of the public safety. The committee were quickly convened and Crosby was directed to be in readiness to go with a company of Rangers to the place where the tories held their secret meetings. The plan was suc- cessful and the whole gang was captured. The chairman. Judge Jay, seeing his peculiar ability, urged him to serve his country as a secret agent, and to that he agreed, only stipulating that in case of his death they should do justice to his memory. He received a pass, which he was instructed never to show except in dire necessity, and if he should be arrested as an emissary of the enemy, means were to be furnished to enable him to escape. Equipping himself with a peddler's pack, containing a com- plete set of shoemaker's tools, he sallied out on his new and dangerous mission. He soon found that a company was form- ing for the purpose of joining the British, and resolved to join it. Making the acquaintance and gaining the confidence of the leader, he was shown to the hiding place of the company, which was the interior of an immense hay stack. While the company were asleep, Crosby rose and hastened to White Plains, and the result was the arrest of the whole company, Crosby among the rest, as he had returned as soon as he had given his informa- tion. When the prisoners were examined at White Plains, they were sent under guard to Fishkill, and Crosby was privately informed that an opportunity would be given him to escape. On arriving at Fishkill they were confined in a church. Crosby in his turn was brought before the committee of safety, who had come from White Plains. As soon as the officer retired, the committee gave him directions how to escape. Being re- turned to the church, their temporary prison, Crosby made his escape from a window, and went off unharmed, by the fire of the sentinel. His next exploit was the discovery of a company which was recruited by an English captain and was hidden in the Highlands on the west side of the river. After joining them and finding out their plans and place of rendezvous he hastened to a man whom he knew to be a warm friend to the country, and sent a letter to the committee of safety requesting them to send Captain Townsend's company of Rangers, and intercept the TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 485 company when they came to their place of meeting. This plan was also successful, and the whole company were arrested, Crosby with the rest. Among the band of Townsend's Rangers was Mr. William Duer, who was one of the committee of safety and had come with them expressly to give Crosby a chance to escape. Captain Townsend, all unaware of the real character of the spy, was overjoyed at the capture of Crosby who had escaped from him at Fishkill. "Well met old comrade," exclaimed Townsend, with a smile of triumph, " you showed us a light pair of heels at Fishkill, but if I do not see them made sufficiently heavy this time may I never be a Major." "Who is he?" asked Duer, innocently. " Enoch the patriarch," returned Townsend, smiling at his con- ceit; " who disappeared from the church at Fishkill almost as mysteriously as his ancient namesake is said to have done from the earth." Crosby was carried with the rest to Fishkill, and while the others were confined in the church, he was taken to the residence of Judge Jay, which was the temporary head- quarters of Captain Townsend, who was determined that his prisoner should not again escape, and still ignorant of the na- ture of his prize, placed him in a room under a strong guard. A strong opiate was placed in the brandy that was given to the guard, and during his sleep, Crosby was again set at liberty, and Captain Townsend's feelings may be better imagined than de- scribed, when in the morning he found his prisoner fled, and the only explanation was that he must Jiaoe crawled up the chimney. Some time afterward he was recognized and ca^Jture by some soldiers who heard of his escape, and who, rejoiced at the idea of having taken so dangerous an enemy, were upon the point of tak- ing summary vengeance. At the last extremity Crosby pro- duced his secret pass, and his captors were struck dumb with amazement when they recognized the well known signatures, and changing them to ask no further questions he went on his way. Among his various places of resort was the house of Dr. Matthias Burner Miller, who lived in Hopewell, Dutchess county, and also the house of John Jay, who for a while made his residence near Fishkill. The next adventure was at a house near the old Quaker meeting house on Quaker Hill, near Pawling. Here a company of tories held their meetings and Crosby, who joined them, laid a plan for their capture. In due time the house was 486 HISTORY Off PUTNAM COUNTY. surrounded by an armed band under Colonel Morehouse and the whole gang made prisoners. Some leaped from the windows while Crosby, who professed great anxiety to escape, hid him- self under a bed. Pretending to have sprained his ankle, and to be unable to walk, Crosby was put on a horse behind the colonel, and the whole cavalcade, with the prisoners tied in pairs, set out. In a whisper the colonel gave him directions for escap- ing, and at an opportune moment Crosby slipped from the horse and was gone. The region of country between Harlem River and Pines Bridge Bridge on the Croton was known as the neutral ground and was exposed to the troops of both parties. The inhabitants were in a state of constant alarm and neither life nor property was safe. It was here that Crosby ran his greatest risk, and gained much information which he transmitted to the American oflBcers. Crosby's continued and wonderful escapes finally excited sus- picions among the tories, who finally came to the conclusion that he was an American spy, and they resolved on speedy vengeance. His brother-in-law, Solomon Hopkins, lived about two miles from Carmel, on the road to Boyd's Corners, and on the place now owned by Mr. Joseph Haight. To this house Crosby went on a visit. He was watched by his enemies, and on the second night of his visit, a ball, fired through the window, grazed his neck and buried itself in the ceiling opposite. The mark of the ball was visible until the house was torn down, about 1875. He was now compelled to be constantly on guard, and slept in aback room with a loaded musket. A few nights afterward an armed gang came to the house, pulled his brother-in-law from his bed and compelled him to disclose his sleeping place. Crosby, after a desperate resistance, was beaten and left for dead and the house plundered. The neighbors, aroused by the report of fire- arms, assembled and pursued the ruffians, who were overtaken on the banks of the Croton which flowed near. Some were shot and some were driven into the river and drowned, and on the fall of the stream in the spring Crosby's musket was found with other articles. After his recovery he again joined the army and continued his services till the close of the war. After the Revolution Enoch Crosby and his brother Benjamin purchased from the commissioners of forfeiture a farm of 276 acres. This farm is situated on the west side of the reservoir near the Tilly Foster Iron Mines. Here he lived during the re- TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. ' 487 mainder of his life. For many years he was justice of the peace and was one of the associate judges of Common Pleas in 1812-13, and was supervisor of Southeast" during the last men- tioned years. He was one of the deacons of the old Gilead church and a worthy member till the day of his death. In person he was tall, being six feet in height and rather slender. He was modest in his demeanor and not given to tell or boast of his exploits. His tombstone, near the northwest corner of the old Gilead burying ground, bears the following inscription: "In Memory of Enoch Crosby, who died June 26, 1835, Aged 85 years, 5 months and 21 days. At the time of the trial of the Astor suit, which took place in New York in November, 1827, Enoch Crosby was present as a witness. At that time Cooper's "Spy" was being played at the Park Theater. It was known that Crosby was in the city, and as the original of " Harvey Birch " he was invited to at- tend. His acceptance was announced, and a large audience greeted the old soldier. The facts which Cooper made the basis of the " Spy " were obtained from the narrations of Hon. John Jay, who did not disclose the name of the secret agent, perhaps from the fact that the animosities of the Revolution had not yet entirely passed away. The adventures of Enoch Crosby, narrated by himself, were published in a small book entitled "The Spy Unmasked," by Capt. H. L. Barnum in 1828. A portrait from a pencil sketch by Capt. Barnum is in Lossing's "Field Book of the Revo- lution." The Doa>^e Family. — The ancestor of this family was El- nathan Doane, who came from Cape Cod, probably as early as 1745. He and his son, Elnathan, were tenants of a large farm on Lot No. 6 in Philipse Patent, in 1768, but the old homestead, which is still in possession of his descendants, was the north part of Lot 11 on the Oblong, their nearest neighbor being Rev. Elisha Kent, who owned the south half of the lot. Elnathan Doane, 2d, was born in 1747, and died August 3d, 1806. He was twice married; first to Phebe G-rifRn, who died June 10th, 1788, aged 32, and second to Deborah Penny. His children were: 1. Zenas, who died unmarried. 2. Edmond, born in 1776, and died July 6th, 1825. He mar- 488 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. ried Mary, dangliter of Nehemiah Smith, and they were parents of six children : Lewis, Ambrose, Phebe, wife of John Storms; Julia A., wife of Samuel Everett; Maria, and Augustus S. 3. Demas, born in 1786, died July 23d, 1830. He married Roxana Richards and had one daughter, Amelia, who married Azor B. Crane. 4. Elnathan, born in 1792, died November 11th, 1845. He married widow Hester Barrett, and had two daughters: Deborah B., wife of M. Brown, and Phebe. 5. Benjamin, who died unmarried August 17th, 1850, age 68. Lewis Doane married Julia Kniffen, and their children were: Edmond, Benjamin, who died young; and Mary E., wife of Edwin Dixon. Of these, Edmond Doane was born in 1841, and is now living on the estate which has been in possession of the family since the first settlement. In 1877 he was sheriff of Putnam county, and held that office till 1880. Devoting much of bis time to travel he has at various times visited different portions of this country, Canada and Europe. Mr. Doane married Carrie, daughter of Dr. Nathan W. Wheeler. She died in 1881, leav- ing no children. Augustus S. Doane was born July 6th, 1822, on the old home- stead of his ancestors, which he afterward purchased from the rest of the heirs. During his entire life his principal business has been agriculture on his large estate. For many years he held the offices of justice of the peace, assessor, and justice of Sessions; and is one of the prominent citizens of the town and county. He married Mrs. Julia Doane, widow of his brother, Lewis Doane. They have no children. The Doane farm, which is one of the largest estates in the county, was originally a small part of Lot 11 on the Oblong. The original homestead was built very near the present resi- dence. A line of stone wall a short distance west of the home- stead, and a few feet east of a tenant house on the estate, marks the old Oblong line. The original farm has been largely in- creased at various times by judicious purchases, and it now embraces a tract of more than 700 acres. From this family the neighborhood has ever borne the name of Doansburg. In the buiying ground is a tombstone to the memory of "Ruth, widow of Reuben Doane, who died September 30th, TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 489 1801, aged 69." It is probable that Reuben Doane was an elder brother of Elnathan, 2d, and left no descendants. Zenas and Demas Doane lived east of the village of Brewster, on the place where the Borden Condensed Milk Factory now stands. From them the neighborhood was formerly known as Doanesville. • DxVNiEL Drew was born July 29th, 1797, at Carmel, Putnam county, N. Y. His earlj^ years were sj^ent on the farm, and his education included habits of industry and frugality with the rudiments of knowledge gathered at the winter country schools. In 1812 his father died, having little or no property, and at eighteen the lad began business on his own account. Five years he spent in driving cattle from Putnam county to New York city, and at the end of that time he had gained what was better than money, a practical knowledge of business, and he made use of this knowledge in after years with great success. His name may be added to the long list of others whose lives have shown the permanent value of industry, and doubtless many a l)low-boy and many young men in various occupations and in different parts of this land have received inspirations of activity and of strenuoiis battle against indolence from the history of Daniel Drew. He united with the Methodist Church in 1811, but amid the temptations and perils of the business in which he had em- barked he lost his religious character until about 1844, but the godly training of his pious mother and the early work of the Holy Spirit in his heart were never entirely forgotteti, and he was enabled to avoid the chief vices of men in the cattle trade, such as intemperance and profanity. In 1820 he married, and the home inflaences now brought about him aided in keeping him from evil habits and associa- tions. A striking incident that occurred not long before his marriage made a deep and permanent impression on his mind. He had driven out, with a companion, from New York to Man- hattanville in a gig. Fastening his horse under a tree, they went to a field to examine some cattle. A storm came up suddenly and they returned to the gig for shelter. Hardly were they started, when they were stunned by lightning. When they revived the horse lay dead before them. It was a marvel- ous escape and Mr. Drew never forgot it. 490 HISTOBY OF PUTN^AM COUNTY. In 1827 Mr. Drew removed to New York city, where he con- tinued the cattle trade for some ten years longer. Part of the time he kept the old " Bull's Head " tavern in the " Bowerie," a famous resort of butchers and drovers, and in fact a sort of cattle dealers' exchange. His first ventures laj^ in near trade with adjacent counties in New York, then to Pennsylvania, afterward into the great West. He and his partners brought the first large drove of cattle that ever crossed the AUeghanies, two thousand head, in droves of one hundred each. The busi- ness above sketched would be sufficient, one would think, to oc- cupy all the time and thoughts of any one man, however emi- nent in capacity, but it formed only one department of Mr. Drew's activities. In 1835 Mr. Drew, Mr. St. John and others established a line of steamboats between N"ew York and Albany. This enterprise was the germ of the present w^ell-known and popular "People's Line." Mr. Drew's steamboat business was still more widely extended by the purchase, in 1849, by Drew, Robinson & Co., of the Champlain Transportation Company's stock, with a capital of §150,000, with five steamboats running from AVhitehall to Canada. Of all these varied and gigantic operations Mr. Drew was the master spirit. When he first en- tered into the business CoJiimodore Vanderbilt often said to him, "You have no business in this trade, you don't understand it, and you can't succeed." Since 1836 there have been forty op- position boats on the river, not one of which was a complete success, while many have ruined their owners. From time to time this company continued to build larger and better boats to meet the increasing demand of passenger and freight traffic until 1864, when they launched the first of their present mag- nificent steamers, the " St. John," which was followed the suc- ceeding year by the "Dean Richmond," and in 1867 the "Drew," the largest of all, was completed. As the internal decorations and arrangements of these vessels do not materially differ, a brief description of the latter will suffice to convey an idea of the character of the boats composing this fleet. " This majestic steamer is about 400 feet long over all; width of hull, 48 feet; width over the guards, 84 feet; depth of hold, 10 feet; draft of water, 6 feet. She is propelled by an engine of 82-inch cylinder, 15 feet stroke, carrying from 20 to 25 pounds of steam. She is 2,500 tons burthen, and has sleeping accommodations for over 1,000 passengers." TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 491 In 1836, Mr. Drew embarked a small capital in the banking business in Wall street. His partner endorsed the extension of notes of a friend without consulting Mr. Drew, which caused a loss of over $30,000. In 1840, he associated with himself Nel- son Robinson and Robert W. Kelley, under the firm name of Drew, Robinson & Co. Mr. Robinson had no capital, but his character and talent had been well tested by Mr. Drew in a pre- vious business connection. The details of the business were conducted by the junior partners, but its leading operations were controlled by Mr. Drew. The success of the firm was re- markable. In 1853, wishing to contract his cares and labors. Air. Drew retired from the banking business, giving it up to his son in-law, R. W. Kelley, who, by the aid of Mr. Drew and his strict attention to business, acquired a handsome fortune. A year later Mr. Drew was called back from his retirement by the death of Mr. Kelley and was obliged to take up the threads of business again. Acting on his principle of using well tried agents, he took into partnership in 1855, Mr. E. D. Stanton, who had been one of his clerks. What the success of the firm was, none except the members ever knew, but the name of the house on a piece of paper gave it currency for niore thousands of dollars than would build a western city. Indeed the name of Daniel Drew, endorsed on the acceptances of the Erie Rail- road in 1855, to the extent of a million and a half of dollars, sufficed to guarantee their value and to give them currency. In 1857, Mr. Drew was elected a director of the Harlem Rail- road. The property was in a very depressed condition, and the floating debt amounted to over $600,000. Mr. Drew and Mr. Vanderbilt endoi'sed the acceptances of the road to pay off the debt. Amid all the cares of this vast and varied business career Mr. Drew found lime for practical agriculture. He had an estate of nearly one thousand acres, about fifty miles distant from the city on the Harlem Railroad. His only son, William H. Drew, resides at "Drewscliffe," the homestead farm, where is situated the beautiful cemetery in which his father's remains were interred in 1879. On Friday, March 5th, 1870, the Drew mansion, corner 17th street and Broadway, was open to several hundred guests — the occasion being the celebration of Mr. Drew's golden wedding, he having* married Miss Roxanna Mead in 1820. His only brother, Thomas Drew, was present with his wife, a sister of 492 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Mrs. Drew. This couple had celebrated their golden wedding only two years previous. Such an event rarely occurs — brothers marrying sisters, and living to celebrated golden weddings, both couples being present at the respective celebrations. As naight have been expected, a man of his wealth was fre- quently called upon for aid to secular and religious objects, and none were turned away who brought valid and substantial claim for assistance. He was for many years trustee for vari- ous institutions: the Biblical Institute, at Concord; the Troy University; Wesleyan University; and St. Paul's M. E. Church, N. Y., were among the number. He founded and established the Drew Female Seminary and College at Carmel, also pur- chased the magnificent Gibbons estate at Madison, N. J., where he founded what is known as the Drew Theological Seminary. Mr. Drew also erected the Methodist church edifices at Brew- ster and Carmel. His liberally to further the aims of en- lightened Christianity is his monument, and it vpill endure when the names of railways and leviathan steamers are blotted out. The Theall Family. — The ancestor of this family was Ebenezer Theall, who is said to have come from England. Dur- ing the Revolution he was a Loyalist, and was killed at the battle of White Plains, and one of his eldest sons is said to have been killed in the same engagement. His children were: Samuel, who went to Nova Scotia, Isaac and Thomas (both of whom went to Newburgh), Anne (who died unmarried), Ebene- zer, and Hackaliah. Hackaliah Theall was born November 18th, 1778, and died December 29th, 1824. He married Huldah, daughter of Thatcher Hopkins. Their children were: Lydia L., born May 29th, 1804, married Levi Jennings; Nancy G., born September 3d, 1806, married Israel Underhill; Nellie A., born February 22d, 1808, married Bottsford Noble; Judge Thatcher H., born August 11th, 1810, died January 16th, 1886; Arvah, born No- vember 26th, 1812; Orwin, born November 26th, 1815; and Susan, born December 31st, 1819, married Aaron Jennings. The homestead where the family were born was the farm at Croton Falls, now owned by Joel Purdy. The only members of the family now living are Mrs. Noble, Arvah and Orwin. The last resides at Peekskill. 7lc^^y^^ yl^^ 494 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. He lived and died a baclielor. The funeral services were held in the Croton Falls Baptist Church January 21st, 1886, after which his remains were brought to Carmel and interred beside his kindred in the Kelley Ceme- tery. One of the last acts of Judge Theall was to contribute $1,000 for extinguishing the debt on the Baptist church at Croton Falls. Mr. Arvah Theall, the younger brother of the judge, was also born on the old homestead at Croton Falls. During the life of his brother he was his able assistant and associate: both work- ing in unison in the accomplishing of their designs. The house in which their father lived was a small one-story building, a relic of former days. The present elegant residence was built in 1856 upon the former site, and located on the east side of the old Croton Turnpike, and on the banks of the Croton River, about a mile north of the county line. Upon this place Mr. Theall passed the evening of his life in the enjoyment of a fortune accumulated by constant labor, active energy and care- ful calculation. GrENEEAL James Ryder was bom at the homestead in South- east, Putnam county, and educated at the common schools and North Salem Academy. He spent the summers on the farm after he was eleven years old, attended school in the winters till he was 19, and taught school for seven successive winters. He organized the uniformed company known as the Putnam Guards in the 18th Regiment, and was elected captain. He was ap- . pointed colonel of the 18th Regiment and»continued in the office thirteen years. He was appointed brigadier-general of the 7th Brigade April 8th, 1864, and held the office for eleven years. In 1863 the regiment was ordered to proceed to Harrisburg and report to General Couch; before it reached there it was or- dered to Baltimore to report to General Schenck, and was then ordered to the front to report to General French, but in the night the order was changed and the 8th Regiment, N. Y. H. A., was sent. The regiment was in the service 45 days, most of the time at Fort Marshall, Baltimore. Colonel Ryder was appointed commissioner of the Board of Enrolment of the 10th Congressional District, and held the of- fice from its organization to its close, drawing from the wheel the name of every man who was drafted in the 10th Congres- ,y4wii- ^MaM TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 495 sional District. The office was discontinued on the 8th of May, 1865. Being in command of the 7th Brigade from the death of General Parmenter in November, 1863, he was able to render valuable service to the x^rovost marshall by having his command in readiness to guard the armories and preserve order, and also furnished a battalion of four companies for harbor defense. His time in civil life has been spent on the farm and as a merchant. He was secretary and treasurer of the Bartram & Fanton Manu- facturing Company for over three years. He resided ten years or more in Danbury, Conn. He was commander of the James E. Moore Post, Q. A. K., Department of Connecticut, for three years; one year chief mustering officer Department of Connec- ticut, G. A. E,. ; and one year member of the Council of Ad- ministration, same department. He was elected representative to the General Assembly of Connecticut in November, 1882, and served in the session of 1883 on the committee on military affairs. He was married November 8th, 1854, to Emily A. Beebe, of Bethel, Conn. Mrs. Ryder died January 21st, 1884. Gen. Ryder has one son, Carroll, living in Danbury. In politics he is a republican from the whig school. He was delegate frojn Putnam county to the State conventions in 1856 and 1865. General Ryder is now living on the old homestead at Peach Pond. Hon. Samuel Harrison Everett. — Among the men of note of the present day who have sprung from sturdy Putnam county stock, none has carved out for himself a nobler record than the gentleman whose portrait adorns these pages. Samuel Harrison Everett was born in the town of Carmel, April 8d, 1836. When he started life on his own account his capital consisted of cor- rect habits, untiring industry, a will that scorned reverses, and the sum of thirteen cents in specie. He made fortune after fortune during his lifetime, and lost them through no fault of his, but this did not dampen his spirits and to-day he is a large real estate owner and derives a heavy income from his business. His ancestors, who came from Scotland about the middle of the Seventeenth Century, were among the early settlers in America. They landed on Long Island in' the year 1746, and soon after some moved to the east while others affected a per- manent settlement in Carmel, Putnam county. Long before the 496 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Revolutionary War, history makes mention of Isaac Everett, a mason by trade, who M^as engaged in building blast furnaces for melting iron ore. The record of real estate transfers in Putnam county shows these facts. By deed dated June 13th, 1796, Abraham Everett, the son of Isaac, purchased from Frederick Philipse a tract of 113 acres of arable land for the consideration of £330 sterling. Another deed from the same party to Abra- ham, dated May 19th, 1813, conveyed several roods of land for the consideration of $352.50. A third conveyance, executed be- tween the same parties on March 14th, 1814, gave Abraham 123 acres of land, for which he paid $988. He thus became a large real estate owner in a district which was constantly improving. Abraham Everett had five sons: Charles, Amos, Samuel, Leonard and Abraham.. The family were the pioneers in the Western cattle trade, and they drove their fatted steers to market on foot, long before railroads were thought of. Charles was the eldest son and the father of Samuel H. Soon after young Samuel was born he moved to Southeast and purchased 105 acres of land, which he continued to add to till he acquired an extensive territory. He had four sons: Oscar, Samuel Har- rison, Charles Edwin, and Francis Henry; and seven daughters. While little more than an infant young Samuel showed great ambition, and at the age of eleven years was able to cope with the hired workmen on his father's farm. He went to the dis- trict school in winter and worked on the farm in summer, and at the age of eighteen entered Raymond College, where he pur- sued a course of two years, under the presidency of Rev. H. G. Livingston. Severe studying injured his health, and he re- turned home to the farm, where he quickly recuperated. He soon yearned for a wider field of action, and turned his face to the Metropolis. When he left the old homestead his mother embraced him tenderly and her parting words were, " God speed you, Samuel." He had $36 in money when he left, but when he faced life in New York he had nothing but the capital mentioned at the opening of this sketch. His heart never failed him and soon he was master of a rich bank account. Disaster overtook him in the inclement weather of 1862, and the busi- ness he had established was literally ruined. The stroke fell with severer force, for he had then become a husband and father. His wife was Margaret, daughter of James Percival, and their eldest daughter was Ida Bell Everett. He accepted Sr^^ly H a. HcJl's Sans, ibfeui^IbrH. TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 497 an engagement as a hotel clerk for board for himself and family, and four years later his second daughter, Evelyn Per- cival Everett was born. Both of these daughters are graduates of Drew Seminary at Carmel. He sustained a severe blow on March 12th, 1870, in the loss of Ms affectionate wife. Her father proved his benefactor and loaned him $6,000 with which he purchased the old People's Hotel at 106 Vesey street. It was then a place of no character and the resort of persons little better than tramps. He speedily transformed it into a first class hotel and finished the grand dining room in a style equal to any in the city. The Everett Hotel now occupies parts of nine city lots, and extends from Vesey to Barclay street. They were purchased in fee simple for $450,000, and the chief ownership is in Samuel Harrison Everett, who is conducting a business second to none in the land. Mr. Everett is not selfish, he lives to do good to others and to better the world. He served for five years as a school trustee for the Third Ward of this city, and resigned to take a seat in the Assembly as the representative of his native county. His labors in Albany in the winter of 1881 for the protection oE the Putnam county lakes and for procuring a plentiful supply of pure water for New York are too well known to require recapitu- lation here. He took an active part in the defeat of Roscoe Conkling and Thomas B. Piatt, who resigned their seats in the United States Senate and sought to be again returned for their vindication. Although a republican he persistently voted against them and remained in his seat fifty-six consecutive days for that purpose. He declined the republican nomination for a second term for the Assembly, but under the pressure brought to bear by his friends he reluctantly accepted the nomination for State Senator for the Fourteenth District, comprising Co- lumbia, Dutchess and Putnam counties. He made an unparal- leled run, being beaten by but 208 votes, his opponent being the Hon. Homer A. Nelson, a popular and well-known demo- crat. Recently he has taken no active part in politics but has always been ready to serve his partj'' in conventions and when important questions arise. His large business and his charitable and religious work engross all his time. Mr. Everett is now president of the Board of Trustees of Rev. T. De Witt Talmage's Brooklyn Tabernacle and he has served as 33 498 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. a trustee for some years. He gives to the poor and worthy with a generous hand and his donations to the church are munificent. His present wife is the daughter of A. H. Todd, of Katonah, N. Y., and is the mother of two sons, Samuel H., jr., and Charles E., 2d, and one daughter, Susan Mary. Mr. Everett stands six feet high, is of wiry and athletic build, and his dark features beam with benevolence. The record of his life is a chapter young men could study with profit. Danikl W. Dykeman. — Hezekiah Dykeman, the oldest son of Capt. Joseph Dykeman, of Revolutionary fame, was the father of Junia Dykeman, who was born November 22d, 1785, and died March 6th, 1875. The old homestead of Hezekiah Dykeman is still standing on the north side of the road a few rods east of theNew York & New England Railroad, near Dyke- man's Station. Junia Dykeman married Sarah Morehouse and their children were: Daniel W., Sally B. and Belinda M. Daniel W. Dykeman was born August 6th, 1814, and inher- ited the homestead of his father near Dykeman' s Station. This farm, like that of his grandfather, was purchased from Frederick Philipse, about 1811. The old house where he was born and where his early life was passed, was torn down in 1849, and a new one erected upon its site. This stood until 1873, when it was re- moved and the present elegant residence was built the same year. During his entire life Mr. Dykeman made agriculture his principal business. To all the country round he was known as an active and worthy citizen, and was one who enjoyed the re- spect and confidence of all who knew him. For many years he held the offices of justice of the peace and assessor, and was prom- inent in town affairs. Mr. Dykeman married Sarah E., daughter of Reuben Crosby. She was born May 27th, 1822, and they were married January 28th, 1846. After the death of his first wife, which occurred October 24th, 1851, Mr. Dykeman married Emma C. Nickerson, September 19th, 1853. The children of the first marriage were Edwin C. and William H., both of whom died in childhood. By his second marriage, Mr. Dyke- man had one son, Junia W. Mr. Junia W. Dykeman inherited the homestead on the death of his father, which occurred September 12th, 1875. He still makes the place his home, and is one of the well known citi- zens of the town. For several years he held the offices of justice TOWlSr OF SOUTHEAST. 499 of the peace and justice of Sessions, and has been prominently connected with local politics. He was married July 1st, 1877, to Miss Hellen A. Beatys. They have four children: Junia War- ren, Emma Beatys, Charles Roof, and Lewis How-es. Mr. Daniel W. Dykeman was an active and liberal suporter of the Presby- terian church at Doansburg. The Brewster Family.— Elder William Brewster, one of the most prominent of the band of Pilgrims who came in the " Mayflower," was the grandfather of Rev. Nathaniel Brewster, who was in the first class that graduated from Harvard College, and during a long life the pastor of the Presbyterian church at Brookhaven, Long Island. His grandson, Nathaniel Brewster, removed from Brookhaven to Orange county about the middle of the last century. His son, Samuel Brewster, who was born in 1737, was one of the most extensive land owners in Rockland county and the proprietor of iron mines and forges. He was one of the fore- most men in that part of the country. He was an officer in the Revolution and was present at the storming of Stony Point with Gen Wayne. His tombstone, in a family burying ground near Stony Point, bears the following inscription: " In Memory of Samuel Brewster who departed this life November 29, 1821, aged 84." His first wife was named Freelove, the second Mary. His children were : Samuel, William, Jonas, Richard, Walter and Harriet. Samuel Brewster, the oldest son, was born May 14th, 1786. When a youth he was sent to school in Peekskill, and while there made the acquaintance of his future wife, Eliza, daughter of Ebenezer Strang of Yorktown, who was born August 8th, 1796, and in due time they were married. Taking the advice of his father-in-law, Mr. Brewster came to the town of Southeast and purchased a farm on what has ever since been called " Brewster Hill." This farm he purchased from Judge William Watts, but it was formerly in possession of Maj. Peter Crosby. He greatly increased his real estate by the purchase of lands adjoining, and at one time was the owner of 500 acres. This large tract was bounded on the south by the line between Lots 8 and 9 of the Philipse Patent. During a long life Mr. Brewster was one of the most prominent and useful citizens of the county. He was a captain in the war of 1812, and with Major Crosby 500 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. and Judge Watts was in after years instrumental in developing the resources of the county. He was also an active and earnest member of the Presbyterian church at Doansburg during the whole period of his residence in this county. He died April 26th, 1871, at the age of 85. Mr. Brewster had eight children : William Charles, born May 31st, 1816, now living on a part of his father's farm in South- east (He married Julia Wynkoop and has two daughters, Julia and Virginia); James S., born August 16th, 1819 (He was possessed of considerable mechanical genius, and was the in- ventor of the gimlet pointed screw now in universal use, and also of a machine for hulling rice; he died unmarried in Florida, February 12th, 1882); Frederick G., born April 3d, 1821, now living on another portion of the ancestral farm in Southeast (He married Margaret, daughter of Harry Strang of Yorktown. Their children are: Walter, Henry, Eliza, wife of Daniel Barnes; Josephine, Margaret, wife of William Arm- strong; Martha, Mary, deceased, and Harriet, wife of Wal- ter Johnston); Walter F., born October 3d, 1822, now liv- ing in the village of Brewster, which he founded and which bears his name (He married Rosannah, daughter of Charles C. and Anna Hine Jackson, and has one child, Rosetta, born June 5th, 1853, the wife of Leander B. Lent of Brewster. They have two children: Leon B. and Elizabeth B. , the former born July 22d, 1876, thelatter born July 8th, 1880); Samuel W., born April 28th, 1824, now living on the old homestead of his father (He married Harriet, daiighter of Eli Crosby, and has one daughter, Isabel); Harriet C. born September 9th, 1826 (She married William Townsend, who was formerly school com- missioner. Mrs. Townsend is now living in Brewster); Eliza S.,. born January 19th, 1830, and died at the age of 12; Theodore T., born April 11th, 1828, lived on the north part of his father's estate, and died unmarried in 1882. Mr. Walter F. Brewster, who is now living in the village which he founded, deserves more than a passing notice. No person has been so fully identified with the growth and pros- perity of the village as he. Almost all of the public streets were opened by him and dedicated to the public use.' Follow- ing the profession of an architect and builder for many years, Mr. Brewster has erected more than iifty dwelling houses, churches and public buildings, besides numbers of smaller TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 501 structures. His present residence is on Marvin avenue, and generally known as " Riverside " from its location on the bank of the Croton River. On this place are two neat and tasteful cottages, one the home of Mr. Brewster, the other of his son-in- law, Mr. Leander B. Lent. The Howes Family. — The Howes family are descendants of John de Huse (Norman ?), who, as far back as the year 1065, is stated to have been a large manorial proprietor in England. A descendant of John de Huse, also named John, the spelling of whose surname seems to have been modified to Howys, also held large grants of land in Besthorpe (Norfolk), in the time of Henry VI. For seven generations Besthorpe continued to be the family seat, when one of the heirs, Robert by name, removed to Carlotors Rode. Like that of many other ancient families the spelling of the name has suffered considerable change, the last one (from Howse to Howes) having been caused by a mistake made in some important legal document, bearing upon the family estates. The coat of arms of the Howes family was first granted by Henry VIII., in the year 1519. Robert Howes is known to have had three sons; John, who died in 1663; another, the eldest, whose son married in England, Tabitha, only daughter of John Roope, of Morning Thorpe, near Norwich, Norfolk. This union jDroved to be of great ad- vantage as it brought into the hands of John, a son of the mar- riage, the beautiful manor and residence of Morning Thorpe. This estate remained in the hands of his descendants until 1883, when it passed out of the family as a consequence of the marriage of the present heiress, Louisa Howes, to Mr. Samuel Holmes. Thomas, the trace of whose life in England has been unfortunately lost, emigrated to America about 1635, together with his family, consisting of his wife, and three young sons, Thomas, Joseph and Jeremiah. He landed at Plymouth, was at Salem in 1635, and subsequently settled on Cape Cod at Yar- mouth, which name he and his associates gave to their settle- ment, in honor of the town of that name in England, from which port they set sail for this country. Thomas Howes being one of the original grantees of the town, took up land and became a farmer. The old town of Yarmouth was divided in 1794, and the portion where Thomas Howes had 502 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. settled was thereafter called Dennis. Thomas Howes and his immediate descendants exercised a weighty influence in the affairs of the town for many years, and became active and prosperous citizens, some of them following the sea as a pro- fession. As recently as 1841, in a great gale off the George's Bank, of twenty men lost from the town of Dennis, twelve bore the name of Howes. Among those who have achieved distinc- tion, as seafaring men, is Captain Thomas Prince Howes, at present pilot commissioner of Boston, and to whom we are in- debted for valuable information. From Thomas Howes the elder and his wife, Mary, sprang the numerous American family so well known for their extensive business operations, both here and abroad, the members of which in 1836, honored the memory of their hardy ancestor by the erection, in the Howes' Cemetery, at Dennis, Cape Cod, of a granite monument, eight feet in height and inscribed with the following simple but suggestive lines: ' ' 'Twas from the central part of Briton's Isle he came, " And on Columbia's soil did propagate a name; " We, his descendants, the patriarch own, " And to the first Howes do dedicate this stone." " THIS MONUMENT WAS ERECTED IN 1836. OF THOMAS HOWES' DESCENDANTS THERE ARE NOW LIVING IN DENNIS — 345 — CHATHAM— 133 — OTHER PLACES — 396. Among the descendants of Jeremiah (son of the original Thomas Howes) was Moody Howes, the grandfather of Mr. Seth B. Howes of Southeast, the present proprietor of " Stonehenge," a cut of which we present. Moody Howes came to the (now) town of Southeast, with others, about the year 1750, prominent among whom vrere the Paddocks, the Halls and Sears, in search of more fertile land than that of the sandy hillocks and plains of Cape Cod. Mr. Howes took up a large tract of land and immediately became engaged in farming and clearing the space which is now known as Southeast. He died in 1806. He had fourteen children, eight sons and six daughters. Of these, Daniel Howes, the seventh child and father of the present owner of " Stonehenge," inherited a large portion of his father's possessions, and for some time continued the farming operations to which he had been early bred. He also carried on '^U^ y^ y^^^^^^^-^ ^:^ :ETw!-lnj MB^nlds ^im^-l^Bur'Yp-rk.. /7. EnfhijBBBalU r.'ms N.y "STONEHENGE." RESIDENCE OF S. B. HOWES, BREWSTER PUTNAM CO., N. Y. TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 503 a general country store business which was among the first in this section. He was a justice of the peace of the town, and was for many years an honored and conservative resident of Putnam county, in early life he married Miss Ruhamah Reed, by whom he had twelve children. In 1824, he died, his widow and eleven children surviving. Mrs. Howes died in ] 864, at the ripe age of ninety-one years. A monument in the Milltown Cemetery, in Southeast, erected by his sons, "bears silent wit- ness," as the inscription fittingly says, "to their appreciation of their departed parents' worth." Six of Mr. Daniel Howes' children were sons. The eldest, Malchus Reed Howes, bearing his mother's name, left the homestead in 1823, and journeyed to Mobile, where he became a well- to do merchant. The second, Nathan A. Howes, early became engaged in the exhibition business in partnership with Gerard Crane of Somers, Westchester county, N. Y. They crossed the Alleghany Moun- tains in 1831, with a managerie. Groing south and arriving at Mobile, they were fortunate enough to possess themselves of a lion, lioness and two cubs, which, being the first infant lions ever exhibited in America, created a sensation, and formed the nucleus of the zoological department of the great exhibition with which Mr. Howes' name afterward became prominently identified. He died in June, 1878, aged 82 years. The third was Daniel Morgan Howes. He also journeyed to Mobile, where he became engaged as a contractor and builder, carrying on an extensive and lucrative business. He died in New York. The fourth, Jacob Orson Howes, also a builder, for some time carried on a business in New York city, afterward giving it up to engage in farming at Southeast Center, where he died. The fifth, Reuben W. Howes, went to New York, where he engaged as a clerk in a shce store, with his uncle, Mr. L. B. Reed. He afterward became a wholesale dealer, and eventually a ban- ker. He was the originator of the Park Bank, in that city, and of which he was for some time the president. ■ The sixth, Setli Benedict Howes, whose portrait we subjoin, was born at Southeast, August 15th, 1815, and at the age of fifteen he began to serve as an apprentice to his brother, Jacob O., as a carpenter and builder. After some years he proceeded to Chicago, where, together with Mr. Paul Cornell, he engaged 504 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. in the real estate business. It was during tliis period tliat he and his partner purchased of James Crane, of Southeast, who was at that time a merchant in Chicago — a tract of land in what is now known as Hyde Park, a suburban part of that city. By the profitable selling of a portion of this, he was enabled to purchase lands within the bounds of the city proper. This last plot is now covered with stores and dwellings of all descrip- tions, over seventy of which are still in his possession, and di- vested of all incumbrances, producing a large income. Mr. Howes' investments having proved successful, he early indulged a taste for travelling abroad. In 1852, he journeyed through England and France, remaining some time in Paris. It was here that he became acquainted with Henry Franconi, pro- prietor of the great Hippodrome. Being ever ready to engage in an enterprise of that kind, having already conducted an ex- tensive and successful experiment in the exhibition business in America, Mr. Howes conceived the idea of bringing a Hippo- drome to America, where such an exhibition would be novel. He consequently succeeded in engaging Mr. Franconi and a por- tion of his company for a like undertaking in New York city, and while in London he was successful in adding a sufficient number of novelties to render his enterprise the largest of the kind ever exhibited either in Europe or America. When thoroughly organized for the voyage, one of his partners, Mr. Richard Sands, proceeded to Paris, where of the agent he char- tered the steamer " Washington "(Captain Fitch), and brought the French portion of the establishment from Havre to New York. On the first of May, 1853, the great »jxhibition opened. James M. Nixon was assistant manager and E. C. Yale of Southeast, treasurer. This was the first Roman Hippodrome ever exhibited in America. It was situated on the ground now occupied by the Fifth Avenue Hotel, and was an immense suc- cess from the start. Some trouble was experienced in obtaining a suitable location, but at that time nearly the whole block, with the exception of a small cottage, which was kept by Cor- poral Thompson, as a road house, where the drivers of fast horses were wont to regale themselves, being vacant, the owners of the exhibition, by purchasing some of the ground and se- curing a lease of the cottage, were enabled to obtain it. This was done after securing the consent of Mr. Eno, the present proprietor, and Mr. Arnot, who at that time kept the New York TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 505 Hotel and owned a portion of the ground. Thus upon the site of that great hostelry, thousands of persons sought amuse- ment years ago. This is the history of the introduction of the old Roman Hippodrome in America, as given by its originators. Mr. Howes was afterward engaged for a short time in the banking business, in New York city, in partnership with Thomas Smull, of Sing Sing, N. Y., and his brother, Reuben W. Howes, of Yonkers, N. Y. The profits of this undertak- ing were applied to the purchase of property in Williamsburg, N. Y. The bulk of Mr. Howes' wealth has been made in real estate, and his life has been one of remarkable activity. Twenty years spent in travelling from place to place in Europe, especi- ally in England and France, and also many years in his native country, could hardly have failed to yield a rich store of ex- perience, from which a person of intelligence must derive much benefit. He has met and conversed with many of the crowned heads abroad, has viewed the works of art and treasures of literature which adorn their palaces; and has compared, in their daily life, monarch and subject. Some years ago Mr. Howes retired from active life, and he now occupies at times a charming villa called " Stonehenge," near Brewster, which he has taken pains to enlarge and beautify. He is generally respected throughout the community, and the county at large for his liberality in bestowing help to the un- fortunate and needy. A cut of Morning Thorpe, England, and the family tree of the American branch of the Howes family, and also the original will and description of the lands of the first Thomas Howes, which are now in the possession of Mr. S. B. Howes, will be found of great interest to historians and historical readers, generally. Josr-ruA Baknum. — The Barnum family, which is one of the oldest and which has been among the most respected families in Putnam county for the last century, is of English origin. Joshua Barnum, of whom we write, was the second child of the well known physician. Dr. Stephen C. Barnum, and a grand- son of Joshua Barnum, the story of whose capture and confine- ment in the " Old Sugar House" by the British, during this country's struggle for independence, will be received with inter- est by all readers of history. 506 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Mr. Barnum was born on the old homestead at Soxitheast, Sep- tember 3d, 1818. It was his privilege till his fifteenth year to attend the then excellent North Salem Academy after leaving which he went to New York city and began the business career which ended in the establishment of the great clothing house whose reputation will keep his name before the public as long as it continues to exist. Mr. Barnum first engaged as a clerk in the wholesale and retail clothing store of H. &. D. H. Brooks, who were then doing business on the corner of Catharine and Cherry streets. With them he remained during three years, after which he spent about the same length of time with the newly estab- lished firm of Brooks & Horton. At the close of this period, he married Miss Catherine A. Dusenbury, daughter of D. 0. Dusenbury who was at that time engaged in the provision business in New York city. At his solicitation Mr. Barnum left his former position to assume a partnership in the concern. After one year his father-in-law died and by the time another passed he had given up the pro- vision and re-engaged in the clothing business. This time he formed a partnership with one of his former employers, Mr. Charles Horton, and they together, under the firm name of Horton & Barnum, started a store within a few doors of the present stand on Chatham Square, supplementing it two years later with another under the charge of Mr. Barnum' s brother, Mr. P. C. Barnum, who was at the same time admitted to the firm. The second store being much larger and the more attractive of the two immediately proved very successful, and Horton & Barnum soon threw all their energies into the management of that, allowing the original to be closed. The history of the firm since that time is well known. The business gradually grew until enlargement became necessary and from time to time new stores were added; finally, the ground having been purchased by the concern, the present building was erected, it being at the time by far the largest clothing establishment in the city. Mr. Horton retired on the 1st of January, 1875, nine years previous to the death of Mr. Barnum, which took place at his home in Southeast, March 26th, 1884. The business is now in the hands of Mr. Stephen C. Barnum, his only child; Mr. P. C. Barnum, having retired from the firm in 1879. Mr. Barnum was a member of the Presbyterian Church at TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 507 Southeast for many years. At the time of the erection of the new edifice he served upon the building committee, and his liberality aided largely in support of the movement. He was also one of the church trustees and was deeply beloved by its members. Careful in the management of his business, straightforward and honest in his dealings with creditors and patrons alike, Mr. Barnum won for himself the respect of his friends and acquaint- ances and the esteem of all who knew him. His cordial dis- position and unassuming manner won for him the friendship of all with whom he came in contact, and made his loss more deeply felt throughout the community in which he lived. Morgan Horton was born in the town of Southeast. April 24th, 1819, and removed with his father in the following year to the place now owned and occupied by him. He attended the district school for several seasons and finished his education at the select school of Russell J. Minor, near Doansburg. At the age of eighteen he began teaching school in the ad- joining town of Patterson, where he remained one season. He afterward taught for three succcessive winters in what is now known as Lewisboro' (formerly South Salem) Westchester county, and at Southeast Center the winter following. In the winters of 1842 and 1843 he taught the district school of Doans- burg. He was then called, by the appointing power, to take charge of the schools of Putnam county which he continued to do for four years, when he protested against a reappointment. In the winter of 1847-8 he again taught the Doansburg school. In 1841 he was elected one of the inspectors of common schools for the town of So,utheast. In 1845 he was elected a justice of the peace to fill a vacancy, and served one and a half years. He also served three or four terms of three years each as assessor. In 1853 he was elected commissioner of highways to serve out the unexpired term of Capt. Orrin B. Crane. In 1854 he was elected supervisor, and again in 1855, 1869, and 1860. During the last year he was chairman of the board. In 1859 he was nominated for member of Assembly by the demo- cratic party, but was defeated by about 50 majority. In 1868 he was again nominated for Assemblyman, and was elected by about 150 majority. In 1869 he was reelected by nearly 500 majority. During his first term in the Legislature he served 508 HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. on the committees on engrossed bills and on expenditures of the House, and on the joint committee of the House and Senate on the State Library, besides various conference committees. During his second term he was chairman of the committee on agriculture, and was also a member of the committee on banks. In 1870 he was chosen as one of the charter members of the Pawlings Savings Bank, and served one year as a trustee of said bank. In 1871 he was instrumental in organizing the Put- nam County Savings Bank, and at its first meeting was elected its president, which office he has continued to hold. For the last 40 years he has been, almost continuously, overseer of highways and a school trustee of his district. During the last 25 years he has had much to do with the set- tlement of estates, and at the present time has several on hand in process of settlement. He has repeatedly been a delegate to State and other conventions; was a delegate to the State Con- vention that nominated Samuel J. Tilden for governor. Dar- ing his second term in the Legislature he suffered from ill health and declined a re-election. Although repeatedly urged to accept nominations to the same office he has repeatedlj^ de- clined. Mr. Horton was married December 19th, 1848, to Jane A. Northrop, of Sherman, Conn., by whom he has four children, all living and all married: Inez A., Franklin N., George Wil- liam, and IraD. Hisfathers name was Daniel and his mother's Susan. In 1850 he commenced building on the site now occupied by him, and in 1852 stocked the farm and began the milk business which he has since continued, sending his milk to New York. His farm consists of 300 acres, about one half of which is in Connecticut. It was originally owned by Isaac Crosby who sold it to one Godfrey and he to Eeuben Rockwell. The latter sold it to Joseph Banks, of whom it was purchased by the father of the present owner. He has surrounded his home with orchards of choice fruit and gives abundant space to the various species of horticulture. Mr. Horton is a thorough student and a great reader, and his home is abundantly supplied with the current literature'of the day. His children have all received a liberal education. He has ever been the friend and adviser of all who sought his aid, and he is widely and deservedly esteemed. ^yy^yz^-^^^-tu^ TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 509 John T. Waring. — The brain and nerve that first achieve brilliant success in enterprise, then bear up bravely under svfeeping reverses, and finally against very great disadvantages, regain a solid business footing with assured prospect of a busi- ness triumph, are by universal consent entitled to high respect and honorable mention. The career of Mr. John T. Waring, linown in'Yonkers as boy and man for more than half a cen- tury, and as one of its leading manufacturers for thirty years, has famished a distinguished example of capacity and courage, and seems, in despite of trying reverses in recent years, about to be crowned, after all, with high success. A brief sketcti of his life and business history will be in place and acceptable to his fellow citizens. The Waring family is of English descent, and it is believed to have migrated to this country from Liverpool. Its first loca- tion here, as far as known, was within the present South Nor- walk, Conn., in the vicinity of which families of the name still exist. John Waring, grandfather of John T. Waring, removed to Southeast about 1750, accompanied by two brothers, Thad- deus and Samuel. John Waring was married twice. His first wife was Catharine Tuthill, and his second was Mary Elwell. He had nine children: Lewis, Charles, John, Peter, Isaac, Sam- uel, Polly (married George Gregory), Joanna (married Col. Williams), and Susannah (married Jonathan Smith). These chil- dren were the parents of large families, now widely scattered through the country. Peter, the fourth of them (born in 1782, died in 1849) and his wife Esther, daughter of Thomas Crosby and Hannah Snow, worthy people of Putnam county, became the parents of the following children, named in order of their ages: Jarvis A., William C, Aurelia (married Isaac V. Pad- dock), Jane (married Robert W Newman), Laui-a (married Sel- den Hubbel), Hannah (married David Underwood), John T., Marietta (married David H. Ketchum), Charles E. and Catherine (married Levi Roberts). Most of these children have passed many years as residents of Yonkers, and the four sons, through all their adult lives have been prominent among Yonkers busi- ness men. But one death has occurred among the ten chil- dren. It was that of Mr. Jarvis A. Waring, who died in October, 1872. John T. Waring was born in Southeast, November 7th, 1820, and passed his boyhood till 1834, with but little experience of 510 HISTORY OF PUTNAJt COUNTY. change, at his parents' home. Meanwhile, in 1828, his brother, William C, and Hezekiah Nichols had begun the hatting busi- ness at Yonkers in the " Glen," on the spot now taken up by Copcutt's silk factory. Reverses and changes came over this firm and its business during the next six years, which it would be foreign to the the object of this article to recount. In the spring of 1834, however, Mr. William C. Waring started, upon the same spot in the "Grlen", the new firm of Paddock & War- ing. It was at or about the opening of this new firm's experi- ence that John T. Waring entered its employ and began to learn the hatting business. The new firm ran on till 1837, when, feel- ing the effects of the then widely prevailing financial depression, it strengthened itself by a reorganization, and took on the name of William C. Waring & Co. In this name it did business till 1844, when the building in the "Grlen" was burned. In the same year a new building was erected for it on what is now de- signated as Elm street. The building still stands, being part of the property occupied by the Elm street and Palisade avenue carpet factory. Through all the business changes of his brother from 1834 to 1844, Mr. Waring had continued with him, devoting himself to the mastery of the trade. From 1844 to 1849 he had a business interest in the firm. In 1849, he began hatting on his own ac- count, in an old building on the site in the Nepperhau River, then and still known as " Chicken Island." From this time till 1876, a period of twenty-seven years, his business career was a continuously growing success. In 1857, he bought the factory of William C. Waring & Co. (on the present Elm street) en- larged it, and carried on business in it for the next five years. In 1862, he built his large hat factory on. the opposite side of the since opened street, and at once entered upon a fourteen year period of the greatest prosperity. With his increased fa- cilities in this building, his business grew until he had over 800 men in his employ, and was making hats at the rate of 800 dozen a day. By 1876, a capital of $4,500, with which he had begun in the new building in 1862, had grown to a capital of nearly a million. It was at this point that he was struck with reverses. In 1868, under the stimulus of his great success, he had pur- chased the splendid site, and begun to develope the magnificent property in the northern part of Yonkers, which has since be- ^'T-S'-tyA ERiidn^ y /t^^z-j^-i^^-^ 7 TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 511 come famous under the name of " Greystone," intending it for his own future home. The grounds, buildings and total im- provements are said to have 'cost him nearly half a million dol- lars. Being visited in 1876 with overwhelming reverses in his business, he lost all he had previously gained. His beautiful mansion and grounds were sold for $150,000 to Hon. Samuel J. Tilden. Upon this experience Mr. Waring, with his eldest son, Arthur Baldwin, who was through his whole period of trial, and has been through all his effort at recovery his father's devoted helper and efficient support, entered into a large contract with the State of Massachusetts for the employment of its convict labor, left Yonkers, settled near Boston and, nothing daunted, began business anew. His energy in his new field was crowned with deserved success. In 1884, having filled out his contract, he returned to Yonkers, and has recently bought the large property on Varick street, built during the late war for the manufacture of arms, and originally known as the " Starr Arms Works." This property he has thoroughly renovated, and stocked with abundant machinery of the most improved kind. Operations have now been began in it, and under Mr. Waring' s energetic business management the works promise to take their place among the largest and most vigorous works of this manu- facturing city. Possessing a perfect knowledge of the hatting trade in all its branches, Mr. Waring has become the inventor of several important processes in hat making, and especially of a hat sizing machine, from which he derives a large income. He was connected with the republican party from its organi- zation, and was a firm supporter of the Union cause during the Civil War. In 1861, he was elected president of the village of Yonkers. During that year war meetings were held in the town and a large number of men enlisted for the army. The faith of the town was pledged by resolutions passed at these meetings for the support of the families of the enlisted men while they might be away from home, and they were about moving to the field when it occurred to them to doubt whether the pledge of the popular meetings was a sufficient security for the care of those they were about to leave behind. At once they declared their unwillingness to proceed unless the president of the village would personally become security for the fulfilment of the popular pledge. This Mr. War- 512 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. ing promptly did, and so strong was the confidence of the men and their families in him, that the difficulty vanished and the recruits went out to the service of the country. Mr. Ethan Flagg accompanied Mr. Waring the next day in the work of looking up the families of the seventy-five men who had gone, and found that the town was left with the care of sixty-five such families upon its hands. Mr. Waring married Jeanette P., daughter of the late Anson Baldwin, himself for many years a leading manufacturer and active citizen of Yonkers. Mr. and Mrs. Waring have had the following children: Arthur B., Grace (married Lewis Koberts), John T., Anson (not living), Ames Palmer, and Janet. The family have been prominently identified with the social life of Yonkers, and, being connected with St. John's Episcopal Church, have contributed much to the church's influence and usefulness. Energetic in all his business afEairs, Mr. Waring' s successes have been due in part to his thorough grasp of all the details and needs of his business and in part to that absolute faith in himself which his whole career has so well justified. No man has done more to impress himself upon his place of residence than he. He will always be thought of as a foremost representative of Yonkers' leading business men. Levi H. Kobeet,s. — There are few citizens of the county of Putnam who are more extensively known or who have been longer connected with its business, social and religious interests than the subject of this article. Mr. Roberts was the son of Lemuel and Phebe Roberts, and was born in the town of Pat- terson, April 12th, 1823. He was the youngest of a family of eleven children, having two brothers (Willis and Barzillai) and eight sisters. At the age of sixteen he began teaching, and his ability won for him steady employment. Desiring a mercantile education he went to New York and accepted a clerkship in the clothing estab- lishment of Brooks Brothers. He advanced rapidly, and re- turning to this county, he opened a store in Milltown in part- nership with his bother. The prospective importance of the village of Brewster led him to remove to that place, where he became a large property owner. Steady application to business so affected his health that he disposed of his establishment and engaged in the insur^ /'% i'ngJlij ttB.HaU's Sons I-i" TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 513 ance business. In this he exhibited his usual energy and ability and built up a business which was excelled by none in the county, and gained a well- deserved reputation for honesty and strict integrity. In the affairs of the village and the town Mr. Roberts was well known as a man of progressive ideas, and in all social questions of the day. He was a bitter opponent of slavery at a time when it was considered discreditable to be an abolitionist, and a firm op- poser of intemperance, when he had few supporters. Mr. Roberts was selected to deliver an historical address at Brewster on the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of Ameri- can Independence in 1876. This address, which embraced a great amount of research in our early local history, was replete with information, and is still more valuable from the fact that many of the aged citizens of the town from whom he obtained his knowledge, have since passed away. For many years Mr. Roberts was a most active and influen- tial member of the Methodist Episcopal Chiirch, and was ever regarded as one of the pillars of the church and society. In the cause of temperance, in the societies formed to promote that work in the church and Sunday school, he was especially helpful. For nearly sixteen years he was superintendent of the M. E. Sunday school, and for twenty years was chorister and long an active member of the official board. He rarely missed a church service, and never permitted himself to be ab- sent from a Sunday school session. Mr. Roberts married Miss Kate Waring, daughter of Peter and Esther Waring, February 3d, 1859. They had two children, J alia Waring, now living in Brewster, and Edwin Waring, deceased. After a useful and active life, devoted to the best interests of the community, Mr. Roberts passed to a better world December 23d, 1885, and by his decease the village and the town lost one of its most respected and useful citizens. The following extract from the funeral sermon preached by Rev. W. H. Ferris, D.D., expressed the feelings of those who knew him well. "When I heard the sad news of his death my first thought was: 'I am sorry this life has been so short,' and the next thought: 'I am glad it was so long.' But we could have wished for him a longer life. We need such men of deep con- 33 514 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. victions and manly courage and force of character, men who dare to do right and who follow their convictions. Yet, if we meas- ure life by deeds, he lived long. His was an earnest, concen- trated life; measured by its force, its activity, its intelligence, its wealth of affection, its achievements, it was long. It is far less important how long we live, than how much we live. His were crowded years, full of thought and effort for others. His ability as an author, whether of prose or poetry, was eminently creditable." The Reed Family. — John Reed, the ancestor of this family, came from Cornwall, England. He was born in 1633, and was a soldier from the age of 16, and a subaltern in Cromwell's army. On the restoration of Charles II, he fled to America and settled at Providence. He married a Miss Purdy, and removed to Norwalk, Conn., where he lived at a place called Reed's Farms, on Five-mile River. He died in 1730, at the age of 98. His children were: John, Thomas, William, Mary and Abigail. Thomas Reed married Mary Olmstead, May 9th, 1694. His children were: Mary, Eunice, Thomas, born May 7th, 1699; John, born August 7th, 1701; Elizabeth, Ann, Temjjerance, Elias, born March 16th, 1711; and Nathan, born August 13th, 1713. Nathan Reed married Mary, daughter of Samuel Peck, Nor- wich, Conn., December 22d, 1737. Their children were: Mary, Ann, Hannah, Nathan, born July 27th, 1747; David, born Sep- tember 2d, 1750; Elizabeth J., and Elias, born November 3d, 1756. David Reed came to the town of Southeast in 1790, from Norwalk, Conn., and bought a farm, his homestead being on the site of the present residence of Mr. Edwin Reed, on the north side of the road from Brewster to the Tilly Foster Mine. He married Bethia Close March 24th, 1779. Their children were: James, born March 19th, 1780; Shadrach, born November 28th, 1781; David, born September 20th, 1783; Henry, born August 5th, 1785; and Lewis, born October 6th, 1787. Mrs. Bethia Reed died January 17th, 1790, and Mr. Reed was married a second time to Elizabeth, daughter of Moses Fowler, October 20th, 1791. Their children were Nancy and Moses F. The latter was born February 9th, 1802. David Reed died August 11th, 1813, at the age of 63. CPC^L^c^-l'^l^^- ^tJ^lL-^!6 TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. 515 James Reed, the oldest son, married Cloriada, daughter of Judge John Crane, September 23d, 1802. She was born in 1787 and died in 1868. Their children were: Henry C, born Novem- ber 21st, 1803; James Harvey, born August 7th, 1805; Lewis A., born April 23d, 1807, died 1882. James Harve}'' Reed, who is now living in the town of Carrael on the farm formerly owned by Judge Barnabas Carver, married Emily, daughter of Thomas Hazen, April 26th, 1826. His chil- dren are : Hon. Thomas H. Reed, who was member of Assembly in 1862; Henry A., James H., jr., John A., William B., Julia, Adeline A., Frances E. (deceased 1881), Ansel H., Charles A., and George E. Lewis Reed, son of David Reed, was born October 6th, 1787, and died April 15th, 1829. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Gilbert and Sarah Bailey, of North Salem, Westchester county, October 25th, 1810. Their children were : Bailey, who died in childhood; David, born November 25th, 1813; Sally B. ; Nancy, wife of John Cable; Theodore, born April 6th, 1819; Emeline, wife of Silas Mead; and Edwin, born June 4th, 1823. Mr. Edwin Reed, the subject of this article, was born on the homestead of his father a short distance east of his present residence. His education was received at the i)ublic schools of his native town, and agriculture has been the business of his life. The old homestead was a farm of about 130 acres, but it has been increased by judicious purchases until it now embraces more than 300 acres. Mr. Reed is generally recogaized as one of the most successful farmers in the county, his farm being finely located and possessing the advantages of excellent soil and good situation. Mr. Reed has always been a republican in politics, a strong sup- porter of the temperance cause, which he assists by his vote and influence. In addition to his property in this county he has ex- tensive real estate in the village of Sing Sing, Westchester county. The residence of Mr. Reed was built in 1852 by Bailey Howes. It stands on the site of the home of David Reed, which stood in Revolutionary times, and from its location and tasteful appear- ance is one of the finest country residences in this section of the county. Mr. Reed married Polly A., daughter of Stephen and Martha Bloomer, November 24th, 1852. They are the parents of six children : Oscar C, Robert B. (deceased), Stella C, George E. 516 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. (now a student in the Medical Department of Columbia College), Mattie Elizabeth and Herbert C. Mr. Reed has been connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church of Brewster for 35 years. Although taking an active interest in political affairs he has never been a seeker after office or its honors. David Reed, oldest son of Louis Reed, married Mary, daughter of Harvey Palmer, of Westchester county, February 1st, 1847, and after her decease he was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Wright Hobby, November 11th, 1857. His children are Harvey P. and Dr. Charles. Theodore Reed married Mary, daughter of Ezra Rundle, of Westchester county, April 9th, 1839. His children are Sarah, Lewis, Elizabeth, Emma O. and Jennie M. The farm of David Reed was left by him to his son, Moses F. Reed, who sold it to Seymour Allen February 24th, 1825. He conveyed it to Lyman Bailey, March 21st, 1825, and it was sold by him to Floyd Bailey March 30th, 1829. He in turn sold it to Bailey Howes April 6th, 1836, for $12,143. Bailey Howes sold it to Isaac Kelley, May 2d, 1856, for S26,000, and he conveyed it to Jesse and Lawrence Haviland April 1st, 1858, for $20,250. Upon a foreclosure of mortgage it was sold by Edmond Doane, sheriff, to Mr. Edwin Reed, the present owner, January 27th, 1879, for $11,800. The farm of David Reed was sold by the commissioners of forfeiture to Edmond Mead in December, 1781. Edmond Mead sold it to Ebenezer Waring January 1st, 1788, and he sold it to David Reed January 17th, 1788, and from him it descended as above. Charles E. Everett, so well known as the proprietor of the "Hotel Everett" on Chatham street. New York city, is of Eng- lish descent. His grandfather, Abram Everett, came from Eng- land early in the history of the Republic and settled upon a farm in Putnam county where his son Charles, father of Charles E. Everett, was born. Mr. Everett was the youngest son among twelve children. His birth took place September 13th, 1841, at Brewster, where he was also educated in the public schools. Leaving Brewster at the age of fourteen he went to New York city, where he en- gaged in the milk business with the Hon. Samuel H. Everett, TOWN OP SOUTHEAST. 517 now proprietor of the well-known hotel at the foot of Vesey street. Mr. Everett remaiued thus occupied during the space of four years, after which he became a clerk in the Vesey Street Hotel, afterward becoming a partner in its management. For fifteen years Mr. Everett continued thus, when he retired, at the same time purchasing from his brother, into whose hands it had fallen, the homestead property, his birthplace. After two years spent in farming and improvement of his place in the country, Mr. Everett returned to New York and opened the hotel, Nos. 84, 86, 88 and 90 Chatham street, well known as the Hotel Everett. This concern was formerly Crook's Hotel and Dining Rooms. It is one of the best regulated and ventilated houses in New York city and contains two hundred and fifty well lighted and neatly furnished rooms. It has well arranged suites of apart- ments for families and contains the very best of accommoda- tions for single boarders. The entire house is open day and night and occasional sojourners in New York city will find in its proprietor that genial and accommodating disposition so nec- essary for the successful management of a large hotel. It is a notable fact that the " Hotel Everett " was the first building of the kind in New York lighted by the Edison (system) electric light. Mr. Everett, by his untiring energy and careful management, has succeeded in possessing himself of an ample fortune with the proceeds of which he is ever on the alert to do a good deed. He is still in possession of the Valley View farm at Brewster, and continues to be well known throughout Putnam county, where, like his ancestor before him, he has maintained a repu- tation for spotless integrity. CHAPTER XXIV. TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. Revised by Col. Thomas B. Arden. Erectioii and Boundaries. — The River Lots.— Beverly Robinson. — William Den- ning. — Beverly Farm. — Beverly House. — Arnold's Treason. — Garrison's — South Highlands Methodist Church.— The Hopper Mine. — Continental Vil- lage. — Highland Chemical Works. — St. Philip's Church in the Highlands. — Methodist Church at Garrison's. — Philipse Lot No. 3.— Settlers. — Early Town Records. — Revolutionary. THIS town is bounded on the west by the Hudson River, on the north by the line of Dutchess county, on the east by the town of Putnam Valley, and on the south by the line of Westchester county. It embraces within its limits the grandest of the Highland scenery, and the traveller who ascends the Hudson is never weary of gazing on the vista of lofty moun- tains that bound the horizon on either side. This was one of the original towns into which the Philipse Patent was divided in 1788. By the terms of the Act, "All that part of the County of Dutchess bounded southerly by the County of Westchester, westerly by Hudson River, northerly by the north bounds of the land granted to Adolph Philipse, and easterly by the east bounds of the Long Lot Number Four, formerly belonging to Beverly Robinson: shall be and hereby is erected into a, town by the name of Philipstown." The first change in the boundaries of the town was made March 14th, 1806, when by an Act of the Legislature, " All such part of the town of Philipstown as lies north of the west line begin- ning by the north river at the southwestermost end of Break neck hill, and running from thence North 52 degrees east to the division line between the same towns, is hereby annexed to the town of Pishkill, any law to the contrary notwithstanding. TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWX. 519 It is this change that causes the northwest corner of Putnatn county to appear to be cut off as it really is. The next change in the limits of the town was March 14th, 1839, when the present town of Putnam Valley was established, which embraced the greater part of Beverly Eobinson's Long Lot. From these changes the present limits of the town em- brace the three Eiver Lots of Philipse Patent (with the excep- tion of the northwest part of Lot No. 3) and that portion of Lot No. 4 which lies north of the Philipstown Turnpike, and west of the present boundary of the town of Kent. As the three River Lots have a distinct and separate history, they will be considered in succession. Lot No. 1, or "Beverly Robinson's river lot," as it was termed, is the southern extremity of the town When sur- veyed in 1753, the south line was described as "Beginning at a red cedar tree marked, on the north side of the hill commonly called Anthony's Nose, which is likewise the north bounds of Col. Stephen Van Cortlandt's land or Manor of Cortlandt, and running east along the line of said Manor 360 chains to a white oak marked with P. 1753." In a petition of Stephen Van Cortlandt, the red cedar tree is mentioned as " standing at the south end of the marsh by the river," but of course this landmark has long since disappeared. The east line of the lot began at the white oak mentioned and " ran north 10 degrees east, 340 chains to a chestnut tree marked P. R. 1753, on the west side, standing on the east side of a steep rocky mountain." This chestnut tree had decayed and fallen to the ground in 1802. and in its place was a chestnut sapling, which sprang from the root and was marked for the corner. This sapling, now grown to be a large tree, is standing on the east side of the mountain (sometimes called Hog Hill) near the top, and is the northeast corner of the land of John Travis, and on the line bet ween his land and that of Henry Post, on the north and east. The north line of the lot began at this chestnut tree and "ran south 75 degrees, west 174 chains to a heap of stones, on a high hill, then north 65 degrees west 83 chains to a pine tree standing by Hudson's River marked P. R., by a heap of stones 22 chains below a rock called and known by the name of the Old Wife lying in the mouth of the brook." This point on the river is about a quarter of a mile north of the 520 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. ferry at Garrison's, and a stone wall marks the line which runs across the middle of the railroad tunnel. Previous to the Revolution the inhabitants on this tract were very few in numbers, and it will be noticed that on Erskine's map the only houses that appear are those of Beverly Robinson and John Mandeville, the latter being a short distance north of Garrison's. A few tenants were scattered on farms, but the rugged and mountainous nature of a large portion of the lot rendered it less desirable as a place of settlement than the fer- tile valleys in the eastern part of Philipse Patent, and the number of inhabitants of the Philipse Precinct in 1777 was small compared with the precincts of Fredericksburg and Southeast. Col. Beverly Robinson, whose name is so intimately connected with the history of this portion of the country, was a son of Hon. John Robinson of Virginia, who was president of that colony. In early manhood he came to New York, where he en- gaged in business. His marriage with Susannah Philipse made him son in-law of one of the wealthiest citizens of the colony and greatly advanced his pecuniary prospects. For some time before thq Revolution he made his home in the mansion near Garrison's which, from its connection with one of the most im- portant episodes in the nation's history, has ever been an object of interest and curiosity. Col. Robinson and his wife were thg only members of the Philipse family who made their home on the patent, and he was frequently elected supervisor of the precinct, and was prominent in the business affairs of the county. The Revolution found him quietly settled on his estate, en- joying the confidence and good will of his tenant neighbors. At first his sympathies appeared to be with the colonies and in op- position to the rash measures of the British Ministry, and like many others at that time, he illustrated his views by giving up (he use of imported merchandise, and clothed himself and family in domestic goods. He was led to relinquish these views by the importunity of friends, and entered the military service of the Crown. His standing in society entitled him to a high rank, and he was made colonel of the "Loyal American Legion," raised principally by himself, and he also commanded the "Corps of Guides and Pioneers," and of the former his son, Beverly, was lieutenant-colonel. During the war he was TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 521 very prominent in cases of defection from the Whig cause, and is generally believed to have been privy to Arnold's treason, and was on the British man of war "Vulture," at the time when Major Andre left the vessel to begin the fatal journey which ended when he was laid to rest on the hillside at Tappan. After the conviction and sentence of Andre, an unavailing at- tempt was made to save him, and Col. Robinson, as a witness, accompanied the three commissioners who were sent by Gen. Clinton, and he also forwarded to Washington a letter in which he recalled their former acquaintance. At the close of the Revolution, Col. Robinson, with a portion of his family, went to England, and his name appears as a member of the first Council of New Brunswick, but he never took his seat. Upon the establishment of the State Govern- ment, Col. Robinson and his wife, with a multitude of others, were by Act of Attainder, passed October 22d, 1779, banished from the State under pain of death if they ever returned, and their estates were confiscated and sold by the commissioners of forfeiture, appointed for that purpose. From the time of his arrival in England, he seems to have passed a peaceful and quiet life, at Mort Lake. He died about 1792. The British govern- ment allowed him and his wife,£17,000 for the loss of their estate. Of the children of Colonel Robinson, Mary, the second daughter, died in England, July 9th, 1833, aged 72. Beverly Robinson, jr., who, as " Beverly Robinson the younger," was attainted with his parents, was a graduate of Columbia College, and studied law with James Duane. Previous to the Revolu- tion he appears to have occiapied a farm near the present vil- lage of Patterson. At the evacuation of New York he was placed in command of a large number of loyalists, who em- barked for Shelburne, N. S., and laid out that place. He after- ward removed to New Brunswick and resided at St. John's. He was a member of His Majesty's Council, and at first suffered much from reduced circumstances, but finally received half pay, as an officer. He died in New York in 1816. He was buried in St. Paul's Church yard, New York. His grave stone, which stands on the west side of the yard, near the southwest corner, bears the following inscription: "Sacred to the Memory of the Hon. Beverly Robinson, late of Frederickton, in the Province of New Brunswick. Born the 8th of March, 1751, and died on the 6th of October, 1816." 522 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. Sir Frederick Philipse Robinson, 2d, son of Colonel Beverly Robinson, entered the King's service during the Revolution, and went to England with his father. He was knighted and made lieutenant-general, and was wounded at the storming of St. Sebastian, while fighting under the command of Wellington. In the War of 1812, he was employed in Canada, and com- manded the British forces at the attack on Plattsburg. At the conclusion of hostilities, he returned to England, and on the way he stopped at the Highlands, to visit the estate which had been the home of his childhood, and it is said that he shed bitter tears as he trod once more the spot he never was to see again. He survived all the rest of the family, and was living at Brighton, Eng., in 1846. He left a daughter, Maria Susan- nah, wife of Hamilton C. J. Hamilton, H. B. M., Minister to Rio Janeiro. Morris Robinson, the third son, was captain in the Queen's Rangers, and was kept in commission after the war. He was lieutenant-colonel and assistant barracks master in the British Army. He died at Gibraltar, in 1815, at the age of 56. He married a sister of Captain Waring of the British Navy. Their children were: Margaret Ann, wife of Rev. J. Cross, who died in 1837, aged 43; Beverly, who was a captain in the Royal Ar- tillery; Frederick, John and Oliver (all of whom were officers in the Royal service); Susan, wife of Hon. Robert Parker; and Joanna, wife of Robert F. Hazen, Esq., of New Bruns- wick. John Robinson, the fourth son, was lieutenant in the "Loyal American Regiment," and settled in New Brunswick. He was depiity paymaster of the forces in Canada, and mayor of St. John's, where he died in 1828, at the age of 67. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Hon. George J). Ludlow. Their children were:^ Frances Maria, wife of Col. John Wilson; William Henry, who was deputy commissary general; Beverly, who was treas- urer of New Brunswick; Daniel L., a barrister at law; and John M., who was master in chancery, in 1846. Sir William Henry Robinson, the youngest son, went to Eng- land with his father and was at the head of the Commissariat Department, and was knighted for his services. He died at Bath, in 1836, aged 71. His wife was Catharine, daughter of Cortlandt Skinner, who was attorney general of New Jersey. Their children were: William Henry, a captain in the British TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 523 Army; Catharine, wife of Major Greneral Smelt, and Elizabeth, who married her cousin, Sir William Henry Robinson. Susannah Philipse, wife of Col. Beverly Robinson, survived her husband, and died in 1822, at the advanced age of 94. Among the Philipse papers are preserved several letters writ- ten by Beverly Robinson, and containing many items of inter- est. We present two of them to the reader. The first was written previous to the Revolution, and while he was living at the Highlands. The other was written from England, after his banishment. "Highlands, Oct. 13, 1768. "Dear Sister. "I could not make a division of your Lot No. 6 before Dolphy went down, but I have since endeavored to do it, and now en- close you a plan which .1 think would make an Equal Division among you, but as T am not particularly acquainted with every farm, but have only done it from my General knowledge of the Lott, perhaps it may not be so exact as you would have it, or that I wish it to be and therefore if you employ Belding or any other person to go among your Tenants this fall he may view every farm and then he will be able to judge whether my method is nearly right or not. You will observe by comparing my list with the map that I have endeavored to keep as many farms together in a body for each Division as I could without regard to the number at all. I am greatly at a loss how to advise you in the division of the River Lot, as there is so great a propor- tion of bad rough land in it. I believe it would be best to get a surveyor to run out the farms, that it may be known how much good land there is in each. Dolphy and I had old Tim with us but we found it impossible to find out. what was due from each tenant, for back rent. I suppose that all those that gave notes settled with Mr. Philipse & their notes were in^full for back rent to that time so that there can be no difficulty with them. The others must be charged from the time we had the Patent & let them show Receipts for what they have paid, unless Mr. Philipse Rent Book will show what he has received of them. T sent you by Dolphy a list of your Short Lot with the annual rents they pay & such observations on several of the farms as fall within my own knowledge, he also took a list of the Long Lot. I send you all the papers and Maps that you left with me. I had like to have forgot to mention that by the o24 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTi'. Map there appears to be on the Long Lot a tract of 1470 acres of Rough vacant land not in possession of any tenant, that may easily be divided into four j)arts or added to either of the Di- visions that may be thought inferior to the others. Neither have I taken any notice of the two sjjaall farms on this Lot, of 58 acres each, sold to Moses Fowler. The money they sold for may be divided as well, or better, than the laud. I can think of nothing further about your lands at present but shall always be very ready and willing to give all the Information I can to Belding, or any other person you employ, about the Lands if they will call upon me. We are all very well and joyne in our best wishes- to you, Dolphy and the Boys, & pray dont 'forget our best respects toyMr. Crooke and I am "Dear Sister your most aJBft " & Humble Servt " Bev. Robinson. " Mrs. Margaret Philipse in Naw York." "Mort Lake June 4, 1786. "Dear Fred. "I wrote to yflur mother t;he 30th June, 1784, by Mr. Robert Kemble, but as I never heard whether that letter reached her, I will repeat to you the information I then gave her concerning our Lands in Dutchess County, viz, we sold a tract on the un- divided part of the Patent to Capt. Duncan Campbell for £1,015, New York currency, for the payment of which he gave us his Bond & mortgage dated 25 June, 1772, conditioned to pay £200 a year with interest on the whole from the date till all was paid. The Mortgage is to Roger Morris, B. Robinson, John Ogilvie, Adolph Philipse & Nath. Marston, and is recorded in the Clerk's ofRce for Dutchess County, and let what will come of Col. Morris' share and mine you certainly are entitled to re- cover your third part and ye farm is a good security to you for it. " We gave a lease for ever to Wm. Pendergrast for the farm he held on the undivided part of ye Patent to pay the Quit Rent of the whole Patent for ever & made the rent equal to the quit rent, which by a covenant in the lease was to be paid yearly at the Receiver General's office. This lease is also recorded. But as this was a very advantageous bargain for Pendergrast he, in order to obtain the Lease agreed to pay, £160,18,7, for it TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 525 & gave his bond dated 14 April, 1774, for that sum, not a far- thing of which has ever been paid. This bond is payable to the same persons as that Campbell's Mortgage and your family is entitled to one third part of it. Pendergrast sold his Lease to Humphry Slocum for a very great price, 4 or 5 times as much as he was to give us for it and therefore oaght to pay off his bond. Pendergrast moved above Albany, I think upon Hud- son's river but what is become of him since, is impossible for me to tell. He was always a very industrious saving man and I have no doubt is able to pay you. You have herewith Jona- than Hampton's map and return book of the farms on the un- divided, on which I have marked all those that have been sold, all of which have been paid for & settled among the Proprie- tors except Campbell & Pendergrast, you also have a survey and return of Peter Dubois for the farms sold to Henry Daviss, Moses Bowdie & John Chase, as there was a considerable alter ation made in Hampton's survey, when those lands were sold to them people to accommodate them. I had made an agreement with James Grrant for the farm marked on the map as Daniel Mead's at forty shillings per acre, and I think he was to have had the part that Blihu Wing possessed on the undivided & old Saml. Monroes place with Meads, but they were to be at three pounds per acre. The part of the Patent that we called the un- divided, was what we got from Col. Beekman upon settling the dispute about the bounds between his Patent & ours. After we had made a division of all the Patent clear of any dispute; but the bounds between Rumbouts Patent & ours was also un- settled when we made our division, which we afterwards left to an arbitration with ye Patentees of Rumbout & by the award of the arbitrators a tract of land of I suppose several thousand acres (for it was never run out) fell to us on that quarter. We divided our Patent by a due east line from Hudson river to the Oblong, and those arbitrators gave us an angle of six d(Jgrees to ye northward of an east line, but these papers are all upon record and will speak for themselves. Wm. NicoUs, Daniel Kissam and a Mr. Hicks were the arbitrators. "After the death of your grand mother Philipse, the exec- utors of your grand fathers will, agreed to sell to Adam Gil- christ, her coach house and garden in New Street for three hun- dred pounds. A deed was drawn but was put off and never signed. He was allowed to take possession of the premises, but 526 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. never paid the money. He may possibly say I owed him money but that is not the case for he has been overpaid by me, and is now in my debt. * * * j leff, with your mother a trunk of papers which I desire you will open and you will find in it the following papers which you have a right to, viz, an exemplification of your grand father Philipse's will. The agreement between Col. Beekman &c and us, & conveyances from them for the undivided land. The agreement &c between ye Patentees of Rumbout and us & the arbitrators award. The award by the arbitrators for settling our dispute with the Con- necticut men, and a map or two of the Patent: and I believe you will find the deed drawn for Gilchrist. These are all the papers in that trunk that can ever be of use to you or your family. There are abundance of papers about the tryalls and disputes we had with Munroe &c about our Patent, but they can never be of the least use or service. I must beg tho' there is no paper or book in it of real use to me, that you will not let any person but yourself examine the trunk, but when you have got the above papers out, let it be done up again, and when you return to this country, if you can, bring it with yon as part of baggage. I shall be obliged to you — it is not worth paying freight for. "Bev. Robinson. " N. B. In looking over my papers I found a possession bond from Jonathan Pine which I think runs into the undivided we obtained from Rumbout, and may be of use to you, therefore have put it up for you." At the time of the confiscation of the estate of Colonel Rob- inson the greater part of Lot 1 was sold to William Denning. The deed for a large tract on the eastern part of the lot is on record in the clerk's office of Putnam county and the following is an Abstract: " This indenture made the twenty-third day of May in the ninth year of the Independence of the State of New York and in the year of our Lord 1785. Between Daniel Graham Esq. Commissioner of Forfeitures for the middle district of said state appointed in pursuance of an Act of the Legislature en- titled an Act for the speedy sale of the confiscated and forfeited estates, passed the twelfth day of May 1784, and Wm. Den- ning of the City of New York Esq. Witnesseth that the said TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. ' 527 Daniel Graham by virtue of the power &c and in consideration of the sum of three hundred and thirty nine pounds eight shil- lings * * * hath granted sold and confirmed to said Wm. Denning all those two tracts of land being part of a certain Lot known by the name of Water Lot 1, forfeited by the attainder of Beverly Robinson and Susannah his wife. The first tract beginning at a leaning chestnut oak tree marked with three notches on thre.e sides standing in the division line between the Counties of Westchester and Dutchess, being the southwest corner of a lot or tract within the said Water Lot lately surveyed to Major John Campbell, and runs along the last mentioned Lot north 13 degrees east, 59 chains to a water oak tree, marked. Thence south 87 degrees and 40 minutes west, 11 chains and 71 links, thence north 28 degrees east, 50 chains 87 links to a heap of stones on the west side of a certain road, thence south 50 degrees east 45 chains to a large rock, being the southermost corner of a Lot surveyed for John Meeks, then along the last mentioned Lot, north 58 degrees east 21 chains to a walnut sap- ling, thence north 60 degrees east, 56 chains and 50 links to the easterly bounds of said Water Lot then along the same as the needle pointed when it was originally run, north 10 degrees east, but as the needle now points north 7 degrees' and 40 minutes east, about 230 chains and 80 links to the north east corner of said Water Lot, Thence along the north bounds thereof as the needle pointed when it was originally surveyed, south 75 de- grees west but as it now points, south 72 degrees and 40 min- utes west, 95 chains and 40 links, to the east bounds of that part of the aforesaid Water Lot already conveyed to said Wm. Denning by Daniel Graham Esq. Commissioner &c Then along the east bounds of the aforesaid lot 471 chains to the south bounds of said Water Lot being the Division line between West- chester and Dutchess Counties, Then along the line as the needle pointed when it was originally surveyed east, but as it now points north 87 degrees and 40 minutes east, 88 chains and 40 links to the place of beginning. Containing 3,346 acres of land, with the usual allowance for highways." " The other tract begins at the south east corner of the lot surveyed for John Weeks, then along the same 41 degrees east, 5 chains 80 links, thence north 58 degrees east, 4 chains, thence north 68 degrees 30 minutes east, 11 chains 70 links; thence north 36 degrees east 7 chains and 25 links thence north 59 de- 528 HI&TOIJT OF PUTNAM COUNTY. grees 15 minutes east 5 chains; thence north 67 degrees 30 min- utes east 6 chains, thence north 51 degrees east 3 chains 85 links to a red oak tree: thence north 41 degrees 30 minutes east, 2 chains to the east bounds of the said Water Lot thence along the same as the needle pointed when it was originally run, south 10 degrees west, 32 chains to that part of the Water Lot sur- veyed for Maj. John Campbell; then along the same south 80 degrees west, 31 chains to the place of beginning containing 48 acres." William Denning', to whom the above tract was sold, was a wealthy merchant of New York, and purchased large tracts in other portions of the State. In addition to the above he pur- chased from the commissioners of forfeiture all that portion of Lot 1 lying between the Hudson River and the tract above de- scribed and remained the possessor to the time of his death. This western portion of the lot was generally called the " Bev- erly estate." William Denning by his will left his son, William Denning, jr., and his son-in-law, William Henderson, executors of his estate. In accordance with the terms of the will the executors caused to be surveyed from the Beverly estate 1,000 acres bounded as follows: "Beginning on the north or Hudson's river, at the mouth of the brook which runs north of the field known by the name of the Totten field; thence running easterly up the said brook through the middle thereof to a bridge near the entrance into said field; thence on a line south 75 degrees east to a point or station from whence a line running north 7 degrees east until it intersects the road leading to Peekskill, ' William Denning came from Newfoundland. He was a member of Provin- cial Congress, State Senator, and member of the Council of Appointment. He was an extensive land owner and much of the lands bought from the commis- sioners of forfeiture was in payment for his services to the State. He died Octo- ber 30th, 1819, at the age of 80. His monument stands in the northwest corner of St. Paul's Church yard, in New York. He man'ied successively two sisters, Sarah and Ann, daughters of William Hawkshurst, of Long Island. His chil- dren were: Lucretia, wife of Nathaniel Shaler; Sarah, wife of William Hender- son; Amy, wife of James Gillespie; Maria, wife of William Duer; and William. William Denning, 2d, died February 7th, 1849, aged 81. While principally en- gaged in business in New York, he had an elegant country seat on the banks of the Hudson, at Grassy Point, near Haverstraw. He married Catharine, daughter of Thomas Smith, a lawyer of New York, and brother of Joshua Hett Smith, the guide of Major Andre when plotting iwith* Benedict Arnold. His children were: William H., who died unmarried; Emily, wife of P. B. Van Rensselaer^ now living at Fishkill; and Caroline, wife of G. W. Morton. TOWN OF PHILIPSTOW:^. 529 shall include within these lines, the road leading to Peekskill and the line of William Henderson's farm, 1,000 acres of land." This was, by the will, to be offered to all of his children, and the one who should offer the highest price was to have the same with all the improvements, provided the sum offered was not less than $30,000, which was to be charged to the share of the estate belonging to the purchaser. By a codicil, dated February 24th, 1809, William Denning devised to his executors and to Thomas Hay as trustee, one-fifth of his estate for the benefit of his grandchildren, the children of his son William, and gave the trustees the same option in regard to the Beverly Farm, which he had in his will given to his children. After the de- cease of Mr. Denning the executors, as provided, offered the tract of 1,000 acres to the children and trustees, and all of them declined to purchase it on the terms proposed. On the presen- tation of these facts to the Court of Chancery, held by Hon. James Kent, Chancellor, on the 3d of September, 1821, a decree was made directing the executors to sell the tract by public auction. Accordingly the premises were offered at auction " at the Tontine Coffee House, in the City of New York," January 22d, 1822, and were struck off to Thomas Arden for the sum of $20,000, and the sale was duly confirmed by the Chancellor on the 18th of February in the same year. Thomas Arden having in reality purchased the tract for his grandson, Philip Ver Planck, jr., a deed was duly executed to him March 2d, 1822. The deed describes the tract in the terms mentioned above, and mentions the point where the east line intersects the road to Peekskill as being "at a monument near a small birch tree to the westward of Turner's house." It then runs along the road to the line of fhe farm formerly occupied by William Hen- derson, and along the south bounds of that farm to the Hudson Kiver. The deed expressly reserves " a small grave containing one acre enclosing a family monument, for the express purpose of protecting such monument and not to be used for any other purpose." Philip Ver Planck resold the Beverly Farm to his grand- father, Thomas Arden, May 26th, 1823. On the 2d of February, 1820, William Henderson and William Denning, as executors, sold to Thomas Arden 121 acres of land adjoining the Beverly Farm and lying south of "the brook called brook Kedron.'* 34 530 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. This tract or farm had for some time been in the occupancy of William Henderson, and he at the same time released all his claims to the same. Thomas Arden remained in possession of this last tract till February 24th, 1825, when he conveyed it to his nephew, Rich- ard D. Arden, having previously sold the Beverly Farm to him February 3d, 1824. While in possession of Mr. Richard D. Arden the estate was surveyed and divided into farms and a map made of the same, the portion next the south boundary being designated as the "South Line Farm.'' Next north of this came the " Chestnut Grove Farm." To the north of the latter was the "Beverly House Farm," next came the "Pine Grove Farm," while the northern portion of the estate was known as the "Homestead Farm." A part of the Pine Grove Farm and Beverly House Farm, containing 116 acres, Ij'ing between the river and the mountains, and north of the " Beverly Dock road," was sold by Mr. Arden to Susan Dntilh, November 1st, 1856. Upon the decease of Mr. Arden, the estate was divided by the terms of his will, in the following manner; The Homestead Farm, and the part of the Pine Grove Farm which remained unsold, were left to his son, Col. Thomas B. Arden. The Bev- erly House Farm fell to his daughter, Mary, wife of Peter P. Parrott, and on this stands the old house of Col. Beverly Rob- inson. Chestnut Grove Farm became the property of his daughter, Helen, wife of James S. Huggins, while the South Line Farm descended to his third daughter, Mrs. Sarah Liv- ingston. The highway which runs through this estate was formerly a private road and bore the name of " Beverly Lane," and at the north end a large gate was kept by its former owner. The road was opened in 1866, by authority of an Act of Legislature. In 1868, a tract of twenty acres, on that portion of the Beverly House Farm which lies west of Beverly Lane, was sold by Mrs. Parrott to Mrs. Elizabeth Underbill, who has erected there an elegant country seat. The remainder of this farm, together with the historic mansion, whose name has made the place famous, was sold to Hon. Hamilton Fish, March 28th, 1870. The part of Pine Grove Farm lying west of Beverly Lane was also purchased by Mr. Fish, from Mrs. Dutilh, in 1861, and land ad- T0V7N OF PHILIPSTO\y]Sr. 531 joining on the north, was purchased from Mr. Thomas B. Arden, in 1862. Upon these tracts, Mr. Pish has erected his country residence, which is one of the finest on the Hudson. The greater part of the Pine Grove and Homestead Farms now belong to William H. Osborn, Esq., by purchases from Mrs. Dutilh and Col. Thomas B. Arden, in 1858 and 1865. This tract extends to the top of the mountain, and at the summit Mr. Osborn has built a mansion whicla, "conspicuous from afar," is one of the most prominent objects that meet the eye of the traveller who ascends the Hudson; and, like Cortona, it "Lifts to Heaven its diadem of towers." Beverly House', the former home of the man who once owned all the country round, and associated with one of the most im- portant episodes of our Revolutionary history, must ever be regarded as- an object of interest and curiosity. Of the time when it was built there is no certain knowledge. Col. Robinson seems to have been living there in 1768, and it remained his home till, espousing the Royal cause, he left it never to return. The original house was probably the central portion of the dwelling, and additions on each end appear to have been built at different times. It was here that Benedict Arnold, at the time of his treason, had his headquarters. Of the conspiracy of Arnold; the fatal journey of Andre, his leaving the deck of the "Vulture" to hold the memorable^interview at the foot of the Clove Moun- tain, below Haverstraw; of the ride of both conspirators, at early dawn, to the house of Joshua Hett Smith, the dupe of the traitor and the guide of his victim; of the final interview, when the treasonable plans were arranged; of the journey of Andre the next day, under the guidance of Smith, to the famous King's Ferry, at Stony Point, and from thence to Ver Planck's Point and by way of Crom Pond to Pine's Bridge, on the Croton River; of their parting there, and the final direction of Smith, to take the road to White Plains (instead of which Andre took the road to Sing Sing); of his capture atTarrytown; all this has been told so often that it would be superfluous to repeat it here. At the time of the capture, Andre was taken to North Castle, and from thence to Salem. From the latter place he was sent 'Now occupied by William E. Rogers, railroad commissioner of the State of New York, and a graduate of West Point, M. A., in 1867. 532 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. under a strong guard by the way of Continental Village to the house of Beverly Robinson. Previous to this a message had been dispatched by Colonel Jameson (in vyhose custody Andre was retained at Salem) to Washington, announcing the capture and containing the papers found concealed in the boots of the prisoner. At the time of Andre's capture, Washington was on his way from Hartford, and changing the route he at first proposed, came by way of the Highlands. At Fishkill he met the French Minister, M. de La Luzerne, and remained with him during the night. Very early the next morning, he sent off his luggage with orders to the men to go as quickly as possible to " Beverly house," and give notice to Gen. Arnold that he would be there TO breakfast. When opposite West Point, Washington turned his horse down a road that led to the river. La Payette, who was in company with the commander, remarked, "Greneral, you are going in a wrong direction. You know Mrs. Arnold is waiting breakfast for us, and that road will take us out of the way." To this, the General made the joking reply, "Ah, I know you young men are all in love with Mrs. Arnold and wish to get where she is as soon as possible. You may go and take your breakfast with her and tell her not to wait for me, for I must ride down and examine the redoubts on this side of the river and will be there in a short time." The officers, however, remained with him, except two aids-de-camp, who rode on to make known the cause of the delay. Previous to sending the papers found with Andre to Washington, Col. Jameson had sent a letter to Arnold, stating that he "sent a certain Mr. Anderson' forward, under charge of Lieutenant Allen and a guard, who had been taken while on his way to New York, and also informing him that the papers found on him had been sent to the commander in chief. Major Benjamin Talmadge, who was next in command to Col. Jameson, was absent at the time, and upon his return the same evening, learned with astonishment the proceedings of Col. Jameson. Upon his urgent request a messenger was dispatched to bring Andre back to North Castle, but the letter to Arnold was not delayed. When the aids-de-camp sent forward by Washington arrived 'The reader is doubtless aware that " John Anderson " was the assumed name- under which Andre conducted his negotiations with Arnold. TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 533 at Robinson's house, and it was announced that the General would not be there, Arnold, his family and the aids- de-camp sat down to breakfast. While at the table, Lieutenant Allen, the messenger sent by Col. Jameson, rode up, bearing the letter to Arnold which informed him of the failure of all his plans. No time was to be lost. The traitor knew full well that his only chance for safety lay in immediate escape. Informing those present that his immediate attendance was required at West Point, he left the table and went to Mrs. Arnold's chamber and sent for her. In hurried words he told her that they must instantly part, perhaps forever, as his life depended on his reaching the enemies' lines without detection. Hastening from the room he is said to have mounted a horse belonging to one of the aids of Washington, and hastened to the landing place on the river which still bears the name of "Beverly Dock." Instead of taking the usual road he pursued a shorter route, by a foot path, which led down a steep hill and across a marsh, and which has ever since borne the name of " Arnold's path.'" Entering his barge, he directed the six oarsmen to pull for Teller's Point, now known as Underhill's Point, and to increase their efforts, two gallons of rum were promised as a reward, and thus Benedict Arnold left the military post he had plotted to betray. Four hours later the messenger dispatched by Col. Jameson arrived, bearing the fatal documents found on Andre, and also his own letter to Washington, revealing his true name and official rank. In the mean time the General had gone over to West Point to inspect the works, expecting to find Arnold there. To his surprise no salute greeted him on his ap- proach, and he learned from Colonel Lamb that Arnold had not been there, nor been heard from within the last two days. After making his inspection, he returned about noon to "Beverly Dock," intending to dine at Robinson's house. While ascend- ing from the river, Alexander Hamilton was seen approaching with a hurried step and anxious countenance. The sad tale was soon told. The papers prepared by Arnold to facilitate the be- trayal of the post he was commissioned to defend were their 'Another version of this affair was told by a man named Dykman to Mr. Richard D. Arden. He stated that at the time of Arnold's departure he was working in a barn, which stood on the premises. Looking out, he saw Arnold, with his saddle bags in his hand, walking down the path, much more rapidly than usual. This account seems to be generally believed in the neighborhood. 534 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. own explanation. Hamilton was at once directed to ride as rapidly as possible to Ver Planck's Point, in hopes that he might arrive in time to intercept the fugitive. Vain hope! Several hours of time had placed him beyond reach, and he had escaped from all but his own guilty conscience. A letter was at once dispatched to Colonel Jameson, at Lower Salem, directing him to send Andre to Robinson's house, under a strong guard. The messenger reached his destination at mid- night, and a guard under Major Talmadge set off with the prisoner, immediately. They arrived, after riding all night, and Andre was sent with his guard to Stony Point, and from thence to Tappan, where his trial and execution took place. Beverly house remains as nearly as possible in the same con- dition as when in possession of its original owners. The prin- cipal apartment, in the central portion of the house, is the room where the party were at breakfast when Jameson's messenger arrived. The identical table at which they sat is now in pos- session of Mr. William D. Garrison, the proprietor of the Grand Union Hotel, in New York. The north chamber, in the eastern portion of the house, is the room where Arnold announced to his wife the news that they must part. This room, like the former, is preserved in its original condition. On the panel work of Mrs. Arnold's bed- room is carved, "G. Wallis Lieut. VI. Mass. Regt." Origi- nally the driveway that led from Beverly Lane to the mansion was on the north side of the house, but this has been changed to the south side in modern times. An ancient cherry tree, which seems old enough to have borne fruit in the days of the Revolution, stands near by, while on the north side is a clump of box which may be equally aged. "Arnold's path " began on the west side of the lane, near the outbuildings, and on the north side of the stone wall which is now the boundary of the land of Mrs. Underhill. Here was originally a rail fence with a wicket gate. The path led down the hill and on the south side of the rocky elevation, and crossed " Beverly brook " about thirty feet north of the place where a very small stream of water runs into it. From this place it crosses a marshy piece of ground, some stones and logs afford- ing a sf)lid footing for the traveller. " Beverly Dock," still in use, is at the south end of the railroad cut that runs through the hill which overlooks the spot. TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 535 Upon the homestead farm stands " Ardenia," the seat of Col. Thomas B. Arden, and the home of his father, the former owner of Beverly estate. For quiet and unobtrusive beauty, it is excelled by few places on the banks of the Hudson, and to its respected owner the writer is indebted for many courtesies and much valuable information. Garrison's. — This place was originally known as Nelson's Landing, from Caleb Nelson, who was living in the vicinity previous to the Revolution. The land in this vicinity was un- doubtedly included in the sale of the west part of Lot 1, to William Denning, and a tract in the northwest corner of the lot is supposed to have been sold to th^ Nelsons by him. On the 30th of April, 1803, Cornelius Nelson sold to Harry Garrison 125 acres of land "exclusive of the three acres allowed for the use of the church." This land is described as "being in Water Lot No. 1, and beginning at the North- West corner of said Lot, and thence running S. 67 degrees East along the Water lot north line 49 chains 57 links to a public road." It ran south along the road to the south line which touched the river at a point a little below the railroad station. The house where Cornelius Nel- son lived (now owned by Richard Upjohn) is about one-fourth of a mile north of Ardenia and on the corner of the road to the depot. Washington is said to have stopped here at times during the Revolution, as it was then the nearest house to the landing. After the death of Harry Garrison the whole of the tract which he bought of Cornelius Nelson, excepting a few small pieces near the river, was sold to Henry W. Belcher. He sold the northwest part of it to Frederick Philipse and it is now held by his heirs. The remainder was sold to William S. Liv- ingston. Nelson's Landing was in early times the rendezvous for sloop and boatmen, and the productions of the farms of Canopus Hollow were brought to this landing for shipment. In more modern times the beauty of the scenery has attracted many gentlemen from New York to this romantic region, and elegant country seats have taken the place of the plainly built dwel- lings of the early residents. At the northeast corner of Lot 1, of the Philipse Patent, is situated the old Hopper farm, now the property of John Travis. Richard Hopper, the original occupant, was a tenant under 536 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Beverly Robinson before the Revolution. The farm, which was bounded north by the north line of the Lot No. 1, and east, by the east line of the same lot, which separates it from Beverly- Robinson's Long Lot No. 4, contained more than 200 acres and after the Revolution was sold by the commissioners of for- feiture, with several thousand acres adjoining, to William Den- ning. William Denning sold the farm to Richard Hopper November 2d, 1786, and he gave it to his son Edward, who died in 1850, leaving it to his children, EfSe Griffin, Richard, Na- thaniel, Michael and Samuel Hopper. The greater part of the old farm now belongs to John Travis, who married Effie, daughter of Richard Hopper, the grandson of the original owner. The old house stood where the residence of Mr. Travis now stands, and here the first Methodist meetings were held in this part of the town. Richard Hopper was a local preacher, and his house thus became the headquarters of the members of that denomination. The north line of Lot 1 separates this farm from the land of Rebecca Pierce on both sides of the old post road, and farther east of it is the boundary between Mr. Travis and Henry Post. The east line of the lot is the boundary between Mr. Travis and Henry Post, whose house stands on or very near the town line, and about 60 rods north of the corner of the two lots. South Highland Methodist Church. — The first meetings of this denomination were held in the house of Richard Hop- per, 2d, and he was the first local preacher. David Jaycox was a class leader, and Nathaniel and Michael Hopper were active members. The first church was built in 1829, on land purchased from Harry Garrison a!nd a portion of a large tract sold to him by William Denning. The society was incorpo- rated August 29th, 1829, at a meeting held in the house of Richard Hopper, at which time Richard Garrison, David Reed and David Jaycox were chosen trustees, the title of the or- ganization being " the Second M. E. Church and Congregation of Philipstown." In 1862 the present church was built, and the old one was moved to a piece of land bought of Sylvester Haight and used as a parsonage. In the burying ground at- tached to this church rest manj'^ of the well-known men of a former generation. A few dates from the tombstones are: Abram Bennett, died Oct. 25th, 1870, aged 91; Eunice, wife, Jan. TOWN OF PIIILIPSTOWN. 537 18th, 1871, 85; John Rodder, Feb. 3d, 1870, 84; Margaret, wife, July 15th, 1877, 87; Deborah Jaycox, May 14th, 1843, 92; David Jaycox, Oct. 24th, 1863, 85; Martha, wife. May 5th, 1862, 83; Edward Eldridge, April 10th, 1837, 83; Hannah, wife, April 17th, 1837, 85; James M. Nickerson, May 26th, 1850, 36; Harvey Mead, June 22d, 1858, 61; Abigail, wife, Aug. 25th, 1858, 60; Edward Hopper, Nov. 12th, 1850, 88; Abigail, wife, Oct. 4th, 1840, 67; Rev. Richard Hopper, May 31st, 1868, 73; Ruth, wife, February 27th, 1856, 57; Henry Croft, Aug. 8th, 1857, 64; Mary, wife, July 20th, 1870, 69; Benj. Odell,' Dec. 5th, 1861, 71; Jolin Van Tassel], Feb. 7th, 1868, 61 ; Israel Horton, Dec. 14th, 1860, 84; Nancy, wife, March 15th, 1872, 78; Valentine Dobbs, Feb. 10th, 1843, 70; Wm. Meeks, June 7th, 1860, 66; Sabrina, wife, June 19th. 1865, 70; John Jaycox, Jan. 24th, 1855, 70; Eliza- beth, wife, Jan. 1st, 1866, 75. Among those who have been foremost in promoting the in- terests of this church should be mentioned Allen G. Newman, Esq., of New York. HOPPEE Mine. — On the southwest side of the old post road is a small portion of the old Hopper farm, situated at the place where the road crosses the top of Canopus Hill. This has always been known as the " Mine lot " and the " Hopper Mine " is located on it. Iron ore was taken from this mine by Richard Hopper about 1820. He gave the land to his son, Nathaniel, but reserved the mine and mineral right, which fell to his chil- dren. Two-fifths of this right were afterward sold to John Travis by Michael and Richard Hopper in 1853. Nathaniel Hopper left his right to Edward, Samuel, Lorella and Nathaniel Hopper, by will, in 1873. The share of Efiie Griffin descended to her children, and of these Allen Griffin and Catharine Le Compte sold their right to Caspar D. Schulraith, while Emily Foshay sold her share to Ferris Chapman April 5th, 1880. Upon this title Feri'is Chapman began a suit in partition against the rest of the owners under the right descending from Richard Hopper. When the case came to trial the heirs of Frederick Philipse presented their claim and demanded to be considered as defendants upon the following grounds : When the Philipse Patent was divided, in 1754, in each of the partition deeds the mines and minerals were reserved, con- sequently they remained undivided property. The confiscation 538 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. ]aws only affected tlie rights which belonged to Beverly Robin- son and Roger Morris and their wives, and did not affect the right of Philip Philipse, which descended to his children. In consequence the deed from the commissioners of forfeiture to William Denning, and the deed from him to Richard Hopper, could only convey the right to the minerals, which became the property of the State by the confiscation of the lands of Rob- inson and Morris. The case was referred to Hon. William Wood who, in his report as referee, sustained the claims of the Philipse family. This was duly confirmed by the court and no appeal was ever taken. This mine and the suit connected with it are an important point in legal history as establishing the right of the descendants of Philip Philipse to one third of the minerals throughout the entire countj^ Continental Village. — The entrance to the Highlands was a point of great military importance during the Revolution, and on the banks of Canopus Creek, in the southeast corner of the town, extensive barracks were constructed by the American Army in 1777, which would accommodate 2,000 men. A large number of cattle and a great amount of military stores were col- lected there, and were under the charge of Major Campbell. Redoubts were built for the purpose of commanding the road and protecting public property. On the 9th of October, 1777, and three days after the caj)ture of Forts Clinton and Mont- gomery, Gen. Tryon was sent with a body of troops to destroy the settlement. The expedition was successful, and the village, with all the stores, was completely destroyed. The inhabitants lied to' the hills and the American troops retired to Fishkill, leaving this ]Dart of the valley a scene of desolation. Shortly afterward Gen. Parsons marched down from Fishkill with 2,000 men and took possession of Peekskill. No other events of im- portance occurred here during the Revolution. It vras again occupied as a place for collecting stores for the army, and the barracks were to some extent rebuilt. It was from this place that the following letter was sent to Matthew Patterson : "Continental Village, Sept. 27th, 1781. "Sir, "The necessity we are under for pasture for the use of the army, obliges me to urge you sir to use your authority to pro- TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 539 cure some forage as soon as you conveniently can. You will not only promote the common cause, but very much oblige Gen. Heath & every officer in the army whose horses are almost starving for want of short forage, the country being eaten up here about. We have had no forage but some long forage which was brought from below Croton some distance, which was got by the army when at the white plains, and that not very good. I therefore at the General's request Sir, desire you to procure us some short forage as soon as possible and to order some pasture to be assessed as near the S. W. part of your Precinct as possible for the use of the fat cattle, they be- ing too great an object for the enemy to be trusted near Croton river. Tis well known there is good and plenty of it there- abouts. You will please Sir to transmit to me as soon as you conveniently can, an account of the several assessments that I may give orders for their being occupied. Col. Hughes tells me he has ordered his clerk to supply you with a copy of the Act, which he tells is continued till the end of the war. Your compliance Sir, will not only be of the greatest public utility, but will establish & confirm the good opinion the General en tertains of you. "I am with all due respect Sir "Your very humble Servant "W. Keefe, "D. C. of Forage. " Matthew Paterson Esq." Highland Chemical Works. — The original of this organi- zation was the "Hudson Eiver Copper Company," which was established in 1863, and William H. Denning leased to Seth Allen the use of 300 acres of land " on the west side of the road to Peekskill and north of Westchester line, for getting miner- als of all kinds." This lease, which was for ten years, he as- signed to the Hudson River Copper Company, and this com- pany by William Kenney, president, transferred it to Archibald Gracie King, December 23d, 1872. Mariuus Willet, Frederick K. Jones, and George Winthrop Thorne organized the " High- land Chemical and Mining Company" for the "manufacture and sale of Sulphuric, Nitric, Muriatic and other acids, Super- phosphates and other chemical substances," in 1872. The premises occupied and where the buildings are erected, are on 540 HISTOBY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. the bank of the Hudson River, close to the southwest corner of Putnam county. They included Lots 3 and 4 of the lands of William Denning, as laid down on the map of Jacob Lent, and Marinus Willet and his companions conveyed to the company " a piece of land, marsh and islands," January 3d, 1873. This company at first made use of sulphur obtained from iron pyrites procured from mines on Anthony's Nose, the right to get which was hired from Catharine and Pierre Van Cortlandt March 23d, 1868. Of late years this has been discontinued, and the sulphur now used is imported from Italy. The buildings of this company present a very conspicuous appearance on the shores of the river, and the works give employmenf to a large number of hands. St. Philip's Church in the Highlands. — This church was originally a chapel, and was united with St. Peter" s Church at Peekskill, the history of which has been written with care- ful minuteness by the lamented historian, Bolton. The first charter of this church was granted August 18th, 1770, and the first trustees were Beverly Robinson, Charles Moore, Jeremiah Drake, Caleb Ward, Joshua Nelson, Thomas Davenport and Henry Purdy. The church edifice, which is still standi ng, a venerated relic of the past, was built about two miles north of Peekskill, on a lot given for that purpose by Andrew Johnston, March 23d, 1770. The church itself is said to have been built in 1766 " by certain subscriptions both in Cortlandt Manor and the lower end of Pilipse Upper Patent," and it was dedicated by Rev. John Ogilvie, D. D., August 9th, 1767. A letter to the "Venerable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts," October oth, 1770, states: "We could not have gone through with our undertaking but for entering into an agreement with the people on the lower end of Philipse Patent, that if they would Join with us in the building of St. Peter's Church, and in the subscription for the support of the min- istry, that when we obtained a missionary he should be settled for both places, so as to make but one congregation of the whole: To preach every other Sunday at the house of Jacob Mandeville." " We can assure the venerable Society that from the generous offer of Mr. Beverly Robinson, we have the hopes of having a very good glebe provided within the year." Another letter states, " that being well satisfied of the char- TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 541 acter and ability of Mr. Joha Doty, a Gentleman educated at King's College, they have unanimously given him a call, to re- main here as their minister for the St. Peter's Church, and also for the neighborhood of Jacob Mandeville, in the lower end of Philipse Patent, where it is intended to build another church, to be united as one congregation, and they have cheerfully sub- scribed to the amount of £61 15s. towards his support." Rev. John Doty, who thus became the first rector, was the son of Joseph Doty, and was born in New York, about 1750. He entered King's College (now Columbia) in 1768, and was licensed by the Bishop of London, in 1771. He took charge of this church June 8th, 1771, and was admitted as rector, by Gov- ST. PHILIP'S CHAPEL. Built about 1770. Original in possession of H. W, Belcher. ernor Tryon, on July 16th of the same year. Governor Tryon granted this church a special charter, by virtue of which the vestry held a glebe farm of 200 acres of land " given by Beverly Robinson, Senior Warden, for the use of the Rector officiating one half of the time in the Highlands." Rev. Mr. Doty removed to Schenectady, very much to the disapproval of the venerable Propagation Society, and was suc- ceeded by Rev. Bernard Page, in 1775. He remained but a short time, and for seventeen years there was no settled pastor. After the Revolution the Presbyterian Society endeavored to get possession of St. Peter's Church, and proceeded so far as to elect trustees, but the unworthy attempt was frustrated and the church was finally incorporated under the former name. 542 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. April 5th, 1750, William Denning, Caleb Ward, Charles Wor- den, Joshua Nelson, Richard Arnold, Caleb Myers, James Dusenbury and Silvanus Haiglit, were chosen vestrymen for St. Philip's Chapel in the Highlands, and St. Peter's Church, and on November 24th, 1791, they agreed to pay the sum of £20 to the support of David Samson ''to read service in St. Peter's Church at Peekskill, and at St. Philip's Chapel in the Highlands, until the first of April next, and it is further agreed that Justus Nel- son and Silvanus Haight furnish him with necessarys agreeable to a person of his station, during the term." Rev. Andrew Fowler became rector in 1792, and William Denning as vestry- man, certified that "possession had been obtained of the par- sonage house and glebe belonging to the Church of St. Peter's and St. Philip's, at the Highlands," and in 1794, thanks were given to Hon. Pierre Van Cortlandt for his efforts in the Leg- islature, to obtain for the church the title to the glebe. Rev. Mr. Fowler resigned in 1794 and was succeeded by Rev. Samuel Hartwell, who remained till 1798. The next pastor was Rev. Joseph Warren, who remained from 1806 to 1814. After this Rev. Adam Empil, chaplain at West Point, officiated for a few Sabbaths and administered the communion " of which they had been for two years deprived." Rev. Petrus S. Ten Broeck, was rector in 1817; Edward J. Ives in 1826; James Sunderland, 1832; William C. Cooley, 1838. At the time of the incorporation of this church, in 1840, Rev. Ebenezer Williams was officiating minister. It appears that the glebe or parsonage farm mentioned above was not formally given by deed to the church by Beverly Robinson, although the church had possession of it. After the Revolution this farm was, like the rest of the land of Colonel Robinson, confiscated, but by an Act of the Legislature, the commissioners of forfeit- ures were inhibited from selling the same. The farm had form- erly been in the possession of one Ebenezer Jones. Beverly Robinson and his wife " tendered to convey" the farm to the church, in 1772, and in consequence the wardens and vestry purchased the improvements of Mr. Jones, and built a house which was called the "Yellow House," and remained in posses- sion "until the service of the country demanded them to yield the same for public use." By an Act passed March 27th, 1794, all the title of the State to the farm and parsonage was given to the trustees of the "United Protestant Churches, of St. Peter's TOWlSr OF PHILIPSTOWN. 543 Church, in the town of Cortlandt, in Westchester County, and St. .Philip's Chapel, in Philipstown, and their successors forever, in trust for the use of said congregation." The farm was some- times rented as in 1803, when Mr. James Mandeville paid to the wardens for one year's use of the parsonage farm, the sum of £35. The two. congregations continued united till April 18th, 1840, when an Act was passed for the " Relief of St. Peter's Church and St. Philip's Chapel." This provided that the two churches should be duly incorporated, and that the real estate of the former should be divided equitably between the two. Accord- ingly the "St. Philip's Church in the Highlands" was incor- porated July 1st, 1840, by electing Samuel Gouverneur and Harry Garrison, wardens; and Daniel Haight, Frederick Philipse, John Garrison, Henry C. De Rham, Richard D. Arden, Cornelius Nel- son, Justus Nelson, 2d, and Joshua Nelson, vestrymen. The glebe farm remained in possession of the two churches till April 1st, 1839, when the old corporation sold it to David McCoy. The farm is described as "bounded North by land now or formerly of Isaac Lent and James Mowatt, on the East by land now or formerly of Isaac Lent, on the South by the Putnam County line, until it comes to the lands, of Pierre Van Cortlandt, and West by lands now or formerly of James Mowatt and James Croft, Containing about 200 acres." The price was $5,000. The farm still remains in possession of the heirs of Mr. McCoy. It is situated in the southeast corner of the town, and the narrow gauge railroad to the Croft Mine runs through it, the right of way having been sold by the heirs at law of David McCoy to Edward E. Flint, June 19th, 1878. Names of officiating clergymen of St. Philip's Church in the Highlands from 1840: Rev. Ebenezer Williams, 1840 to 1843; Robert Shaw, 1843 to 1850; David E. Barr, 1852 to 1853. Rectors: Rev. Edward M. Pecke, 1854 to 1857; Joel Clapp, 1857 to 1860; Chas. P. Hoffman, 1860 to 1873; Albert Zabriskie Gray, 1874 to 1882; Walter Thompson, 1883. Names of wardens and vestrymen by decades: 1840 — Samuel Gouverneur, Harry Garrison, wardens; Daniel Haight, Fred- erick Philipse, John Garrison, Henry C. DeRham, Richard D. Arden, Cornelius Nelson, Justus Nelson, 2d, Joshua Nelson, vestrymen; 1850— John Garrison, Frederick Philipse, wardens; Richard D. Arden, Samuel M. W. Gouverneur, Christopher 544 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Haight, Adolplius Gouvernear, Henry W. Belcher, Harvey- Mead, John Hopper, Cornelius Nelson, vestrymen. 1860 — John Garrison, Frederick Philii)se, wardens; William' Moore, Henry W. Belcher, Richard Upjohn, Geo. F. Gar- rison, John Hopper, vestrymen; 1870 — Frederick Philipse, Henry W. Belcher, virardens; William Moore, Richard Upjohn, Samuel M. W. Gouverneur, Hamilton Fish, Henry C. DeRham, Nathaniel F. Moore, James F. Hall, Thomas H. Austin, vestry- men. 1880 — William Moore, Hamilton Fish, wrardens; Henry W. Belcher, Thomas H. Austin, Charles DeRham, Samuel Sloan, William S. Livingston, Thomas B. Arden, F. A. Livingston, Hamilton Fish, jr., vestrymen. Dates from tomb stones in St. Philipse Church yard: Han- nah, wife of Jacob Nelson, died Feb. 16th, 1795, age 34; Sally, wife of Underhill Rudd, March 9th, 1804, 31; Donald McOwen, Jan. 15th, 1802, 34; Justus Nelson, born March 17th, 1780, died Dec. 17th, 1851, aged 71; Laetitia, wife, Jan. 23d, 1868, 80; John Griffin, Sept. 4th, 1877, 82; Effie, wife, March , 1st, 1862, 69; Catharine, wife of Joseph Haight, Nov. 12th, 1868, 84; David Jenkins, Jan. 26th, 1862, 77; Morris Nelson, Sept. 16th, 1858, 67; Capt. John Warren, Sept. 1st, 1837, 72; Sarah, wife, Nov. 2d, 1833, 67; Stephen Nelson, Feb. 1st, 1835, 64; Mephiboseth Nelson, March 29th, 1830, 54; Elizabeth, wife, April 5th, 1828, 50; Christopher Haight, Sept. 1st, 1854, 78; Catharine, wife of Peter Warren, Nov. 12th, 1815, 42; Justus Warren, May 1st, 1821, 31; Sylvenus Nelson, July 11th, 1793, 24; Justus Nelson, Feb. 21st, 1803, 65; Phebe, wife, Jan. 24th, 1812, 75; Daniel Haight, Sept. 4th, 1812, 88; Martha, wife, April Ist, 1822; Christopher Fowler, born July 22d, 1718, died March 25th, 1809, 90; Joseph Haight, June 25th, 1829, 50; Jacob Nel- son, April 14th, 1812, 61; Joshua Nelson, born Sept. 18th, 1726. died Dec. 14th, 1817, 91; Sarah, wife, Aug. 16th, 1823, 86; Harry Garrison, Aug. 6th, 1845, 80; Jane, wife, Feb. 12th, 1828, 58; John Garrison. Nov. 3d, 1867, 72; Martha, wife, 1800, 68; Rich- ard Dean Arden, born Sept. 12th, 1777, died July 17th, 1865, 88; Jane Depeyster, wife, born Sept. 3d, 1784, died July 4th, 1859, 76; Richard Hopper, born April 16th, 1777, died Oct. 13th, 1854, 77; Sarah, wife of Bryon Rositer, Sept. 21.st,,1843, 82; John Cronck, March 30th, 1843, 63; Anna, wife of John Lan- caster, April 16th, 1799, 42; Dr. Walter Watson,^ March 17th, TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 545 1848, 68; John Watson, May 31st, 1812, 40; Eobert Allen, Nov. 29th, 1805, 43; Jacob Jenkins, a worthy of the Revolution, June 23d, 1827, 69; Elizabeth, wife, March Uth, 1848, 88. " In nieraory of Mary Rainsford, wife of J. Mills Brown, born 21st Feb. 1779, at Dunhalm, upon Trent, England, died 14th Aug. 1849. There's nothing left to care for now since my poor Mary died, thou single hearted yet firm purposed creature." The Methodist Episcopal Chukch, at Garrison's, was organized in 1851, the trustees being Peter Fisher, George Coat, _ John Bailey, William Collins and John Knowls. The church lot was sold to the trustees by John Bailey, Ajjril 12th, 1861, " a lot on east side of highway 52 feet square, for the purpose of building a meeting house." The church was struck by lightning, and greatly damaged August 26th, 1872. Philipse Lot No. 2. — The central part of Philipstown con- sists of Lot No. 2 of the Philipse Patent, and fell to Philip Philipse, in the partition and division in 1754. The next in- formation we have concerning this tract, is its survey and division into eight lots, and a map made of them by David Lambert, the surveyor, in 1769. The original map is now among the Philipse papers. The owners of the lots are mentioned by their last name, except the Davenports. Their full names were probably: Lot 1, Eli or Justus Nelson; 2, John Eldridge; 3, Thomas Davenport; 4, William Davenport; 5, John Rogers; 6, Thomas Sarles; 7, Elijah Budd; 8, Joshua Lamoreaux. The names of the early settlers on this tract are only to be learned from mention made in various records such as surveys of highways and minutes of town meetings. The earliest names found are in the survey of highways in 1745: Eli Nelson, Francis Nelson, David Hustis, Nathan Lane, Sibert Cronkhyt, Joseph Jaycox, Joseph Aries, Joseph Cronkhyt, Thomas Davenport, William Davenport. The proximity of this region to the Hudson River rendered it far more easy of access than the central portion of the patent, and the fertile portions were soon settled by men who held farms as tenants of Philip Philipse and afterward of his children. The following list includes the persons whose names appear on the town records between 1772 and 1782, and includes the people living in Putnam Valley, which was then a portion of Philips- 35 646 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. town: Beverly Kobinson, Jolin Crompton, Joseph Lane, Caleb Nelson, William Dusenbury, Israel Taylor, Isaac Davenport, Justus Nelson, Cornelius Tompkins, John Likely, Elijah Budd, Isaac Khodes, Isaac Horton, Joseph Haight, Jacob Mandeville, Thomas Davenport, John Jones, James Lamoreaux, Moses Dusenbury, William White, John Winn, Reuben Drake, John Meeks, Samuel Warren, John Nelson, Uriah Drake, John Armstrong, John Cavery, Edward Weeks, Anthony Field, .Cornelius Gea, Joseph Knapp, Peter Bell, Nathaniel Jagger, Stephen Lawrence, Jedediah Frost, Peter Dubois, Joshua Nel- son, Peter Snouck, Joseph Husted, John Avery, Thomas Bass- ford, Sylvanus Haight, Benjamin Rogers, Stephen Conklin, Daniel Bugbee, Daniel Willsie, John Sherwood, Reuben Tomp- kins, Stephen Davenport, John Van Amburg, Ezekiel Gee, Samuel Jenkins, Jacob Read, Isaac Odell, Capt. Israel Knapp, John Haight, Hendrick Riers, Amos Odell, Jacob Armstrong, William Christian, Oliver Odell, Aaron Odell, Henry Elton, Robert Oakley, Thomas Smith, Joseph ilrles, William Wright, Christopher Fowler. Jonathan Ones, Gabriel Archer, Sylvanus Lockwood, Abraham Garrison, Joshua Mead, Hendrick Post, Absalom Nelson, Peter Ryall, William White, Capt. George Lane, Peter Likely, Gilbert Budd, James Jaycox, Henry Wilt- see, Peter Drake, Matthew McCabe, Cornelius Tompkins, Daniel Buckbee, Comfort Chadwick, Thomas Lewis, Nathan Lane, Moses Dusenbury, jr., Joseph Garrison, Peter Warren, Peter Kelly, John Yeoman, Abraham Croft, Abraham Marling, Joseph Bare, Elisha Budd, Titus Travis, Gilbert Oakley, John Drake, John Edgar, Philip Steinbeck, John Knapp, Isaac Jaycox, Richard Denny, Isaac Garrison, David Henion, Isaac Danforth, Thomas AVilliams, John Christian, Jesse Owen, William Dusenbury, Solomon Smith, Thomas Bryant, Joshua Tompkins, Charles Christian, Jonathan Miller, James Penney, Nathaniel Tomp- kins, Col. Samuel Drake. Among the earliest settlers in this town was David Hustis, who came from England and settled in the north part of the town, near the North Highland Church. Here he settled, with the Indians around him, and from them he procured the corn which he planted. He was one of the commissioners appointed to lay out highways in 1745. His descendants continue to live on the place, down to modern times. TOWN OP PHILIPSTOWN. 547 John Rogers made a settlement about 1730, on the old Post road, near the south part of Lot 2. At that time there was only this road laid out and defined, within the limits of what is now Putnam county. Having built a log house large enough for a country tavern, he was always sure of guests, for if a traveller reached the house in the middle of the afternoon he was com- pelled to stay, as the distance to the next stopping place was many miles through a dense wilderness. Another early settler was Thomas Sarles, whose lot appears on the map. His house was north of the mills now owned by James Nelson, near the junction of the Post road and the High- land Turnpike. Some distance north of this was the house of Elijah Budd. This was on what is called the Andrew Hill farm, about a mile south of the junction of the Post road and the Philipstown Turnpike, on the west side of the Post road. Gril- bert Budd lived at what is called Mekeel's Corners, the junc- tion of the Post road and Philipstown Turnpike. The Lamoreaux were a French family, and were settled on the Post road still farther north, their tract embracing the north- east corner of the lot. The town records of Philipstown, or rather of Philipse Pre- cinct, begin in 1772, and are contained in a paper covered book out of which a large gap has been eaten by the mice. From these records we transcribe the following: " At a town meeting in Philipse Precinct, in Dutchess County, on the oth day of April, 1772. "John Crompton, Clerk. "Beverly Robinson, Supervisor. " Joseph Lane and Caleb Nelson, Assessors. " William Dusenbury, Collector. " Israel Taylor and Isaac Davenport, Constables. " Justus Nelson and Cornelius Tompkins, Poor masters. " Cornelius Tompkins, Pound master for Peekskill Hollow. " John Likely, Pound master for Canopus Hollow. "Elijah Budd, Pound master on the Post road. " Caleb Nelson, Pound master on the river. " Isaac Rhodes and Moses Dusenbury, fence viewers. "Isaac Horton and John Jones, fence viewers. " Joseph Haight and James Lamoreaux, fence viewers. "Jacob Mandeville and Thos. Davenport, fence viewers. " Isaac Rhodes Highway master for ye road from Fredericks- 548 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. burg Precinct to the bridge over Peekskill river, near Lewis Jones. " Wm. White Highway master for the road from Wm. Du- senbury's, up Peekskill Hollow, to the bridge near Lewis Jones, which bridge he is to make with his hands and to con- tinue up the Hollow to the line of Fredericksburg Precinct. "John Winn, Highway master for the road from the Cold Spring, along Wicopee road to the line of Rumbout's Precinct, all the people living north of said Spring to belong to his com- pany. " Reuben Drake Highwaymaster from Drake's mills up Can- opus Hollow to the Post road. " John Meeks Highway master on the Post road from West- chester line to Joseph Bards. " Elijah Budd Highwaymaster on ye Post road from Thomas Sarles to Rumbout Precinct. "Jacob Mandeville Highway master from the Post road near widow Aries through the Highlands to sd. Mandeville' s house, from thence to Caleb Nelson's, and from thence to Christopher Fowler's and from thence to the first mentioned road. " John Nelson Highwaymaster from Mr. Robinson's mills, to his father's from thence to Thomas Williamson's, and from thence to Mr. Robinson's house. " Tho. Davenport Highway master from Caleb Nelson's to his house and from thence through the woods to the Post road near Elijah Budd's. " N. B. all the foregoing persons were chosen unanimously except Cornelius Tompkins Poor master, who was opposed by Uriah Drake, who demanded a poll at the close of which Cornelius Tompkins had 47 votes. Uriah Drake 35 do 12 difference upon which Cor's Tompkins was declared poor master." The following is a reminder of the times when cattle ran at large, and each owner had his " ear mark" : "April 25th, 1772 John Armstong his mark a crop of the Right ear." "May 11th, John Cavery desires his mark to bee entered in this book which I have. Which is a crop of the neer ear, and TOWN OFPHILIPSTOWN. 549 a slit in the same and the off ear a hole and a half penney and the half penney on the under side." " Sibit Cronkit junior desires his mark to be entered in this book which I have, which is two nicks in the neer ear, one on each side, and the off ear a slit and a half penney upon the under side." For the benefit of those to whom the above terms may be devoid of meaning, it may be stated that the "near ear" is the left one, "a crop" is a piece cut off the end of the ear, while a "half penny " is a small semi-circle cut out of the ear. "Uriah Drake to be Highway master of the same district as last year, also to work the new road laid out from Moses Du- senbury's to John Meek' s through Sibit Cronkhits Reuben Drake Jonathan Owen and Peter Rickeys farms as far westward as Sibit Cronkhits farm goes and to have Peter Barger and widow Barger added to his company." " Samuel Jenkins Highway master on ye new road laid out from the Cold Spring road to said Jenkins then to Samuel Yeo- man's from thence to Rumbout Precinct and said Jenkins, Samuel Yeomans, John Yeomans and Peter Ryal to be teken off from John Winn's company." " John Steward Highway master from Drake's mills to the cross road leading from Reuben Drakes to Peter Rickeys. Reuben Drake Highway master for said cross road up Canopus Hollow to the Post road, and also the said cross road from said Reuben Drake's to the bridge by Peter Rickeys." " Nov. 29 in the year 1784. We laid out a road from Joshua Mead's beginning at the Post road running eastward to a chest- nut stump and thence to a walnut and a butternut and to Morris Smith's farm crossing the east end of said Smith's farm thence to John Healy's farm then going across his farm to Daniel Hinnion's farm and then to John Budd's house, then to James Lanton's, then to Lazarus Light's, then going to Wicopee road. " Elijah Budd, " Hendeick Post." "In complyance with an Act of the Colony of New York, In- titled 'An Act for Highways,' passed the 27th day of Nov. I now inform you that on the came to my house three stray cattle, viz.: one a reddish brown with a white belly, his tail white better than half way up, legs on ye near side white & o50 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTT. a star in his forehead and also a small bell. One a black steer a little brown on his back & a mealy nose. The third a heifer ■with a white belly, her tail white half way up, her legs white at her knees, fore feet white to fetlock joints and one of them a little above the joint, a white forehead and a white star under her throat. They all appear to be two years old last spring and were all marked with a crop on the oflf ear. I desire the above description of these cattle may be entered at large on the Town Books agreeable to the direction of the above noticed Act of Assembly also my place of abode. " Bev. Robinson. " Highlands 1774. " Moses Ddsenburt Town Clerk." The above has a certain interest as it is the last time that the name of Beverly Robinson occurs in the records of the town where he had been the ruling man for so many years. " May 10th, 1784, then we the Commissioners laid out a road from Caleb Nelson's to his landing, Beginning at his house keeping as near the South of the brook as near the brook as convenient as can for us. " Elijah Budb, " Hendrick Post. " Isaac Rhodes." Town meetings in the early days were held at the houses of John Likely and Cyrus Horton, in Canopus Hollow, which were central places before the town of Putnam Valley was set ofif. Lot No. 2, of the Philipse Patent, was again surveyed and divided in 1802, by Henry Livingston of Poughkeepsie, the owners at the time being Mrs. Margaret Ogilvie, Frederick Philipse, and Mrs. Mary Gouverneur, wife of Samuel Gouver- neur, and daughter of Frederick Philipse. Mr. Livingston, in his field book, states that he "was assisted for the greater part of the time by Amos Beldon, Esq., the agent of the aforesaid proprietors, and by chainbearers diligent and faithful." The south line is described as beginning at a monument of stones distant 40 links from high water mark, on Hudson's River " from which monument a course N. 67° W. strikes about 25 links north of the northermost bastion of Port Putnam, and from high water mark (crossing the said monument) S. 67° 21' E. along the line of Lot No. 1 86 chains 37 links to a monument TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. .'JSl of stones erected on the summit of Redonbt Hill about fifty yards south of the south side of the old north redoubt. Thence along the same lot N. 72° 11' E. at 20 chains at the fence on the north side of the ferry road. At 103 chains 80 links about 1 chain south of the remains of a saw mill formerly belonging to Benjamin Rogers. At 105 chains 80 links about 1 chain south of the remains of a saw mill formerly belonging to Benjamin Rogers. At 130 chains 25 links in the middle of the Post road. At 155 chains 50 links in the middle of a road leading from Canopus or its vicinity to the Post road near R. Hopper's: in all 177 chains to the north east angle of Lot No. 1, and joining the west side of long Lot No. 4 where now grows a chestnut sapling, on which are engraved the letters P. R. 1758. This sapling grows from a stump joining which a chestnut tree is now lying on the trunk of which is plainly dis- cernible the letters P. R. Thence along the west side of Lot No. 4 N. 7° 35' E. (at 263 chains, the south branch of the Clove Creek here called Barlow brook and at 298 chains the north branch of said Clove Creek') in all 382 chains 66 links to a walnut tree with stones heaped around it about 3 chains west of tlie dwelling house of Abraham Ireland, and about 1 chain 25 links north of a road leading to the Post road. This monument is the south east angle of Lot No. 3. "Then along the south side of said lot No. 3 S. 74° 22' W. at 14 chains, 50 links 9 yards north of the dwelling house of John Barton at 73 chains 50 links at Helys brook; at 157 chains 33 links in the middle of the Post road; at 222 chains 70 links in Margaret brook, a saw mill near to the north east; and at 274 chains 15 links on the tup of the eastern summit which consti- tutes Bull Hill. In all 391 chains and 60 links to the high water mark of Hudson's river at a hemlock tree in a gully between Break neck Hill and Bull Hill. Then down the river including Martelaers Rock to beginning, Containing 9164 acres and 27 perches of land exclusive of Martelaer's Rock and any part of the marshes." The whole tract was divided into 50 lots, which were in pos- 'This place, where the east line of the lot crosses the south brauch of Clove Creek, is a few rods north of the Philipstown turnpike and about 20 rods west of the house and shop of Richard Denny. A small bridge over the creek is the ex- act point. A rock marked P. (marked thus by Capt. Frederick Philipse many years ago) supports one end of the bridge. 552 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. session of the following persons, at that time, as lessees of the Philipse family: No. 1, Wni. Barber, 242 acres; 2, Daniel Haight, 81; 3, Ed- ward Meeks, 35; 4, Josiah Mekeil, 202; 5, Samuel Cole and John Griffen, 16; 6, Charles Hill, 44; 7, John H. Gannung, 50; 8, Sylvanus Wood, 71; 9, Samuel Cole and John Griflfen, 151; 10, Abraham Garrison, 154; 11, Justus Nelson, 384; 12, Joseph Garrison, 131; 13, Isaac Mead, 303; 14, Joseph Ferris, 120; 15, Peter Warren, 294; 16, John Warren, 85; 17, Thomas Sarles, 136; 18, John W^arren, 411; 19, Daniel Ferris, 250; 20, Beverly Warren, 123; 21, Tho. McKeil, 15; 22, John La Count & Caleb Ferris, 218; 23, Tho. & John Sawyer, 88: 24, Peter & Wm. Sine, 173; 25, Absalom Early, 197; 26, Joshua Purdy, 125; 27, Kichard Denny, 505; 28, vacant lot, 122; 29, Samuel Purdy, 164; 30, Elijah Budd, 213; 31, Wm. Lovelace, 401; 32, Matthew Snook, 147; 33, Isaac Davenport, 903; 35, Mary Davenport, widow of Stephen Davenport, 509; 35, Tho. Sutton, 9; 36, Tho. Sutton, homestead, 502; 37, Benj. Odell, 90; 38, Jonathan Odell, 102; 39, Tho. Mekeil, 93; 40, Uriah Mekeil, 80; 41, Joshua Mead, 310; 42, James Nelson, 190; 43, Richard Smith, 82; 44, Wm. Bashford, 22; 45, Wm. Saurin, 51; 46, John Crosier, 182; 47, Moses Downing, 152; 48, Tho. Henyon, 150; 49, John Barton, 174; 50, Martelaer's Rock or Constitution Island, and "may contain 240 acres, but I did not survey it." The south line of this lot has been described in previous pages and the landmarks mentioned above are readily recognized. This line commences on the river about a quarter of a mile north of the ferry at Garrison's. A continuous line of stone wall marks its course and runs about 30 rods north of St. Philip's Church, and is the south line of the school house lot farther east. The angle in the line is at the top of the mountain. The line crosses the post road and forms a north boundary of the farm of John Travis, on both sides of this road, and east to the corner of the lot. The " chestnut sapling" is now grown to be a large tree. The east line of the lot is the town line between Philipstown and Putnam A^'alley. The house of Abraham Ireland stood very near where the house of Elizabeth Hawkes now stands. Abraham Ireland died about 1845 at the age of 80. He left the place to his son Thomas, who sold it to James Townsend. It was sold by E. Piatt Johnston, referee, on fore- closure of mortgage, to George Speedling and John Denny in TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 553 1875, and it was transferred to Susan Denny in 1878. It was left by her to her mother, Mary A. Hawkes, and she is its present owner. The house of John Barton was where the house of Robert Stephens now is. The '' wallnut tree with stones heaped around," which is the northeast corner of this lot, stands by the side of the road which runs north from the road which goes past the house of Mrs. Hawkes. Very near this tree and on the west side of the road is a small rock which was shattered by lightning not long since. Running west the north line of this lot crosses the Post road a few rods south of the house of Samuel Barrett, and it forms the boundary between his land and that of John Wallace to the south. Next to Hudson River the line forms the south bound- ary of the farm of James Bailey, about a mile and a half north of Cold Spring. After the death of Mrs. Margaret Ogilvie, in 1807, the whole of this lot became the property of her son, Frederick Philipse, and his daughter, Mary, wife of Samuel Grouverneur. Their son, Frederick P. Gouverneur, assumed the name of Frederick Philipse, by authority of an Act of Legislature, April 7th, 1830. A deed of conveyance, dated December 31st, 1830, states that " whereas Frederick Philipse late of Philipstown, on divers oc- casions expressed his will and intention to bequeath to Fred- erick P. Gouverneur the following land," in accordance with this Samuel Gouverneur and wife conveyed to him a tract of 350 acres " Beginning at a rock with a birch and hemlock tree grow- ing on it, on the shore of Hudson's river, about 4 chains 35 links from Coney's Point, and south of the land of Cornelius ISTelson, and running by several courses to the ferry road, then up the road as it runs south east to the division line between Philipse and Robinson water lots, then along said line S. 72^° W. 20 chains to the top of the mountain, thence N. 67^" W. 86 chains 37 links to the river and along the same to the place of begiuning." From time to time various tracts and farms were sold by Frederick Philipse and Samuel and Mary Gouverneur, and at the present time a comparatively small part of the original lot is in the possession of the family, the largest tract yet remain- ing being the mountainous land on Bull Hill. 554 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. The old residence of the Philipse family was known as the " Grange," and was bnilt about the beginning of the present century. The bricks used in its construction were made from clay dug on the lands adjoining. This mansion stood near the northwestern corner of the plateau which juts out into the river at the cove into which Philipse Brook flows, and is about 150 feet above the water. At the head of the cove the old river road came down to the " Philipse dock." This place was burned in 1861, but the remains of the foundation are still visible at the eastern end of the double row of arbor vitse trees which bordered the approach to the former residence. It was here that Mrs. Ogilvie and her children made their home when they came from New York to visit their Highland estate, and was the residence of the family in later years. Here were preserved, with religious care, the family portraits, the papers relating to the estate, all the relics of the past which had been handed down from former generations, the monument a majorum of one of the oldest families in the country. The old coach, built to be drawn by four horses, and in which the " Lord of the Manor" made his journeys to and from the city, existed till within a few years, a curious relic of the times when railroads were unknown. Revolittionary. — The following documents give the location of encampments during the war : "State and situation of the American Army in the vicinity of the North river, March, 1781. " About three miles to the northward of Crom pond is an en- campment of the Rhode Island line: but the troops are drawn off to West Point, except part of the companies left to guard their baggage. " The New Hampshire line are encamped about four miles above the Continental Village, within half a mile of the main road leading from Peekskill to Fishkill, on the east side of the road. Their numbers at present don't exceed 200. " The Connecticut line are encamped about six miles above said village, on the west side of the main' road, about half a mile distant there from, and about one and a half miles distant from the North River. The encampment is situated in a hollow between two mountains, a large brook running between their huts, which are built to contain 3,000 men, but deducting those TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 555 detatched for the Marquis' Corps, and many on furlough, their numbers at present do not exceed 800." 19th March, 1781. " Winat (Wynant) Williamson returned from Dutchess County, where he has been for two months past. He says : " One Brigade (formerly Poor's) are hutted at Yan Tassel's, three or four miles from Continental Village. " Another at Continental Village, and along the road up to Hopper's called the Soldier's fortune." April 31st, 1781. " Wynant Williamson, who T had sent out for information respecting the Highlands, and directed him to go to a particular friend, who lives very near West Point. He returned this day and says he saw my friend, was with him a whole daj' (last Thursday), and had the information from him. "B. KOBINSOK." "General Heath commands at West Point. - " East side of the river, 200 of the Continental line com- manded by Col. Darby, under Bull Hill. "The New Hampshire line at Canopus Hollow, in number about 600 — 500 are just inoculated. "The two redoubts on the East side are commanded by Cap- tain Johnson, with one company of men. " Col. Smith with one Regiment of about 100 men on Hyatt's hill east of Doctor Perry." About a mile northeast of Cold Spring village, on the land of Rev. Charles Wright, and near the banks of Margaret Brook, are the remains of an encampment of Revolutionary times. The huts that sheltered the troops have, of course, long disap- peared, but the stone fire-places yet remain as relics of " the times that tried men's souls." On Erskine's military map (1780), barracks are located on the Post road, in the northern part of the town, and in view of West Point and its vicinity, made by Major L. Enfant, an army engineer; about the same time large encampments of troops were represented as occupying the site of "Undercliff" and also on the south part of Constitution Island. It also shows a row of tents extending from Margaret Brook along the present Chestnut street and Morris avenue. At the junction of the Highland Turnpike and the old Post road was the old Warren homestead, now owned by Capt. James Nelson. The ancestor of this family was Samuel Warren, who 656 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. came from England before the Revolution. His son, Capt. John Warren, who was born in 1765 and died September 1st, 1837, married Sarah, daughter of Justus Nelson, and had seven chil- dren: Cornelius, Sylvenus, Samuel, Harry, John, Mary, wife of Joseph Haight, and Susan, wife of Elijah Davenport. Capt. John Warren, in his early years, lived in a log house, and about 1815 built a mill on a stream that flowed near by, and where the mill of James Nelson now stands. He had a large farm an d was noted as a hard-working, honest, frugal man, who began poor and died comparatively rich. His son, Cornelius Warren, was born in 1790, and died at Cold Spring July 28th, 1849. He was member of Congress, 1847-9, and was judge of Common Pleas in 1841. Sylvenus Warren was born November 13th, 1799, and died February 15th, 1859. He was member of Assembly in 1843, and supervisor of Philipstown for several years. His oldest son, Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren, was a distinguished officer during the Civil War. CHAPTER XXV. TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN (Concluded). "Village of Cold Spring. — West Point Foundry. — Growth of Village. — Incorpora- tion. — Cold Spring Recorder. — Fires. — Philipstown Lodge. — Baptist Church. — St. Mary's Episcopal Church. — Methodist Church. — First Reformed Church. — Presbyterian Church . — Roman Catholic Church. — Cemeteries. — Nelsonville. — West Point Iron Company. — Union Chapel, Mekeel's Corners. — Constitu- tion Island. — North Part of Philipstown. — Col. Roger Morris. — Old Highland Methodist Church. — Northeast Part of Town. — Murders. — Supervisors. — Hon. Hamilton Fish, LL. D. — Hon. Edwards Pierrepont. — Edward Pierrepont. — Hon. Daniel P. and Arthur Ingraham. — Gouverneur Kemble.^William D. Garrison. — James H. Haldane. — Robert P. Parrott. — C61. Thomas B. Arden. — Henry W. Belcher. — Osmond M. Baxter. — Hon. George McCabe. THE village of Cold Spring, now the largest in the county, had no existence previous to the time when the works of the West Point Foundry were established here, in 1818. The whole extent of this village^ and of Nelsonville, is included within the limits of the tract known as Lot 4, in the first sur- vey of the Philipse Lof, and held by William Davenport as tenant in 1769. At that time and for long years after, the only valuable portion of the tract was the comparatively few acres that could be cultivated, and the shores of the river, which con- sisted of rugged rocks and useless marsh, were naturally con- sidered of no practical value whatever. At the foot of what is now Main street, was in former times a small bay with marshy shores. This extended as far east as the Hudson River Railroad track. At the Point where the rail- road crosses the north line of the steeet, a spring of water, cool, clear and sparkling, flowed from the bank, and from its peculiar freshness it acquired the name of " the Cold Spring." The course of modern improvement has destroyed it and the fountain no longer flows, but its memory still survives in the name of the village. 558 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. The first house in this vicinity was built by Thomas Daven- port, and stood opposite tlie present Methodist church. Here he lived and died and his sons after him, and the name of this family must ever by identified with the early times of this sec-, tion of the county. An old road ran winding down to what is called Sandy Land- ing. At the beginning of the jjresent century there were three or four small houses in the vicinity, and boatmen on the river stopped here occasionally. In 1805, Elijah Davenport built a store on the south side of the road, and in 1815, Chauncey Weeks moved a frame building down from Nelsonville and stationed it just east of the store. The old house of Elijah Davenport was still farther east. Two men named Haldane and Howel afterward built a store at "Sandy Landing." Thomas Sutton, a son-in law of William Davenport, had a log house where the elegant mansion of Frederick P. James now stands. He was the fortunate owner of some peach trees, and one year had an excellent crop of fruit, which he sold to men from New York for the large sum of five dollars: quite an event in the early times. The first school house was built of logs and stood at a place called "Plum bush," a little south of the village, on the road to Garrison's, and to this humble edifice trudged the children of the Davenport, Sutton and Travis families, the last said to have been living on Constitution Island. About 1810, a frame school house was built, about half a mile east from the house of William Davenport. This building stood near the corner of a road, and to it the children came from a long distance round. Thaddeus Baxter came from Carmel and taught school in 1816. The house was afterward moved to Grifiin's Corner, and a new one built on the spot where the first Methodist church after- ward stood. In 1815, the Philipstown Turnpike Company was organized, and the enterprise was started of making a good road from Cold Spring, through the whole length of the county, to the Connecticut line. Dr. Joseph Parks took the contract for mak- ing 12 miles of this road for $1,000 a mile. In 1817, Market street was laid out, and was described as " beginning at the westerly end and centre of Philipstown turn- pike, at Cold Spring landing, being a course of S. 64 degrees west to the verge of the flats on the easterly side of the channel TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWJSr. 559 of Hudson river, at a distance of about six chains to the edge of tlie channel, and from the centre of said turnpilte, to the ex- tremity of the road, completing in all a distance of 80 chains or thereabouts." The stream which has from early times borne the name of Mar- garet's Brook, doubtless derives its title from Margaret Ogilvie, who with her children, was the owner of all the country round. Kemble avenue was opened a few years later, for the transportation of goods to the foundry by land. A large gate formerly stood at its junction with Main street. Davenport's store was a great resort for local gossips in the "good old times," and was the scene of many a hot political dispute. The old residents used to tell of a townsman, who, when the tariff was proposed as a protection from the cheap merchandise with which England flooded the country, declaimed loud and long against the infringement upon the rights for which he in the Revolution fought, bled, and (might have) died, and being asked to define the tariff, he said, " it is the little black bug that eats up the potatoes ^ The West Point Foundry Association was incorporated by an Act of the Legislature April 15th, 1818. This Act states that " Whereas Grouverneur Kemble, Joseph Gr. Swift, James Renwick and others have by their petition set forth, that they have formed a company for the making and manufacturing of iron and brass, and are engaged in the erection of extensive works and machinery for the making of cannon, cannon balls, and other ordnance, but their private capital being found in- adequate: that corporate privileges and powers are deemed es- sential to the accomplishment of this undertaking: and this Legislature deeming the said undertaking to be connected with the public interest and being disposed to encourage the same," the following persons, Gouverneur Kemble, James Renwick, Henry Brevoort, jr., Joseph Gr. Swift, John R. Renwick, Wil- liam Kemble, Henry Gary, Charles Gr. Smedburg, Nicholas Gouverneur, Robert I. Fenwick and William Young were made a body corporate, under the name of the "West Point Foundry Association," with a capital of $100,000. On the 3d of Novem- ber, 1817, Frederick Philipse and Samuel Gouverneur and wife sold to Henry Brevoort, jr., and James Renwick a tract of land, " Beginning at a rock, in the vicinity of the Oold Spring land- ing, on which is graven the letter S. at or near the mark of 560 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. high water, of Hudson's river and thence North 32 East, 39 cliains to a stone set on the Earth on the south side of which 'is engraved the letter S., and joining the Philipstown turnpike road, to a stone placed in the earth Marked K., then south 59, 45, East 24 chains 80 links to a stone set on the ground Marked K. Then South 14 West 11,59 links to a chestnut tree Marked with three notches. Then South 18 West 24 Ch. 80 links to a stone set in the ground near the margin of the marsh Marked S. thence across the creek to a ditch lately cut along said brook to the road lately made by Joseph Parks, thence along said road to a dock lately built, thence along the margin of the river to the place of beginning, containing 178 Acres of land and 27 acres of marsh and also the privilege of the water of Margaret brook, up to the old Saw Mill with liberty to put up a second dam across the same, above the Falls, 20 feet high." Henry Brevoort and James Renwick conveyed the same to the association July 13th, 1818, and they proceeded to erect the works necessary for carrying on their intended business. From the time of its beginning the company was under the special patronage of the government, and in 1819, an agreement was made with the Ordnance Bureau to receive all the old and un- serviceable cannon, carronades, shot, &c., and to pay for them $25 a ton, and to return kentlidge at the rate of $55 a ton. July 11th, 1820, the first contract was signed by Gouverneur Kemble as president, for manufacturing thirty-two 42 pounders, heavj^ guns, at $125 a ton, to be delivered in New York within ten months. December 1st, of the same year, the Board of Ord- nance ordered twenty-four 42 pound carronades at $185 each; thirty-two 42 pound cannon; thirty-six 32 pounders; 4,500 42 pound round shot, 3,500 32 pound shot, 14,400 42 pound grape shot, and 7,680 32 pound grape shot. From the time of its establishment till the breaking out of the Rebellion the com- pany was engaged in manufacturing smooth bore cannon of the Dahlgren and Rodman patterns, which were as efficient as any then known. After the commencement of the Civil War, the whole force of the establishment was employed in making Par- rott rifled cannon. The peculiarity of this kind of ordnance consisted of a cylinder made by coiling a bar of wrought iron, welding the coils together, and thus forming a C3dinder which was turned and shrunk on the breech of the gun, thus prevent- ing all danger of bursting. In 1860, 10 pounders of this pat- TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 561 tern were made, the next year 20 and 30 pounders were manu- factured, and at a later date they were increased to 300 and 400 pounders. Throughout the war the Cold Spring Foundry was a scene of the most active labor, employing from 800 to 1,000 men and turning out an immense amount of war material. More than 3,000 cannon of various sizes were made and 1,600,- 000 projectiles. In testing the guns they were loaded to their full capacity and aimed at the rocky front of Storm King, op- posite. The shells in bursting threw up enormous masses of earth, and the impressions made on the side of the mountain are still plainly visible, and prove the mighty force exerted. Since the war supplies of cannon have been made at these works for Spain, and for several South American countries, and large numbers of smooth bore cannon have been changed into rifled guns. Iron and steel castings of all kinds are made at these works, the force and skill employed being equally applic- able to the labors of peace as well as of war. Like all manufacturing enterprises, this company has had its time of prosperity and its time of depression. In 1883, the company was reorganized, 'and the present officers are: Charles J. Nourse, president; Thomas Gaunt, superintendent and vice president; N". B. Sanborn, secretary. Grouverneur Paulding, Esq., has been connected with this company for a longer time than any person ijow living, and was one of its former presidents. The road from Cold Spring to Break Neck was laid out in April, 1823. It was the growth of the village of Cold Spring that led to the division of Philipstown, and the setting off of Putnam Valley as a separate town. The following advertisement ap- peared in the local papers at that time: " Notice is hereby given to the Freeholders and inhabitants of the town of Philips, that an application will be made to the Legislature of the State of New York, at the present session for a division of Philipstown. " Cornelius Waeken, " GrABRIBL OdELL, " Martin Garrison, " Samuel Partridge, " B. Dykman. " March 27th, 1829." a 562 HISTOBY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Similar petitions were presented to the Legislature in 1832-3- 4-8, and the division was made in 1839. The first public work of much magnitude was the filling in of the Cold Spring Basin. This was commenced in the fall of 1836, and quite a tract of dry ground was made at the foot of Main street. It was at this time that the spring which had given its name to the locality was covered up and obliterated. In 1838 Main street was straightened. This formerly bent round the hill on which the Roman Catholic church stands, and in its course went to the north of the old Methodist church, re- turning to a straight line near Kemble avenue. The large number of operatives employed in the foundry caused a rapid growth in the village, and about this time the Foundry Associa- tion contracted with a Mr. Whitmarsh to build fifty tenement houses. A great increase in the number of houses in the village was made in 1839, when the Gouverneurs began to sell small lots for building purposes, and a new and enlarged school house was built. This school was termed an Academy, but seems to have belonged to the district, and was conducted in a manner superior to most schools of that time. " An Act to incorporate the village of Cold Spring. April 22d: All that district of country, in the town of Philips, and County of Putnam, bounded by line beginning on the east bank of Hudson Rivfer, at the northwest corner of Gen. George P. Morris's land, thence along the east bank of said river at low water mark, to the southwest corner of the West Point Foundry farm, thence northeasterly, along said boundary line, to the southeast corner of said foundry farm, thence north and west- erly, parallel with the said line, to Bull Hill: thence westerly parallel with said Morris's south line including the village ceme- tery, to the place of beginning shall hereafter be known and distinguished by the name of the Village of Cold Spring, and the freeholders and inhabitants residing within the limits afore- said, are hereby constituted a body corporate, by the name of the Trustees of the Village of Cold Spring." By an Act passed March 25th, 1867, it was provided that a suitable piece of land should be bought and a Town Hall or public building erected for the purpose of holding public meet- ings, courts and annual elections, also that there should be ad- joining thereto a jail or lockup of sufficient size " to hold all persons who should be confined therein, for offences committed TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 563 in Philipstown." The land was to be taken in the name of the town. The cost of the building was not to exceed $13,500. The Act was amended at various times. The land on which the Town Hall stands was sold to the town by Frederick Philipse and S. W. Grouverueur, June 1st, 1866. The Cold Spring Reooeder.— This newspaper, the only one published in the western part of the county, was founded in the spring of 1866, by Charles Blanchard. In November of the following year, it was sold to a company composed of prominent citizens of the village, and was put in charge of Mr. Sylvester B. AUis, a native of Fairfield, Conn. Mr. Allis bought out the various shares, and has since continued in control. The paper is independent in politics, fearless in expression of opinion, and has an extensive circulation. Like most villages, Cold Spring has suffered from the devasta- tion caused by fire. The first occurred in 1862, when several stores and buildings on the south side of the main street were burned, causing a great loss of property. The place, however, was quickly rebuilt. On the 7th of July, 1875, another fire started on the south side of the street, above the railroad, and caused a loss of $47,000. Philipstown Lodge INo. 286, F. & A. M., was granted a war- rant September 4th, 1851. The first ofiicers were: P. B. Law- son, W. M. ; James Truman, S. W.; Benjamin Dykeman, jr., J. W. Hon. Gouverueur Kemble, who established the West Point Foundry, was a member of this lodge. Among its past masters are: Hon. Jackson O. Dykman, Dr. Barker, Andrew Mcllray, and Hon. William Wood. The present officers (1886) are: Ellis H. Timm, W. M.; Wil- liam L. Post, S. W.; Samuel Avery, J. W.; Thomas A. Coe, treasurer; Alexander Slater, jr., secretary; James E. Bailey, S. D.; Willard Jaycox, J. D.; Arthur Thompson, S. M. C; William H. Ladue, J. M. C; Clarence A. Mikmak, tiler; Stephen Mekeel, Wright E. Perry, Jacob Gr. Southard, trustees. The regular communications are held on the first and third Thursdays of each month in Masonic Hall. The first religious meetings in this neighborhood, were held in the house of Thomas Sutton, which stood near the site of the residence of the late Frederick P. James. In 1825, a subscrip- 564 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. tion was circulated for the purpose of raising funds for building a churcli which should be free to all Protestant religious socie- ties. It was at first intended to erect a frame building, but it was finally concluded to use stone for that purpose. The edifice was completed in 1826, and for some time the religious services were confined to prayer meetings. The Presbyterian church was or- ganized in 1828, and laid claim to the church thus erected, and considerable dispute arose as to the rival claims of ownership. This building, which is still standing, is now the property of the Presbyterian Society, and is situated near the bank of the river, north of St. Mary's Catholic Church. Baptist Church. — The first preacher of the Baptist denomi- nation was B,ev. Ebenezer Cole, who, like his brother Daniel, was an unwearied minister of the Gospel, travelling into all the villages and neighbcrhoods of the country round Carmel, organ- izing and establishing churches. About 1797 he organized the First Baptist Church, and was its successful pastor for many years. The places of meeting were at private houses, that of Deacon Josiah Mekeel being the regular place of service for many years, and meetings were also held in Canopus Hollow. For some unknown reason this church was given up, and on March 15th, 1815, Elder Ebenezer Cole, assisted by Elder Simeon Barrett, organized the Second Baptist Church of Philipstown. This church was ministered to for several years by Elders Knapp, Cole and Marcus Grriffin, the latter being one of its own licentiates. -In February, 1827, this church, for property considerations, became united with the Peekskill Baptist Church. When the growth of the village of Cold Spring increased the number of church members residing there, a branch was organized in March, 1829, which was sup- plied for three years or more by Elders John Warren and Knapp. Up to this time the meetings were held in private dwellings, school houses, and in the old Presbyterian church which had been built by subscriptions from people of different denominations. When the Baptists were organized, they were excluded from the latter place, and upon one occasion. Elder Warren, coming to till an appointment, found the pulpit occu- pied by the Presbyterians. They then began to take steps to build a church, and through the liberality and efforts of Mr. Davenport, a house of worship was built upon a lot given by the Philipse estate, and was dedicated in 1831. TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 565 In August, 1832, Elder Isaac Bevan became pastor and re- mained two years and a half. The church of which this was a branch, being lai-ge and extending over a wide region, it was found difficult to enforce discipline. Accordingly a council was called, and the Baptist Church of Cold Spring was con- stituted December 25th, 1833, Elder John Warren preaching on the occasion. In 1835 Elder Bevan resigned and was suc- ceeded by Rev. William Biddle, a licentiate from the McDougal Street Baptist Church, New York. The church was supplied by several elders, among whom was Marcus Griffin, who became pastor in 1836 and continued for four years. His interest in the church never ceased, and in 1866 he donated $1,000, the in- terest to be used for maintaining the preached word among them. The pastors since that time have been : Elder Russell, 1840; J. W. Jones, 1842; Erastus Minor, 1853; Elder Bennett, 1855; F. N. Barlow, 1856; C. N. Skinner, 1857; W. Lincoln, 1861; William James, 1873; ' Chester J. Page, 1876; Jacob L. Wil- liams, 1883. The church has at times been enlarged and improved, and the services are attended with great results for good. Rev. Jacob L. Williams, the present pastor, was born in Saugerties, N. Y., and for seven years was pastor at Tivoli. St. Mary's Episcopal Church. — The finest architectural feature of Cold Spring is St. Mary's in the Highlands. It stands in a large open space of over three acres fronting chiefly on Main and Chestnut streets. The ground sinks considerably to the northwest and the west, giving, from the higher portions near the church, a fine view of the surrounding hills. The present church was built in 1868. Previously the congregation worshipped in a brick structure which stood upon a fine lot on Main street, in the center of what is now the chief business section of the village. The old brick church, which was taken down a few years ago, was completed and used for the first time, Sunday, November 7th, 1841. The parish was incorporated in 1840. The Rev. Ebenezer Williams was rector of St. Philip's in the Highlands, Garrison's, and united to his cure at that time the rectorship of St. Mary's, Cold Spring. The consecration of the old church took place on Tuesday, November 16th, 1841, the Right Rev. Benjamin T. Onderdonk, D.D., bishop of New York, being the consecrator. 566 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Mr. Gonverneur Kemble and Mr. Robert P. Parrott were tlie first wardens of the church. The first marriage solemnized in the parish was that of the late Mr. Robert P. Parrott and Miss Mary Kemble, who now survives him. Both Mr. and Mrs. Parrott took a keen and conscientious interest in the church as they did in all movements and undertakings for the good of the community. The parish rapidly developed in strength and numbers, In 1867, the village having largely increased in popu- lation, owing to the great expansion of its chief business in- terests, the congregation was too large for the old building. At a meeting of the vestry held on the 17th of June, 1867, Mr. Parrott presented a communication in which he offered to the church the lot on which the new building stands. He also offered, iji connection with some other members of the con- gregation, to erect upon this lot a church building, after plans that had been prepared by Mr. George E. Harney, architect. The offer was accepted by the vestry, and the beautiful edifice that is now such a notable feature of Cold Spring was at once begun. The lot was the gift of Mr. Parrott, and the building the united gift of Messrs. Robert P. Parrott, Gonverneur Kemble, Gouverneur Paulding and Frederick P. James. It was built by days' work under the supervision of the late Sylvanus Ferri?, and the general oversight was carefully, willijigly and faithfully given by Commodore R. B. Hitchcock, of the U. S. Navy, then residing in Cold Spring. The bills accruing were settled monthly, and the building was completed and paid for within a year of the laying of the corner stone. It is a noble structure of grey granite, massive and perfect in its proportions. Everything about the building is ©vidently well and substantially done. The graceful stone spire rises to a height of 128 feet, and its foundation is composed of 14 feet of solid masonry, which rests upon the rock itself. The shape of the building is cruciform. The extreme length is 108 feet. The breadth at the transepts is 68 feet, and of the nave and choir 30 feet. The roof is a lofty one, and very beautifully pro- portioned and timbered, and is of the color of the natural wood. The choir and sanctuary are stately and richly furnished. The latter has panelled walnut wainscoting, a richly carved Reredos and Altar, and massive sanctuary seats. Equally substantial sedilia, lectern and pulpit are found in the choir. The style of the building is early English Gothic. It might be added that TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 567 the chancel furniture, both of the choir and sanctuary, was the gift of one whose loving and generous devotion, throu-ghout a long life, has had much to do with the advancement of St. Mary' s in the Highlanpts. This new church was consecrated by the bishop of New York, the Right Rev. Horatio Potter, D.D., on Thursday, July 23d, 1868. At ten o'clock on that morning the clear tones of the great bell in the tower first sounded forth over the village, sum- ST. MAEY'S CHURCH IN THE HIGHLANDS. moning many worshippers to the noble structure that has been for nearly eighteen years the spiritual home of St. Mary's congregation. In 1873 Mr. Frederick P. James, one of the contributors of the new church, made another gift by commencing to build the beautiful Sunday school chapel which stands a little to the northwest of the church. This chapel is an appropriate memo- 568 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. rial to Frederick J. and Julian James, the two sons and only children of the donors, both of whom served with gallantry in our army during the Civil War. This chapel, designed by Mr. Harney, is constructed of the same grey stone as the church, and of an equally massive character. It embraces a large beau- tiful room, used for a general Sunday school room, and also as a chapel. A transept on the south side, which can be shut off by sliding windows, serves as an infant class room, and a smaller transept on the north side is fitted up as a library. These two buildings are of such a character that, taken with the exquisite and picturesque scene that opens up on every side, limited only by the hills that stand about, they form one of the most beautiful and complete ecclesiastical establishments in the land. It was in the minds and hearts of the donors to have added a rectory of the same general style upon the church grounds. But the expense of the building, about $70,000, was so great that it was not accomplished at the time, and it re- mains for some one in the future to complete the group of buildings which will then be unsurpassed in any rural parish of America. The whole cost of the land and buildings now owned by the parish was about $100,000. Cold Spring and Putnam county may well be proud of St. Mary's in the Highlands. The present rector of St. Mary's in the Highlands, the Rev. Isaac Van Winkle, entered upon his rectorship the last Sunday in August, 1874. He was born in the city of New York in 1846; was educated at the Collegiate School, under the celebrated in- structor. Dr. G. P. Quackenbos; graduated from Columbia Col- lege in 1865, and from the General Theological Seminary, in 1869; was ordained deacon on Trinity Sunday of that year, and was then appointed to be professor of mathematics in St. Steplien's College, Annandale, New York. He was ordained priest in 1870, and at the close of the college year in 1871, he resigned his professorship, owing to ill health. In December of that year he went to Europe, where he travelled extensively, and resided until June, 1874, when he returned to his native city, and shortly after was elected and appointed to St. Mary's in the Highlands, Cold Spring, where he has served up to the present time. TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 569 Methodist Episcopal Church. — The first organized attempt to establish this society was in 1832, when the following sub- scription paper was circulated: " We the undersigned Inhabitants of Cold Spring in the town of Philipstown County of Putnam, and State of New York, believing it to be for the glory of God and the good of the gen- eral cause of Christianity and morality, that a house of Wor- ship should be erected in the Neighborhood of Cold Spring, on the most suitable site, on or near the vicinity which can con- sistently be obtained, for the use of the Methodist Episcopal Church with free seats, in a neat but plain style, according to the usage and economy of the Methodist Episcopal Church. And whereas the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church are unable to build such a house in said place without the aid of the generous public, we do most affectionately solicit the aid of all who are friendly to the cause of God and Religion, and ftvidence thus their friendship by a respectable and liberal sub- scription. We the undersigned do hereby promise to pay to the persons who shall hereafter be legally appointed Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of Cold Spring, the sum severally annexed to our names for the above purpose, to be paid on or before the first of November next. Dated Cold Spring 1st Sept. 1832." The paper was signed by the following contributors: James Wright, $100; Justus Nelson, 50; Samuel . Warren, 30; Capt. John Cronk, 50; John Snouck, 50; Isaac Knapp, 10; Isaac Hustis, 5; Chloe Hart, 8; Peter Warren, 5; Mr. Kemble, 10; Gilbert Townsend, 5; William Wright, 5; Thomas Wright, 5; Abram Bowne, 2; Jacob Lent, 2; John P. Andrews, 5; Marcus Warren, 2; William Brewster, 2; Frederick Knapp, 5; David Knapp, 5; Caleb Hunt, 5; Nathaniel Keeler, 2; Elisha C. Bax- ter, 30; Cornelius Bennet, 20; Jacob Bennet, 25; Peter Snouck, 20; George Read, 20; Samuel S. Davenport, 30; Elisha Nelson, 15; William Cronk, 10; Abram Wright, 10; Gilbert Lawrence, 5; Jerry Walker, 10; Timothy Wood, 10; Francis Giles, 5; Timothy Haight, 10; Elijah Warren, 5; James Hustis, 1; Enoch Larrons, 2; Joseph Walker, 2. The church was built in 1833. At that time Main street ran north of it, but when the street was straightened it was changed so as to run on the south side of it, and what was at first the front became the rear. This church remained in use until the 570 HISTORY OF PtJTNAM COUNTY. building of the new one, at which time the following advertise- ment appeared: "For Sale: The old M. E. Church with lot 54 feet on Main Street, 66 feet in the rear and 80 deep. Title good, inquire of O. H. Studley, Trustee." For several years the basement of the church was used for a school. The building stood near the northeast corner of Church and Main streets, and is now a furniture store. The church lot was sold to the trustees, March 6th, 1832, by Samuel Q-ouver- neur and wife, and the church was incorporated as the " Third M. E. Church, of Philipstown." The present church is a most elegant and substantial building, and one of the ornaments of the village. The corner stone was laid by Rev. J. B. Walsh, D. D., September 10th, 1868, and the church was dedicated June 16th, 1870. The cost of this edifice was $40,000. FiKST Reformed Church. — This church was organized July 15th, 1865, by the Classis of Poughkeepsie. The first pastor was Rev. J. Ferguson Harris, and the elders were Isaac Riggs, Nicholas Hustis and Darius Bates. The deacons were Joshua Haight, J. H. Haldane and James Gage. The church has at present no settled pastor. The successive pastors were Rev. W. H. Phraner, J. C. Vandewater (whore signed April 19th, 1875) and J. W. Gonen. For a considerable portion of the time the church has had stated supplies. The church was built in the fall of 1855. The cost of the building was $6,000. The present membership is 60. Among the persons who have been prominently connected with this church are Isaac Riggs, William H. Wells, John H. Haldane, Joshua Haight and Nicholas Hustis. On the 15th of Decem- ber, 1859, William H. Wells sold to these trustees, a lot on the east side of Morris avenue " provided no person shall be buried there either in the earth or vault or any way of burial." Presby'terian Church. — The Presbyterian Church of Cold Spring, known as the First Presbyterian Church of Philipstown, was organized December 10th, 1828, by a committee of the Presbytery of North River, consisting of Rev. Messrs. Blain, Johnson, Ostrom and Welton. Rev. James Ostrom preached from Psalm 46:4. The new church consisted of the following persons: Nicholas Hustis, Peter Lewis De St. Croix, Phebe Travis, Lucy Candee, Eunice Andrews, Catharine Rote, Philenia TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 571 De St. Croix, Deborah Chapman. The last named was received from the church of Southeast, N. Y. The others were received on confession of faith. The original Session consisted of Rev. William Blair, the moderator, and Peter L. De St. Croix, the clerk. Mr. De St. Croix was ordained to the eldership, Janu- ary 4th, 1829. The Session was increased October 31st, 1829, by the addition of Mr. George Leitch, who was received by certifi- cate, from the Spring Street Church, of New York, and having been an elder, was elected to serve the Cold Spring church in the same capacity. The next addition to the Session was Mr. William Young, who was ordained May 2d, 1830. The Session was further increased on November 4th, 1832, by the ordina- tion of John P. Andrews and Oscar A. Barker to the ruling eldership. The present Session consists of the pastor, and Elders John Groundwater, LeGrand K. Wilson and William Wood* Mr. Wilson serves as clerk. Since the organization, the church has been ministered to by the following clergymen, either as pastors or stated supplies: Rev. William Blain, 1829-30; Rev. Jacob Helffenstein, 1830-31; Rev. Thomas Grier, 1832-34; Rev. Henry Barker, 1835-36; Rev. Abijah Greene, 1839-40; Rev. J. P. Clark, 1842-47; Rev. B. Van KeuTen, 1848-51; Rev. S. W. Bailey, 1852-53; Rev. A. G. Gar- diner, 1853-65; Rev. Fenwick T. Williams, 1865-77; Rev. Rob- ert M. Brown, D.D., 1877-83. The present pastor. Rev. Thomas C. Straus, who was installed May 2d, 1884, is a native of New York, a graduate of Marietta College, class of '77, and of Union Theological Seminary, New York, class of 1881. The present resident membership of the church is nearly 100. The oldest survivors of those received into the church in its earlier years are Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Wilson The present house of wor- ship is a brick chapel, of Gothic architecture, situated on Academy street, in the village of Cold Spring. This has been occupied for about nineteen years. Rev. Howard Crosby, D.D., of New York, preached at the dedicatory services. Before the erection of the chapel, services were held in the stone church, on the banks of the Hudson River, which is' still the property of the organization. Besides these, the church owns a parsonage on Purnace street, in the village of Cold Spring. The names of the officers of the church corporation are: James Sterling, pres- ident; James C. Wood, secretary; Thomas Smythe, treasurer. From its organization, the church has been connected with the 572 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Presbytery of North River, and at the time of the division of the Presbyterian body into the Old and New School branches, retained its connection with the Old School. A tomb in the old burying ground bears the following inscrip- tion: "In memory of Rev. Thomas Grier, late pastor of the Presbyterian Church, of Cold Spring, who died Aug. 19th, 1834, aged 54." Roman Catholic Church. — The large number of foreign laborers who were employed in the West Point Foundry ren- dered it necessary to build a church of the denomination to which they mostly belonged. A lot was given by Samuel and Mary Gouverneur, May 19th, 1834, and here, on a high rocky promontory, on the bank of the Hudson River, they proceeded to erect a commodious church. The first pastor was Rev. F. 'Caro, who remained for many years, and removed to Pough- keepsie in 1870. During the time of the War of the Rebellion, the shock produced by the discharging. of the immense guns, made at the West Point Foundry, injured the building to such an extent that it became necessary to rebuild it. This was done at an expense of $8,000 (which was defrayed by Capt. Robert P. Parrbtt) in August, 1867. On November 17th, the new church was dedicated by Archbishop McClosky, with great ceremony. A new hall was duly consecrated on Sunday, May 22d, 1870. The edifice, "founded on a rock," presents an ele- gant appearance from the river, and the society is large and flourishing. Cemeteries at Cold Spring.— Near the Town Hall is an ancient burying ground, where "the rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep," and which contains many headstones, that mark the resting places of long past generations. It was used at a time when Cold Spring, as a village, had no existence, and con- tains the dust of a population for a wide district of country round. Besides these, who were among the e'arly residents of the town, there were buried in later years a large number of Irish, mostly workmen engaged in the works of the West Point Foundry. One pleasing and interesting feature of the inscrip- tions on the tombstones of this race is that they almost invari- ably record the name of their birthplace, in their native country. The following list includes most of the early burials. Josiah Mekeel, died Nov. 29th, 1849, aged 80; Susanna, wife, Oct. 20th, 1854, 81; Jonathan Hustis, Nov. 24th, 1850, 78; Eliza- TOWN OP PHILIPSTOWN. 573 beth, wife, Dec. 18th, 1858, 71; Win. Davenport, March 27th, 1852, 76; Frances, wife, June 28th, 1820, 47; Thomas Daven- port, born April 11th, 1750, died Jnly, 1790, 40; Sarah, wife of John Snouck, June 17th, 1818, 35; Martha, wife of Thomas Davenport, born Jan. 26th, 1755, died April 6th, 1789, 34; Thomas Mekeel, May 12th, 1842, 75; Isaac Davenport, March 18th, 1808, 56; Elizabeth, wife, Jan. 18th, 1828, 70; Isaac Mead, April 13th, 1811, 60; Sarah, wife. May 30th, 1788, 31; Isaac Wright, April 4th, 1881, 91; Phebe, wife, May 19th, 1836, 31; Wm. Hustis, June 26th, 1819, 55; Phebe, wife, April 15th, 1844, 71; Benj. Bowne, Feb. 12th, 1835, 64; Rachel, wife, Feb. 21st, 1802, 32; Chauncey Weeks, May 28th, 1823, 31; Sylvanus Warren, born Nov. 13th, 1799, died Feb. 15th, 1859, 60; Phebe, wife, born Aug, 18th, 1804, died Dec. 5th, 1870, 64; Cornelius Warren, July 28th, 1849j 59; Ephraim Ireland, Feb. 6th, 1862, 86; Tamar, wife, Sept. 4th, 1851, 73; Caroline Dancanson, Jan. 26th, 1811; Sarah, wife of Alex. Secor, April 12th, 1852, 86; Henry Johnston, Oct. 28th,1825, 42; Thomas Jaycox, ?ept.l5th,1854, 63; Josiah Jaycox, Aug. 23d, 1840, 88; Esther, wife, Oct. 19th, 1848, 90; David Jaycox, Jan. 12th,1829, 44; John Davenport, July 27th, 1842, 63; Mary, wife, May 7th, 1817, 37; Jacob W. Crosby, Aug. 1st, 1817, 38; Jane, wife, Jan. 25th, 1839, 34; Frances, wife of Matthew Snouck and daughter of Justus Nelson, born Aug. 7th, 1759, died May 25th, 1820, 60; Matthew Snouck, 1831; Thomas Sutton, March 23d, 1828, 89; Elizabeth Hall, May 26th, 1842, 67; Isaac Harris, June 4th, 1840, 50; Morris Davenport, March 19th, 1855, 49; Esther Warren, May 31st, 1876, 88; Nicholas Cronk, Sept. 29th, 1843, 63; Seymour Birdsall, Aug. 31st, 1850, 59; Elizabeth, wife, Dec. 8th, 1864, 72; Rev. Thomas Grier, Aug, 19th, 1834, 54; Joshua Haight, Oct. 3d, 1858, 64; Sarah, wife, 1851, 59; James Nichols, Dec. 12th, 1841, 63; Daniel Molyneaux, Feb. 27th, 1849, 72; Susan, wife, July 15th, 1848, 58; Jesse Lawrence, May 21st, 1858, 87; Elisha Nelson, April 15th, 1852, 74; Frances, wife, Dec. 26th, 1862, 81; John P. Warren, May 14th, 1848, 66; Isaac Hustis, April 10th, 1873, 72; Thomas Davenport, born July 3d, 1796, died Sept. 28th, 1857, 61; Elizabeth Mekeel, wife, May 5th, 1882, 82. On June 21st, 1853, Frederick Philipse, Adolph N. and S. W. Gouverneur and William Moore conveyed to the wardens and vestry of St. Mary's Church in the Highlands, the First Pres- byterian Church of Philipstown, the Third Methodist Episcopal 574 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. Church of Philipstown, and the First Baptist Church, " a lot on Cedar Street, as a burial ground for all persons who are or may be inhabitants of Philipstown, except the Religious de- nomination called Roman Catholic." This lies opposite the old burying ground before mentioned. The old burying ground ap- pears to be the property of the Baptist and Presbyterian churches. The trustees of these churches conveyed to Gen. George P. Morris, February 9th, 1860, a small lot in the north- east corner of the old ground, and on this he erected a tomb, where his honored remains now rest. The Cold Spring Cemetery Company was organized October 11th, 1862, when Gouverneur Kemble, Robert P. Parrott, Gouverneur Paulding, Peter B. Lawson, Osmond M. Baxter, Edwin A. Pelton, Levi H. McCoy, Charles Boyd, William Humphrys, jr., and Elisha Nelson were elected trustees. The land for this cemetery was purchased of John R. Murray, De- cember 3d, 1862. This cemetery is beautifully situated a short distance southeast of the village, and contains many elegant monuments of prominent citizens of Cold Spring. It was dedi- cated July 1st; 1865, at which time an address was delivered by Rev. Wilson Phraner. To the east of the village of Cold Spring is Nelsonville. This village derives its name from Elisha Nelson, who was born May 26th, 1777, and died in 1852. For many years he was a tenant, holding a large farm under the Gouverneur family. His house was on the south side of the present Main street, and east of the road to Garrison's. The West Point Foundry stands on a part of this farm. He afterward leased a piece of land on the north side of the road, opposite to his first residence, and built a house on it, which was the first in that neighborhood. He then bought three acres and built another house a short distance west of the former one, and now owned by John Lott. The fourth house, next west, was built by Joshua Purdy, the next by Miles Brunnell and the next to this by Elihu Baxter. Another house on the same side of the street was built by Lewis Squires, and when this house was raised a speech was made by Elihu Baxter, in which he named the new village, ' ' Nel- sonville," a title which it has since retained. The land owned by Elisha Nelson extended west as far as Pearl street. The village grew with the growth of Cold Spring and is now a thickly settled neighborhood. TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. i"i75 West Point Iron Compant.— The land on which the iron furnace in Cold Spring stands was sold by Frederick Philipse and others, to Paul S. Forbes, of New York, September 22d, 1862. He had previously purchased (January 2d, 1860) from Frederick Philipse and the Gouverneurs, a tract of 1,061 acres in Philipstown and Putnam Valley, where the mine was opened, on the south side of the Philipstown Turnpike. This tract was sold to Frederick Philipse by Joseph Parks and others, in 1817, and he also purchased several smaller tracts ad- joining the same. Mr. Forbes began developing the mine, and built a narrow gauge railroad from the mine to a point on the Philipstown Turnpike, in the early part of 1862, the railroad running for a part of 'the way through the land of Samuel Agustus Hamilton, formerly belonging to Col. Alexander Stewart. Mr. Forbes sold undivided shares to Henry W. Warden and George Griswold, and the premises in Cold Spring were conveyed to Edward Beck, in 1865. The shares in the mines and tracts of land in Philipstown and Putnam Valley, which belonged to Mr. Forbes, were sold by him to the Phila- delphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company, June 4th, 1874, and still remain in their possession. The West Point Iron Company sold the premises at Cold Spring, to John P. Brock, of Philadelphia, and others, March 15th, 1880, for $105,000, and they conveyed it to the "West Point Furnace Company" May 4th of the same year. The West Point Iron Company was incorpoi'ated in 1866, the company being Charles C. Alger, George H. Potts and Frederick A. Potts; the object being to "mine iron and other mineral sub- stances, and smelting, manufacturing iron, &c.," the capital stock to be $500,000. The West Point Furnace Company was incorporated in 1880, the incorporators being Joseph C. Kent, of Philipsburg, N. J., J. W. Pullman, Richard George and others; the object of this company being the same as the former one. The capital is $215,000. A tract of 1,000 acres lying in this town, on the north side of the Philipstown Turnpike, was owned in the early part of this century by Col. Alexander Stewart, and was sold to James Agustus Hamilton. He sold it to George H. Potts, June 1st, 1864, and it was conveyed by him to the West Point Iron Com- pany, in 1866. 576 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTi'. Union Chapel, Mekeel's Cokners.— This chapel was be- gun in September, 1867, and finished in the following No- vember. It stands on the site of an old blacksmith shop which had been there for many years. December 28th, 1867, Thomas Mekeel sold to Milton Smith, Darius Wallace, Thomas Jay- cox, Sylvanus Mekeel, Trustees "a piece of land at the junc- tion of the old Post road and Carmel road, at Griffin's Cor- ners." James Smith sold a piece, south of the above, for the same purpose, January 2d, 1868. This chapel was dedicated December 26th, 1867. Constitution Island. — This rocky island, which is separated from the main land by a wide extent of marsh, was in early times known as "Martelaer's Rock," and is said to have derived its name from a Frenchman named Martelaer, who resided there with his family. Of this, however, no proof can be found. The island itself probably includes 250 acres of land or rock, while the marsh is equally extensive. At the time of the Revo- lution, this island, like all the rest of the estate of Philip Philipse, was the undivided property of his widow, Margaret Ogilvie, and her children. The Continental Congress saw the necessity of fortifying this point, and sent the following letter to Col. Beverly Robinson, whom they evidently supposed to be the owner: "In Committee of Safety Sept. 19, 1775. "Sir "By order of the Continental Congress, founded on the ne- cessity of the present times, the Provincial Congress of this Colony has undertaken to erect a fortification on your land op- posite to the West Point in the Highlands. As the Provincial Congress by no means intend to invade private property, this Committee in their recess have thought proper to request you to put a reasonable price upon the whole point of dry land or island, called Martelaer's rock island: which price if they ap- prove of it, they are ready to pay you for it. " We are sir your humble Servants. "To Beverly Robinson, Esq., at his seat in the Highlands." "In Provincial Congress, New York, 6th October, 1775. A letter from Beverly Robinson, Esq., was read and filed, and is in the following words, to wit: TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 577 ■ " "Highlands Oct. 2nd, 1775. "Sir " Your letter of the nineteenth of September I received a few days ago, in answer to which I must inform you that the point of land on which the fort is erecting does not belong to me but is the property of Mrs. Ogilvie and her children. Was it mine, the public should be extremely welcome to it. The building a fort there can be no disadvantage to the small quantity of arable land on the island. I have only a proportion of the meadow land that lays on the east side of the island. " I am your most humble Servant, " Bev. Robinson." The operations for building the fortifications were begun on the 29th of August, and a fort erected, which was named Con- stitution, and the island has ever since borne the name. A plan of this fort is given in Lossing's "Field Book of the Revo- lution," Vol. I., P. 703. In his work, Mr. Lossing has fallen into the error of calling Mrs. Ogilvie " the widow of Captain Ogilvie of the British army." She was the widow of Rev. John Ogilvie, D. D., Trinity Church, N. Y. The fort and the out works were quite extensive, and remains of them are still plainly visible. A strong chain was stretched across the river in 1780. The fortifications were abandoned in 1777, when Forts Clinton and Montgomery were taken, but were afterward re- paired and enlarged, at the same time the strong fortifications were erected at West Point. A fine sketch of the island, with the fortifications and encampments, made by Major L' Enfant in 1780, may be found in the History of West Point. Constitution Island continued in possession of the Philipse family till November 3d, 1836, when it was sold by Samuel Gouverneur and wife to Henry W. Warner, Esq., a lawyer from Long Island, for the sum of $4,800. Upon this island Mr. Warner made his home, commencing improvements on an^ ex- tensive scale, and erecting a beautiful country seat, which he named "Wood Crag." Constitution Island has been famous in modern times as the residence of the well known authoresses, Susan B. and Annie M. Warner, daughters of its former owner. In 1850 appeared the celebrated novel "The Wide, Wide World," and its popularity has been exceeded by few works written in America. Over 300,000 copies of this book were sold and 30 editions were issued in England. 37 578 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. The meadow or marsh which lies on the east of Constitution Island, was divided into three parts, among the owners of Philipse Patent in 1754, and described in the partition deeds. After the Revolution Martha Wilteey purchased 19 acres "north of Constitution Island," from the commissioners of forfeitures, and Solomon Cornell is recorded as purchasing 8 acres more. The greater part now belongs to the foundry company. North Part of Philipstown. — The northern part of this town is embraced in the limits of Lot 3 of the Philipse Patent, which was the property of Roger Morris and his wife. The boundaries of this lot will be found in ther partition deeds given in a former (portion of this work. At what time settlements were first made in this neighborhood is unknown, but probably there were none before 1740. Blake, in his History of Putnam County, says: "The first settlement in this part of Philipstown was made by David Hustis, who came from England and settled about half a mile north of the Highland Church, on the road from Cold Spring to Fishkill,and where David Hustis resides (1849). He settled down with the Indians around him and procured the corn which he first planted from them. He was the first of the name and the ancestor of the Hustis family in this town. He became a tenant at will of the patentee, and rented 310 acres of land at a rent of five pounds per annum. His nearest neighbor was three miles distant, to whom he was compelled to go a few days after his arrival to procure fire, his own, from neglect, having gone out." The families of Haight, Bloomer and Wilson came shortly after. David Hustis was one of the commissioners for laying out the first roads, in the south part of Dutchess <^ounty, in 1744. The families who were here as tenants before the Revolution became landlords after it by purchasing their farms from the commissioners of forfeitures. Among the larger landholders was Daniel Ter Boss, who purchased about 1,500 acres in the northern part of the lot. Benjamin Bloomer had 340 acres in •the western part, Isaac Springer had a smaller tract, with a saw mill, probably on the brook called Margaret's Falls, and this he gave to his son Isaac about 1790. Nathaniel Anderson had 260 acres. John Haight had 256 acres on the east side of the Post road near the north line of the lot. TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWJST. 579 Martin Wiltsie had a tract in the southwest corner of the lot, described as "beginning at the mouth of a brook in Hudson's River, and running up the brook along Bloomer's land, then south 31 chains to the south bounds of Roger Morris Lot, and along the said bounds to the river, and northward along the river ten chains to place of beginning." Gilbert Bloomer had 298 acres immediately north of this, extending along the river. Among the early settlers was a family named Jaycox, whose descendants have been quite numerous. The reader is referred to the list of taxable inhabitants in 1777, which may be found in the chapter on population, for a complete list of residents before the Revolution. As this part of the town was originally the property of Col. Roger Morris and his wife, the early inhabitants held their lands as tenants under them. Of the survey and division of these lands, previous to the Revolution, we have no knowledge, but most of the purchasers of farms after the war were those who had previously been in possession. The general surface of this part of the town is rough and mountainous, the highest elevation being Breakneck Mountain, whose rocky summit towers to a lofty height. On the south side of the peak and near the highest point, was formerly a vast mass of rock, which bore a striking resemblance to the profile of a human head jutting out from the mountains, and it was generally called " St. Anthony's face", and seemed to be gazing over the rocky battlements at the eternal ebb and flow of the river that rolled beneath. Thousands of travellers on the Hud- son turned their gaze with awe and wonder at this marvellous curiosity of nature which, carved as it was in the everlasting rock, miglft seem likely to last as long as the world should en- dure. In the summer of 1846 Capt. Deering Ayres, who was engaged in furnishing stone for the Harlem High Bridge, at one blast detached an immense block of granite, weighing nearly two thousand tons, and shivered to atoms the majestic brow and weather beaten features of the stony monarch of the mountain. It would seem as if nature had determined to avenge the de- struction of her wondrous work, for some months afterward Ayres himself was killed by the very means which had hurled St. Anthony from his rocky throne. While engaged in blasting rock on Staten Island he set fire to a fuse which failed to ex- plode the charge. Upon his return to it the blast went off un- 580 HISTOKY or PUTNAM COUNTY. expectedly, and the blaster of St. Anthony's face was blown into a hundred fragments. As all this section of the town is included in the lands once owned by Col. Eoger Morris, perhaps no more suitable place could be found for a mention of this celebrated man. CoL. Roger Morris, whose name must ever be connected with the history of the county, was a descendant from Cadigan, of Philip Dorddw, a powerful Welch chieftain, in high favor with the Duke of Argyle, and the Earl of Pembroke. His father, Roger Morris, married Mary, daughter of Sir Peter Jackson, Kt., Turkey merchant of London. He died January 13th, 1748. His third son was Col. Roger Morris, who was born January 28th, 1727, and entering the British army, rose to the rank of lieutenant- colonel. He served with distinction, and was with General Braddock in the fatal battle of Monongahela, escaping with his life, although severely wounded. Colonel Morris af- terward settled in New York, and at the commencement of the Revolution was a member of the Council for the colony, and continued in office till the peace. His acquaintance with Mary Philipse resulted in the mar- riage, which was solemnized at her father's residence, the old Manor House at Yonkers, January 19th, 1758. In the upper part of New York city, at 169th street, and a little below High Bridge, stands an elegant mansion, built in the olden time. This was the country residence of Colonel Morris, and here for many years he and the partner of his joys lived a life that com- ported with their ample means and high social station, little dreaming of the time to come, "rt-^ areaming oi me iime to come, ^ „ when they should be exiles in t/^^ e^ /yZ^^T-, ^ a foreign land. After the -^^ Revolution, this mansion, (^ ^ like the rest of the property /yy/a ^y ^/f y*^' of Colonel Morris and his >V6^^ (LrA^Zy^t/^ wife, was confiscated and ^ afterward passed into the - /'">' >« hands of Madame Jumel, the ^ .. y^r/yt/? (jAa.^ ^ jam second wife of Aaron Burr, M)M^€ .//m^^^^ and as the " Jumel Mansion " ^ ^f'^^'li' it has been famous to modern times. The tale which has for many years been industriously TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 581 circulated, and copied and re-copied in newspaper and magazine articles without number, narrating that no less a personage than Washington was enamoured with the beauty of the i!air daughter of Frederick Philipse, and oJBfered his heart and hand in marriage to the lovely charmer, an offer which was declined on account of her affection having already been won by the companion in arms who had with him fought on Braddock's fatal field, and escaped its dangers; and that in after times, she, in company with her brother-in-law, Beverly Robinson, sought him in disguise, to Intercede in behalf of the doomed Andre, and when, after a vain appeal had been made by her companion, in which he had invoked the sacred claim of early friendship and received a stern denial, she, throwing off her disguise, revealed the face whose charms had once moved his soul, but found too late that her power was gone and that the shadow of the past had no influence to sway the mind of the man who held in his hands the destinies of a nation — all this originated in the fertile brain of a romance writer, and has no place in sober history.' With the close of the war came the Act of Attainder, by which the vast estate of Roger Morris and his wife was confis- cated, and they themselves compelled to flee to England as exiles, under pain of death if they returned. Of their life in exile but little is known. Colonel Morris died in 1794. His wife survived him many years and died in 1825. They were buried in the vault of St. Saviour's Church, in York, and a marble tablet bears the following inscription: NEAR THIS SPOT ARE DEPOSITED THE REMAINS OF COL. ROGER MORRIS FORMERLY OF HIS MAJESTY'S 47TH KEQIMKNT OP FOOT, WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE ON THE 13tH DAY OP SEPTEMBER, 1794, IN THE 68TH YEAR OP HIS AGE. AND OP MARY MORRIS RELICT OP THE SAME WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE ON THE 18TH DAY OP JULY, 1825, IN THE 71ST YEAR OP HER AGE. Colonel Morris and his wife were the parents of five children: Joanna, wife of Thomas Cowper Hincks; Amherst, who died unmarried in 1802; Margaret, who died in 1766, aged 2 years; Maria and Henry Gage. Henry Gage Morris was born in New York in 1770. He was 'The story first appeared in the "Telegraph," printed in New Jersey, 1848. 582 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. an officer in the British Navy, and rose to the rank of rear ad- miral. In 1805, he married a daughter of Rev. P. Orpen, of the Church ot England. He died in 1851, leaving six sons: Rev. Francis Orpen Morris, Rector of Burholme, Yorkshire, Eng. ; Henry Gage Morris, an officer in the British Navy; Fred- erick Philipse Morris, Barrister, of Lincoln Inn; Beverly Rob- inson Morris, M.D., Nottingham, Eng.; Rev. Adolphu.s Philipse Morris, of Leeds, Eng. ; Charles D' Urban Morris. The only one of these who lived in America was Prof . Charles D' Urban Morris. He was born in Charmouth, Dorset, Eng., February 17th, 1837, and received his collegiate training in the University of Oxford. As a student of Lincoln College, he was admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1849, and three years later became a Master of Arts and a Fellow of Oriel Col- lege. He came to this cowntrj'' in 1853, and was for a time rector of Trinity School, in New York, and subsequently mas- ter of a school at Lake Mohegan. He was then made a pro- fessor in the University of the City of Ne^v York, and in 1876 was called to the professorship of Latin and Greek, in the John Hopkins University, Baltimore. Prof. Morris was the author of a Latin Grammar, and an Attic Greek Grammar, in which were some original views of the proper methods of teaching the elements of those languages, and at the time of his death was nearly ready to publish an edition of the first book of Thncydides. Professor Morris died at Baltimore February 7th, 1886, and is buried in St. Paul's grave yard, of that city. He married Miss Jane Webb Shaw, daughter of the late Oliver Shaw, of Provi- dence, R. I. She survives her husband. They had no children. Old Highland Methodist Episcopal Church.— On the old Post road, in the northern part of the town, is situated the Old Highland Methodist Church, which is the oldest society of that denomination in this section of the county. In the book of records is found the following sketch, which is gladly given in full. It seems to have been prepared by the pastor in charge in 1880. The land on which the old church stood, and where the present edifice stands, was conveyed by Robert Hustis to Timothy Wood, Justus Nelson and James Wright as trustees January 10th, 1824, the church having been built upon it many years before. TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 583 The parsonage house was originally owned by Rachel Warren, and bought by the church from Caleb Hawkes. On the west side of the road and opposite the parsonage, was in old times the house of John Davenport. Here he kept a tavern or house of entertainment for many years, and his place, at the junction of two important roads, was a great resort in days gone by, and the locality for long years bore the name of " Davenport's Corners." "A brief Sketch of North Highlands M. E. Church. " As near as I can ascertain from present residents the old church was erected in 1811. ' ' Mr. James Cargill came into this place in 1812, and the church was then built. The people worshiped in the rude struc- ture, which was without walls, and slabs for seats. In 1852 or 1854, it was repaired by Mr. Wm. A. Ladue, and greatly im- proved, and was made more pleasant as a place of worship. "Mrs. Phebe Hill, who died Jan. 31st, 1871, was a great lover of the church and bequeathed to it, in her last will and testament, One Thousand Dollars to be placed at interest, so that the amount could be available, when the trustees should desire to build a new church on or near the site of the old one. " In April, 1877, R. M. Robert was appointed to the charge. He found an old church dilapidated, people discouraged, and with little ambition, looking on the dark side, with but little hope of ever seeing the bright. From the commencement the Lord seemed to work with pastor and people, and they began to hope for better times, and sincerely wished they might see a new structure in place of the old. The pastor consulted with the stewards and trustees, and the result of the conference was a decision that the pastor should secure all he could on sub- scription. In August, 1878, sufficient had been secured on sub- scription to encourage the trustees to go forward with the enter- prise. August 30th, the contract was let to Mr. William H. Ladue to erect church and sheds, after plans drawn by himself, for $5,160. " The following composed the Board of Trustees, who signed the contract: Thomas Mekeel, John Wallace, James Smith, Charles B. Warren, William 0. Jaycox, Samuel Hustis and Wil- liam J. Meeks. " September 15th was the last Sabbath in the old church, a pleasant Sabbath and a pleasant and profitable time. The Lord 584 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. was with his people. The week previous, the old church had been sold at auction to Mr. Milton Smith, who converted it into a hg,y barn. Monday morning, September 16th, bright and early, he commenced to dismantle the old church. On the 10th of October, at 2:30 P. M., in the presence of a large concourse of people, the corner stone of the new church was laid by the P. E., A. K. Sanford, after an appropriate address by Rev. C. R. North, of Poughkeepsie. " Wednesday, January 4th, 1879, was set apart as the Day of Dedication. The sun rolled up in his chariot, surrounded by dense clouds, and the face of the whole earth was well , watered, to the great discouragement of the people. In answer to prayer, doubtless, the clouds cleared away before time for service, and the people filled the building, and were satisfied with the new and beautiful structure, so neatly furnished: man- ifest in the approving looks and remarks of every one. " We found upon examination, that it was necessary to secure $600 to meet the indebtedness on the building. Rev. J. P Newman preached in the morning, on the necessity of a spiritual birth,- as set forth in the conversation of Christ, with Nico- demus, John III. 3. In the evening the Past Elder preached and the people gave the balance of the $600, needed to meet the indebtedness on the church. After the full amount was secured, the church was dedicated by the P. Elder. The following are the names of the contributors, and the amount given by each: Phebe Hill's Legacy and Int., $1300; John Wallace, 200; Jas. Smith, 200; Samuel Hustis, 300; Mrs. E. A. Hustis, 100; Marth. I. Hustis, 150; Jas. Meeks, 100; Tho. Mekeel, 100; Milton Smith, 100; Wm. G. Hustis, 300; W. A. Ladue, 300; Mrs. Arvis Haight, 100; J. Y. Dykman, 25; Lewis Christian, 25; Jacob Haight, 25; Elizabeth Haight, 25; Jas. Mekeel, 25; Cornelius J. Organ, 25; Redmond Ashmond, 25; Susan A. Haight, 25; J. &A. Mosher, 26; Wm. 0. Jaycox, 25; Wm. H. Jaycox, 25; Leonard Ferris, 25; Wm. Haight, 20; Sarah Wright, 20; Uriah Mekeel, 10; O. M. Baxter, 10; Wm. Knapp, 100; Jas. E. Jaycox, 100: David MoflEatt, 100; Tho. W. Jaycox, 50; Chas. B. Warren, 50; Wm. J. Horton, 50; Harvey Hustis, 50; Arvy Hill, 50; Margaret Knapp, 50; A. Healy, 50; E. Nelson, 50; Sylvanus Mekeel, 25; Beverly Haight, 10; Chloe Barrett, 10: Sarah Wheeler, 10; David Haight, 10; Wm. H. Rich, 10; Levi Ladue, 10; Albert Jaycox, 15; Jas. Smith, 5; Charity Haight, 3; Deborah N. TOWN OP PHILIPSTOWN. 585 Haight, 2; An Bell. 1; legacy, Miss Charity Hustis, 90; cash de- posited in bank, 53.75; sale of old church, 52; Henry Knapp, 8; E. Denney, 10; cash, dedication, 94.07; since dedicated, 396.55." The present pastor, Rev. J. G. Price, was born in New Brunswick, of Episcopal parents, and was converted in Boston, Mass., in 1866, and called to the ministry. He was educated in this country, and attended the following schools: in 1869, the Lawrence University; 1771-72, East Grreenwich Academy; 1873- 76, in Tillon JST. H. (the New Hampshire Conference Seminary and Female College) and graduated in the class of 1876; entered Boston the same year, and graduated from the Boston Theo- logical Seminary in the class of 1879. He joined the Northern New York Conference in 1880, and was transferred by Bishop Henry W. Warren, D. D., to the New York Conference and stationed at North Highlands, April 10th, 1885. The northeastern part of this town is the north end of Lot No. 4 of Philijjse Patent, and generally known as "Beverly Robin- son's Long Lot." This portion of the town is mountainous, and thinly inhabited. The eastern part was annexed to the town of Kent a few years since, as will be seen in the history of that town. A tract of 1,100 acres of woodland, at the junc- tion of the Slenandooh and Wicopee roads, was sold to the Fishkill Iron Company, in 1838, and the iron ore and tract in the north part of the town was sold to the same company by William Bushnell, in 1864. The Fishkill Iron Company was incorporated by Act of Legis- lature March 24th, 1834, and bj' its provisions, James Emott, Nathaniel P. Talmadge, Walter Cunningham, James Hooker, Ira Spooner, Samuel B. Halsey, Rufus Fuller, Nathaniel P Perry, Uriah Gregory, Solomon V. Frost, Aaron Frost, Teumis Brinkerhoff, Richard De Witt, Andrew Stockholm, John W Brinkerhoff and Abner W. Spooner, were made a corporation " for the purpose of mining and working ores and manufactur- ing iron and steel, and were empowered to purchase and lease lands and all convenient wood, timber and other lands, in the Counties of Dutchess and Putnam." Abraham Wagner, an old man 80 years of age, was murdered by G. George Denny, a youth of eighteen. The vic- tim lived in the northern part of the town, in a log house, on a small parcel of ground which he cultivated. The murderer 586 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. was arrested, and being tried at the March term of Court, was convicted. He afterward made a full confession, and was ex- ecuted on the 26th of July following. On the 27th of July, 1870, Mr. W. A. Browning, the agent of the Fishkill National Bank, was in the village of Cold Spring. While going to the railroad station with a large amount of money in his possession he was attacked by one John P. Trumpbour, who, knowing that Mr. Browning was carrying the money, made a desperate effort to rob him. Shaking off his assailant, and raising an alarm, several citizens rushed to his assistance, and Mr. Browning retained possession of the funds he was carrying. The robber, in attempting to escape, was seized by Elijah Jones, a Coachman in the employ of Mr. H. H. Munsell. Trumpbour drew a revolver and shot Mr. Jones who died the following day. Trumpbour was arrested and upon trial was convicted of murder in the second degree, and was sentenced to the State Prison for life, where he is still under- going the sentence. Elijah Jones, the victim, was a Pole, a native of Warsaw. The officers of the Fishkill Bank, in recog- nition of the services, defrayed the expenses of his funeral, and erected a monument to his memory in the Fishkill Cemetery. Supervisors of Philipstown. — George Lane, 1784-6; John Haight, 1787-9; Joshua Nelson, 1790-1; John Haight, 1792-3; Johua Horton, 1794-5; John Haight, 1796; Joshua Horton, 1797; Harry Garrison, 1798; Joshua Horton, 1799-1800; John Warren, 1801-2; Jacob Nelson, 1803^; John Warren, 1805-6; James Slattery, 1807-10; Jonathan Ferris, 1811-12; Harry Gar rison, 1813; Edward Buckbee, 1814-16; Harry Garrison, 1817- 18; David Knapp, 1819-21; Cyrus Horton, 1822-23; Abm. Smith, 1824; Isaac Horton, 1825; John Garrison, 1828-34; Silvenus Warren, 1835-40; John Garrison, 1841; Silvenus Warren, 1842; George Wright, 1843; Silvenus Warren, 1844; Gouverneur Kemble, 1845; Caleb Hustis, 1846-48; Samuel Hustis, 1849; Lewis Birdsall, 1850; John Gari'ison, 1851; Alfred H. Ladue, 1852; William Birdsall, 1853-54; Edwin A. vPelton, 1855-57; Silvenus Warren, 1858; Charles T. Brewster, 1859-60; Charles Boyd. 1861-62; Robert Wilson, 1863; Jeremiah Sherwood, 1864; Colin Tolmie, 1865; Osmond M. Baxter, 1866; Joshua H. Perry, 1867; George F. Garrison, 1868-69; George McCabe, 1870-71; Colin Tolmie, 1872; William D. Garrison, 1873; Wil- liam Humphry, jr., 1874-75; George Mc-Cabe, 1876; Gouverneur TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 587 Paulding, 1877; George McCabe, 1878; Gouverneur Paulding, 1879; George McCabe, 1880; Gouverneur Kemble, 1881; Titus Truesdell, 1883; Seth Seoor, 1884-85. Hon. Hamilton Fish, LL.D., Secretary of State of the United States during the eight years of President Grant's ad- ministration, was born in New York city, August 3d, 1808. His father, Col. Nicholas Fish, a distinguished officer of the Revolutionary Army, also a native of New York, was born on the 28th of August, 1758. Having finished his classical course at Princeton, he began the study of law, but on the breaking out of the Revolutionary struggle abandoned his studies and took up arms in defense of ,the colonies. He served throughout the war; partiqipat,ed in both battles of Saratoga; commanded a corps of light infantry at the battle of Monmouth; served with General Sullivan in. the expedition against the Indians in 1779; was with the light infantry iinder La Fayette in 1780; and in the following year was active with his regiment in the opera- tions which resulted in the surrender of Lord Cornwallis. He was Adjutant-General of .the State of New York from 1786 until 1789, and in 1794 was appointed by Washington to the office of Supervisor of Revenue. Active also in municipal affairs he served as Alderman of New York city from 1806 to 1817. He was a prominent member of the Society of the Cincinnati, an organization composed of officers of the Continental Army and their male descendants, and in 1797 was elected president of the New York branch of the society. He was active in religious and charitable affairs and a member of many local societies, literary, religious and beneficent. Col. Fish was also at one time a candidate for lieutenant-governor of the State of New York. Mrs. Lamb, in the second volume of the "History of New York City," written by her, says of him, " He was a rep- resentative citizen of elegant scholarship, refinement and good breeding." Col. Fish married Miss Elizabeth Stuyvesant, great-great- granddaughter of Governor Stuyvesant, and a descendant, through her mother, Margaret Livingston, of the first Lord of Livingston Manor. Peter Gerard Stuyvesant, afterward president of the Historical Society, and Nicholas William Stuyvesant were her brothers, and Mrs. Benjamin Winthrop and Mrs. Dirck Ten Broeck were her sisters. 588 HISTORY OP PtJTNAM COUNTY. Hamilton Fish enjoyed the best educational advantages dur- ing his early years and was graduated from Columbia College in 1827, being then in his nineteenth year. He commenced the study of law, and after due preparation was admitted to the Bar in 1830. He early in life took an active interest in politics, and, as a whig, was repeatedly nominated by his party as a candidate for the State Legislature, but was defeated, owing to the democratic majority of his district. He was elected in 1842 a representative in Congress from the Sixth Congressional Dis- trict, New York city. In 1846 he was the whig candidate for ■ lieutenant-governor on the ticket with the Hon. John Young for governor. Mr. Young was elected governor, but Mr. Fish was defeated for the second office, owing to the opposition of the anti-renters, whose hostility he had incurred on account of his earnest and uncompromising denunciation of their princi- ples. Addison Gardner, his successful opponent, a democrat who had received the support of the anti-renters, subsequently became judge of the Court of Appeals, and, on resigning the office of lieutenant-governor to take his seat on the bench, Mr. Fish was elected in his place. He was elected governor of the State in 1848 by a plurality of nearly 100,000, and in 1851, was chosen United States Senator to succeed the Hon. Daniel S. Dickinson. As a member of the United States Senate he op- posed the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, and acted with the republican party from its formation until the close of his term in 1857, in which year he went with his family to Europe, and remained abroad till a short time before the com- mencement of the Civil War. His earnest sympathies and efforts were, of course, in favor of the preservation of the Union, and he also contributed liberally in money for the support of the government. He was in 1862 appointed by Secretary of War Stanton, in conjunction with Bishop Ames, a commissioner to visit the Union soldiers imprisoned at Richmond and else- where, with a view to relieving their necessities and providing for their comfort. The Confederate Government, for some reason, declined to receive the commissioners within its lines, but expressed a willingness and readiness at the same time to enter into negotiations for a general exchange of prisoners. This suggestion was encouraged by the commissioners, and, on its approval by the authorities at Washington, an equal ex- change was eventually agreed upon, and the terms of the agree- ^ ^ ^JZTf^'^ -\\ Ihq^Jju BBSalls Sans UmliSrh GLENCLIFFE." RESIDENCE OF HON. HAMILTON FISH, GARRISON'S, PUTNAM CO., N. Y. TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWK. 589 ment were substantially carried out to the termination of the war. Mr. Fish also rendered valuable service as chairman of the Union Defence Committee. In March, 1869, Mr. Fish was called to the chief office in the cabinet of President Grant. This high position he filled with great acceptance to the president and people, and, on the com- mencement of the second term of President Grant in March, 1873, he was reappointed secretary, and served until the in- auguration of President Hayes in 1877. To him is due the credit of suggesting the formation of the joint high commission between the United States and Great Britain for the settlement of the various difficulties between the two nations (including the Alabama Claims), a proceeding which possibly averted war; and on the 9th of February, 1871, he was appointed by Presi- dent Grant one of the commissioners on the part of the United States to negotiate the treaty of Washington, which was signed by him on the 8th of May of that year. He also, in Novem- ber, 1873, negotiated with Admiral Polo, the Spanish Minister at Washington, the settlement of the " Virginius " question. Mr. Fish, as Secretary of State, conducted the affairs of that department during one of the most difficult and critical periods in the history of our foreign relations, in a manner which re- flected honor upon himself and upon the nation. Seldom in the history of our country has the Department of State as- sumed such importance as during the years of his office, and, in his administration of it, Mr. Pish made a record of which any statesman might be proud. Mr. Fish is a man of large at- tainments, and is specially well versed in foreign affairs and in- ternational law. In all the numerous capacities in which he has at different periods of his life served the country, he has al- ways, whether his duties were legislative, executive, or diplo- matic, displayed a high order of statesmanship, and the most unquestionable probity and patriotism. In 1854 he became president of the Order of the Cincinnati; he is a leading mem- ber of the New York Historical Society and of various other learned bodies, and is prominently connected with the princi- pal literary, social and benevolent organizations of the city and State, among which is the Union League Club of New York city, of which he was formerly president. Mr. Fish is now well along in years, and has laid off the bur- den of public life. His son, Hamilton Fish, jr., who inherits 590 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. in a large degree the abilities of his father, has taken up his mantle, however. Mr. Fish married Miss Kean, a descendant of Peter Van- burgh Livingston of New Jersey. He spends most of his time at present in his beautiful city residence at No. 251 East 17th street, changing this during the summer season for his country home in Putnam county. Prom these he continues to watch with interest the progress of national affairs. Hon. Edwaeds Pierrepont, late Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States at the Court of St. James, is a direct descendant of the Rev. James Pierrepont, of New Haven', and was born at North Haven, in 1817. He graduated at Yale College, in the class of 1837, with very high honors, having been prepared in the Hopkins Grammar school, of New Haven, under the charge of Rev. Noah Porter, after- ward the president of Yale College. After completing his legal studies at the New Haven Law School, under Judge Daggett and Judge Hitchcock, he com- menced the practice of his profession at Columbus, Ohio, in 1840, continuing there until January, 1846, when he removed to New York, where he now resides. He was married in 1846, to the daughter of Samuel A. Willoughby, of Brooklyn. In 1857, he was elected a judge of the Superior Court of the City of New York, in place of Chief- Justice Oakley, removed by death. His first public speech which attracted attention was delivered on the death of Theodore Sedgwick, about a year and a half before the fall of Fort Sumter, in which Judge Pierrepont foreshad- owed the war. To this speech the "New York Herald," De- cember 15th, 1859, called especial attention. When he resigned his seat upon the Bench, in October, 1860, and returned to the practice of his profession and attention to public affairs, he wrote a letter to the governor upon the ap- proaching corruption in the government, which attracted great attention. From the letter we extract the following: " The more intelligent portion of our citizens give the subject of their government no united attention; they are intent on wealth; madly hastening to be rich; leaving justice, order, and government to take care of themselves, or to be cared for by those who will trample them in the dust. If the wise, the ly EBJaJl & Soas.Hew-ToilL ATTORNEY B-ENERAL IN THE CABINET QFHNERAL GRANT. tNVI^.EXl.pAOKDlNARY ANO Wl ; N 1 S I ER PLENI PO lENTIARl" hT TH E COU RT OF STJAMES 1876-1817, X « c > w O O ." Z H TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 591 wealthy, the honest and the intelligent will not combine for good government, the wicked, the idle and the dishonest will com- bine for bad government; and they will govern; and through the forms of law, in the shape of taxation and other legalized jobbery, they will strip the children of the industrious rich, of their carefully conserved estates, leaving them in jjoverty the more hopeless from the very wealth in which their childhood was pampered. Government will be administered by somebody: that may be relied upon. If the wise and good will not attend to it, fools and knaves will. If our rich, intelligent, and honest citizens think these things of no moment, they will let them alone, as they have heretofore done; but they may rely upon it, these things will not let them alone." From the first gun that was fired upon Port Sumter, Judge Pierrepont took a zealous interest in the Union cause, and was one of the most active members of the famous " Union Defence Committee of the City of New York." To this committee large sums of money were intrusted through private subscriptions, besides a million of dollars raised under the following Ordinance. " An ordinance making an appropriation in aid of the defence of the National Union, a.nd authorizing the borrowing of money for that purpose. "The Mayor, iildermen and Commonalty of the City of New York, in Common Council convened, do ordain as follows: " Sec. 1. The sum of one million dollars is hereby appro- priated for the purpose of procuring the necessary equipment and outfit of the military force of the City of New York, now engaged, or which may hereafter be engaged, in the service of the state of New York in pursuance of the requisition of the President of the United States, and to provide for the aid and support of the families of such of the officers and men so engaged as may require the same. " Sec. 2. The money so appropriated shall be paid by the Comptroller upon vouchers to be approved by a committee to be known as the " Union Defence Committee of the City of New York," consisting of the Mayor, Comptroller, President of the Board of Aldermen, President of the Board of Councilmen, and the following named citizens: 092 HISTORY Oi' PUTNAM COUNTY. Moses Taylor, Edwards Pierrepont, Moses H. Grinnell, Richard M. Blatchford, Royal Phelps, Alexander T. Stewart, William E. Dodge, Hamilton Fish, Greene C. Bronson, Samuel Sloan, William M. Evarts, John Jacob Astor, John J. Cisco, William F. Havemeyer, James T. Brady. Charles H. Russell, Simeon Draper, Rudolph A. Witthaus, James S. Wadsworth, Charles H. Marshall, Isaac Bell, Prosper M. Wetmore, James Boorman, Robert H. McCurdy, Abiel A. Low, who were appointed at a public meeting held at Union Square, on Saturday, the 20th day of April, instant, to collect funds and transact such other business in aid of the Government as the public interest may require. " The vouchers aforesaid shall be certified in writing by the chairman of the said committee." The Massachusetts troops having been attacked in Baltimore on their way to the defense of the capital, and all the usual communications having been cut oflE between New York and Washington, the city sent a committee 9f three to make their way as best they might to the seat of government, to confer with the president and cabinet. Thurlow Weed, William M. Evarts and Edwards Pierrepont were selected and they forth with proceeded on their way toward Washington, but on reaching Perryville they found that no communication through Baltimore could be had. At Perryville they took a little gun boat, and went down the river to Annapolis, then held by Gen- eral Butler. Under an escort of troops directed by General Butler, they started for Annapolis Junction. The rails in many places had been torn up by the rebels and had to be re laid, which was accomplished by General Butler's men, who were quite equal to the necessity. In that way the committee finally reached Washington, and this was the first time that Mr. Pierrepont had ever seen Mr. Lincoln, but from that time to the day of Mr. Lincoln's murder the intercourse was fre- quent and intimate. In 1862, he was appointed by the president to act as a commis - sioner (in connection with Major General Dix) to try the prison- TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 593 ers of State, then confined in the various forts and prisons of the United States. Upon the assassination of the president, in April, 1865, he was one of a committee selected to attend the funeral of the lamented Lincoln. In 1864, he was one of the most active in organizing the War Democrats in favor of the re election of Abraham Lincoln, and made many speeches and was very active in that contest. In April, 1867, he was elected a member of the convention for forming a new Constitution for the State of New York, and was one of the Judiciary Commit- tee. In the spring of 1867, he was employed by the Attorney General, Hon. Henry Stanbury, and the Secretary of State, Hon. William H. Seward, to conduct the prosecution, on the part of the government, against John H. Surrat, indicted for aiding in the murder of President Lincoln. This celebrated trial commenced before the United States District Court, in the city of Washington, on the 6th day of June, and lasted until the 10th day of August, 1867. He has been engaged as counsel in the trial and arguments of very many celebrated cases, and was much employed by rail- road and other corporations. In the pi'esidential contests of 1868 and 1872, Judge Pierrepont was an ardent supporter of General Grant, making numerous speeches on the republican side, many of which have been published. Upon his accession to the presidency in 1869, General Grant appointed Judge Pierre- pont, Attorney of the United States for the Southern District of New York, which office he resigned in July, 1870. In the autumn of 1870, he was one of the most active of the "Committee of Seventy" against the " Ring Frauds " of New York. During the contest between General Grant and Mr. Greeley in 1872, Judge Pierrepont was particularly active, making many speeches both in New York and Pennsylvania in support of General Grant. Judge Pierrepont received the honorary degree of LL.D., June, 1871, from Columbia College, Washington, D. C. (having in that year delivered the oration before the graduating class of the Law School of that institution), and also in 1873, the same degree from Yale College. In May, 1873, Judge Pierrepont was appointed American Minister at the Russian Court, an honor which he declined. In June, 1874, he delivered a remarkable oration in the Center 38 594 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Church, of New Haven, before the Alumni of Yale College, which was published. In April, 1875, he was appointed At- torney General of the United States, and remained in the cabi- net of President Grant until May, 1876, when he was appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States, at the Court of St. James. While Attorney General he argued all the more important causes on the part of the government, among which were the noted Union Pacific Railway Case and the celebrated Arkansas Hot Springs Case. During his term of office he was called upon by the Secretary of State to give an opinion upon a great ques- tion of international law, which gave him a wide reputation in Europe. " Department of Justice, " Washington, June 26, 1875. " Sir: — The facts upon which the Secretary of State asks the opinion of the Attorney General, are these: Mr. A. Steinkaular, a Prussian subject by birth, emigrated to the United States in 1848, became naturalized in 1854, and in the following year had a son born in St. Louis, Missouri. Four years after the birth of his son, Steinkanler returned to Germany, taking his family, including the infant child, and became domiciled at Weisbaden, where they have all continuously resided. Nassau, -in which Weisbaden is situated, became incorporated into the North Ger- man Confederation in 1866. This son has now reached the age of 20 years, and the German Government has called upon him for military duty. Mr. Steinkanler, thereupon, invokes the intervention of the Legation of the United States, at Berlin, on the ground that his son is a native-born American citizen. " To an inquiry by Mr. Davis, our minister at Berlin, whether the son would give an assurance of intention to return to this country, within some reasonable period — to be fixed by himself, and to reside here and assume his duties as a citizen — the father, on his behalf, declined to give any such assurance. " The question is, whether, upon the facts stated, it is the duty of the Government of the United States to interfere in the matter. " Opinion of the Attorney General. " The status of young Steinkanler, and his right to protec- tion from the Government of the United States, depends •primarily upon his nationality. Nationality is either natural TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 595 or acquired. The one results from birth, the other from the operation of the laws of Kingdoms or States. \ " Nationality by birth in some countries, depends upon the place of birth; in others upon the nationality of the parents. There is no uniform rule of international law upon the subject, nor is there any treaty between the United States and North Germany, or any statute or rule of common law either in North Germany or the United States (so far as I can find), which solves the question submitted. In North Germany, as in the United States, the minority of the child continues until the age of twenty-one years; and minor children of naturalized parents, domiciled and living with such parents in North Germany, though such minor children were born in the United States, are made German subjects with the rights of German citizens, much the same as minor children of naturalized parents, though the children are foreign born, are rendered citizens of the United States, by the naturalization of the parents of such minors. " In 1868, the naturalization treaty between North Germany and the United States was concluded. Article IV. reads as follows: ' If a German naturalized in America renews his resi- dence in North Germany, without the intent to return to America, he shall be held to have renounced his naturalization in the United States.' * * * « The intent not to return may be held to exist when the person naturalized in the one country resides more than two years in the other country.' " Section 1999, of the Kevised Statutes of the United States reads as follow: ' Whereas the right of expatriation is a natural and inherent right of all people, indispensable to the enjoyment of the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; and whereas in the recognition of this principle this Government has freely received emigrants from all nations, and invested them with the rights of citizenship; and whereas it is claimed that such American citizens, with their descendants, are sub- jects of foreign states, owing allegiance to the governments thereof; and whereas it is necessary to the maintenance of pub- lic peace that this claim of foreign allegiance should be promptly and finally disavowed: Therefore, any declaration, instruction, opinion, order, or decision of any officer of the United States which denies, restricts, impairs or questions the right of expatriation is declared inconsistent with the funda- mental principles of the Republic' 596 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. " Under the treaty and in harmony with the American doc- trine, it is clear that Steinkanler, the father, abandoned his naturalization in America and became a German subject (his son being yet a minor) and that by virtue of German laws, the son acquired German nationality. It is equally clear that the son by birth has American nationality, and hence he has two nationalities — one natural, the other acquired. Difficulties like the one we are now considering, and which arise from double nationality, have recently been disposed of in England by Statute 33rd Victoria, A. D., 1870, ch. 14, sec. 10, sub. 3. " ' Where the father being a British subject, or the mother being a British subject and a widow, becomes an alien in pur- suance of this act, every child of such father or mother who during infancy has become resident in the country where the father or mother is naturalized, and has, according to the laws of such country, become naturalized therein, shall be deemed to be a subject of the State of which the father or mother has be- come a subject, and not a British subject.' "We have no such statute, and we miist, therefore, seek some other mode of solving this somewhat difficult question. Young Steinkanler is a native born American citizen. There is no law of the United States under which his father or any other person can deprive him of the birthright. He can return to America at the age of twenty one, and, in due time, if the people elect, he can become President of the United States; but the father in accordance with the treaty and the laws, has re- nounced his American citizenship and his American allegiance, and has acquired for himself and his son, German citizenship and the rights which it carries, and he must take the burdens as well as the advantages. The son being domiciled with the father and subject to him under the law during his minority, and receiving the German protection where he has an acquired nationality, and declining to give any assurance of intention of ever returning to the United States, and claiming his American nationality by residence here, I am of opinion that he cannot rightfully invoke the aid of the Government of the United States to relieve him from military duty in Germany during his minority; but that I am of the opinion that when he reaches the age of twenty-one years, he can then elect whether he will return and take the nationality of his birth with the duties and privileges, or retain the nationality acquired by the act of his TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN,, 597 father. This seems to be right reason, and I think it is law. " While the Government of the United States with zealous care will protect its humblest citizen wherever found, yet, in the opinion of the Attorney-General, it is not our duty to aid a young man of twenty years to escape from military service in a g-overnment whose protection he has enjoyed since four years old, and where he has acquired nationality which he does not propose to give up, and when interrogated by the envoy of the American Government, declines even to suggest that he ever intends to return to the United States and reclaim the nation- ality and assume the duties of an American citizen. " Protection from a government involves the reciprocal duty of allegiance and service from the citizen when needed. In the case presented I see no occasion for interference on the part of the American Government. "Edwards Piereepont, "Attorney General. "' The Honorable Hamilton Fish, " Secretary of State." During the first year of his mission (1876) the question of the extradition of criminals between the two countries was largely discussed, and the extradition was for a time suspended, but the government of Great Britain at last substantially yielded their assent to the construction which Mr. Fish, the American Secretary of State, claimed for the treaty, and extradition was resumed the same as it was prior to the misunderstanding, and so continues. During the second year of Mr. Pierrepont's mission to Eng- land General Grant visited London and was Mr. Pierrepont's guest. Apprised of the intended visit, Mr. Pierrepont urged mpon the Queen's Ministers the propriety of according the same precedence to General Grant, who had twice been elected the chief ruler of a great jjower, holding near and friendly relations with Great Britain, as had been given to the ex-ruler of France. The Ministry acted with great delicacy and friendliness in the matter, and at a dinner given to the Prince of Wales by ]\Ir. Pierrexiont at his residence, the German, French, Russian, Austrian, Italian and Turkish Ambassadors, the Queen's Min- isters of State, the Dukes of Wellington, Richmond, Suther- 598 HISTORY or putnam county. land, Westminster and Argyll were present. General Grant was, by common consent, placed on the right of the Prince. And everywhere throughout Great Britain ex-President Grant was treated with all the distinction and accorded all the precedence which any American could desire, and we are as- sured that the General bore himself with such dignity, tact and good sense as to command universal respect. The example of England was largely followed by other governments. During the second year of his mission Mr. Pierrepont nego- tiated with Lord Derby, the British Minister of Foreign Affairs, the trade-mark treaty. In 1878 the ancient and renowned Uni- versity of Oxford conferred upon Mr. Pierrepont the degree of D.C.L., the highest honor in their gift. Mr. Pierrepont visited many parts of England, Wales, Scot- land and Ireland, seeing all classes of people, with a view to understand their social and political condition. He devoted large attention to the financial system of England in order to ascertain what had given her such a preeminent lead in the affairs of the globe, and how the United States, whose annual earnings and income were far more than those of Great Britain, might make New York the money center of the world. On his return from England in 1878, Mr. Pierrepont at once engaged actively in his profession. He was the leading counsel for the defense in the noted case of the United States against Pings & Pinnar. in which the government claimed more than half a million of dollars. He is counsel for the United States in the Lewis will case; also in the suits for income tax, in the Wood will, and other heavy cases, and of late he has taken a deep interest in financial questions and has written upon the subject. A well-known writer, in speaking of Judge Pierrepont' s forensic success, says : "Judge Pierrepont has unrivalled skill in the cross-examina- tion of witnesses, and in arranging his facts so that one seems to grow out of the other in such logical sequence, that when the statement is made the argument is concluded. His remark- able power in the lucid statement of facts and of adhering to them under every difficulty and counter influence, constitute the charm and force of his advocacy. To an unprejudiced mind he generally conveys his own convictions, because they are convictions founded on truth. And all this he has secured TOWlSr OF PHILIPSTOWN. 599 simply by following his own maxim that no man without an upright mind, and no man who has not preserved his integrity, has ever died leaving the reputation of a great lawyer." And the same writer adds: " Perhaps the secret of his fearless course, and cool and even temper which nothing disturbs, was unconsciously revealed by Judge Pierrepont in the closing para- graph of the address to the law students at Washington already mentioned. " ' A few more words and I have done. To those who can re- ceive them they are more important than all' that I have said or can say. They will tell you the best way through the perplex- ing affairs of this life; give a calmness to the judgment, a cheerfulness to the spirit, and an even temper; a courage, se- renely lifted above all passions, and which nothing can daunt: they will help to lighten every disappointment, render duty pleasant, and make you satisfied with your lot; and year by year you may grow stronger, wiser, and more happy. This may come, this will come, to him who, with an earnest wish seeks only the right, and- in every trouble, in every joy, in every im- portant undertaking in life, and every day, with honest heart and willing mind, asks enlightenment and guidance from the Great Lawgiver, our Father of Heaven.' " Edward Pierrepont lies buried in St. Philip's church yard, Putnam county, near his father's country seat. The following was written by a devoted friend — Mrs. Briinnow — the daughter of Chancellor Tappan and a granddaughter of Colonel Living- ston, late of New York. " ' Whom the Gods love, die young,' was said and believed in by the Ancients, and though it is so often quoted, still in the present instance I venture to repeat this old saying, which is so true as regards the earlj'^ death of our beloved and honored young friend. "I feel that an abler pen than mine should write the memoir of rhis noble, pure spirit, but my heart will not keep silent; having known and loved the parents and grandparents of him who has left us, indeed having been xjresent at the wedding of his parents when still a child myself, knowing all intimately, bound by the holiest ties of love and friendship, it seems but fitting that I should raise my voice to lament and honor him whom God has taken to himself in his early bloom and freshness. 600 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. " Edward Pierrepont, the subject of our sketch, was born under a lucky planet, as the astrologers would have said, being blessed with parents of such eminent distinction. His father, the Hon. Edwards Pierrepont, is so well known by fame to all Americans, and also to the English world as a distinguished lawyer and statesman, that his name need only be mentioned; but although I well know his mother's modest, retiring na- ture, I must say a few words of the one who gave birth to so rare a son. "All great men are said to owe much to their mothers, and truly a good, noble mother is a treasure a man can ever be proud of, and indeed she molds his young life for the future. In this case certainly it was so: not left to the care of servants and hirelings, he was carefully watched over and tenderly cared for, both physically and spiritually, by his loving mother, who felt the trust God had imposed upon her in giving her this young soul to train for life. " He was born at 103 Fifth avenue, in the city of New York, in the house his father had built many years before, and little did they think when they beheld that lovely child that one day he would write ' From Fifth Avenue to Alaska.' When but five years of age his mother took him to Paris that he might acquire the French language in an easy and natural way, and with un- tiring devotion remained and watched over him for some two years. When ten years of age he was put under the charge of the Rev. Dr. Coit, the eminent head of St. Paul's School, at Concord. From early childhood, he was remarkably strong and althletic, and as he grew up he became tall, handsome and pol- ished in manner. " His father took the greatest care of his education from the beginning, and well did the boy repay that care. His ideal was the highest. His aim was to do his duty; to please the father for whom he cherished the utmost veneration and love; and indeed that father deserved such affection and reverence; he who watched over and carefully guided him, and who ever held out a noble future before him, giving him the treasures of his own large and varied experience. The letter, which the Hon. Edwards Pierrepont wrote to his son while the latter was at Oxford, explains more eloquently than my poor pen can do, the influence exerted by this devoted father over his promising only son. All who have had the privilege of reading this letter hope TOWN OF PUILIPSTOWN. 601 it may yet be published in a permanent form, so as to intiuence other young men with as much success as it did the subject of this memoir. " Father and son had the fullest confidence in each other; the son's heart lay, an open, unsullied page, before the eyes of his be- loved guide. Happy the father and son so united and so sure of each other. His affection for his mother much endeared him to me; high reverence and deep, fond love ever showed themselves when he mentioned her; in his eyes, voice, and manner one could see how he loved and venerated the one who had guided his young years by that religious light which he never ceased to follow. He was confirmed while at Oxford in the Episcopal Church. " Early in 1876 the Hon. Edwards Pierrepont, then a member of the Cabinet of President Grant, was sent as Envoy Extra- ordinary and Minister Plenirjotentiary to England, and Mrs. Pierrepont and the son accompanied him as a matter of coarse. This change of residence altered the plan which the father had proposed for the education of his son and seemed to change the boy's destiny. His father wished him to be educated at Yale College, where he himself had graduated, and to study law, through which lies the way to political eminence in America. Instead he was placed with a few other boys for private instruc- tion at Polme-Pierrepont Rectory in the charming and religious family of the Rev. Henry Seymour, where he was under the direct tuition of the Rev. H. S. Swithenbank, to whom he al- ways felt deeply indebted. Subsequently he entered Christ Church and graduated at the University of Oxford in June, 1882. Of the eminent Dean of Christ Church he always spoke with reverence and gratitude. Wherever Edward Pierrepont resided he made true and lasting friends, and won all hearts by his cheerful and amiable disposition, his noble heart and his charming manners. "He seemed to have been endowed with many of the char- acteristics of his eminent and pious ancestor, the Rev. James Pierrepont, of New Haven, one of the founders of Yale College, of whom, in the first volume of Hollister's History of Connecti cut, published more than thirty years ago, it is said: " 'New Haven was for many years distinguished for the wis- dom and ability of its clergj'men; of these, Hooker, Street, and Pierrepont are among the most eminent. James Pierrepont was born ur Roxbury, Massachusetts, in 1659, graduated at Har- 602 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. vard in 1681, and was ordained at New Haven in 1686. De- scended from an illustrious family, and gifted to a high degree with intellectual endowments, eloquent speech, a graceful per- son, handsome features, and manners the most courtly and win- ning, he appears to have been from early youth too intently occupied with the mission of saving the souls of his fellow men, ever to think of himself. I suppose, of all the clergymen whose names belong to the early history of New England, Pierrepont was the most lofty and pure in his aspirations, and of the most spiritual temper. With none of the sternness of Davenport, without the despondency of Wareham, and free from the im- petuous moods that proved such thorns in the pillow of Hooker, his words, like the live coals from the altar in the hand of the angel, touched and purified the lips of those who listened to his teachings.' " He was of Norman origin and a direct descendant of the Pierrepont family in Nottingham, England. His beautiful daughter, Sarah Pierrepont, became the wife of that eminent divine, the Kev. Jonathan Edwards. "From a multitude of letters written both in England and America, I copy one written in London by the Rev. H. S. Swithenbank, who was for a long time the boy's tutor, residing in the same house and seeing him at all hours; who witnessed his bravery and pluck in a fight with ' Nottingham roughs,' they having insulted the Reverend friend in whose house Ed- ward was a guest; who remained an intimate acquaintance, and twice crossed the Atlantic with him while at the University of Oxford, and who knew him so well, and observed his traits of character when life was young and without disguises. " Mr. Swithenbank writes : " 'The world little knows what it has lost; dear Eddie's nature was one which required to be knoion. Popular as he was, none loved him as they who knew him; to know him wa-s to love him. Since first T heard of his illness, old times have been coming up before my mind. I shall dwell much and lovingly on that bright life, and I doubt not I shall know and love him more than ever. It is a fact that we do not half value our friends until we lose them, and we do value them then.' "After taking his degree at Oxford in June, 1882, he spent the summer in travel upon the Continent; returning to New York in the autumn of that year, he entered the law school of TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 603 Columbia College, under the charge of the eminent Professor D wight. In May, 1883, he started on a long- journey, in com- pany with his father, to the Pacific Coast, and traveled far into Alaska; on his return the house of Geo. Putnam & Sons pub- lished his book, called 'From Fifth Avenue to Alaska,' giving an account of his journey, which lasted four months. This book made him a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. The work, written with so much enthusiasm, with so buoyant a spirit, is filled with valuable information, which will be more and more appreciated. Read that vivid description of his trip to the Hoodoo Mountains, where he was lost for two days, but where his faith shines forth like a bright star, a beacon- light to all young men of the present day, many of whom might not like to own their child-like faith with such simple direct- ness. His kind heart also is shown in the care of his old horse^ and his endurance and courage were all supported by true Christian faith. lean never read this description without tears blinding my eyes. The whole scene lies before me like a vision, — that lonely mountain, the wild storm and wind and snow and blinding sleet, and there, alone in that solitude, stands that noble form by his poor old horse, alone with his God! And his prayer was heard and answered. Invisible forms led him into the path of safety; and we can all say with him, with full hearts, ' More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.' His description of the scenery of Alaska, and his account of the savages of that country where there was no gov- ernment or law, the hanging of two men without judicial pro- ceedings, which he witnessed, and his ascent (alone with two Indians) of a high mountain at Bartlett's Cove, which no white man had ever climbed, are admirably told. "" A manuscript found among his papers at Rome corrobo- rated what he had confided lo some of his friends, that he was writing a novel intended to portray the social characteristics and subtle distinctness in the morals and manners of New York,. London and Rome. "I will now go back a few years. While still a student in Oxford he visited us at Bale, where we then resided. He re- minded me of some rare tropical flower, so graceful and beauti- ful. Some years later, in 1882, he came with his mother to Vevey, where we then resided, and where they remained seven weeks. We saw them daily. In June, 1884, he left the charms 604 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. of London society for oar quiet shores, and his fatlier joined him a few weeks later. This was a happy time, scarce one short year ago, and we now recall with sad pleasure those happy months, although my own life was saddened by the severe and fatal illness of my precious mother. Those two dear friends were our consolers, their very presence helped us to bear our grief. Five months Edward Pierrepont remained here, and was with us daily, with the exception of some trips he made to Zer- matt with his father, and to Chamouni, where he ascended Mt. Blanc. Plainly do I see him in his mountain gear, a tall, strong, athletic, graceful youth; no one would have dreamed that he would be the first taken from our midst. Those lovely moonlight evenings on our terrace, where he recited to us with his harmonious voice poems without end, with the starry heav- ens above us, and the grand mountains facing us, their hoary heads reflected in the clear waters of the lake — those evenings will never be forgotten. "He seemed entirely free from envy and jealousy, and while ambitious of success he enjoyed the success of others, and it was said of 'Young Pierrepont' in Rome, where he was a great favorite in society, that if any young lady of his ac- quaintance was neglected in the ball room he was sure to take her up in the dance, and when, by command of the Qaeen, he was invited to her Balcony at the Carnival, he would have been glad if his friends could have shared the rare distinction. These traits, blending with his naive sweetness o£ temper, a handsome person, alluring manners and a bright and airy spirit, of course made him charming. "He had full faith that our Great Republic, as its commer- cial relations with the great powers of the world increased, would before long need a diplomatic service as distinct from party politics as that of the legal profession. He chose that career, not unaware of its risks and difficulties, and President Arthur readily furthered his wishes and gave him the place which exactly suited him. He enjoyed his work, and by his diligence and fidelity to his duties so won the approbation of Secretary Prelinghuysen that he took a zealous interest in hav- ing him retained. "His niemory was wonderful; he only needed to read a page over two or three times and he knew it forever. Indeed, in everything he succeeded and excelled; for him there was no TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 605 failure, only an ever-widening path leading to honor and glory. Here at Vevey he parted from his father for the last time; his father returned to America, leaving him here until the time should come for him to start for Rome, to assume the duties and responsibilities of his position as Secretary of Legation, to which post he had been appointed by the president on the 1st of July. At last the day came when he bade farewell to us and to the many friends he made while here, and who love and cherish his memory. We heard frequently from him ; his last letter was tilled with delight and interest in his work; indeed, he discharged the unusual duties devolving on one so young with conscientious fidelity and consummate tact. Besides this he was there, as he everywhere had been, a great favorite in society. Of a com- manding form, graceful in every movement, most distinguished in appearance, with a countenance beaming with merry light, of uncommon beauty of feature and expression, excelling in all athletic sports, a famous hunter, nothing daunted him; he was bound to be foremost in the race of life and win even if he should drop when the goal was reached. Thus his social qualities, united with talent of a high order, peculiarly fitted him for diplomatic life. One of the oldest ambassadors in Rome, as also His Excellency, the Minister of Foreign Affa:irs, expressed the opinion ' that Young Pierrepont had a great diplomatic future.' "WHY DID HE DIB SO SOON? " ' O life as futile, then as frail! O for thy voice to soothe and bless! What hope of answer or redress? Behind the veil, behind the veil.' " We hoped to clasp his hand in friendly greeting this summer on the shores of this lake; but it was not to be. " Though of the strongest constitution and in perfect health, he seems to have had some prevision of his early death. " In September, after his father had left Vevey en route for America, he said, as in a reverie, ' I shall not see the governor any more.' And on the 17th of October, just before starting for his post of duty, he said to me, with the look of one whose thoughts were far away, ' I go to Rome — " ' If thou shouldst never see my face again, Pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer, Than this world dreams of ! ' €06 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. " Of this quotation from Tennyson, so dreamily uttered, I wrote to his mother. " We learn from the attending nurses that during his long illness, he showed far more solicitude about giving them trouble, and about the anxieties of his dear relatives in New York, than about his recovery. " He was stricken down by that fell destroyer, the Koman typhoid fever, soon after he had been, appointed to a still higher position, that of Charge (P Affaires, on the departure of Mr. Astor from Rome. During the first stage of his illness he still attended to his duties. By the desire of his Excellency, the German Ambassador, he was removed from his apartments, for the sake of better air and attention, to the bailding con- nected with the Palace of the German Embassy. It is situated in the midst of extensive gardens, reaching to the celebrated Tarpeian Rock, and commands a magnificent view. The most devoted trained nurses and the most eminent physicians at- tended him. But in spite of all this love and care he succumbed at last, after an illness of thirty-six days. On a beautiful sunny morning on the 16th day of April, at 10:40 A. M., his pure and manly spirit, at the early age of twenty five, took its flight to its native home eternal in the heavens. He breathed his last in the arms of his faithful friend, the Rev. Dr. Nevin, rector of St. Paul's. It was a balmy morning of early spring in Rome; the windows of his spacious chamber overlooking the beautiful gardens of the Capitoline Hill were open, and on the instant that he closed his eyes for the last time, the little sing- ing bird, kindly sent to him by Mrs. Astor to cheer him during his long illness, sang its last song, fluttered violently against the drinking-cup in the cage, knocked it aside, and winged its ■way to realms unknown; no one ever saw it more. Its last song vras sung for its dear master and it followed on the spirit's track, where, we know not, nor do we wish to rend the veil which hides so much from our knowledge. Even his death was lovely, if death can ever be. One morning near the last, he woke from a short slumber, and, with the dawn of heaven upon his face, he said to. one of his faithful nurses, I have had a beautiful vision. I have seen Jesus, and he has forgiven all my sins, and I am very happy.' " Those who were present all noted the striking coincidence of the simultaneous flight of the spirit and of the little bird, TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 607 and they tell us that, as he closed his eyes, the countenance beamed with heavenly light and a smile passed over his face, which did not fade away. Heaven has one angel more. " The funeral was a solemn, overwhelming scene: the capa- cious church was crowded; large numbers sought to enter who could not get in, and lingered outside. The whole American Colony, the entire Diplomatic Corps, many of the Italian no- bility, and numerous other friends were there. " T]ie divine hymn by Cardinal Newman— ' Lead Kindly Light' — which this youth so much loved, and which I heard him repeat but a few months before, was sung at his funeral; and in a rain of tears the last lines were rendered: " ' So long thy power hath blessed me, sure it still will lead me on O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent till the night is gone. And with the morn those angel faces smile, Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile.' "The pall-bearers, selected by the ^o?/e?i of the Diplomatic Corps, his Excellency, Baron von Keudell, the German Ambassa- dor, were as follows: " His Excellency the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs. ' ' His Excellency the Grerman Ambassador. "His Excellency the Russian Ambassador. " His Excellency the French Ambassador. " His Excellency the English Ambassador. " An Adjutant, the Count Gianotti, representing his Majesty the King of Italy. " A delegate, the Duke di Fiano, representing the Mayor of Rome. " The Consul-General of the United States. " The floral offerings were numerous and magnificent. An enormous wreath was placed on the coffin by the Mayor of Rome for the Roman Municipality, with a broad Roman ribband embroidered with gold with this tribute, Senatus Populus- que Romanus, ' The Senate and Peoj)le of Rome,' an honor shown to the old Roman heroes and men of renown. A mag- nificent cross of white roses was sent from Paris by the late Minister, Hon. Wm. Waldorf Astor, Splendid wreaths were also sent from the Marchesa Gavotti, Conte Malatesta, the Prin- cess di Vicovaro, the Contessa Gianotti, from Mr. James Gor- don Bennett, and from other American friends resident in Rome, too numerous to name in this sketch; and the distinguished 608 HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. sculptor and poet Story, together with his gifted son, were pro- fuse in their kindness and contributed also their charming skill in the artistic arrangement of these fragrant oflferings of sor- rowing admiration and love. " What a scene that must have been in the Church of St. Paul's on the 18th of April, at four P. M. The rich casket, holding the precious form wrapped in his country's flag, covered with flowers and wreaths; the entire edifice filled. No eyes were dry, sobs were heard on every side, and all seemed overcome by the affecting service. Rich and poor, nobles and servants, all came to do him honor. For this bright spirit, so trustful, so happy, so full of faith in himself and others, death was but a transition from this world, in which, although he found it so beautiful and happy, the time would still have come when sor- row and disappointment must have overshadowed his cloudless sky — it is the fate of each mortal child — to some it comes early, to others late in life, to him it never came and now never can come. All smiled on him, and I truly believe he was one of the favored few to whom God grants this happy serene life and takes them early to himself so as to spare them the storms and trials awaiting a longer life. For him all was fullness of joy and peace; he now beholds that glory to which the apostle re- fers: ' Eye hath not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.' "His remains lie embalmed in the Mortuary Chapel at Rome, waiting to be sent home and placed in the rural church jj-ard near his father's country-seat, on the beautiful banks of the Hudson. " His father and mother had started from New York with the confiding hope that their son was convalescent, and that they could take him away from Rome to recruit in a more bracing air. Words cannot tell the grief which befell them, when, on arriving at Southampton, the first tidings that greeted them was the following, from the London Times: " ' Funeral of Mr. Pierrepont. " 'Rome, April 19. " 'The funeral services of Mr. Edward Pierrepont, the United States Charge rT Affair en ^ was performed yesterday afternoon at St. Paul's in the Via Nazionale. TOWN OF PHILXPSTOWN. 609 " 'The pall-bearers were the Ambassadors of Germany, Aus- tria and Russia, the Duke di Fiano, representing King Hum- bert, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Belgian Minister, the American Consul-General, and a representative of the Roman municipality. The cofRn. completely covered with beautiful fresh flowers, was placed on the chancel floor. The service was read by the Rev. Dr. JSevin, the United States chaplain, assisted by the Rev. Dr. Jex Blake, Head Master of Rugby, and the Rev. Mr. Pickance, British assistant chap- lain. " ' The church was crowded with American residents in and visitors of Rome, together with many English and Italian friends of Mr. Pierrepont, whose premature death has created a deep impression and is sincerely lamented. The official funeral service ended at the church, as there was to be no burial at the cemetery. The remains were deposited in the receiving vault to await the arrival of the deceased's father, the Honorable Edwards Pierrepont, late United States Minister in London, who is now at sea, having sailed for Southampton the day be- fore his son died.' " On the sancity of their grief we may not intrude. But how tenderly is this grief expressed by Tennyson's lines, which his father wrote me after his sad journey to Rome: " ' still in these ears till hearing dies, One set slow bell will seem to toll The passing of the sweetest soul That ever looked with human eyes.' "Mrs. M. E. W. Sherwood, a charming writer from New York, having spent the winter in Rome, knew young Pierre- pont well, and published in the New York Tribune the follow- ing account ; " 'EDWARD PIERREPONT. " ' A Lif e of Rare promise ended^The Young Diplomatist's Character and Career, " ' 7'o the Editor of the Tribune : " ' Sir: — Long before this reaches you your paper will have made the saddest of all announcements, the ending in its bright morning of a promising life. But it must be permitted to an old friend of his father and mother — one, too, deeply indebted to young Pierrepont for kindly attentions in Rome— to speak of the impression he left there; of his many virtues, graces and 39 610 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. accomplishments; of his noble ambitions, of his tireless unself- ishness, of his literary promise, of his amiable disposition and his good heart, all of which were revealed by his every day life, all of which made him friends who will not soon forget him, all of which drew tears from those who were not used to weep, as they thought of the pathetic deathbed where, calling for father and mother, he finally yielded up his breath. " 'A singularly handsome young man, with all the accom- plishments of the salon, with an Oxford education behind him, young Pierrepont was much courted, and could have offered the excuse of preoccupation when asked, as he often was, to assist his country people when they applied at the Legation for certain privileges; but it was not the fashion of his chief to refuse, nor was it ever the fault of young Pierrepont. Mr. and Mrs. Astor never failed in their courtesy; their young friend and secretary never failed in his. " 'Young Pierrepont had brave ambitions; he had, alas ! a great belief in his own future; he had essayed authorship; he had hoped to be a diplomatist; he craved too much of the world's work; his ambition was greater than his strength. When there fell upon his young shoulders the added duties of the Legation, which, as Charge d' Affaires, he took upon him- self after the retirement of Mr. Astor, he trembled under the burden. He, however, would work night and day, and fever, the dreadful fever of Rome, came upon him. He strove to rise from a sick bed to do his work, and fell back never to rise again. It was a long and weary illness, full of fluctuations of hope and fear. He fought bravely for his young life, but he was destined to go, leaving his friends but the memory of a sweet and charming nature, which shone out brightly to the end, ' trailing clouds of glory ' after it, as does the death of the early doomed. We who knew and loved him now remem- ber that he had the look and the atmosphere of those whom the French call ^predestine.'' " ' It was hard to fill the place which Mr. Astor left. Himself a consummate man of affairs with knowledge of the world, an admirable linguist, with that power which comes with intense interest in the doing everything well, conscientious and thoughtful, few men have ever filled the post of foreign Min- ister so well as he has done. No wonder that the duties which TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 611 officially on the 14th of March he was obliged to give over to Mr. Pierrepont were too heavy for such young shoulders. The anxiety of Mr. Astor for his young friend kept him several days at Rome, and as he traveled northward he ordered tele- grams to follow hira twice a day as to the state of young Pierre- pont' s malady. It would be impossible to exaggerate the grief which has followed the death of this brilliant and promising young man. Associated in every one's mind with scenes of gaiety, balls, parties, dinners and receptions, great Court cere- monials, and all that comes of the life of a young and fashionable man, it is pleasant to remember that the law of kindness was with him the ruling law; he never forgot his friends; his arm was always at the service of those who needed it; his ready sympathy never retarded by selfishness, he was the most thoroughbred and the most amiable of men; and when fatal illness was known to have seized him, daily and hourly were the inquiries at his door. The faithful rector of St. Paul's Church, the Rev. Dr. Nevin, watched by his bedside day and night, and three of the most eminent physicians sought to save him. "' His funeral services drew forth all that was best in the American and Roman society. All the Corps Diplomatique at- tended in a body. The Count Gianotti represented the King; the Honorable old Minister Mancini held the cords of his pall, which was borne by the German, Russian, French and English Ambassadors and the Belgian Minister; the noblest members of the Roman aristocracy were present, showing great feeling. Dr. Nevin, his faithful friend, conducted the services. His body was wrapped in the American flag and enclosed in three coffins; a guard of honor was sent by the King; the American Colony, in deep grief and silent tears', followed him to the temporary resting-place in the English cemetery. And so from the most hopeful destiny, from the highest position, in his young prime, with all before him to live for, Edward Pierrepont went, nobly escorted, to his early grave. He unconsciously pronounced his own epitaph. In speaking to a lady, who told him that she had written to his parents of his kindness and of his successful social and diplomatic career, he uttered gratefnl thanks, and with his warm, boyish, cordial smile (which all who have ever seen him will remember), he spoke these modest words: ' I hope that you impressed upon my father that I am trying hard to do my 612 HISTORY 0¥ PUTNAM COUNTY. duty.' And there are few monuments in Westminster Abbey that bear a more satisfactory record of the best of all ambitions. '"M. E. W. S. " ' Aix-les-Bains, April 21st, 1885.' " A very kind letter from Hon. Thomas F. Bayard, Secretary of State, and an extract from the official dispatch which he sends, will end this sketch: " 'Department of State. " 'Washington, May 11th, 1885. " ' Hon. Edwards Pierrepont, New York City: " ' I have the honor to communicate to you the enclosed of- ficial information of the ceremonies at the American Church of St. Paul's in Rome, on the unusually sad occasion of the final religious services attending the interment of the remains of Edward Pierrepont, late Charge d^ Affaires of the United States in Italy, and to express to you not only my personal sympathy with yon in this severe bereavement, but the regrets of the I)e- partment, for the loss of so highly valued an officer. "' The report of the obsequies which I enclose, evinces the high degree of estimation in which your son was held by the Diplomatic Corps and municipal officers of Rome. " ' I am. Sir, your obedient servant, '"T. F. Bayard.' "The official dispatch of Mr. Byers, the Consul General, dated April 19th, 1885, mentioned in the letter of the Secretary of State, after announcing the death, which occurred on the 16th, says: " ' The greatest regret is felt at his death among a large circle of friends in Rome, and his colleagues of the Diplomatic Corps. I need not add how much the regret is shared in by myself and other members of this office, who have had the pleasure of knowing Mr. Pierrepont closely and of experiencing daily the fine and kindly traits of his character. " 'The funeral ceremonies took place yesterday, the 18th, at the American Church of St. Paul's, the Rev. Dr. Nevin, Rector of the Church, and the Rev. Jex Blake, Head Master of Rugby College, England, officiating. "'The whole of the American Colony, with many Italian friends of Mr. Pierrepont, were present. There were also present the entire Diplomatic Corps, his Excellency Signor Mancini, TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWW. 613 Minister of Foreign Affairs, the representatives of the different departments of the government, and of his Majesty the King of Italy, and of the Royal Household. '"The pall-bearers, as selected by the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, his Excellency Baron von Keudell, the German Ambas- sador, were as follows: " ' His Excellency the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs. " 'His Excellency the Ambassador of Germany. " "His Excellency the Russian Ambassador. " 'His Excellency the Ambassador of Prance. " ' His Excellency the Ambassador of England. " ' An Adjutant representing his Majesty the King of Italy. " 'A Delegate representing the Mayor of Rome. " 'The Consul- General of the United States. "'The fioral offerings were many and splendid, noticeably so, an enormous wreath placed on the coffin by the Mayor of Rome. " ' A guard of honor was sent by the King.' "This humble tribute is dedicated to the memory of a young friend, ■ " ' Long loved And lost awhile.' " Chalet Beauval, "Vevey, September, 1885. "R. L. L. Brunnow." Hon. Daniel P. Ingraham and Arthur iNGRAHAM.^Mr. Arthur Ingraham is a son of the late Hon. Daniel P. Ingraham, whose services as a New York jurist and judge won for him such a distinguished place among the members of his profes- sion and in the community at large. " A native of the city of New York and a graduate of Colum- bia College in the year 1817, Judge Ingraham commenced the study of his profession in the office of Richard Riker, jr., for many years recorder of the city, and was admitted to practice in the Court of Common Pleas in the year 1821, and subse- quently in due course in the other courts of the State. He en- tered upon the practice of his profession, in which he very soon attained eminent success, and early secured the confidence of his fellow citizens by whom he was repeatedly elected to represent them in the Board of Aldermen. 614 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. "While an Alderman Judge Ingraham was frequently called upon to officiate as associate justice in the Court of Oyer and Terminer, and in the other criminal courts of the city. In the year 1838, being at that time thirty-eight years of age, he was appointed by Grovernor Marcy and then entered upon that ex-. tended judicial career which only terminated with his retire- ment from the Bench, on the 31st of December, 1873, when, in consequence of the constitutional prohibition, he was no longer eligible for re-election, having thus remained in uninterrupted judicial service for thirty-five years, a longer period, it is be- lieved, than that of any other judicial officer in the history of the State up to that time. " Judge Ingraham possessed mental qualities of a high order, and united with these, habits of close study and application which were maintained throughout his long career. The an- nals of our jurisprudence are illustrated by the judgments rendered by him in various causes, which came before him for adjudication, the records of which will be found in the volumes of the reports of the various courts of which he was from time to time a member. " With a native dignity of manner and judicial temperament of a high order, there was also united in Judge Ingraham a courtesy and a kindness of manner that made his intercourse with the members of the Bar always pleasant and agreeable. His later years of retirement were passed in the enjoyment of a domestic life which was of rare attractiveness and beauty, and in intercourse with his professional and other friends. On the 12th day of December, 1881, at the ripe old age of eighty-one, he passed away from the scene of a long and useful life on earth to enter upon the life immortal in the Heavens'." Arthur, son of Judge Ingraham, of whom we write, was born in New York city, September 26th, 1849. After a preparatory course of study in the school of the well known Professor Benjamin Dwight, he entered Columbia College from which he graduated in 1870. Soon afterward he entered the office of the famous bankers, J. Cook & Co., remaining with them till their failure in 1873. Since then Mr. Ingraham has lived a retired life, his summers being spent in Philipstown, Putnam county, and his winters in New York city. 'The above is an extract from a Memorial Volume published shortly after Judge, Ingi-aham's death, by judges and members of the Bar of New York city. Ary^ fr 'Er^^hLj HB.Ec'ils Sans A"y~ TOWN -OF PIIILIPSTOWN. 615 His zeal in bebalf of the democratic party led to his nomina- tion in 1883 for Assemblyman from Pntnam. He failed of elec- tion, however, being beaten by the republican candidate. Mr. Ingraham has travelled extensively and is widely known in business and social circles. He is a prominent member of both the Manhattan and St. Nicholas Clubs in New York city, and is greatly esteemed for his liberal spirit and cordial dis- position. GrOUVERNEUR Kemble' was born January 25th, 1786, in the city of New York, being the eldest son of Peter Kemble, Esq., then the head of one of the old English families of that city. Its members had for several generations been conspicuous in commercial pursuits, Mr. Peter Kemble being himself a mer- chant in the foreign trade. Gouverneur Kemble was educated in New York and graduated from Columbia College in 1803. As a young man he was a familiar associate (and, indeed, the intimacy, for the most part, continued during their respective lives) of Washington Irving, Peter Irving, James R. Paulding, Henry Brevoort, Henry Og- den and others, who formed a coterie prominent in the society of that time in New York; and whose frolics at Cockloft Hall (an old family mansion on the Passaic, inherited by Kemble) and elsewhere formed material for many of the whimwJiams of Salmagundi. Early in life he was appointed United States Consul at Cadiz, and during his residence there his attention was attracted to the process of casting cannon as practised by the Spanish government, at that time well advanced in this art as compared with the other European countries. He acquainted himself with all its details with the view of introducing the art into his own country, and, on his return home, he established, in connection with several other gentle- men, about the year 1814, at Cold Spring, nearly opposite the military post of West Point, a gun foundry, under patronage of the United States Government, the need of such an establish- ment having been demonstrated by the recent war of 1812, a charter having been obtained from the State of New York, under the title of the West Point Foundry Association. The obstacles to success were many, skilled artisans being 'By J. ^. Paulding. 616 HISTORY OF PUTNAM. COUNTY. difficult to procure, especially as little aid could be obtained from England, our natural source of supply, by reason of the severe penalties against the emigration of mechanics and artisans then rigidly enforced by the British Government. Nevertheless the experiment was successful, and in course of time the gun foundry was not only extended and perfected, but the establishment became one of the largest general foundries and machine works in the country. Mr. Kemble continued to be president of the association until the expiration of its charter. Mr. Kemble took an active interest in politics, being a strong adherent of the democratic party. He was elected member of Congress for the district comprising Westchester and Putnam counties, and served two terms during the administration of President Van Buren. He was also elected a delegate to the convention for the re- vising of the constiJ;ution of the State of New York in 1846, which perfected the system of government now in force. Mr. Kemble was a gentleman of cultivated tastes, particularly as regards paintings, of which he collected, during his life, a considerable gallery, containing many choice specimens of the work of various artists, including some of the productions of the great masters of the Italian and Spanish schools. His hospitality was of the old-fashioned open-house order, and, for many years he kept up the habit of providing, every Saturday, a dinner for a large company in his residence at Cold Spring, to which the professors and principal officers of the Mil- itary Academy of West Point had a standing invitation for themselves and for any persons of note who might be sojourning at the post. At this table many of the most distinguished men of the country of all civil professsions as well as military and naval, and all the political parties during nearly half a century, have taken their places at one time or another, together with many foreigners of note; and, probably, at few other private boards have been present so brilliant assemblies of talent and learning of all kinds, and where the absence of formality and os- tentation put the guests so much at their ease as to give play to their respective characteristics. Mr. Kemble lived to the advanced age of 89, and died Septem- ber 18th, 1875, greatly regretted by a large circle of friends and TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWK. 617 by the entire community of the neighborhood in which he lived, who regarded him as the father as well as founder of the village. William D. Garrison, one of the most prominent represen- tatives of the Garrison family, so long identified with the life and growth of Putnam county, and the present well known manager of the " Grand Union Hotel," in New York city, is descended from Gerret Gerretsen, who came to Staten Island in the "Gilded Beaver," in 1660. Of this original settler little is known except that he was an honest and God fearing man. This is clearly shown by a certificate of character, written in the Dutch language, and now in the possession of Mr. Hartman Van Wagenen, South Bergen, N. J., of which the following is a correct translation: "We Bergomasters, Schehens, and Councillors of city of Wagennin Declare: by these presents, that there appeared be- fore us, Hendrick Glissen and Jordiz Sparers, citizens of this city, at the request of Gerret Gerretsen and Anna Hermansse, his wife. They have testified and certified, as they do by these presents, that they have good knowledge of the above named Gerret Gerretsen and Anna Hermansse, his wife, as to their life and conversation, and that thej'^ have always been considered and esteemed as pious and honest people, and that no complaint of any evil or disorderly conduct has ever reached their ears; on the contrary, they have always led quiet, pious and honest lives, as it becomes pious and honest persons. They especially testify that they govern their family well, and bring up their children in the fear of God, and in all modesty and respecta- bility. As the above named persons have resolved to remove and proceed to the New Netherlands in order to find a greater convenience, they give this attestation, grounded on their knowledge of them, having known them intimately, and having been in continual intercourse with them for many years, living in the same neighborhood. "In testimony of the truth, we, the Bergomasters of the city have caused the secret seal of the city to be imprinted on thi-s paper. " Done at Wagennin 27th November, 1660. "By the ordinance of the same. (Seal) (Signatures)." 618 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. The first member of the family in Pntnam county was Harry Garrison, who came to what is now known as "Gai-rison's " in the year 1786, purchased land there, and engaged as a farmer. He married a daughter of Jacob Nelson, who was also a grand- daughter of Jacob Mandeville, the purchaser of a portion of the Beverly Robinson property, famous as the scene of Arnold's treason. Mr. Mandeville is well known throughout Putnam county as the builder of '• Red House," now standing, and recognized as one of the historic buildings of the county. Harry Garrison became in time an important character in Putnam and his name is preserved in many of its documents. He was greatly respected by the people among whom he led an exemplary and straightforward life. Hon. John Garrison, father of William D. Garrison, and the only son of Harry Garrison who lived to grow up and marry, was also a man of much prominence. He was born at Garrison in 1795, and died there in 1867. He was Judge of Putna m county, and for two terms represented the county in the State Legislature. He also served as surrogate, sheriff and justice of the peace, holding the latter office for forty consecutive years. In 1829, he established the ferry to West Point which eighteen years later, gave his name to the east landing. After the con- struction of the Hudson River Road, a station was placed here and the name was changed from Garrison Landing to Garrison Station, being again altered upon the establishment of the Post Office to Garrison's, by which it is at present known. Mr. Garrison maiTied Miss Martha Dominick, daughter of James W. Dominick, of New York city. He had nine chil- dren, of whom William D. was the eighth. William D. was born at Highland Home (so named when the house was built in 1819), Garrison's, September 10th, 1838. Till 1853 he attended the district school, which he left at that time to enter the Greenwich Academy, Conn., then under the direc- tion of Mr. Elisha Howe. After finishing his education at Greenwich Mr. Garrison, in February, 1856, Journeyed to Chi- cago, HI., where he became clerk in a hardware store, remain- ing thus employed till obliged by the breaking down of his health to return east. In November, 1859, together with his brother, he started a country store at Garrison's, the firm be- ing known as G. F. & W. D. Garrison. This partnership continued till November, 1862, when Mr. Garrison sold his share TOWN OF PHIIIPSTOWN. 619 of the business, purchasing a farm at Plainfield, N. J., upon which he settled, in 1864, after marrying February 10th, 1863, Mrs. Emma Louise Taylor, widow of Joseph J. Taylor. In the spring of 1866, he returned again to his birthplace, and in connection with his brother, opened the "Highland House," one of the best known summer resorts on the Hudson, the firm being as before, G. F. & W. D. Grarrison. Under the efiicient management of these brothers, the hotel reached a degree of success and popularity hitherto unthought of and they soon attained a reputation as hotel managers, which finally resulted in the calling of Mr. William D. Garrison, in 1873, to the man- agement of the then struggling Grand Union Hotel, in New York city. The following, with slight alteration, is from a New York journal, issued in 1880. Speaking in relation to the Grand Union Hotel, it says: "The hotel had been opened, a few years previously— to Mr. Garrison's coming — bat had not prospered, and the owner was at a loss to know what to do. From the commencement of Mr. Garrison's administration at the Grand Union, the hotel seemed to take new lease of life and prosper- ity, and the fact that it is to day one of the most popular and successful hotels in the United States is wholly due to his un- tiring efforts and superior executive ability. In some respects, to quote from a recent article in an exchange, Mr. Garrison is a remarkable man. "Aside from all the duties of his position, he is one of the offi- cers of the Hotel Association, of New York, of which he was the organizer; a member of the Seventh Regiment Veteran Corps; a mason in very high standing; and is connected with a number of mutual benefit organizations, prominent among which are the Hotel Men's Mutual Benefit Association of the United States, of which he is now president; U. S. Benevolent Frater- nity, of which he is also president of a council; Ancient Order of United Workmen; Knights of Honor; Horticultural Society of New York City; and the American Institute also of New York. He is a member of the following Masonic lodges: Kane Lodge, No. 454, F. & A. M.; Jerusalem Chapter, No. 8. R. A. M. ; Adelphic Council, No. 7, R. & S. M. ; Coeur de Lion Commandery, No. 23, K. T. ; Lodge of Perfection, council; Princes Jerusalem; Chapter Rose Croix; Consistory of New York City, and the Supreme Council of the Northern Jurisdic- tion of the United States of the 38d and last degree. Noted for 620 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COTJNTy. promptness, he never missed a meeting, lodge, or session, and at the same time is ubiquitous at the Grand Union, keeps every- thing up to the highest notch of discipline and order, allowing nothing to escape him, and yet ever seemingly at leisure to pause, shake hands and say a few pleasant words. " Mr. Garrison, besides being a successful hotel man, is an in- ventor and takes a deep interest in all matters and things scien- tific. His method for testing wines and liquors, milk, oils and other things largely used by hotels are original and have met the approval of the most eminent scientists of the day. Mr. Garrison is well informed on all political, local and social ques- tions of the period and employs his leisure hours in reading and study." He is yet in possession of his beautiful residence at Gai-rison's, and is still a member of St. Philips Church in the Highlands there, in the Sabbath School of which he served for many years as superintendent. Harry Garrison was vestryman and warden of this church as was his son, John Garrison. William D., the subject of this sketch, held the same office for many years. There are biiried in the churchyard of this church five genera- tions of the Garrison family. Like his ancestors in Putnam county, he has done much for its welfare, and has, as the generations did that proceeded him, kept the name which he bears free from stain, and an honor in the community. James H. Haldane was born in Cold Spring, his present place of residence, October 4th, 1818; his father, Henry Hal- dane, who died in 1862, was one of the earliest inhabitants of that village. After leaving school, Mr. Haldane entered upon a business career in New York, obtaining first a position in a wholesale dry goods house. During the period from 1841 to 1848 he was in the employ of a firm engaged in the importation and manufacture of iron. In the latter year he continued in the same business on his own account, and was soon afterward joined by his brother, John H. Haldane, the business being conducted under the firm name of Haldane & Co. They acted as representatives of some of the principal mills in Pennsylvania and in connection with similar representation of English and Scotch manufacturers they became one of the best known houses in this country in the iron trade. Aif^ti/ ASJatchJ.!^ TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 621 Mr. Haldane retired from active business in 1875, and he has since spent a considerable portion of his time abroad. In politics he is prominently identified with the democratic party, serving as presidential elector in 1876, and again in 1884. Although solicited to accept public office he has invariably de- clined. John H. Haldane, who died in 1874, was a man of retiring disposition and quiet tastes; he was greatly interested in the affairs of his native place and was instrumental in the forma- tioQ of the Reformed Church at Cold Spring, contributing largely to its support and serving for many years as "one of its officers. Robert Parker Parrott was born October 4th, 1804, at Lee, N. H., and died December 24th, 1877, at Cold Spring, N. Y. He entered the U. S. Military Academy at West Point July 1st, 1820, and was graduated with honors July 1st, 1824. He was appointed second lieutenant in the Third Regiment of Artillery, and remained attached to that regiment till 1834, doing duty at several posts, having been promoted to a first lieutenancy in 1831. In 1834 he was assigned to ordnance duty and in 1836 was ap- pointed captain of ordnance. The same year he was assigned to duty as inspector of ord- nance in construction at the West Point Foundry. Mr. Gouver- neur Kemble, then president of the West Point Foundry Association, appreciating the ability of Captain Parrott, in- duced him to resign his commission in the army and assume the position of superintendent of the foundry; and some three years later he became more closely connected with Mr. Kemble by marriage with the latter' s sister, Miss Mary Kemble. He continued to superintend the West Point Foundry during the remainder of the time it was operated by the Association^ and afterward, during the period it was carried on by Mr. Kemble under lease from the other associates; and on the re- tirement of Mr. Kemble from business, succeeded him as lessee of the works, carrying on the business until 1867, when he also withdrew from its active prosecution. While in the army Captain Parrott had applied himself a great deal to the subject of ordnance which had especial attrac- 622 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. tion for him, and after taking charge of the West Point Foundry- he continued to give much time and thought to its development, studying all publications on the subject, including the official records of the practice and experiments of foreign governments, and prosecuting a course of research and experiment of his own which, indeed, was prolonged to the time of his death. Of the great success of the " Parrott" guns and projectiles it is unnecessary to speak. Many thousands were made for the United States government, and throughout the protracted struggle of the Rebellion they never ceased to speak for them- selves in the most convincing terms. When the war, so long protracted, came to a close, he had not long before concluded with the Ordnance Department a con- tract for a large number of guns and projectiles. Knowing that the government would now no longer require them, and having no wish to profit by furnishing what would be of no use to it, he made known to the Department that although he was of course ready to fill the contract, if it were desired, yet, if it were considered to the interest of the government to annul it, he was content that it should be done. The contract was ac- cordingly canceled. Self-reliant and self-contained, looking to none for advice or assistance — rarely offering advice unasked, whilst freely giving his assistance to all in need of it, preferring to listen rather than to talk, although often more instructed in the subject dis- cussed than those who spoke the most, he doubtless passed un- marked by those who did not know him well, and he was con- tent that it should be so. Modest and unassuming, he did not seek nor care for public consideration. His aim was to do his duty for that duty's sake. This was his character, and the foundation of this character was his military education at West Point. There were immovably rooted in his being those prin- ciples of unalterable devotio'n to duty and high honor which are characteristic of the complete modern soldier — still " jealous in honor" in its highest sense, though happily no longer " sudden and quick in quarrel." And these were the principles which actuated his conduct throughout his life, as well in the every-day affairs of money-seeking business, as when he sat a judge upon the bench, and in the other higher walks of his life. TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWlSr. 623 Col. Thomas Boyle Aeden, second son of Richard D. Arden and Jane De Peyster, was born in New York city, May 27tli, 1813. His early education was gained from private tutors and subsequently at the school of Rev. William Powell, "Union Hill," near West Farms. Receiving an appointment to the U. S. Military Academy at West Point, he entered that institution, July 1st, 1830, and graduated with the rank of second lieutenant, July 1st, 1835. Joining the 7th Regiment, U. S. Infantry, he was stationed at Port Gibson, Indian Territory, and at various frontier posts. Returning as aid-de-camp to General Arbuckle, he was ap- pointed assistant instructor in the U. S. Military Academy, from 1837 to September, 1841. He was afterward promoted to a first lieii tenant and served in the Florida War, and in garri- son at New Orleans Barracks. In December, 1842, he resigned his position in the army, and retired to his estate, " Ardenia," in Philipstown, and which included the old homestead of Col. Beverly Robinson, and known as " Beverly Farm." Since then Colonel Arden has pursued the quiet life of an agriculturalist; a business in which he has always taken an active interest. From 1851 to 1853 he was president of the Putnam County Agricultural Society, and took a lively and active interest in its welfare. At the outbreak of the Rebellion, he served as aid-decamp to General Sandford, in the defense of Washington, and after- ward as aid to General Morgan, with rank of colonel, and was military agent of the New York troops in the field from 1861 to 1863. Colonel Arden is well known as a liberal promoter of all religious and educational institutions, and no act of his life has been unworthy of an officer and a gentleman. Heistky W. Belcher. — Among the prominent citizens of Philipstown, few are better known than Henry W. Belcher, who was born at Sawpits (now Portohester), July 8th, 1820. His father. Doctor Elisha R. Belcher, was a prominent physi- cian of New York city, and his grandfather was a surgeon in the army of the Revolution, and a descendant of Gregory Belcher, who came to this country from Essex county, Eng- land, in 1834, and settled in Braintree, Massachusetts. Mr. Belcher's early days were passed in his native place, and 624 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. , in 1827 he removed with his parents to New York city. Soon after becoming of age, he entered extensively into the wholesale grocery business, and continued in it with success till he retired in 1858. In 1843, Mr. Belcher married Martha A., daughter of Hon. John Garrison, of Grarrison's, N. Y., and a few yeai's afterward purchased the old homestead of Henry Garrison, from the exec- utors of the estate. Mrs. Belcher died in 1855, and in the fol- lowing year Mr. Belcher was again married to Eliza K., daugh- ter of Hon. William King, of Malone, N. Y. By his first marriage, he had four children, two of whom are now Jiving and are residents of Topeka, Kan., viz.: James H. Belcher, and Anna L., wife of James Moore. By the second marriage he has two children, Mary E. and Henry E. In 1854, Mr. Belcher, in company with Hon. John Garrison and others, established a steam ferry between Garrison's and West Point. This feri-y was first established by Harry Garri- son, under a special Act of Legislature, and it was operated by row boats and scows, till the date mentioned above, when Mr. Belcher and his associates obtained a new charter under the general law. During his connections with business affairs in New York, Mr. Belcher was a director and vice-president of the Chatham National Bank, also vice-president of the Relief Fire Insurance Company. He was one of the organizers of the latter company, in 1865, and assisted in closing its affairs, in 1885. He was a director in several insurance companies and other corporations, and from 1877 to 1885 he held at different times the position of assistant auditor and auditor in the New York Custom House. From early manhood Mr. Belcher has been connected with the Protestant Episcopal Church, and was for several years one of the vestry of the Church of the Epiphany, in New York. He has been connected, officially, with St. Philips Church, in the Highlands, since 1850, during which time his efforts to ad- vance its welfare have been unceasing. Taking an active interest in educational matters, Mr. Belcher became a trustee of the school at Garrison's in 1858, and has continued such to this date. He has always closely identified himself with every movement pertaining to the welfare of his locality. Enj'ly SB Salts Sons, Mtr IBtK TOWN OF PHILIP8T0WN. 625 Osmond M. Baxter.— From an entry in an old Bible, we learn that Thomas Baxter came from England at the close of the 17th century. His son, Thomas, jr., was born about 1700, and he in tnrn had a son, Thomas, born about 1735, and who lived at Throggs Neck, on Long Island Sound. He married Phebe, daughter of Abraham Mabie, and their son, Thaddeus Baxter, who was born July 7th, 1771, removed to Putnam county and settled in Carmel. He married Hannah Cole, daughter of Elisha Cole, 2d, and they were the parents of seven children: Jeddediah P., who died in Nelsonville a few years since; Elisha, who was for many years a merchant in that village; Beulah (Bunnell) who moved west many years ago; Sarah (Nelson) who lived and died at Nelsonville; Thomas, who died in Westchester about two years since; Orrin, who moved to Florida and died in that State; and Osmond M., the subject of this article. Osmond M. Baxter was born May 27th, 1813, in the town of Carmel. His father was well known as a teacher in many of the villages of this county and removing to Cold Spring, he, with the aid of his sons, who were several of them expert carpenters, built the house on the Carmel road, lately owned by James Smith. Upon arriving at a suitable age, Osmond was appren- ticed to the West Point Foundry, and learned the trade of pat- tern maker. He served his full time and became a skillful workman, and was soon promoted to be superintendent of the department in which he worked, and remained in that position till 1853. During the time in which he was connected with this establishment, some of its largest contracts were executed. Among them were the Croton water pipes and the engines of the United States Steamer "Missouri." About 1853, Mr. Baxter left the foundry and purchased the lumber and coal business of John Simonson, which business he conducted with ability and success till the time of his death, and it is still con- tinued by his son, Charles Judson. Mr. Baxter was also prominently connected with public affairs and was supervisor of Philipstown in 1866, and has been president of the Board of Trustees of Cold Spring. His family residence was on Banks street, which house he built, and which now belongs to the estate of the late Peter King. He after- ward built on Main street the commodious residence which was his home during the remainddi" of his life. Mr. Baxter was a member and liberal supporter of the Ba p- 39 626 HISTOEY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. tist Church of Cold Spring for more than forty years, and was trustee of the society and deacon of the church. The follow- ing selection is from an obituary notice, written by one who knew him well. "We always found him ready to assist every worthy man, and to further every worthy object. We have sat with him in church, in the Masonic Lodge; at his fireside with his family, at his desk in his office; and we cannot forbear to extend, at this sad time, the tribute of respect and love which we owe to his character and his kindness. " Not only as an individual, but as a citizen do we consider it incumbent upon us to bear testimony to the worth of our de- parted friend. He has been identified with the village from its infancy, himself prospering with its growth until he was able to assist its greatest industries at moments when such aid was almost indispensable. The community sustains a loss, as well as the family; and with the relatives we mourn the removal of a pillar in the church, a responsible man of business, and a representative of the olden time which ' tried men's souls.' " In 1837, Mr.' Baxter received a commission as captain in the State Militia, from Gov. William S. Marcy. In 1883, he was one of the trustees of the West Point Foundry and was for many years a prominent officer of the Masonic Order. He married Miss Sarah A. Merrick, whose death occurred in 1852. Subsequently he married Mrs. Jane Armstrong, who died in 1881. His surviving children are three sons: Charles Jud- son, Edward, and Henry C, all of whom are residents of Cold Spring. After a life of usefialness and honor, during which he merited and received the respect and confidence of his fellow citizens, Mr. Baxter died December 29th, 1885, in the 73d year of his age. Hon. Geoege McCabe. — Among the business men of the county, there are few who are better known or more deservedly popular than the subject of this sketch. Matthew McCabe, the ancestor of the family, came from the northern part of Ireland and was an early settler in Putnam Valley. He left two sons, Benjamin and States. The latter re- moved to Steuben county, and the former purchased a farm on Oscawana Lake where he lived and died, leaving a family of ten children: Rhoda, wife of Elam Garrett; Stephen, Reuben, /7yyj^fhu<(^ TOWN OF PHILIPSTOWN. 627 Daniel, John, James, Susan, wife of Aaron Christian; Fannie, wife of Wright Wixon; Lewis and William. Benjamin McCabe was one of the captains of the State Militia in 1798, in the county of Dutchess, and received his commission from John Jay, the governor of New York. Of his children, James Mc- Cabe married Mary, daughter of Justus Nelson, a representative of one of the oldest families in the coUnty. His homestead was situated near Nelson's Mills, on the Highland Turnpike, and is now in possession of his sons, Justus and John McCabe. James McCabe was well known during his life as a thorough and skill- ful practical farmer. He was the father of seven children: Justus, Cornelius, who removed to Minnesota; John, Mary H., George, the subject of this sketch; Benjamin and Cyrus. Of this fam- ily, two sons, Justus and John, are living with their sister on the old homestead. Q-eorge McCabe was born in Philipstown, July 6th, 1838. His early life was passed on the farm and his education was received at public and private schools in his native town. On arriving at the age of twenty-one, he entered business life as a clerk in the employ of Mr. William H. Wells, who was one of the most successful merchants in the village of Cold Spring. In this position he remained till 1866, when Mr. Wells removed to Wisconsin, and Mr. McCabe purchased the store and suc- ceeded to the business in which he has continued till the present time with well merited success. The reputation which Mr. McCabe had gained as a man of business, led his fellow citizens to select him as a candidate for official honors, and in 1870, he was elected supervisor of Philips- town and held the same position in 1871-77-78-80. In 1880, he received the republican nomination for member of Assembly, and was elected by an unprecedented majority. His duties as a Legislator were discharged with credit to himself and his con- stituents. Mr. McCabe was a member of the State convention of 1880, and was among the strongest supporters of Hon. James Q. Blaine of whom he is an ardent admirer. In all the affairs of business and as a private citizen, the in- tegrity and honor which have characterized his dealings are well known and fully recognized. In political life he is fearless in the expressions of his sentiments, leaving no doubt as to his position or opinion upon the leading questions of the day, while his popularity is fully shown by the majorities he has won 628 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. in the various elections. As a member and supporter of the Methodist Episcopal Church, he is well known in the religious community. In few words, Mr. McCabe may be considered as a type of the self made man whose success is due to earnest energy, sup- ported by honest principles.* He married Miss Mary, daughter of Dennis Bates, October 18th, 1871. They have two children, Lewis B. and Lilian C. /■■>cj^ V'itj AKJttiaiit. Tn.'S^/^^ CHAPTER XXVI. TOWN OF PATTERSON. Incorporation. — Early Records.— Settlement. — Paterson Family. — Roads.— Early Inhabitants and their residences. — Civil List. — Change of Name. — Schools. — Franklin Union Library.— Pendergrast's Rebellion.— Presbyterian Church.— Baptist Church.- Christ Church.— Quaker Meeting House.— Roman Catholic Church, Towner's Station.— Methodist Chapel, Haviland Hollow.— Revo- lutionary Items.— North Line of Lot 7.— Sylvester Mabie. THE town of Patterson includes the north half of Lot No. 8 of Philipse Patent, the greater part of Lot No. 7, and that portion of the Oblong which is in this county, and lies north of the north line of the town of Southeast. This town, which was originally a part of the Fredericksburg Precinct, and afterward of Fredericks town, was reduced to its present dimensions and established as the town of Franklin by an Act of the Legisla- ture passed March 17th, 1795. The first town meeting was held at the house of James Phillips, and the following is a record of the proceedings : " At a town meeting of the Freeholders and Inhabitants of Franklin Town, held at the house of James Phillips, on Tues- day, 7th day of April, 1795. Voted, Samuel Cornwall, Town Clerk; Samuel Towner, Supervisor; Benjamin Haviland, Nehe- miah Jones, Stephen Hayt, Assessors; David Hecock, Sen., Jabez Blwell, Overseers of Poor; Solomon Crane, Elisha Brown, Abner Crosby, Commissioners of Highways; Abel Hodge, Col- lector and Constable; David Barnum, Constable. "Path Masters: George Burtch, Esq., Benjamin Lane, James Birdsall, Jabez Elwell, Daniel Haines, John McLean, Joseph Eogers, Stephen Yale, Abel Hodge, Isaac Crosby, Blackleaoh Jessup, Elisha Brown, Samuel Colwell, Abraham Mabie, Sen., Solomon Fowler, Abner Crosby, Jacob Reed, Elisha Gififord. "Fence Viewers: Jabez Elwell, Jr., John Tweedy, Zachariah 630 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Hinman, Thomas Birdsall, Abijah Starr, Elijah Stone, Roswell Wilcox, David Hecock, Peter Terry, Enos Ambler, Simeon Perry, Nathaniel Foster. "Pound Masters : John Tweedy, Silas Bartch, Roswell Wil- cox, Amos Rogers. " Voted that every Ram shall be confined from the 20th of August to the first day of November, under forfeiture of the Ram. "Voted that the next town meeting shall be held at the Presbyterian meeting house. "Voted that the sum of sixty pounds be raised for the main- tenance of the poor of the town." "At a special town meeting held at the Presbyterian meeting* house, on the 23d of April, for the purpose of choosing a dele- gate to meet the delegates chosen by the different towns of Southeast. Carmel and Fredericks, to establish the division line between the above towns. Voted that Alexander Kidd be Moderator. James Philips, Clerk P. T. Samuel Towner, dele- gate, with powers to establish the line above mentioned agree- able to Law." Following the above is the annexed certificate: "This certifies that a certain Female slave belonging to Roswell Wilcox of the Town of Franklin, named Dinah, ap- pears to be under the age of fifty, and of sufficient ability to provide for herself. Given under our hands, this 28th day of March, 1796. "Matthew Paterson, Jabez Elwell, "Samuel Augustus Baker, David Hecock, " Justices of the Peace. Overseers of Poor." For many years resolutions like the following were regularly voted at the town meetings. "Voted that every hog that runs in the road, shall be ringed with a good sufficient ring under the penalty of one shilling t(p be paid to the person who takes him up and returns him to the owner, with a good ring in his nose." It might be doubtful if many persons would care to earn a shilling in this manner at the present day, and, fortunately, the practice of allowing swine to run at large is no longer in vogue. " We, the subscribers promise to pay to Maj. Jonathan Crane, the sums annext to each of our names for the Consideration of TOWN OP PATTKRSON. 631 his Presenting a Petition to the Assembly, for the Division of the towns of Fredericks town and Southeast. Witness our hands, this 4th day of February, 1795: Wm. Lovelace, 2 shil- lings; Samuel Robins, 2s.; Joseph Tillit, Is. 6d. ; Josiah Rusco, 2s. ; Jeremiah Mead, 4s. ; Isaac Seeley, 4s. ; John Daun, Is. ; Sam- uel Hayt, 2s.; Timothy Delavan, Is.; Solomon Field, Is. 6d. ; Jedediah Wood', 2s. ; Benjamin Ellis, 3s. ; Josiah Foster Ellis, 2s. ; Moses Fowler, 4s. 5d. ; Samuel Pardee, 1 s. 6d. ; Major Fowler, Is.; Matthew Beale, 2s.; Samuel Townse'nd, 2s.; Samuel Howes, 2s.; Solomon Byington, Is.; John Jane, 2s.; John Byington, 3s.; James Neal, Is. ; Abraham Delavan, 3s. ; J. D. Delavan, 3s. ; John Byington, 2s. ; James Bloomer, 2s. ; Samuel Ackerly, Is. ; John Howes, Is.; Peleg Baily, Is. 4d.; Elijah Townsend, 2s.; Nehe- raiah Wood, Is.; Caleb Fowler, Is. 6d. ; Heman King, Is. 6d.; Benoni Stokeins, Is. 6d. ; Joseph Stokeins, 2s." " At a special town meeting held at the Presbyterian meeting house, on Thursday the 26th day of January, 1798. Voted that Dutchess County remain in its present situation withoat any Division, Unanimous. "Voted that the Town Clerk send the proceedings of this meeting to Samuel Towner to lay before the Legislature when most convenient.'" At another special town meeting held January 28th, 1799, it was ''Voted unanimously that Dutchess County remain in its present situation without any division. Voted that Elijah Stone carry the proceedings of this meeting and deliver the same to Wm. Pearce Esq. and the other member from Dutchess." Some years afterward, the town voted in favor of the division and any who were opposed quietly accepted the situation. At the time when a petition was presented to the Legislature for divid- ing the towns of Frederick and Southeast, a vigorous protest was entered by Matthew Paterson, Alexander Kidd, David Beebee, Samuel Townsend, David Hecock, Roswell Wilcox, Nemiah Jones, John Townsend, Samuel Cornwall, Andrew Eraser, John Palmer, and Samuel Towner denouncing the pro- ceedings as a " Clandestine Act." It is probable that the iirst settlement in this town was on the Oblong. The oldest deed which we have found, for land within the limits of Putnam county, is a venerablg document, now in possession of Mr. David Wing, on Quaker Hill, in the town of Pawling. This deed recites that of the tract on the Oblong 632 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. granted to Thomas Hawley and his partners, 44,250 acres were released to Adam Ireland, Jolin Thomas and Benjamin Birdsall, June 15th, 1731, and that the deed is recorded in the clerk's office of Dutchess county, in Liber N., page 302. The parties named above conveyed by this deed to Jacob Haviland, jr.. Lots 16 and 23, June 16th, 1731. Lot 16 is thus described: " Beginning at the Northeast corner of Lot 13 and from thence runs along the east bounds of Lots 14 and 15, 145 chains. Thence South 77 degrees 30 minutes East, 43 chains 2 rods. Thence South 19 degrees West 144 chains 2 rods. Thence North 77 degrees 30 minutes West, 30 chains to the beginning, containing 500 acres." Lot 23 is described as "Beginning in the Western bounds of the Oblong, at a place which is 2 chains and 2 rods south from the 18 mile monument, and thence runs S. 12 degrees 30 min- utes W. 72^ chains. Thence S. 77 degrees 30 minutes West 72^ chains. Thence North 12 degrees 30 minutes East 72^ chains. Thence North 72 degrees 30 minutes West 724- chains to begin- ning containing 500 jacres." Lot 23 is in the town of Pawling, and lies to the east of the farm and homestead of Isaac Aikin, and a large part of it is now owned by David Wing. The northeast corner of the Philipse Patent is near the south line. Lot 16 runs across, and includes, a large portion of the val- ley which forms so important a part of the geography of the town, and has borne from the earliest days the name of " Hav- iland Hollow." It is on this tract that the descendants of Jacob Haviland have lived down to the present. Benjamin Hav- iland, who was probably a son of Jacob, settled here. The north line of this tract is the present north line of the farm of Thomas State, while its south boundary is on the farm of Wil- liam C. Haviland, south of the Quaker meeting house. Ben- jamin Haviland had brothers, Thomas, Solomon, Daniel, Isaac and Roger, and a sister Sophia, who married Jesse Lane. The sons of Benjamin Haviland (Elijah, Benjamin, David, John and Samuel) settled around him, on the ancestral heritage. Elijah Haviland lived on what is now the farm of Thomas State, and the old house yet stands, a relic of earlj'^ days. Benja- min was born September 9th, 1763, and lived where Benjamin Haviland, his nephew, now resides. He removed to Athens, Greene county, N. Y., where his descendants are numerous. TOWN OF PATTERSON. 633 David, another son, lived on the sonth side of the road, a little west of Benjamin. John had the old homestead of his father, which was where Mr. Stephen Whitehead now lives. Just east of the school house. Samuel bought the farm and house of his brother, Benjamin, when the latter removed to Athens, and his son, Benjamin, who is now the oldest representative of the family, inhabits his father's home. Of the brothers of the first Benjamin Haviland, Daniel lived south of the Quaker meeting house (for which he gave the land), while Roger lived in Connecticut, near the State line, Solomon lived in Harrison, and Isaac lived on the bank of the Croton River, in the town of Pawling. For want of any contra- dictory, evidence we conclude that the Havilands were the first settlers in the town. The settlers on Lot 7 of Philipse Patent, were of course tenants under Beverly Robinson. Who the first settlers were on this tract is not known. The following brief list of tenants was found among the Philipse papers, and doubt- less was made about 1760: "A List of tenants on Mr. Robinson's Lot No. 7: Samuel Terry, 5i acres; B. Gifford, 14^; Judah Smith & others, 319i; Jonathan Hungerford, 195; Peter Eastman, 177; Jno. Covey, 112; Noah Lee, 139; Isaac Utter, 200; Samuel Hallock, 119; Fred. Baker, 97^." Thomas Lee had a lease of 120 acres on the west side of Cro- ton swamp in 1752. For a long time there were disputes as to the true ownership of the lands bordering on the Oblong, and farms were taken up and improved by persons whose titles (on paper at least) dated back prior to the establishment of the Oblong line. It seems that the General Assembly of Connecticut, at their session in New Haven in October, 1707, granted to Capt. Na- than Gold and others, certain lands which lay to the west of the Oblong, and these lands were claimed, in 1765, by William Willet of Flushing, L. I.; Jonathan Brown, of Westchester; Joseph Sackett, Jamaica, L. T. ; William Hooker Smith, of White Plains, " surgeon;" Matthias Marsh, of Dutchess county, and John Thomas, of Westchester; and they were also claimed by Philip Philipse, Roger Morris and Beverly Robinson, by virtue of the patent to Adolph Philipse, and also by virtue of the patent for the two tracts next to the Oblong, granted to them, March 27th, 1761. This tract in dispute was divided into 634 HISTORY O'B' PUTNAM COUNTY. farms, which were in possession of William Gray, Isaac Chap- man, Sylvanus Cole, Josiah Robbitts, Samuel Munroe, Noah Smith, David Aikins and Christopher Dickenson, who held un- der the parties, holding the grant from Connecticut, and there were other farms, in possession of Thomas Maggott, Nathaniel Porter, Josiah Swift, William Palmer and Nathan Taylor, who held under the Philipse title. In order to settle the matter all the parties united in giving a deed in trust to William Alex- ander, Earl of Stirling. John Watts, Oliver De Lancey, Walter Rutherford, and Henry Cruger for the premises in dispute, and they were to convey to the parties they should adjudge to be the true owners of the same, all the lands in dispute. This deed was duly executed May 25th, 1765, amd the said William, Earl of Stirling, and the rest, having considered the matter, ad- judged that the true title was in Philip Philipse, Beverly Rob- inson and Roger Morris, and accordingly, by a deed of award (which is endorsed upon the original deed, mentioned above), they conveyed to them all the premises in question, March 11th, 1766. The original deeds are now in .possession of the Philipse family, at Garrison's. The lands lie along the Oblong, in the northeast part of the patent and most of them are east of Cro- ton River, and include the farm lying north of Cowl's Corners, as far as the patent line. Among the old documents which are remaining, as relics of the past, is a lease, written and signed by Beverly Robinson, the original owner in the right of his wife, Susannah Philipse, of all the north part of the present town of Patterson. This lease, dated December 30th, 1769, granted to Dennis Wright, of Fredericksburg, " All that certain farm situate in Fredericks- burg, being part of a farm described in a map and Return Book made by Jonathan Hampton, as Farm Number 8 of Lot No. 7, Beginning at a white oak tree, standing on the Oblong line, and is James Calkins southeast corner. From thence west 9 chains to a stake, then south 70 degrees west, 11 chains to a stake, then north 14 degrees east, 9 chains to a stake, thence North 28 degrees East 4 chains, then North 37 degrees East, 15 chains, then North 7 degrees 30 minutes East, 17 chains to a stake in Benjamin Chase's line, then along Chase's line west 49 chains 69 links to the northeast corner of Benjamin Gilford's, then along Gilford's, and Alexander Grant's line south 6 degrees 30 TOWN OF PATTERSON. 635 minntes west, 34 chains 90 links, then south 24 degrees 30 minutes west 25 chains 49 links, to a stake which is a corner of David Calkins, then south 68 degrees East 33 chains 70 links t» a beech sapling standing on the west side of a saw mill brook, and on the east side of the road, then running along David Calkins and Eeuben Close's line, to the said Close's Corner, in David Aiken's line, then east along said Aikin's line to the Oblong line, and then along the Oblong line to the beginnings Containing 426 acres." The lease reserved all mines and minerals, and all mill priv- ileges. The term of the lease was during the life of Dennis Wright, who was at the time 68 years old, and for the lives of his two children, Dennis, Jr., aged 8 years, and Barsheba, aged 5. The annual rent was to be "113 Spanish milled pieces of eight," and the tenant was to set out three hundred apple trees "of good fruit." This place appears to have passed, after the Revolution, into the possession of Asa Haynes, and was generally known as the " old Asa Haynes place." It was- purchased from his heirs by Murray Aiken, who married his daughter, Lucy, and it is now owned by his descendants. The original north boundary is now the south line of the farm of Gilbert Tabor (whidh is generally considered the county line), and whose farm was the " land of James Calkins " at the time of the lease. The old homestead of the Aiken family stands near the brook, close to the Oblong line. " General List of all Dwelling Houses, which with the out houses appurtenances thereto and the Lots on which the same are erected (not exceeding two acres in any case) were owned, pos- sessed or occupied on the first day of Oct., 1798, in the town of Franklin, Sixth subdivision being within the first assessment District, in the fourth Division, in the State of New York, ex- ceeding in value the sum of one hundred dollars: "Daniel Aiken, John Ambler, Enoch Ambler, Benj. Bene- dict, John Birdsall, Phineas Baker, Avery Baker, Dr. Richard S. Bryan, Elisha Brown, Stephen Barnum, Gideon Baxter, Wra. Burnes, Jacob Bustick, Isaac Beech, Augur Beech, David Bar- num, Joseph Boughton, James Baker, George Bustick, Lewis Burtin, Thomas Birdsall, Silas Burch, Daniel Burch, James- Birdsall, David Burch, Joel W. Church, Reuben Crosby, Abner Crosby, Eli Crosby, Moses Crosby, James Crosby Isaac Crosby, Edward Crosby, Benj. Cowl, Aaron Coe, Thomas Crosby, Samuel 636 HISTORY OF PtXTNAM COUNTY. Colwell, Solomon Crane, Stephen Crosby, Samuel Cornwall, Alexander Douglass, John Douglass, Elijah Dean, Reuben Dean, Nathaniel Delavan, Jabez Elwell, Abner Elwell, Jabez El well, Jr., Elijah Pairchild, Charity Foster, Edmond Foster, Lydia Foster, Jonathan Fowler, Andrew Frasier, John Fowler, Jane Fisher, Samuel Aikins, Darius Aikins, Nathaniel Baker, Jacob Burch, James Burton, Silas Burton, Michael Bowsems, John Bradshaw, Azariah Bolt, Joel Ohurch, Peter Delavan, Daniel Flynn, James Fairchild, ElishaGifford, Wm. McGilland, Abraham Hill, Asabel Hamilton, Josiah Hinckley, James Hays, Jr., Nehemiah Jones, Sarah Jones Elizabeth Jones, Eli Jones, Simon Jennings, Benj. Isaias, Wm. Merritt, John Mulinix, Edward Mooney, James Grant, Thomas Hinckley, Samuel Hic- kock, David Hill, David Hickock, Asa Hanes, John Hinckley, Zebulon Homan, Abel Hodges, Stephen Hurlburt, Stephen Hayt, John Hayt, Samuel Hayt, David Haviland, Ferris Hill, Gamaliel Hickock, David Hickock, Jr., Obadiah Howland, Nath. Haviland, Benj. Haviland, Daniel Haviland, Daniel Havi- land, Jr., Timothy Haviland, Thomas Haviland, Moses Havi- land, Zach. Hinman, Peter Hepburn, Samuel Haviland, Jr., Birdsall Haviland, John Hubbard, James Hartwell, Benj. Isaacs, Nehemiah Jones, Nathaniel Jones, Joseph Jones, Blackleach Jessup, Ezra Jennings, James Kellogg, Enoch Lewis, Elisha Lewis, Stephen Lawrence, Amos Leech, Amos Leech, Jr., Jesse Lane, John McLane, Daniel McLane, Gilbert Merritt, Violet Morrison, Higham Mabee, Martha Newman, Seth Nickerson, Joshua Newbery, Edg. I^ewbery, Eli Northrup, Isaac Northrup, Seth Nickerson, Jr., Joshua Nickerson, John Olmstead, Benj. Ogden, Medad Palmer, Ebenezer Palmer, Phillips, James Phillips, Matthew Paterson, John Pater- son, Simeon Perry, Pat. Stiles, James Parrott, Nath. Richards, Joseph Rogers, Joseph Robertson, Lewis Robertson, Amos Rogers, Martin Robertson, John Sunderland, Jeheiel Stephens, Abijah Starr, Elijah Stone, Uriah Sills, John Stewart, Darius Stone, Mary Sturgis, Jonathan Squires, John Tweedy, Samuel Towner, Peter Terry, Joseph Truesdale, Henry Thomas, Ebenezer Truesdale, James Wright, Elizabeth Watts, Justice Weed, David Mooney, John Miller, Abm. Maybee, Elijah Moor- house, Isachar Nickerson, Wm. Palmer, Nathan Palmer, Ebenezer Palmer, Abner Philips, Stiles Peet, John Robinson, Peter Scot, John Stephens, Wm. Stow, Darias Stone, John TOWN OF PATTERSON. 637 Toger, Gilbert Turner, Henry Thomas, Hezekiah Wheeley, Jane Watts, Zebulon Washburn, Elijah Wixon, Stephen Yale." A few years before the Revolution, a number of Scotch fami- lies settled in this vicinity and the names — Paterson, Grant, McLean, Fraser and others frequently appear, but the greater portion of the settlers came from the eastern part of New Eng- land, and a few came from Westchester county. Fredericks- burg village was considered a place of some importance during the Revolution, though there were but few houses there. Tte story goes that several persons whom the war had driven from New York came to this place. On one occasion they took a fancy to elect a mayor and aldermen, and went through the ceremony of establishing Fredericksburg as a "City." The name seemed to "^a/te" and it was for a long time generally known by that title, and is even now occasionally mentioned as "the City." Matthew Paterson, after whom the town was named, was a native of Scotland, and came to this country about 1752. He was an officer in the French war, and served under General Abercrombie. After the war, he returned to New York, where he engaged extensively in business. He had intimate business connections with Beverly Robinson, and this was probably the reason of his coming, in 1770, to Fredericksburg, where he held a farm for some years, as a tenant. It is supposed that it was his influence which induced many other Scotch families to settle here. During the whole of his life in this town he was one of its most prominent citizens; and was for many years justice of the peace. During the Revolution he was of great service to the government in many ways, though he took no active part in the war. From 1782 to 1789, he was member of Assembly for Dutchess county. After a long life of usefulness, Mr. Paterson died February 18th, 1817, in the 85th year of his age, and his , remains rest in the village burying ground, by the Presbyterian, church, of which he was an active member. Mr. Paterson mar- ried Sarah Thorpe, December 27th, 1761. Their children were: John, born October 3d, 1763, married Sarah Livingston; Martha, born February 28th, 1765, married Samuel Cornwall; James B.,^ born April 17th, 1767; Jean McLean, born January 22d, 1769, married Harry Livingston; Susannah Philipse, born November 20th, 1770, married David McLean; Alexander Kidd, born March 18th, 1773; Matthew, born November 18th, 1775, died 638 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. October 9th, 1799; Peter N., born JSToveinber 5th, 1777, died April 8th, 1778; Margaret, born June 1st, 1779, married Stephen Mitchell. Of these children, John Paterson, the oldest son, was a prom- inent citizen, holding the office of supervisor for many years. He was sheriff of the county in 1820, and member of the Legis- lature in 1804. He died at his residence in the town of Patter- son, November 2:3d, 1821, in the 58th year of his age. His child- ren removed to the Western States. Alexander Kidd Paterson married Elizabeth, daughter of Ebenezer Palmer. The greater part of his life was passed in bis native town, but in his old age he went to Illinois, where his ■children resided, and died there. James Bard Paterson was a prominent business man in New York, where his life was spent. He married Mary, daughter of Col. Charles Wright. Tlieir children were: Matthew C, Robert H. L., James, Alexander H., and Edward S. The Paterson farm and homestead is one of the few which have continued in the possession of the same family since the Colonial times. It was originally held by Matthew Paterson, as a tenant of Beverly Robinson. After the Revolution, when the estate of Beverly Robinson was confiscated, the commissioners of forfeitures, Samuel Dodge and John Hathorn, sold to Mat- thew Patterson, December 26th, 1781, "All that certain tract of land in Fredericksburg late the property of Beverly Robin- son and Susannah his wife, and now in possession of Matthew Paterson. Beginning at a black ash tree, standing on the bank of Croton river being the Southeast corner of the farm. From thence running South 85 degrees west 36 chains 75 links, to a stake. Thence North 19 degrees East 26 chains 13 links to a stake. Thence South 76 degrees East 31 chains 2 links. Thence S. 2 degrees East 8 chains 17 links thence South 82 degrees East 63 chains 8 links to Croton river, and thence down the river to the place of beginning, Containing 157 acres." The homestead, with the greater part of the farm, is now owned by the children of Robert H. L. Paterson, who are the present representatives of the family in this town. The principal roads in the northern portion of the town are : first, the main street of Patterson village, or what was formerly known as the "City Street"; second, the highway running south from the east end of this street, under the hills which TOWN OF PATTEKSOK. 639 form the eastern bounds of the valley; third, the road running southwesterly from the west end of the street, by the mill, and which is the main road to Carmel. The mill site and land ad- joining are probably the same which were in occupation of Malcom Morrison at the time of the Eevolution. In 1777, a committee, appointed by the Provincial Convention, reported that " as a very considerable lodgment of stores in the quarter master's department is formed at Morrison's Mills in Freder- icksburg, to and from which there will be much carriage, a proper farm in its vicinity, for supporting the cattle that may from time to time be employed will be absolutely necessary, and that the'farm lately in the occupation of Beverly Eobin- son, Jr., will be very convenient for that purpose." They further suggested that the commissioners of sequestra- tion be directed to lease the farm to the quartermaster general for that purpose. The report was agreed to by the con- vention. The stream the mill stands on has ever been known as the Mill Brook, and runs into Muddy Brook, which is the outlet of Hinckley Pond, and thence into Croton River. The mill, in the latter part of the last century, was owned by Stephen Hayt. On the corner, opposite the mill, on the road to Carmel, stood a block house during the Revolution. East of the mill on the north side of the street, is a house now owned by Mrs. David Kent. This was in the early part of this century the residence of Epenetus Crosby, who kept an inn, and the swinging sign, with its legend, "Accommodation for Man and Beast," was a welcome sight to the weary traveller. On the south side of the road, and next to the Mill Brook, was a piece of land owned by Peter Carley, and bought by him from the commissioners of forfeitures. This piece he sold to John Hayt, the ancestor of the family of that name, who came to this town in 1785, and bought this piece on the 8th of May, and set up a tannery by the side of the brook. On the corner ol the road was a store, kept in 1793 by Joseph and James Rogers, and east of this was a farm, part of which was on the north side of the street, which was owned in 1785 by Humphry Ogden, and sold by him to John Townsend in 1787. This farm was sold by Thomas Townsend to John Hayt April 29th, 1793. It was bounded on the south by the farm of Matthew Paterson, and extended east "to the land of the Presbyterian Society." The house stood on the part north of 640 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. . the road, and is now the home of Mr. Richard S. Hayt. The western end of the house is the same that was standing on the place when purchased in 1793, Dr. Richard S. Bryant was an- other early resident, and was living in 1790 where the present residence of William Merritt stands. North of the Presbyterian church was the house of Ebenezsr Weed. Tradition says that this was the first frame house built in this neighborhood. The house of Jacob Stahl now stands on its site. On the south side of the street, a few rods east of the railroad, was the house of Ezra Ayres, who owned a large farm lying on both sides of the road. He was a prominent citizen and supervisor of the town for several terms. The house of Mr. Edson Sloat is on the site of the old one. About 80 rods east of the railroad, and on the north side of the street, was the house of Capt. Alexander Kidd, who was a resident here before the Revolution. He was a Scotchman and an intimate friend of Matthew Paterson, who named one of his children after him. He was also a magistrate and a man of means and importance. The house of Lewis G. Pugsley stands on the site of his residence, which was torn down many years ago. In the village burying ground stands the tombstone of Capt. Kidd. Upon it is the representation of a full-rigged ship, and an inscription which records his death in 1806, at the age of 78. Also the following verses : " By Boreas' blasts and Neptune's waves We were tossed to and fro, Now well escaped from all their rage, We anchor here below. " Safely we ride in triumph here With many of our fleet; Till the signal calls to weigh again, Our Admiral Christ to meet." The Delavans, a Huguenot family, lived north of the ceme- tery on a place now owned by Miss Julia Paterson. The Grant family lived north of Patterson, in the town of Pawling. The head of the family was an officer in the British army and fell at the storming of Fort Montgomery. The tombstones of some of this family are in the village church- yard at Patterson. At the east end of the street, on the road running south to Cowl's Corners, is a place which is quite noted in local history. This place was originally owned by Elijah Hawley,.wh6 sold it TOWN OF PATTERSON. 641 to Samuel Haviland May 6th, 1795. The place was described as "50 acres of land bounded west by Croton River, north by the farm of Samuel Augustus Barker, and east and south by the road," also 50 acres on the east side of the road. Here Samuel Haviland, and his son David after him, kept a tavern, which was a noted resort for many years. A tract of three or four acres on the south side of the road was bought of Ezra Jennings, who owned a large farm and whose dwelling house is still standing (though in the last stages of dilapidation and long since abandoned), about one-eighth of a mile south of the corner. Upon this tract the " General trainings " were held in the old days of militia companies, and here at stated times, troops of home made soldiers, arrayed in motley garb and bear- ing weapons which might have seen service in the Revolution, appeared and were duly "trained" by officers who enjoyed the happiness of a little brief authority. The day concluded with horse racing, and not unfrequently the ceremonies were diversified by tights, brought on through the influence of New England or West India rum, obtained at the neighboring tavern, and which was quite as potent in its effects as the whisky of more modern times. The place was afterward sold to Elisha Aikin, whose son, Anthony Aldrich Aikin, is its present owner. It is now generally known as "Aikin's Cor- ners," and only fond memories remain of the time when the tavern sign swung to and fro and good cheer awaited the traveller. The road at this place, which runs north to Pawling, and south to Cowl's Corners and beyond, is one of the oldest in the country. It was laid out in 1745, and described as running from Col. Beekman's Patent to Westchester. The farms through which this road runs were all laid out, bounded on the west by Croton River and on the east by the Oblong. At the time when settlements were first made here (which was at a period when the boundary between New York and Connecticut was not clearly defined), the land in the valley was low and swampy, and covered with a thick growth of bushes and trees. For this reason, the first settlers built their houses on the high land to the east, and in walks over these hills, it is no un- common thing to find the foundation stones of dwellings, the memory of which has long since perished, and these and a few bunches of tansy and yellow lilies, perennial plants which 41 642 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. have long survived the hands that planted them, are all that is left to tell vrliere the mansion stood and " Where once a garden smiled." The farm now the homestead of Hon. Henry Mabie, about a mile south of Aikin's Corners, was at the time of the Revo- lution, and for many years^previous, the farm of Thomas Men- zies, a magistrate and prominent man in his day, and one of the magnates of the old " South Precinct of Dutchess County." He adhered to the Royal cause during the war and lost his prop- erty like many others. To the north of this was the farm of David Hill, which was sold to him by the commissioners of for- feitures December 2d, 1780. In the deed it is thus described: "Farm No. 13 on the map of Benjamin Morgan, beginning at the Southwest corner of farm 12, now or late in possession of David Aikin and running east 123 chains, to the Oblong, being in breadth north and south 16 chains and 30 links bounded E. by the Oblong, West by Croton river, North by farm 12, South by farm now or late of Thomas Menzies, containing 195 acres except 34 acres leased to Isaiah Aikin." David Hill sold it to Ebenezer Palmer, and it is now owned by his grand- daughter. Miss Caroline Palmer. The farm No. 12 is now owned by the heirs of Henry A. Stejjhens. The road that runs up the mountain to the east of the school house runs through the large farm which was leased in 1762 to Dennis Wright as stated before, and seems to have been in pos- session of the Aiken family from very early times. The old homestead of this family is near the Oblong line, and to the east of a small brook. From the summit of a hill near this place a person has a most extensive view of the surrounding region, embracing the valley which forms so important a portion of the town, and the hills which surround it, forming a vast amphi- theatre, while to the north the eye wanders far up into Dutchess county. Near the Aiken homestead is a family burying ground, where many of the past generations rest. North of the Aiken farm is the one now belonging to Gilbert Tabor and formerly owned by Comfort Field. The south line ■of this farm is considered the county line, and consequently the farm is in Dutchess county. The road that runs to the mortheast, up the hill from Aiken's Corners,' is part of the old Philipstown Turnpike, and the portion of the turnpike which was first abandoned. The Gilbert Tabor farm runs north along TOWN OF PATTERSON. 643 the Oblong for some distance, and its north line is not far from the original north bounds of the old Philipse Patent. Two miles south of Aiken's Corners, and at the entrance to Haviland Hollow, is the locality known as "Cowl's Corners." This was where Uriah Sill formerly had his residence, and the old house is yet standing on the north side of the road which runs east through the hollow. To the east of him lived James Birdsall, and still further east was the farm of Oliver Yale. Benjamin Cowl came to this town from Providence, R. I., and as early as 1802 had a tannery near the bridge, at this locality, over Croton River. He also kept a store, and by industry and good calculation accumulated a fortune. Uriah Sill also had a tannery here, and also a store on the corner, on the south side of the road. The store, with land on both sides of the road, was sold by Benjamin Sill (son of Uriah) to Benjamin and Henry Cowl January 28th, 1835. The house of Benjamin Cowl, now owned by the heirs of William H. Cowl, is on the east side of the road and about thirty rods south of the road running east of Haviland Hollow. This house stands on the site of a house which was owned by Nathan Burcham at the time when the Philipse Patent was sur- veyed in 1754. At a point in the road where the Oblong line crosses it, and which is about eight rods south of the house, is the southeast corner of Lot No. 7 of Philipse Patent and the northeast corner of Lot No. 8. The original survey states that the corner is "at a rock and heap of stones on the Oblong line, in a road, two chains south of Nathan Burcham's house." The Oblong line runs from this point north, and crosses the road at Haviland Hollow, just west of the Methodist chapel, and runs up the mountain. On the top of the mountain is a heap of stones which is the 14 mile monument on the Oblong. From the corner of Lot 7, mentioned above, the Oblong line runs south and crosses the swamp. A large willow tree and an elm tree stand on the line. Prom the east corner on the Oblong line, the line between Lots 7 and 8 runs west and is the north line of the land of George W. Kinner. West of the swamp it is the north line of the farm o£ John Haines and the south line of the farm of Alanson Palmer. It runs near the house of Alanson Palmer and over the hill to the west of his house, a stone wall stands on the line. At the west end of this it crosses a road and runs a few feet soiith of 644 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. the barn south of the house of Dennis Palmer. West from this it is plainly marked by a stone wall running over a high hill. This line crosses the Harlem Railroad at Towner's Station, ex- actly at the south end of the covered bridge, where the New York and New England Railroad and the Harlem Railroad cross each other. To the east of this, in the swamp and beyond it, is the boundary between the farms of Mrs. Carrie P. Haines, on the north, and the farm of Herman Rogers on the south. West of the railroad it is the dividing line between the farm of Charles Towner on the north, and the land of Michael Orman and George W. Dykemau on the south. Passing over the hill still further to the west, it passes a short distance south of the house of Edson Smith and was formerly the south boundary of the farm of Peter S. Kent, which is now owned by Mr. Smith. The line crosses the road about thirty rods west of Mr. Smith's house, and on the south side of the road forms, for a short dis- tance, the southerly boundary of an orchard; while on the north side of the road a line of stonewall stretches unbroken to the west to a point where it again crosses the road. To the west of this last point the line of fence is broken and the line for a long distance is obliterated. The west end of the line which is the southwest corner of Lot No. 7 and the northwest corner of Lot No. 8, is on the line between the towns of Kent and Patter- son, about 80 rods south of the house of Lewis G. Robinson, and is at the point where the town line approaches nearest to the middle branch of Croton River. At this place a stone wall on the farm of Mr. Robinson (and which is on the town line) terminates, and another wall runs to the east, which is the original lot line. The southern part of the town of Patterson is the north half of Lot 8 of Philipse Patent, and the early inhabitants of this portion were tenants of Mrs. Margaret Ogilvie, widow of Philip Philipse, and her children. A list of the owners of farms on this lot will be found in the sketch of the town of Southeast, and it only remains to notice a few of the most important places. On the road running north from Doansburg, and at the junc- tion of the road leading to De Forest's Corners, is the dwelling house and farm of Dr. Jonathan F. Seeley. This farm also be- longed to his father, Abijah Seeley, to whom it was sold by Frederick Philipse. This farm is bounded on the east by the TOWN OF PATTERSON. 645 Oblong line, which is here very plainly marked by a line of stone wall extending for a long distance. About half a mile east of the junction of the two roads is another tract, belong • ing to Dr. Seeley, on the east side of the Oblong line, which here forms the boundary between his land and the farm of A 1- bert Baker. About 50 rods north of the road is a hill, with a point of rocks on its eastern side, overlooking the swamp and low land by Croton River. It was here that the 12 mile monu- ment was placed on the Oblong line. About a mile north of Dr. Seeley' s, and on the west side of the road, is a place known as " Elm Tree Corners." This de- rives its name from an elm tree, which is probably the largest in the county. It was mentioned as a "great elm tree" in 1812. This monarch of the forest has seen its best days, is rapidly falling into decay, and in a few years will probably be gone. The farm on which it stands now belongs to James H. Haight, and is part of a large tract which formerly belonged to Abner Crosby. It was sold to Dr. Daniel Reed by James and Maria Crosby, April 2d, 1851, from whom it passed to its present owners. Next north of this is the elegant residence of James Crosby, where in former days an inn was kept by Eber Crosby. The old sign, adorned with Masonic symbols, is still preserved bj' his daughter, Mrs. Alfred C. Penney, of Patterson. In the northwestern part of Lot 8 is a small lake which bears the'name of Hinckley Pond, from a family who settled near it, about the middle of the last century. On the east side of this pond was a large tract of several hundred acres which was held by Abner Crosby as a tenant of the Philipse family. In the survey of the lot made in 1810, a corner of one of the farms, which bordered on the pond, was said to be "a rock of great size and eminence, which was rolled down from the top of the mountain by some of the neighboring inhabitants, on Christ- mas day, 1785." June 13th, 1796, 202 acres of the tract for- merly held by him, was sold to Abner Crosby, by Mrs. Margaret Ogilvie. Frederick Philipse sold to Joshua and Samuel Mabie, 120 acres of the same tract February 6th, 1813, and it is de- scribed as "bounded west by Hinckley Pond and its outlet. Muddy brook." This was sold to William Merritt by Samuel Mabie, in 1837. Abraham Mabie, father of Joshua and Samuel, and the an- 646 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. cestor of the family of that name in this county, removed from Lake Mahopac and settled in this vicinity at the close of the last century. Hinckley Pond vras purchased by the National Ice Company, of New York, November 8th, 1874, from parties claiming it as ov^ners of the adjoining land. The representatives of the Philipse family claiming it as unsold property, and as a portion of their ancestral domain, have commenced a suit, which is not yet decided, to obtain possession of the same. The Great Swamp covers a large extent of land on both sides of the Croton and its tributary, Muddy Brook, and a success- ful effort to drain it would result in the reclamation of an ex- tensive tract of valuable and fertile land. A petition was presented to the Legislature in 1792, by Matthew Paterson and others, which recited among other things, that the channels of these streams were greatly obstructed by fallen trees and an- cient beaver dams, and that if these obstructions could be re- moved, and the channels cleared arid straightened, a large amount of land could be made into valuable pasturage. In ac- cordance with this, an Act was passed March 7th, 1793, by which £300 were appropriated for that purpose, to be repaid by the proprietors of the lands in question. Some effort ap- pears to have been made, but without much success, and the prospect of draining and reclaiming this tract is a work for f u - ture years. The allusion to "ancient beaver dams " recalls a fact, which few at present can realize, that there was a time when these animals were very common. In the early days of the Dutch government and for years after, beaver skins were a regular article of trade and barter, and were so valuable and so eagerly sought after that the animals were completely exter- minated. Towner's Station, on the Harlem Railroad, is a small village, which derives its name from the Towner family, who were early settlers. Among the rare documents which yet remain, of pre- Revolutionary times, is a lease given by Beverly Robinson to Samuel Towner. This lease, which is printed in blank, conveys to Samuel Towner, aged 27, his wife Mary, aged 24, and their oldest child Hannah, aged 5, during their three lives, "All that tract beginning at a black oak tree marked, on the north-west- erly side of Muddy brook, in Philip Philipse line and is the south-west corner of farm 60. Thence down the several courses TOWN OP PATTJiRSON. 647 of Muddy brook, to the upper corner of farm 25, now in pos- session of Rowland Piny. Thence S. 81 degrees West 40 chains, to the northeast corner of farm 26, thence South 3 degrees 15 minutes West, 25 chains 63 links, to a stake on the road, then N. 61 degrees 45 minutes W. 16 chains 24 links along the road. Thence S. 42 chains 32 links to a chestnut sapling in Philip Philipse'sline and is the S. E. corner of farm 23. Then East 48 chains along Philipse line to the beginning and is described in a map and return book made by Benjamin Morgan, as farm 61. The above courses were run in April, 1761, from which time the variation of the compass must be allowed, containing 269 acres, more or less." In this lease the mines and minerals were reserved, and also all mill privileges. The rent was to be "27 ounces of silver plate of the value of Sevil Pillar, or Mexico plate," annually for the first ten years, and six ounces more for each additional ten years. The lessee was to plant 200 apple trees and 50 other fruit trees within five years and within ten years he was to erect " a good stone, brick or frame house, 30 feet in length and 24 feet wide, at least." The lease is dated November 27th, 1773, and witnessed by John Terrill and Malcom Morrison. After the Revolution this, like all the rest of the property of Beverly Robinson, was confiscated and sold. The following- certificate was found among the papers of the Towner family: " The Commissioners of Forfeitures for the middle district do certify that they have sold at Public Vandue at the house of Matthew Paterson, Esq., in Fredericksburg Precinct, in Dutch- ess County, to Samuel Towner, a farm of land now in posses- sion of said Towner, containing about 269 acres, for the sum of twelve thousand and twenty five pounds Continental money. Said farm is situated in the Precinct of Fredericksburg, and is become forfeited to the People of the State of New York, by the attainder of Beverly Robinson, late of said County, Esq., and Susannah his wife. As witness our hands this 23d day of August, 1780. "Dan. Graham, / Com. of "Saml. Dodge, j Forfeitures." A deed was given to Samuel Towner, by the commissioners, April 27th, 1781, and this and the original lease are now in pos session of the family. The depreciated value of Continental money, at that time, may account for the large sum paid. The 648 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. old homestead of Samuel Towner and his dwelling, was on the place now owned by Charles Peck, on the west side of the road, a short distance north of the Baptist Cemetery. The old house was removed some years since, and now stands some rods east of the road, an interesting relic of the past. Samuel Towner died April 1st, 1814, at the age of 70. His descendants are numerous here and have held important posi- tions in the town. On this road, running to the village of Pat- terson, were situated several houses of early residents in this region. On the east side of the road, and just south of a brook that crosses it, is the residence of David Peck. This was for- merly the homestead of Abijah Starr, and still farther back, in the days of the Revolution, was the home of Roswell Wilcox, who was a man of considerable importance in his day, and one of the founders and a first trustee of the Baptist church. On the west side of the road, and on the north of the high- way that runs to the west, is the old homestead of the St. John family. This was for many years later the home of Jacob Sun- derland, who was justice of the peace, and a prominent citizen. After his death, his widow, Hannah Sunderland, continued to live in the same house, and was found one morning, murdered, in her solitary home. A colored man, who was arrested on sus- picion, was convicted of the crime, and is now serving a life sentence for the deed. This was in 1882. At the corner where the road turns toward Patterson, is the pie^ent residence of Mr. John K. Wyatt, formerly clerk of the county. This was formerly the homestead of the Beach family. Guernsey Beach, who was one of the last representatives of this family, was a man of eccentric peculiarities. One of his requests was that he should be buried in a coffin of unplained boards, and that his grave should be made in a remote corner of his farm. To this spot he had some years before caused a large rock to be moved, which he directed should be thrown upon his coffin, after it was deposited in its last resting place. These requests were partially complied with. At the junction of Muddy Brook and Croton River is a large farm, which, at the time of the Revolution, was in possession of Alexander Menzies. This farm was sold by the commissioners of forfeitures to Samuel T. Pell, and by him to Lewis Cornwall, of Queen's county, who sold it to his brother, Samuel Cornwall, April 16th, 1785. It is described as " Lot 57 formerly in possession of Alexander Men- TOWN OF PATTERSON. 649 zies, beginning at an oak tree, standing on the east side of Muddy Brook, which is the northwest corner of the farm of Nathan Crosby, sold to Wm. Duer, and runs east 111 chains to Croton River, from thence northerly bounding on the west side of Croton River, conforming to the several courses of the same until it comes to where the muddy brook empties into Cro- ton River, from thence runs westerly and southerly bounding on the muddy brook to the place of beginning, containing 300 acres." Samuel Cornwall, who came here from Queen's county, was killed by the fall of a roof of a house, July 17th, 1800. The farm is now owned by his grandson, James H. Cornwall. A return of the candidates for Senate, and number of votes taken at the annual elections, held in the town of Franklin, on the 30th day of April, and first and second days of May, 1799, as are hereto annexed: Samuel Augustus Barker, 40 votes; Isaac Bloom, 38; Jesse Thompson, 36; John Hathorn, 26; James Oliver, 24; John Suffern, 18. A return of the candidates for Assembly at the same election: Samuel Clift, 60 votes; Ebenezer Mott, 70; Jesse Oakley, 51; Jacob Brook, 41; William B. Van Planck, 47; Richard D. Can- tillon, 49; John King, 40; Stephen Barnum, 4; John Crane, 36; Samuel Towner, 60; William Tabor, 31; John Van Benthuysen, 27; Abm. Adriance, 36; Joseph C. Field, 17; Robert Johnston, 16; William Baker, 30; Isaac Sherwood, 24; William Emott, 25; Archibald Campbell, 1. Samuel Towner, George Burch, Stephen Barnum, John Pat- erson, Samuel Cornwall, Inspectors. Supervisors of Patterson: Samuel Towner, 1795 to 1799; John Paterson, 1800 to 1804; Stephen Hayt, 1805 to 1806; Clapp Ray- mond, 1807; Stephen Barnum, 1808-9; Wm. Watts, 1810; John Hayt, 1811-13; Elisha Brown, 1814-16; John Hayt, 1816; Elisha Brown, 1817; Ezra Ayres, 1818 to 1821; Daniel Kent, 1822-33; Abijah Seeley, 1824-25; Benjamin Sills, 1826-27; James Towner, 1828-29; David Howland, 1830; Harry Hayt, 1831; James Towner, 1832-33; Frederick Stone, 1834; Benjamin F. Benedict, 1835-36; Jacob Sunderland, 1837-38; Samuel H. Cornwall, 1839 -40; Benjamin H. Benedict, 1841; Henry Hayt, 1842; James H. Cornwall, 1843; Benjamin Cowl, 1844; James Paterson, 1845; James Towner, 1846; Sylvester Mabie, 1847; Samuel Towner, 1848; Sylvester Mabie, 1849; James Towner, 1850; Sylvester Mabie, 1861; Jacob Sunderland, 1852; Gilbert Bailey, 1853-54; 650 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Sylvester Mabie, 1855; James H. Cornwall, 1856-57; Sylvester Mabie, 1858-60; Wm. Penney, 1861; Hiram Penney, 1862; Daniel S. Judd, 1863-64; John. Lawrence, 1865-67; Sylvester Mabie, 1868-71; Wm. Green, 1872; Wm. Green (resigned). 1873; Alfred C. Penney, 1878-74; James E. Taylor, 1875-81 ; Henry Mabie, 1882-84; Philip D. Penney, 1885-86. By Act of Legislature passed April 6th, 1808, the name of the town was changed, not from anj^ disrespect of the great phi- losopher for whom it had been named, but. as the Act says, " Whereas considerable inconvenience results from several of the towns in this State, having the same name: for remedy whereof * * * * the town of Franklin in the County of Dutchess, shall be called Patterson." When the proposition was made to establish a new county, the people of this town were at first opposed to it, as ex- pressed by votes at town meetings and by petitions against it. Schools. — The very best evidence that the early settlers were people of intelligence and superiority, is found in the fact that an effort was made to establish good schools, at an early day. In an agreement made June 7th, 1787, between Humphry Ogden, jr., of Fredericksburg, and John Townsend, of Oyster Bay, in Queen's county, it is stated that the said Hiimphry Ogden, jr., and his father had agreed to sell to John Townsend the farm on which they, "the said Ogdens," had lately lived, and it was agreed that John Townsend " shall be entitled to all the privi- leges in the school house, built on said farm, that the said Ogdens were entitled to," and John Townsend agrees " that the proprietors of the school house shall and may occupy and enjoy the same or remove it at their pleasui'e, he being one of them, and when said Townsend shall request the removal, the proprietors shall remove it within six months, and lastly this agreement shall be left in the hand of Rev. Samuel Mills," who, with Roswell Wilcox, was a witness. This school house stood near where the present public school building now stands, and was, as it appears, built by voluntary subscriptions of the neighbors, on land the use qf which had been given by Humphry Ogden. The oldest document that we have seen in relation to schools, contains the following: " School Rate: Samuel Mills, £2 19s. 6d.; David Close, 1 19 8; Matthew Paterson, 3 19 4; Roswell Wilcox, 19 10; David TOWW OF PATTERSON. 651 Hecock, 19 10; Wm. C. Mills, 1 19 8; Nathaniel Foster, 19 10- Alexander Mills, 2 19 10; John Douglass, 19 10; Ichabod Shaw, 1 19 8; Elijah Oakley, 19 10; Nathan Sturges, 1 19 8^ Abm. St. John, 11 0; Samuel Johnston, 7 8; Robert Watts, 110. Total, £25 5s. lOd. "April 25th, 1783, Reed, of Matthew Paterson of the within £5 10s. 2d. " Charles Ambler." Charles Ambler was, doubtless, the village pedagogue and swayed the birch in this primeval school. When the school district was increased, we find the following: "We the subscribers being appointed at the annual town meeting Commissioners of the Common Schools, in the town of Paterson have divided said town into the following Districts,, to wit: Dist. No. 1 in the village. 2 near Isaac Beaches. 3 John Haviland 2d. 4 Abijah Rowland. 5 Moses Crosby. 6 Samuel Mabie. 7 James Towner. 8 Jonathan Squires. " We certify the above Districts to be all that have come to- our knowledge, and that they will be known by the said num- bers. "Sept. 4th, 1813. "Ben J. Cowl. " John Hatt." In August, 1825, Jonathan Fowler sold by deed to the trus- tees of District No. 9, "partly in Kent," apiece of land "large enough to set the school house on, so long as it shall be wanted for a school if forever ^ An academy or high school was erected many years ago, a little east of the present school house. This was burned the year after its erection. An academy was afterward built, about 1838, on the land of Ezra Ay res and stood where Seaman's- Hotel now stands, on the north side of the main street of Pat terson, west of the railroad. One of the teachers was Ebenezer Close, a distant relative of Rev. David Close, and who caused his remains to be removed to the present churchyard. 652 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. The town was at first divided into five districts, and the fol- lowing is a copy of the oldest school report to be fonnd in the town clerk's office : " An account of the Different Schools in the town of Frank- lin, 19th day of March, 1796. " Philetus Philips, Benjamin Benedict and Richard S. Bryan, Trustees for the City district School No. 1, applyed on the 16th day of July, 1795. The School commenced by Tompkins Delavan the 6th day of July, 1795, who taught 4 months at the rate of £3 6s. 8d. per montli, and agreeably to the Trustee's re- turns 1581 days. James D. Wallace teacher of the above school for one quarter at £12 per quarter, agreeable to the Trustee's returns 2174 days. " Ezra Jennings, Uriah Sill, and Darius Stone, Trustees for the School District No. 2. Commenced by Bbenezer Elwell, master, 9th day of Nov., 1795. The above master's wages is 16 pounds for 5 months, agreeable to the trustee's returns is 1783 days. " Wm. Stow and Jabez Elwell, for the School District No. 3. Commenced by Benjamin Yentress, the 7th day of Dec, 1795, and ended the 15 th day of March, 1796, for which services he receives £7 7s. 6d. " Blackleach Jessup and Benjamin Ogden, Trustees for the School District No. 4. Commenced by Daniel Flyn, on the 25th day of Nov., 1795. Agreeable to theTrastee's return 2681 days £27, 2, 5. " Reuben Crosby and Moses Crosby, Trustees for the School District No. 5. Commenced the 5tli. day of August, 1795, by Darius Crosby, at the rate of 5 pounds per month, said Crosby has teached 168 days in the above school. Agreeable to the Trustee's return 2772 days. £28, 0, 1. " The names and number of days each Scholar has attended school No. 3 in the town of Franklin, began July 9th, 1798, and ended Oct. 14th the same year. Daniel Delavan, master, wages one Dollar for each scholar per quarter: Phebe Solomon, 42; Laura Delavan, 68; David Haviland, 57; Huldah Jennings, 63; Samuel Jennings, 1; George Stone, 52; Jesse Wilson, 62; David Beach, 65; Deborah Delavan, 5; Edward Kellogg, 53; James Aikin, 74; Eliphalet, negro boy, 31; Rebecca Johnston, 6; Lydia Kellogg, 70; Lawrence Stone, 4; Jack, negro boy, 1; Jared Stone, 62; Delia Delavan, 70; Lavina Haviland, 61; TOWN OF PATTERSON. 65B Thomas Jennings, 18; Gould Wilson, 59; Hannah Stone, 71; Abigail Wilson, 69; Elijah Beach, 73; Sally Delavan, 3; Polly Aikin, 3; Benjamin Aikin, 71; Frederick Kellogg, 72; Abbie Kellogg, 49; Charlotte Stone, 2; Mary Stone, 50; Silva, black girl, 3. Total, 1400. " Amos Kellogg, Trustees )) " Daniel Aikin, f The oldest citizens of our town will remember the above boys and girls as old men and women. It is doubtful if one is living now. Feanklin Union Library. — In the latter part of the last century, a library bearing the above name was established, and owned by a company consisting of prominent men of the town. A little pamphlet, of which we have seen but one copy, con- tains the following: " Rules of admission into the Franklin Union Library Society, for the promotion of Agriculture and Morality. " Any person of lawful age and a respectable moral char- acter, after the examination and approbation of the Society, may be admitted as a Member. But any person addicted to drunkenness, profane or obscene language, and showing bad example in his family or neighborhood shall ever be deemed unworthy of admission." Then follows a list of books, beginning with " Rollin's An- cient History" in 10 volumes, the whole number of volumes being 1:48, and of a very substantial nature. A certificate of membership of Matthew Paterson is dated February 4th, 1794, and signed by Roswell Wilcox, president, and Silas Marsh, secretary. The seal attached has the representation of a house in the center, an ox head on the left, above a sheaf of wheat and a plow, and on the right a man reading. This library ex- isted for many years but was finally sold and scattered. The old book case, which held the library, which was considered a great institution in its day, is now in possession of Mr. Richard Hayt. Pendergrast's Rebellion. — In the year 1766 there was a formidable anti-rent rebellion among the tenants on the Philipse Patent, and especially among those on the "Gore." During this there was quite a battle near the bridge at the west end of Patterson village. The full account of this strug- ^54 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. •gle may be found in the following extracts from the New York newspaper printed at that time. William Pendergrast was one of the tenants of the "Grore," and held a farm by perpetual lease, and he was to pay for rent the whole amount of the -quit rent of the whole patent. He afterward sold his lease to one Humphry Slocum, and moved away to the country north of Albany. His house and farm were southeast of Pawling' s Station. The following is from "Holt's Grazette," August 7th, 1766 : " George Henry, a private soldier of the 28th Regiment, in Capt. Skene's Company, being one of the guard sent to escort some provisions for the soldiers sent to suppress the rioters in Dutchess county, who, as he was on the road near Mr. Robin- son's store suspecting no danger, was fired upon by three men who had been observed to follow the escort, and was badly Tvounded in the right knee by a m^^sket ball — was sent down to the Hospital at New York. After languishing from the 28th of June till the 27th of July, the wound being mortified, his leg was cut off about six inches above the knee. He survived 4:he operation till the 1st of Aug: and then died. The Coroner's inquest brought as a verdict ' Willful murder by persons un- known.' " '' We hear from Dutchess County, that the G-raud Jury has found a true bill of indictment against Wm. Pendergrast for High Treason, and that he was to have his trial yesterday." " Aug. 14th, 1766. Letters from Dutchess county advise that at the special Court then sitting there, Wm. Pendergrast was found guilty of High Treason after a trial of fv^enty-four hours. Aug. 21st. We hear from Dutchess County that Pen- dergrast has been condemned for High Treason and was to suffer death in six weeks. The usual sentence of death was passed upon him." The name of William Pendergrast first appears in the register's office of Dutchess county as the lessee of a farm lease granted by Roger Morris, Beverly Robinson, John Ogilvie, Philipse and others in 1766. The farm is described as "adjoining that of John Kane, on Philipse Upper Patent." William Pendergrast was at ihat time (1766) 39 years of age and his wife 28. At that time they had six children. Their descendants now live in Chatauqua county. "Holt's Gazette," July 31st, 1766: " A special commission, TOWN OF PATTEESON. 655 we are told, has been given for the trial of some of the rioters in the upper counties, and on Thursday last his Honor Chief Justice Horsemanden embarked for Dutchess county, accom- panied by some of his Majesty's Council, Attorney- Q-eneral, lawyers, &c., and on Saturday, Wm. Pendergrast, who was lately apprehended and brought to our gaol, as one of the principals for High Treason, was under a strong guard of Grenadiers, removed on board of a sloop, to be carried up for trial." "Holt's Gazette" July 3d, 1766: "We hear from Freder- icksburg that on Saturday last, as a party of regulars stationed there, under command of Maj. Brown, were crossing a bridge, they were met by about thirty of the rioters, who were going to join Pendergrast, their Chief's party. A skirmish ensued, wherein two of the regulars were wounded, and it is supposed, a much greater number of the rioters, who generally dismounted and fled to the cornfields and bushes, leaving some of their horses and guns, which were taken and one prisoner. Several more were taken that night. The next evening they sent a flag of truce with fifty followers, who were all lodged in the meet- ing house, and the next day several parties more came in. Pendergrast' s wife was gone to persuade her husband to accept the Governor's mercy, as were many more wives of the rioters. We hear of no lives lost. It was reported that 300 of the rioters lodged at Quaker Hill, intending to attack the regulars on the 30th, Ult." "Sept. 4th, 1766. Wm. Pendergrast, after a trial of 24 hours, wherein every reasonable indulgence was allowed him, was by a Jury of some of the most respectable freeholders, found guilty of High Treason. It is said in this, they differed from the Court and were sent back, but persisted in their ver- dict. He was sentenced and ordered to be executed on Friday, the 26th of Sept. Several of the rioters were fined more or less, according to the nature of their offences; two stood in the pillory, and two more were ordered to imprisonment for a time. They all expressed much penitence, protested against such riotous proceedings for the future, and exhorted the bystanders to take warning. "The Sheriff of the County, Mr. James Livingston, has of- fered a good reward to any person inclined to assist at the exe- 656 HISTORY OF PCTTNAM COUNTY. ciation of Pendergrast and has promised to disguise them so they shall not be known, and secure them from insults." " Sept. 11th, 1766. On Mondaj'- last, his excellency. Sir Henry Moore, Bart., left Albany for Crown Point, having be- fore he set out been pleased to send a reprieve to the Sheriff of Dutchess County, respiting the execution of Wm. Pendergrast, until His Majesty's pleasure could be made known." A letter from the Earl of Sherburne to Gov. George Moore, dated at Whitehall, Eng., December 11th, 1766, contains the following: "I have laid before the King, your letter of the 11th of October, recommending Wm. Pendergrast to the Royal mercy, and His Majesty has been graciously pleased to grant him his pardon, relying that this instance of his Royal clemency will have a better effect, in recalling those mistaken people to their duty, than the most rigorous punishment." ' Presbyterian Church. — This church was founded by Rev. David Close, who was its first pastor. He came to this place from North Salem about 1775, and his name, as "Mr. David Cloose," occurs in the tax list of 1777. His brother. Rev. John Close, wAs for many years pastor of Newburgh. After laboring here with ardor and fidelity for several years, he died at a comparatively early age. The first church edifice and the scene of his labors, stood on the top of the hill, north of the mill, at the west end of Patterson street. A barn belonging to Mrs. Coleman Haines now stands on the spot. By the side of this church Mr. Close was buried, and here all that was mortal of him remained for fifty years, and was then removed by a relative to the grave yard by the present church, and here the the rude brown stone monument, which marks his place of burial bears the following inscription: " IN MEMORY OF RKV. DAVID CLOSE, WHO DIED MABCH 19tH, A. D. 1783, AGED 40 YEARS. " A Minister of Jesus Christ lies here. Dear to his flock, to the Great Shepherd dear. Faithful to God and to his sacred trust, Most strictly and invariably just. His Soul was unaffected and sincere, He spake but what he thought, and void of fear Did boldly all the truths of God proclaim Nor courted favor, nor attempted fame." TOWN OF PATTERSON. 657 Of the state of the church under his pastorate or of its mem- bers, nothing whatever is known. The next mention of any minister in the place occurs June 7th, 1787, when, in an agree- ment made for a sale of a farm, between Humphry Ogden and John Townsend, Rev. Samuel Mills is mentioned as the person in whose care the document was to be kept, and he signs it as a witness. May 20th, 1789, at a meeting of which Matthew Paterson and Alexander Kidd were presiding officers, the church was incorporated by the election of Matthew Paterson, Caleb Frisbee, Nathaniel Newman, Abner Osborn, Alexander Kidd, David Beebee, and Ebenezer Palmer, as trustees. The original certificate is among the papers of the Paterson family, and a record is in the clerk's office in Dutchess county. On the 29th of March, 1793, Thomas Townsend sold to the trustees an acre of land on the south side of the road, where the chapel and school house now stand, and also another piece, which is described as "beginning at the northeast corner of the burying ground and running north 6 degrees East 1 chain 10 links, thence N. 84 degrees West 2 chains 27 links, then South 6 de- grees West 1 chain 10 links, then South 84 degrees East 2 chains 27 links, containing J of an acre." The price was £14. May 22d, 1793, Stiles Peet and wife, Lydia, sold to Henry LiTd- ington, David Hecock, Lewis Stebbins, Samuel A. Baker, Na- thaniel Newman, Enoch Lewis and Abner Osborn, trustees of the church, "All that certain tract of land in Fredericktown beginning at a stake being the southwest corner of the lot hereby conveyed, and in the line of land belonging to the Epis- copal Church and running northerly bounding on the land aforesaid and on land lately purchased by the trustees above, of Thomas Townsend and Sarah, his wife for a burying ground for the said Presbyterian Society, 216 feet to a stake. Thence easterly bounding on said Peet' s own land 52 feet to a stake, then southerly, also bounding on said Peet 216 feet to a stake by the road, then westerly 63 feet to the place of beginning be- ing i of an acre." The price was 40 shillings, and the witnesses were Alexander Mills and Medad Palmer. An inventory of the estate, real and personal, of the church, taken April 29th, 1793, mentions "One lot of land in the vil- lage of Fredericksburg, containing about J acre of land, to- gether with an old meeting house standing on the same." Value £30. 43 658 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. " 1^ acre for the purpose of erecting a meeting house and for a burying place, for said Society, £14." A subscrijjtion paper was signed by sundry persons, promising to pay certain sums of money for the purpose of building a meeting house, and for the purchase of the lot, amounting in the whole, exclusive of the purchase money, to £201, lis. Another inventory, made December 26th, 1796, mentions the first lot as " the one on which the old meeting house formerly stood," and the second lot mentioned "with the new meeting house standing on the same." This establishes, approximately, the date when the first meeting house was destroyed and the second one built, which evidently stood on the land bought of Stiles Peet. It was a little west of the present church. At a meeting of the Hudson Presbytery, in September, 1794, Rev. John Close was appointed to organize the church in Fred- ericksburg and administer the sacrament of the Lord's Supj)er, which he performed in April, 1795. At that time Mr. John Hayt and Mr. Enoch Lewis were admitted members of the church, and Cordelia, daughter of the former, was baptized. In June, 1795, Rev. Isaac Orton was employed to preach and continued till September, 1798. Under his ministry, Mrs. Anna Lewis, wife of Mr. Elisha Lewis, and Mrs. Mary Barker, wife of Gen. Samuel Agustus Barker, were admitted members. At a meeting of the Presbytery, November 18th, 1795, in answer to certain questions of the trustees, " the Presbytery were of opin- ion that the Church Corporation was founded on the considera- tion of the existence of said church, which was formerly under the care of Rev. David Close, deceased, by being incorporated about six years after his death. And although it appears that the Church has for some years past been in a broken state, yet as there are still living several members of the church who were under the ministry of Mr. Close, therefore the Presbytery did judge that the said church doth still exist." In September, 1799, Rev. Mr. Judd came and served for six months. He was succeeded by Rev. John Clark, who came May 13th, 1800, and remained ten months. In May, 1801, the trustees employed Rev. John McNeice, who was then jsrincipal of the academy at North Salem, to write to Rev. William Jackson. Rev. Mr. Philips preached for three months, and Mr. Jackson came and preached " three Sabbath days." Rev. Jason Perkins came May 29th, 1802, and staid one year and six months. Rev. John TOWN OP PATTERSON. 659 McNeice commenced labor here in November, 1803, and preached till 1808. The elders at that time were Nathan Dong- lass, John Hayt, Elijah Dean, Benjamin Benedict and Matthew Paterson. In May, 1808, Rev. Herman Daggett was invited to preach for a few Sabbaths, and on June 1st he was engaged for a year. March 22d, 1809, he was again engaged "for two years from thd first of June next." August 25th, 1811, Mr. Daggett was engaged for another year, and the record of his service here ends August 9th, 1813. For most of the facts given above, we are indebted to a brief sketch of the history of the church, written by Mr. Daggett, and which is now in one of the church books. During the year 1818, services were held by Rev. John Clark and Rev. Elisha Price, but the session were censured by the Presbytery for " employing a minister as moderator of their meetings, who was not a member of the Presbyterian Church." Rev. John Johnston came here in Se]3tember, 1820, and Rev. E. M. McLaughlin came June 8th, 1822, and was succeeded by Rev. M. Quin, March 2d, 1823. In this case the session was again censured for employing " one who had no ofiice in the church." On the 25th of January, 1827, Rev. Epenetus P. Benedict began a ministry which ended only with his life. He was born at Bridgeport, Conn., and in early life was intended for secular pursuits. He was a silversmith by trade, and went to one of the Southern States and engaged in business. His property having been destroyed by fire, he came north and studied for the ministry and his first and only pastorate was at Patterson. He purchased the place east of the church, now owned by Mr. Henry Tucker, and in addition to his ministerial duties, he con- ducted a private school which was well attended, and many of the present generation remember him as a teacher. After a life of great usefulness and a pastorate of forty years, Mr. Bene- dict passed to his reward, August 15th, 1870, aged 74. He was succeeded in the pastorate by Rev. Nathan M. Sherwood, who came to this place from Fishkill, in 1866. He remained two years, and is now pastor at Washingtonville, near Newburgh. Rev. James Baird became pastor in April, 1868, and remained till November 1st, 1877. Rev. Isaac L. Kipp, the present pas- tor, was born in New York, and was educated at the Reformed Church Seminary, New Brunswick, N. J. He was ordained in 660 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. 1861, and preached at East Williamsburg, L. I., and during the war was chaplain of the 159th Regiment. He was subsequently pastor of the Reformed churches at Stuyvesant Palls, Schodac Landing, and Peekskill. His labors, in Patterson began in Oc tober, 1879, and he was installed pastor in June, 1881. The second church, built in 1794, was not finished till several years later, as appears by the following: "Whereas it appears by the statement of the Committee that superintends the business of finishing the meeting house in Franklin, that there is not a sufficient sum of money signed to complete the said house, and it appears necessary to have the breast work and front seats of the upper part of the meeting house finished. We, the young men of the town of Franklin, and others do promise to pay to Elijah Wheeler, John Hayt, Stephen Hurlburt, Elijah Dean, John Towner, Agur Beach or James Phillips, the Committee of the Presbyterian Society, the several sums annexed. April 20th, 1807: Stephen Delavan, 8s.; Seymour Wolsey, 10s.; Alex. K. Paterson, 12s.; Stephen Bene- dict, 12s.; Nathan Sturges, 12s.; Ebenezer Weed, 8s.; John Philips, 8s.; Charles Burch, 8s.; John Jennings, 8s.; Nathaniel Newman, 12s.; Benoni Stebbens, 8s." The present church edifice, which stands a short distance east of the former one, was built in 1836, and is an elegant and com- modious building. List of early members of the Church: Matthew Paterson, John Hayt, Stephen Hurlburt, Aaron Coe, Enoch Lewis, Agur Beach, Elijah Wheeler, Humphry Ogden, Prince Howes, Joseph Sherwood, Elijah Dean, Lewis Stebbens, Nathan Douglass, John McLean, Abijah Starr, Benjamin Benedict, Simeon Clinton, Anna Lewis, Mary Baker, Sally Osborn, Susanna Howes, Mary Howes, Ruth A. Coe, James Stebbins, Elizabeth Dayton, Pru- dence Hayt, Mary Wheeler, Peggy McLean, Mindwell Starr, Mary Hoag, Elizabeth Benedict, Stiles Peet, LydiaPeet, Austin Coe, Enoch Abbott, Epenetus Crosby, Samuel Hayt, Ebenezer Weed, Naomi Burch, Isaac Jones, Ebenezer Penney, James B. Clinton, Rufus Fancher, Alex. Mooney and Noah Howes. Number of Members in 1811, 34; in 1812, 32; in 1814, 30; in 1822, 66; in 1885, 85. Marriages, 1808.— Alva Gregory, Polly Delavan, July 21st; Seth Abbott, Huldah Towner, Nov. 18th. 1809.— Henry Jones, Nancy Lookwood, Feb. 5th; Samuel Lyons, Rosalind Fowler, TOWN OF PATTERSON. 661 Feb. 23d.; Andrew Fraser, Grrace A. Lockyer, April 23d; James Burhus, Batbsheba Foster, June 1st; Ebenezer Weed, Patty Beechgood, Dec. 7th. 1810.— John Hinman, Sally Mabie, Oct. 4th; John G-. Haviland, Betsy Beech, Dec. 5th. 1812.— Abner Marshall, Sally Burch, March 18th; James Bashford, Sophia Newberry, March 19th; Moses Peck, Betsy Dean, March 26th; Orrin Cowl, Wealthy Roberts, April 11th; David Cook, Mary Ogden, May 12th; John Hayt, Polly Towner, May 23d; Thomas Sweet, Polly Taylor, July 28th; Henry Harrison, Polly Jones, July 29th; William Watts, Sally Brown, Aug. 23d; Nicholas Haight, Elizabeth Grant, Sept. 23d; Frederick Richards, Sally Stebbins, Nov. 23d; Asa Church, Catharine Hayt, Dec. 12th. 1811.— William Dean, Elizabeth Hoag, Jan. 1st; Samuel Lane, Elizabeth Haviland, Feb. 7th. 1813.— Miles Peck, Rebecca Dean, March 20th. 1814.— Joel Norton, Sophia Avery, Jan. 24th; Archibald Newberry, Dianthe Crosby. Deaths of early members. — James Sturges, July 16th,. 1808; Humphry Ogden, May 14th, 1808; John B. Lawrence, 1808; Matthew C. G. Paterson, Nov. 23d, 1809; Abigail Clinton, March 4th, 1810; Josiah Jones, Aug. 6th, 1810; Abner Osborn, May ]9th, 1811; Lewis Roberts, April 9th, 1812; Elijah Stone, April 19th, 1812; Aaron Coe, April 19th, 1812; Isaac Crosby, June 5th, 1812; Timothy Delavan, Jan. 19th, 1813; Ebenezer Palmer, April 10th, 1813. Among the benefactors of the church, mention should be made of Noah B. Knapp. Mr. Knapp, who was a native of Connecticut, was extensively engaged in business in the South, but was accustomed to spend his summers in Patterson. He took a lively interest in the welfare of this church and at the time of his death (which occurred January 19th, 1879, at the age of 73) he bequeathed to it the sum of $5,000, which is securely in- vested by the trustees. Mr. James B. Paterson also left a con- siderable sum of money to the church, and the use of a house for a parsonage during the continuance of Rev. Mr. Baird as min- ister. Mr. Paterson' s charitable intentions were frustrated by a contest which resulted in abrogating the will, but the loss was partially made up through the liberality of some members of the family residing in this place. The oldest document which has been found, written by any minister in this town, is the following: " These may certify whom it may Concern that Jesse Warner, 662 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. of Fredericksburg, and Sarali Seeley of the same Place, were Lawfully Married by me, Blackleach Burritt, Minister of the Gospel, in ,the ajbove named Fredericksburg, in the State of New York April 2nd, A. D., 1784." On the back of this, though in a very different hand-writing, are the words "A Sartifekit." Baptist Church. — On Erskine's military map, made about 1780, the Baptist meeting house is laid down near Fredericks- burg. This church, the date of whose building is unknown, stood on the north side of the road from Patterson to Carmel, about half a mile west of where the Mill Brook crosses it and about a mile and a half north of the present church at Towner's Four Corners. Opposite the site of this old church, on the south side of the road, is an ancient burying ground, the sur- face of which is thickly studded with rough stones which mark graves, the names of whose occupants have long since passed into oblivion. This is beyond doubt the oldest burying ground in the town. It is on land now owned by Mr. Isaac P. Rogers, and it would be a credit to the village to have this spot enclosed with a suitable fence and protected from desecration. A few tombstones bear inscriptions, from which are copied the fol- lowing dates: Ededey Newberry, died May 12th, 1818, aged 75 years; Ruth, wife. April 18th, 1818, aged 72; Susannah Warden, Oct. 27th, 1820, aged. 4; Polly M., daughter of Joseph and Abigail Wat- kins, March 15th, 1821, aged 15; Nathan Sturges, May 18th, 1784, aged 38; Eliza, dau. of Moses and Betsy Fisher, April 14th, 1828, aged 16; Mary, dau. of Nathaniel and Lydia Fisher, June 11th, 1828, aged 10; Joshua Griffiths, Aug. 22d, 1818, aged 56; Esther, wife of Jonathan Squires, March 22d, 1814, aged 51; Jemima, wife of Roswell Wilcox, Aug. 21st, 1773; Margaret C, dau. of Philip and Glorianna Pell, Nov. 22d, 1779, aged 21; Mary, wife of Philip Pell, Aug. 15th, 1781, aged 27; Sarah, wife of Enoch Lewis, Nov. 22d, 1787, aged 40. Of the pastors who preached in this ancient church, and of the people who assembled there, no records remain. The church was constituted December 1st, 1790, as the Second Baptist Church of Frederickstown, with 30 members, and having as a teacher. Elder Enoch Ferris, who remained till November 2Bd, 1793, having baptized 23 persons. The church was incorporated September 15 th, 1794, when Heman King, Joseph Truesdell, and TOWN OF PATTERSON. 663 Roswell Wilcox were elected trustees. The cliurch appears to have been in a low state, and without a pastor till May, 1795, when Elder Simeon Smith was called, but no record is found of his dismissal. In September, 1795, a request was sent to the surrounding churches " to send their Elders to preach as oft as they can," and on December 21st, 1797, Brother Moses Phin- amber agreed to preach half the time during the winter, and about this time the name was changed to "Franklin Baptist Church." Till 1806, very little is recorded, the church being supplied a part of the time by Elders Luman Burch, Sturdevanfc and Ferris. A small manuscript book among the church papers contains notices of church meetings, held mostly at the house of Heman King,in the town of Southeast. The following is a sample: " Southeast, Feb. 18th, 1804. At a church meeting held at the house of Caleb Fowler, after singing and prayer, 1st, Elder Ferris chosen Moderator and Wm. Townsend, Clerk. 2rid, the Church examined and found standing fast, in the Faith, and in union one with another. 3rd, Sally Hiat gave a relation of her experience of a work of grace in her heart to satisfaction. 4th, Bro. Heman King appointed to provide for the Lord's Table, in this part of the Church. Closed by Prayer." The following persons appear to have been connected with the church: Sally Hiat, Heman King, James Townsend, Polly Hiat, Caleb Fowler, Daniel Baldwin, Jane Drew, Abner Osborn, Sylvester Ferris, Rhoda Ferris, Hezekiah Rowland, Edmund Fowler, Jonathan Fowler. Tradition states that the old church near Patterson was moved down to the place where the present church stands, at Towner's Four Corners, about 1812, and was enlarged. From 1812 to 1818, Elders St. John, Adams and Warren served at in- tervals, the church having no regular pastor. Under Elder Warren, a revival largely increased the membership. In Feb- ruary, 1832, Rev. John Mitchell was ordained pastor and con- tinued one year. He was succeeded by Elder N. Robinson. In 1836, the old meeting house was replaced by a new one on the same site, the church being dedicated in March, and a protracted meeting was held which resulted in adding twenty-five per- sons to the church. TVie successive pastors were: Elder Higbee, 1838: E. C. Ambler, 1840; John C. Hart, 1841; Daniel W. Sher- wood, 1844; E. C. Ambler, 1847. From 1842 to 1853, the church was not in a very prosperous condition, and few were added to 664 HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. its fold. In 1850, Elder S. M. Mack was pastor and Elder G. F. Hendrickson, in 1853. He was succeeded by Elder Joseph Bab- bage, who came in 1858 and staid two years when Elder A. W. Valentine was settled and remained till 1869, when he was succeeded by 0. C. Kirkham, who staid seven years. Rev. A. O. Bronson then took charge and remained three years. The preeent pastor, Eev. Matthew Johnston, came in 1879, having previously preached in Dutchess county. A new edifice, which stands on the site of the old church, was dedicated October 16th, 1867. It stands on the summit of a ridge, where a bed of magnesian limestone comes to the sur- face. From this fact it is sometimes called the " Rock Church." The lot was probably given or sold by Samuel Towner, who owned all the land for a wide distance round. The burying ground lot, opposite the church, was given to the trustees by John Towner, April 2d, 1828. A portion of it had been used for a family burying ground for several years previous. The following dates of the deaths of the heads of families are . copied from tombstomes: Samuel Towner, died April 1st, 1814, age 70; Mary, wife, Oct. 8th, 1827, 80; John Towner, Oct. 9th, 1865, 86; Jane, wife, April 22d, 1852, 68; Benjamin Yale, Oct. 25th, 1854, 71; Abigail D. Crosby, Sept. 28th, 1869, 80; Elisha Dykman, May 20th, 1881, 82; Elisha Dykman, Aug. 4th, 1871, 75; Peter Dykman, May 16th, 1840, 71; Fanny, wife, Jan. 8th, 1856, 71; James Baldwin, Sept. 6th, 1827, 67; Chapman Lee, born 1788, died 1876; Laura, wife, born 1800, died 1869; Nathaniel Howland, Jan. 2d, 1840, 82; Margaret, wife, Sept. 24th, 1838, 70; Hiram Knapp, Dec. 23d, 1871, 63; Sarah Kent, wife, March 10th, 1879, 74; John Sunderliu, Aug. 30th, 1817, 45; Joshua Mabie, May 30th, 1854, 84; Elizabeth, wife. May 7th, 1836, 60; Dr. Elisha G. Mabie, April 19th, 1836, 28; Samuel Mabie, Dec. 13th, 1851, 53; James Baldwin, April 13th, 1865, 71: Elizabeth, wife of Joseph Dykman, 1831, 87; Samuel Mabie, Oct. 14th, 1856, 84; Ruth, wife, Nov. 9th, 1868, 84; Benjamin Haviland, May 20th, 1882, 77; James Towner, Sept. 14th,' 1870, 87; Mary, wife, Sept. 1st, 1849, 65; Daniel Baldwin, Jan. 25th, 1874, 90; Elisha Brown, July 14th, 1854, 91; Edmund Haines, June 28th, 1872, 87; Sarah Kent, Feb. 9th, 1871, 84; Moses C. Robinson, June 8th, 1847, 63; Samuel Towner, Aug. 29th, 1884, 78; Laura Kent, March 11th, 1871,63; Samuel Kent, Oct. 9th, 1875,64; David Kent, April TOWN OF PATTERSON. 665 9th, 1870, 77; Daniel Kent, June 1st, 1860, 77; Margaret Kent, June 4th, 1869, 77; Peter S. Kent, May 24th, 1857, 81; Elihu Kent, Sept. 17th, 1807, 58; Abigail, wife, May 21st, 1821, 82; Isaac Dykman, Jan. 16th, 1872, 83. Christ Church.— This church is said to have been founded in 1770, but its history previous to the time of its incorporation is almost a blank. The land around it was sold by the commis- sioners of forfeitures, in 1782, to one John Rosekrans, but the Episcopal church, and one-half acre for a burying ground were reserved "out of the survey." The lot was undoubtedly given or leased by Beverly Robinson, the original owner of all the country round. July 5th, 1797, a meeting was held, notice having been given by Rev. Robert Gr. Wetmore, and the follow- ing persons were elected officers: Uriah Mitchell and Darius Stone, wardens; Dr. Richard S. Bryant, James Kellogg, John Paterson, Samuel Cornwall, Nathan Palmer, Archibald Camp- bell, Jacob Haviland and Benjamin Brooks, vestrymen. It was then and there resolved that the members aforesaid, so elected and their successoi's, should be called and known forever there- after by the name or style of the " Wardens & Vestry of Chiist Church, Franklin, Dutchess County." Elijah Stone was secre- tary and Uriah Mitchell and Archibald Campbell were chosen to represent the church at the convocation, in New York. January 14th, 1798, a meeting was held, " to propose a union with the church at Beekman's, and to make arrangements for alternate services by a Clergyman of the Church." In 1803, a committee was appointed to confer with the Presbyterian so- ciety about the burying ground. This committee was continued from year to year for several years. In 1816, a commitree was appointed " to take care of the timber of the old church, and of the land belonging to the said church." This would indi- cate that a new church had been built a year or so previous. For a period of many years there are no records and the affairs of the parish seem to have been utterly neglected, and there appear to have been no services for a number of years. About 1809 occasional services were held by Rev. George B. Andrews, and subsequently by Rev. Hiram Jeliffe. In 1835, at a meet- ing held at the house of John Jennings, Rev. Alexander Eraser was chairman, and it was voted to build a new church on the site of the old one. A committee was appointed to procure subscriptions to the amount of $1,100. Trinitj' Church gave HISTORY OF PUTNA3[ COUNTY. a donation of §750, Frederick Stone $150, Jolin Jennings §100, and others lesser snms. The church was finished and dedi- cated June 16th, 1837. In 18B6 Benjamin Evans came as a lay- reader, by appointment of the bishop. In 1836 the communi- cants were John Jennings and wife, Cornelius Dean, Mrs. Tur- ner, Alexander Murray and wife, Mrs. Reed, Abigail Ingersoll, Catherine Townsend, Elizabeth Hayt and Moses Beach. From 1836 to 1840 ten were added, six I'emoved and one died. The rectors from that time to 1865 were: Rev. Sheldon Davis, April 1st, 1840, to October 1st. 1841; Rev. Alfred M. Loutrel, Nov., 1841, to March 28th, 1842; Rev. Albert P. Smith, July 16th, 1842, to Aug., 1846; Rev. Orsimus H. Smith, Aug. 6th, 1848, to Dec. 1st, 1850; Rev. Sheldon Davis, April 20th, 1851, to 1854; Rev. John Dowdney, Nov., 1854, to 1855, also 1860 to 1862; Rev. William Wood, Missionary, 1862-3; Rev. John Dowdney, Sept. 19th, 1864, to Oct. 2d, 1865. At this time a committee was appointed to take subscriptions for the support of services, and Richard S. Hayt was appointed clerk of the parish. Rev. Benjamin Evans was here for awhile and resigned in October, 1870; Rev. Wilberforce Wells, 1874. Rev. Matthew Bailey of Kent began services in 1877 and was chosen rector in April, 1879. Rev. A. A. Morrison, a lay reader, was the next in charge, and he was succeeded by Rev. Frank Hatfield, who officiated in conjunction with the church at Brewster. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Sutcliffe, rector of the church at Brewster, and ser- vices are held in the afternoon of every Sabbath. In 1862 a bequest of $600 was left to the church by Mr. John Jennings, who was for many years an active member. Dates from 'the tombstones in Episcopal and Presbyterian churchyards, Patterson: Thomas Fleming, died Oct. 22d, 1792, age 47; Helen, wife, Oct. 11th, 1830, 83; James G-rant, April 25th, 1796, 69; Christina, wife, May 4th, 1838, 76; Robert Grant, April 27th, 1830, 40; Asa Hoag, Aug. 10th, 1828, 63; Dr. James Delavan, Nov. 10th, 1823, 57; Mercy, wife, Dec. 18th, 1857, 91; Nathaniel Delavan, Aug. 9th, 1798, 52; Andrew Erase, Jan. 7th, 1835, 85; Grace Ann, wife, Nov. 14th, 1847, 72; Jesse Abbott, March 7th, 1865, 73; Hannah, wife, Jan. 7th, 1863, 62; Enoch Abbott, Sept. 10th, 1823, 71; Molly, wife, Sept. 18th, 1853, 95; Electa H. Delavan, April 27th, 1877, 82; John N. Vail, Dec. 21st, 1816, 31; Timothy Delavan, Jan. 19th, 1813, 71; Samuel TOWN OF PATTERSON. 667 Cornwall, July 17th, 1801, 42; Martha, wife, Feb. 26th, 1846, 81; Matthew Paterson, Oct. 9th, 1799, 23; Matthew C. G. Paterson, Nov. 23d, 1809, 18; Abigail Thorpe, March 8th, 1816, 70; Eliza- beth Haight, Jan. 25th, 1848, 68; John Paterson, Nov. 21st., 1821, 58; Rhoda Mooney, Sept., 1862, 67; Austin B. Coe, Jan. 26th, 1836, 52; Susan, wife, March 14th, 1870, 75; Stephen Hayt, Sept. 17th, 1834, 75; Hannah, wife, Jan. 23d, 1843, 80; David Hayt, April 2d, 1849, 53; Elizabeth Hayt, Sept. 22d, 1835, 96; Mary Hayt, April 27th, 1849, 53; Heman Hayt, Feb. 11th, 1852, 93; John Hayt, July 18th, 1835, 75; Elizabeth, wife, Oct. 6th, 1845, 73; Sarah Hayt, Sept. 3d, 1852, 56; Eli Bush, Nov. 11th, 1835, 79; Edward Turner, May 12th, 1872, 82; Samuel Hayt, July 30th, 1850, 84; Sarah, wife, Jan. 2d, 1829, 59; Re- becca, wife, April 18th, 1843, 61; Cyrus Boyd, Jan. 29th, 1879, 64; Ruth, wife of Tho. Mitchell, 1853, 35; John Turner, 1814, 68; Abigail, wife, 1836, 83; Edward Turner, jr., 1872, 82; John Holmes, 1839, 86; Catharine Holmes, 1840, 90; John Holmes, jr., 1862, 79; Rachel Holmes, 1862, 70; Daniel Haines, 1854, 84; Ada, wife, 1857, 69; Sarah, wife of Stephen Hurlburt, 1797, 43; Eunice, wife of Daniel Cook, 1830, 61; Benjamin Cowl, 1851, 88; Elizabeth, wife, 1843, 71; William Cowl, 1852, 70; Lydia, wife, 1864, 70; Hezekiah Couch, 1864, 74: Levi Clinton, 1860, 68; Susannah, wife, 1865, 79; Aaron Coe, 1812, 89; Ruth Ann, wife, 1836, 78; Samuel Burch, 1845, 78; Mary, wife, 1841, 67; Com- fort Benedict, 1835, 86; Eli Brush, 1835, 79; Benj. Bowne, 1873, 74; Samuel Burch, 1853, 68; Benjamin Benedict, 1832, 88; Eliz- abeth, wife, 1839, 80; J. Sterling Beach, 1874, 73; Abram Bird- sail, 1856, 60; Elijah Dean, 1836, 80; Ann, wife, 1855, 93; El- kanah Eastwood, 75; Alfred Ellsworth, 1879, 72; David C. Delavan, 1883, 81; Dr. Ebenezer Fletcher, 1852, 72; Mary, wife, 1851, 74; Alson Ferguson, 1879, 83; Thomas Gibson, 1858, 93; Margaret, wife, 88; Thankful Hayt, 1881, 86; John Jennings, 1796, 80; Ezra Jennings, 1802, 56; John Jennings, 1869, 86; Capt. Alexander Kidd, 1806, 78; Sophia, wife, 1802, 70; John B. Law- rence, 1809, 26; David H. Lawrence, 1872, 68; Henry Ludington, 1817, 78; Abigail, wife, 1825, 80; Derick Ludington, 1840, 69; Sibbell Edward Ogden, 1839, 77; Joseph Merritt, 1851, 68; Es- ther, wife, 1879, 80; John McLean, 1819, 90; Margaret, wife, 1816, 77; Locklan McLean, 1850, 76; Violet Morrison, 1812, 66; Albert Nickerson, 1852, 54; Nathaniel Newman, 1794, 71; Martha, wife, 1811, 75; Capt. Abner Osborn, 1811, 82; Rebecca, wife, 1804, 64; 668 HISTORY OF PLTXAM COUXTT. Nathan Palmer, 1828, 78; Deborah, wife, 18-29, 78; Matthew Patterson, 1817, 85; Elizabeth, wife of Alex. K. Paterson, 1815, 40: Ebenezer Palmer, 1813, 70; Elizabeth, wife, 104 years, 7 months, 28 days; Lewis Patrick, 1871, 72\ Benjamin Pugsley. 1864, 80: Polly, wife, 1843, 56; Stiles Peet, 1832, 68: Lydia, wife, 1817, 51; William St. John, 78; Darins Stone, 1819, 70; Elijah Stone, 1812, 58; Frederick Stone, 1857, 72; Horace Smith, 1846, 48; Samuel Stephens, 1850, 88; Abijah Starr, 1839, 95: Mindwell, wife, 1846. 88: Josiah Starr, 1875, 88; Samuel Stebbins, 1828, 66; Nathaniel Warden, 1807, 72; Sarah, wife, 1826, 92; Dr. Stephen Warden, 1848, 68; Justus Weed, 1819, 77; Sarah, wife, 1831, 86; Ebenezer Weed, 1845, 68; Sarah, wife, 1864, 71; Esther Yale, 1876, 84. QrAKER Meetixo House.— At an early period, several fami- lies belonging to the Society of Friends settled on the Oblong- The number which settled in the town of Pawling, just north of Putnam county line, was so great that the locality soon gained the name of Quaker Hill, which it still bears. The first of this sect, who made his home in this county was Samuel Field, who owned Lot 5, on the Oblong, and settled thereabout 1730. The records of the meetings on Quaker Hill, from 1757, are now in the care of Mr. David Wing, in the town of Paw- ling, who lives on the same lot .on the Oblong, where his great- grandfather, Jedediah Wing, settled in the middle of the last century. In looking over these venerable records, we see fre- quent mention of names that are familiar to our older resi- dents. From these we copy the following: "Friends recommended from monthly meetings at Hampton, to our Society, the 19th day of the 10th month, 1758. John Hoag, Sen., John Hoag, Jr., Abbie Hoag, Benj. Hoag, Samuel Hunt, John Hoyt, Samuel Yeomans." 1760. "At the meeting it is concluded that a meeting for worship, shall be kept one week, at Samuel Field's, and another at David Palmer's, so long as shall appear to this meeting, con- Tenient." " The meeting appoint Benj. Ferris, David Hoag, Timothy Dakin and Nehemiah Merritt, to visit the meeting at Peach Pond, and consider whether it will not be convenient and for the love of truth, to have a meeting settled in that neighbor- hood, and a meeting house of their own.'" This was done in 1760, and shows at what time the Quaker TOWN 01' PATTERSON. 669 meeting house near Peach Pond was built. Among the Quaker families who settled on that portion of the Oblong which lies in Putnam county, were the Havilands, of Haviland Hollow. Of these, Daniel Haviland was a preacher of the sect, and esteemed as an able and worthy man. To establish a meeting house in their neighborhood, Daniel Haviland and his brother gave a lot of land for the purpose, The deed is recorded in the record books of the Friends Society, on Quaker Hill, and it is given in abstract; "I, David Haviland of Southeast Precinct, for and in con- sideration of the love and affection I bear to my Friends, the Society of the people called Quakers, do give to Reed Ferris & Wing Kelly, of Pawlings Precinct; Elnathan Sweet & Joseph Lancaster of Beekman Precinct; and Benj. Ferris of New Fair- field; Joseph Irish and Edward Shoone, as trustees, a certain tract or parcel of land, being in the Southeast Precinct, being part of Lot No. 16, on the Oblong. Butting and bounding as follows: Beginning at a place, by the west side of the house, where Nathaniel Covil now lives, and in Roger Haviland' s line, then running Westerly 5 chains 72 links in Roger Haviland' s line, then running southerly 29 degrees East 6 chains 45 links, to a stake and heap of stones, thence running north 26 degrees East 5 chains 25 links to the place of beginning. Containing 1 acre and 70 rods." Dated the 12th day of August, 1782. On the 4th day of August, 1782, Roger Haviland gave to the same persons, as trustees, a tract of land "Beginning at a place by the house where Nathaniel Covil now lives, and in Daniel Haviland' s liije, thence running North 26 degrees East 1 chain to a heap of stones on a flat rock on the south side of the high- way, thence North 29 degrees West, 4 chains to a white oak stump and stones piled to it, then West 19 degrees South, 4 chains 25 links to a small white oak tree by the south side of the highway, then South 29 degrees East 80 links, then Easterly in Daniel Haviland' s line 5 chains 72 links, to the beginning, containing 1 acre and 30 rods exclusive of highway." It is upon this tract that the meeting house and- burying ground in Haviland Hollow are located, and are on the road that runs south from Quaker Brook, down the middle of the Oblong, about three-quarters of a mile below the stream. This neighborhood is always mentioned in the Quaker records as " The Valley." April 14th, 1783, " The Friends appointed as trustees to build 670 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. the meeting house in the Valley, report that they are proceeded to build said meeting house, and have expended £73, Is. lid., toward which is raised, £54, 12s., and it is concluded that it will cost to finish said house £120, including what is already ex- pended; so that it appears there is wanting £65, 8s. to finish the house with. The meeting concurs with the report." The Quaker families have almost vanished from this portion of the Oblong. The meeting house still stands, a venerable relic of the olden time, but no seekers after the truth and the "inward light" gather within its walls upon " First day." A yearly meeting is sometimes held by a few who come from other neighborhoods, and that is all there is to remind us of the early days, of the garb, and the manner of the Friends; and we fear, in too many cases, their morals as well, are no longer to be found. It reminds us of a pathetic passage in the journal of Friend Job Scott. " 15th of 8th, 1784. We were again at Peach Pond meeting, where we found very little engagement among those met. We labored to rouse them to an exercise, but found very little room in their hearts or sensibility in their minds. It would not be strange if that meeting house should be left standing empty as a monument, unless a renewed engagement takes place." Roman Catholic Chuech, Towner's Station. — This church was built in 1875, under the ministry of Rev. Patrick J. Healy, at an expense of about $4,500. It is a neat and well built edi- fice, romantically situated under the side of ^le mountain, south of the station. Under the energetic management of the present pastor, a debt which was necessarily incurred, has been nearly extinguished, and the church is prosperous and capable of accomplishing great good; Methodist Chapel, Haviland Hollow. — This chapel is connected with the church at New Fairfield, Conn., but the parsonage is located in this town, near the chapel, which is on the north side of the road, at Cowl's Corners, at the west end of Haviland Hollow. The house and land were purchased of the Cowl family, some twenty years ago. The Oblong line runs between the parsonage house and the chapel. town of patterson. 671 Revolutionary Item. " Matthew Paterson, Esq. " This is to certify that Roswell Wilcox, David Hiscock, Robert Watts, John Paterson, and Mr. Maxfield has brought 2000 weight by computation of Continental clothing from Fredericksburg to John Halstead's, being 10 miles, at seven shillings lawful money per mile, for the use of Gen. Putnam's Division. March 28th, 1778. Per agreement with me. " M. Connelly. " Per order of Gen. Putnam." " Fredericksburg, 2 July, 1778. " This is to certify that the within persons carried in each of their carts 2000 lbs. or thereabouts, as I impessed the carts and was at the loading of them and present when the Quarter- masters agreed with the people, for 7 shillings lawful money per mile, as the road is very bad. " Matthew Paterson, Justice of Peace." North Line of Lot 7. — As one of the principal objects of this work is to ascertain and to perpetuate the ancient boundary lines of the Philipse Patent and its various lots, a few words will not be amiss, in regard to the original north line of this lot. The northwest corner is about a half a mile north of the rail- road station at Reynoldsville, and is the northwest corner of a tract of land belonging to Silas Abbott. - This tract formerly belonged to William Gilchrist, who sold it to David Dibble, who left it to his son, Ebenezer, who sold it to Enoch Abbott, whose son, Jesse, left it to his son, Silas Abbott, the present owner. The hill to the east of this tract is known as " Sunday Hill." A tract of 200 acres east of the Abbott tract, wassoldby the commissioners of forfeitures, to Alexander Kidd and others, and this was bounded on the north by the " Gore line," that is, the south line of the Gore, and the original north line of the lot. The line can be traced to the top of a rocky hill, and near its south end, from which its course can be ranged across the swamp, and the land beyond to the Oblong line. In the original survey, in 1754, the northeast corner of this lot and also of the Philipse Patent, was stated to be "a heap of stones on the Oblong line, in a road near Justice Haviland's. The road which runs from Aikin's Corners (near the village of Patterson) to Pawling crosses a branch of the Croton River, 672 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. about three quarters of a mile north of the former place. A short distance north of the bridge and beyond the county line, a road turns and runs to the northeast, by Baldwin's Mills, and con- tinuing on, it crosses the Croton again at " Aikendale," the homestead of Mr. Isaac Aikin, in the town of Pawling. A short distance east of the bridge, the road turns abruptly and runs nearly due south, for about half a mile and'then turns east and meets the old Philipstown Turnpike at the house of Mahlon Stedwell. This jiart of the road, which runs south, is on the west line of the Oblong, and near the middle of this part was the original northeast corner of the Philipse Patent. It is near a small house on the north bank of the stream, southwest from the bridge, and on the land of Isaac Aikin are the ruins of an old house, the chimney of which is still standing. This was the house of Isaac Haviland, sen. (who was doubtless the "Justice Haviland" mentioned above) and it was known as an old house, when the oldest resident of the vicinity was a boy. Near by are the ruins of an old dam, which marks the place of a mill which s.tood there in ancient times. The entire removal of old boundaries has made the exact location of the original line at this place a little doubtful, but it probably ran just south of the old house. Sylvester Mabie. — The ancestor of the Mabie family was, according to tradition, a native of Holland, and enlisted in a privateer which came on the coast of America aad took a Span- ish prize near New York. He had sons: Jeremiah, Simon, Peter, Casporus and Abraham. The last is said to have married a French lady named.Cotelate, at New Rochelle, a member of a Huguenot family. They had three sons: Abraham, Peter and John; and a daughter Phebe, who married Thomas Baxter. Abraham Mabie was born in 1727, and died August 7th, 1817. He married Sarah Gates, who died August 12th, 1816, at the age of 87. Their children were: Stephen, Sarah, wife of George Cleveland; Solomon, Joshiia, Samuel, Elizabeth, wife of Squire Ellis, and Susan, wife of Joseph Baker. Abraham Mabie came to this county and settled on a farm which is now the home- stead of Cornelius Dean, about a mile and a half southeast of Lake Mahopac. Here he built a house in 1765. Joshua Mabie was born July 18th, 1769, and died in 1854. He married Elizabeth Gifford and their children were: Hannah, .-g/ /^^l^fX-6 TOWN OF PATTERSON. 673 wife of Abraham Scott; Stephen G., born in 1801; Daniel, Jeremiah, Samuel, Elisha G., Sylvester, Edmund P., Sarah, Nehemiah and Marlin. Two of the family, Joshua and Samuel, settled on a farm on the west side of Hinckley Pond in the town of Patterson. Sylvester Mabie, whose portrait appears in this work, was born March 29th, 1806, and the greater part of his life was passed in Putnam county, of which he was a well known and honored citizen. Mr. Mabie was a resident of Patterson, and was supervisor of the town in 1847-49-51-55-58-59-60-68-69-70- 71, and held the office longer than any other person. The farm and homestead of Mr. Mabie is on the road from Cowl's Corners (or Haviland Hollow) to Patterson, and about two miles from the latter village. It was purchased by his father, Joshua Mabie, from the heirs of William Howland. in 1823. This farm was at the time of the Revolution the property (as tenant under Beverly Robinson) of Thomas Menzies, Esq., who was one of the justices of the peace and a very prominent man in Dutchess county, and a noted tory during the war. After a long life of honor, trust and usefulness Mr. Mabie died January 1st, 1886, in the 80th year of his age. At the time of his death he was president of the Putnam County National Bank, having held the position for many years. Mr. Mabie married Caroline A. Hetherington, who survives her husband. Their only child. Hon. Henry Mabie, was born at East Fishkill, Dutchess county, N. Y.. November 28th, 1841, and educated at the public schools of Patterson and at the Delaware Literary Institute, Franklin, N. Y. After graduating he taught school for awhile, but for most of the time has been a farmer on the homestead of his fatlier and engaged to some extent in surveying. He was clerk of the Board of Supervisors in 1877-80, and supervisor of Patterson in 1882-84; being chairman of the Board in 1882. He was elected member of Assembly in 1885 by a plurality of 637, his opponents being Titus B. Truesdell (Dem.), and Erastus Hopkins (Pro'b. ) Samuel Mabie (son of Abraham) was born in 1772, and died October 14th, 1856. He married Ruth Bolt. Their children were: Harrison, who died Tinmarried; Polly, wife of Richard Baker; Nancy M., wife of Roswell Taylor; Esther J., wife of William Merritt; Sarah M., wife of Samnel Birch; Emeline, wife 43 674 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. of Daniel Steinbeck; Eliza A., wife of Ira Hopkins; and Loretta H., wife of James Wilson. Peter Mabie, the brother of Abraham Mabie, came with him to Carmel, and settled on a farm on the east side of Lake Ma- hopac. The village and the railroad station at the lake are on this farm. His house stood close to the line between Lots 5 and 6 of Philipse Patent, about half a mile east of the lake, and where the house of Mrs. John B. Ganong now stands, a little north of the road to Croton Falls. Peter Mabie left sons: Jere- miah, Lebeus, Elias, Levi and Daniel. These all moved away to the West. Daniel Mabie, known as Elder Daniel, went to Delhi, Dela- ware county, N. Y., and from thence to Genesee county, where he died. He left a large family, whose descendants are now in Blinois. Jeremiah and Edmund P. Mabie (brothers of Sylvester) were prominent owners of a travelling menagerie, and having accu- mulated a fortune, settled in Delavan, Wis., where they died in 1869. CHAPTER XXVII. TOWN OF KENT. Settlement.— Cole's Mills.— Boyd's Corners.— First Baptist Church.— Episcopal Church.— Richardville Chapel.— Boyd's Reservoir.— Farmer's Mills.— Baptist Church, Farmer's Mills.— Other LooaUties.— Ludingtonville.— Col. Henry Ludington.— Second Baptist Church in Kent.— Change of Boundary.— Putnam County Bank. — Union Cemetery Association. — Mines. — Super- visors.- David Kent.— Daniel R. Nichols.— Townsend Family.— Coleman Robinson. THIS town is bounded north by the line of Dutchess county, east by Patterson, south by Carmel and west by Putnam Valley and Philipstown. It includes the north half of Lot 6, of Philipse Patent, which belonged to Philip Philipse; Lot 5, which belonged to Roger Morris and his wife, Mary Philipse; and a small portion of Lot 4, which was in possession of Beverly Robinson. It was originally a part of Fredericks- town, which was established March 7th, 1788, and was sepa- rated from it and made a new town, under the name of Fred- ericks in 1795, and this name was changed to Kent by Act of April 15th, 1817. This town was not settled as early as the neighboring towns, as its rough mountainous lands were not attractive, and as late as the Revolution the population did not number more than two or three hundred. Among the first set- tlers of whom there is any knowledge was Joseph Merritt, who was a tenant of Roger Morris, and some years later bought a farm of Col. Morris and his wife, Mary Philipse. This deed is dated September 18th, 1771, and the land is described as " part of farm 76, beginning at a black oak tree, the corner of farm 75.' It included 200 acres and is supposed to lie a short distance west of the reservoir at Boyd's Corners. At the same date Roger Morris sold to John Rhodes 225 acres, being part of farm 75, situated on the west side of a branch of 676 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Croton River. This farm is believed to be south of the farm sold to Joseph Merritt and is probably the homestead of the late Dr. Joseph Bailey. Among the early settlers in the western part of the town was Peleg Wixon, who came from Cape Cod probably aboat 1754. He had a son Daniel, whose son Reuben died in June, 1828, at the age of 60, and his son, Bently Wixon, is now living on the old homestead, about a mile northwest from Boyd's Corners. The descendants of the various branches of this family are numerous. Throughout the northern and western portions of the town the Highlands are seen in all their wildness and grandeur. The mountains are steep and rocky, and the streams that flow down their valleys are uncontaminated and glide on in their crystalline purity. The lots both of Roger Morris and Philip Philipse were sur- veyed and divided into farms at an early day, but, so far as the portions which lay in this town were concerned, did not readily And tenants, and while the lower lands to the south and east were beginning to be settled they remained with scarcely an in- habitant. From the Field Book of Survey of Lot 6, made in 1762, by Benjamin Morgan, the following persons were living at that time on the north part of the lot, which is now included in the the town of Kent: William Colwell, Hope Covey, Isaiah Ben- nett, Amos Northrop, Joseph Northrop, Moses Northrop, Wil- liam Daley, Nehemiah Barlow, Elisha Calkins, Stephen Osborn, Samuel Daley, Aaron Calkins, Edward Dolph, Jacob Phillips, Joshua Burdox, Samuel Carter, Jonathan Tiittle, Jonathan Hill, Jonathan Gray, William Borden. May 3d, 1767, Philip Philipse gave a lease to Malcom Mor- rison for a tract of 688 acres in the northeast part of the town, described as farm 93, bounded north by Jonathan Hill, east by Joshua Burdox, south by Moses Northrop, and west by William Borden. Malcom Morrison was a son-in-law of Rev. Elisha Kent, the first minister in Southeast. As he was a Tory during the Revolution, his property was confiscated, and he went to England and died there. To locate any of these early settlers seems a diificult task. The Northrop family settled in the south part of the town, a short distance east of the present county farm. Jonathan Tut- TOWK OF KENT. 677 tie had a mill near the head spring of what was then called "■ Philipse Mill River," but now denominated "Whang Brook." Samuel Carter also had a mill, on " Townsend Mill River," or the middle branch of the Croton. There are no villages of any size in this town, and the few neighborhoods, which are desig- nated by local names, we will describe in turn. Cole's Mills. — In the southern part of this town, on the Croton River, about a mile south of the reservoir, is a place known as Cole's Mills. It was here that the first settlement was made by Elisha Cole, who came from Cape Cod, in 1747. A mill was built on the outlet of Barrett Pond before the Revolu- tion. After the war the family bought the farm, which they had long occupied, from the commissioners of forfeiture and also a large tract adjoining. Soon after the Revolution, two of his sons, Daniel and Elisha, built a mill on the Croton near by, at which a large business for those times was carried on. Con- nected with the grist mill was a saw and fulling mill, and to the latter, cloth of the good honest homespun of former days was brought from far and near. Elisha Cole married Hannah Smalley and they were the pa- rents of twelve children: John, who moved to the western part of the State; Joseph, born in 1746; Joshua, who went away and was never heard from; Ebenezer, born in 1754, died August 18th, 1815; Elisha, 2d, born September 3d, 1743, died February 3d, 1826; Daniel, born 1744, died December 10th, 1831; Nathan, born 1745, died February 6th, 1805; Hannah, wife of Freeman Hopkins; Eunice, wife of Hackaliah Merrick; Priscilla, wife of Gen. James Townsend; Mercy, wife of Tracy Ballard: and Naomi, wife of Jesse Smith. Ebenezer, Daniel and Nathan were Baptist preachers and were justly esteemed as good and worthy men. Daniel Cole inherited the old homestead at Cole's Mills, where Theodore Cole now lives. He married Susannah Ogden, who, according to the tombstone inscription in the old burying ground at Carmel, died November 3d, 1857, at the age of 102 years, 4 months and 8 days. Their children were John, Elisha, Daniel and Jesse, who all settled near each' other near Cole's Mills. The house and farm is now owned byjhis son, Hiram. Daniel lived where the brick house now stands near the mill, now owned by Tillott Cole, while the house of Jesse Cole is where Cornelius B. Nichols now lives. The various branches of the 678 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. family are numerous and widely scattered, and include many of the best citizens of the county. Elisha Cole, son of Elisha, the first settler, married Charity, daughter of Caleb Hazen. His homestead was a farm in the town of Carmel, about a mile and a half southwest of Cole's Mills, and now owned by Henry Cole. A few tombstones in a field on the south side of the road mark the last resting place of Elisha Cole and some of his family. His son, Elisha 3d, was and born in 1776, died July 19th, 1851. Although the mill yet stands, the business of the place is no longer what it was, and the changes produced by the railroad have affected this, as they have many other like localities. South of Cole's Mills, on the road to Carmel, is the old home- stead farm, which originally belonged to the Hopkins family. It was here that Capt. Solomon Hopkins lived during the Revolu- tion. He was the brother-in-law of Enoch Crosby, the hero of Cooper's "Spy," and after the war he purchased 341 acres of land in the Morris Lot No. 5 from the commissioners of for- feiture. The homestead descended from Solomon Hopkins (who died September 22d, 1792, aged 52) to his son, Jeremiah, who in turn left it to his son, Abraham, who sold it to his brother, Solomon, and it came to his son, Addison J., who sold it in 1869 to Polly D. Haight, wife of Joseph Haight, to whom it now belongs. It was in the old house which stood on the site of the present residence of Mr. Haight that the murderous attack was made upon Enoch Crosby, which came near ending his days. The old house was torn down and the present resi- dence built about 1874. It was on this farm that the first school house in Kent was built. This stood about eight rods east of the present school house, and was torn down more than sixty years ago. In its place was built another, for which purpose Abraham, Nathan- iel, Reuben and Jeremiah Hopkins leased " for one pepper- corn, to be paid annually 4 rods square of ground, five rods north westerly of the old school house, and south westerly of Daniel F. Cole' s mills for the term of forty years." This in turn became unfit for use and pretty well hacked to pieces by several generations of Jack knives, and the present school house was erected, a few rods west of the former one, on land bought from Stephen Townsend, December 15th, 1865, in exchange for the former site. TOWN OF KENT. 679 Boyd's Corners. — The valley which is now covered by the Croton Reservoir was the best tract of farming land in this por- tion of the town. The place derived its name from Ebenezer Boyd, who was of Scotch parentage, and born about 1735. He was a captain in the Revolntion and a brave and gallant officer. About 1780, he removed from his home in Westchester county, came to Kent and bought several tracts of land in Lot 5 from the commissioners of forfeiture. Here he built a house, and kept a tavern till the time of his death, which occurred June 29th, 1792. He was buried in the old cemetery which is now covered by the waters of the reservoir. The homestead was left to his oldest son, Ebenezer, who died March 27th, 1848, at the age of 82, after which it fell to his sons, Ebenezer and Still- man. The latter sold it in 1853, and moved to Jefferson Valley where he now resides. The place now belongs to John Bennett and his house stands on the site of the old mansion. At this place is located the First Baptist Church of Kent. This church was constituted October 4th, 1810, by a Council called by the First Baptist Church in Philipstown, and held at the house of Isaac Drew. Of this meeting, Elder Ebenezer Cole was moderator and among the members present were Elders Job Foss, Jonathan Sturdevant, and Simeon Barrett. The new societj' was known as the "Second Baptist Church in Pred- ericktown." Elder Moseman Barrett was the first pastor, and Abijah Yeomans, clerk. From July, 1818, to February, 1819, 58 members were added to the church. November 30th, 1826, Peter Robinson was ordained deacon in the church. By a re- vival in 1828, 50 more members were added to the church by baptism, and another large addition was made in 1836. March 2d, 1844, Elder John Warren was engaged as pastor and Novem- ber 30th of the same year the church dismissed a number of the members to form the Second Baptist Church of Kent. Up to 1831 the meetings had been held in school houses or private dwellings, and in that year the first meeting house was built on land said to have been given by Ebenezer Boyd, jr. This build- ing stood on the old road, across the Croton and directly east, of the present church', and near it was the old burying ground. In February 1846, another revival increased the membership and on August 4th, 1849, the church voted to unite with the Union Bax)tist Association. Rev. John J. Eberle was ordained pastor ' This church was dedicated November 16th, 1831. 680 HISTORY or PUTNAM COUNTY. March 13th, 1850, and was succeeded by Elder David James July 5th, 1851. Eev. James C. Smalley was licensed to preached the gospel July 31st, 1852, and on the 13th of December, 1854, he was ordained pastor. James J. Townsend was licensed to preach. May 1st, 1858, and in January of the same year a new revival added 40 members to the church. February 5th, 1859, Allen Barrett and Charles Patrick were elected deacons. Henry Light and Allen Light were elected deacons February 4th, 1865. Rev. Jame,s C. Smalley resigned the pastorship February 6th, 1869. The construction of the new reservoir rendered the re- moval of the church necessary and a new meeting house was built and dedicated on the 29th of September, 1869. This build- ing stands directly west of the former church on land given by Piatt Parker. On the 6th of August, 1870, Rev. Allen E. Light was licensed to preach the gospel. In January, 1874, Rev. W. S. Clapp was invited to act as pastor and accepted but preached there only twice a month. He was succeeded by the present pastor. Rev. Henry Light, who was ordained January 26th, 1876, and still continues to labor in this place. During his term of service he has baptized 129 persons. At the present time he also supplies the church at Dykeman's Station and his labors, though arduous, are crowned vj^ith success. West of the church is a new burying ground, to which the remains were moved from the old one now covered by the reser- voir. From the oldest stones we give the following names and dates: Sarah, wife of Jacob Knapp, died Jan. 2d, 1878, age 78; Solomon Williams, Jan. 1st, 1873, 77; Rachel, wife, April 11th, 1872, 79; Josephine Townsend, Nov. 9th, 1858, 71; Stephen Brown, April 20th, 1852, 73; Jane, wife, April 2d, 1856, 70; Nathaniel Nichols, April 8th, 186], 60; Elizabeth, wife, Oct. 3d, 1855* 53; Moses Adams, May 2()th, 1851, 82; Phebe, wife, Aug. 19th, 1849, 71; John Mead, March 4th, 1826, 77; John S. Mead, Aug. 22d, 1840, 66; Hannah, wife, Sept. 6th, 1830, 69. "In Memory of Isaiah Smalley, who died July 7th, 1856, aged 100 years three months and 14 days." On the .west side of the reservoir and at the corner of the road running down Peekskill Hollow, is the old homestead of the Bailey family. Rowland Bailey, who came to this part of the country in the latter part of the last century, was the county clerk in 1820. He purchased several tracts of TOWN OF KENT. 681 land, and was a very extensive owner of real estate. He died in the summer of 1839. The homestead was the residence of his son, Dr. Joseph H. Bailey, during his whole life, and few of the citizens of the town or county were more prominently known than he. Dr. Bailey was a surgeon in the United States Army, and a practicing physician in the county. The home- stead was sold to William H. Stevens in 1885, by the executors of the estate. The Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist is located at this place and was built principally through the liberality of Dr. Bailey. The church was organized March 8th, 1878, with Dr. Bailey and Andrew John Bennett, as wardens. The church lot was given by Dr. Bailey, November 26th, 1881, and the edi- fice was built soon afterward. Rev. Matthew A. Bailey was the officiating clergyman till the decease of his father, who in his will bequeathed to the church the family burying ground on the estate and certain lands adjoining the church edifice. On the road running northwest from Boyd's Corners, is a small neighborhood known as Richardville. Through the pub- lic spirit and liberality of Dr. Bailey, a chapel has been erected here. The land where it stands, on the north side of the road, about half a mile from the corner, was given by Dr. Bailey to "Jackson Bennett, Darius Williams, John P. Williams and Corigan Tompkins, trustees of the Richardville Chapel," June 27th, 1873, and the building was erected soon .after. A large number of people attended the dedication, aad the Sunday school established was doubtless productive of great good, and redounds to the credit of the liberal donor. The neighborhood of Boyd's Corners is now more generally known as "Kent Cliffs," a name which has been given to it in later years. Boyd's Reservoir. — This reservoir was surveyed and land for it purchased by the mayor and corporation of New York city, in 1866. The first purchase was a farm of 70 acres, which included the land where the dam is built and the land owned by the city of New York on the south of it. This farm was originally owned by Seth Robinson, who had a saw mill near where the dam now stands. This he sold to Jesse Cole, and he in turn sold it to Laban Barrett, in 1836, who sold it to the city of New York. At that time an old road ran across the 682 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. valley from nearly opposite the present Baptist church to the road to Parmer's Mills, on the east side. On this road, near the west bounds of the reservoir, was the old church and close to it an ancient burying ground. On the low land near the river was, in ancient times, a settlement of Indians, and relics of the aborigines were often found. At this place the old militia trainings were held in the days of yore and frequently closed by fights, not of a strictly military character. Near the north end of the reservoir, upon a road now obliterated, stood, in the beginning of this century, a forge and small furnace for melting iron. This was owned by James Townsend, and he was the first man who used ore from the Tilly Foster Mine. Relics of the old forge may yet be seen at low water. Maps of the reservoir, showing all the land purchased, are now in the office of the county clerk. The reservoir covers 303 acres and its capacity is 2,750,- 000,000 gallons. The contract for building the dam was taken by Edward Roach, Joshua B. and Simon S. Jenkins for the sum of $201,002.80. The corner stone was laid July 2d, 1866. The contractors soon found that the price was far inadequate to the work to be done and failed to complete it. The dam was finally finished in February, 1873, and the reservoir was first full April 1st of that year. The elevation of this reservoir is 600 feet above tide water. The old Philipstown Turnpike runs through this town. At the point on this road where it crosses the town line is the house of Isaiah Booth. The boundary, which is the original line be- tween the Morris Lot No. 5 and the Robinson Lot No. 4, runs a few feet west of his house, a large chestnut tree standing on the line. On the north side of the road the line can be distinctly traced, and a short distance from the road is a large boulder, resting upon a rock. On the bank of a small stream, southeast from the house, is a tract of low land, bounded north by a high bank. On this tract was the last Indian village in the countj'', and it was occupied by them as late as 1812. Faemek's Mills. — This place, which stands on a small stream, the outlet of White Pond, has been a mill seat from very early times, the first mill having been built, it is said, by one Burton in 1784, and was owned by Joseph Farrington at the beginning of the present century. Previous to 1822, the mill site and property were owned by Josiah Terry, bat by a foreclosure of TOWN OF KENT. 683 mortgage it was sold to William Colwell, March 18th, 1822. He remained the owner nntil his death, and on March 23d, 1828, William Colwell, jr., James Cole, Adah Cole, Warren Townsend, Betsy Townsend, Perry G. Nichols, and Phebe Mchols, heirs of William Colwell, sold to Walker Todd, " two pieces of land. The first beginning by a garden wall formerly owned by Aaron Hazen,"' and ran by the south side of the water course " to a small dam, commonly called the fulling mill dam, but now the turning shop dam, then south to the road, then with the road to the forge dam so called, then east to south edge and along the forge pond, to a stream that runs from White Pond, then east on the south bank of stream, to White Pond, then north across the stream, then west with the bank of stream to head of forge pond, then with the old road to the forge dam, then w.est with the stream, before the forge dam, to north end of turning shop dam, thence by stream to a stake in the line of land for- merly Josiah Smith's, now Gildersleve's." The second piece was on the south side of the stream and the deed mentioned the "houseof Harvey M. Dean," "Joseph Phillip's Peach orchard," and " Smith Worden's land." Another piece is described as "beginning at the north end of bridge near grist mill," and at that time Jarvis Washburn, Ray Smith, John Patrick and Reuben Barrett were mentioned as living in the place. Walker Todd sold the premises to Joseph Olmstead, April 28th, 1831, and he sold to John W. Brinker- hoff, of Fishkill, December 14th, 1833. In 1837, Brinkerhofl sold to Cornelius H. Cornwell 80 acres, on the north side of the mill stream " with a certain water power to extend to the foot or bottom of the water wheel, of the Mechanic shop," and to Joseph D. Worden " a lot with a blacksmith shop standing on it and opposite the brick house of James Wright, and bounded north by bi-ook." Previous to that time the place had borne the name of " Mill- town." March 8th, 1838, Mr. Brinkerhoff sold to an association of the neighboring farmers, consisting of Daniel Kent, Samuel Townsend, Warren Townsend, Horace Townsend, Samuel A. Townsend and Robert Wixon, " a parcel of land having thereon a grain or flouring mill, dwelling house and other buildings" for $7,700. After this the place became generally known as the " Farmer's Mills," a name which it still retains. Among the various kinds of business carried on at the place was a tan yard, 684 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. kept by Joseph and William Haight. The Philipstown Turn- pike ran through the place, and before the days of railroads it was a business center for a great' extent of country round. The Farmer's Mills Company finally dissolved and the property was divided. The store property was sold to Reuben R. Barrett, the present supervisor of Kent, and the mill, after passing through several hands, is now owned by Eli and Charles Mead. The building of the Harlem and the Hudson River Railroads took the business of this place in other directions, and Farmer's Mills at the present time presents the aspect of a "stranded village." It is said that when the mills were bought by the Farmer's Company, an old resident, when he heard the news, inquired "What did they buy it for ?" The reply was "For speculation." " They'll find it a poor speculation," was his remark, and it proved true in the end. Horace Townsend had a store and a hotel here on the place now owned by Reuben Barrett. A brick yard was started about 1836, a bed of clay being near the creek. The Putnam County Bank was located in this place when first organized. An important mill seat is situated about half a mile southeast of Ludingtonville and now owned by Daniel Merritt. A mill was built here about 1833, by John W. Brinkerhofl, who bought the stream and land from John Nowlen. He sold the mill to Nathan C. Baldwin, and it passed in succession into the hands of John Patrick and Sarles Drew. The latter sold it to Daniel Merritt, the present owner, about 1855. The premises consist of 65 acres besides the mill pond, and the grist and saw mills here do an extensive business. The Kent and Fishkill Baptist Church' is pleasantly situated near the village of Farmer's Mills, in the town of Kent, Putnam county. As this is one of the oldest churches in the association, its early history, doubtless, will be read with curi- osity and interest. However, much valuable information has been lost. All the records previous to 1795 can not be found. The church appears to have been constituted in 1782. The organization was composed of members forming a branch of the Pawling and Beekman churches, and also some from the Carmel church. Elder John Lawrence, having the jpastoral charge over 'From a sketch by Jehial Parker. TOWN OF KENT. 685 the Pawling and Beekman church, was instrumental in estab- lishing this church in Frederickstown. He frequently preached in this vicinity in private houses, and particularly in the upper part of the grist mill in Milltown (now Farmer's Mills), pre- vious to the organization of the church, and became its first pastor. Elder Freeman Hopkins was his successor. Previous to 1795, we find Articles of Faith and Covenant signed by Elder Hopkins, Deacon Benjamin Knapp, and one hundred and sixty members, which, at this early day, testifies to their success in the ministry. In the latter part of 1795 there appears to have been a gracious outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Elder Truesdal came among them, and preached the gospel with such demonstration and power that many souls were convicted of sin and added to the chnrch. Brother Jonathan Sturdevg,nt also preached among them witli so much success that his ordi- nation was unanimously called for. He became pastor and labored until April 3d, 1802, with much success; then the church, failing to raise the money promised him, voted to dis- charge him from the pastorship, giving him an opportunity to labor in another field. He still continued to preach some part of the time until November 7th, 1807, a period of twelve years. For twenty years after its organization the church had no meeting house. Meetings were generally held at Bro. Joseph Farrington's in Farmer's Mills, sometimes at Israel Knapp' s, Benjamin Hatchings, Samuel Hawkins, and in other neighbor- hoods. By courtesy. Sabbath meetings were held once a month in the Carmel Baptist meeting house during the years 1798 and 1799. In 1799 the church laid aside the written covenant, and took the Bible as a guide in discipline and travail. In 1800, the church built a house of worship upon the ground occupied by the present building. For eight years the church worshipped in this building, having no walls. Then it was fur- nished, by each member paying his equal proportion according to his ability. In 1800 Simeon Barrett was licensed to improve his gift in the ministry. He preached one-fourth of the time until 1805, when he was ordained. He still continued to preach a part of the time, and in 1807 took the oversight of the church. He continued his labors with them until 1830, having the care of the church twenty-three years. Deacon William Knapp was 686 HISTORY 01' PUTNAM COUNTY. licensed in 1800. He preached one fourth of the time until August, 1816. In 1804 they licensed Bro. Luman Bnrch to preach the gospel. He preached one-fourth of the time in con- nection with Elders Sturdevant and Barrett, and Deacon Knapp, for several years, when he began his labors with the church at Stamford, Dutchess county. Bro. Nathaniel Parker, after having served as deacon several years on trial, was ordained in December, 1806, by the assistance of the Carmel and North Salem churches. He faithfully filled the office for fourteen years. Bro. Moseman Barrett received license to preach in 1815. He preached about one-half the time at this church as licenti- ate, until June, 1818, when he was ordained. Although he was never considered as pastor of this church, still he continued to preach nearly one-half the time^ until 1844, in connection with Elder Robinson. In 1818 Elder Barrett and several other members of this church accepted an invitation from the Peekskill Hollow church, and united with them in order to build up the cause of Christ in that place. Elder Barrett took the oversight and con- tinued his labors with them until his death. November 3d, 1819, Bro. John Patrick, jr., after having served as deacon two years on trial, was ordained and set apart to that office by a council called for that purpose. He filled that office faithfully until February 2d, 1822, when he united with the Second Baptist Church in Fishkill, as deacon, and officiated until his death. In the same year Bro. Nathaniel Robinson related his call to the ministry, and the following year received license to improve his gift. He preached one- fourth of the time at this church, and the rest of the time in different places, until October 21st, 1824, when he was ordained upon application of the Second Baptist Church in Fishkill. He still continued to preach one-fourth of the time until 1832, when he became sole pastor of the church. In 1865, feeling too feeble to be of service to the church, he advised them to call another preacher to fill the desk. Acting upon this advice, the church called Bro. Samuel Sprague,- after giving him license to preach, to fill the desk and break unto us the bread of life. Brother Sprague performed the duties of pastor until August 17th, 1867, when the church unanimously called upon Brother Robinson to resume his pastorship. His first pastorate covered a period of thirty-four years. TOWN OF KENT. 687 In 1820 Bro. James C. Barrett and Bro. James Mead were licensed to go out and improve their gifts in the ministry. In 1821 this church was first called the Kent and Fishkill Baptist Church. November 4th, 1826, Bro. James Scat was appointed deacon. In 1832 the church licensed Bro. George Horton to preach. In 1837 the church voted to raise $60 as a salary for Elder Robinson, who preached one-half the time. This is the first salary mentioned on record. September 16th, 1840, the present house of worship was dedicated. In 1848 the church gave Bro. Judson Dykeman license to preach the word. June 4th, 1845, he was ordained, by request of the First Baptist Church in Pawling. He became pastor of that church and still fills that office with acceptance. He also labored with this church nearly one half of the time, in con- nection with Elder Robinson. In 1857, Elder Robinson be- coming too feeble to administer the ordinance of Baptism, Elder Dykeman administered the ordinance, and also assisted at the communion table. April 20th, 1844, Bro. Peter Robinson united with this chilrch by letter, as deacon, and faithfully filled that office till death, being highly esteemed by the church and society. January 28th, 1860, Bro. Addison Kelley received license to preach. By the request of the Second Kent Church, he was ordained and installed pastor of that church on the 26th of October, 1861. About the same time the church met with a heavy loss in the death of Deacon Patrick. February 15th, 1862, Bro. Nathaniel R. Shaw and Bro. Joseph P. Russell were elected deacons by vote of the church. Rev. Nathaniel Robinson, after a long life of active labor, departed to his rest August 20th, 1869, at the age of 81. A neat monument near the church marks his resting place, and near him rest the mortal remains of his father, Peter Robinson (so long identified with this church), who died May 21st, 1849, aged 88 years, 2 months, 13 days, and also his mother, Phebe Robinson, who died in May, 1834, aged 70 Rev. Judson Dykeman died October 11th, 1875. aged 70. The pastors since Elder Robinson have been Rev. James C. Smalley (who resigned in 1877), Frederick Kratz, Daniel W. Sherwood and Daniel Sprague. The first Sunday school was organized in the spring of 1857. It was a flourishing school, being under the superintendence of H88 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. Bro. Silas Eussell. Since then a Sabbath school has been main - tained every summer. Preaching has always been sustained by voluntary subscriptions, with the exception of eight years pre- vious to Elder Robinson's pastorate, when the sacred rite was entirely unobserved. This church has never failed to come to the communion table at least four times a year. The church at Farmer's Mills was dedicated September 16th, 1840. The old church was built about 1800. In 1866, a small number of members seceded from the church and formed a new organization called the "Central Baptist Church of Kent." On Sept. 22d, 1866, they purchased from Samuel T. Barrett "all that certain store house known as the Wm. Taylor store," with the land on which it stood. This store stood on the south side of the turnpike, and on the east side of a road running south. The trustees of the church were Jacob Wright, Sarles Barrett, and William Wright. The new church existed for a few years and dissolved. The building has since been destroyed. The church was dedicated February 26th, 1867. The first pastor was Rev. 0. J. Granong, who also preached at Ludingtonville. Rev. William James was there in 1873. Dates from burying ground by Baptist church at Farmer's Mills: — Pamelia, wife of John Sprague, died 1804, age 37; An- drew Robinson, March 31st, 1843, 76; Jemima, wife, June 3d, 1803, 35; Elisha Robinson, Feb. 22d, 1860, 62; Andrew Robin- son, Sept. 17th, 1866, 63; Seth Kelly, June 11th, 1848, 80; Es- ther, wife, March 14th, 1852, 86; Joseph Lee, May 3d, 1846, 72; Abigail, wife, Dec. 10th, 1855, 80; John H. Spencer, May 4th, 1877, 40; Rev. Judson Dykeman, Oct. 11th, 1875, 70; Corinda, wife, Oct. 19th, 1872, 73; Rev. Nathaniel Robinson, Aug. 20th, 1869, 81; Ada, wife, Oct. 9th, 1883, 93; Elijah Wixon, May 2d, 1862, 71; Joseph Wright, Sept. 24th, 1870, 64; Isaac Wixon, March 26th, 1853, 66; Zechariah Smalley, Jan. 14th, 1851, 85; Priscilla, wife, Jan. 14th, 1836, 92. About half a mile southeast from the church, is a burying ground laid out in later years. Among the old residents buried here are the following: Samuel Hawkins, died July 17th, 1834, age 74; Abigail, wife, Feb. 14th, 1834, 72; Squire Mead, April 2d, 1860, 81; Polly, wife, Oct. 30th, 1837, 51; Robert Russell, Feb. 3d, 1858, 69; Mary, wife, Aug. 11th, 1848, 49; Robert Thompson, Sepf. 17th, 1842, 67; William Russell, Feb. 7th, TOWN OF KENT. 689 1846, 07; Amy, wife, June 27th, 1844, 44; Joseph Phillips, April 10th, 1812, 50; John Phillips, Oct. 13th, 1826, 38; Agustus W. Haselton, Feb. 25th, 1839, 50; Jacob Barrett, May 15th, 1881, 74. Adjoining the west line of Philipse Patent, Lot No. 6, and in the northern part of the town, is the farm of Coleman Robin- son, formerly supervisor of Kent. This farm originally belonged to Jesse Barrett, and was given by him to his son, Moseman Barrett, who was for many years an active elder of the Baptist Church. A stone wall three rods west of Mr. Robinson's house is the original line between the Philipse and Morris Lots, and this line of fence continues unbroken to the north corner of the lots, on the line of survey of 1754. This corner is some distance north of what is called the county line, and is on the top of a high hill. A more perfect description of this line will be found in the sketch of Carmel, Near th6 southeast corner of the town, at the head of the " Mudroad " at the place where it is crossed by the roads lead- ing to Ludingtonville and to Southeast, was a large farm of 500 acres which, on Aug. 2d, 1766, was leased to Samuel Peters. This farm was sold by Samuel Gouverneur and wife to Edward Smith, June 2d, 1824. This place was the residence of Judge Smith till his death, and was one of the business headquarters of the town. The tract was bounded east by Mill River and north by James Baldwin's land. After Judge Smith's death it was sold to Harry Kent, and subsequently to its present owner, Albert E. Nichols. North of this, on the Horse Pound road, was the former resi- dence of Hon. John Jewett, the first clerk of Putnam county. He was born in Pawling and came to Kent in 1795. He was a magistrate for many years . and member of the Legislature in, 1802, also associate judge and commissioner to locate the county buildings. In 1818 he moved to Tioga county, where he died, April 17th, 1849, aged 93. He was a soldier in the Revo- lution. The east line of the town is the same as the east line of Lot No. 6 of Philipse Patent. This line is a few rods east of the house of Lewis G. Robinson. About 80 rods south of this house on the same line, is the corner of the short Lots 7 and 8^ which is more perfectly described in the town of Patterson. To 44 690 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. the north of Mr. Robinson's place the line runs up over the top of a very high mountain. This line, continued, strikes the rail- road station at Reynoldsville, on the N. Y. & JST. E. Railroad. This is about 50 rods north of what is considered the county line and is in the town of Pawling. Directly at the station is a small brook, which crosses the line, the highway and the railroad almost at the same point. This, in the survey of 1754, was called "Campbell's Brook," from John Campbell, who had a house on the west side of it. The original northeast corner of Lot No. 6 is 35 chains north of the place where the line crosses the brook. This corner is the northeast corner of the land of James Holmes and the northwest corner of a tract belonging to ^ilas Abbott, which is described in the sketch of the town of Patterson. For some distance above the station the line runs along a road, but leaves it as the highway turns to the west. The farm of Mr. Lewis G. Robinson originally belonged to Capt. Joseph Dykeman, a brave oflBcer in the Revolution, and the ancestor of the family of that name, so numerous in this county. In the south part of the town are located the County Alms House and Farm, a more extended notice of which will be found in another chapter. On the road from Carmel to the County Farm is the residence of William D. Northrup. This home- stead is noted as the birthplace of Daniel Drew'. The farm was the home of his father, Gilbert Drew, for many years. After his death it was owned for a time by Gen. James Townsend, and then passed to the father of the present owner. The old house where the boyhood of Daniel Drew was passed was torn down to make room for the present residence. LuDiNGTONViLLE. — This is a village situated near the north- east corner of the town and at the intersection of several im- portant roads, and during the Revolution was on the direct route between Hartford and West Point and Pishkill. The stream that runs through the place affords an excellent water power, which has been used from a period before the Revolu- ' Daniel Drew originated the term " water stock." He was a drover in early life, and one day when a party desired to seU him some inflated stock, said : ■■' That stock makes me think of old farmer Brooks up in ' Put,' who used to salt and water his.gtock to make his cattle weigh heavy, when he sold them!"' The broker told the story in the street and it became an adage. TOWW OF KENT. 691 tion. The following sketch of the person from whom the place derives its name, will be of interest to all who feel any pleas- ure in keeping in remembrance the names of the worthies of the past. The mill at this place which was the foundation of the village, was built previous to the Kevolution. CoL. Henry Ludington, who was one of the foi-emost citi- zens of this county, and a jjrominent officer in the Revolution, was descended from William Ludington, of Branford, Conn., who died in 1662. He had children: William, Henry (who died in 1676), Hannah, John and Thomas. William, 2d, married Martha Rose, and had children: Henry, Eleanor and William (born September 25th, 1686) and several children by a second marriage. Henry married Sarah Collins, in 1700. Their children were: Daniel, William, 3d (born September 6th, 1702), Sarah, Dinah, Lydia, Nathaniel, Moses, Aaron, Elisha (born January 7th, 1716), Sarah and Thomas. William, 3d, married Mary Knowles, in 1730. Their children were: Submit, Mary, Col. Henry (born May 25th, 1738), Lydia (wife of Aaron Buckley), Samuel, Rebecca, Anna and Stephen. This family lived in Branford where their house was burned May 20th, 1754, and Rebecca and Anna perished in it. Elisha, son of William, 3d, came to Dutchess county before the Revolution and had a large tract of land in Rumbout Pre- cinct, the present- town of Fishkill. He died about 1778, leav- ing children, Comfort, Asa, Elisha, Lydia. Abigail. The last, who w^s married to her cousin. Col. Henry Ludington, was born May 8th, 1745. Colonel Ludington, at the age of seventeen, enlisted in the 2d Regiment of Connecticut troops commanded by Col. Nathan Whiting, and formerly by Colonel Goodrich, and was a mem- ber of Captain Foote's company. He served in the old French war, 'from 1756 to 1760, and was at the battle of Lake George where he saw his uncle and cousin killed only a short distance from him. He served through the war as a private until near its close, when he was put in charge of a band of invalid soldiers, whom he conducted home from Canada in safety through the wilds of the northern portion of New England, which was then but sparsely settled. In 1760 he married his cousin, Abigail Ludington (May 1st), and removed to Fredericksburg Pre- 692 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. cinct soon after. Here he leased a tract of more than 200 acres, at the north end of Lot No. 6, and built the mills at the place which has since borne the name of Ludingtonville. The exact time when he came to this part of the county is unknown, but as his name is not mentioned in the survey of Lot 6 in 1762, it could not have been before that year. The tract of 229 acres was sold to Col. Henry Ludington by Samuel Gouverneur and wife, July 15th, 1812. Previous to that time it had been held by lease. From the time of his coming, to this county to the day of his death, he was prominently connected with public affairs of this section of country. As a member of the committee of safety, and as a military officer, his career was marked with the greatest energy and patriotism. He was member of the Legislature from Dutchess county, from 1778 to 1781, and from 1786 to 1787. Colonel Ludington's children were: Sybil, born April. '5th, 1761, died 1839, married Henry Ogden'; Rebecca, born January 24th, 1763, married Henry Pratt, May 7th, 1794; Mary, born July 31st, 1765, married David Travis, September 12th, 1785; Archibald, born July 6th, 1767; Henry, 2d, born March 28th, 1769, went to Catskill (his sons, Lewis and Joseph, were the builders of three of the '-monitors"); Derick, born February 17th, 1771, died unmarried, December, 1840; Tertullus, born April 19th, 1773; Abigail, born February 26th, 1776; Anna, born March 14th, 1778, married Joseph Oolwell; Frederick, born June 10th, 1782, died July 23d, 1852; Sophia, born May 16th, 1784, married Mr. Ferris; Lewis, born June 25th, 1786, died Sep- tember 3d, 1857. Colonel Ludington died January 24th, 1817. His wife, Abigail, died August 3d, 1825, aged 80. Frederick and Lewis Luding- ton commenced keeping a store at Ludingtonville, May 6th, 1806. Here they conducted the business with great success till 1838, when the latter went to Milwaukee, Wis., and engaged extensively in business and was recognized as one of the lead- ing men of the State, though residing at Carmel in Putnam county. He died at Kenosha, Wis., September 3d, 1857, and was buried in Raymond Hill Cemetery at Carmel. Mr. Luding- ton married Polly, daughter of Samuel Townsend. Their chil- ' A grandson of Sybil, Major Edmond A. Ogdeu of the United States Army, died at Fort Riley, Kansas Territory, in 18o5, where the soldiers under him built a, monument to his memory. r^^W"' ta^ r< « Z « o >^ z o o b! - O f^ (a, W "^ p:i ft < O . O . 5- >- .2 y ni 2 rH ; o ^ ^<42 4. .s a ^ 4-* r*^ [t] -m TS •\; ft^ • ^•^^ >-. ^ ^-■5 X ■« 4-1 • C 'A ^ 0, > ^f^ ^i '' m-ts-fts-i-s-a-- T3 -C _. ?J (M O ^ '^ 'S - ^ bC .. U^Uh u _< I P « ^.22-Ss o - - 3 < g p *CJ o y Q _§ <^ I « oj.s S u , a--'— hi □ I 1 i > d 5 TOWN or KENT. 693 dren were: Laura (wife of John Hustis), Delia, William Edgar, Robert, Charles H. (of New York city), James (of Wisconsin), Lavinia E., Emily (wife of Philip Rountree), and Amelia (wife of John C. Angell). Frederick Lndington died July 23d, 1852, at the age of 70. He married Susannah Griffiths, and their children were: Harri- son, born July 30th, 1812, governor of Wisconsin in 1876; George, born June 11th, 1814; Caroline, wife of Rowland Pat- rick; Nelson, born January 18th, 1818; Oliver, born April 26th, 1820; Harriet, wife of Benjanin Denton; Ann M.. wife of John Townsend; Emily, who died young; Abby J., wife of Lyman H. Burchard; Joseph, born February 4th, 1829; Samuel, born Au- gust 30th, 1830; Cornelia, wife of Moseman Barrett; Frederick H., born March 10th, 1834, now living at Ludingtonville; Prances, wife of Rev. John L. Benedic.t: and Lewis, born May 1st, 1838. George Ludington, the second son, married Emiline C. Travis, and his family now reside in Carmel. From an old account book of Colonel Ludington' s are takep the following memoranda: " Monday November 1776. The Committee for inquiring into and detecting conspirades formed against the State of New York, to Henry Ludington Dr. To 4 days service riding with Nathaniel Sackett in order to collect evidence, 4 days at 21 S. 4d. £4-5-4." " Thursday Nov. 21st, 1776. Then began the service of buy- ing hay and grain for the use of the Continental army by an agreement of Wm. Duer.'" "Jan. 1st, 1777. Then stopped in the service of buying hay being in all 41 days at 20 s. per day." " Nov., 1777. Then engaged in the Commissary Department under the deputy Commissary General, and continued on ser- vice until the 8th of January, 48 days in all, at 32s. per day. £58,16,0." Hon. William Ellery, who was a member of the First Conti- nental Congress, and signed the Declaration of Independence, left behind him a very interesting and amusing account of a horseback journej^ from his home at Dighton, Mass., to York, Penn., where he was going to attend to his Congressional duties. 'Wm. Duer, John Jay, Nathaniel Sackett and Mr. Piatt, were the Committee of Safety at that time. 694 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. He Started October 20th, 1777, and reached his journey's end (450 miles) on the 13th of November. On his route he stopped at Colonel Ludington's. We quote his words: " Road to Danbury, Nov. 5th, We intended when we reached Litchfield to have gone to PeekskilL and there crossed the North river, but when we got to Danbury were dissuaded from it* by the Person at whose house we breslfefasted, who told us that there were Tories and Horse stealers on that Road. This account occasioned us to take the Pishkill road. Accordingly we sat off? bated at the foot of Quaker Hill about 7 miles from Danbury, and reached Col. Ludington's 8 miles from the foregoing stage at night. Here mens meminisse horret! We were told by our landlady the Col. was gone to New Windsor, that there was a guard on the road between Fishkill and Peekskill, that one of the guard had been killed, about 6 miles off, and that a man not long before had been shot at on the road to Fishkill not more than 3 miles from their house and that a guard had been placed there for some time past, and had been dismissed only three days. We were now in a doleful pickle, not a male in the house but Don Quixote' and his man Sancho and poor Pill Grarlick, and nd lodging for the first and last, but in a lower room without any shiitters to the windows or locks to the doors. What was to be done % What could be done ? In the first place we fortified our Stomachs with Beefsteak and Grogg and then went to work to fortify ourselves against an attack. The Kuight of the woeful countenance asked whether there were any guns in the house. Two were produced, one of them in good order. Nails were fixed over the windows, the Guns placed in a corner of the room, a pistol under each of our pillows, and the Hanger against the bed post, thus accouteredand prepared at all points our heroes went to bed. Whether the valiant Knight slept a wink or not. Pill Garlick cannot say for he was so overcome with fatigue, and his animal spirits were so solaced with the beef and the grogg that every trace of fear was utterly erased from his imagination and he slept soundly from evening tilJ morning, save that at midnight, as he fancieth, he was waked by his companion, with this interesting Question, delivered with a tremulous voice, 'What noise is that ?' He listened and soon 'By Don Quixote and Sancho, Mr. Ellery alludes to his companion in travel, Hon. Ftancis Dana, and his servant, and employs the title of Pill Garlick for himself. ^ ■ 5: PS N „ o 'S S -g o 3 :xS! -^ Si . fcJ3 I- l>^ ^^ «^ - o y ° " S 5^ O "5 .t5 aj 5v ^ ^ iJ S C n ^^ - . :i^ s°^-§. 1 i'ao ^•g' _j ^ ^>H -p j:

d D Ml Id fi -rH n ^ Li h-l XI rn ri ni K w D rrl n n a ^ B S B Fi u n1 m -1 :S ^ v i TOWN OF KENT. 695 discovered that the noise was occasioned by some rats gnawing the head of a bread cask. After satisfying the Knight about the noise, he took his second and finishing nap." The next day it snowed. The fire wood at this place gave out and Mr. EUery and his companions were forced to ride five miles in the storm to the next stopping place. The description which he gives of the house and its occupants is exceedingly interest- ing, and gives a fair idea of the manner in which families at that time lived in all parts of this section of the country. " We were ushered into a room where there was a good fire, drank a dish of tea, and were entertained during great part of the Evening with the Music of the Spinning wheels, and wool cards and the sound of the Shoemaker's hammer. For Adriance had his Shoemaker's bench, his wife her great wheel and their girl her wool card in the room where we sat. This might be disagreeable to your delicate macaroni gentry; but by elevat- ing our voices a little, we could and did, keep up a conversation amidst the music; and the reflection on the advantages result- ing from Manufactures joined in the good nature of the landlord and his wife made the evening pass off very agreeably." This was a picture of domestic life in which each member of the family performed their full part, and constant labor from morn till late at night, was the daily order of things in all well regulated and thrifty families at that time. May 4th, 1777, Col. Henry Ludington, John Jay and Col. Thomas were appointed commissioners to quell and subdue in- surrections and disaffections in the counties of Dutchess and Westchester, and directed to cooperate with Robert R. Living- ston, Zephaniah Piatt and Matthew Can tine (the committee for a like purpose in the Manor of Livingston) and to call aid from the militia of George Clinton and McDougall whenever needful. The commissioners were also commanded to use every means in their power (torture excepted) to compel the discovery of spies or other emissaries of the enemy. Col. Ludington received from Gfov. William Tryon, a com- mission as captain in Col. Beverly Robinson's Regiment, Feb- ruary 13th, 1773. As soon as the Revolution broke out he joined the patriot side, and soon after received a commission as colonel of this regiment from the "Provincial Congress for the Colony of New York." This commission, dated June, 1776, and signed by Nathaniel Woodhull, president of the Congress HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. (who was killed at the battle of Long Island) is now in the pos- session of Mr. Charles H. Ludington of New York. It is now in a dilapidated condition, but a fac simile of the remaining portion is given in this work. His command included all the militia of Philipse Precinct and part of Fredericksburg. In May, 1778, another commission as colonel was given him by George Clinton, the first governor of the State. A fac simile of this is given and also of his commission from Gov. Tryon. His activity and energy were so conspicuous and successful in thwarting the plans of the tory emissaries of Gen. Howe, that a large reward was offered by that officer for his capture, dead or alive. At one time he came near being captured by one Prosser and a band of tories under his command, who sur- rounded his house at night. They were discovered by two of his daughters who were acting as sentinels. The family were aroused, candles were immediately lighted in all the rooms, and the inmates commenced passing and repassing the windows, giving the impression of a large number of persons in the house. The ruse was successful and Prosser and his gang retreated. After the war Prosser, who for some reason escaped banishment, came back and lived not far from Col. Ludington. The latter, for some misdeeds of his former enemy, gave him a severe beat- ing with a cowhide, having met him one day on horseback. ■Col. Ludington' s life was often in danger, and once on his re- turn from Patterson, he was shot at by a band of men in am- l)ush. One Joshua Nickerson, a noted tory, collected a large band over the swamp in Patterson, and was about to march with them to New York. The fact became known to a tenant of Col. Ludington, who, joining the company, learned that the captain kept his master roll concealed in a hollow cane. The result was the capture of the entire gang, and they were quickly marched off to jail in Poughkeepsie. Capt. John Holmes was another royalist who was on terms of enmity with Col. Ludington, and often boasted that the colonel would yet go with him (as a prisoner) " on a visit to Gen. Howe." Col. Ludington, however, surrounded his com- pany one night, and captured them after a desperate struggle. Col. Ludington was one of the few who knew the secret of Enoch Crosby, the original of "Harvey Birch," the hero of Cooper's novel, the " Spy," and Crosby often found needed rest and refreshment at his house. When the British under General TOWN OF KENT. 697 Tryon in Api'il, 1777, surprised and burned Danbiiry and the military stores there collected, Col. Ludington was summoned by messenger to aid in its defense. His regiment arrived too late to be of assistance in saving the town, but joined the forces of Gen. Wooster, Silliman and Arnold who attacked the enemy at Eidgefield, where Gen. Wooster was mortally wounded, and continued to harrass them until they re embarked for New York in their boats on the Sound. His regiment was brought into active service at various other times during the war, occupying as it did a responsible position on the northern portion of the border land where the cowboys and skinners were a perpetual terror, and where Gen. Howe was constantly seeking supplies for his army in New York. At the battle of White Plains, Col. Ludington was detailed as aid- de-camp, by Gen. Washington, who afterward complimented him on his active assistance. Washington was at Col. Lud- ington' s house, on several occasions, and once in company with Count Rochambeau. " Fredericksburg in Dutchess County, March 15th, 1776. "Pursuant to a resolve of the Provincial Congress of New York, passed the 9th of August, 1775, the Committee proceeded to call together the several companies of militia in this Precinct, for choice of officers as follows: " Beat No. 1, Friday March 8th, the company did meet and under the inspection of Joshua Myrick, Daniel Mertine and David Myrick, three of the Committee did choose Ebenezer Robinson, Capt.; Nathaniel Scribner, 1st Lieut.; Hezekiah Mead Jr., 2d Lieut.; Obadiah Chase, Ensign. "Beat No. 2, Monday, March 11th, the Company met and under the inspection of David Waterbury and Moses Richards, two of the Committee did elect David Waterbury, Capt. ; Isaac Townsend, 1st Lieut.; Jonathan Webb, 2d Lieut.; Timothy Delavan, Ensign. " Beat No. 3, Sept. 20th, 1776, the Company met and under the inspection of Paddock, Simeon Tryon, David Crosby, three of the Committee made choice of Jonathan Paddock, Capt.; Jeremiah Surges, 2d Lieut.; Joseph Dykeman, Ensign. N. B. Simeon Tryon is appointed a Lieutenant in the Con- tinental army. " Beat No. 4, Tuesday, March 12th, the Company met and under the inspection of Solomon Hopkins, David Myrick and t598 HISTORY OF PITTNAM COUNTY. David Smith did elect John Crane, Capt.; Elijah Townsend, 1st Lieut.; David Smith, 2d Lieut.; and John Berry, Ensign. " Beat No. 5, Wednesday, March 13th, the company met and under the inspection of Solomon Hopkins and Joshua Myrick, tv7o of the Committee did elect Wm. Colwell, Capt.; Joel Mead, 1st Lieut.; Stephen Ludington 2d Lieut.; and David Porter, Ensign. "Beat No. 6, Thursday, March 14th, the Company met and under theinspection of Isaac Chapman and Joshua Crosby, two of the committee did choose David Hecock, Capt. ; William Calkin, 1st Lieut. ; and Moses Sage, Ensign. "The. above gentlemen are all persons of respectable char- acters, have been friendly to liberty, and have signed the general association recommended by the Congress. " By order of the Committee. " Dayid Smith, Chairman Pro tern. " A true copy, ." Joshua Myeick, Clerk." " N.B. — Increase Bennet afterwards refused to serve as lieu- tenant." On the 6th of May, 1776, a letter was sent to the Provincial Congress, by the committee of Dutchess county, stating that the southern regiment of militia was so large and covered such an extent of country, that it was deemed advisable to divide it into two regiments. Of these, one was to contain all the militia in the Southeast Precinct, and the militia in the northern and middle short lots in Fredericksburg Precinct. Of this regi- ment, John Field was colonel; Andrew Morehouse, lieutenant; Col. Jonathan Paddock, 1st major; Isaac Tallman, 2d major- Isaac Crane, adjutant; and Reuben Crosby, quartermaster. This regiment included also the militia in Pawling. The other regiment included all the militia in Fredericksburg (except as above) and Philipse Precincts. The officers were: Moses Dusenbury, colonel; Henry Ludington, lieutenant colonel; Reuben Ferris, 1st major; Joshua Nelson, 2d major; Joshua Myrick, adjutant; Solomon Hopkins, quartermaster. " Sir: We esteem it our duty to suggest to your Honorable House, that we think the raising a company of rangers or connty guards in the southern part of Dutchess County is very neces- sary. Our external enemies seem to strain every nerve to carry their insidious plans into execution. We have too much reason -^ ttL^y~i ^-t' , ^ — ' ,c-<- — ^ 1^. , . — ^ - . - _^. - . ^ \/ i^ t^ J6^ /^/ 1. ^ ^ -^^y c^AZ C't^ C''AS^ ^ZCIJ. ~ J l,^^^r,^.'^A^t6 a^a^^ /J4>1<^1 K-^^ /^^it^^'^ve^ Or^ ^ ^ c^r'^'C /lie ^^ (X'/^^^'^.e^ fly 'fii-c^ ^(t?y»,^»<. <' ^et •". S-''9iz^&9 '^^'^^^ct^'/- tt/^-^fe- iU/Lc/ o/e^^ , -i6''=^^^^^''^''^*- -^"^ ^^<^ ->^>k-, ^'TTly^a^ ^'fA^>-^^.. r*f«-?-»» ,y«-»^ Reduced Fac-slmile of order of arrest issued hy ■Win, Duer, Chairman of CDmmlttee on Conspiracies, of the " ProTTlncial Congress of the State of Ne-w York" to Col, Henry Ludington, (OngiQal paper id poaseaaion of Gharlea H Ludmgton Neiv 7orlc City.) AHTOTYPE, E. BIEH8TADT - TOWN OF KENT. 69$) to believe we have daily spies from the British army in our neighborhood. We are now, Sir, in pursuit of two persons whom we have lately discovered, of whose villainous purpose we have sufficient evidence; our treacherous neighbors are in a, continual agitation, we wish they and their connections may h& now laboring under the last expiring struggles of that inhuman spirit which has so long possessed them. However that may be, we beg leave to say that a strict attention to their motions is our duty, and that the concurrence of the Convention with what is above recommended, we think may serve, to detect them in a great degree. If the Honorable House should honor us with their concurrence, we beg leave to recommend Nathaniel Scribner, of Fredericksburg Precinct as Captain, and Joseph Field in Southeast Precinct as lieutenant, of the Company, and that they are authorized to enlist their Company as sooa as possible. For further intelligence in this matter, we would refer the House to our worthy friend Doct. Crane. "We are. Sir, " Yours and the Conventions very humble Servts., " John Field, " Jonathan Paddock.'^ " Poughkeepsie, Oct. 11th, 1779. " Brigade Orders: •' Agreeably to General orders of the 10th inst., issued by his- Excellency the Govnr, i078 men including non commissioned, officers Drums and Fifes are to be detached out of Col. Com- manding Swartwout's Brigade of Militia to continue in service for the term of three months unless the particular service for which they are drawn shall be sooner completed. The detach- ments from the several Regiments in this Brigade to be as fol- lows: " From Col. Grahams Regt. 196 Men Col. Frears 156 Col. Hopkins 192 Col. Fields 117 Col. Ludingtons 144 Col. Van Derburgs 118 Col. Brinkerhoffs 155 1078 700 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. " The above detachments to be formed into two Regiments under command of Cols. Graham and Hopkins. Col. Graham's Field officers to be Lieat. Col. Birdsall and Maj. Hill. Col. Lud- ington and his officers being absent, he will with advice of his field officers, nominate and furnish one captain and three sub- alterns- to join Col. Hopkins' Regt. The above detachments to be completed, and at the place of Rendezvous without delay, completely equipped agreeable to Genl. orders to which the most strictest attention is to be paid. "By order of Col. Comidg., " Jac. Swaetwout." Second Baptist Church, in Kent.— The church at Luding- tonville bears the above name, and was organized December 5th, 1844, at which time thirty-seven male members and forty- three female members were organized as an independent church. The most of these were formerly members of the First Kent Baptist Church. It may be stated that there was a "Second Kent Baptist Church," which held covenant and business meetings in a school house near Elder Moseman Bar- rett's (now homestead of Coleman Robinson),of which he was pastor, worshipping alternate Sabbaths with the Kent and Fishkill Church. This body, with the help of some at Luding- tonville, built the church here, and worshipped in it in the year 1844, and called it their meeting house. The church was dedicated February 6th, 1844. Elder John Warren was the first pastor, preaching here half the time, and continued here as late as 1852, and his name is immediately connected with the history of this society. In 1850 Rev. Abijah Russell preached for one- quarter of the time, and in January, 1853, a committee was appointed to employ a min- ister, and another to raise the back salary of Elder Warren. The former did not effect anything. We trust the latter was more successful. In 1854 the church was supplied" by Brother J. Smalley, and in this year Rev. G. P. Hendrickson, then pastor of the Patterson Baptist Church, was encouraged to preach in Ludingtonville on Sunday afternoons. For two or three years the church was not prosperous, and the house of worship was closed much of the time. Elder Hendrickson continued to supply the church for three years, and he bap- tized fifty-three, and S. B. Denton and John Barrett were 7t**.a^^ t^/^£ii*^ /^eA^^ )e^^,n^^^ r^ /«^«rf^< ^ ^i«**- ^*«^ ,<»^rt« ,^^ ^^- [ / Af^W. i^/f A,^£^ , ^*«. "Ti^ ^®^-<«^ ^^ i^ y^ ^L<^ *^ / ■ i**X »^/ z,,,^ .*^ 1 •V.^ f .t*y >^ii*». r I- ^> 011^^'^ '^*^''y.(>ii-Jt\f^^ ^'f ■ ~ -^^^-^ TOWN OF KENT. 713 Corners in Kent. He married Mercy Smalley, and had children: Elias, who married Betsey Clawson; Zachariah, who married Margaret Hagar; John, jr., who married Chloe Hagar; Hannah, wife of Edmond Knox; Elizabeth, wife of Hiram Light; Julia, wife of Barnum Hazelton; Chloe Jane, wife of Coleman Robin- son; and Mar}?-, wife of Lee McDonald. John Henion, jr., had children: David, Julia, wife of Coleman K. Townsend; Kent, a well-known citizen of Patterson; Hannah, wife of William J. Robinson; Laura, wife of Lewis Gt. Robinson; Coleman T. ; and Carrie, wife of John M. Pennv. CHAPTER XXVIII. TOWN OF PUTNAM VALLEY. Establishment and Boundaries. — Change of Name. — Settlement. — Cemeteries. — Peekskill HoUow Methodist Church. — Oscawana Lake. — Canopus Hollow. — Baptist Church, Croft's Corners. — Methodist Church, Croft's Corners. — Hempstead Huts. — Mountain Chapel. — Oregon. — Solpew Pond. — Change of Boundary. — Supervisors. — Walter N. "Wood.^Hon. Saxton Smith. — George William Lane. THIS town, formerly a portion of Philipstown, was estab- lished in 1839. The territory embraced within its limits is that part of Lot 4, of the Philipse Patent, which lies south of the Philipstown Turnpike, and a small tract taken from the town of Carmel, and which lies west of the Peekskill Hollow Creek. The surface of this town is rugged and mountainous; the principal geographical features are two valleys, which ex- tend the whole length of the town, from northeast to south- west, and are known as the Peekskill and Canopus Hollows. These valleys are bounded on either side by rugged hills, which might well be called mountains, and they are separated by a wide extent of hilly, rocky and broken ground. The original lot, when the patent was divided in 1754, was probably deemed less valuable than the others, as it contains a greater number of acres. The width of the town is iive miles, not including the part taken from Carrael, and its length is about nine miles. The following is a copy of the Act by which the town was established; it was passed March 14th, 1889. " An Act to divide the town of Philipstown. " I. All that part of the town of Philipstown in the County of Putnam, comprised within the following boundaries, to wit, Beginning at the Southeast corner of Beverly Robinson's water lot, and in the dividing line between the counties of Westchester and Putnam, thence along the water lot line north TOWN OF PUTNAM VALLEY. 715 eight degrees and thirty minutes east seven and a half miles to the center of the Cold Spring turnpike road; thence along the middle line of said road to the division line between the towns of Philii>stown and Kent; thence south eight and a half degrees west along the west line of the towns of Kent and Carmel to the division line between the counties of Westchester and Putnam, aforesaid, nine miles; then running in said line south eighty- nine degrees west to the place of beginning, shall be a separate town and called and known by the name of Quincy; and the first town meeting shall be held at the house of Matthias Croft in the said town of Quincy on the first Tuesday of April next, and annually thereafter, at such place as a majority of the electors of said town shall determine, pursuant to the Revised Statutes. •' II. All the remaining part of said town of Philipstow-n shall be and remain a separate town by the name of Philips- town and the next town meeting shall be held at the place where it was last voted to be held, in said town, on the first Tuesday in April next and annually thereafter the said town meetings shall be held at such place as a majority of the electors of said town shall fix upon, in pursuance of the Revised Stafnites. This Act shall take effect immediately." It is said that the people of the town, always strong sup- porters of the democratic party, became dissatisfied with the name so strongly identified with the opposing party in politics, and it was soon proposed to change the name to something more to their liking. However this may be, we find that on Feb- ruary 13th, 1840, the Legislature passed the following: " Act to change the town of Quincy, in the County of Put- nam. " I. All that part of the County of Putnam, now known as the town of Quincy, shall hereafter be called and known by the name of Putnam Valley. "II. Nothing contained in this Act, shall in any way affect the rights of any inhabitant, or any officer of said town, or of the town itself. " III. This Act shall take effect immediately." Lot No. 4 of the Philipse Patent was the property of Beverly Robinson and his wife, Susannah, after the division in 1754. Previous to that time, it was the undivided property of the heirs of Frederick Philipse, who inherited the whole patent 716 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTV. from his uncle Adolph Philipse, the original patentee. The earliest information we have of any settlement in this town is in the record of highways, April 20th, 1747. " A highway laid out Beginning at Abraham Smith's and by marked trees to the, highway that leads from Ki'rkham's mills to ye peakskills, four rods wide." Tradition states that Abraham Smith came from England, about 1716, and settled on Long Island, where he re- mained some years. He is said to have come to this part of the county about 1720, but this is doubtful, as no such name oc- curs in the list of inhabitants of Dutchess county made in 1724. He was probably one of the first who came in with the tide of migration about 1740. The place which he selected for his home was a tract of land one mile square, which he " took up" on the east side of what was afterward the Beverly "Robinson Lot, and tradition says that he gave a farm to one of his chain bearers for his services. Upon this tract he lived and died and his children after him, as tenants of Beverly Robinson, and after the Revolution, when the estate of Colonel Robinson was confiscated and sold, they became the owners, by deed from the commissioners of forfeitures. Hon. Saxton Smith, grandson of the first settler, still lives on the ancestral domain. The east boundary of the farm is the original line between Lots 4 and 5 of the Philipse Patent, and from this it can be traced in either direction. Soon after the coming of Abraham Smith, a number of fami- lies began to arrive. Among these wer-e Thomas Bryant, who settled near Mr. Smith, and gave his name to Bryant Hill and Bryant Pond, which they have ever since retained. The Bargers, whose name shows their German origin, have left a very numerous line of descendants in the town. The original settler of the name was probably Peter Baragar, who bought 213 acres of land of the commissioners of for- feitures in 1780. The old homestead is now owned by George Barger. Previous to the Revolution there were several families settled in Peekskill Hollow. This valley begins at the headwaters of the Peekskill Creek, which rises in a spring at Boyd's Corners, in the town of Kent, and only a narrow ridge of land separates its fountain head from the Croton River. Plowing southwest, it empties into the Hudson River above Peekskill, and at its mouth is known as the Annsville Creek. It derives its name TOWN OF PUTNAM VALLEY. 717 from Jan Peek, an early Batch navigator, who sailed into the creek supposing it to be the continuation of the river, and gave it his name. The Peekskill Hollow was probably once the bed of a glacier, which flowed its way down in a long past geological age, and in after times a stream of water must have flowed through the valley, compared with which the present brook is but a mere rivulet. At intervals along the valley are found small hills of sand, which were probably deposited in eddies, at a time when the stream was a river, which may have swept the rocky heights on either side. This hollow, which is per- haps a mile across, from the rocky hills which bound it, was divided into farms, which ran across it from side to side. At the lower end of the valley, near Adam's Corners, a family named Dusenbury settled. William Dusenbury, the ancestor of the family, came from Westchester county. He had here a farm of 300 acres, which embraced the land around Adam's Corners and extended up the valley to what is now the north line of the farm of Daniel D. Tompkins. This farm was sold to William Dusenbury, by the commissioners of forfeitures after the Revolution. The homestead was on the east side of the road and is now owned by Gilbert Hadden, who married a granddaughter of the original owner. The old house stood a few rods east of Mr. Hadden' s present residence. On the west side of the road, opposite the house, is a slight eleva- tion of land, and here is said to have been an Indian burying ground at the time William Dusenbury came to the valley. North of the Dusenbury farm was a tract of about 90 acres, which was held by one Nathaniel Jagger. Tradition says he lost his farm through taking more than legal interest. James D. Tompkins is the present owner. Next north of this came a tract owned by the Tompkins family, who apjjear to have been here for some years previous to the Revolution. Na- thaniel, Joshua, Cornelius and Reuben Tompkins were here in 1777, but what relation they were to each other, we do not know. Nathaniel Tomkpins lived on the place now owned by George F. Barmore, Esq., the late supervisor of Putnam Valley. The Buckbee family also lived in the valley in later years. Edward Buckbee was sherifi', 181&-22. He died December 14th, 1839, aged 71. He had a wife, Elizabeth, and sons, John, Monmouth, Hyatt, and Lewis. Monmouth Buckbee was supervisor of this town for several years. His homestead, on the west side 718 HISTORY 0¥ PUTNAM COUNTY. of the Peekskill Hollow road, is now owned by his daughters, Elizabeth and Mary. Cornelius Tompkins lived and kept a store, at the place where the main road crosses Peekskill Creek, and where Gould Sellick now lives. Still farther north, up the Wicopee road, lived Reuben Tompkins. The descendants of these families have been and still are numerous. Joshua Tompkins, after the Revolution, pur- chased his farm from the commissioners of forfeitures. It was a tract of 300 acres, bounded east " by the line between Philips- burg and Fredericksburg," that is, between Lots 4 and 5 on the Philipse Patent. This was probably near the Methodist church, and representatives of the family are still here. The junction of the Peekskill Hollow and Wicopee roads is generally known as Tompkins' Corners. In the appointment of highway masters, in 1772, as found in the records of Philijjstown, occurs the following: "William White, Highwaymaster for the Road from William Dusenbury's up Peekskill Hollow to the Bridge near Lewis Jones, which bridge he is to make with his own hands and to continue up the hollow, to the line of Fredericksburg Precinct." Another entry states that " Isaac Rhodes was Highwaymas- ter for the road from Fredericksburg Precinct to the bridge over Peekskill River, near Lewis Jones." As Isaac Jones lived on the extreme east side of the present town, not far from the southeast corner, there can be no doubt that the " bridge near Lewis Jones" was where the present crossing is, at the road which leads over Bryant Hill. Lewis Jones may have been the father of Ebenezer Jones, who bought a farm in this vicinity after the Revolution. Isaac Post was the owner of a large tract south of Tompkins' Corners. It is probable that he was the son of Henry Post, who purchased a tract of nearly 300 acres from the commissioners of forfeitures. On the Peekskill Creek, near his house, Isaac Post built a grist and saw mill, which is still standing, though in the last stages of dilapidation. Isaac Post died July 3d, 1842, at the age of 80. Previous to his death he divided his farms among his four sons, John, James, Elias and Levi. The old homestead is now owned by Isaac Post, son of Levi, and is one of the few relics of early days. On the east side of the creek, a short distance above the road that runs over Bryant Hill, is the Old Travis Homestead, now TOWN OF PUTNAM VALLEY . 719 owned by Chadwick Travis. This was the home of Titus Travis, who came here before the Revolution, and was the an- cestor of several of the families of that name. Titus Travis died February 25th, 1815, at the age of 76. His grandson, Chadwick, an aged man, is the only one of the name in the im- mediate vicinity. On the west side of the Peekskill Hollow road, a little way north of the road running west by the school house, are the remains of an old house, whose curious stone chimney dates back to Revolutionary days. This was the dwelling of George Travis, one of the sons of the original settler. At the corner of the main road and the one going over Bryant Hill, is the old Travis burying ground, where rest some of the former residents, among whom are the following: Moses Odell, died Nov. 6th, 1885, age 81; Titus Travis, Feb. 25th, 1815, 76; Elizabeth, wife, Feb. 19th, 1821, 80; Titus Travis, Jan. 1st, 1853, 76; Elizabeth, wife, Oct. 2d, 1866, 89; George Travis, June 23d, 1843, 83; Joseph Mckerson, July 1st, 1868, 85; Deborah, wife, Oct. 3d, 1826, 39; Richard Satterly, born on Long Island, 1705, died Jan. 17th, 1798; Johannah, his wife, died Dec. 8th, 1798, aged 72; James Satterly, April 6th, 1831, 65; Lawrence Odell, June 25th, 1821, 49. William Dusenbury, who is mentioned before, had a brother Moses, wiio settled south of Adam's Corners. His son, Moses, jr., was here during the Revolution, but left no descendants. At the extreme southeast corner of the town, and bounded east by the Roger Morris Lot line and south by the bounds of West- chester, was the farm of Isaac Penoyer, a descendant of a Huguenot family, and who came from the lower part of West- chester. North of this was the farm of Col. John Hyatt, whose sons, John and Nathaniel, lived on the same farm and were famed as being the best farmers in the neighborhood. The farm has been divided into several parts and the homestead is now owned by Walter N. Wood. Next north of the Hyatt farm was a tract owned in former times by a family named Lane. This, like the former, has been long since subdivided, a large portion being now owned by Mr. Wood. North of the Lane farm was a tract of 400 acres owned by Isaac Rhodes, who is said to have been a Baptist preacher in early times. This is also now divided among several owners, the place where the old house stood being owned by William Horton. The original farm was bounded north by the farm of Abraham Smith, the first settler 720 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. in these parts, which has been previously described. Among the settlers before the Revolution was John Smith, who lived on the east line of the present towa, on a farm now owned by Robert W. Lounsbury. In quite early times, tradition states that Richard Curry came^ up to the Peekskill Hollow from White Plains. He travelled on horseback with his wife, bringing all his worldly goods with him, and settled below Adams' Corners. While sitting, one summer day, with a young child between his knees, a flash of lightning killed the child instantly, leaving the father unharmed. The young victim of the "fires from heaven" was buried on the hill, on the west side of the road, and from that time to the present this place has been the village cemetery. Here rest the men and women of a long past age, and the following names and dates are taken from the tombstones : Nathaniel Tompkins, died Dec. 6th, 1811, age 81; Elizabeth, wife, June, 1825, 74; Isaac Post, July 3d, 1842, 80; Sarah Post, May ISth, 1858,84; Nathaniel Barger, Dec.,U816, 37; Phebe, daughter of John and Martha Barger, Sept. 9th, 1830, 44; Phebe, daughter of Robert Tompkins, Aug. 2d, 1807, 26; Ann Hill, Jan. 30th, 1794, 52; William Colgrove, Nov. 13th, 1811, 75; John Colgrove, Dec. 17th, 1841, 74; Sarah, wife, March 31st, 1842, 70; Charles Dusenbury, Oct. 28th, 1839, 70; Elizabeth, .wife, June 14th, 1863, 77; Andrew McCastline, July 29th, 1849, 89; Daniel D. Tompkins, Feb. 4th, 1858, 72; Phebe, wife, Nov. 1st, 1867, 79; Joshua Tompkins, April 20th, 1856, 65; Hannah, wife, May 4th, 1869, 79; Robert Post, Dec. 20th, 1853, 76; Mary, wife, 'Sept. 15th, 1865, 89; James Odell, May 24th, 1880, 59; Mary, wife, July 18th, 1862, 37; Henry Gillette, Aug. 3d, 1858, 70; Mary, wife, July 18th, 1848, 62; Wm. H. Gillette, Dec. 18th, 1878, 69; John W. Post, May 2d, 1879, 65; Gabriel Christian, April 1st, 1841, 37; Laura, wife, Sept. 28th, 1863, 85; James S. Adams, April 15th, 1876, 64; John Odell, Nov. 25th, 1851, 95; Susanna, wife, June 25th, 1842, 86; Stephen McCabe, Dec. 17th, 1866, 78; Nathaniel M. Tompkins, Aug. 3d, 1869, 88; Polly, wife, Oct. 30th, 1848, 46; Nathaniel Crawford, Feb. 7th, 1858, 71; Hannah, wife, June 12th, 1854, 63; William Dusenbury, Nov. 7th, 1815, 84; Sarah, wife, March 3d, 1821, 88; Margaret Lee, June, 1847, 79; Tamar, wife of Samuel Tompkins, Esq., Feb. 13th, 1826, 28; Cornelius Tompkins, Esq., Jan. 30th, 1826, 69; William Arm- strong, Jan. 27th, 1808, 35; Mary, wife, March 27th, 1855, 77; TOWN OF PUTNAM VALLEY. 721 Selah Armstrong, Sept. 5th, 1827, 21; Edward Buckbee, Dec. 14th, 1839, 71; Elizabeth, wife, March 13th, 1821, 49; Lewis Buckbee, Aug. 19th, 1883, 72; Solomon Avery, May 13th, 1833. 75; Sarah, wife, May 12th, 1828, 62; John Adams, Nov. 19th, 1819, 55; Charlotte, wife, June 7th, 1847, 85; Harvey Adams, July 24th, 1880, 82; Jeremiah Chapman, Nov. 22d, 1855, 80; Mary, wife, May 4th, 1849, 77; James Cole, Jan. 26th, 1869, 61; Ebenezer Cole, June 2d, 1855, 69; Elizabeth, wife. May 26th, 1876, 84; Job Chapman, Dec. 2d, 1844, 66; Jeremiah Chapman, Dec. 9th, 1831, 87; Leonory, wife, July 17th, 1828, 71; Elijah Bull, Feb. 14th, 1855, 84; Daniel D. Tompkins, Oct. 3d, 1852, 66; Phebe, wife, Sept. 2d, 1875, 78; Cornelius Barger, Feb. 27th, 1847, 77; Catharine, wife, Sept. 27th, 1842, 45; Rebecca, wife, Aug. 31st, 1862, 90; Stephen Barger, Aug. 25th, 1862, 70; Wil- liam A. Armstrong, Nov. 12th, 1865, 42; John Barger, Dec. 24th, 1856, 80; Wesley Christian, June 6th, 1849, 50; William C. Smith, June 21st, 1862, 41; Cornelius Pierce, July 19th, 1880, 53; Mi- nerva, wife, April 3d, 1868, 43; Margaret, wife of Samuel Pierce, April 15th, 1849, 65; Alexander Armstrong, July 13th, 1856, 23; Sarah A. Armstrong, Nov. 18th, 1854, 44; Lee Horton, April 5th, 1847, 61; Mary, wife. May 22d, 1862, 66; John L. Horton, Dec. 4th, 1829, 83; Sarah, wife, Oct. 14th, 1827, 75; Iska, wife of Reuben Barger, May 30th, 1819, 27. The title of this burying ground seems to have remained in doubt for many years. October 5th, 1842, Charles Adams and others sell, for a nominal consideration, to " the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Philipstown Circuit, in Putnam Valley," " all that cerrain tract of land situate on the north- westerly side of the Peekskill Hollow road, beginning at an ash tree standing by the brook on the northwesterly side of said road, and running along the land of Nicholas Purdy, thence north, &c., for the use of a burial ground for the neighborhood, and for all other persons, whom the party of the second part may permit to be buried there." North of Tompkins' Corners, on the east side of the road, by the side of the creek, is a small burial ground containing many monuments to the memory of former residents in this part of the valley. This cemetery was incorporated May 14th, 1853, under the name of the Carmel Valley Burial Ground, at a meet- ing held at the house of William M. Hadden. The trustees elected were: Bartholemew Tompkins, Isaac Hulse, Hiram 46 722 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Adams, Isaac S. Austin, Ira Conklin, Moses Hadden, Norman L. Travis, William H. Hadden, Robert Baker, Ebenezer Lock- wood, Daniel Lockwood, John Hulse, Samuel Christian and Titus Sackrider. The following names and dates are copied from tombstones : Reuben Tompkins, died July 11th, 1880, age 90; Jane, wife, Feb. 24th, 1867, 76; John J. Depew, Feb. 16th, 1862, 26; Jason Adams, Jan. 9th, 1854, 84; Hannah, wife, April 1st, 1857, 63; Asa Adams, Jan. 27th, 1853, 77; Mary, wife, Sept. 29th, 1846, 71; Bartholemew Tompkins, Nov. 25th, 1853, 85; Rachel, wife, May 22d, 1836, 72; Elizabeth, wife of Solomon Sackrider, April 15th, 1866, lOOy., 3m., 15d.; John Barrett, June 25th, 1865, 66; Isaac S. Austin, Sept. 4th, 1871, 97; Susan, wife, Dec. 17th, 1862, 86; Rachel Austin, Jan. 3d, 1873, 76; Silas Austin, Feb. 13th, 1855, 58; William M. Hadden, June 2d, 1854, 68; Stephen Hulse, July 21st, 1854, 86; John Hulse, Aug, 12th, 1854, 58; Abm. Sackrider, Feb. 9th, 1864, 66; Titus Sackrider, March 27th, 1879, 80. The Peekskill Hollow Methodist Church was organized at a meeting held Maj-ch 26th, 1834, at which Rev. Daniel Holmes presided. The trustees elected were Ananias Tomp- kins, David Reed, and Morris Baxter. On the 16th of April, 1835, Bartholemew Tompkins sold to the above named trustees, '' a lot on the west side of the Putnam and Dutchess turnpike, containing one quarter of an acre for the purpose of building a meeting house." The church was erected shortly after, its title being "The Fifth Methodist Episcopal Church of Philips- town." On the small stream which is the outlet of Barger Pond, and near the Westchester line, not far from the southeast corner of the town, was a mill, owned in the last century by one Warden. It was sold many years ago to Abijah Lee, and he tore the old mill down and built a new one a short distance further north. He afterward sold the place to James Fowler and for many years it was extensively known as " Fowler's Mills." Abijah Lee, the former owner, went to Lake Osca- wana, and built a large boarding house. The central portion of Putnam Valley is a very hilly and mountainous tract. One of the principal features of this region is the sheet of water now known as Oscawana Lake. The TOWN OF PUTJSTAM VALLET. 723 original name of this lake was "Horton's Pond," from John Horton, who owned the land on the west side, having purchased it from the commissioners of forfeitures after the Revolation. In the deed of the commissioners of forfeitures to William Col- grove it is called Long Pond. Oscawana Lake has an area of 601 acres with an average depth of 30 feet. The picturesque beauty of this lake is widely known and nothing but its com- parative inaccessibility prevents it from being a very popular resort. The land at the south end of the lake was bought from the commissioners of forfeitures by John Colgrove, about 1780. It afterward passed into the hands of Charles Wilson, of New York, and was sold to Samuel E. Lyons in 1857. A portion of this tract was sold by him to Judge William H. Scrugham, and it is now owned by Joseph Lee. A small tract, including " the island called Otter Island," was sold by Mr. Lyons to Mrs. Ruth C. Ogden, in 1863, and is still in her possession. The land on the east side of the lake belonged to the Barger family from early days, and much of it is still owned by their descend- ants. The Dunderherg Club was organized in May, 1882, the members being Stephen D. Horton, Henry W. Lane, Franklin Couch, Benjamin McCabe, Warren Jordan, Stephen Lent, Henry L. Armstrong and others. The object of the association was purchasing, maintaining and improving real estate at Lake Oscawana. The capital of this society was to be $2,500. The club purchased the Island known as Wheat Island, and made use of it as a resort for fishing and other amusements, and social relaxation. The Canopus Hollow lies in the western part of the town, and, like Peekskill Hollow, is bounded on each side by rugged hills or mountains. The hollow runs from northeast toward the southwest, and the western line of the town crosses it at the Croft Iron Mine. Through the valley runs the Canopus Creek, which rises at the Philipstown Turnpike, near the place where the second toll gate used to stand, and empties into the stream of Annsville, above Peekskill, and thus finds its way into the Hudson River. After the Revolution, a tract of 425 acres was sold by the commissioners of forfeitures to John Meeks. This tract began on the east side of the parsonage farm, in Lot 1 of the Philipse Patent, and was a long narrow piece of land which 724 HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. began on the Westchester line and ran up the Canopus Hollow, to a point near the Croft Mine, on the east line of Lot 1. The land on which the Croft Iron Mine is situated was sold by the commissioners of forfeitures to Abraham Baker in 1784, the record being No. 490, in Liber 8, of Deeds, in Dutchess county clerk's office. It is described as "Beginning at a white oak treet, where Jedidah Frost's land corners, and runs south 85 degrees east 35 chains to a rock near David Hill's house. Thence South 61 degrees east, 20 chains, to a rock where David Hill's and Joseph Bard's lands join, then along said Bard's land South 46 degrees west, 5 chains to a Birch tree, then along the land of said Bard to the line of the widow Van Tassel, thence along said line to John Likely' s land, and along the the same to the line of land formerly of Peter Pinkney, thence along the same to the Water Lot line, thence north 10 degrees east along the said line to the place of beginning," containing 438 acres. Abraham Baker sold 55^ acres of this tract to John Meeks in April, 1791. John Meeks died about 1798, and in his will he left this piece of land to his grandson, James Meeks, son of his son, John Meeks. He in turn sold 25 acres to Joshua Meeks August 23d, 1821. This piece is described as running north along the Water Lot line to the southeast corner of "Long Pond " and was bounded north by Joshua Horton's land. It was sold by Joshua Meeks to John Croft, May 7th, 1828, and in 1832, he gave a perpetual lease to Herman Ruggles for " all ores, fossils and minerals." This lease was assigned to Christo- pher Wolfe in 1834, but seems to have been abandoned. In 1868, the same lands were leased to the Peekskill Iron Company. The 55 acres which were sold to John Meeks by Abraham Baker, appear to have been at the southwest corner of the Barker farm, and on this the Croft Iron Mine is situated,, and is very near the original west line of division between Lots 4 and 1, of the Philipse Patent. The right to get iron ore from the mine was leased to John S. Shaw, in 1854, and to Seth Allen, in 1860. By foreclosure of mortgage, the right was sold to Lewis C. Clark, in 1877, and he transferred it to Thompson J. Flint and others in 1879. A large portion of the John Meeks farm was sold by his heirs to John Croft, and the farm, which also in- cluded the 55 acres sold by Abraham Baker, was known as the Croft farm, and gave its name to the iron mine situated upon TOWN OP PUTNAM VALLEY. 725 it. John Croft died January 5th, 1875, at the age of 88, and the farm was sold by his sons, Matthias and St. John Croft, to Edward Flint, February 2d, 1880. The Flint family owned the Peekskill Iron Works, and by an Act of the Legislature May 28tli, 1872, they were authorized to build a narrow guage railroad from the mine to the furnaces at Peekskill. The right of way through the old parsonage farm was purchased from the heirs of David McCoy, in 1878. The mine supplied a very superior quality of ore, but mining operations have been sus- pended of late years. The remaining part of the Abraham Baker farm seems to have been sold to Joshua Horton, about 1798, and was for a long time in the possession of the Horton family. This was a tract of about 400 acres, which lay on both sides of Canopus Creek, extending the whole width of the valley. Joshua Horton, the ancestor of the family, came here soon after the Revolution. The farm, after his death, was divided among his sons, and the families were so numerous that the locality took the name of " Horton Hollow." These sons were Cyrus, John, Jasper, James and Isaac. Of these, Cyrus had the farm now owned by Mr. Barrett. John owned the farm now in possession of the heirs of Cyrus B. Horton. The farm of Jasper now belongs to Stephen B. Weeks. James Horton' s farm belongs now to James Chap- man, while Isaac's farm is the property of Randolph Croft, and was the one farthest south. The house of Cyrus Horton was the place where town meetings were held in former days, and the first meetings of the Baptist society were also held there. Cyrus B. Horton, son of Isaac, was the last of the name in the valley. He died April 25th, 1885, leaving no chil- dren. All of this family were respected citizens and people of good moral and religious character. A family burying ground, on the old farm, contains the graves of the various generations. A plain red stone bears the inscription, "In Memory of Joshua Horton, who died Nov. 11th, 1811, aged 60 years, 1 month and 20 days." His wife, Phebe Swartwout, died September 8th, 1807, aged 47 years, 7 months and 23 days. Joshua Horton and his sons, Cyrus and Isaac, were all supervisors of Philipstown, and Cyrus Horton was also justice, town clerk, and judge of the Court of Common Pleas. Cyrus B. Horton, the last of the name here, was a staid and quiet old bachelor of the olden 726 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. time. A good man and an able supporter of the Baptist Church, he was almost its last surviving member. Among the early settlers inCanopus Hollow was John Likely, who came from Scotland. In early days, he was town clerk of Philipstown and the town meetings were sometimes held at his house. The old homestead, in Canopus Hollow, is now owned by Ebenezer Likely. John Likely had sons, William and John. The latter married Mary Cole. Their children were: William, James, Eleazer, John, Margaret, Esther, Delia, Sarah and Mary. Margaret married Thomas Utter, whose son, John E., is the keeper of the town hall, at Cold Spring. Baptist Church, Croft's Corners. — This church was the first and only church of this denomination established within the present limits of the town, and was constituted a District Church, May, 1841. The following list includes most if not all of the early members of the church: Samuel Sarles, Anna Sarles, Caleb Hazen, Wm. Adams, Phebe Adams, Mary Barrett, Phebe Adams, Hannah Buckbee, Polly Dobbs, Charles Smith, Margaret Light, Susan Colgrove, Margaret Smith, Nancy Odell, Mary Cummings, Esther Brewer, Comfort Chadwick, Sarah Horton, Abm. Odell, John Griffin, Mary Horton, Kichard Moon, Catharine^ Steel, Ann C. Horton, Nancy Lookwood, Abraham Likely, Sarah Likely, Betsy Cole, Jane Odell. The following is the record of the first church meeting, as found in the church book: " April 16th, 1842. Church met according to appointment. Rev. John Noy, chosen Moderator, opened by prayer by Brother Noy. After inquiry found the brethren and sisters in unity, and a general desire amongst them, for the prosperity of Zion. Charles Q. Smith was chosen Clerk." "May 14th, church meeting called for the ordination of Bro. Samuel Sarles, Bro. John Noy, Brother Milden Adams, Caleb Hazen, Bro. Charles Smith chosen to sit in council with the brethren from Philipstown, Yorktown, Red Mills, Kent and Carmel, on the 3rd Wednesday in June next at brother Caleb Hazen' s, in Peekskill Hollow." Previous to this meetings were held at the house of Cyrus Horton, and the first meetings were said to have been held under the care of Elder Ebenezer Cole, who, like his brothers, was a zealous preacher of this denomination. The church was organ- TOWN OF PUTNAM VALLEY. 727 ized as a corporation, at a meeting " held at the house of widow Sarah Horton," March 4th, 1834, the presiding officers being Isaac Horton and Nathaniel Cole. The church was named " The Baptist Central Society in Philipstown," and the first trustees were Nathaniel Cole, Absalom Mead, Isaac Horton, Silas Chap- man, Josiah Mekeel and Marcus Griffin. The first church meet- ing, which is mentioned as being " held at the meeting house," was June 18th, 1842. Methodist Episcopal Church, Croft's Corners. — This church was originally one of the stations of the Philipstown Circuit, and meetings were held at the house of Ebenezer Wixom. When the subject of building a Baptist church was agitated, tradition states that the Methodists began '' to take the alarum," and made such vigorous efforts that they succeeded in getting a church built before the Baptists. The society was organized as the " Fourth Methodist Episcopal Church of Philipstown," at a meeting held March 12th, 1834, and Lee Horton, Ebenezer Wixom and James H. Adams were chosen trustees. On the first of April of that year, William Sellick gave to the above trus- tees a deed for "a certain lot of land, bounded as follows: Be- ginning at the southwest corner of said lot at the road, running north 13 degrees east 91 links along the land of Robert Post, thence South 79i degrees east 2 chains along the land of Wm. Sellick thence South 15i degrees west along the land of Wm. Sellick 25 links, thence South 88i degrees east along the land of said Sellick 1 chain 70 links to the road, and thence along the road to the place of beginning, containing J acre. In trust that they shall erect a charch or place of worship, for the members of the Methodist Episcopal Church." In April, 1868, Peter Smith conveyed to the trustees of the several Methodist Episcopal churches of Putnam Valley, a lot of land containing four acres, on the south side of the highway leading from Croft's Corners to Peekskill Hollow road, by the Mill Brook. This is the present parsonage lot, which is very conveniently situated, and both the church and parsonage are a credit to the people of the town. Among the old records of Philipstown, we find the following entry of the laying out of a road. The landmarks here men- tioned are difficult to locate and we leave the task to those who feel an intei'est in the matter: 728 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. "June 4th, 1785, Justus Nelson, Moses Dusenbury and Joshua Nelson, Commissioners of the highways of Philipstown, layed out a Road beginning at a white oak tree standing on the line between Post and Odell and Joseph Bard to the south of the bridge leading to Philip Steinback's, as the road goes by the Montrosses to Steinback's house on the east side of the Canopus river. Beginning up the said river on the west side of the cleared land of the said Steinback near the upper end of the farm. At the upper end of the farm the said Steinback is to cause it to be a good road up the hill, to the field of Dr. Stan- ley, from thence by the line of marked trees, to the road lead- ing from Peekskill Hollow, to the Post road by sunking meadow near the mill. To be 2 rods wide, which we allow the same to be entered in the town book." Mines in Putnam Valley. — The wild and rugged mountaiss of this town, though unfavorable to the agriculturalist, contain mineral wealth which has not yet been fully developed. The first attempt to explore for minerals was made in 1756, and in that year Col. Beverly Robinson granted permission to Jacobus Ter Boss and John Burnett " to dig and search for mines and ore for 21 years." The terms of this grant were, that they should pay "for the first yea,r two fowls;" for the next ten, they were to give "one quarter of the ore;" and for the next ten years "one third of the ore, the same to be delivered at the river." From that time to the present, the iron mines of this town have been worked to a greater or less extent. In Peeks- kill Hollow, a mile or two above Tompkins' Corners, is a bed of Limonite or Hematite iron, and more than fifty years ago the mine was opened and considerable ore taken out, by one Na- thaniel Bradley, of Connecticut, who purchased a large amount of mineral property in the Highlands. The work was soon abandoned, as the ore contained too much silica to work well in the furnace. A vein of magnetic iron ore runs through the northern part of the town, and was known as the Philipse vein, as it ran through land which was purchased by Frederick Philipse, in the early part of the present century. This vein has been traced for a distance of eight miles, and is believed to be continuous, except where interrupted by dykes and trans- verse heaves of the strata. Many mines have been opened on this vein. The Cold Spring Turnpike crosses it, near the crest TOWN OP PUTNAM VALLEY. 729 of the mountain, about the middle of the north line of this town. A large tract of 1,000 acres, in this vicinity, was owned about the year 1800, by Col. Alexander Stewart, and a mine was opened there, and a large quantity of excellent ore taken out. The land afterward passed into the possession of James Agustus Hamilton. A large tract in this neighborhood is low, and pre- sents the appearance of having sunk down, and the mine here is known as the Sunk Mine. Here a forge was erected and dams built on the stream, and quite a business was carried on. The tract was afterward sold to Paul Forbes, who built the narrow guage railroad from the Sunk Mine to a point on the Philips town Turnpike. On the south side of the turnpike are to be seen the openings of mines, which were started long years ago. In 1828, Silas Slawson sold to the West Point Foundry Asso- ciation, a tract of land, 84 chains long and 26 chains wide, "be- ing the same tract sold by Daniel G-raham, Surveyor G-eneral, to John Armstrong May 5th, 1786." Mines were opened on this tract and much ore taken out. A mile or two southwest of this is the Denny Mine. A tract of 207 acres was sold by the com- missioners of forfeitures, to Richard Denny, after the Revolu- tion. He conveyed it to his son, Thomas Denny, in July, 1817, and he in turn sold it to Peter Denny in 1844. Peter Denny transferred it to his son, William J. Denny in 1851, and his children sold it to George H Potts October 1st, 1874. The Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron Company now own it. The mine was opened more than forty years ago, and thousands of tons of excellent ore were taken from it. Iron works were started at an early day, and as early as 1810 Elijah Bunnell had a forge and trip hammer on Canopus Creek, and one Pratt had a trip hammer, turning lathe and whip saw works, on Peekskill Creek, where the road over Bryant Hill crosses it, and where the blacksmith shop of Robert Hamilton now is. When the Philipstown Turnpike was built, it is said that a deposit of plumbago was discovered by Dr. Parks, the contractor ^'near the old saw mill, one mile east of Mekeel's Corners." It was announced at one time that red anthracite coal had been dis- covered in the Cano^jus Valley, but it is needless to say that it was nothing of the kind. Hempstead Huts. — In the western part of the town, on the farm of Mr. John B. Gillett, are the remains of an encampment 730 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. of troops, in Eevolutionary times. Two companies from Hemp- stead, Long Island, with a detachment of troops of the Massa- chusetts line, were encamped here in the winters of 1779-80, and the quarters which they built were called the " Hempstead Huts." Relics of the stone chimmeys and fire places may yet be seen, though of course the huts themselves have long since disappeared. Late in the fall of 1779, Washington established a line of military posts from West Point through this county and northern Westchester to Redding in Connecticut. The ob- ject being to guard against attempts by Sir Henry Clinton to pass through the Highlands, G-eneral Putnam was stationed at Redding, with some three or four thousand men. He had under his command Gen. Poor's Hampshire Brigade, two brigades of Connecticut troops, a corps of infantry under Colonel Hazen, and a corps of cavalry under Colonel Sheldon. The first post was at the house where Capt. Samuel Jeffords lived, after his retire- ment from the army, a short distance north of Continental Vil- lage. This was called N^ew Boston by the Massachusetts of- ficers. The second post was the Hempstead Huts we have mentioned. Mountain Chapel.— A Methodist church, bearing this name, is located in the northern part of the town, a short distance east of Canopus Creek. The land on which it stands was given to the trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Putnam Valley February 3d, 1844, and the chapel was built soon after, and is described as "a lot four rods west of a house on a road leading from Cold Spring Turnpike to Peekskill Hollow." For the following interesting sketch, we are indebted to Mr. Morris Perry, who has long been identified with its interests: "Before the building of this church, prayer meetings and some preaching were held in an old log school house, about 15 rods from this church, where the road corners. I recollect John Rundle, R. Hopper and Samuel Weeks preaching in the old school house, before this church was built. With my school- mates, I have played many a time on the ground where this church now stands. It being a warm place, we came here to get out of the wind. The school house being too small, it was not suitable for meetings, and Joel Bunnell, being leader at the time, rose at the close of the services and proposed the building of a place of worship. The people seemed ready and willing, TOWN OF PUTNAM VALLEY. 731 for they had a mind to work. The question then arose, where shall we set it; some had a mind to set it farther east, and get off this hill, but in figuring on the expense they found they could raise more money to set it here than elsewhere. This site being agreed upon, the inhabitants were anxious to commence the building. While the hewers were busy in the woods and teams drawing the timber others were laying the foundation and in a few weeks or months at most the church was com- pleted. The carpenters who worked upon this church were Leonard Ferris and James Post. Sylvester Warren and one Ladoe did the mason work. " We here mention to the best of our memory the names of those that contributed of their money, labor, or both, to the building of this church : Joel Bunnell, Keuben Perry, Isaac Conklin, Peter Bell, Leonard Gumming, Hezekiah Odell, Reuben Odell, William Conklin. Among this number Joel Bunnell and Reuben Perry had been leaders of a class; most of them have died. " The church being now ready it was consecrated to the ser- vice of Almighty Q-od, by Rev. King, who was then pastor on Putnam Valley Circuit, this church then being a part of his charge. The congregation on this occasion was so large that probably not more than two thirds of the people could get in. It then took the name of the Mountain Chapel. "From the building of the church our appointments for preaching were every two weeks for a number of years, but since that time it has been irregular. There had been efforts made at times to hold a Sabbath school, but with apparently little success until about the year 1868, when it was organized by Allen Gr. Newman and Ferris Jaycox, who are now superin- tendents, and no doubt are the men for the place. "In the summer of 1884 the church was repaired inside and out, with some additions, it being completed some time in July. On the 7th day of August the reopening services were held by Rev. Crosby, after which a board of officers were elected, con- sisting of John Woolcox, Semour S. Warden and Moses Perry trustees; Ferris Jaycox, Treasurer; Morris Perry, Secretary, and over these Allen G. Newman, president." Oregon. — In the southwest corner of the town is a small vil- lage called Oregon. A post office is located here and a Methodist 732 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. church. On the Peekskill Creek at this place there has been a mill seat for many years. A paper mill which stood here was burned December 27th, 1865, but was rebuilt shortly after. The Methodist Episcopal Chukch in Oregon was organized in 1859. The first trustees were Caleb Leverich, James Lent, Caleb Pierce, Charles Sherwood and Amos Barger. The church building was erected in 1860, and was dedicate!^ July 22d of the same year. The land for the church lot was purchased of James Sherwood, and among the most liberal donators to the church Charles Sherwood should be especially mentioned. The builder of the edifice was David Travis, and the cost was 81,400. This church, together with the churches at Croft's Corners and Peekskill Hollow, belong to a circuit, and Rev. Mr. Dutcher is the present minister in charge. In the western part of the town, very near the original line between Lots 1 and 4 of Philipse Patent, is a small lake. On the border of this lake lived in former times a man named Solomon Depew, and from him it took the name, and was generally known as "Solomon Depew' s Pond." This was afterward called " Sol Depew' s Pond," and by a gradual series of changes has acquired the name of " Solpew Pond," and by this title appears on the maps. That portion of the town of Carmel which lay to the east of Peekskill Creek was practically isolated from the rest of the town, and the inhabitants were desirous of being annexed to Putnam Valley, which was done in 1861. " Act to annex a part of the town of Carmel, in the County of Putnam, to the town of Putnam Valley, in said County. Passed April 13th, 1861. "I. All that part of the town of Carmel, in the County of Putnam, lying westerly of the Peekskill Hollow Creek in said town, is hereby annexed to and shall hereafter form a part of the town of Putnam Valley in said County, and said creek from the north line of the town of Carmel to the point where said creek crosses the present line between the said towns of Carmel and Putnam Valley shall hereafter form so much of the line between said towns." Supervisors : Nathaniel Cole, 1839; Daniel D. Travis, 1840 ; Saxton Smith, 1841-2; Nathaniel Cole, 1843; Monmouth Buck- bee, 1844; Nathaniel Cole, 1845; Monmouth Buckbee, 1846-48; TOWN OF PUTNAM VALLEY. 733 Abm. Reqiia,1849; Saxton Smith, 1850-51; Abm. Requa, 1852-54; Joseph Strong,1855; Monmouth Buckbee, 1856-57; Saxton Smith, 1858; Lewis Bnckbee, 1859; Saxton Smith, 1860; John S. Avery, 1861; Saxton Smith, 1862-63; Thomas N. Jones, 1864; Monmouth Buckbee, 1865-66; Saxton Smith, 1867-76; James O. Cole, 1877; Jackson Perry, 1878-82; Solomon Post, 1883; George F. Bar- more, 1884-85; Selah Armstrong, 1886. Walter N". Wood is a lineal descendant ©f Henry Wood, who came to America in the " Mayflower," and who purchased a farm at Middleborough, Mass., in the year 1640. The descend- ants of this noble seeker after religious liberty remained in and about that place until Mr. Walter N.. Wood's great-grandfather, Nathaniel Wood, who was a captain in the Continental Army, and who served with distinction all through the Revolution, re- moved to Vermont, where he took up a farm at a town after- ward called after him (because he was the first white settler on the ground) Woodstock. His son, William, who, like his father, served in the Reijolu- tion, was born in Woodstock, as was his grandson, William Wood, jr., who married Miss Elizabeth Hill, also of that place. Mr. Walter N. Wood, the ninth of ten children of this couple, first saw the light of day in the old homestead at South Wood- stock November 23d, 1829. Three years after his birth he re- moved with his family to the western part of the State of New York, where his father purchased and settled upon a timber farm. Mr. Wood's description of this journey, which in those days had to be made by canal, and consumed a month's time, is exceedingly interesting. Here, in what was then a sparsely set- tled portion of the country, the youth remaned till his eigh- teenth year, when he removed to St. Joseph county, Michigan, where his father had purchased another farm, upon which both parents died a few years afterward. When twenty-two, Mr. Wood left Michigan for Vermont and one year later came to New York city, where he became en- gaged as a clerk in the retail dry goods house of J. H. Town- send & Co. For six years he remained in this business, most of which time he spent with this firm. At the close of this period he left them to engage in the produce business, his first store being upon the corner of Sixth avenue and Twenty-third street, afterward the site of the Masonic Temple. After eleven 734 'HISTOKY OF PUTNAM. COUNTY. years of successful experience here he removed to the present site, two blocks lower, on the corner of Twenty-first street. Mr. Wood's natural preference for country life led him in 1874 to purchase the beautiful place in Putnam county which is represented in the accompanying cut. It was and is known at this time as the Lane Farm, having been presented to its former proprietor by the government, in consideration of valuable ser- vices which he had rendered. Since obtaining possession of this Mr. Wood has purchased two other pieces of property, making altogether one hundred and eighty-three acres of valu- able farming land, which he is constantly engaged in im- proving. Mr. Wood is entirely a self-made man. With little or no advantage at the start he has succeeded in winning for himself a strong position in the commercial world and has also gained for himself the friendship and admiration of those with whom he has been brought into contact. Though strictly a business man he has ever found time to engage in religious work in the city bt his adoption. He has been for the last quarter of a cen- tury a member of the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, and for fifteen years he has been one of its trustees. In politics he is a republican. Mr. Wood married Miss Catharine Miller, daughter of Col. William K,. Miller, who was in command of a regiment during the War of 1812. He has had four sons, one of whom died in infancy. Arthur E., the oldest surviving child, is already well known in real estate circles about N ew York, and the other two, Frank A. and Ralph W., are engaged in business with their father. Hon. Saxton Smith. — Among the early settlers who came to the Philipse Patent when it was yet a wilderness, and es- tablished a home while yet the Indians held an almost undis- puted sway, was Abraham Smith, who is said to have come from England about 1726, and for several years resided on Long Island. The exact time when he came to this part of the country is unknown, but was probably as early as 1740, and tradition has always spoken of him as the first settler in the region. The place which he selected for his future home was close to the eastern line of Lot No. 4, and was part of what was known TinD ^hij ±1 B.BciU ? 5ims,y - d o o a TOWN OF PUTNAM VALLEY. 735 as " Beverlj^ Robinson's Long Lot," and now the town of Putnam Valley. Here, in one of the most beautiful vales of that mountainous region, he selected a tract of a mile square. It is said that when he surveyed his tract he gave a farm to one of his chain bearers for his services. What relationship existed between Abraham Smith and the well-known families of the name on Long Island is unknown. He is said to have had two brothers, but no connection was ever kept up between them; the remoteness of their dwelling places precluded all communication in the early days. Abraham Smith was twice married. His children were: Prudence, wife of Abijah Palmer of Dutchess county; Bethia, wife of Capt. William Hill, the owner of the famous "Hill farm " in the town of Carmel; and Abraham. The last (the only child of the second marriage) was born October 24th, 1763, and died October 26th, 1813, at the com- paratively early age of forty-nine. He was a justice for many years, and a highly esteemed citizen of the town and county. He married Mary, daughter of Daniel Knapp. Their children were: Sarah, Prudence, Phebe, Abraham (born October 24th, 1788, and died April 23d, 1854, leaving no descendants), Allen B. and Saxton. Sarah, the oldest daughter, married Samuel Meyrick; Abraham Smith was appointed justice of the peace at the age of 22, and is said to have been the youngest justice in the State. He was supervisor of Philipstown, judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and surrogate in 1840-44, and as a man and citizen he was highly esteemed. Allen B. and Sarah were the only children that married. Hon. Saxton Smith, the subject of this sketch, was born on the ancestral homestead, October 2d, 1802, and by the early death of his father he was deprived of parental care while very young. His early education was obtained at common and primary schools, and during his entire life he has been con- stantly engaged in public business. The first office which he held was that of superintendent of schools, and he was after- ward appointed commissioner of deeds. His first term of office as the supervisor of Putnam Valley was in 1840, and this posi- tion he held at intervals for many years, a longer period than any other person. In 1837, Mr. Smith was the democratic nominee for member 736 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. of Assembly, and was elected without opposition, and was re - elected in 1839 and also in 1843 and r862. The reputation he had gained while in the Assembly led to his election as State Senator in 1845 and 1847, and he was elected for a third term in 1863. His course in the Legislature was dis- tinguished for a strict attention to the duties of the positions and the welfare of his native county. In addition to cultivating his paternal acres, the principal business of Mr. Smith's life has been the settling of estates of deceased persons, and the uninterrupted and unquestioning con- fidence of the public during a long term of years is sufficient evidence of his integrity and ability. The volumes in which are contained the accounts of more than one hundred estates settled by him are in themselves a monu- ment to patient care and financial skill. A member of the Presbyterian Church at Red Mills, he has long been identified with the religious interests of the com- munity. His estate is one of the very few, in these days of change, that has remained in the same family from colonial times, and here, surrounded with all that can make life enjoyable, and pos- sessing the respect and confidence of all who know him, he passes the closing years of a well spent, active and useful life. Mr. Smith's family consists of himself and two neices, Caro- line and Margaret, daughters of Mrs. Sarah Meyrick. George William Lane was born in Putnam Valley, Putnam county, N. Y., January 8th, 1818. He entered mercantile life in New York city at an early age, and continued in it until his death, on Sunday morning, December 30th, 1883. In his early manhood he became a member of the Presbyterian church. Faith in the Master, which he then professed, was the unerring guide of his entire life in all its relations, public and private. Respected, honored and loved by all with whom he came in con- tact, many responsibilities were forced upon him by that con- fidence which his Christian purity and integrity inspired. " He was faithful in all." From May, 1873, to February, 1875, he was chamberlain of the city of New York. He was president of the Chamber of Commerce at the time of his death, a director of the Fulton National Bank and of the Merchants' National Bank, of the TOWN OF PUTNA.M VALLEY. 737 Continental Fire Insurance Company, of the Atlantic Mutual Insurance Company and of the Central Trust Company, a Com- missioner of the Croton Aqueduct Commission, a manager of the American Bible Society, president of the Society for Pro- moting the Gospel among Seamen in the Port of New York, a trustee of the Union Theological Seminary, president of the Board of Managers of the Presbyterian Hospital, and a ruling elder in the Madison Square Presbyterian Church. 47 CHAPTER XXIX. PERSONAL SKETCHES. TOWN OF CABMEL. Allen Adams was born in Putnam Valley in 1853, and was married in 1875 to Estella Knapp, of East Fishkill, Dutchess county, N. Y. He is a farmer and stock dealer. George Agor was born in Carmel,- August 24th, 1824, and is a descendant of an old Putnam county family. He was educated at the public schools and follows the business of farming. He has held several offices of trust in the town. He was married in 1854 to Mary Jane Hyatt, of Carmel, whose father, George L. Hyatt, was in the war of 1812. Mr. Agor is a successful and representative citizen. Harrison Agor was born in Carmel in 1818, and was married to Jane Austin of the same town in 1852. They have four chil dren. His father, Charles, grandfather, William, and great- grandfather, Charles, all lived in this county. Mr. Agor was educated at the public schools and is a farmer. Kelsie Agor, a farmer of Carmel, was born there in 1858, and was educated in the common schools. He has been excise com- missioner two years. He is a member of the Presbyterian church at Mahopac Falls. He was married to Sarah Amanda Curry, of Carmel. Millard F. Agor, a merchant of Carmel, was born in that town in 1858, and was graduated from the State Normal School at Albany. His father, grandfather and great-grandfather, named respectively, Elisha C, Orrin and William, Avere residents of this county. The family is of Scotch origin. George H. Anderson, proprietor of the well-known Anderson House, Lake Mahopac, was born in New York city in 1824, and PER80"WAL SKETCHES. 739 came to this county in 1856. He was among the first to engage in the hotel business at Lake Mahopac. Previous to his re- moval to Putnam county he was a merchant in his native city. He is a prominent Mason and Odd Fellow. Charles L. Austin was born in Carmel in 1844, on the home- stead where he still resides, and which has been in possession of the family for over 100 years. He was educated at the com- mon schools and Mahopac Academy, and follows the business of farming. He was married to Miss Odell, of Carmel. He has held the office of supervisor five years and is a member of the Presbyterian Church, Mahopac Falls. Smith S. Austin, born in Carmel in 1830, is the son of Robert, and grandson of Smith Austin, both of whom were residents of this county. He was educated in the common schools, is a farmer, and lives on the homestead which has been in posses- sion of the family over 100 years. He was married in 1859 to Mary J. Hill. Lewis Baker was born in Patterson in 1831, attended the public schools, and is a miller. He married Anna Lockwood, , of Carmel, in 1860. Jackson Perry Ballard was born in Carmel in 1820, was edu- cated at private school in Carmel village, was a merchant at Mahopac 20 years, built the Lake House at same place, and has also been engaged in farming. He was a captain in the militia, has been postmaster at Mahopac and town clerk of Carmel. He was married in 1844 to Sarah Hyatt, of Putnam Yalley. His father, Benjamin, and grandfather, Tracy, were residents of the county. He has one daughter, Naomi, wife of J. B. F. Haw- kins of Yorktown, Westchester county. Reuben Barger was born in Putnam Valley in 1830, was edu- cated at the common schools and is a farmer. He was married in 1879 to Philena S. Requa, a native of Putnam Valley. Coleman JR. Barrett was born in Kent in 1843, was educated at the public schools, and has followed the business of farming. He was a director of the First Nat. Bank of Carmel three terms. He was married to Emma E. Cole, of Carmel village, in 1879. His father, Stevens R., grandfather, John, and great-grand- father, Marquis, were residents of Putnam county. 740 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Ebenezer Barrett, a farmer of Carme], was born in that town in 1818, was educated at the common schools, and was married in 1852 to Hester Barrett, of Carmel. They have one child, Abigail, who married Silas Austin, of Carmel. • Henry Barrett, son of Samuel and grandson of John, both residents of this county, was born in Kent in 1840, was educated at public schools, and follows the business of a merchant. He has been poormaster, and is postmaster at Mahopac Falls. Moseman Barrett was born in Carmel in 1826, and was edu- cated at the public schools. He has been a deacon in the Bab- tist church, Mahopac Falls, for 25 years and a trustee a number of years. His first wife was Margaret M. Gay, whom he mar- ried in 1849, and his second, Cornelia Ludington, sister of Har- rison Ludington, governor of Wisconsin. He has one son liv- ing, George D. Edward Borel was born in Switzerland in 1851, came to America with his parents about 1861, and located iu Connecti- cut. He came to Putnam county in 1873. He was married in 1871 to Hulda Shrimer, of INew York city. He is a barber and tobacconist. Charles T. Brewster was born in Philipstown in 1814, at- tended the public schools, has been a farmer and has pursued other callings. He was collector of Philipstown five years, superintendent of poor of county one term, supervisor Philips- town two years, was elected sheriff in 1855, was member of Assembly in 1860, and sheriff again in 1861. He was married in 1841 to Mary A. Van Winkle of Philipstown. Sela BucTcbee was born in Putnam Valley in 1836, and was grad- uated from Claverack Academy and Hudson River Institute, Columbia county, N. Y. He is a contractor and builder, and erected the Thompson House, public school building at Carmel and many others in the county. He was married to Martha A. Smith, of Putnam Valley, in 1870. Wallace C. Carver, born in Carmel in 1854, and educated at the common schools, is a farmer and stock dealer. He is a son of Stephen and grandson of Barnabas Carver of Carmel. II. C. Cole was born in Carmel in 1841, was educated at the public schools, and is a farmer. He was married in 1867 to Hannah Carver, by whom he has four children. Allen Cole, PERSONAL SKETCHES. 741 father of H. C. Cole, was born in Kent in 1808, married Susan Cole of Carrael in 1840, and died December 28th, 1880. Tillott Cole, miller and farmer, was born in Kent December 29th, 1811, was educated at the public schools and was married in 1842 to Zillah Nichols, by whom he has two children, G-eorge R. and Lewis E., now doing business in Carmel village. His father, Daniel H.., and grandfather, Deacon Daniel, were both millers and residents of Kent. W. J. Corhin was born in Dutchess county in 1855, came to Putnam county in 1878, and is engaged in business in Carmel village. He was married to Miss N. B. Martin, of Dutchess county. John Cornish was born in Poughkeepsie, October 18fch, 1823, and was in his fiftieth year at the time of his death. At the age of eighteen years he commenced to learn the trade of a segar maker, with an uncle who resided in New York city. For the first year of his apprenticeship he received thirty dollars, which he disbursed in a manner that affords an index to his whole life. Ten dollars he gave to the church, ten to his mother, and the balance constituted the sum total of his resources for the year. On the 28th of April, 1845, he married Frances Emma French, and soon thereafter opened a small retail segar and tobacco store in Avenue D. In 1849 he commenced manufacturing tobacco, and his business increased and prospered and soon became a source of large revenue. In 1862, having amassed a handsome competency, he sold the business to D. H. Mc- Alpine & Co., who still continue it. He removed to Carmel in 1861, where he resided, an honored and useful member of society. In the spring of 1870 he was elected supervisor of the town of Carmel, and in the fall of the same year was elected county treasurer, which position he held at the time of his death. Howard E. Craft was born in Carmel in 1844, was educated at the public schools, Drewville Institute and Reed's Arcadian High School, and has followed the business of teacher and merchant. He was married to Sarah 0. Smith, of Carmel, in 1875. His father, grandfather and great-grandfather, named respectively, William D., Stephen, David, and also his great- great-grandfather, were residents of this county and descend- 742 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. ants from the Pilgrims. The post office at Craft's was named after the family. Ji. B. Davis v/as born in Montgomery county, N. Y., in 1828, and came to Putnam county in 1861. He was educated at the public schools and at Lancaster School at Cherry Valley, Otsego county. He has been a merchant in Ulster county, wholesale grocer in New York city, general merchant in Carmel village, and is now engaged in farming. He was married in 1860 to Lydia N. Lefevre, of Ulster county. - Jonathan Dean was born in Carmel in 1796, married Per- melia Price in 1821, and has three children living: Juliet, Elmira and Andrew J. He is a farnjer. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and draws a pension for that service. Joshua L. Dean was born in Carmel in 1839, was educated at Raymond Seminary, and is engaged in the hotel business. He is married to Cassie E. Jackson of Carmel. Sylvester Dean was born in Carmel in 1808, attended the public schools, and is a farmer. Alfred Dingee was born in Somers, Westchester county, in 1822, where the family have lived over 100 years. He is a farmer, and has been assessor of Carmel four terms. He is a member of the Methodist church at Shrub Oak. He was mar- ried in 1849 to Sarah M. Hyatt of Yorktown, Westchester county. They have one child, Emma C, wife of Franklin Agor. John Drew was born in Southeast in 1829, was educated in the common schools, first became a farmer and for 30 years was a stock dealer and shipper. He is a nephew of the late Daniel Drew. He was married in 1845, to Susan Smith, of Orange county, a native of New York city. James A. Foshay was born in Philipstown, November 25th) 1856. In 1857, his parents removed to Park's Corners, where James spent his boyhood and received the educational advan- tages of the district school. He was thoroughly imbued with the spirit of self-help, and when not employed with farm duties, improved his time by study. At the age of 18 he entered the State Normal School at Albany, and while taking the normal course, taught to obtain the money to defray his expenses. He PERSONAL SKETCHES. 743 graduated in June, 1879. He has taught three years in the public schools of Putnam county, and has done considerable private teaching. He has given considerable attention to vocal music. In 1881 he was elected school commissioner of Putnam county, and was re-elected in 1884; the office he now holds. In 1882, largely through his efforts, the Putnam County Teachers' Association was organized. In 1885 he was elected secretary of the New York State Association of School Commissioners and superintendents, and re elected in January, 1886. He mar- ried Miss Phebe P. Miller^ daughter of John G. Miller, Esq., March 18th, 1885. EllswortTi Fowler was born in Bedford, Westchester county, N. Y., in 1862. His parents were old settlers in that county. He came to Putnam county in 1884, and in 1885 began business on his own account as a contractor and builder. Among the buildings erected by him is the Mohansic M. E. Church, at Yorktown, Westchester county. Henry A. Gahn was born in New York city in 1812, was educated there, removed to Putnam county in 1842, where he followed the business of farming, and died in 1863. He was supervisor of Carmel several years. He married Rosalinda Crane. Their children were: Henrietta M., married H. 0. Hor- ton; Mary D., (deceased), married George M. Quimby; Jane P.; Julia F.; Henry A., married a daughter of Judge Wright; Wil- liam E.; and Amelia B., married John B. Frost. Jonet Oanong was born in Carmel in 1807, was educated in the common schools, and followed the business of farming. He held the office of road commissioner. He married Miss C. Cole in 1829. She died in May, 1885. Their children were Emily and Oscar. His grandfather, Reuben, served in the Revolution ^ and his father, Daniel, in the War of 1812. 0. Oanong was born in Carmel in 1834, was educated in the common schools, and followed the business of farming until 1877, when he became a merchant at Mahopac. He has held the offices of trustee arid treasurer of the Union Valley Church. He married Deborah A. Travis, of Carmel. Jeremiah L. Green was born in Bedford, Westchester county ^ N. Y., in 1824, and came to Putnam county about 1838. He follows the business of farming. He was a fireman of Engine 744 HISTOKY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Co. No. 10, New York City Volunteer Fire Department, and was a trackman in the same city 23 years. He married Hannali Ballard, of Carmel, in 1848. Charles B. Gregory was born in the town of Southeast in 1849, was educated at the Ridgefield Academy, Conn., and has followed the business of farmer and miller. His father, Q-eorge W., and grandfather, James, were residents of Putnam county. He was married in 1878, to Ida Cole, of Putnam ocunty. A. W. Hadden was born in Carmel in 1839, on the homestead where he now resides, which has been owned by the family about 75 years. He was educated at the common schools and at the Academy at Red Mills, and has followed the business of farmer, contractor arid builder. He has been supervisor of Car- mel three terms, town auditor one term, and a trustee of the Presbyterian Church at Mahopac Falls 16 years. He was mar- ried in 1862, to Fannie A. Hazen, of Kent. Anson Hazen was a farmer and a native of Carmel. He mar- ried Hannah Townsend, of Kent, by whom he had five children, all deceased, except Carrie E., who married William Baxter, and resides on the homestead. His death occurred in 1877. Cornelius Hill was born in Carmel in 1832, was graduated from the Normal School at Albany in 1851, and has been a teacher 25 years. He is also engaged in farming. He was mar- ried in 1802 to Harriet A. Brush, of Connecticut. Jackson Hill was born in Carmel in 1821, and is a farmer. He married Elizabeth Hart of Westchester county. Ahram Hoag was born in Carmel in 1817, and was educated at the common schools and at Nine Partners. He is a farmer. In 1843 he married Clementina Tompkins of Westchester county. Addison J. HopMns was born in Carmel in 1812. His father, Solomon, grandfather, Jeremiah, great-grandfather, Solomon, and great-great-grandfather, Joseph, were all residents of this county. The family originally came from Massachusetts and are descended from Stephen Hopkins, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Mr. Hopkins was educated at the common schools and is a farmer and stockdealer. He was assessor of Kent one term and supervisor of the- same town. He was PEESONAL SKETCHES. 745 coroner one term and county treasurer one term. For many years he was a director of the Putnam County National Bank. He was married in 1855 to Louisa M. Blair, of Aurora, 0. George H. Howes, a farmer, was born in Southeast in 1829, was educated in the common schools and Quaker Hill Academy, Dutchess county, and married Laura Jane Drew, of Southeast, in 1849. David C. Hughson was born in Carmel in 1837, was educated in the public schools and at Thomas Reed's Arcadian High School, at Carmel, is a farmer, and was married to Charlotte Townsend, of Kent, in 1859. George M. Hughson, son of Russell, and grandson of James Hughson, both residents of this county, was born in Carmel, in 1832, was educated at the common schools, and is a farmer. He was married to Mariette Townsend of Kent. AlvaJi Hyatt was born in Kent, in 1828, attended the public schools, and is a farmer (260 acres), and extensively engaged in the dairy business. He is a member of one of the old families of the county, and a member of the Baptist church. William H. Jewell was born at Irvington, Westchester county, in 1840, and is a descendant of an old family of that county. He came to Putnam county in 1862, and located at Carmel village as a carriage manufacturer. He was married in 1860 to Mary M. Carpenter, of Tarrytown. Mr. Jewell has been for many years a trustee of the Drew M. E. Church. Thomas F. Kelley was born in Carmel in 1839, attended the public schools and the Drew Seminary, and is a farmer. His father, Ebenezer Kelley, was born in Carmel, in 1798, and mar- ried Huldah Foster, of Carmel. James F. Eennard was born in Somers, Westchester county, in 1832. The family is of English descent. Mr. Kennard is a graduate of the Peekskill Academy. He is married to Aritie P. Beyea, of Somers, and he came to this county in 1862. Erastus H. Knapp was born in Carmel in 1830. The family have lived in this county more than 100 years. Mr. Knapp is a graduate of the public schools of New York city. He is a farmer. He married Louisa Knapp, of Carmel, and has three children. 746 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Jo-hn L. Knapp was born in Putnam Valley, September 1st, 1798, and died in 1868. November 5tli, 1829, he was married to Mary Strang. Their children were: Matilda A., David, Syl- vanus, Jane, Mary Lacretia, Ann, Emma, and Libbie. Caleb Kniffinvrashovum Somers, Westchester county, N. Y., in 1818. In 1853 he came to Putnam county and purchased the farm where he is now living. He was married in 1844, to Eliza- beth Hitt, and has three chldren. Gilbert Kniffin was born in Somers in 1816, and is a farmer. He was a member of the militia in early days. He married Re- becca Cassell, of Somers. She died in 1862. Their children were: Sarah, Elizabeth, William, David, and Julia (deceased). David LocTcwood was born in Carmel in 1846. His father established Lpckwood's Hotel in Carmel village in 1852. Mr. Lockwood wae educated at Thomas Reed's Arcadian High School. In 1881 he married Frances E. Craft, daughter of Lyman and Priscilla Craft, who reside near Lake Gilead. Mr. Lockwood is the owner and proprietor of the hotel, which he successfully conducts. Charles F. Longnecker, surgeon dentist, was born in Lan- caster county. Pa., in 1854, was educated in Boston, Mass., and was graduated from the Boston Dental College in 1879. He has practiced in Hudson, Mass., and in Brooklyn and Peekskill, N. Y., and came to Carmel village in July, 1885. In 1884 he was married to Emma, daughter of James Barrett. Hosea F. Lounsberyvt^^ born in Carmel in 1837. The family have resided over 70 years on the farm where Mr. Lounsbery now lives. He married Mary Elizabeth Agor. She died and he married Elizabeth Curry, of Yorktown, Westchester county. Thomas Manning, born in Carmel in 1855, educated at the public schools, is in the employ of the Department of Public Works of New York city, having charge of the storage reser- voirs at Boyd's Corners and Southeast, and the natural lakes over which the city has control in Putnam county. He was married in 1884, to Jennie Carr, of Mahopac. William, 0. Mead was born in Southeast in 1833. He is a progressive citizen and an extensive farmer. He has been elected to the office of supervisor of Carmel two successive PERSONAL SKETCHES. 747 terms. In 1857, he was married to Jane Mulligan, of West- chester county. David Merrick was born in Putnam county in 1822. His pa- rents were early settlers of the county. He married Harriet B. Bailey, of Southeast. George PincTcney was born in Carmel in 1842 and is a farmer. He married Eliza Warren, of Philipstown, daughter of an old Putnam county family. George L. Post was born in Putnam Valley in 1855, and mar- ried Dollie Lockwood, of New York, in 1874. He is a black- smith. George Pur cell was born in Carmel in 1849. His father, Piatt Purcell, was a resident of this county but a native of Ireland. Mr. Purcell is a druggist and general merchant. In 1870, he married Antoinette N. Parker, of Somers, Westchester county, N. Y. Adam Rice was born in Germany in 1822, came to America in 1849, and settled in Putnam county in 1851. He married Sarah Matimore, of Carmel, December 21st, 1853. They have ten children, all living. G. P. ScMneller was born in Grermany in 1839, and came to America in 1868, and to Putnam county in 1869. He is a hotel keeper. In 1868, he was married to Margaret Fether, of Ba- varia. JE. H. Senior was born in London, England, in 1816, and, at the age of nine months, came with his parents to America. He was for a time engaged in the piano business, and later became the most prominent undertaker in New York city. He had charge of the burial of Henry Clay, and many other distinguished men. He was lieutenant of militia and a member of the old 40 Engine Company. In 1836, he was married to Mauda M. Sears, of New York. In 1850, he came to Putnamcounty and later purchased and improved a beautiful home overlooking Lake Mahopac. He died at this place in 1868, and was buried in Gfreenwood Cemetery. Nathaniel D. Shaw was born in Carmel in 1840.' He received his education in the common schools and at Raymond Collegiate Institute. He is farmer. For six years he was commissioner of highways. 748 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Amzi Slawson was born in Carmel in 1824 and died in 1882. He was educated in the common schools and followed the busi- ness of farming. In 1848, he was married to Elizabeth Lee of Putnam Valley. The children of this marriage were, Silas, Abijah, Cornelia, and Clara. Andreio J. Smith was born in Carmel in 1827, was educated in the public schools, and has followed the business of teacher and farmer. His first wife was Susan Potter, and his present wife, Mary R. Benjamin. He is a member of the Methodist Church of German Flats. James Smith was born in Carmel in 1801, attended public schools, and is a farmer. He was married, in 1832, to Emma Angevine, of North Salem, Westchester county. They had five children. One son, Webster, was captain of Co. G.. 6th N. Y. Artillery, during the Rebellion. Another son, Darius H., was 1st corporal of 4th N. Y. Independent Battery. Saxton E. Smith was born in Putnam county in 1847, and educated in the common schools and at the academy at Drew- ville. He is a farmer and a flour and feed merchant. He was married, in 1875, to Delicy C. Carver, a native of Putnam county, and for several years a teacher in New York. Oeorge E. Sunderlin was born in Carmel in 1836. His father, Daniel H., and grandfather, John, were both residents of the county. He was educated at the public schools and at Hamilton Academy in Hamilton, Madison countj'', N. Y. He is an undertaker. He was town clerk of Carmel one terra. He was married in 1862 to Amanda A. Pinckney of Carmel. Harrison H. Trams was born on the old homestead in Carmel in 1829, attended public schools and Peekskill Academy, and is farmer. He was married in 1856 to Sarah A. Boyd, of Kent, and has one son, Howard B. Travis. Joseph C. Viault was born near Montreal, Canada, in 1849, and was educated in common schools and Joliette College. He came to Putnam County in 1871, and located at Carmel. In 1882 he located at Mahopac. He is a carriage manufacturer. He mar- ried Lena U. Borel, of New York city, in 1871. Denzil A. Webb was born in Lewisboro, Westchester county, in 1844. He came to Putnam county in 1883, and opened a gen- PERSONAL SKETCHES. 749 eral store in Carmel village which business he still pursues. He married Miss A. L. Miller of Westchester county. Ira S. Westcott was born in North Salem, Westchester county, in 1856, attended public schools, was a teacher seven years, and is now a merchant at Mahopac. He came to Putnam county in 1884. Matthew T. Whalen was born in New York city in 1859, and came to Putnam county in 1866. He was educated at public schools in Putnam county and Albany city. His business is express and railroad agent. He has been excise commissioner one term. James Wilson was born in Carmel March 11th, 1826, on the old homestead near where he now resides. He was educated in the common schools and is a farmer. February 7th, 1849, he married Lauretta H. Mabie, of Patterson, daughter of an old family. His children are : Rena Estelle, Emma Josephine and Charles Arthur (deceased). Nathaniel Wixom was born in Carmel in 1814. His parents and grand-parents were also residents of Putnam county. He attended public schools and is a farmer. In 1842 he married Sarah Barrett of Carmel, daughter of John Barrett, whose wife, Sarah, is still living at the advanced aged of 98 years. JohnWood was born in Southeast in 1815, was educated in the common schools, and is a farmer. He married Laura B. Rogers of Patterson, now deceased. He has three children, Henry, Laura Jane and Henrietta. Benjamin Zane Worth was born in the city of Albanj', N". Y., where he was educated. He married Lucretia M. Vail of the town of Carmel, a descendant of an old Putnam county family. Mr. Worth died in 1883, and is buried in Raymond Cemetery, Carmel. He was a successful contractor and assisted as such in building the tunnel through New York for the Hudson River Railroad. He was inspector of masonry of Harlem River Rail- road, also head inspector of masonry in the building of the reservoir at Boyd's Corners. 750 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. TOWN OF SOUTHEAST. Edward Bailey, son of Henry Bailey, was born in Southeast in 1835, and learned the trade of tinsmith. He was 1st Lieuten- ant, Company A, 6th Eegiment, N. Y. V., in the Rebellion. For the last three years he has been in the grocery business in Brewster. He is well known among the Masons, and is mem- ber of lodge, chapter and commandery, and is a member of Crosby Post, G. A. R. HachaliaJi Bailey was born in Southeast in 1821. His father, Levi, came from North Salem, Westchester county, and settled in this county. Mr. Bailey was educated at the public schools and North Salem Academy, and he is a farmer. He married Sarah Ann Reynolds, of North Salem, in 1847. Charles L. Bo^rher was born in Chenango county in 1828, and came to Putnam county in 1864. His business is farming. In 1863 he was married to Fannie E. Light, of Kent. They have two children, Chester A. and Grace E. The family are attend- ants of the Baptist Church of Carmel, of which Mrs. Barber is a member. James T. Barnes was born in Westchester county in 1801, located in Putnam county about 1816, and is a farmer. He was married in 1826, to Mary Ann Washburn, now deceased, by whom he has had eight children. Elbert E. Birch was born in Southeast in 1841, and was the son of Amos and grandson of Charles, both residents of this county. He is a farmer. In 1865 he married Melissa Howes, of Southeast. James W. Boyce was born in Dutchess county in 1816 and came to Putnam county in 1834. He is a miller and carpenter and builder. He married Clarissa Roberts, of Patterson, and has two sons, James L. and Charles M. Frederick G. Brewster was born in Southeast in 1821, was educated at public schools, and is a farmer. He married Mar- garet Strang, of Yorktown, Westchester county. He is a mem- ber of the Presbyterian Church and is a descendant of Samuel Brewster, who came from Rockland to Putnam county in 1810. Samuel W. Brewster, son of Samuel, mentioned above, was born in Southeast in 1824, and married Harriet E. Crosby, of Patterson, in 1851. He is a farmer. PERSONAL SKETCHES. 751 Oscar G. Brian, son of Samuel F. Brian, was born at Jacobs- town, N. J. He came to this county in 1870 and has been in business at Dykeman's Station as lumber dealer and railroad agent. He married Julia C. Fowler, and has one son, Albert S. Brian. Abner P. Brush was born in Southeast in 1822, was educated at the public schools and is a farmer. He married Hannah M. Rundle, of North Salem, Westchester county, in 1850. His father, John P., grandfather, John and greatgrandfather, Jacob, all lived in Putnam county. Elijah W. Budd was born in the city of Brooklyn, March 29th, 1838. His father, Hiram Budd, was formerly a resident of Ulsier county. Mr. Budd went to New York when a young man and was in business with Barnnm & Co. For^everal years he held the position of assistant collector in the Custom Hoase, and afterward was foreman in the hat factory of C. W. Budd, in Brewster. The residence of Mr. Budd was in former times the homestead of Archibald Youngs, at the corner of the Doans- burg and Milltown roads. Mr. Budd married Elizabeth A., daughter of Henry Belden. Andrew Cosgriff was born in New York city in 1821; edu- cated at common schools; was railroad engineer on Hudson River Railroad, then superintendent of engineers on the Harlem Railroad four years; for four and a half years was master ma- chinist of West Gulf Blockading Squadron under Admiral Farragut; in 1865 was engaged in mining in Pennsylvania; and has also been engaged in same business in West Virginia, Cali- fornia and Nevada. In 1868 he came to Putnam county and engaged as superintendent of Tilly Foster mines. He has been postmaster at Tilly Foster. He was married in 1858 to Jane Lewis, of Hudson, Columbia county, N. Y. Alfred E. De Forest, son of Benjamin De Forest, was born at De Forest Corners in 1855. When a boy he went to Detroit, Mich., where his father still lives. He came to Brewster and opened a drug store in 1875, and still continues it. He married Mary, daughter of Peter Townsend. Philip Diehl was born in Germany, and came to America in 1853. He remained in New York till 1864, when he came to Brewster and established a wholesale and retail bakery and 752 HISTOUY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. confectionery. He is trustee of the Fire Department, and has held the office of overseer of poor of Southeast. He is one of the stewards of the Methodist church, and is a prominent mason and knight templar. He married. Josephine Lee and has five children. Uriah Field w^as born in Southeast, in 1830. His father, Solomon, grandfather, Stephen, great-grandfather, Solo- mon, and great-great-grandfather, Nathan, were residents of this county. The family is of English descent. The first settler of the name in this county came from Long Island. Uriah Field was educated at the common schools and North Salem Academy, and is a farmer. He married Mary A. Everett, of Southeast, in 1863. G. B. Fowler was born in Southeast in 1847, was educated at the common schools, and follows the business of farming. In 1873 he married Mary Bloomer, of Binghamton, N. Y. Elijah F. Fowler was born in Southeast in 1820, received a common school education, and has always been a farmer. He married Susan Hall, of North Salem, Westchester county, and has had five children. William F. Fowler was born in Fairfield county, Conn., in 1811, and came to Putnam county with his parents the same year. He is a farmer, has been road commissioner six years, assessor six years, and was a lieutenant of militia. In 1833 he married Matilda Brush of Southeast. He was a vice-presi- dent of the County Agricultural Society when first organized, a director of theCroton River National Bank when first started, and is vice-president of Putnam County Savings Bank. Alpheus D. Freer was born in New Paltz, Ulster county, in 1838. He learned the trade of a blacksmith and began business in Brewster in 1863, and continued till the present year, when he retired and left the business to his sons. He is a prominent mason, and has been collector of Southeast for five years. He married Mary J. Collins and has three children: Charles E., George B; and Cora. Cornelius H. Gage was born in Southeast in 1832, has been engaged in shoemaking and hat manufacturing, and afterward in coal business. For ten years he was in the employ of the Borden Condensed Milk Company. After this he was one of PERSONAL SKETCHES. 753 the firm of Yeomans, Gage & Co., in the flour and feed store, and is now with W. S. Paddock in the same business. He mar- ried Amelia, daughter of William and Deborah Rundle, and has one daiighter. Warren Oay was born in Southeast in 1822. His father and grandfather were residents of this county. He is a farmer. In 1852 he was married to Delia M. Cree, of North Salem, West- chester county. David Hallwas born in Southeast in 1830. His father, John, and grandfather, David, resided in this county. The family came originally from Massachusetts. He was educated in the common schools and is a farmer. In 1881 he was married to Melissa Sears, of Southeast. Capt. James W. Haviland was born at Athens, G-reene county, N. Y., April 8th, 1816, and was married January 14th, 1840, to Esther L. Haviland, who was born in Patterson, Putnam county, July 6th, 1815. He was captain of a vessel on the Hudson from 1835 to 1851, when he moved to Southeast, to the farm now owned and occupied by his sons, W. C. and J. J. Haviland. Captain Haviland died March 29th, 1881, and his wife died July 5th, 1884, leaving four children, three living in South- east, and one in Catskill, Greene county. George Hine was born in Southeast in 1834. His father, Charles W., and his grandfather, Charles, were residents of this county. The family came from Woodbridge, Conn., about 1804, and settled on the farm where Mr. Hine now resides. He has been commissioner of highways twelve years and assessor one term, and is a director of the Putnam County Savings Bank. He was married in 1862 to Josephine Foster of South- east, daughter of Judge Foster. Moseman B. Hyatt was born in Kent in 1834, and is a farmer and fruit raiser. His first wife was Margaret Van Wagner, now deceased. He was married a second time, to Annie C. Mead, of Carmel. Isaac Kelley, a farmer of Southeast, was born in 1813. His father, Jesse, and grandfather, Judah, were residents of the county. He has been supervisor of Southeast one term. In 1838 he married Antoinette Cole, of Carmel. 48 754 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Samuel KeJley was born in Southeast in 1845. His father, James R., grandfather, Samuel, and great-grandfather, Judah, were residents of this county. The family were originally from Vermont. He was a bookkeeper in New York city, and is now a farmer. He has been a director in the County Agricultural Society. In 1868 he was married to Carrie A. Kirkham. P- Z. Kirkham was born in 1846. He was a merchant in Westchester county six years, and is now a farmer. He mar- ried Henrietta Kelley, of Southeast and has one child. R. W. Kirkham was born in Carmel, in 1818. His father Zo- pher, and grandfather, Zebadee, were both residents of the county. The family are of Scotch descent. They moved from Westchester county to Putnam. Mr. Kirkham is a farmer. In 1848 he married Augusta S. Crane, of Carmel, daughter of an old and prominent Putnam county family. He has four chil- dren living: Caroline A., Peter Z., Estelle A., and Charlotte E. For rwenty-nine years he has resided on his present elegant home, which was the former home of Enoch Crosby, the Spy, and was purchased by Mr. Kirkham of the daughter-in-law and grandsons of this well known patriot. Augustus Knox was born in North Salem, Westchester county, and commenced business as a cabinet maker. Thirty years ago he opened an undertaking establishment in Brewster and has continued it to the present time. He married Miss Gournsey and has one daughter. Frederick H. Knox was born in Southeast in 1818, was educated in the common schools, and is a farmer. He married Abbie J. Reynolds, of Southeast. Nehemiah Knox was born in Southeast, in 1854, was educated in the common schools, and is a farmer. In 1878, he was mar- ried to Jennie Willis, of Brewster. Alexander F. Lohdell was born in North Salem, Westchester county, in 1835, and his first business experience was as book- keeper in New York. In 1860, he came to Brewster and estab- lished a dry goods and general merchandise store. The store was burned in the fire of 1879, but was rebuilt. He has also been engaged in the lumber business. He has been postmaster at Brewster since 1863. He married Julia, daughter of Vincent Paddock, and has four children: Esther, Alexander F., Vincent and Susan. PERSONAL SKETCHES. 755 Stephen McMahon was born in New Milford, Conn., came to Brewster about 1861, and was first engaged in hat manufactur- ing. ^ In 1864 he purchased the " Brewster House" which was the first hotel in the village, and has remained the proprietor ever since. The hotel has been made through his care and energy one of the best places of entertainment in the county. William E. Maher was born in Southeast, March 8th, 1859. His father, Thomas Maher, was a farmer, and his early life was passed on the homestead. In 1882, he established a meat mar- ket in the village of Brewster, which he has since conducted. Daniel O. Mead was born in Southeast, in 1830. His father, Silas, grandfather, Benjamin, and great-grandfather, Jeremiah, were residents of the county. He married Carrie M. Beebe in 1874. Austin MullarJcey was born in Ireland, came to America in 1859, and settled in Putnam county in 1865. He is a merchant. He served three years and nine months in the late war. He is postmaster at Dykeman's. He married Winnefred Mclntyre in 1866. Charles JY. Mygatt was born in Southeast in 1856, was edu- cated at Chappaqua Institute and Amenia Seminary, and is a farmer. In 1877 he married Leona Paddock. Warren 8. Paddock, son of Hiram Paddock, was born in Southeast in 1828. In early life he was a farmer, and has been in business in New York. In 1879 he set up business in Brews- ter in a flour and feed store, and has continued it till the present time. He married Sarah, daughter of Daniel Reed, and has three children. ClarJc 8. Penny was born in Southeast, in 1838, was educated at the common schools, and has followed the occupation of a farmer. He married Huldah Q. Mead in 1866, and has two children. James A. Peck was born in Litchfield county. Conn., in 1828, was educated in the public schools and Brookfield Academy, married, first Mary E. Carter, April 4th, 1848, second Lydia L. Carter, in 1853, came to Putuam county April 12th, 1859, and is a steam engineer. W C. Pugsley was born in Patterson in 1831, married Floraet- tie Light, of Kent, in 1861, and died in 1882. He was a farmer. 756 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. David B. Richards was born in 1803, was educated in the common schools, married Delia Foster, of Southeast, in 1832, and is a farmer. Oeorge E. Sears was born in Southeast in 1837. His father, Bradley, grandfather, Isaac, great-grandfather, Benjamin, jr., and. great-great-grandfather, Benjamin, were all residents of this county. The family came from Massachusetts and settled in this county in 1743, on the homestead property which has been owned by them since that time. Levi Shove was born in Warren, Litchfield county. Conn. He came to Brewster and established a livery business in 1876, which he has made very extensive. He married Flora, daughter of Henry Howland, of Kent, Conn., and has one daughter. James K. Smith came to Brewster and established a drug store several years since. He was a prominent member of the Baptist church, and one of the most prominent in establishing the church of Brewster. In the spring of 1886 he removed to Danbury, where he now resides. Albert Townsend, son of Charles Townsend, was born in Carmel, but resides in the town of Southeast, where he is ex- tensively engaged in farming. He was for many years in the traveling exhibition business with James Raymond. He is a member of the Methodist church. He married Jane A. Ball, and has one son, Frank. Coleman Townsend was born in Carmel in 1797. His grand- father, Uriah, and father, Samuel, were residents of the county. He is a farmer. He was supervisor of Kent two terms, and for several years county superintendent of poor. He married Ma- linda Ogden, of Fishkill, and has had three children. Walter W. Weed was born in Orange county in 1830, came to Putnam county in 1865, and married Deborah A. Blauvelt the same year. He is a blacksmith. George H. Wood was born in Southeast in 1834. His father, Abram, and grandfather, Nehemiah, were residents of the county. He was graduated from Union College in 1857, and followed the business of farming. He married, in 1860, Mary Van Dnzer (now deceased) of Orange county. PERSOJS^AL SKETCHES. 757 TOWK OP PHILIPSTOWN. Thomas H. Austin, son of Thomas Austin, is a well known resident of Garrison's. Of the many children of his father's family one son, Samuel, is now living at Cold Spring, and another is master of the ferry at Garrison's. Prof. Granville Barnum was born in Danbury, Conn., June 10th, 1842, and was educated at the high school of his native place and at the State ^formal School. He began teaching in Bethel, Conn., in 1859. In 1861 he taught at Milltown in South- east, and in 1871 became principal of the public school in Nel- sonville, and has conducted it with great success till the present time. He married Mary S., daughter of John B. Roberts, and has three children: Edith R., J. Clark, and Willard E. James 8. Boyd was born in. Cold Spring, March 4th, 1857. His father, Charles Boyd, was the supervisor of Philipstown during the late war, and prominently connected with i)ublic affairs. In 1850 Mr. Charles Boyd founded the drug store and pharmacy, which is now conducted by his son under the name of Boyd & Co. Mr. James S. Boyd is the corporation treasurer of Cold Spring, agent for Fishkill Savings Bank, and also agent for several steamship companies. He married Minnie, daughter of David Lloyd, and has one daughter. Thomas A. Ooe, son of Thomas D., and grandson of Darius Coe, was born in Morris county, N. J., June 14th, 1845. Since the age of 16 he has been engaged in mercantile affairs. He was town clerk of Philipstown for many years, and is prominently connected with the Masonic fraternity and with the Methodist Episcopal Church of Cold Spring. He married Pamelia, daughter of William C. Entrott, and has two children, Hattie and William. Isaac B. Davenport, son of Benjamin, and grandson of Isaac Davenport, was a well known wood and timber contractor. He died April 6th, 1874, aged 52. He married Mary E., daughter of Nicholas Wood. She now resides in Cold Spring with one soH, Isaac F. Davenport. James T. Dylcman, born in Philipstown, July 8th, 1845, has been for many years engaged in general merchandise in Nelson- ville. He is a member of the Masonic order and a supporter of 758 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. the Methodist Church. He married Anna, daughter of John Yan Tassel, and has one child, Minnie. Thomas Gaunt was born in Leeds, Eng., in 1846, and came to America in 1856. In 1884 he became connected with the West Point Foundry Association of which he is now superintendent and vice-president. Mr. Gaunt was at one time the superintendent of the Colwell Iron Works. He built the Brooklyn sugar house and the large buildings of the Chicago Sugar Refining Company. His brother, William Gaunt, who came to this country with him, is now assistant superintendent of the West Point Foundry. Frank H. Oreene, A.M., was born at Peekskill, N. Y., in 1842, and was educated at Princeton College. For a number of years he was in business in South Carolina, but for the past ten years has been in the educational work in Putnam county, and is now principal of Rock Street Public School of Cold Spring. He is president of the Putnam County Teachers' Association. Caleb Hustis was the owner of a large estate in the northern part of Philipstown, his homestead being that now owned by the heirs of Thomas Wright. He died in the latter part of the last century, leaving a wife. Charity, and eight children: Wil- liam, Jonathan, Esther, wife of Timothy Wood; Anna, wife of Samuel Warren; Phebe, wife of Ebenezer Lobdell; Rachel, wife of Bownes; Elizabeth, wife of William Davenport; and Mary. William Hustis died about 1815. He married Phebe Mekeel, and had eight children: Caleb, Isaac, Samuel, Josiah, Susan, wife of Uriah Drake; Sally, wife of Jacob Haight; Eliz- abeth, wife of Thomas Wright; and Charity. Caleb Hustis died in 1864 at the age of 68. He married Elizabeth, daughter of James Haight. Their children were: Martha J., Jeanette, wife of Nicholas Wood; James, Milton, Phebe A., wife of Arvis Haight; Hannah, wife of Richard Travis; and William J. Wil- liam J. Hustis, who is now living upon a portion of the ances- tral estate, was born February 17th, 1838. The large estate of his grandfather, Caleb Hustis, was left by him to his wife. Charity, who left it by will to her two sons, William and Jona- than. The western part was the share of William and now belongs to William J., while the eastern part belongs to the heirs of Thomas Wright and the heirs of Samuel Hustis. Wil- PERSONAL SKETCHES. 759 liam J. Hustis married Susan, daughter of John Horn. They have three children: Caleb, Arthur and Myrtle. Samuel Hustis, son of Caleb Hustis mentioned above, lived and died a farmer on a part of the ancestral estate. He married Elizabeth, daughter of David Hustis, a distant relative. Their children were : Harvey, William (deceased), and David. Mr. Hustis died February 4th, 1880, aged 72. Thomas W. Jaycox, son of William H. Jaycox, is a well known citizen of Philipstown, having been commissioner of highways and county commissioner for several years. He is a farmer, and is one of the prominent members and an active sup- porter of the North Highland Methodist Church. He married Mary E., daughter of Thomas Mekeel, and has two children, Seward and Lizzie. Peter B. Lawson was chief engineer and superintendent of West Point Foundry Company, and came from New York when the works were first started. He was born in 1810 and died at Cold Spring in May, 1879. He invented ihany improvements in machinery, including the projectile for Farrott's rifled cannon. He married Margaret Eisenburg. Their children are Margaret E., William K., Emma and Martina. James Mekeel, son' of Thomas, and grandson of William, was born at Highland Falls, December 19th, 1845. For some years he has been engaged in the timber and lumber business at Cold Spring, his residence being at Mekeel' s Corners. His grand- father, William, lived on the place now owned by Levi H. Bailey. Mr. Mekeel married Anna E., daughter of Elijah Mekeel. They have two sons. Homer E. and Robert H. Peter MeTceelwas a farmer in Philipstown, east of Cold Spring. He died in the fall of 1885. He married Amy Ferris. Their children were: William H., Caleb, Isaac, Sylvenus, Phileila, Mary, Ethelinda and Anna. Of the sons, Caleb and Sylvenas now live in Nelsonville. Charles Miller was born at West Point, March 4th', 1839. He came to Cold Spring and established a market in December, 1874. Mr, Miller is a member of the Episcopal Church. He married Leonora Mikmak. His children are: Charles A., Henry M., Frederick S. and Florence. 7(30 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. William E. Nelson was born in Cold Spring, August 11th, 1845. For 15 years lie has conducted an extensive livery busi- ness in his native village. He holds the position of under sheriff of the county. He married Annie, daughter of David Haight, and has one child, Helen E. Wright E. Perry was born in Kent, October, 1839. For many years he has been the proprietor of a grocery store in Cold Spring. Mr. Perry is a member of the masonic order, and a democrat. George W. Purdy, son of Samuel H. Purdy, was born at Goshen, Orange county. May 29th, 1810. He commenced a mercantile business at Cornwall, and came to Cold Spring in September, 1862, and in 1865 erected the building which is his Ijresent place of business. Mr. Purdy belongs to the Society of Friends. He married Charlotte, daughter of Robert Provost; they had one son, Robert P. After the death of Mrs. Purdy, he married Sarah C, daughter of Aaron Harvey, and widow of John Monks. They had one son, George W. The children of Mrs. Purdy by her former marriage are John A. S. Monks, an artist of great celebrity; Mary E., and Sarah P., who is now a teacher in San Angelos, California. Seth Secor, son of Alfred Secor, was born in Cold Spring July 13th, 1839, and is a general merchant. He has held the offices of town-clerk and supervisor of Philipstown. He married Emily, daughter of Solomon Bronson. They had three children, Etta and Alfred (both deceased), and Cornelia. Oscar H, Needling was born in Washington ville, Orange county, and came to this county about 1856. For 25 years he has conducted a general market business in Nelsonville. He has been connected with the Methodist church for 45 years. Colin Tolmie is the third generation of the same name who has been connected with the West Point Foundry. His grand- father, Colin Tolmie, came from New York when the works were established, and was in the employ of the company till the time of, his death in 1882. His father, Colin Tolmie, 2d, lost his life by the building of a mortar made for the use of life saving stations, in 1875, at the age of 46. He married Rachel, daughter of John and Sarah Shriver. Their only child is Colin Tolmie, 3d, who is now the stock and shipping clerk of the PERSONAL SKETCHES. 761 foundry. He married Miss Annie L., daughter of John C. Du Bois, and has one child, Agnes M. Darius Truesdell was born at Fishkill Landing February 27th, 1827. He was an extensive dealer in live stock and came to Cold Sjiring in 1840, and remained till 1860. In 1873 he re- turned to this place and remained till his death, March 2d, 1886. Mr. Truesdell married, first, Ann M. Haight, second, Harriet B Mason. His son, James Truesdell, is living in the village of Sing Sing. Charles B. Warren was born at Grarrison's, in 1831. His homestead is the one formerly owned by Stephen Davenport in the eastern part of Philipstown. In addition to managing his farm he runs a milk route in Cold Spring. He married Mary, daughter of Stephen Davenport. He is a member of the masonic order, and is trustee and steward of the North High- lands Methodist church. Milton Wise was born at Salisbury, Orange county, in 1818, and was the son of Benjamin Wise. In 1850 he came to this county and established a brick yard at the foot of Breakneck Mountain on the river shore, and now makes 2,500,000 bricks annually: He married Catharine Low. TOWN OP PATTERSON. Antliony A. Akin was born in Patterson in 1829, and is a farmer. He married Elizabeth Burch, of Pawling, in 1852. He has been commissioner of highways and assessor. For fifteen years he has been a director of Patnani County National Bank, and for several years vice-president. De Witt G. Akin is a farmer and was born in Putnam in 1826. He married Cynthia Aldrich and, after her decease, Almira B. Mallory, of Sherman, Conn., in 1860. For a number of ye'ars he was president of the County Agricultural Society, and was a master mason. He died May 30th, 1884. Benjamin C. Baker was born in Patterson, January 22d, 1822, and is a farmer. His father, Joseph, and grandfather, Phineas, were both residents of this town. Mr. Baker lives on the homestead which has been in possession of the family over 100 years. 762 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Henry C. Baldwin was born in Patterson, in 1836, and was a farmer. In 1862 he married Phebe J. Storms, of Dutchess county, N. Y. The children are: Jerome V., Herbert E., Edward S., and Mary J. His death occurred in 1870. George Banks was born in Banksville, Conn., in 1818. He v^as a merchant in New York city for twenty-five years, and re- tired from business and located in Putnam county, in 1871. He married in 1840, Caroline Dakin of New York city. His death occurred in 1879. One daughter, Emily B., is married to John W. Towner, of Patterson. Guy A. Birch was born in Kent, in 1858, was educated at public schools and is a farmer. William H. Cowl, born in Patterson in 1839, was a merchant and farmer, and married in 1858, Carrie M. Sherman, of Dutch- ess county. His death occurred in 1873. His children are: Emma A., Irene A., Clifton A., Ella P., and Benjamin P. Walter F. Crosby, merchant, was born in Southeast, in 1842. He married Hattie E. Bailey, of Patterson, in 1869. He was coroner one term. His father, Abner, and grandfather, Stephen, were residents of Putnam county. William C. Fowler, born in Kent in 1811, attended public schools, and is a farmer. He married Jane Terry in 1882. Eleazer H. Ganung was born in Carmel, in 1822, was educated at the common schools, is a farmer, and married Helen Peck, of Patterson. James C. Gerow was born in New Fairfield, Conn., in 1844, and came to Putnam county in 1856. He was educated at public and private schools, and Dutchess County Academy, and is a farmer. In ]870, he was married to Frances P. Tupper, of Washington county, and has three children. William Green was born in Dutchess county, in 1820, and came to Putnam county in 1862. "He married, in 1845, Eliza Ann St. John, of Patterson. He has been justice of the peace twelve years, supervisor one term, and justice of Sessions one term, and is a farmer. Benjamin Hamland was born in Patterson, in 1808, was edu- cated at public schools, and is a farmer. He was justice of the peace twenty years. He married Abbie Lane, of Sherman, Conn. PERSONAL SKETCHES. 763 Richard T. Haviland was born in Patterson, in 1829, educated at public schools and at Nine Partners. He is a farmer and stock dealer. He marrried, in 1852, Elizabeth Sears, of South- east. James C. Hayt was born in Patterson in 1821. His father, Harry, and grandfather, Stephen, were residents of Putnam county. He was educated at select schools, and has followed the business of merchant, farmer and miller. He married Caro- line E. Rogers, of Patterson. JDavid Henion was born in Kent in 1836, was educated at common schools, and is a farmer. He has been road commis- sioner and assessor, and is a member of the Baptist Church. He married Maria A Robinson, of Kent, in 1870. Kent Henion was born in Kent, in 1839, educated at public schools, and is a farmer. He married Cornelia W. Haines, in 1859. Joseph HopMns was born in Patterson, in 1832, attended public schools and is a farmer. He married Emily V. Kelley, of Carmel, and resides on old homestead which been in possession of the family for 100 years. Daniel 8. Judd was born in Connecticut in 1804, and came to Putnam county in 1829. He was educated at common schools, and is a farmer. He was supervisor of Putnam two terms, and overseer of poor for many years. Samuel UaUe, of Patterson, was born in 1772, and lived on the farm now owned by David Henion, and which was the resi- dence of his father, Abram Mabie, who came from Cape Cod. He married Ruth Bolt, of Patterson, by whom he had ten chil- dren. William A. Mabie was born in Patterson November 28th, 1827, married Laura A. Dykeman, of Southeast, January 19th, 1850, and died April 16th, 1881. He was a farmer and justice of the peace. Moses Peck was born in Dutchess county in 1826, and came to Putnam county in 1865. He is a farmer. He married Hannah N. K. Chase, of Dutchess county. Alfred C. Penny was born in Southeast in 1807, was educated in the common schools, and is a farmer. He married Louisa C. 764 HISTOEY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Crosby, of Patterson, in 1833, and has one child, Julia C, wife of James H. Thompson. Mr. Penny has been supervisor two terms and Justice of the peace 26 years. Philip D. Penny was born in Patterson in 1831, and married Mary J. Towner in 1853. He was for many years a merchant at Towner's Station, and in 1873 purchased the farm where he now lives. He was postmaster of Towner's many years, justice of the peace 12 years, justice of Sessions two ternis, coroner three years and supervisor two terms. Lewis G. Pugsley was born in Patterson in 1841. His father, Alfred, and grandfather, Benjamin, resided in this county. -Mr. Pugsley has followed the mercantile business. In 1870 he mar- ried Josephine Barnum, of Patterson. He has been town clerk of Patterson six years and postmaster at Patterson fourteen years. George W. Seaman w&s born in East Fishkill in 1838,. and came to Putnam county about 1851. In early life he engaged as a clerk, and later as a merchant in New York city and Pat- terson. For 20 years he has been proprietor and owner of the well-known American Hotel at Patterson. He married in 1858 Lydia]iA. Sloat, of Patterson, and has threa children. Henry A. Stephens was born in Dutchess county in 1809, came to Putnam county when nine years old, was educated at PERSONAL SKETCHES. 765 Litchfield Seminary, and is a farmer and stock dealer. He mar- ried in 1865 Nettie J. Bailey, of Patterson. Their children are, Henry B. and Jennie E. Daniel D. SteinbecJc was born in I'hilipstown September 28th, 1812. His father, John, and grandfather, Philip, were resi- dents of this county. The family came originally from Holland. Mr. Steinbeck was married September 5th, 1842, to Emeline Mabie, of Patterson, and has four children. He is a farmer and was assessor 15 years. William 0. Taylor was born in Patterson in 1832. His father, Roswell B., came from Connecticut. He is a farmer, was assessor three terms, and was enrolling marshall during the Rebellion. He married Mary C. Haviland in 1863. Eli Terry, son of Peter, was born in Patterson in 1809, at- tended the district schools and is a farmer. He was married in 1838 to Eliza A. Terry, and died in 1861, leaving one daughter, Carrie P. Henry G Tucker was born in Bedford, Westchester county, in 1843, and came to Patterson in 1867. He was educated in public and select schools and is a merchant. He married Jane E. Kent, of Patterson, in 1877. George E. Wright was born in Delaware county in 1861, was educated in Brooklyn, N. Y., and is a farmer. He married, in 1881, Lillie V. Cowl, daughter of Alpheus V. Cowl, of Pat- terson. TOWN OF KENT. Ezra CoUoell was boru in Kent in 1811. He is a farmer. He married Hannah Cole, of Kent. His decease occurred in 1882. William Colwell was born in Kent in 1800, and was a farmer. He married Polly Colwell, of Greene county, N. Y. His death occurred in 1848. William C. Entrott was born in Putnam Valley in 1823, is a farmer, and was educated at public schools. For five years he has been keeper of the poor of Putnam county. He married Phoebe Hopper, of'Philipstown. Andrew J. FosTiay was born in Philipstown in 1 830, was edu- cated at common schools, and has been merchant and farmer. 766 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. Has been county coroner; also supervisor of Kent one term, road commissioner and justice, also justice of Sessions. He married in 1852 Emeline Griffin, of Philipstown. F. D. Haight was born in Kent in 1841, attended public schools, and is a farmer. He lias been assessor of Kent 13 years. Joseph E. M. Hdbhy was born in Salem, Westchester county, and died in 1856. He was sheriff of Putnam county one term. He married Sarah Field, of Southeast. His son, Isaac E. Hobby, is married to Josephine R. Townsend, of Carmel. He is a farmer. William A. Hopkins was born in Carmel in 1818, was educated at the common and select schools, and is a farmer. In 1845, be married Hannah E. Sunderlin, of Carmel, daughter of Daniel H. Sunderlin. He has three children: Emma L., wife of Theo- dore Yeomans; Franklin A., married Emma L. Drew; and Edwin W., at Princeton College. Putnam lyigM was horn in Genesee county, N. Y., in 1812, and came to Putnam county in 1813 in care of an uncle, Samuel Hawkins. He attended public schools and is a farmer. He married in 1839, Miss U. N. Smith. His second wife's maiden name was Miss A. J. Light. He has been assessor three terms. Frederick H. Lndington was born in Kent in 1833. He is a farmer. He married Mary J. Seaman, of East Peekskill, Dutchess county, N. Y. Charles Mead was born in Kent in 1826. He was educated in public schools and is a farmer. He has been supervisor of Kent three terms, and was also elected Justice and town collector. Daniel K. Merritt was born in Patterson in 1830, and attended public school. He is proprietor of flouring mills, has been justice of peace eight years, and married Miss T. J. Tompkins of Kent. William A. NortTiup was born in Kent in 1829, and is a farmer. He was assessor of Kent three terms. He married Elizabeth Hyatt, of Carmel, in 1862. W. B. Northup was born in Kent in 1838, and educated at public schools, and is a farmer. He married Miss B. C. Kelley, of Southeast, in 1869. PERSONAL SKETCHES. 767 La Fayette Post was born in Kent in 1844, attended the public schools, and is a miller. He married Emma Bennett, of Kent. Peter G. Rickey was born in Dutchess county in 1821, and came to Putnam county in 1853. His death occurred in 1881. He married, in 1850, Catharine S. Dean, of Kent. Mr. Rickey was a farmer. James Robinson was born in Patterson in 1824, is a farmer, and was educated at public schools. He married Miss K. Robinson, of Kent. Lewis G. Robinson was born in Dutchess county, and came to Putnam county with his father about 1840. He attended the public schools, and is a farmer and stock dealer. He has been supervisor of Kent four terms, and was director of Put- nam County Agricultural Society. He married Laura Henion, of Kent. Samuel Terry was born in Kent, in 1816, educated at com- mon schools, and was a farmer. His death occurred in 1884. He was married in 1837 to Susan Townsend, of Southeast. The children are Emily, Lucelia, and Uriah. Martin Stevens was born in Putnam Valley, in 1839, attended the public schools, and is a farmer. His father David, and grandfather, Edward, were residents of this county. He has been road commissioner, poormaster, and coroner several terms. He married Sarah O. Adams, of Putnam Valley, and has six children, of whom three are teachers and one a graduate of the State Normal School at Albany. Henry Townsend was born in Kent, in 1833, was a farmer, and married Angeline Barrett, of Kent. His death occurred in 1871. Eben Wixom was born in Kent, in 1815, is a farmer, and married Laura Robinson, of Kent, February 6th, 1839. Smith Warden was born in Kent, in 1817. He has been supervisor of Kent two terms, also elected town clerk. He went to California in 1849, and returned to Putnam county in 1865. 768 HISTORY OF PUTNAM COUNTY. TOWN or PUTNAM VALLEY. S. F. Adams was born in Putnam Valley, in 1814, attended district schools, and is a farmer. He married in 1847, Margaret Pierce, of Putnam Valley. Sela Armstrong was born in Putnam Valley, in 1840. He was educated at district schools and Peekskill Military School, and is a farmer. He was justice of the peace four years, and was elected supervisor of Putnam Valley in 1886. He married Margaret Cole, of Putnam Valley, in 1862. David Barger was born in Putnam Valley in 1822, educated at district schools and Salem Academy, and is a farmer. He was a teacher three years. He married Elizabeth Crawford, of Putnam Valley, and has been assessor one term. Francis BucTcbee was born in Putnam Valley in 1826, edu- cated at district schools, and is a farmer and blacksmith. He was married, in 1854, to Sarah Barger, of Putnam Valley. Monmouth H. G. BucJcbee was born in Putnam Valley, in 1807, was educated at district schools, and was a farmer and carpen- ter. He was supervisor many years. He married, in 1828, Sally Avery, of Columbia county, N. Y. Their children are: Eliza- beth A., Hannah, Sela, Martha, Jacob and Emma. Mr. Buck- bee died in 1869. Joel ConMin was born in Putnam Valley in 1840, attended district schools, and is a farmer. He married Martha Tompkins, of Putnam Valley, in 1865. Randolph Croft was born in Putnam Valley, in 1833, father and grandfather both residents of the county, attended district schools, and is a farmer. He married Emalinda Hill, in 1871, a native of Dutchess county. Samuel Croft was born in Putnam county, in 1821, was edu- cated at district schools, is a farmer, and an ordained local preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He married Esther E. Lickley, May 6th, 1843, a native of utnam Valley. John Gilbert was born in Putnam Valley, in 1817, attended district school, and is a farmer. He married Sarah Travis, of Putnam Valley. John C. Green was born in Somers, Westchester county, in 1822, and came to Putnam county in 1872. He was educated at PERSONAL SKETCHES. 769 district and select schools, and is a farmer. He went to Cali- fornia, in 1852 and retruned in 1859. He married, in 1847, Eliza- beth Ladue. John L. Horton was born in Putnam Valley, in 1840, attended district school, and is a farmer. He married Sarah Ann Travis, of Putnam Valley, in 1867. He has been excise commissioner one term. Nelson S. Horton was born in Carmel in 1837, educated at district school and is a farmer, and for a number of years trav- elled in menagerie business. He married in 1875 Miss F. 0. Bar- rett, of Carmel township. Wright J. Horton was born in Putnam Valley in 1813, at- tended district schools and is a farmer. In 1886 he removed to Flint, Michigan, where he has since resided. He married Deb- orah Wilcox, of Dutchess county, in 1836. Thomas N. James was born in Yorktown, Westchester county, in 1811, and came to Putnam county about 1836. He was edu- cated at district schools and is a farmer. He married in 1836 Phebe S. Griffen, of Yorktown. He has been supervisor of Putnam Valley one term. Joseph Lee was born in Putnam Valley in 1824. His father, Abijah, was the first settler of the family in the county, re- moving from Westchester about 1828. He purchased property at Oscawana Lake. In 1856 he built the Oscawana Lake House, the first opened, which is now owned by Joseph Lee. He is also proprietor of paper mills at Oregon. He married Harriet Travis, of Putnam Valley, in 1853. Rotert W. Lounshury was born JJiTovember 29th, 1817. The name first appears in the list of the inhabitants of Dutchess county in 1723, when Kichard Lounsbury is mentioned. Robert W. is the grandson of Isaac and the son of Joshua, who mar- ried Lydia, daughter of Eliakim Wardell. Robert W. Louns- bury has been for more than twenty years a justice of the peace, and is now living on a farm, owned in Revolutionary times, by William Smith. This farm is bounded on the east by the line between Lots 4 and 5 of thePhilipse Patent, and is about three- quarters of a mile north of Bryant Pond. 49 770 HISTORY OP PUTNAM COUNTY. John Mead, jr., was born in New York city in 1831, and came to Putnam county when quite young. He was educated at dis- trict schools and Peekskill Military Academy, and is a farmer. He married Priscilla Wixom, of Putnam Valley, and resides on the old homestead which has been in possession of the family about 100 years. Isaac J. Oakley was born in Putnam Valley in 1823, attended district schools and is a farmer. He married, in 1854, Elizabeth S. Brown, of Westchester county. He has been an officer in the M. E. church many years. Jackson Perry is a farmer and wag born in Putnam Valley in 1828. He has been road commissioner many years and supervisor of Putnam Valley five years. He married Mary Crawford of Putnam Valley. Reuben Perry was born in Putnam Valley in 1849, educated at district schools and is a farmer. He married, in 1869, Sarah Jane Armstrong, of Putnam Valley. Charles Bundle was born in Putnam county, educated at dis- trict schools, and is a farmer. He married Harriet Adams, of Putnam coimty, and after her decease Malinda Light. His chil- dren are Oscar, Theodore H., and Martha. W. E. Samler was born in New York city in 1837 and came to Putnam county in 1869. He was educated in New York. His business is pianoforte manufacturing. He married Stella Cum- mins of Putnam Valley. William O. Scofield was born in Connecticut in 1820 and came to Putnam county in 1860. He is a farmer and proprietor of iron mines. He married Francis Croft of Putnam Valley, a descendant of an old Putnam county family. James Sherwood was born in New York city in 1844, and came to Putnam county about 1855. He was educated in New York and district schools, and is a farmer. He marrried Ophelia Smith, of Putnam Valley. He has been collector and constable. James W. Silleck was born in Putnam Valley in 1821. His father, Gould J., and grandfather, Gould J., were residents of the county. He was educated at district schools. For many years he was a coal merchant in New York city, and is now a PERSONAL SKETCHES. 771 farmer. He married, in 1843, Maria W. Romer of Philips- town. Forman Smith was born in Putnam Valley in 1829, educated at district schools, and is a farmer. He married Elethea Ferris of Cold Spring, in 1854. James SmitJi was born in Westchester county in 1848, and came to Putnam county in 1866. He was educated at district schools and is a farmer. He married, in 1866, Mary C. Horn, of Putnam Valley, daughter of Benjamin T. Horn, a well-known lawyer of New York, who for a time resided at Adams' Corners in Putnam Valley. Cornelius B. TompMns was born in Putnam Valley in 1833, attended district schools and is a farmer. He married Miss A. M. Conklin, of Yonkers, N. Y., in 1859. He has been a road commissioner and justice of peace. JoJm Wallace was born in Putnam Valley in 1850. His father, Henry, and grandfather, Greorge, were residents of the county. He was educated at district schools and is a farmer. He has been town collector and constable. He married Sarah A. Wixsora of Carmel township.